...And then there was golf.
Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins, and to their fans. Best of luck moving forward.
about 1 year ago
David Getz
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Thanks for the season boys!
Shame it had to end like that.
Lets do 3 rounds next year
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
by snowburnt on May 13, 2009 9:36 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I played today too
Shot even par to boot. (Short course, par 60) I see no correlation though.
Your favorite meme is dead
I played today as well. It occurred to me as I was driving to the course that I played golf on game 7 day during last year’s Flyer series.
I need to stop playing golf.
by Moonage Daydream on May 13, 2009 10:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Let’s be honest.. Pens won’t play nearly as well against a team with even a mediocre defense. Do they even make it to the finals?
Yeah, I think the Pens make the finals. They match-up well against either the B’s or Canes.
They’re a better version of the Canes, and can light up Thomas.
I’m not going to go all sour grapes at this point. We played hard until game 3, and it was all down here from there.
As much as I feel like there might be some conspiracy here (no penalties, really? Double minor because Crosby’s nose turns red, really?), at least I’ll be able to sleep soundly tonight not having to worry about them.
BTW asssphincterrepliestoparentheticalconspiracytheories
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
honest?
the flyers are a pretty sound defensive team and pitt dispatched them in 6. the only reason this one went to 7 was because of ovie and varlamov. the caps have a great team to build around.
" I AM CAPATIN CHAOS, and this is my trusty Sidekick cato. Say hello Cato"
Dom Deluise 1933-2009, Cannonball run
by oldtimehockey09 on May 13, 2009 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Dude, Biron + Flyers D corps does not equal a “sound defensive team.” BOS gave up the fewest goals in the league, CAR the 4th fewest in the east. Either team is a significant step up from the Flyers and the Caps.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 9:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Their PK was sick and that’s about it. the Canes have a good one too.
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
The PHI PK was sick all year. They had a few guys that were just deadly. But they still let up a lot of goals, and they only let up 1 SHG so that means they let up a TON of 5 on 5 goals, which is where PIT dominates. Our PK didn’t lose this series. Our team did. CAR and BOS both play much better team defense 5 on 5 than either the Caps or the Flyers do.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Someone can correct me if I’m wrong on this..my understanding is that both Carter and Richards had shoulder injuries. Richard’s injury required surgery to repair. I don’t know the outcome is the same if those two are healthy.
by Bucky Katt-Luvs Caps on May 14, 2009 10:29 AM EDT up reply actions
Disappointed? sure
Crushed? no.
The Caps are young.
The Caps found their hope in net.
The Caps know what needs work.
This is a team worth believing in.
Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.
by CapitalsKremlin on May 13, 2009 9:43 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
I agre with all of that except the goaltending.
Not so sure Varlamov is the real deal – once the Pens identified his weakness, there were PLENTY of soft goals and the Caps won only 1 of 5 games. Not good enough – yet. Varlamov has work to do before he can even be assured of having a lengthy career, though he has shown flashes of brilliance.
FWIW, here’s my take on things…
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
by jrwendelman on May 13, 2009 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions
Congratulations, Caps fans, on a breakthrough season
…from one of your adopt-a-fan brothers, a temporary refugee from Leaf Nation.
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
by jrwendelman on May 13, 2009 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Hundreds of shots and back to back games did him in. All that considering, he had an AMAZING playoffs. I was sold on him well before this postseason – this just cemented it.
by :hsughrofl: on May 14, 2009 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions
I didn’t think those were “weaknesses” sure he had a few softies, but the team let him down every step of the way. From clearing attempts (puck from zone, puck from crease, pen from crease) to an altogether weak play (it looked like Ovie was the only one to lay a check on them). They came in tight and ended looking ashamed and weak.
Can’t fault varly for that. We’ll just have to see next season.
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
but the team let him down every step of the way.
Yep, and to be honest…the defense was an issue all season..it just became glaring in the face of a offensively capable team like Pittsburgh.
That said, I don’t think the Caps are that far away. Just a matter of getting a couple of lockdown, kick-your-@$$ D’s.
by Bucky Katt-Luvs Caps on May 14, 2009 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions
They’d locked down capable teams before, they just didn’t have the energy or focus to match the pens.
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
Hmmm..don’t know I would agree with that assessment.
Caps GAA was one of the worst in the Eastern Conference.
Out of 85 games, 43 they let in 3 or more goals. And there were some nasty 7 goal blowouts. More than 1. It was their offensive prowess that allowed them to win a good portion of those games where they did give up 3 or more.
And what I saw on the ice during the season didn’t always impress me. Never saw them really bring the hammer out and shut anyone down consistently with the exception of a couple games.
by Bucky Katt-Luvs Caps on May 14, 2009 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Where are you finding these stats? The season in full is either 82 games for a regular season, or 96 if you include the post. Are you including games when two goalies played as two games?
No one is claiming the Capitals to be a defensive slaughterhouse. The Caps win games (or, did this season) by going out and scoring more than their opponent. There were very few cases when they didn’t have a shootout mentality. These aren’t your dad’s Caps, Ron Wilson’s team, build a lead and trap it out. These are our Caps, and they’re going to be offensively attacking the whole game, and damned be defense.
Does it work? You’re damn right it does. Detroit got blown out a ton this year, and shut out more than once by Columbus, and look at them. Even with their defense that’s older than the pyramids and their shoddy goaltending, they’re about as far as we are, and last year, they won the Cup. Montreal made the playoffs on a similar attacking scheme. And before that? You try and tell me that the 50s Canadiens were a team based on defense, or the 80s Oilers. I’m not going to debate style vs style as what’s going to win us a cup, but look at the Pens. This is the second year they’ll be in at least the conference finals. That trap was good, but their offense is what wins them games. This isn’t football. Offense CAN be a winner in the NHL. Especially todays.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
Christ..excuse the typo. Correction 82.
They are up on NHL.com…go find ’em.
Go look at the goals against averages for the teams for the regular season
Washington was ranked 19th overall.
All the other teams still in the playoffs with the exception of Detroit (20) were ranked ahead of the Caps, including Pittsburgh.
You don’t think Pittsburgh turning up their defense a notch had something to do with them winning this series? Do you think Boston is relying solely on scoring to beat a pesky and determined Canes team? I don’t think so. Last year in the playoffs Detroits GAA was 1.86. Are you saying that that had nothing to do with their Stanley Cup win? This year in the playoffs they are 2.1..just a tad behind Boston.
You seem to imply that I’m saying damn the offense and sacrifice it for defense. That’s not what I said. I said they need to find a way to improve their defense especially if the expectation is to go further in the playoffs next year. Scoring wins games, but defense wins championships.
by Bucky Katt-Luvs Caps on May 14, 2009 6:54 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m not saying that wouldn’t help, or even be involved in what the Caps do. I’m saying, if you look at Detroit, they’ve ALWAYS been good, and their defense is decrepit now. When looking at the Caps, you have to look at the Detroit mold. It’s flat out impossible for us to not make those comparisons. Last year, defense did not win a championship. Hockey is starting to break that mold, and it’s not that I don’t like it, but damn it, that’s the shift the league’s taking.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
Caps GAA was one of the worst in the Eastern Conference.
Out of 85 games, 43 they let in 3 or more goals. And there were some nasty 7 goal blowouts. More than 1. It was their offensive prowess that allowed them to win a good portion of those games where they did give up 3 or more.
You have to remember — most of those games were Theo. Varly only played 6 regular season games. I think Varly’s got promise. I just hope this doesn’t scar him. His experience in the Russian finals last year followed by this tough Game 7 ?? Gotta be hard on his confidence….
by RedskinFan4Life on May 14, 2009 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Stats
I sometimes felt Theo got a bad rap…and actually I believe both he and Varly have been left out to dry by the D.
BTW- Some stats to back my assertion on scoring wins games, defense wins championships :
2003-4 SC Winner: Tampa Bay.
GAA playoff leaders: 1- Detroit, 2 TBL, 3- SJS
GF play off Leaders: 1. PHI, 2- TBL, 3-CGY
2005-6 SC Winner: Carolina
GAA Playoff leaders: 1-ANA; 2- NJD; 3-CAR
GF playoff leaders: 1-OTT, 2-BUF; 3-NJD
2006-7 SC Winner: Anaheim
GAA Playoff leader: 1-DAL, 2-DET, 3-ANA
GF Playoff Leaders: 1-NYR; 2-OTT; 3-NSH
2007-8 SC Winner Detroit
GAA Playoff leaders: 1- DET, 2-PIT, 3-DAL
GF Playoff leaders: 1-DET; 2 NYR, 3- PHI
2008-9 SC Winner: TBD
GAA Playoff leaders to date: 1-BOS, 2-DET 3- CAR
GF Playoff leaders to date: 1-CHI, 2-DET, 3-PIT
A statistically small sample based on playoff performance…but it does provide some insight.
by Bucky Katt-Luvs Caps on May 14, 2009 7:23 PM EDT up reply actions
A different point I would want to make is that, well, frankly, I think that play style figures a lot into some teams. Detroit’s offensive onslaught keeps the puck in the opposing teams zone. Anaheim plays a trap. Carolina was weird. Tampa was a offensive juggernaut.
Hockey is most definitely a two way game. But you can win it with offense, and I think style and hard forechecking is almost more important than defense.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
IMO, it’s hard to be impressive and keep your stamina when you face 40 shots a night, seven games in a row.
Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.
by CapitalsKremlin on May 14, 2009 1:11 AM EDT up reply actions
All valid points, and I’m not saying Varly can’t do it for the Caps in the future. But the bottom line is that when the rookie got tired, the Penguins smelled blood high on the glove side, and when he gave up a couple of softies, the team didn’t know how to respond – they retreated into do-it-yourself mode and got beaten. Better team defence would keep the goalie more fresh and less likely to surrender a softy or two, but Varly has to look at himself and be ready if he’s called on to turn away 40 a night, or play lengthy overtimes, or whatever. it’s the playoffs, it’s a grind, and you have to be good enough to conserve your energy, but also ready to gut it out when necessary.
