Saturday Roundup - Gameday: Cats @ Caps
by J.P. on Feb 7, 2009 8:51 AM EST
26 comments
[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]
No doubt out of gratitude to the Panthers for all they did to help the Caps at the end of last season, Florida is the lone Eastern Conference team to be spared along the way thus far as D.C. has compiled a 26-7-4 intra-conference record. The Kitties are also the only Eastern Conference visitor to win a game in regulation at the Verizon Center since March 9, 2008.
Hopefully all of that generosity and good will ends before the opening faceoff tonight.
The good news for Caps fans is that if the season ended today, the Florida Panthers would make the playoffs, meaning the Pittsburgh Penguins wouldn't there's a good chance that the Caps might take their guests seriously tonight and put forth a decent effort.
The bad news is that the Panthers are hot, winners of four of their last five games, and, what's more, they're 17-7-7 in their last 31 - why is no one talking about what head coach Peter DeBoer is doing down in South Beach? And why is (almost) no one talking about Nathan Horton's wife (who apparently is Jacques Plante's grand-niece and a heck of a virtual bartender... but we digress).
The Kitties are doing it with good defense and goaltending and timely (often beautiful) goal scoring - their leading scorer (Stephen Weiss) is 75th in the League in scoring, but when you've got two goalies in the top ten in save percentage, that doesn't matter so much.
Still, the Panthers are a team the Caps should beat, and as a potential first-round playoff opponent (as unlikely as that might seem), it's message-sending time for the home team, and that message is a clear and simple one: it's our Division - good luck with second place.
Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:
Be sure to stop by Litter Box Cats for the view from the other side today.
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Exactly.
What you said on the message-sending time.
I think we’re going to miss Laich tonight. Hopefully the guys got the butt-kicking they needed and will come out flying and pay the Cats a little respect in the form of said clear and firm message.
by gotsparkly on Feb 7, 2009 9:27 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Horton
That photo of Horton with his wife is proof positive that if you’re a pro athlete making lots of money, great looking women will marry you no matter how weird you look.
by b.orr4 on Feb 7, 2009 9:49 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
So we’re gonna need more than a FLA driver’s liscense to get in tonight? ; )
by Fauxrumors on Feb 7, 2009 11:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Dammit. Corrected, thx.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Feb 7, 2009 1:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That's okay JP
there were a lot of ‘ca’ ’ca syllables involved, Easy to get muddled.
I hope we don’t see that ca-ca on the ice. Again.
by Uncle C on Feb 7, 2009 2:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Shouldn’t it be Cats at Caps?
Big game tonight. A win by the Caps tonight would take destiny out of the hands of the Panthers again (Right now, if they match the Caps, win their games in hand and sweep the remaining games with the Caps, they would win the Southeast and not the Caps). This may not seem important but it is….
It is also important in securing a second seed in the east, which would guarantee home ice in the first two rounds of the playoffs….
by MikeL-Caps on Feb 7, 2009 10:40 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Agreed.
I’d consider this one a must-win, especially after the Kings game. We have GOT to slam the door on the Cats, here and now, although I’m not convinced we will after Thursday. The SE is ours dammit, and we’d better wake up and pay attention if we want to keep it.
by gotsparkly on Feb 7, 2009 10:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
if they match the Caps, win their games in hand and sweep the remaining games with the Caps, they would win the Southeast and not the Caps). This may not seem important but it is….
Who ARE you?
by Uncle C on Feb 7, 2009 2:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I am not lefthanded! (Although when I played hockey back in my long-ago youth, I played left handed…)
by MikeL-Caps on Feb 9, 2009 11:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
All this Florida playoff talk is really frightening and confusing.
The Litter Box: Your SBNation Florida Panthers Blogging Colossus
by Donny Rivette on Feb 7, 2009 11:37 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Lines/Pairings
Corey has them as:
8 19 92
14 91 28
21 39 16
87 15 10
52 55
3 26
27 23
60
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
by Bald Pollack on Feb 7, 2009 11:38 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
I like the idea of Fehr and Laich on the same line. I’m not sure about Fleischmann with Semin and Fedorov, but maybe Fedorov’s no nonsense attitude will get Semin to stop trying to be so damn cute with the puck.
by David M. Getz on Feb 7, 2009 11:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I think that 3rd line might do decently, I’ve kind of liked Steckel when he’s been on the 3rd line, and I think getting him with Fehr should provide some confidence for both of them.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
by Bald Pollack on Feb 7, 2009 11:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
21-39-16
Laich-Steckel-Fehr has brought down the house more than once when BB put them together. Remember that 39-16 were together in Hershey.
The only one that weirds me out is Nylander on Backstrom’s wing.
by gotsparkly on Feb 7, 2009 12:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It's probably reward for Nylander's
two goal game against Jersey. I would preferably switch Ovechkin and Fleischmann on their lines by the third period.
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
by jobe on Feb 7, 2009 1:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
New Rule For Visiting Teams
In regards to the many comments & statements of teams the Caps should beat I propose this new rule:
If you are a visiting team playing the Caps in the Verizon Center, you must wear an alternate jersey that has been pre-approved by the Caps. The acceptable alternative jersey consists of these jersey selections: Red Wings, Bruins, Canadiens, Rangers, Penguins, Devils, Flyers, or Jagr jerseys.
This new rule will help the Capitals focus and play with consistent intensity and not take any team lightly.
/end sarcasm… sorta…
by migz on Feb 7, 2009 11:48 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
After that debacle on Thursday, I guarantee the Caps are not losing this game. Not at home, and not to these jokers.
Russian Machine Never Breaks
by macvechkin on Feb 7, 2009 12:56 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Fantastic.
I know who to blame if the unthinkable happens.
by gotsparkly on Feb 7, 2009 12:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I know we have a stake in it
but is their anyone here who doesn’t think it’s in the Panther’s best interest to trade Bouwmeester?
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
by jobe on Feb 7, 2009 1:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I do. If they make the playoffs the odds are really stacked against them going past the second round. In the long term, I think the return on Bouwmeester helps the team more than the short playoff stint.
That said, they have several weeks to see how they play and Bouwmeester’s the kind of talent teams will be chomping at the bit the get at that point too.
by David M. Getz on Feb 7, 2009 3:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
So we agree that they should trade Bouwmeester.
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
by jobe on Feb 8, 2009 5:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Washington
|
69 | 46 | 14 | 9 | 101 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
68 | 28 | 28 | 12 | 68 |
|
Atlanta
|
68 | 28 | 29 | 11 | 67 |
|
Florida
|
67 | 28 | 29 | 10 | 66 |
|
Carolina
|
68 | 28 | 32 | 8 | 64 |
(updated 3.16.2010 at 12:05 AM EDT)
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