Recap - Capitals 4, Penguins 3
by J.P. on May 5, 2009 7:00 AM EDT
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Print[AP Recap - Game Summary - Event Summary - WashingtonCaps.com Postgame]
Two games into the most hyped second-round playoff series that anyone can remember, something somewhat remarkable is happening - the series is actually living up to that advance billing.
The media-created and force-fed rivalry between Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby has turned into an unreal game of one-upsmanship; the unheralded rookie goalie who has played more in the NHL's second season than in its regular season is on fire; the team that's getting secondary scoring is winning the games; and the chippiness that was missing in Game 1 was present early and often in Game 2 (though it tended to be a bit one-sided).
The story of Game 2, however, was Simeon Varlamov giving his team a chance to win and the League's reigning MVP cashing in on that opportunity. And while there's obviously much to love in the result for Caps fans, there's also plenty of room for improvement. Some thoughts on the game:
- Varly was once again out of his mind last night, and really gave the Caps a chance to win. He had a couple of brilliant stops on Crosby (who could have had five or six goals), a save on a re-direction that even in slo-motion looked quicker than anything we've seen from any other Caps goalie in ages, and continues to play with phenomenal poise for a kid his age despite having to deal with much more traffic in Game 2 than in Game 1 (including a filthy crosscheck by Chris Kunitz moments before the Pens' third goal).
- On the tie-breaking goal in the third period - the Ovechkin power-play tally - Alex Semin ran some major interference on Matt Cooke that should have been called and would have been the perfect hat trick penalty for Semin after a pair of retaliatory minors in the first period that led to the Pens' first power play goal in three months or so. But it wasn't called - missed and wrong calls were common theme on the night both ways - and it was just about game over.
- When Alex Ovechkin saw that he was one-on-one with Sergei Gonchar with a one-goal lead and less than five minutes left, he must have taken the briefest of moments to lick his chops before using his fellow countryman as a bit of a screen and ripping a shot past Marc-Andre Fleury's glove. And then? An offensive onslaught of chapeaus.
- If Varly and AO were the headline, the subhed was the Caps' domination in the faceoff circle, as they won 62% of the game's draws and didn't have a pivot under 50%. The Caps' puck possession wasn't great on the night, but without those big faceoff numbers, it would have been downright revolting.
- Staying in the dot for a minute, the Caps were led by David Steckel's 77% efficiency, which, when you consider that he also scored a goal,drew three penalties (including the one on which the "real" game-winner was scored and a questionable Kris Letang trip), and led the team in short-handed ice time (including time on the massive 3-on-5 kill), certainly deserves significant recognition. He was a beast.
- Remember the Caps' discipline problems? Sure you do. They were present in a big way on Monday night, and I'm not sure any of the seven minors the Caps took were even "decent" much less "good" penalties, with the worst being Chris Clark's retaliatory elbow that negated a power play with the Caps down a goal in the first. Psst... Chris... That "C" on your chest means you don't do things like that.
- I wonder if anyone is regretting picking Evgeni Malkin first on their Hart Trophy ballot right now - and if they might be having a similar regret about writing Mike Green's name for Norris. I could care less about Geno, but Green lost Crosby twice in front of the net - and twice the puck ended up behind Varly. He has to be better. Much.
- Since length of shifts was the topic du jour yesterday, we'll note that AO's goals ended shifts at 37, 52 and 21 seconds and that his monster shifts of 2:26 and 2:31 ended in big fat zippy.
- The Caps did a better job of limiting odd man rushes against, but the shot allowed total was still too high.
- Let's hope Eric Fehr (and Kris Letang, for that matter) make a speedy return to this series. John Erskine, too (though Tyler Sloan played well in his limited ice time).
After all that - two hard-fought one-goal wins highlighted by other-worldly saves and timely goal-scoring, but with flaws aplenty - all the Caps have done so far is what they were supposed to do: win at home.
They (whomever "they" are) say that a series doesn't begin until a team loses a game at home. Let's then hope this series gets started on Wednesday night... in Pittsburgh.
Win one game. Do it four three two times.
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I alluded to it on Hooks’ site, but unlike the first three games here, Malkin actually started shooting last night (credited with 6 SOG). With last change the next couple nights, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him regain some form and get a multi-point game in one (or both) of the next two games.
That said, I take comfort in Peerless’ point about the Caps’ comfort in winning at Mellon, and hope for a split.
We've got a goalie who's playing pretty good right now, while you've got one who can't get onto the ice without falling on his ass.
Let’s hope the last round reminds everyone that the series isn’t over until 4 games are won…pedal to the metal, killer instinct, etc.
by Kerry Fraser's Hairspray on May 5, 2009 7:24 AM EDT reply actions
This, exactly. We’re not there, yet. We have to win two more times. We’re off to a pretty good start, but that’s just that – a start.
The Caps have done well in Mellon Arena so far this year. I’m hopeful for a split, too, although a sweep would make me drop my teeth in shock and joy.
Honestly, I think these two teams are a push in terms of the skaters. The difference-makers this series will be (a) goaltending and (b) secondary scoring.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
This thing isn’’t over by a long shot, but I’ll take being up 2-0.
