Game (1) Day - Rangers @ Capitals
by J.P. on Apr 15, 2009 7:00 AM EDT
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[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]
Three-hundred fifty-eight days - simultaneously an instant and an eternity. We all still feel the sting of Joffrey Lupul's goal, and yet it seems as if that was a lifetime ago.
But whether we blinked and "here we are" or today is finally here doesn't matter. What matters is that it's game day.
The shot at redemption starts tonight. The chance to live up to potential starts tonight. The opportunity to be led by greatness young and old, for unlikely heroes to emerge and legends to be made - it all starts tonight.
And when it ends? It will have ended too soon, whether the calendar says mid-June or late-April. For some, it will be the end of a storied career. For most, it will be another off-season thinking about what might have been. Or maybe, just maybe...
When the Caps stood pat at the trade deadline nearly a month-and-a-half ago, one thought resonated:
Whether by design, logistical impossibilities or fate, management sent a message to the players: it's up to you. There's not going to be any graybeard who's going to come in and challenge everyone in the room to be the best they can be. There's not going to be any battling blueliner who's going to lessen the load on the rest of the D-corps. There's not going to be any new goaltender who's going to stand on his head for a month-plus. Not this year.
This year, it's up to the guys in the room, the ones who have been there for the past year or two or more. It's up to the coach who took this team on a damn-near miraculous run last season and has them dreaming big this year. It's up to the most valuable player to show why he won the award last season and to recognize that there's also an award for playoff MVP. It's up to the free agent goalie, the re-born Russian veteran, the future captain, the enigmatic sniper, the Norris hopeful and everyone else on that team, in D.C. and in Hershey, because there's no help coming. Not this year. This year, they're on their own.
Let's see what they can do.
Tonight, we'll get a chance to see what, for today... it's game day.
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Time to go to work gentlemen….let’s get it done.
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Apr 15, 2009 7:25 AM EDT reply actions
I am, sadly, going to miss at least the first frame and quite possibly more. I’m two hours behind and will still be in class when the puck drops. No local and no national broadcast means hockeystreams.com for me – if my boyfriend doesn’t have other ideas.
I’m hoping to talk him into watching.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
The AP Preview said something really interesting that I had lost sight of:
Even so, the Rangers were essentially a .500 team under the new coach until winning their last three games – two against Philadelphia and one against Montreal – to claim the No. 7 seed in the East
The last three are big wins for sure, but they haven’t been awesome under Torts the way that the Pens have been awesome under Bylsma.
Well said JP.
Anyone else wake up ridiculously early and all you can think of is ‘GAME DAY’.
Can’t wait for tonight…
my thoughts were “GAME DAY… my poor students are going to get no attention today”
hahaha
by kellobellow on Apr 15, 2009 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions
I feel like the Waco Kid…
“Look at my hand….”
“Steady as a rock”
“Yeah but I shoot with this one”
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Apr 15, 2009 8:55 AM EDT reply actions
Something about this song gets me more fired up than imaginable...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PReim0Axt4
And I’m going to listen to it on repeat, all day.
Broken Link
Something’s messed up with that link. It had ESPN and Hockey in the same sentence.
Where Is Tonight's Game On Center Ice?
I’m in California and trying to watch tonight’s game on Center Ice. Most folks think CSN games will be carried on Center Ice, but there hasn’t been official word and the schedule isn’t out yet. Does anyone know where I can find the game?
If Center Ice doesn’t carry the playoffs this year, there will be violence.
I think something’s messed up with Centre Ice, because i’ve had it for free the last six-eight weeks.
….Not that i’m complaining…
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Apr 15, 2009 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Game 3
Oh thank God, I found it. For everyone on Center Ice, tonight’s game will be on Game 3. No word yet whether we get CSN or MSG.
by Gould Old Days on Apr 15, 2009 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions
Either way it’s a good broadcast. Sam Rosen is terrific and so is Joe B.
I suspect it’ll be CSN though as inDemand is owned by a consortium of cable companies, one of which is Comcast…
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Apr 15, 2009 9:58 AM EDT up reply actions
Did anyone in DC notice that Comcast switched the NHL network 500 channels down the list last night? When I got home and flipped on the usual channel, I completely freaked out. Then I found it at 734…
yeah a lot of the sports channels are now switched to the 700s.
Stupid comcast…
by vt caps fan on Apr 15, 2009 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions
Noticed that yesterday…went for NHL Network and freaked out because I couldn’t find it
Ron and Fez Noon to Three
by YvonLabresMoustache on Apr 15, 2009 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions
I can't wait for tonight!
ESPN NHL theme song? Are you serious?