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
Sounds to me like the same exact thing that happened to the Rangers in the first round. Caps knew he was tired and started picking on the high glove. Turnovers are what killed this team against Pittsburgh. What were the turnovers last night? Like 16-2 I recall Locker saying? IMO, we puck-possession teams are the teams that will compete for the cup every year. i.e. Detroit and Pitt last year, and maybe even this year again. If the Caps can learn to have better puck control, they will not only conserve their energy for the skaters, it will conserve energy for the goalies.
Not quite the same. Lundqvist didn’t crap the bed in game 7 of round one, for starters – he surrendered only 2 in a nail-biter. The Rangers lost the series, and Henrik did surrender one or two softies high on the glove side, but the other shots that beat him there were quality opportunities. I Lundqvist really didn’t paly poorly at all; if you keep in mind that he got virtually no goal support – only 11 in 7 games – and still damn near pulled off a series win, I think any GM in the league would take that.
Lundqvist also had a bit more of an excuse for fatigue: he was a workhorse for the Rangers this year, playing 70 games and more than 4,100 NHL minutes. Varlamov had played a half dozen NHL games and about 320 minutes (I know he also played in the minors, but not as much as Lundqvist and the game isn’t at the same tempo either).
One other difference: Lundy didn’t surrender the stinkers between the legs like the Pens’ second goal last night. I also recall Varlamov giving up at least one other softy that way earlier in the series – can’t remember which game off the top of my head. Boudreau himself called three of the four allowed by Varly in game 4 of this series “soft” goals. The bottom line is that Varlamov and the Caps gave up 27 goals in 7 games – almost 4 per. That won’t get it done in the playoffs; Ovie can’t get a hat-trick every night.
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
by jrwendelman on May 14, 2009 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions
Again, just to be clear, I’m not harshing on Varly. He showed flashes of real talent.
He did a terrific job when he was called on, under the circumstances (21, half dozen NHL games of experience, “series of the century”, etc.). But the guy shouldn’t have been in there in the first place; Theo crapped the bed in game 1 of the Rangers series so badly that Gabby lost all confidence in him and had to go with the kid. The kid responded well, but ultimately it was too much to ask of him, and predictably so. I’m not suggesting anyone should be mad at him, but he has work to do to prove that he can be the answer to what I have suggested (since before the trade deadline) was a problem in DC: goaltending.
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
by jrwendelman on May 14, 2009 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Been lurking since the site moved to SB. I’ve enjoyed the comments. For those of you who play the game, your enthusiasm got me to sign up for lessons.
This feels roughly the same as us Sox fans felt in 2003. The good news is the Caps are built for the long run.
Great season, just not enough oomph/defensive responsibility/discipline/in-game adjustments to make it through this round. You live and learn. Next year though.
I guess instead of golf, I’ll be going to these Mystics games thanks to that Dewar’s pack. Wonder how that will turn out.
But before then I’ll be following the Bears’ Eastern Conference Final and hopeful Calder Cup run starting with a trip to Chocolatetown on Sunday.
This was my favorite season to be a Caps fan. And I think next year will be even better.
by Pivonka, Michael Ridley on May 13, 2009 9:46 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
The way Ovie handled himself in the handshake line
…makes me super-proud to be a fan of him and our team. Class.
Also have to give props to Sid… great player, good for the league.
Nobody wants to lose and this was terrible, but if we HAD to go down I prefer this way than a sudden last-second gut-punch (a la Canes-Devils). The late standing O’s were nice too.
The better team won, simple as that. Our house of cards fell tonight. We’ll get ’em next year.
by DonnieKnutts on May 13, 2009 9:58 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Uh,
I’d rather it not have been a blowout. I’m so used to the OT gutpunch. This is a new kind of suck that I’m just now dealing with.
Your favorite meme is dead
well, it's easy for me to say from home
Being there, whooo that would’ve been torture.
It reminded me of the second leg of the CL semifinal between ManUtd and Arsenal a few weeks back. It’s painful to bear witness to a slow, inevitable death.
by DonnieKnutts on May 13, 2009 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m happier right now being a Caps fan with a bit of class than a Pens fan spamming F5 on Pensblog while I photoshop Boudreau eating nachos and Ovechkin in multiple sexual positions.
by :hsughrofl: on May 13, 2009 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
give em a break
They live in Pittsburgh. When the Pens season ends…nothing.
by DonnieKnutts on May 13, 2009 10:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Well the Steelers are a hell of a lot more fun to watch than the Redskins. :)
by :hsughrofl: on May 13, 2009 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Same. It’s the conference difference, I think.
by :hsughrofl: on May 13, 2009 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Thanks to all you regulars, that made being a Caps fan all the more fun! You all rock! (and are totally the best!)
Thanks Caps for some Mid-May excitement! I look forward to June? excitement next year!
by Citygirlcountryheart on May 13, 2009 9:58 PM EDT reply actions
How'd you do that?
Hey, I’m not even mad. That’s amazing.
by Kerry Fraser's Hairspray on May 13, 2009 10:03 PM EDT reply actions
All the fans who stayed and cheered at the end of the game showed lots of class, it was nice to see.
Funny how Caps fans get sniped at for the few eggheads that threw stuff on the ice in Game 5, but the standing ovation given to the team (in the face of a very depressing blowout) isn’t mentioned.
Bleh. Well season tickets renewed for next year. Here’s hoping for another great season and hopefully a further progression to the Cup.
by Bucky Katt-Luvs Caps on May 14, 2009 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions
post game guys said boudreau “finaly admitted Green was hurt, though wouldn’t say what it was, and wouldn’t use it as an excuse” in his post game press conference.
post game guys said boudreau "finaly admitted Green was hurt, though wouldn’t say what it was, and wouldn’t use it as an excuse" in his post game press conference.
I’ll be interested to see what the injury was….Was it the result of when Stamkos pulled Green down in the reg season that seemed to be some sort of abdominal/oblique injury?
I’m thinking it’s some sort of lower body injury….You don’t just go from leading rushes and skating all over the place like a rover like Green did in the regular season to barely making an impact in that regard in the playoffs.
Kudos to Green for trying to man through whatever it was, but it’s been obvious to me since the Rangers series that he hasn’t been right for a long time.
by Hooks Orpik on May 13, 2009 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Tarik says it was the same shoulder he hurt early in the season. That explains the lack of shot and puck control.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Give it some time. I believe Karl Alzner can be that guy real soon.
Supporter of the Sergei Berezin "Give and Go" - You give me puck, then you go to hell
That sig (and the fact I’m home watching the Lost finale a little early) gives me solace.
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Bears or FA mercs?
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
Anyone want to lobby outside of Nylander’s house to get him to retire?
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
He can buy a lot of fencing with that paycheck.
by :hsughrofl: on May 13, 2009 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Unless Nylander is one of the 3 RFAs playing D right now, his money is slightly irrelevant to this discussion.
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Why? I don’t get it. Those 3 RFAs don’t necessarily have to be back next year, and 4+ Mill will fund a pretty good upgrade on D.
by Gould Old Days on May 13, 2009 10:38 PM EDT up reply actions
how’s that? if he retires it frees up a few mill.
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
You’ve got $4 million coming off the books now in Fedorov, what’s the point?
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m not so sure the old man is done.
Certainly not coming back for $4 million, but I’m not putting a nail in his coffin quite yet.
by :hsughrofl: on May 13, 2009 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions
if it turns out he’s been nursing an injury the last half of the season then i’m interested. If not, it’s time to seriously think he might not have anything left in the tank…
I’d bring him back for 2-2.5. You’re right though.. let’s see whether he’s hurt or not.
by :hsughrofl: on May 13, 2009 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions
No. No. No.
There is a reason that Detroit didn’t fight that hard to keep him, and there’s a reason that the Red Wings didn’t take that much of a hit when he left and that Anaheim and Columbus let him go, despite a total lack of talent on their roster.
This team needs a #2 Center who can skate, not a 40 year old.
Who steps up? Is Boudreau willing to play anyone not named Backstrom or Fedorov with Semin?
Steckel has been amazing, Laich can play center. But does Boudreau do it?
Sadly, this will be a huge hole this summer, and I don’t see an in-house solution unless Boudreau makes nice with Nyls, which I don’t see happening. The best we can hope for there is to trade him for someone else’s salary problem, which I don’t see happening, either.
It looks like we’re stuck with Nyls. Time for Bruce to demonstrate some actual Jack Adams skills.
Nylander put up around a point/game in his two previous seasons with the Rangers and during his abbreviated first season here. If Bruce really is a great coach, he’ll find a way to utilize his skills, because nobody is stupid enough to take Nyls off of our hands.
He gave Nylander more than enough opportunities to perform on all sorts of different lines and situations. He doesn’t work on this team.
Try giving Nylander the same line mates for more than a period, and giving him second line minutes. Of all the things the Caps have to worry about, second line center isn’t the biggest hole in my mind.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on May 14, 2009 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions
The first half of the season was full of exactly that.
by :hsughrofl: on May 14, 2009 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Except that it wasn’t. There were a few games when Fedorov was out. That’s it. Also, the first half of the season he didn’t play terrible.
Furthermore, if you’re going to point that far back, point just a little further, where when he came back in 2008 after his shoulder surgery he was a god damn monster.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
Except that never happened. He didn’t come back from his shoulder injury. He missed the rest of the season.
Perhaps he was a monster during practice at Kettler. . .
I meant before his surgery. Naptime does wonders for my checking of things.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
We’ve all been there. Especially these last few days. I agree that Nyls was decent before he went down. I think it’s incumbent on Boudreau to demonstrate some coaching acumen and fit him in. I think it’s a bit of a cop-out to just throw one’s hands in the air and say, “he doesn’t fit my system!” Make him fit. That’s why you won the Jack Adams.
by D'ohboy on May 14, 2009 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
you can get one good guy with $4 million, you can get 2 with $8. Nylander is worse than playing SH anyway. I think he’s probably worth more like 10 million in wasted space considering how much we could have had without him and how many much time he’s wasted on us.
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
Yeah, but you can’t lay the team’s cap issues at a guy they signed last year on a huge multi-year deal, especially when they took the luxury of signing Fedorov. I’m all for moving Nylander, but when other teams are looking to scale back in prep for a reduced cap, any move will be costly.