The Pens dominated looooooooong stretches in the Caps’ zone last night, but between a gritty team effort to keep shots to the outside, and a very good effort by Varlamov, they limited the damage.
Varlamov is a little bit of a conundrum. The goal he gave up for Crosby’s first was not so good; he ought to have snared the shot, held on, and frozen the puck. But he followed that up with a gold-plated save with Crosby on the doorstep during the 5-3 and then right after that got leather on a lazer by Gonchar. And as you say, his reaction on the deflection was truly outstanding. On balance, it’s great.
I won’t say it’s THE difference in the series, but it’s a big factor that the Caps scored on their 5-3 and the Pens were dry.
Ditto on your thoughts on Green. He doesn’t have to (and probably shouldn’t, as it would lead to a penalty) put Sid on his ass when he’s on top of the crease, but he does need to tie up his stick. That said, I don’t fault anybody for goal number three – that’s just an example of a guy being way good.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve thought Malkin to be the better player than Crosby for some time, and while two games isn’t going to change my mind, doubt is creeping in.
The thing about Malkin is he needs to be initiating contact to be effective. When he plays like AO, he might be (almost) as good as AO. But when he plays like Sid (style-wise – pass first, not looking for contact, etc.), he’s nothing particularly special.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Malkin is not as good as AO
AO is a producer, and from the 22+ games I have seen of him this year, in comparison to the 40+ pens games this year and the 100+ from the last two years, AO has a second gear that Malkin doesn’t have. Geno is a great player, he just hasn’t really carried his team on his back in the playoffs the way that AO has for the Caps.
Not that I would trade Malkin for AO, I don’t think my feelings on AOs behavior and taunting are a secret here on Jasper’s Rink, but right now May 5th 2009 AO is the better player.
BTW what is worse in your guy’s minds taking a dive or asking a ref for a penalty?
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
BTW what is worse in your guy’s minds taking a dive or asking a ref for a penalty?
Option C, cross-checking a defenseless goalie in the head.
He ought to get a game for that, but I doubt he does, the NHL being the NHL.
Doubt anything comes of it this year, as it’s the playoffs and all, but if Kunitz sticks with the Pens, I would not be surprised if he gets a little reminder next year that it’s not appreciated.
How is that reply relevant to the question asked?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
It’s not.
My point was that, in the scheme of last night’s game, there are more important issues than the relative (de)merits of diving v. begging for calls.
Well that’s indisputably true.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
After I saw that I am convinced Kunitz is a dirty player that gets away with a lot. Being a Flyers fan, during our round one series, we had a debate about Kunitz and how he was taking runs at out guys like Kimmo Timonen with the intent to injure. Its hard to argue that he isn’t dirty when he cross checks the goalie in the head for no reason. I don’t know if I would say if it is suspension worthy, although I would in no way object, but the NHL better start watching closer. That really was unbelievable. What a little dbag.
by Mitchell Green on May 5, 2009 9:33 AM EDT up reply actions
I cannot say what was Kunitz's intent
But he didn’t appear to blatently take a shot, it looked more like an incidental play. I would be mad as hell if one of your guys did it to my guy, but it didn’t look like evil intent.
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions
watch the replay one more time. the puck is in the other direction.
by Natty Bumppo on May 5, 2009 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions
At the risk of stepping into a flame war here, I’ve seen it a few times (both live where I was sitting and interwebbed), and I don’t see it as anything more than trying to get a guy to lose the puck and whose head happened to be there reaching for a puck freeze.
Good on BB for sending tapes of both this and the Orpik spear (which i thought was the more serious of the two), I just don’t see how in the flow of play that’s a deliberate attempt to injure.
We've got a goalie who's playing pretty good right now, while you've got one who can't get onto the ice without falling on his ass.
by Bald Pollack on May 5, 2009 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Gotta disagree with ya. I don’t think it was necessarily an attempt to injure but a definitely cheapshot. It really looks completely blatant to me.
by Mitchell Green on May 5, 2009 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions
Oh I can see where the cheap factor plays in, for sure.
To wax nostalgic for a second, when I saw him here in March, I had a feeling he’d be a nuisance, I just didn’t figure it would be so soon. And we’re going to have to deal with that nonsense for 2 more years.
/fist pumps a fellow Liverpool fan.
We've got a goalie who's playing pretty good right now, while you've got one who can't get onto the ice without falling on his ass.
by Bald Pollack on May 5, 2009 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions
We don’t care what the red shite say!
What the f*ck do we care?
‘Cuz we only know that there’s gonna be a show
And the EVERTON boys will be there!
by Kerry Fraser's Hairspray on May 5, 2009 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions
yeah that’s alright, i’m not looking for a back and forth either. i hadn’t indicted kunitz until i saw the super slo-mo, which could mean we’ll see little in way of response from the league.
by Natty Bumppo on May 5, 2009 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions
Things always look worse on replay ;)
Agree a million % on the league response.
If a guy who’s been suspended multiple times for off-ice behavior and is a noted pest can’t at least get talked to for throwing a punch at said goalie when the game is clearly decided, I don’t expect anything to happen when it’s a two goal game with a minute left and the goalie pulled.
For what it’s worth.
