Game Day - Capitals @ Flyers
by J.P. on Mar 12, 2009 7:00 AM EDT
Email
Print
[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]
When the Caps and Flyers met just over two weeks ago, D.C. watched a 2-1 third period lead turn into a 4-2 deficit in the span of 3:19, and saw the season series with Philly slip away with the resulting loss. And while a win tonight in the City of Brotherly Love won't change any of that, of course, it would be an enormous victory for a Caps team that has won just once in Philly in the last calendar year (Game 6 of last year's Eastern Conferance Quarterfinals) against a trio of losses in which they've been outscored 17-7.
The Flyers are cruising right now - 10-4-1 in their last fifteen games, top ten in the NHL in goals for and in both special teams units (including the League's best home power play). On an individual level, tonight's starting netminder, Martin Biron is 3-1-0/1.50/.956 in his last five appearances, Mike Richards has 24 points in his last 18 games, and the line of Joffrey Lupul, Jeff Carter and Scott Hartnell combined for four goals and four assists in their last time out against Buffalo.
At almost the other end of the, um, spectrum are the Caps, who despite winning a nail-biter in Nashville on Tuesday are 1-3-1 in their last five, thanks in part to the fact that they've had exactly one goal in those five games - Brooks Laich's tally against the Pens - from anyone who isn't a forward on one of the two lines. Tomas Fleischmann doesn't have a point in his last five games, Eric Fehr is pointless in six. Mike Green doesn't have a goal in six games and has just one in his last dozen (too many minutes?), and so on, making the answer to this question is a resounding "more."
If there's reason for optimism tonight (other than the hard-fought win in Music City), it's that the Flyers have committed the most minor penalties in the Conference and the Caps have the best power play in the East (though they've gone just 2-for-16 in the season series with Philly). Bottom line: if the Caps can't get it done with the extra man tonight, you can probably forget about two points and start preparing for Carolina on Saturday. But if the team commits to going to the net and making life a little uncomfortable for Biron, we might just have a game.
109 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Doesn’t seem like there’s a lot to be optimistic tonight about, does it?
The only thing that you can be sure about with this team is that you never know what you’re going to get. That’s the bad part, and the good part.
Guess we’ll see what happens.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
You mean they’re like a box of chocolates? :)
"For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing; " - The Prophet
That was the simile I was looking for and that wouldn’t quite pop to mind.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
I thought that was a metaphor?
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Mar 12, 2009 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions
or at least an onomatopoeia? :D
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Mar 12, 2009 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions
Stick to your history books, dear. :)
"For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing; " - The Prophet
Any time I can work the word “onomatopoeia” into a post, its a good thing
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Mar 12, 2009 10:00 AM EDT up reply actions
Is this Chef Emeril?
"For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing; " - The Prophet
The reverse of the fact that they give up minor penalties is that they are great short handed also. I think our PP has gotten better at that since the carolina game, it’s still a concern (Since Carolina isn’t really known as a short handed power house and we gave up 2).
Indeed. Perhaps they’re committing penalties when they desperately need a little extra offense… :)
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Jeff Carter: 38 goals (11PP, 4SH)
Mike Richards: 26 goals (6PP, 7SH)
Simon Gagne: 26 goals (8PP, 4SH)
Scott Hartnell: 24 goals (5PP, 1 SH)
The Flyers have four players with shorthanded goals. There are six teams with that many or fewer total shorthanded goals scored.
If you've read this far...seek help.
Hurts, definitely.
Swing by The Flyer Frequent. You have nothing better to do.
by Ben Rothenberg on Mar 12, 2009 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Really? I knew it was bad up there with Danny boy, but I didn’t know it was that bad. Is he really the Flyer’s Nylander?
Not even close. On his worst day on half a leg the MSM is 10 times better than Nyles. As a Caps fan that doesn’t make me happy, but it is the truth.
by Carl Putnam on Mar 12, 2009 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions
He just gets injured every damn game and is a distraction and a morale killer. A distraction that’s close to worst on the team in plus/minus. With the highest cap hit.
He also really doesn’t fit into the Flyers mold, which Flyers fans care way too much about.
But his being around puts Biron in good spirits.
Swing by The Flyer Frequent. You have nothing better to do.
by Ben Rothenberg on Mar 12, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m okay with the Caps taking their chances with Biron this evening. Nitty has been a Cap killer this season.
Oh he’s plenty dirty. But he’s not physical.
Flyers play very Don Cherry-friendly hockey (to drop a name you all love), and he doesn’t fit that mold.
Swing by The Flyer Frequent. You have nothing better to do.
by Ben Rothenberg on Mar 12, 2009 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Not sure on the overall impact on the Flyboys, but it potentially hurts AO’s two most important teammates, if you know what I mean.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
(Briere has speared OV in the produce section at least once in the past)
by Sombrero Guy on Mar 12, 2009 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions
I’d like to see at least one defenseman not named “Green” get some significant PP time today. No, Fedorov does not count.