Re: Fedorov, if he wants to pull a Foppa and come back in January/February great, but not at $4 million, prorated or otherwise.
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think we can move him…he’s proved too well he’s useless at this point. Particularly for his price.
…Which is why I originally said that I hoped he’d retire, removing him from the books.
Maybe he’ll fall and break his uterus and be on permanent IR
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
Joke would be funnier if you wouldn’t use female anatomy as a descriptor. Sorry, just didn’t appreciate it.
Now, if you said break his rump….
No. No more Fedorov. No more Kozlov. No more people who have reputations of being “soft” in the playoffs.
I want players who are harder than woodpecker lips.
This. Give me 17 guys who play like Laich, Steckel, Erskine, and Bradley this postseason and keep Ovechkin, and we’d be golden.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on May 14, 2009 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions
I wouldn’t cry if we swapped rosters with the Bruins. And, no, I want guys who keep their elbows down, and I don’t need a 6’9" ugly SoB who can kind of maybe skate a little and has a hell of a shot but always seems to find a way to hit that looks dirty. Wideman, however, is another story.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
There you go!
Now that’s an idea…a vigil outside his house. :0)
by Bucky Katt-Luvs Caps on May 14, 2009 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions
I think they can add exactly one mid-level impact player this offseason.
by Gould Old Days on May 13, 2009 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions
You keep saying that but I’m not sure why. We have 45.9 mill committed to the cap next year and we don’t have that many spots to fill. We have big contracts coming off the books in each of the next two seasons and the raises Backstrom and Semin (if any) get won’t hit in until 2010-11. We have cheap talent that will be filtering up the organization for the foreseeable future. I think a significant piece could be added, if done wisely.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s really that two, three years down the line the team is going to have so many guys to re-sign I don’t think they want to give out a big contract. I agree that if it’s a pretty much proven player – Cammaleri or Komisarek for example – and if it’s a reasonable dollar amount, it can get done, but I think the team will be hesitant.
Now if Nyls can get moved….
…or Theo. Potsy. Clark. We have 12 mill of free space plus some expendable parts.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, Pothier comes off after next year regardless, as does Theo.
I think they could add one significant piece in the offseason and I think there’s a good chance they will. But I also don’t think free agency is going to be what puts the team over the top.
Especially when teams are expecting a reduced cap in ’11.
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions
But I also don’t think free agency is going to be what puts the team over the top.
Of course not. AO is going to put the team over the top.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Here’s the question: if you can nab one quality UFA player this offseason, who would it be?
I’d take Mike Cammalleri. I love Komisarek but I think the D will be fine, and the Capitals don’t have the same talent at center.
Seconded, if the price is decent. Maybe Calgary could use a ShaMo /Jurcina type…
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Disclosure: Me:Komisarek :: You:Cole
I’d take Komisarek just because you can’t have too much D and he brings an element that we don’t have, a physical top pair Dman. All our D toughness is on the bottom pairs, but that doesn’t cut it against high skill players that drive the net. But, I would be happy with Cammalleri. We have more quality D coming up through the system than quality F (IMO) so Cammalleri on a long term deal may fill a bigger need, but Komisarek makes us a better team short term.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions
As nice as Komisarek might be, that’s a potential bidding war I wouldn’t want to be in.
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions
But with the cap leveling out and so few teams having managed it as well as the Capitals, is the bidding going to get that outrageous?
And he had a tough year, and wasn’t a huge factor in the post-season. He didn’t have a Brooks Orpik shift that is going to shoot his value through the roof.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Assuming the Flyers can get someone to take one of their big-arse F contracts, or the Rags want to make a splash for splash’s sake, but that’s spitballing on my part.
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Ha – really Me:Komisarek::Me:Cole. I love the guy. But looking at the Caps team heading into next season, I just don’t know who that second line center’s going to be.
That said, if the team signs Komisarek (for something reasonable), I’ll be pretty damn excited.
I grew up playing with Komisarek, and to a lesser extent Higgins. I’ll always cheer for those boys.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Hey, David Krejci could be signed to an offer sheet ;)
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions
And Dubinsky and Callahan. I wouldn’t rule that route out.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Me:Komisarek :: You:Cole
I didn’t even catch that until like the fifth time I read it. The Caps’ slow start got me off to a fast start.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Is there someone out there in the Dino Ciccarelli mold – the guy who just keeps showing up in front of the net, generally causing havoc, and is good mucking in the corners?
Good call on Knuble. Smyth’s got three years left at 6.25 million – I’d only want him if they can move Nylander.
I agree. Smyth is probably not a good fit for BB and his contract is too big to justify.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ve only seen Cole play a few games but I liked watching him. Is he attainable?
Failing that, man wouldn’t I love to get that Mack Truck of a guy whose name I have no hole of spelling correctly with Chicago.
Well, he’ll be a UFA but honestly I think he wants to stay in Carolina and it’d take an offer that’d be too big – both in years and dollars – to get him to leave.
I was going to suggest that perhaps the chance to play on a multi-year Cup contender might help attract him, but, no…
Maybe, but he already has a Cup, he’s settled in Carolina and he has two kids (and I think maybe have just had a third). I think he wants that one last big contract and I think Carolina will give it to him.
And Carolina is still obviously a contender.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions
I think Cole’s contract keeps him out of range, and I think I read where he was thinking of signing down in CAR. Knuble I could be happy with.
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions
How do you feel about trying to acquire Patrice Bergeron? I feel like he could be the odd man out in BOS and he would definitely fill a need on our roster. The head injury is the big question mark but that could also result in a cheaper price.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 11:17 PM EDT up reply actions
While I wasn’t thinking about Bergeron, a qualified offer to ShaMo and a pick could get a decent in-contract player.
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions
I love the idea of Bergeron – two more years at 4.75 per is very reasonable. I wonder what it’d take to pry him away, though.
I have no idea. It’s really hard to tell what his value would be because a) he has injury history and b) BOS has no obvious holes to fill. I really like his game though. He kills PKs right? I think we need a legit offensive threat on our PK. Offensive threats slow the puck movement on a PP because anything errant can come back to burn you. I never see pucks whipped around the top of the zone when Mike Richards is on the ice.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions
No, it won’t be AO that puts the team over the top. It’s unfair to ask more of him that he gave us in the regular season and playoffs this year. It seems obvious, at least to me, that we’re going to need another couple players to step up. Whoever that is will be the ones to put this team over the top.
I didn’t mean that AO will do it himself. I meant that we just need to build a well-rounded and respectable team and AO will be the difference.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Carlson. Alzner. We need to find out what they can do.
by Gould Old Days on May 13, 2009 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Congrats Caps fans on a good season….Obviously we all know how deflating losses are (Game 6 in Detroit looms large in my memory).
Even though it stings now, in retrospect it’s been another step forward for the Caps and you’ll see that once things settle into summer. The core is still locked up, the right players (Ovechkin, Backstrom) played well and a the goalie of the future emerged. You guys will be back next season.
Great series. It’s almost a shame one team couldn’t move on.
by Hooks Orpik on May 13, 2009 10:16 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Good luck Hooks (and gang).
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions
You’re welcome. And apologies in advance for any trolls, goobers and plugs that mascarade as Pens fans that try to rub it in on the internet coughPuckDaddycough.
Great series, two great teams. I’m sure we’ll see this many more times in the future.
And you can all take a deep breath, I wasn’t asked to do the eulogy this year.
by Hooks Orpik on May 13, 2009 10:23 PM EDT up reply actions
I would respect you even more
if you didn’t name yourself after the one Pens player that—even an hour after the handshake line—I still despise with all my being.
Congrats though, seriously.
by DonnieKnutts on May 13, 2009 10:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Orpik is on par with Crosby for me.
Respect to Hooks, though.
by :hsughrofl: on May 13, 2009 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I can bear losing to the Penguins. Really, I can. Partly because we seem to do it so damn often, and partly because Pittsburgh is a respectable, quality hockey team. It doesn’t feel the same as losing to Philly.
Thanks for representing your fan base so nicely.
by CapitalCentre on May 13, 2009 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ve heard rumors that some of their fans don’t act like the ones on Pensblog.
some. again, props to hooks.
by :hsughrofl: on May 13, 2009 10:48 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Oops. Of course every team’s fans run the gamut. I wasn’t trying to denigrate Pens fans so much as appreciate the fact that Hooks brought the civil discussions.
by CapitalCentre on May 13, 2009 11:22 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s posts like this (and pretty fine hockey analysis too) that made this caps fan start reading sweater ted and pensburgh. Keep up the good work, Hooks, it’s appreciated. Same goes for JP, DMG and Pepper. This site made the season more interesting and enjoyable.
I have often said, and truly dreaded a loss in this series, because I like the Pens as a team (especially Gonch), but I hate Pens fans.
Hooks, thanks for dispelling my stereotype, you are the man.
by Love and Osechkin on May 14, 2009 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Thanks Hooks. You represent Pens fans extremely well.
I have more respect for Pens after this series than I did beforehand, especially Sid the Kid.
I’m guessing this won’t be the last series involving these two teams over the next decade. As a matter of fact I expect we’ll all be back these same two teams do battle a year from now.
Picking up on Hooks’ point —
Seth Rorabaugh of the Pitts Post-Gazette’s Empty Netter blog just opines —
The thing to remember about this rivalry and really all rivalries is, both sides win. Or do so eventually. Look at the Avalanche and Red Wings teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s. That was one of the NHL’s great rivalries. Not just because the level of elite talent on each roster. Not just because of the championship experience on each team. It was because they went at it like crazy in their head to head match ups. And one team didn’t dominate that rivalry in postseason meetings. They met five times in the postseason between 1996 and 2002. The Avalanche won three series. The Red Wings won two. These Penguins will meet these Capitals again in the playoffs and the Capitals will win a few of these series.
It sounds great on paper...
but honestly…I’ll have to experience a Caps victory over the Pens in a series to really believe it can happen. Nothing is promised and in the salary cap era, windows of opportunity can close awfully fast.