We've got a goalie who's playing pretty good right now, while you've got one who can't get onto the ice without falling on his ass.
by Bald Pollack on May 5, 2009 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions
No
It was a vicious cross-check to the head/neck.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Yea, I was gonna say. He absolutely did it on purpose. It really was not that subtle either. It was a full blown two hand cross check to Varlomov’s face! That is incredibly dirty and unnecessary. Idk, Carolinaeasy, his intent looked pretty malicious to me. All I am saying is that Kunitz needs to be seen for doing these kinds of things. He did it in the First Round against the Flyers and is continuing to do it in Round Two against the Caps. Because he is small and doesn’t have a reputation people and NHL don’t consider him a player that would take cheap shots like that.
by Mitchell Green on May 5, 2009 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions
They’re equal, imo (not AO and Malkin, but the dive/beg). Taking a dive is asking the ref for a penalty. But if a player asks why something was or wasn’t a penalty after a whistle, I think it’s a little more discreet than flopping around on the ice.
And it’s Japers’, CE… Japers’.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Japer’s, I would say that they are equal as well. What I’d like to see more is referees just call the dive rather than the dive and the offense. Right now it’s at worst a wash to take a dive and at best a powerplay. There should be greater punishment for diving.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
by PPP on May 5, 2009 9:38 AM EDT up reply actions
Thanks, Penis Pain Puppies!
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on May 5, 2009 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
That’s not even close you bully!
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
There is diving and there is embellishing. Diving is simulating the foul when there is no foul. Embellishing is drawing attention to a foul that may or may not be called. Diving should be penalized separately (but it is harder to pick out). Embellishing should make it a wash. I have no idea what to watch for in hockey as far as diving/embellishing goes. In soccer they always say to watch the feet, if they are together, odds are it is a dive.
Agreed
I wish they’d call embellishing more often and in more situations (ie the player that clamps his arm down on a stick to draw a hooking penalty).
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
I think they’re on the same page. A close dive (where you may have gotten the high stick but the ref wouldn’t have called if you didn’t grab your face for example) is more on the good side, a bad dive like Ovie seemed like he was trying is just as bad.
The major difference is you can get away with dives if you’re good enough of an actor, but this isn’t soccer either. Asking for penalties is bad because it makes you look like a whiner and unless you do it right (mention a tendency of the other team to the ref during a stopage) I feel like the refs will turn against you.
It’s kinda like apples to oranges
Someone in the game thread said that they watched on their DVR and he did take a stick to the face. To me it looked like a shoulder, but at game speed on a crappy internet feed it is hard to tell
I watched it in HD on my dvr
No stick that I could see, and he embellished…but that is part of the game…
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 10:06 AM EDT up reply actions
That was me...it looked like the stick hit his face shield/helmet
not his actual face. But it did hit him.
Whining to the refs is worse than taking a dive. The latter is in some circumstances a legitimate way to draw a penalty when your team needs some momentum (I’m sure lots of you will disagree). The former is just being a b*tch. (Note that I’m assuming you are making a distinction between genuinely pointing out to the refs that someone should be watched because they’re taking liberties, or making a substantive argument about something like a delay of game, and just complaining after a whistle for no real reason.)
by Scott in Shaw on May 5, 2009 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions
But as a captain isn't it his responsibility to stand up for his team?
I know he does go overboard at times, but he still needs to talk to the refs
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions
As Scott noted, he’s “assuming you are making a distinction between genuinely pointing out to the refs that someone should be watched because they’re taking liberties, or making a substantive argument about something like a delay of game, and just complaining after a whistle for no real reason.”
The former is a captain’s responsibility. The latter is no one’s.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Whining to the refs just gives us something to make fun of him about. But, if he left it on the ice and out of the post game interview, we wouldn’t be discussing this as much.
Also, let him whine to the refs. I know that I always watched players more closely when they whined to me. As a player, I want to be nearly invisible to the refs if I want to get away with anything. Of course, I was never the face of the league and I never had the reputation he does, so that probably changes the dynamics.
Well the part about the hats is a legit arguement
The first wave is totally acceptable and should have happened, I would be disappointed if you guys didn’t throw hats. But then to throw an entirely second wave was not really necessary. I can see what he was talking about, and sometimes the NHL will enforce a rule about delaying the game with fan demonstrations, although the last time I think it happened was in Detroit and had to do with the swirling of the Octopi.
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions
I blame Bettman
The nets make it harder for the hats to find their way to the ice thus prolonging the ritual.
I agree, but at the same time no one needs to see another dead kid.
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions
To be honest, that girl died because of doctor’s negligence. There’s plenty of reports on it. I agree the nets should be there, but to blame Espen Knutsen, the lack of a net, or the guy who deflected it is wrong. If I recall, the doctor who looked at it checked her head trauma, found it ok, and ignored the artery rupturing in the back of her neck. I don’t remember exactly, because there wasn’t a lot of investigation into it as much as there was “Let’s snap at the league cause a girl died.”
It sucks, but I don’t blame the lack of a net.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
I agree, but still if it means people are safer than I am all for it.
It is no different than sitting behind homeplate at a baseball game. You can still see. I just hate to a kid die, even if it was indirectly because of a hockey game.