That theme definitely used to fire me up. In fact, it was my ringtone back in the day.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Yeah but then ESPN turned into the anti christ by not renewing with the NHL, not giving any substantial TV time to hockey and by charging the enduser for a lot of the material on their website.
/death to ESPN
seriously… i have SO much i should be doing right now… and i’m on here… and about 6 other caps-related websites/articles at a time… awesome.
by kellobellow on Apr 15, 2009 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions
I was excited, but not totally pumped up, until I saw The Goat on the red line this morning before 9am, already in jersey and hat. I wanted him to rest his pipes so I didn’t bother to talk to him, but all I had to do was look at him and now “Let’s Go Caps!” has been running constantly through my head ever since.
I'm busting Jerry! Busting!
I’m rocking the red at work today too!
Dear Time,
Move faster.
Thanks,
Caps fans.
Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.
by CapitalsKremlin on Apr 15, 2009 11:20 AM EDT reply actions
TEB reports that Captain Clark has been cleared to play.
Anyone think he see’s the ice this series?
I’d hope so, he is the “C” I’d rather have him then Brash dressed (Gordo before both of them). But we’ll see how game 1 goes….
He probably will, if watching him in practice yesterday was any indication.
"Thank God there is a sport for middle-sized white boys.."
by Bald Pollack on Apr 15, 2009 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions
And this part of TEB’s post is just as good news:
Clark, however, won’t play tonight. He’s on the ice with Brian Pothier and Donald Brashear, who appear to be the healthy scratches for Game 1.
Woo hoo! I wouldn’t mind seeing the Donald sometime this series, but this says that Boudreau has the right priorities.
by Gould Old Days on Apr 15, 2009 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions
(But I’d have 2 over 23 as well)
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Hey SPG
If you’re around, the “Will Not Happen” option is disabled for tonight’s game.
"Thank God there is a sport for middle-sized white boys.."
Not sure if you’re asking SPG to fix it, but I believe awhile back he announced that the WNH would not be available for the playoff games.
Really?
Withdrawn.
"Thank God there is a sport for middle-sized white boys.."
by Bald Pollack on Apr 15, 2009 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Yep, I think mainly to punish JP for using the “WNH Strategy” to take the regular season crown :)
/Bitter 2nd place finisher
I played by the rules presented to me. Don’t hate the playa – hate the game. :)
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Actually, it was the guys over at Pension Plan Puppets who complained about their own padding of the SPG scores, what with their sucky Leafs and all. And the guys over at Second City Hockey made their own rule to prevent WNH-padding… so while they may not have made quorum, I took it as consensus.
So, yeah, disabled on purpose for the playoffs.
If I run SPG again next season, I doubt I’ll bring it back.
Pick SPG for your chance to win probably nothing.
You guys and gals mind if us MHH folk swing by for a field trip tonight?
2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity
By all means, c’mon by, but warn your folks that if it turns into an avalanche (no pun intended) of “Theo sucks” comments, they’ll be shown the door rather quickly.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Can we at least refer to him with his official MHH nickname?
2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity
I pre-emptively regret asking… what might that be?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Go for it.
Btw, I don’t follow the West very closely – who are the Avs facing in Round 1? :)
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Apr 15, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
Probably the same team the Caps will be facing in Round 2 if Theo holds true to form…
2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity
How’s that? I thought he won a round for you guys in two of the last three years.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I was referring to his “Not in a Contract Year” form.
2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity
Right. Sorry you struck out in the lottery. Do the Avs have the cap space to sign the also-ran you’ll be drafting this summer?
Get your facts straight
Duchene will be in the O next year, in all likelihood, and isn’t considered an also-ran. He’s been slotted as high as #2. So, to answer your extremely thinly-veiled insult, we do, because the immortal Joe Sakic will be off the books by the time he’s in the show, Tucker will be a distant memory, and hopefully we’ll have offloaded dead weight like Clark by then.
2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity
And St. Patrick will be behind the bench!
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Any veil on that insult, I assure you, was purely unintentional. ;)
Just trying to return fire in the same spirit it was received. Don’t take it too personaly. You might fry your ovaries with too much stress.
for fellow out-of-towners
atdhe.net seems to be carrying both caps-rangers and pens-flyers. we’ll get whichever feed NHL gamecenter wants to use, since atdhe.net seems to pilfer them directly.
Thanks be to all the praying going on! I have to attend a Boy Scout meeting tonight with my son (yes, pretty important one or we would both skip) and was figuring on missing the first stanza at least, but now I can sit in the corner with my smartphone and have the game in the palm of my hand!
"I tried to capture the spirit of the thing"
by tuvanhillbilly on Apr 15, 2009 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Leggo and Peel are the refs tonight……anybody know of any issues we’ve had with either of these dudes before?
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