Rebuilding is certainly over; next year needs to be Cup or bust, for real.
by DonnieKnutts on May 13, 2009 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions
I think your sentiment is misguided. The way to win in the cap era is to build from within, get contributions from young players on cheap contracts, lock up key players, and fill in the holes. The Caps had a lot of holes when some of these contracts were signed. We have A LOT of young talent in the system and GMGM has been drafting very well for the last 5 years (it seems so far). We can’t get impatient and expect the Pens success. Malkin and Crosby in back to back draft is going to expedite any rebuild. We have plenty of great players, and more on the way. Our time will come.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree, but the bar has been raised
I don’t think “We have a lot of developing talent” will be a sufficient answer next year if we don’t make it further than we did this season.
by DonnieKnutts on May 13, 2009 10:33 PM EDT up reply actions
What F & B said. At this point, doing a playoff series in less than 7 games would be nice.
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Just got back from the game. Good season for the Caps, but not good enough. Pittsburgh deserved to win this series, without a doubt.
I cannot lie, though…I am disgusted by the gutless effort put forth by the team in red tonight. We – the fans, the city – deserved more, and hopefully we will get it next year.
Quoth Tarik:
I’m hearing at least seven Caps, including several of the team’s best players, were playing through various ailments in this round.
Green had a bum shoulder, the same one he hurt in Anaheim. Tom Poti had a broken foot, which he suffered in Game 1 of this series. Ovechkin was battling a groin injury. Alexander Semin was also hurt, though I’m not certain of his injury. I did hear, however, that the injury likely would have sidelined him in the regular season.
Hot damn, I have more of a man-crush on Poti than I did before.
by Gould Old Days on May 13, 2009 10:32 PM EDT reply actions
I bet an equal number of Pens were playing hurt
I hope Semin’s feelings were hurt because he played awful in 6 out of 7 games.
by DonnieKnutts on May 13, 2009 10:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Dude, the man played through an injury that would have kept him out of regular season games. Maybe you can question the team for playing him if he was ineffective, but it’s a bit unfair to go after him right now — at least until we hear what it was.
by Gould Old Days on May 13, 2009 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions
bottom line is everybody's playing hurt in the postseason
So I really hope that injuries aren’t trotted out as an excuse for getting whupped tonight.
by DonnieKnutts on May 13, 2009 10:38 PM EDT up reply actions
The Poti thing seems about right, wouldn’t be surprised if Erskine was another one.
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Not tonight though
All of the calls against us seemed pretty obvious. I thought the Pens could’ve been called for tripping on the Ovie turnover that led to the 6th goal (Sid’s breakaway) but other than that, we barely had the puck enough to draw a freakin penalty, much less score
by DonnieKnutts on May 13, 2009 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I felt bad for Varly during this game. We rode him all series (both this and the Ranger’s series). Poor kid just couldn’t keep it up much longer than this. The Caps got out worked and out offensed all series long and if not for the heroic efforts of Varly, OV and Steck this would have been a shorter series.
This young team needs to learn to play their best when their backs aren’t against the wall and go for the kill when you have the other team down.
Agreed, he’d faced far too many shots this series, the defense wasn’t swarming and the team as a whole wasn’t focused nearly as much as they needed to be…Giveaways and failed clears were the story of the series
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
Fun season ladies and gents. The boys gave everything they had.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting and everything else to make this a fantastic community. Love it.
We’ll see you through the summer — awards show, draft, free agency, dev camp, training camp. There is no off-season in hockey ;)
Cheers to the Caps.
by Stephen Pepper on May 13, 2009 10:48 PM EDT reply actions
35 days til said awards show?
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions
I second this – thanks to everyone for making what we do worth doing. You all can be my wing men any time.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on May 13, 2009 10:58 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I’ll third it – I can honestly say that there have been times that thinking about discussing the Caps with Rink members has been what has inspired me to write posts, and it’s my favorite things about writing here.
I came here this season (as a lurker long before I signed up) a Capitals fan. I go out this offseason as a hockey fan. I thank the gang here for that.
I’ll add my thanks for this blog. It hosts some of the most intelligent hockey discussion on the web.
“Bull$hit… you can be MINE”
- Maverick (for those of you old enough to remember Top Gun)
Glad I found this blog, now I’M the intelligent, informed Capitals fan of the group. I know, scary!!!
by war_capitals on May 14, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions
+1
All Things NHL. All the Time THW
by Simply Sensational on May 13, 2009 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes, I want a coach who can let his team completely and utterly not show up for the biggest game of their lives.
I want a coach who keeps riding a player who he knows is injured and underperforming.
I want a coach who keeps playing personnel that underperform.
I want a coach that can’t find a place for expensive, talented players.
Seriously, all bitterness aside, I don’t want Bruce fired, but he’s hardly Toe Blake. He’s got some reflecting and work to do this summer, just like his players.
You ride the Varlamov train in game 7 regardless of how tired he is (which caused his poor play tonight).. Theo was not an option.. maybe in the back to back.
Everyone is hurt in the playoffs.
I have nothing to say regarding players not performing.
Where would YOU put Nylander?
Not one player on that team showed up with the proper level of intensity for this game, and this was a consistent theme ALL YEAR LONG. I can probably think of a handful of games out of the 96 we played where we showed up for 60 mins. Some of that falls on the coach.
Mike Green needed his ice time cut back. He was not healthy, and the Pens knew it and exploited it all series long. Bruce kept going back to him like a dog returns to its vomit.
The coach’s job is 50% X’s and O’s and 50% motivation. I felt like Boudreau didn’t adjust his breakout to deal with the Pens’ more aggressive forecheck, and he didn’t get the boys “up” enough for games, particularly in the first period. Maybe he’s not a “rah-rah” kind of guy. So show some GD movie clip. I got tired of watching the home team suck all the life out of the VC by playing poorly for the first period.
We keep hearing BB is a great motivator, though. I think the issue is more X’s and O’s than motivation. The team just looked unprepared for what the Penguins were going to do or how to handle it.
The team just looked exhausted. I’m chalking it up to that. It’ll make me feel better for a while until I look back and analyze how we got decimated.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on May 14, 2009 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m hoping the next thing I read from Tarik is, “Michael Nylander left before speaking with reporters and apparently had ripped his nameplate down from his locker stall and taken it with him.”
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on May 13, 2009 10:51 PM EDT reply actions 10 recs
Well done mein general.
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 13, 2009 10:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I was kind of hoping for something involving the phrases “Michael Nylander” and “loaded into a catapult”.
he’d still manage to land off target and lead to a goal on our side
by boutros23 on May 13, 2009 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
He'd circle it a dozen times before entering
by DonnieKnutts on May 13, 2009 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions 7 recs
Have to say, thanks JP for the best damn hockey blog on SB Nation
and thanks for dominating most of my down time… in the best way ever.
Unrelated to anything, but SCoC has a great video interview with Aaron Ward before Game 6 and after the Walker sucker punch which makes me kinda want the B’s to go on and play the Wings in the Finals.
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
"Sucker" punch? Really?
He was looking right at the guy— what did he want, a royal trumpeter to announce the fist’s arrival? Anybody with half a brain knew that punch was coming!
I’m not a fan of either of those teams, but, come on— that was NOT a sucker punch, it was a reenactment of Rob Lowe getting laid out in Youngblood!
Regardless of what I’ve deemed it, the point of the link was to check out how he handles getting asked about getting a broken orbital bone 6-8 hours before his team fended off elimination.
"Serious question: Is Ovie going to demand a trade if they lose this series? Any chance of this?"
by Bald Pollack on May 14, 2009 1:41 AM EDT up reply actions
i agreed and posted as much on the b’s blog…lets just say i got a cool response from the bruins faithfull
" I AM CAPATIN CHAOS, and this is my trusty Sidekick cato. Say hello Cato"
Dom Deluise 1933-2009, Cannonball run
by oldtimehockey09 on May 14, 2009 2:04 AM EDT up reply actions
regardless of whether or not it was a sucker punch it was deemed an instigator penalty (which is valid) and the league somehow overrode the mandatory suspension.
Seriously, what the hell were they thinking? I don’t have any problem with either of those guys, but you suspend Brash 6 f-ing games for his hit on Betts and you let Brown, Kunitz and Walker go free? Absolutely absurd
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
But it must be true! Barry “The Mullet” Melrose said so! ;0)
by Bucky Katt-Luvs Caps on May 14, 2009 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions
I wonder if our failure to make the CF
hurts our chances to appear in next year’s Winter Classic. Just a thought.
The rumor was that the visiting team was between the Caps & Flyers right? At least we got to round 2.
by :hsughrofl: on May 13, 2009 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Curious: Is anybody here seething mad about "lack of effort"?
Seems to be a few fans with that sentiment on other Caps forums. Probably a few that actually attended the game. Feeling here is more sanguine and rational. Just wondering if there are people that are actually pissed off at the team.
I think “lack of effort” is sort of a knee-jerk reaction when a hockey team doesn’t do well. I don’t think that the problem tonight (for the most part).
Looked like the only one checking the entire game was Ovie. There was no physicality at the beginning, middle or end of the game.
For most of the series we couldn’t get a forecheck on and the Pens possessed the puck.
I think it was said before that the flyers got a shutout by laying it to them. It didn’t look like the caps wanted it at all, especially after the last ppg.
I’m surprised Brads didn’t throw down at some point in the series particularly games 3 and 5.
All of that said they looked tired, tight and nervous. It didn’t seem like most of the team was mentally ready to lay it to them, it looked like they were trying not to lose.
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
fans in our section were in it til the end, which i love. It sucked, yes, but I love what i see in Verizon, the fans who stay and keep cheering, and keep going. You gotta keep going… I have been in Detroit for the cup wins, and got used to winning. How you lose and come back better, that’s the stuff.
I posted this elsewhere, but
for the price of those tickets to a non-STH, I’d stay until they ushered me out, regardless of score.
by :hsughrofl: on May 13, 2009 11:12 PM EDT up reply actions
I paid a lot and left pretty early. Had I not been sitting next to a pens fan I might have stayed, but in the end it was better for me to leave.
It’s not as if you couldn’t move to some empty seats though. People were leaving damn early.
by :hsughrofl: on May 14, 2009 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions
I realized this later
Like I said I’m sad I did it, but in the end it was the right decision for me and I don’t regret it.