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
Valid or not, (I tend to agree with you) it isn’t Sid’s place or the right time to bring it up. The Refs aren’t going to do anything.
Even more, and I think he’ll learn, Sid shouldn’t have admitted to saying anything about it afterward. If he had just said “I was asking him about his kids.”, nobody would have probed deeper and it wouldn’t be an issue to anyone.
Yeah he could have kept it out of the media
But Washington fans are starting to gain the appearance of a fan base that isn’t really hockey intelligent. The Rangers fiasco and the demonstrations, plus your owners lame attempt of commercial obstruction all looks a lot like a fan base that has jumped on a band wagon. Maybe Sid was making a dig at that?
Before you jump all over me let me say this. I don’t think that is a bad thing, hell a sell out is better than what the Pens were going through a few years ago. I just hope that you can sustain the support and the success and not let this flame out. *see Florida in the 90s.
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions
fan demonstration: such as throwing the hats on the ice for 3 minutes.
I should have made it singular not plural.
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t believe for one second that Pens fan in the Igloo would not have done the exact same thing had Sid’s first playoff hat-trick (with the third goal at the time being the insurance goal) come at home.
It wouldn't have been two waves
That isn’t really protocol now is it? But hell why are we complaining? I thought it was cool! The NHL needs more outpouring of fan interest. I was just saying I can see what Crosby was upset about.
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions
The problem wasn’t the fact there were two waves, it was that there was one wave from the lower decks, and at the same time one from the 400 section, and the second “Wave” was those hats landing and being subsequently thrown from the 100 section. I guess that makes two waves, but it’s not as if people were consciously doing it.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
You’re really giving Pens fans a bad name at this point.
You start out sounding intelligent, but then you say something like this…
Why? Because I don't say what you want to hear?
I am not sure your as old a fan base as Detroit or Philly (God I hate to say that). Maybe that is just my impression. Also I did say: Before you jump all over me let me say this. I don’t think that is a bad thing.
So cut some slack. I was just discussing something not trying to flame.
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Our fan base isn’t so dissimilar from yours, so don’t be all high and mighty. Where were Pens fans in 2003 and 2004?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Japer's before you turn all third grade and slap me with a warning read what I said above
Before you jump all over me let me say this. I don’t think that is a bad thing, hell a sell out is better than what the Pens were going through a few years ago. > I just hope that you can sustain the support and the success and not let this flame out. *see Florida in the 90s.
I don’t think your getting good press as a home fan base.
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions
Random question – why do you have four times as many comments on this site as you do on SBN’s fantastic Penguins site?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Take it as a compliment J.P.
As good as Hooks and the boys over there are, here is where the meat is :)
Because the discussions over there usually only involve 5 people.
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions
I dunno, I heard a guy on ESPN (!) last night say that the VC right now is one of the most electrifying places in the world of sports. VC is getting press as a place with rabid, loud, occasionally wild fans. As a Caps fan, I can’t ask for anything better than that.
I dunno, I heard a guy onESPN (!) Antiques Roadshow last night say that the VC right now is one of the most electrifying places in the world of sports.
Now it’s even more credible!
by Rob Parker on May 5, 2009 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
No, because you don’t say what you’re trying to say in an intelligible way. Because you’re starting to come off as a homer.
Lets start of with the “ranger’s fiasco”, are you saying that “intelligent” fans wouldn’t taunt the opposing team’s bench? I know a lot of Pens fans, my wife is from Pittsburgh, ya’ll don’t let up either. I guess it was the fans fault that Torts couldn’t keep his cool.
Concerning the hats: It takes a long time for the hats to make their way from the cheap seats.
Wow, thanks for the warning. Maybe if I say: This will hurt a bit as I shoot you in the knee cap you won’t get mad at me.
When you refer to AO as
“Ovaries”, as you did in this thread, I tend to doubt your, er, committment to enlightened discussion.
Just sayin’.
Was that on your site? Er no, It was while talking to fellow pens fans
If I called him that here, I could see that, but I don’t I try and enjoy hockey discussion with ya’ll. Sorry ya’ll can’t handle adverse opinions. DC must be more republican than I thought.
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions
I hope you got my sarcasim cause I was laying it on pretty thick
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, here’s the thing of it.
I’ll leave myself out of it, but I’ve seen several other posters from this blog post on other teams’ blogs – including Pensburgh, but also Ranger blogs.
Their comments in the out-of-town blogs strongly resemble their comments here. Among this group I’ve seen Whiter Mage, Mike L, Bald P, and of course JP and DMG.
That tells me that they’re actually committed to informed hockey discussion, as opposed to pot-stirring and/or flaming.
When you call AO a name on a Penguin blog, and then show up here and indict our fanbase rather sweepingly, it leads me to believe you are here only to try and get a rise out of us. In other words, trolling.
I could be wrong, and I do not offer this as a slap in the face – just trying to tell you how I see it and why.
What I say to my fellow fans is of no relavance here.
I stand by what I say about your fan base. It reminds me of Marlins fans in baseball. Sorry that is my opinion
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s absolutely relevant. You can talk about us behind our backs and then come in and be friendly?
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Was I talking about you?