Yes, this will reduce the effectiveness of the PP. But the team seems to give up at least one SH scoring chance every game, and Philly has the habit of burying those.
by Gould Old Days on Mar 12, 2009 8:22 AM EDT up reply actions
Seems to me like they go for steals a lot on D to D passes…there’s gotta be some way the Caps can sell that and use it to their aggressiveness against them. I think passing the puck around a lot on the PP and gradually wearing out their PK with good possession time would be a great way to counter it. Problem is, we seem to have a problem keeping possession for a decent period of time consistently.
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Mar 12, 2009 8:29 AM EDT up reply actions
Wouldn’t Sideshow Bob look GREAT in a Caps uniform? He’s exactly the type of player we need.
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Mar 12, 2009 8:31 AM EDT reply actions
Not even a Caps uniform could help his nasty looks.
"For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing; " - The Prophet
If he played for us, you’d think he was adorable ;)
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Mar 12, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions
No, he looks like he went through a trash compactor. If your girl, Scarlett Johansson, looked like that, you wouldn’t think she would be hot just because she’s in a Caps uniform, would ya? ;)
"For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing; " - The Prophet
I was a big fan of Scarlett’s brother, Calle
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Mar 12, 2009 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Considering how many men she’s dated, I don’t think she’s inherited Calle’s strength in the defensive zone
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Mar 12, 2009 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions
The last really oustanding effort from the Caps came on the road against Boston – since then, dreck followed by a workmanlike effort against the Preds.
So if anything is going to spark them to come out flying, it’s gonna be the Flyboys (good team to get up to face, lingering resentment over 7-1 beatdown and 3 unanswered in the third, etc).
Or so I hope!
I’m fully expecting a dirty ugly game tonight and it should be very physical. Hopefully our D can pull off some nasty hits like they did in Nashville.
And ....
…hopefully crash the crease like they didn’t in Nashville.
As I said in another thread, if ShaMo does to Hartnell what he did to Jason Arnott, I will not say another word against him the rest of this season.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Mar 12, 2009 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I think if the defense as a whole plays like they did against Nashville, a lot of the naysayers will go away. Personally, I thought they put up several more hits than what they were credited for.
Certainly.
But Scott Hartnell getting flattened in open ice and not returning would make my night.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
ButScott Hartnellany Flyer getting flattened in open ice and not returning would make my night.
Just my opinion.
Agreed! There’s no team I dislike more than the Flyers.
"For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing; " - The Prophet
I should throw out the fact that I’m not rooting for injuries— just rooting for some good clean open ice hits.
I shouldn’t, and usually I don’t, but I swear I hate Hartnell’s guts more an any other Flyer or even their fans. Jerkoff. Seeing him flattened would warm the cockles of my little heart.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
Usually, games in Philly have me expecting the worst. I don’t have that feeling today. The last three games have been progressively better and in the latter stages of all of them the Caps have been dominating. Watching that third period and OT against Nashville, the team just seemed to have a swagger that hadn’t been there in a while. I just have a strong sense the Caps are going to go into Philly and do to them what they did back in Game Six-take over the game in the second and third periods and win going away.
Has anyone heard how Brashear is doing? I’ve been looking for an update, and I haven’t seen anything. I know a lot of people don’t like him, but I feel better when he’s there.
"For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing; " - The Prophet
My guess is he’s probably out tonight…but we’ll know more after practice
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Mar 12, 2009 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions
I heard Brash has a sprained knee, so I imagine he will be out for awhile. Emergency call-up time, or will Nylander get put on the ice?
I heard Brash has “a sprained knee,” so I imagine he will be out for awhile.
Fixed that for you.
I’d imagine Nyls gets back in rather than an emergency recall.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Tarik says otherwise.
<Caps Injury Update
LW Donald Brashear, one night after suffering a sprained knee while getting dropped by straight left from Belak, is questionable for tomorrow’s game, Boudreau said. If Brashear’s knee doesn’t improve, though, the Caps will have to make a call-up. Boudreau said that decision won’t be made until later today or tomorrow.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
Tarik says otherwise to his otherwise:
If Brashear cannot play, Boudreau will insert Michael Nylander into the lineup.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Nyls brings the much needed toughness to the team. Is he going to replace Brash as a winger or will he be on the third line with Stecks moving down or something? thoughts?
Changed his mind, did he? Makes sense. If he does, I see:
8-19-25
21-91-28
14-92-16
39-15-10
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
I think you keep Flash with 28 and 91 to try to get him going again, so I see…
8-19-25
14-91-28
21-92-16 (sorry, Brooks and Fehrsie!)
15-39-10
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I like the second set of lines better. I thought Fehr was doing well when he was out there with Laich the other night. I guess they have kind of similar styles and they looked like they meshed just fine.
My thing is that Fehr does better when he crashes the net. You’ve got to put him with someone who can carry the puck into the zone and maybe set him up on a give-and-go. Can Nylander do that?