Err, certainly sounds like you regret it. Don’t lie to me just so you don’t feel as bad about it. :)
by :hsughrofl: on May 14, 2009 12:25 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m not normally the kind of person who walks out on things, but the effort tonight was pathetic and warranted the reaction, plus I got a lot done that i had been putting off.
Perhaps sometime later I will regret it, but tonight/this morning, I don’t.
I probably would’ve been in tears by the end, and I wanted to spare everyone that sight :P
“but in the end it was better for me to leave.”
Yep. It felt like a razor blade going down my throat sideways and the only way last night could’ve been worse is if I got arrested for assault and tossed in the pokey. Cuz I needed serious “medication” when I got home… : ]
Also, anyone see up-close what the fracus was after the Pens 2nd goal? Some D-bag Pens fan was down at the bottom of the stairs and got jumped. Didn’t look like anyone got ejected though?
by war_capitals on May 14, 2009 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions
I will never leave my seat before the end. Ever.
by boutros23 on May 13, 2009 11:14 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
If this had been a regular season game, I’d have been gone in the second. But there’s no way I’d leave early, knowing it was going to be the last game of the season. The crowd made it worth staying. And the players were classy to the end, raising their sticks to the crowd knowing how poorly they’d played and disappointed everyone.
I admit I turned it off at 4-0
and took a walk around the block to cool off.
by DonnieKnutts on May 13, 2009 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions
I left.
A part of me is sad I left, but I felt cheated; how can a team that showed such passion and drive suddenly lose it at the eleventh hour?
Why? I would have stayed if it was 57 – 0 even if I was the last fan.
It hurts to stay and watch but it means so much to those guys when the game is over and they have a full house of fans chanting while supporting them.
I have two memories now of game 7 losses. Ovi and Kolzig waving to me. Ovi and Varly waving to me. I teared up this time.
Hell of a season, Caps fans. Second straight division title, a 1-3 comeback, first playoff series win since 1998. Nothing to head your heads about (in the long run).
Swing by The Flyer Frequent. You have nothing better to do.
by Ben Rothenberg on May 13, 2009 11:17 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Guilty.
My shirtless Jose binge made everyone pretty sure I’m a girl
It’s also in my profile just in case anyone gets confused.
So did your reaction to my blatant sexism in another thread :3.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on May 14, 2009 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions
it feels weird to type out a thank you to JP, DMG and SP at this point, since i’ll surely be back here tomorrow and the next day and the next. (tangent: will we be getting a repeat of the rink wrap? ’cause those posts were my crack last summer.)
but here goes: i’ve been a casual hockey fan forever, but i decided to jump in 100% during the lock-out when i moved back to DC. in no time, alex ovechkin proved to be the best thing the local sports scene had to offer, and my decision was clearly paying off. but it was Japers’ Rink and the rest of the caps blogosphere that really taught me what it means to be a hockey fan. daily updates even during the down periods have made the team and the sport a part of my every day life, and now i’m in the fold for good.
thanks to the editors of this site and all of the commenters for continuing my education. your commitment to the blog has made my experience as a fan a heck of a lot more enjoyable.
sorry, didn’t mean to leave out tuvanhillbilly! since my second favorite hockey team is probably the russian national team at this point, all of your translations have been gold.
by Natty Bumppo on May 13, 2009 11:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Kudos to all at Japers' Rink
I agree wholeheartedly with Natty’s sentiment. I visit regularly to get my my daily hockey fix and want to thank all of you for providing such a great site with a wealth of hockey knowledge. I look forward to the coming posts this summer to stave off hockey withdrawal! Thanks!
Thanks, Natty, and the Rink Wraps will return starting Monday.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
He was skating in sand for the last few months. You don’t need a slow guy that makes bad decisions, no matter what his career looked like before.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think he ever recovered from the early season ankle injury. He looked great at the beginning of the year.
Possibly. Only he knows but if he really feels that way maybe he’ll accept a pay cut for one more try. I think he’s done with the Caps, though.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions
whether he wants to try and make the olympic team as his last hurrah might be a factor, too.
by Natty Bumppo on May 13, 2009 11:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Same here. Plus, he’s another guy BB seems to crush on a bit much. I love his versatillity, but I think both sides need to move on. Caps need to cap space bad as well.
Do you think Feds will stay, and if so, is he worth the price?
If we have someone who can replace his production…
his experience and occasional playoff grit is only worth so much.
I would not mind if Feds retired, but i think his smarts would still be well rewarded if he stayed in some way…guru?
I was thinking coaching staff or scouting position back in Ole Mother Russia.
by Bucky Katt-Luvs Caps on May 14, 2009 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions
Feds has lived in the US now as long as he was in the Soviet Union. He loves the American lifestyle. Don’t think it’s Mother Russia for him.
1 year 2 mil deal = totally worth it.
by Love and Osechkin on May 14, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions
I think 2 mil is too much to keep us from going out and getting a second line center of the future (this assumes we cut bait somehow with Nyls). I don’t really want Feds at that price unless he’s willing to move to defense, where I think he plays billions of times better, and where our bigger problems lay.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on May 14, 2009 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions
if there is someone who we can pull in like that who won’t obstruct signing Backstrom/Semin after next year, I am with you. I don’t see a great fit out there for 2nd line center, though.
I love Feds would love to get one more year out of him, especially if it will be his last.
by Love and Osechkin on May 14, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions
From looking at the numbers, I’d be fine with trading for Marleau, since he only has one more year on his contract… but then I have no idea who we’d give up that would make sense for SJ and us.
I’d love to land Cammalleri, but we’re a year too late. Now everyone knows how underrated he was. After that we’re looking at trades or 3rd line UFAs such as Dominic Moore, Sammy Pahlsson or Dubinsky.
by Love and Osechkin on May 14, 2009 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions
Great season, TERRIBLE ending. That was my worst experience ever at the Verizon center. Caps fans in 108 were getting thrown out for banging on the glass, Green was being booed (at least from my section), and someone spilled beer on me (ok that last one isn’t really relevant but still).
I wish that Brash and Sloan/Alzner had played over Green and Beagle
Hmm…I was in 108…I didn’t see anyone getting thrown out for glass banging. The booing of Green was after a horrendous turnover/play. And the beer: Well someone tripped, fell on the steps and accidently flung two beers down the aisle. I get splashed too, but the poor guy tripped. It wasn’t intentional.
by Bucky Katt-Luvs Caps on May 14, 2009 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions
No excuses for how unprepared we seemed to be tonight for the adversity we surely had to expect, and that’s what hurts the most for me. I’m not going to lay it all on the kid—he’ll get his share—but we just looked lost out there tonight once we fell behind.
Back to work…top offseason needs are not many, but a real SOB shutdown defender has got to be at the top of the list.
from the house that Red Jesus built
On one of the ugliest night’s in Caps history there was a small bright spot that ocurred almost simultaneously in the Queen City. Stingrays won again. Rays are now up 3-0 in their series with the Cyclones.
Japers’ Rink crew playoffs game day thread, of course.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 13, 2009 11:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Great series guys. By far some of the best hockey I’ve seen in a really long time.
Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.
Interesting stat on ESPN.com’s recap page on Varly: 14 goals glove side, 5 five hole and 6 stick side. That’s just a bummer that Theo’s glove side let him down in the dreaded Rangers game and then as the playoffs went deeper and Varly came down to earth, he’d struggle the same way…….
Any idea how that compares to league-wide statistics? I would guess that more goal are scored on the glove side than stick side or five hole as a general rule.
no i think you are right, again i have to preface my points now i think with “im not bashing Varly”, it was just an ironic and sad stat that the playoffs started poorly cuz of Theo’s glove side and ended poorly because of Varly’s struggles on that side…………………..or maybe you’re right its just the overall odds of where goals go in who knows the golf part is ultimately what sucks
Didn’t mean anything by it – just curious. But I think we can all agree, Varly’s glove hand needs some work.
yea, Boudreau’s quote was that he looked deflated after the 3rd goal, yet he didn’t take him out until after the 4th…….either way dude played out of his mind for 10 games or so, and being 21, in front of a firing squad for 7 straight games, he definitely is not to blame for virtually none of tonight’s debacle
What are you implying with the double negative?
by Fehr and Balanced on May 14, 2009 12:36 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, generally you aim for glove side.
Ideally you want to aim for right above the shoulder and next to the neck like Kozlov did in Game 6. Not many goalies are gonna stop that unless they’re out perfectly to play the angle.
I’ve heard on local radio here in Washington people knocking Varlamov’s glove….I don’t buy it. He gave up an atrocious goal to Fedotenko right to the glove, but every goal struggles to the glove….Look at how the Caps exposed Lundqvist. Sooner or later goalies will look bad if you keep going up high, and that’s more a testament to the guys firing pucks at them, if you ask me.
by Hooks Orpik on May 14, 2009 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions
Hooks, Varly’s glove and rebound control were his 2 obvious weaknesses well before the playoffs began. I don’t think anyone is giving the kid grief, they are just stating fact. He’s extremely young and one would expect him game to have some holes in it at this stage. I said then and I’ll say now I expect both areas to improve the more time he has to work with Coach Prior. Both those things can be taught and improved upon with practice and proper technique. You can’t teach pure athleticism and instinct which the kid has in spades.
He didn’t look great tonight, but he wasn’t a train wreck either. His teammates failed to show just as they did in game 3 when he stood on his head. He didn’t lose this series. Caps lack of backcheck/forecheck did.
In today’s NHL, more pure goals (non-deflections) are actually scored to the stick side because goalies are quicker to react with this lighter, smaller glove than deflecting a puck with a stick in their hand. It’s also a well-known fact that "stick-side and just over the pad" is the toughest save for a goalie to make, because it takes more energy and time for them to move a heavy stick instead of a light glove. Realize, however, that there are many factors coming into play here, including the shooter’s skill, the velocity of the shot and the goalie’s quickness and agility.
that’s a quote from a Dobbers Hockey website article in 2007 that was actually dealing with the right hand catching advantage that Theo, Garon and Josh Harding presumably have below:
http://www.dobberhockey.com/content/view/680/33/
interesting. I personally have always found it harder to score stick side because there’s just more mass there, with the stick and all, but that’s just me (and just anecdotal)
It’s harder for right handed shooters to go low-stick because of the angle. They have to shoot across the goalies body at a sharper angle. Lefties can fire the puck low and straight and hit low-stick, it’s an easier shot.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 14, 2009 12:41 AM EDT up reply actions
also, you were mentioning writing some paper during game 6, did you get that done on time after all? Also, what is it for?