Didn’t think so. How many of you use labels here for Crosby? I don’t cry its part of being a fan. How many have I used here? ZERO
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions
For the record, I invite my friend DrinkingPartner to chime in on any thread in which I am involved.
Now, to answer your second question, I have seen zero instances of “Crysby” or “Crosbitch” or anything of similar ilk used during this series. Crosby has been referred to as “Whiny Diver”…but not by people that appear on other blogs in a friendly guise.
Does it matter about whom you’re talking about? And we all use labels for everyone, here. We don’t make excuses for it. you can’t say, “what I said some other time to some other person disrespecting your team” and then expect us to be cool with it. I don’t like Sidney Crosby, and make no bones about it. I wouldn’t say it to their faces, but I also wouldn’t deny the fact that i did, like it seems like you’re trying to do. You’re trying to absolve past or absent behavior, which won’t work.
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions
ha, a little redundant, there, in that first sentence there :-).
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions
It is different if I show up here and start firing off Ovaries all over
I didn’t…You guys are the biggest whiners this side of Crosby.
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Once again I was being sarcastic!!!!
REALLY READ THE WHOLE POST!
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions
seriously, this is where we all just stop talking to him.
by Natty Bumppo on May 5, 2009 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions 6 recs
I guess my point is that Sid had absolutely nothing to gain by taking that shot. All he did was make himself look like a loser trying to find an excuse, someplace to shift the focus. I expect it is something that he will learn, but if he was taking a dig at Caps’ fans/organization, why? The fans, the organization and the hats didn’t have anything to do with the fact the Pens lost. It was Ovie and Varly, who simply did more than Sid.
And yes, the Caps have tons of “new” fans. I don’t think that anyone would argue that. There are lots of new fan mistakes that irk lots of people that frequent here. There is a learning curve to this game and I hope we can maintain it as well.
And by Sid bringing it up
doesn’t it gaurantee the next time (whether in the playoffs or regular season) the hat throwing will be TWICE as long?
Matt Wieters took batting practice this morning. There were no survivors.
Hats
Two waves?
100 section throws directly, wave 1.
400 section throws to 100 section, 100 section forwards to ice, wave 2.
Yeah. Like the people in the 100 section are going to keep hats that got thrown in their direction, when the intent is to get them to the ice?
Please. I don’t think so.
It seems to me that Sidney hasn’t quite learned the art of talking to Refs yet. There is a time and a place to do it, if its constant, they end up tuning him out.
I agree that one of the many roles a captain has is to advocate for your team/teammates. But a good example of Sid’s overuse is the complaint about the hats. Nothing to be gained from that. Rather than talking to the refs, he should have been over talking to his boys about ignoring it, and coming back like a ball of fire.
Agree re: your first point. It’s a boy-who-cried-wolf thing. Pick your spots.
by Scott in Shaw on May 5, 2009 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions
I think it also comes down to how he looks. As a point of contrast, Peter Forsberg was a celebrated complainer. Both Forsberg and Crosby had some justification – both were frequently constantly targeted by the opposition and the attention was often illegal. The difference is two-fold. One, Forsberg looked like he was going to skull-f**k the ref, whereas Crosby looks like Peyton Manning after a three and out. If Crosby didn’t put on the “Manning Face,” I think his behavior would be more tolerable.
Second, Forsberg played most of his career in the pre-lockout era and the stuff that opposing players used to do to him was really atrocious – he complained about it, but it least it was about the stuff happening to him. After the game, he wouldn’t say boo about it. Crosby, on the other hand, talks incessantly to the refs and the media about things of no consequence to him, such as Ovie’s celebrations. Maybe he thinks having the “C” requires him to say such things, but it really doesn’t.
I will say this in Crosby’s defense though (shudders), the kid is 22 years old. How mature were most of us when we were 22?
Good points, I like the Bill Simmons reference!
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Crosby’s play last night was nails. His persona, as revealed by the griping about the hats, is highly off-putting.
Malkin showed some flashes of what makes him special last night: his speed created space for his line, he got to pucks that almost no other guy gets to, he bulled out of the corner a couple of times…but it was intermittent.
I was very impressed with Crosby last night. All 3 of his goals were of the hard working ‘dirty’ goals (dirty is not meant to be a bad thing – it’s more of a compliment – hard working get in front of the net and punch it in there). I mentioned to my wife last night in the 3rd period, Crosby was the best player on the ice. He wanted it.
Then OV happened.
Then I read Crosby’s comments – really dude, you’re ripping the fans for throwing hats? WEAK. I was disappointed with those comments. Great game Sid, but weak sauce.
1) Yes, impressed with Crosby’s willingness to get ‘dirty’ to score. If any of his team mates decided to do the same it might have been a different result
2) Having said that, no way should a Norris candidate allow anyone to park themselves in front of the net and out position/muscle him to the puck first, resulting in 2 goals
I find sometimes it's easy to be myself
sometimes I find it's better to be somebody else
If they were voting for the Norris now, I doubt Green would get more than a couple of first place votes. I think he needs to see a psychiatrist not an orthopedic surgeon.
Why is Green getting so much hate? Honestly, he hasn’t been our best player, but he hasn’t been our worst, either. He’s struggling right now, due to some external cause, most likely. He needs some slack. He got bested by the #2 or #3 player in the world last night, depending upon with whom you speak.
