Monday Caps Clips

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 6:48 AM EDT in Caps Clips

Your savory breakfast links:

Today's must-read is older than Caps prospect Eric Mestery. [NYT]
The Round 1 schedule has been announced... see you Wednesday. [Capitals.com]
Why even play the series - The Maven has the Rangers in six. [MSG]
Nicklas Backstrom is good. [WaTi]
A sneak peak at the Rangers' game plan: keep the puck in the Caps' end of the ice. This is why Torts has an Adams. [Newsday]
Caps are getting ready, too, and know this isn't the same Rangers team they played four times this year. This is why Bruce has an Adams. [WaPo]
From Mike Milbury's mouth to G-d's ears. [Flyer Frequent]
Rinkotology. It's as cool as it sounds. [PensBlog]
Sergei Fedorov on Sergei Fedorov. [WaPo]
Phil Esposito is handing out awards today and the usual suspects from your Washington Capitals are nominees. [XM204]
Pierre LeBrun (back)handed out some awards as well. [ESPN]
"What if?" is perhaps the second-greatest question in sports (trailing only "Who's better?"), and here's a great look at what might have been had Alex Ovechkin played in 82 games this season. [PensBurgh]
Speaking of AO, a few more endorsements for his Hart candidacy from Scott Morrison, Eric Duhatschek and The Buffalo News, which buries their pick in an article on why Mike Green should win the Norris.
Jerry Bruckheimer digs AO, but he keeps putting Nicolas Cage in movies, so "grain of salt" and all. [Time]
All that's left for AO to accomplish is winning the Cup? Really? [NBC]
Counting down the Top 10 Caps games of 2008-09. [CK and CK]
Alexandre Giroux hit the 60-goal mark in the Bears' season finale and (the former Ranger) picked up some more hardware. [AHL.com]
Joe Finley's pro career is off to an encouraging start (even if he got the worst of his first pro fight). [OFB]
Caps' prospect Zach Miskovic is an All-American. [Watertown Daily Times]
Olie Kolsig, err, Kolzig is still good people. [KNDO]
Finally, Happy 35th Birthday to former Cap Sergei Gonchar. How the hell is he 35 already?

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Why are all NY columnists such over the top homers?

We particularly oved this one from The Maven…

Any stats you may refer to in analyzing the Rs and Caps come from The Regular Season which is HISTORY, OVER, IRRELEVANT.

A lot of folks who write sports columns have a similar view. We think it’s because they couldn’t come up with the answer to “what is two-plus-two” if you spotted them the “f-o-u-_.” He offers one example, from a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth, to “prove” that statistics are irrelevant. The more I read Fischler, the more I think he’s irrelevant. Does he have a memory — any memory — more recent than 1971?

And just who is “Al Ovechkin,” and will be be firing pucks at the renowned comic, “Henny” Lundqvist?

As for Henny, “Sta” needs to take a look at his playoff history. Not exactly promising for a guy who three times was a Vezina Trophy finalist in the irrelevant regular season. Or is the most recent regular season only relevant when evaluating hometown goalies? Maybe Al, Al, Nik, and Vik (names we’ll bet have never been used in the presence of Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom, or Kozlov) will figure it out.

If you've read this far...seek help.

by ThePeerless on Apr 13, 2009 7:10 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Fischler gives guys pet names. It’s weird.

And yes, it’s the same Stan Fischler that had the Caps as the team to beat in the East as of Saturday’s Devils game second intermission. Wonder why he didn’t have the Rags as the team to beat then, given that they’ll so easily dispatch of the Caps in six.

One last point – people who think stats are irrelevant usually think that because the stats don’t support the points they want to make. I’m not saying pre-Torts Rangers stats (or, for that matter, post-Torts stats) can accurately predict the outcome of the series, but they’re not irrelevant.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 7:43 AM EDT up reply actions

It’s interesting, I don’t think of NY reporters as homers.

This is what basically assures me that he hasn’t watched “Al” play very much:

John Tortorella has the perfect antidote to Ovie and that happens to be Sean Avery. Or, have you forgotten how The Great Gabbo thoroughly drove Atlanta"s Ilya Kovalchuk nuts in the opening playoff round two Springs ago?