Property seminar. Finished on time. Semester over.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 14, 2009 12:44 AM EDT up reply actions
A very fine season, a terrific series that the better team won and a great blog
Thanks to the Caps for a great ride in ‘08-’09.
With Green a nonfactor, the Pens were the better team over the seven games. GMGM has some work to do on a #2 center (Feds is toooo slooooow) and at least one top Dman (too bad we can’t combine the plethora of 5/6s we’ve got into one 3/4!).
Thanks to the bloggers and posters here for some really enlightened and enlightening discussion!
Total, all-around disappointment. This team showed a complete and total lack of intestinal fortitude/guts/cojones/balls/chutzpah/what have you. To go down like that, without even one fight. Sad. Pathetic. Nobody tested Gonchar’s knee. After seven games, I haven’t seen one player target Letang’s shoulder. Yet every goddamn forechecker from the Rangers and Pens targeted Green’s shoulder. (with no payback). Green didn’t even finish out the game tonight, but Gonchar did. In itself, that fact speaks volumes about this team. Della Rovere can’t get here fast enough.
This game was over after Fleury’s glove save on Ovie’s breakaway. That’s how freaking schizophrenic this team was this year.
This was a failure from the top to the bottom. There isn’t a single player who should be able to look himself in the mirror tomorrow. And that includes Ovechkin. The coaching staff, the front office, everyone needs to acknowledge that they failed.
What really gnaws at me is that during the late 80s/early 90s, this team had all sorts of guts/balls/grit, with guys like Hunter and Ciccarelli. Now, they’ve got all sorts of talent, but no sack. Nobody stepped up and got dirty. Not one guy said, “Fuck this” and started pounding people. Call it dirty, call it classless, I call it a winner’s attitude – losing is so goddamn distasteful that you want to destroy the person who’s imposing it on you. (See: last night’s Wings-Ducks game)
To the “fans” who left: WTF?!?!? I’m sure you can catch the next flight back to L.A.
To the people who cheered: WTF?!?!? Are we so inured to mediocrity that we cheer a complete and total non-effort? I’m sorry, but I gave them a cheer for the regular season on the last night of the regular season. Tonight’s effort deserved nothing but silence. I hope that silence rings in their ears all summer and claws at their souls while they sleep. I want them to hear the scratching of demons’ claws as they work out over the summer: chasing them, hounding them, pushing them further than they ever thought possible. This team needs to get paranoid. This team needs to get psycho.
I never thought this was the Caps’ year. I’ve always thought that this team’s best years are ahead of us. But GODDAMN. To lose like that. Gutless.
Btw, Bylsma will get his for calling that GD timeout with a 5-1 lead. The hockey gods don’t ignore behavior like that. Truly bush league.
Here’s hoping that the Bruins win tomorrow night and unleash some “Old Time Hockey” on the Pens.
by D'ohboy on May 14, 2009 1:29 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I agree with some of this
not this though: “Bylsma will get his for calling that GD timeout with a 5-1 lead. The hockey gods don’t ignore behavior like that. Truly bush league.”
I thought that was an honest move. What do you think, he was trying to rub it in? Doesn’t seem to jibe with his overall personality and demeanor.
I admit that after the 4th goal, I too had the same thought: “If we can’t win then we’ll at least hurt one of you guys.” But it subsided. I’m glad we didn’t go that route. (BTW, how does one “test” an opponent’s knee?)
At the end of the day… the better team won and after so many close games, a blowout was in the offing. It happens.
by DonnieKnutts on May 14, 2009 1:39 AM EDT up reply actions
You test an opponent’s knee by hitting him, over and over again. If the opponent is willing to put an injured player on the ice, that’s their fault. This is why teams don’t disclose specific injury information. This is hockey, not badminton.
That wasn’t an honest move. He had a 4-goal lead. That’s the equivalent of being up by four touchdowns and icing the kicker on a field goal. It’s classless and bush league and he will get his. If I were the coach on the other side of the glass, my players would have had to restrain me, because I would have been trying to get at him any way I could.
This team needs to meld a little 1993 Dale Hunter with its 2009 Alexander Ovechkin. It takes BOTH to win Lord Stanley’s Cup.
What pissed me off the most was playing Gonchar in the third period on the PP up 5-1.
The game is in hand.. the player is supposedly so badly hurt that it warranted a suspension… give me a break.
That wasn’t an honest move. He had a 4-goal lead. That’s the equivalent of being up by four touchdowns and icing the kicker on a field goal.
or the equivalent of being up 39 points against a hated SEC rival and calling your remaining two timeouts in the final minute of the 4th quarter in order to “get your transfer RB some extra game action.” god i love urban meyer.
by Natty Bumppo on May 14, 2009 2:40 AM EDT up reply actions
btw, seriously, this kind of stuff is where great rivalries are made. i don’t mind the late TO myself, but i hope the caps take it personally (and show some more pride in general) the next time these two teams square off.
by Natty Bumppo on May 14, 2009 2:42 AM EDT up reply actions
I think there are plenty of guys on the team who display grit in the sense of being willing to hustle and bang bodies, the problem is how it’s distributed.
In a very broad sense, you can say the team has three layers of talent, the top end talent, the supporting staff, and the role players. The top tier players (Ovechkin, Green, Backstrom) generally have plenty of grit. The role players (Erskine, Clark, Jurcina, Steckel, Bradley, etc) have plenty of grit. The problem is the guys in between, guys like Pothier, Fleischmann, and Kozlov. They don’t produce enough to be key cogs on a nightly basis, and they don’t have the personality and/or skill set to add much when they’re not producing. The team needs more guys like Brooks Laich – guys whose mentality, physicality, and effort are such that they’re helping the team win games even when they’re not the ones scoring goals.
by David Getz on May 14, 2009 1:46 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I was surprised tonight. I thought Pothier skated his ass off. Flash seemed to skate and be really finishing checks too. Pothier was one of the only guys that looked like he was trying the whole game. I haven’t (and won’t) be watching the game on TV so I don’t know how he actually looked but that’s the impression I got.
Only after the game was over. Flash showed all sorts of hustle and grit once it totally didn’t matter whatsoever.
When was the game over to you? After the third goal? That’s when I noticed Flash playing pretty well.
Technically, yes. Although the game was really over after Fleury stopped Ovie on the breakaway. Either way, Flash only showed effort once his effort was no longer needed.
Where was all his urgency in games 1-6?
Maybe so, but even those players need to step up on nights like tonight. Brooks knows how it goes – he played in the WHL for God’s sake – he should have finished Crosby once he knew he was drawing 4 mins anyhow.
Maybe our role players have grit, but where was it tonight? For that matter, where has Clark been all this series? He’s our CAPTAIN for christsakes.
Grit and knocking the hell out of guys out of frustration are not the same thing, which is why guys like Ovechkin and Iginla enjoy very different reputations from guys like Ruutu and Cooke.
No, it’s not. Lemieux won more cups because he was on better teams. And the obvious counter that is, “then why does Yzerman have three cups and Dale Hunter have zero?” And besides how many have Ruutu and Cooke have? None. I mean, heck, look at Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger – Niedermayer has four; Pronger has one.
It’s silly to even suggest that grittiness and dirty play are the same thing, because they’re not.
I’m sorry, but you’re wrong. The 1986 Habs and 1995 Pens were two of the worst teams to ever win the Cup. In part, they won because they had great goaltending, as well guys like Lemieux who were willing to do anything and everything to win.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand the difference between “gritty” and “dirty;” I’m not saying we need Sean Avery. But this team needed someone to do something after that atrocious 1st period. And instead we just sat back and took a “hockey bukkake.”
by D'ohboy on May 14, 2009 2:13 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
pens didnt win the cup in 95, if your talking 92 ok then. wasnt it the devils in 95?
" I AM CAPATIN CHAOS, and this is my trusty Sidekick cato. Say hello Cato"
Dom Deluise 1933-2009, Cannonball run
by oldtimehockey09 on May 14, 2009 2:17 AM EDT up reply actions
lol
" I AM CAPATIN CHAOS, and this is my trusty Sidekick cato. Say hello Cato"
Dom Deluise 1933-2009, Cannonball run
by oldtimehockey09 on May 14, 2009 2:31 AM EDT up reply actions
"hockey bukkake."
I’ll just concede to any point of make ever again because I think you summed up this game so perfectly. I was content with anti-climatic and heart breaking earlier but yours takes the cake. Seriously.
And it Rhymes too!
Also, it’s fun to say.
Your favorite meme is dead
“hockey bukkake”
Someone “Rec” that, please!!! Fuels my maniacal laughter at the thought of game 7 being a total implosion. I haven’t checked… did Ted decide not to charge any of us for the 4th home game this series? If it were a product, I’d definitely be in the Returns line to show them “hey man, this $hit’s BROKEN!”
oops… no receipt. always happens to me.
by war_capitals on May 14, 2009 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Wrong about what? All I said was that grittiness and toughness aren’t the same thing and all I implied was that you can’t draw conclusions from anecdotal correlations between dirty players and cup winning teams, because you can’t. For every dirty player who won a Cup, there are a ton who didn’t, just like for every skilled player who won the Cup there are a ton of dirty players who didn’t. You need grit and toughness and effort and all that good stuff you need to be a successful hockey team, but you don’t need to have cheap shot artists and the reason Claude Lemieux has more Cups than Iginila is not because he is/was a dirty player or a tougher player.
I was implying/stating you were wrong about Lemieux being on good teams. The 86 Habs and 95 Devlis weren’t good teams. Their players WILLED them to victory over more talented opposition.
I don’t think we have that ability yet. Ovie tried, but he’s just one guy.
Ah, gotcha. Well, I’d still disagree there – the 95 Devils went 16-4 in the playoffs and the 86 Canadiens went 15-5, and between the two only played one seven game series. But I agree that the kind of effort you’re talking about can’t be underestimated.