It happens.
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Giveaways
Why the hate?
1. He’s letting Crosby park in front of the net
2. He’s playing dump ins terribly. Looking over his shoulder for the hit last night, he let the 2d pens player get control of the puck 3 times by my count.
3. He’s doing a terrible job clearing the zone
4. By the NHL’s (lousy) count, he has 17 giveaways thru 9 games. 17! Only AO is worse, and there are only 4 players in the entire league in double digits (AO, Green and Juice are 3 of 4).
5. He’s not shooting. And when he is, he’s missing everything. 1.7 shots per game. 1.25 missed shots per game.
6. About all he’s doing well is doling out hits, and even that seems to have become a bit of distraction for him.
7. Let’s face it, he’s a fine defender but what made him great in the regular season was his offense, including his puckhandling. He is a nonfactor on offense for the most part, yet continues to pinch frequently.
Again, the good news is that if he just bounces back halfway b/t his current level and his proven level of play, then that might be worth a half goal/ game right there.
Well, let’s put it this way: who replaces him?
He’s clearly something (hurt, sick, what have you), but there’s not a player on this team I would give his ice time to instead.
He is having a tough playoffs.
He’s also clearly not healthy. He needs some slack.
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions
Can’t disagree with anything, although I believe J.P. has gone over the giveaway issue before. The VC’s scorer is ridiculously generous with giveaways.
It’s fine if you let Crosby get in front of the net, because they don’t let you take people down they way they used to, but GODDAMNIT it at least tie up his stick. Green’s weakness and strength is that he’s always looking to turn from defense to offense. On that play, he tried to grab the puck with his stick and skates, rather than playing the man. Hopefully, this is something he learns from and he doesn’t do that next time.
To that end, the Caps’ “adjusted” giveaway total this regular season was 39% lower than their credited giveaways. So yeah, those numbers don’t mean much (which isn’t to take away from the over-arching point, but is worth mentioning).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Well I thought the parenthetical “lousy” was clear enough, but let’s adjust Green’s giveaways down by 39%. That’d be 10.4. Still terrible.
I don’t think slightly more than one giveaway per game from a puck-moving defenseman is terrible at all, actually.
And yeah, I was just quantifying your use of “lousy.”
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
When you’re a Norris trophy contender and then you play at times like a third pairing defender in the playoffs, you’re going to take heat. I can understand if he’s playing hurt and can’t bomb away like he did in the regular season, but he’s floating back on dump-ins and then making brain-dead passes that lead to goals. If he’s injured then it’s up to Bruce to bite the bullet and cut back his minutes because a lot of times he hurting as much as he’s helping.
I won’t say it’s THE difference in the series, but it’s a big factor that the Caps scored on their 5-3 and the Pens were dry.
It’s a difference, but I’d say that THE difference in the series is this:
Pens: 1 goal not scored by Crosby
Caps: 3 goals scored not by AO
Caps: 2 one goal wins.
by Rob Parker on May 5, 2009 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I’d settle for a full-time 3rd line spot with some power play time, myself.
We've got a goalie who's playing pretty good right now, while you've got one who can't get onto the ice without falling on his ass.
Yeah. I’m beginning to think that he could fill the role we’ve hoped Fehr would grow into. I don’t think Stecks has Fehr’s hands, but that close in, it’s more about willingness and strength than skill.
And he can work on one of those. It’s clear he’s got no problem standing in front of enemy one-timers, so why not get a 6-5, 220 pound guy in front of the net? It can’t be too much of a dropoff from the 6-1, 190 pound guy they put out there now.
We've got a goalie who's playing pretty good right now, while you've got one who can't get onto the ice without falling on his ass.
I wonder if anyone is regretting picking Evgeni Malkin first on their Hart Trophy ballot right now – and if they might be having a similar regret about writing Mike Green’s name for Norris. I could care less about Geno, but Green lost Crosby twice in front of the net – and twice the puck ended up behind Varly. He has to be better. Much.
Chara wasn’t exactly earning the Langway Award himself in his Game 2.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on May 5, 2009 8:05 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
while i do think the Pens played well and might have deserved to win, Varly shut the door.
Not enough can be said about him keeping the team in the game. The Pens had 26-27 shots through most of the first two periods, and in the second it really looked like a shooting gallery. He made 3 or 4 ridiculous saves in quick succession, that left me with my jaw on the sticky, dirty, beer covered floor.
As far as their heading up in Pittsburgh, I’m hopeful for a split, but I have to wonder if Varly isn’t in some players heads right now. obviously Crosby is hot, but other than him, no one has scored on a clean goal (only a softy). I know Sid is trying to say the right things about how they can get their shots and just need to bury them, but he is trying to put the mojo back. I don’t know what will happen up there, but then again, I’m not certain I would have thought the Caps would be 2-0 right now.
This game is also one of those where most will say, I was there, and I remember when. Two superstars, head to head, both with hat tricks, one to tell the children about certainly. If you don’t like hockey, I’m not certain how you couldn’t like this one.
The refs were atrocious. But the Caps brought it on themselves.
Re: the last part, presuming you mean the discipline?