Ovie will react in the exact opposite way as Ilya. When Avery starts screwing around, Ovie will just hit more, and score more. Also, Ovie has been playing in Mid-April before. Maybe if this was last spring when they were just happy to have made it I’d buy the Avery argument, but not this year.

by Sct112 on Apr 13, 2009 7:55 AM EDT up reply actions

If John Tortorella had the perfect antidote to Ovie, he might still be coaching in Tampa.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 8:05 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Zing!

by Yoshietree on Apr 13, 2009 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions

I have to admit, I’m worried about Avery getting under Ovechkin’s skin. He was the single biggest reason the Rangers dominated the Thrashers the way they did in that series and, let’s face it, Ovechkin’s not the best at ignoring someone and skating away.

by David Getz on Apr 13, 2009 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions

I tend to agree with Sct112 – this isn’t AO’s first rodeo. He knows what it takes, and when he doesn’t he’s got Feds and/or Bruce to whisper in his ear. I think the Avery factor has the potential to be overblown, and if the Caps are game-planning against Sean Avery, he’s already won.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions

I think that Avery can be a factor, but I’m more concerned with him getting under Backstrom’s/Semin’s/Theo’s skin than I am him getting under Ovi’s.

by Sct112 on Apr 13, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Theo’s the only one I’m worried about.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes, possibly mitigated by the fact that Theo should be expecting it. Re: AO, there was a home game last season when Avery was running his mouth and AO just skated right by him nonchalantly. Caps won and after the game Ovi was asked about Avery. He shrugged and said something to the effect that “Avery was just doing his thing, no big deal”. Maybe that’s not enough evidence to assume Avery won’t be an issue but it suggests that Avery’s schtick doesn’t have the potential to be a Malkin-like distraction for Ovi.

by Lisita on Apr 13, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions

I know exactly the game you’re referring to, and I think it’s a good example of how AO can focus on the task at hand.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions

I’ve been thinking a bit about this. The thing that calms me the most is that AO is physical, but not a fighter. Avery really becomes extremely affective when players get frustrated and want to fight him. Then they take PIMs and stop focusing on their game. AO won’t try to fight Avery, though he will probably try to put him through the boards. It is a legitimate concern that AO will spend so much time trying to hit Avery and lose his focus, but I don’t think it is likely. He is notorious for having great games when he is challenged physically, and even when he was running around after Malkin I thought he played pretty well against the Pens this year.

by Rob Parker on Apr 13, 2009 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions

I laughoed at Maven writing “HISTORY OVER IRRELEVANT” and then talking about the fucking 1950s.

I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.

by Whiter Mage on Apr 13, 2009 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions

The guy needs to study his Russian more closely

or at least read more Dostoevsky. I assume he is calling them “Al” as a shortened version of “Alyosha”… but Alyosha is a nickname for Alexei (or Aleksei). Not Alexander or (Aleksandr)… the Nickname for Alexander (as we all know) is “Sasha”.

by Wisper on Apr 13, 2009 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions

He’s calling them “Al” as a shortened version of “Alexander” because he is oblivious to the fact that people from other countries and/or cultures might not use the same nicknaming conventions that we do. And because he’s an ass.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Whose bright idea was it to have game 1 the day after a Dead show?

"Thank God there is a sport for middle-sized white boys.."

by Bald Pollack on Apr 13, 2009 7:23 AM EDT reply actions

Makes sense to me – lots of green one night, lots of Green the next…

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 8:53 AM EDT up reply actions

i thought for sure we’d be pushed back to a thursday night start. my guess is that setting up the weekend national TV schedule trumps all else in these matters.

by Natty Bumppo on Apr 13, 2009 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Right, which is why Thurs/Sat makes more sense than Wed/Sat.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions

okay, right, defenseless. i’d assumed we were looking at wed, fri, sun. at least no basketball the rest of the way.

by Natty Bumppo on Apr 13, 2009 9:08 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I didn’t want to touch the 2.5 day break either.