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
If he couldn’t carry the puck into the zone and set up a scoring winger, the Caps wouldn’t have signed him to a 4-year contract for $4.875M per year.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I’m thinking concussion – I’ve never seen a guy look super-woozy from a sprained knee. </Bill Frist video diagnosis>
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Isn't it strange..
Anyone else notice how the play of Mo, Erskine and Jurcina has decidely picked up since Pothier went down to Hershey? Think they’re worried about their spots in the top six since one of them is going to have to sit once Brian gets back?
Whatever the reason, I’m glad… expecially Mo. I don’t really like him much, but if he were to actually earn his money, I might ease up on him. :)
"For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing; " - The Prophet
Correction: “expecially” = especially. Sorry. :)
"For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing; " - The Prophet
Expecially = Extra Specially? Spextra?
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Mar 12, 2009 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions
I think Jason Spextra plays for Ottawa :D
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Mar 12, 2009 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions
I prefer Spextra in my coffee to regular sugar.
by Scott in Shaw on Mar 12, 2009 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Don’t want to rain on any parades, but they were playing against a relatively inept offenses in Toronto and Nashville (both have been playing better though).
Tonight is truely a measuring stick with regards to our defense and what Mo/Erskine/Juice are doing right now.
The big positive I’ve seen in the last couple games has been that the Caps played as disciplined as their opponents. Espexially against Nashville, it looked like a different team with the forwards backchecking and showing defensive responsibility as well as they did. I’m curious to see how they play it in Philly, but it looked to me like the forwards were willing to come farther down in the defensive zone last night than has been the case for most of the season. I could have sworn that I saw Ovechkin down below the top of the circle in the defensive zone several times. They were also much better with the opposite forward covering the middle of the defensive zone—it led to several broken up passes and shots prevented.
by mechanicsville on Mar 12, 2009 10:56 AM EDT reply actions
Nice. :)
"For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing; " - The Prophet
and now I feel like an asshole….
"
Believe me when I tell you that I dislike Hartnell almost as bad as I hated Hextall. I was ragging on him about his hair, then I found out he is growing his hair throughout the season and will shave it off to donate to that cancer program, “something” locks, you know, they make real hair wigs for cancer patients that have lost their hair due to chemo. Still don’t like Hartnell, but I don’t rag on his doo so much now.
Posted by: fanohock1 | March 12, 2009 12:01 PM "
by Sombrero Guy on Mar 12, 2009 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions
To help you NOT feel like an asshole, he could be bald I’d still hate the SOB. Remember game 7 he was the ‘classy’ flyer who took a victory lap and waved goodbye to the fans.
F’em. I hope he rots in hell.
by vt caps fan on Mar 12, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions
He was waving to his wife in the stands. She was in like one of the four clusters of orange that night.
And if he was doing a lap, it was probably to avoid the projectile garbage…
Swing by The Flyer Frequent. You have nothing better to do.
by Ben Rothenberg on Mar 12, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Don’t… I’m gorwing my hair out and donating my hair to Locks for Love, too. That doesn’t mean that people can’t tease me when I have a bad hair day.
"For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing; " - The Prophet
How long did you grow it out in the first place? Don’t they only require ten inches?
"For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing; " - The Prophet
If it was 24 inches, I doubt she’d be able to say anything afterwards…
Swing by The Flyer Frequent. You have nothing better to do.
by Ben Rothenberg on Mar 12, 2009 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Tonight we are due for...pick 2 of the following (or add your own)
1) A laugher – you know, a game where everything finds the net and you can flip around Center Ice and see the action in the other 12 games on tonight
2) Someone to score 5 on 5 from lines 3 and 4 – there’s so much cycling I feel like I’m in a velodrome.
3) a Scott Hartnell diving exhibition
4) a Semin shortie – that would be a sight to behold.
5) More penalty free, disciplined play, as from Nashville (I didnt see much made of that, actually)
I’d say that #5 was more the result of whistles being put in pockets than anything else.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
by Bald Pollack on Mar 12, 2009 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m really looking forward to tonight’s game. I just want to Caps to come out and put on a solid effort like they did in Nashville.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Japers' Rink
Related FanShots on Japers' Rink
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recent FanShots
The Vault
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- Stanley Cup Final: 5 keys for New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings
- Friday’s Three Stars: Devils head to Final; Brodeur, Kovalchuk the difference in Game 6
- Devils eliminate Rangers in Game 6, ending fear of the past, setting course for the future
- Adam Henrique sends New Jersey Devils to Stanley Cup Final with OT goal vs. Rangers (VIDEO)
- Watch Ilya Kovalchuk’s Game 6 goal for Devils, a.k.a. power-play porn (VIDEO)
Latest stories and headlines from NHL.com
- Blues CEO Mike McCarthy stepping down
- Blues CEO Mike McCarthy stepping down, not long after ownership change
- Rangers eliminated by Devils with crushing OT loss after another rally in Game 6 falls short
- Rangers season ends as another rally falls short
- Hard-skating Cataractes upset set defending champ Saint John 7-4 at Memorial Cup