Yeah, but look at the players on those teams, and look at what was written about them before they won. Neither was “expected” to win. In 95 in particular, Detroiters were planning the parade route.
I think we probably agree, and we’re doing the “ships in the night” thing. I just want the team to show more passion/determination/want-to outside of Ovie. The dude can’t do EVERYTHING.
My point is that we need more people like Dale Hunter and fewer people like Flash. That’s pretty much it. Call it grit, call it dirty, call it Lake Titicaca for all I care. We just need more of it. We plain old got run out of our own barn. We got tooled. And nobody stood up and stopped it. Even if that meant getting “dirty.” Sometimes, that’s what you need.
by D'ohboy on May 14, 2009 2:24 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
i’m with zephyr. rec’d for “hockey bukkake.”
by Natty Bumppo on May 14, 2009 2:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Ok, but let’s say you’re a GM, and you have to pick one D-man for the playoffs, would you pick Pronger or Niedermayer?
I know who I’d pick, and it’s not even a close decision.
pronger
" I AM CAPATIN CHAOS, and this is my trusty Sidekick cato. Say hello Cato"
Dom Deluise 1933-2009, Cannonball run
by oldtimehockey09 on May 14, 2009 2:45 AM EDT up reply actions
lol, actually i did because i was looking at what the penguins could use and thats a more sollid skating defenseman… we have plenty of mean dmen in the form of scuderi, orpik, gill, and eaton at times
" I AM CAPATIN CHAOS, and this is my trusty Sidekick cato. Say hello Cato"
Dom Deluise 1933-2009, Cannonball run
by oldtimehockey09 on May 14, 2009 2:47 AM EDT up reply actions
Ok, but imagine this isn’t the Pens. Imaginary team. You get one D-man, and it’s Pronger or Niedermayer. It’s not even a close decision.
I love Nied’s ability to move the puck, but come on. Without Stevens and Daneyko riding shotgun for him. . .
very true
" I AM CAPATIN CHAOS, and this is my trusty Sidekick cato. Say hello Cato"
Dom Deluise 1933-2009, Cannonball run
by oldtimehockey09 on May 14, 2009 4:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Niedermayer has 4 Cups, a Memorial Cup, A Gold Medal, and a World Championship. He is just a winner. Flat out.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 14, 2009 8:30 AM EDT up reply actions
Still. Pick one. Pronger or Niedermayer? I guess you’d take Pronger. I think Niedermayer is a great hockey player, but after watching Edmonton’s run to the finals in ‘06, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like that. Pronger almost single-handedly willed that team to the cup. It was unbelievable. Niedermayer (in the pros at least) has always had someone bigger and tougher over his shoulder. In NJ it was Stevens, Daneyko and White, and in Anaheim, it has been Pronger and Beauchemin.
Yeah Pronger was a stud on that run to the Cup. But Nieds was undoubtedly the more important player on the run to the Cup victory for ANA. I know Nieds has had bigger and tougher guys on his team but he scores clutch goals, and controls the pace of the game. I might take Pronger but that’s only because I think he has more left in the tank and he fills a more direct need for the Caps. If we didn’t have Green I’d probably say Nieds.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 16, 2009 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree. Although I can remember thinking to myself after the 4th goal that I wish Brash was dressed and he and Erskine just fought people for the next 60minutes. I didn’t want to go down like a bunch of p******
We went down like drunk girls at a frat party.
by D'ohboy on May 14, 2009 2:02 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Not fighting isn’t what put the team down like a bunch of, ahem, “pansies”, not being prepared and willing to outwork the Penguins was. Going down picking fights every team minutes just means they went down like mean, not spoiled give year olds.
I think Conn Smythe knew a bit about hockey, and he once said:
“If you can’t beat ‘em in the alley, you can’t beat ’em on the ice.”
We couldn’t beat ’em in the alley if our life depended on it.
The thing about that is that the NHL’s culture has become such that fighting and toughness are often viewed as one and the same, and they’re not. A guy who fights might be tough, sure, but fighting isn’t the be-all end-all of hockey toughness. Look at the Wings – they weren’t going to get the better end of things in too many lines brawls last year but they won the Cup, in large part because they were tough enough to survive the playoffs, even if their toughness wasn’t always overt.
In the end the tougher team is usually going to win, especially when all else is held equal, and I think that’s why Smythe was getting at, not literally suggesting that whomever would fare better in a street brawl would win the hockey game.
Look, this isn’t the Panthers, or the Lightning, or the Rangers. This is the Penguins. This is Crosby. If they really ARE our rivals, we need to play like it. We need to get tougher. We don’t need Brash, per se, but we need our version of Gary Roberts, Claude Lemieux, Darren McCarty, etc.
I don’t think they are our rivals. We never beat them, they always beat us. Their fans for the most part don’t consider it a rivalry. If we won tonight it would be a new rival but so far all this current gen team did was push them around in the post season.
i consider it a rival as does any LONG time pens fan. true it hasnt been revitalized for some time and true you guys have gotten the short end of the stick in the playoffs but its hard not to be a rivalry when its only 30 minute flight to dc
" I AM CAPATIN CHAOS, and this is my trusty Sidekick cato. Say hello Cato"
Dom Deluise 1933-2009, Cannonball run
by oldtimehockey09 on May 14, 2009 2:32 AM EDT up reply actions
I guess. I mean we should beat them sometime in the playoffs first that’s all.
I hate them but right now I feel like it’s a very one-sided rivalry.
two things to remember
one, you have a lot more to work with as far as salary cap issues and such
two you have a fantastic base to build around. next year will be a seven gamer also and im not expecting it to go well, theres just too much upside for the caps.
" I AM CAPATIN CHAOS, and this is my trusty Sidekick cato. Say hello Cato"
Dom Deluise 1933-2009, Cannonball run
by oldtimehockey09 on May 14, 2009 2:44 AM EDT up reply actions
To the people who cheered: WTF?!?!?
Wow, really? You’re giving crap to people that support their team? It’s fine if you don’t want to but to think people are nuts or the same plane of existence as the “fans” that left is lame.
The game is over. It doesn’t matter anymore. You give the guys applause for a good season, a great comeback in round 1, and some awesome hockey in round 2. Well I guess you don’t, but I did with a lot of other people.
by zephyr on May 14, 2009 1:57 AM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
I’m sorry, but my brain just can’t process cheering when my team has totally failed to show up. If that’s how you roll, then that’s your deal. If they had given an honest effort and lost, I’d be cheering my head off. But they didn’t. They never even got to the rink. It was embarrassing, and I didn’t pay good money to be embarrassed.
Sorry if I sound aggro, but that’s just how I feel right now. It’s nothing personal.
FWIW, I cheered for Ovie when he raised his stick. I thought that he and Varly deserved better than this.
Fair enough. I just felt like you were lumping those people and people that left in the same category and I don’t even think they should be mentioned in the same post.
You do your thing and you know my view.
Ok. I still can’t tolerate mediocrity. I don’t boo my own team, but I won’t cheer them for displaying a total lack of will, either.
That’s fine. I understood it all the other times you said it. In my brain after that buzzer went the season is over and you aren’t really cheering about that game. You are giving them a send off.
You want a different send off that makes them all into headcases that throw sandbags at each other in dingy basements until training camp.
I guess since I cheered them they’ll be taking vacations, playing video games, etc..instead.
I’m a headcase that throws sandbags at people in dingy basements abandoned WWII hangars.
:)
None of my aggression is aimed at anyone here. It’s just . . . generalized. I’m pissed because in years past, I’d be able to unleash this through exercise, but now I’m injured and can’t do shit.
I admire the passion. I’m a true fanatic about this team. I don’t think I’ve gotten a solid day of work done since playoffs began other than the few days I was out of country.
I just tend to be a bit more sad than angry after losses that’s all. (Unless I’m in the game. It’s a whole different story then and I’m right there in the hangar with you)
Sounds like a problem possibly exacerbated by alcohol. =]
I was never more uncomfortable at the irish channel than I was tonight, btw. 5000 Cops drinking and pushing each other around. One guy kept coming up and hitting on me too. I didn’t know wtf to do. Normally I’d punch him in the face if he kept going after a huge verbal altercation but you can’t really hit a cop in front of an entire bar of other cops. Feel. So. Violated. He grabbed me like 3 times.
Haha, I’m a goalie so maybe that explains why I’m a bit more calm. I did get into a fight as a goalie with a forward once though.
At first I was like, “Oh, you’ve been hit on by a gay cop, too.” Then I realized you’re probably a woman. :) (And yes, that has happened to me in DC. I must admit, I was kinda surprised.)
Let me apologize on behalf of our gender. Even as a guy, I kinda know how you feel. That’s just not cool. I’d like to think that one of the other cops would step up to defend you though.
I was a goon. I wasn’t terribly good and I had a limited role on the team and it was really the only thing I got to do, so I tried to do it to the best of my abilities. I loved to hit and create chaos in front of the net though. God that was fun. Just targeting poor hapless defensemen.
Honestly if we had a 4-goal lead on the Pens
I’d still be nervous almost all the way until the final horn. I’m gonna have to say that it’s very hard to believe that Bylsma called that T.O. to show us up. It flies against his character and the way he’s conducted himself all series. Torts, maybe. This guy? No way.
I think if the Caps had gone the Dale Hunter route we may have lost 11-1.
dan i tihnk called the to at the righht time, your arena was getting amped after flower once gain started roaming around the net like a kid with ADHD. hats off to the caps and thier fans for staying, showed a lot of class.
" I AM CAPATIN CHAOS, and this is my trusty Sidekick cato. Say hello Cato"
Dom Deluise 1933-2009, Cannonball run
by oldtimehockey09 on May 14, 2009 2:07 AM EDT up reply actions
To D'ohboy's points + the Caps' post-game comments
I can relate to the frustration and anger but I don’t think the Game 7 loss (nor the series loss) comes down to lack of effort, or injuries, or us “not showing up” or anything like that. It’s easier to point to these things (for both fans and players) because we feel the need to rationalize these routs and explain them away with various excuses; suggesting you gave a full effort and lost by six would be too demoralizing. Nevertheless, I think the main factor that separates the Pens from the Caps is this: They are better. It has nothing to do with heart or grit or will or effort or toughness or anything. Top to bottom, they have a better team. That’s why I’m not too incensed tonight. Yeah, it sucks. Yeah, we need to make changes. But sometimes, you’re just not good enough to beat the other team. That’s what happened.