We've got a goalie who's playing pretty good right now, while you've got one who can't get onto the ice without falling on his ass.
The Refs were bad both ways...
there were a few terrible penalties assessed to both teams, and a couple of huge non calls on both sides.
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
Yes, they were. It’s almost like there were make-up calls on both sides. Weird stuff.
Of course, I’ve come to expect lousy ref’ing from Kelly Sutherland, too. His is one of the names that makes me go “Oh no, not him” when it appears on the jumbotron.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
Marc Joannette
Don’t underplay his terribleness.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
by PPP on May 5, 2009 9:39 AM EDT up reply actions
you know damn well that kelly’s brother wouldn’t have been so easy on kunitz.
(these two canadians not actually related.)
by Natty Bumppo on May 5, 2009 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions
if they deserved to win they would have had more goals than us. Just like we didn’t deserve to win those 3 games against the rangers. Sure we might have played well enough to earn the win, but we didn’t take that extra step…just like they didn’t in this game.
Enough about the refs. we won. Complain about the refs during the game, it’s more fun. It feels like being a sore winner doing it afterwards.
Complain about the refs during the game
Please no. How about complain about the refs never?
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by J.P. on May 5, 2009 8:42 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
For the record, I will rec every post with this or similar sentiments while I still have breath in my body.
You know if you rec too much, you’ll go blind and grow hair on your hands.
We've got a goalie who's playing pretty good right now, while you've got one who can't get onto the ice without falling on his ass.
Meh. The refs should get heat like the players get heat. The officiating last night was horrible and it needs to get better.
I agree. The Refs are doing a job just like anyone else and they shouldn’t be immune from being told they suck at it. I don’t think it’s over the line to criticize a call, but when you take the next step and blame the refs for a loss you just sound like a loser. If your team didn’t play 100% perfectly then you can’t look at the refs. They gotta take care of their own business before looking elsewhere.
That’s true, and it’s rare I’ll blame officiating for a loss.
On the other hand, a poorly-officiated game can spoil a team’s best efforts to play well. It’s hard to check if your checks result in ticky-tack calls (not that I think this happened) but it’s not unreasonable to me for someone to say that had anyone really checked Crosby while e was hanging out in front of the crease, they were likely to draw a penalty.
FWIW, I think the same could have been said if Ovie has camped out in front of the Pens goal.
Arguing about/with the refs is like arguing with a rain storm. You have a good idea of what’s going to happen, but you have no control over it. It just makes you look dumb, you might as well put on a rain coat and do your job, which is something you do have control over.
Every comment thread on every post on this site is something we have no control over. All these debates are like arguing with a rain storm. I love hockey and I love the NHL, but I’m still going to be critical when the people in charge of providing the product don’t do an adequate job, regardless if it is the players, coaches, refs, commissioner, owners, Colon Campbell or whomever. I explicitly said we should not blame the refs for anything. I don’t see how us not having control over them means we shouldn’t point out when they suck at their job. J.P. tells us which refs are doing every game, if it didn’t matter which ref was calling the game, or we weren’t able to critique their performances, then it wouldn’t matter who was doing the game.
Great Game; Great Summary
What an incredibly fun game to watch, and I think JP’s post was spot on.
Green looks more like a borderline NHL/AHL player than a Norris candidate so far in the playoffs: weak in front of his own net, weak clearing the zone, no offense. The good news is that they are winning in spite of this so if the real Green shows up, all the better.
I’d hope Crosby’s three “gritty” goals would inspire some of our high skill guys to do likewise, but I doubt that happens.
Varly is unbelievable. We could have easily been blown out last night.
Biggest area of improvement was very hard skating on the back check to avoid most odd-man rushes. Rewind the DVR and check out how hard the closest two forwards skated back every time. Next area of opportunity: get Crosby out of the crease!
Great call yesterday to pay attention to AO’s shift length. He was so tired on some of those monster shifts that he couldn’t even stay on his feet. I was screaming at the TV that he had to come out.
Last night Green looked horribly lost in front of the net. Crosby’s first two goals were gifts and then Poti, rather than hit Crosby, tried to smack the puck away.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
by PPP on May 5, 2009 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions
rather than hit Crosby
I had the same thought at the time of the goal, but upon further reflection I decided I didn’t have a problem with Poti. Crosby is really good at spinning around a charging D-man – he’s so strong on his skates, has phenomenal balance and he’s so quick that it’s tough to get a clean lick in on him. And if you whiff, which you probably will, he’s all alone in front.
Poti tried to take up space and play the puck – and it took a tremendous play by Crosby combined with a lucky bounce for it to go in.
With a two goal lead and under a minute to go, I thought Poti played that fine.
Re Green, the consensus seems to be a) that he had a bad outing and b) he’s probably hurt.
NHL should review
The NHL should review the cross-check to Varlamov’s head near the end of the game and suspend the guilty player. The player wasn’t pushed or otherwise interfered with. It was a clear shot to the head.
uhh...uhh...uhh...
Like the head shot the Anahiem player gave Hudler (I think it was him) Collin Campbell will prove his worth and not do anything with regards to suspensions.
Say what you want about the Torts situation – Campbell had no choice, once the youtube clip went around, HE WAITED but the youtube clip showed he started it – he had no choice.