"Thank God there is a sport for middle-sized white boys.."

by Bald Pollack on Apr 13, 2009 10:00 AM EDT up reply actions

I’d have much rather preferred Thurs/Sat as then I could ~~Pregame on Wednesday~~ watch the first two periods. Busy until 8:30 on Wednesday. Thanks a lot NHL.

I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.

by Whiter Mage on Apr 13, 2009 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions

I wanted Thursday so I could drink beer pre-game – Wednesday is still Pesach!

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions

That’d be what I was going for too.

I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.

by Whiter Mage on Apr 13, 2009 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions

Christ, how many sons of Abraham are on this site? Here I was thinking I was a rarity.

Let’s be real though, playoff hockey has to supercede ancient talmudic law right?

by Yoshietree on Apr 13, 2009 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Lucky for me I only married into it…I’m still Irish Catholic, which certainly doesn’t exclude drinking. At all. Ever.

by wittcap79 on Apr 13, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions

HERE HERE!

by MetalCap on Apr 13, 2009 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Hard to drink when I’ll be in a middle school, but I’ll see what I can do.

I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.

by Whiter Mage on Apr 13, 2009 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah I’m really surprised Ted and/or the NHL didn’t put their foot down here….especially since there are some Thursday night games.

by Yoshietree on Apr 13, 2009 9:13 AM EDT up reply actions

It’s a shame that the Pensblog has to sponsor this Rinketology. =/

I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.

by Whiter Mage on Apr 13, 2009 10:11 AM EDT reply actions

That's a pretty good Top 10 bt Caps Kremlin

for the best games of the season, but I would have tried to find a place for either the Caps-Florida game when we had that long span of 6-on-4 penalty killing at the end to protect the lead and Laich, Steckel and Gordon looked like Gladiators out there with all the swarming Cats.

Or the OT Win in Boston when we went back and forth in regulation in a bruising physical game and then Semin ruthlessly dragged the knife across the throat of the match with an 80’ slap shot in the opening minutes of Overtime.

by Wisper on Apr 13, 2009 10:30 AM EDT reply actions

Comment on Pensburgh:

" Here is a stat that needs to be considered in the Hart if someone is comparing Geno to what’s his name in Washington! 290 shots of goal for Geno, 528 for the other one! Now if Malkin takes 528 shots, how many goals does he score? Evgeni is also a great two-way player! Case closed!"

How stupid are these people. I see similar comments made on Puck Daddy all the time. If its so damn easy to get shots on goal, why don’t more players take more shots? The fact is that you have to be pretty darn good at creating chances in order to take that many shots. There aren’t many players that opponents fear like they do Ovechkin on a 1v3 rush up ice.

by Sombrero Guy on Apr 13, 2009 1:44 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, that line of reasoning is moronic. There’s a reason there’s a trophy for the most goals and no one gives two shits about the best shooting percentage.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Apr 13, 2009 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions

could this be a line of reasoning from converted basketball fans? agreed, this has no bearing in hockey. a shot on goal is an achievement in itself.

by Natty Bumppo on Apr 13, 2009 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions

If you watch opposing team’s broadcasts (and even the national intermission shows), they will observe how incredible Ovie’s shot total is (this year’s is the 2nd highest in nhl history, no?). As in, they will remark about how wonderful it is for a team to have a guy that can put that many shots on net. This isn’t basketball, and you can’t just throw up a shot in hockey from anywhere. You have to be able to get open and have a shot powerful enough to test the goalie from range.

The number of shots is a feather in Ovie’s cap in the MVP consideration, not a reason to discount him.

by grapejoos on Apr 13, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions

So, as to the schedule, please tell me Caps playoff Game 1 trumps Wizards meaningless basketball game on Wednesday and we won’t be subjected to CSN Plus.

by Ames on Apr 13, 2009 5:06 PM EDT reply actions

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Southeast Standings

	GP	W	L	OTL	PT
Washington Japers' Rink	53	28	21	4	60
Florida Litter Box Cats	52	24	17	11	59
Winnipeg Arctic Ice Hockey	55	25	24	6	56
Tampa Bay Raw Charge	52	23	24	5	51
Carolina Canes Country	55	20	25	10	50