I think at the very least is had something to do with preparation and focus – the Capitals got destroyed in the first periods in game six and game seven, took a lot more stupid penalties, and had a lot more turnovers than the Penguins for the series as a whole.
And never really stopped making bad pinches and giving up 2 on 1s. At some point you think they would realize the D needs to sit back and rely on the backcheckers to help them out instead of pinching every time.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 14, 2009 8:37 AM EDT up reply actions
BTW, had we gone out guns blazing with multiple misconducts et. al.
Our team—or at least this Ovie-led bunch—would forever be branded as classless by the rest of the league. I’m so glad that didn’t happen.
agreed, it would have turned a brilliantly played series into a goon spectacle… not good for the game, or the caps
" I AM CAPATIN CHAOS, and this is my trusty Sidekick cato. Say hello Cato"
Dom Deluise 1933-2009, Cannonball run
by oldtimehockey09 on May 14, 2009 2:33 AM EDT up reply actions
Would you call the Red Wings or Avalanche classless? Because they both did that at times during their rivalry. Same thing goes for the Bruins and Habs, or the Rangers and Islanders. Or the Oilers and Flames. This is HOCKEY for God’s sake, not some candy-ass sport like basketball. Class wins you Lady Byng trophies, not Stanley Cups. Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, Rocket Richard – all of them were vicious and nasty on the ice. And we loved them for it.
Speaking of Lady Byng, didn’t Datsyuk get in a fight last night?
dude this is a different time, had a brewhaha gone down we are talking suspensions carrying into next season and rediculous fines. on pavel “glass jaw” darsyuk:
more like he got bowed in the chin and starting throwing punches with gloves on, kinda looked like semin actually
" I AM CAPATIN CHAOS, and this is my trusty Sidekick cato. Say hello Cato"
Dom Deluise 1933-2009, Cannonball run
by oldtimehockey09 on May 14, 2009 2:42 AM EDT up reply actions
Suspensions? Really? After what Scotty Walker pulled? Hardly. (Btw, Colin Campbell is a moron.)
If this team is really calm enough after being down 4-0 to the Penguins that they can think about possible suspensions in the middle of a game, then things are worse than I thought. They should see nothing but red mist.
you can bank on it (suspensions) the reason nothing was handed down in boston was because the caps or pens were not involved. if it would have been a cap getting cold cocked in the grill you can bet colin cambpell would have enforced his rule book then
" I AM CAPATIN CHAOS, and this is my trusty Sidekick cato. Say hello Cato"
Dom Deluise 1933-2009, Cannonball run
by oldtimehockey09 on May 14, 2009 2:46 AM EDT up reply actions
I know you’re a Pens fan, but I respectfully disagree. Avery clearly tried to cold-cock several of our players (including our goalie) in round one and got nary a fine.
not like that though correct? i obviously didnt watch your guys’s round one but that one would have drawn something i think
" I AM CAPATIN CHAOS, and this is my trusty Sidekick cato. Say hello Cato"
Dom Deluise 1933-2009, Cannonball run
by oldtimehockey09 on May 14, 2009 2:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Thanks for the drunken therapy session
I needed it. I’m looking forward to some good rosterbation this summer, but right now I’m going to chill out and just go back to being a normal hockey fan again.
And I’m going to shave off this ridiculous beard. Itchy, scratchy goddamn thing.
This team needs a bastard D-man
What I think this team needs is a D-man who is hated around the league. A guy who will punish you if you get in front of the net and punish you when you cross the blue line. We don’t have anything close to that now. I would have loved it if we got Pronger at the deadline but it didn’t happen. We need someone in that mold.
Yeah Locker addressed this last night. Pronger would have been good, but then your asking to give up Varly or Carlson, and that just isn’t going to happen. Maybe they can look around in free agency this year if there is cap space by any chance. I’m not sure what the deal is with the cap or how deep the pool is going to be this year for big-time-grit defenseman.
Considering that was in his 19th(?) NHL game, it was bound to happen sooner or later.
by Bald Pollack on May 14, 2009 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions
Theo had a shite game in round one and was crucified. Varly absolutely fell apart last night and is exonerated.
I don’t get it.
by Stonewarden on May 14, 2009 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions
So the experiences of a 10 year vet are the same as those of a guy whose combined NHL experience is less than half of the vet’s PLAYOFF experience?
by Bald Pollack on May 14, 2009 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions
I wouldn’t expect such an implosion from a 10 year vet. Not like that .
But this isn’t a Varly vs. Theo thing. Varly was the right guy, no doubt. I just don’t understand the disparity in response to each guy’s meltdown.
Excuses for Varly and disdain for Theo.
by Stonewarden on May 14, 2009 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions
Yet Theodore’s been pulled after 1 period this year and not made it to the halfway point several other times (including a couple games in March). Explain the inequity.
by Bald Pollack on May 14, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions
Theo played miraculously this past season more often than he did poorly.
by Stonewarden on May 14, 2009 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions
Theo lost a game the team competed in and should have won. A Herculean effort by Varlamov might not have been enough for these guys. Considering how lackluster the squad was why focus on the rookie who was the only reason we made it that far?
by Fehr and Balanced on May 14, 2009 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions
Please. Caps unlikely to get out of first round without Varly and certainly wouldn’t have gotten to Game 7 in this series. The kid was getting shelled every game against the Pens, including massive amounts of PP time. No one is happy about what happened to him last night but IMO folks understand how he got to that position.
More excuses.
The guy is an NHL goalie and such a performance must be addressed, despite supernal play in the preceding games.
by Stonewarden on May 14, 2009 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes. One bad game from an exhausted 21-year-old who has had to maintain superhuman focus all series must be addressed.
He let in some bad goals.
There. It’s been addressed. Happy?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
No, I’m pretty far from happy.
And I don’t have any idea what else there is to say.
by Stonewarden on May 14, 2009 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Not much. Varly didn’t lose the game for them last night, he just didn’t win it for them like he did in Games 1 and 2 (and, arguably, Game 6) and didn’t give them the somewhat undeserved chance to win like he did in Game 3 (he did, however, make some saves to keep them in it at 0-2, fwiw). That’s about all I have to say about his performance last night.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I’m as excited about Varly’s future as the next guy, but I’m attributing more of last night’s debacle to his performance than you are.
Exhausted, 21 years old, 33 years old, refreshed, balding, 70 years old, whatever. Game 7 against the Pens (whomever really) I want more out of the guy in goal.
I’m just bitching.
by Stonewarden on May 14, 2009 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Game 7 against the Pens (whomever really) I want more out of the guy in goal.
I want more out of the whole team.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Right.
All in all, a hell of a good season.
Top site, by the way. Top as fuck.
by Stonewarden on May 14, 2009 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Hang on, let me go back in time and fix some things, I’ll be right back.
"You will remember the night you were struck by the sight of [18] thousand fists in the air" -Disturbed
Didn’t we touch Quantum Leap the other day?
by Bald Pollack on May 14, 2009 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions
For the same reason that last year people forgave Johnny for bad games, but let Kolzig’s go. Everyone loves the underdog, even if they know that the mainstay may give them a better chance. Varlamov is still young. Theodore, for what it’s worth, had been terribly inconsistent in the last month of the regular season, and after game one, I was one of the guys who defended him and said “Hey, he’s got to get the nod in game two.”
The whole team failed to show up in game 7. Varls definitely laid an egg, but can you seriously look at last night and tell me one player who didn’t? 6-2 losses when the other team takes 0 penalties and outshoots you THAT bad are a team effort, and nothing on Varly. Also, Theo gave up two goals in roughly the same amount of minutes, which means he (roughly) would have lost us the game 3-2, had he been as “marvelous” as he seemed.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on May 14, 2009 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions
is anybody denying he had a terrible game? he was pulled. what else is there to say?
his body of work in these playoffs leads to optimism for his future.
end of story.
He does look good, and I really do expect another 100 point season next year at the very least. I think a lot of us are forgetting how patient this team has been when it comes to rebuilding. Alzner played most of this year in the minors and so did Varly, even when it was clear that he was better than Theo. Whether you guys like to admit it or not, this team is STILL re-building in my opinion. Besides, the first two series go to game seven? Even if they would have taken this one, I still have that spent-all-your-money-in-one-place feeling because lets face it. Poti alledgedly had a broken foot, Semin was “injured,” Ovechkin had a “pulled groin,” and Green had an “ailing shoulder injury.” Or so I heard on the radio today anyways. The team just looked gassed this whole series, and they need to learn how to get the job done right without burning all the fuel too quick. Maybe better conditioning in the offseason too? I mean, they did lose ALOT of man games to injury this year. Just a thought.
Hey all, trying to look at the positives while still most defintely hurting from last night. I think I might try to take a trip up to Hershey this weekend.
Can anyone with experience with this give me some tips? What’s it like? How is Parking? Should I know anything in advance of going? Can I get tickets at the door?
These are good questions I’m considering asking with a paycheck upcoming. I would love to take in more hockey. Adopting the Bears = shorter offseason, amirite?
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on May 14, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Hershey is awesome. Parking is easy (huge lots surround the arena, which are shared with the amusement park and chocolate factory) and cheap. I doubt there will be tickets left at the box office, so you might have to look for scalpers or the internet.
by Scott in Shaw on May 14, 2009 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions
any online feeds for the Hershey games?
by RedskinFan4Life on May 14, 2009 7:19 PM EDT up reply actions
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Washington
|
82 | 54 | 15 | 13 | 121 |
|
Atlanta
|
82 | 35 | 34 | 13 | 83 |
|
Carolina
|
82 | 35 | 37 | 10 | 80 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
82 | 34 | 36 | 12 | 80 |
|
Florida
|
82 | 32 | 37 | 13 | 77 |
(updated 4.12.2010 at 9:21 AM EDT)
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