But Campbell does not dish out suspensions fairly.
It was dirty – if it was Matt Bradley doing it, 1 game. Its not – nothing will happen.
The Young Guns in the 2nd Round
I just wanted to see what everyone thinks of the production from the young guns this series? Obviously Ovie is earning his money and then some, but what about Backie, Semin, and Green?
I agree to an earlier post that Green absolutely needs to get Crosby away from the front of the net, or at least make it hell for him to stay there. Strong night in the dot for Backstrom last night, big improvement from Saturday. As for Semin, I think he had a relatively strong game at times last night, even though those penalties don’t help the cause. I seem to recall a couple of occasions where his forechecking disrupted the Pens breakout and gave us a couple of chances.
Wether you think you can or you can't, you're right! - Stewie Griffin
3/4 of the Young Guns were between terrible and mediocre last night.
Game 1 was much better for the group in total.
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There were supposedly some conditioning concerns that surfaced last round, but I’m still putting my money on “hurt.”
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I think so, too. He just looks off in some fundamental way … I’m not sure what the injury would be, but I bet there’s one.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
I keep going back to this quote from Tarik El-Bashir (from late March):
I just spoke with defenseman Mike Green, who was injured in the final minutes of last night’s game when he was pulled down by rookie Steven Stamkos. Green did not practice today, but said he hopes to take the morning skate tomorrow. At that time, he will decide whether he can face the ’Canes at RBC Center.
Green seemed to be moving okay. But he definitely is not “fine,” as both he and Coach Bruce Boudreau said after the Caps’ 5-2 win. If I had to speculate, I would guess that he’s got an abdominal or oblique strain.
I’d buy something in the oblique/abdominal area.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
IF he is not 100% why is he getting so much ice time? Sure on the PP is fine, but he was on the ice in the final minute.
I find sometimes it's easy to be myself
sometimes I find it's better to be somebody else
Because a hurt Mike Green
is still better than a healthy anyone-else-on-the-roster-available for the Caps.
Matt Wieters took batting practice this morning. There were no survivors.
Jurcina has been their best defensemen. If Green isn’t 100% he needs to play less AND not in the final minute when the game is on the line. As evidenced last evening, Green is NOT better than anyone else even at less than 100%
I find sometimes it's easy to be myself
sometimes I find it's better to be somebody else
Yeah, he is. Green clearly isn’t gimp, so I’d put him out there over Erskine, Jurcina, Poti, Pothier, et al, anytime. So would most of us.
Not to mention, there’s not a whole lot anyone’s going to be able to do on a fluke ass-shot (xkcd joke!) like that. Poti could have batted it to the corner, but it’s a strange, all-around sitch to be in.
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions
Jurcina has been their best defensemen.
/standing clear from the fallout
(only half-kidding…IMO, jurcina was a monster for much of the rangers series, but seems to have been beaten a few too many times against pitt, and took two awful penalties last night. his plus/minus says he’s been a hell of a player.)
by Natty Bumppo on May 5, 2009 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Juice's 2d penalty
I didn’t think it was awful at all. Crosby had the puck at the side of the net. with no other dman there. I’d say that cross check was a defensible penalty to get out of that situation.
If you say that Juice shouldn’t have been beaten to get into that situation, well, I’d remind this is Crosby we’re talking about.
There were a couple of weak penalties, but that wasn’t one of them. I initially disagreed, but after seeing the replay, it was clearly a cross-check to the back. I’d have called it, too.
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions
He should have gotten away with it, given the mugging that happened to Semin on the other side of the ice just moments before
I still haven’t seen the Semin (syo-min, right, Slava?) spear. I hope something comes of that.
I’d like to see the refs disciplined for bad games. Or maybe some apologies to both teams:
“I’m sorry I gi-googitied that game. I Ge-schmoigled it badly, and I am sorry.”
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions
I posted this somewhere else:
You can’t discipline refs for missing a call or for making a bad call, unless it was blatant. EVEN THEN you can’t do it publicly…you kind of have to push them aside and give them unimportant games or no games at all.
The second the league starts reprimanding refs publicly they’ve effectively hamstrung the refs. You have to stand behind them and give them the power to do what they think they need to do to maintain the rules and maintain control of the game.
It’s an extremely high pressure situation being an official for a sport, and a thankless one at that.
I think that’s BS, though. They need to be held accountable, and they need to improve. Because they’ve been collectively terrible. Part of it’s the rule changes (which need to be re-addressed), but part of it’s incompetence. They’ve been bad.
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions
You be a ref and tell me that if the league says that you’ve consistently made bad calls, or even made one bad call, do you think the fans and players and coaches will let up on you?
I’m sure they’re held accountable, just the public doesn’t need to know about it.
one bad call isn’t what we’re talking about, though. I understand how things will quickly get out of hand if that’s the route they take, but for officiating like we had last year where Kozlov takes an interference penalty for getting hit into the goalie, and for games where major penalties are being missed (a spear is a major, no matter the result, for instance), there has to be public acknowledgement of said incompetence.
The whole Ed Hokule thing was the wrong way to handle it, as they essentially ruined his career, but the call he made deserved the criticism he got. NHL refs should be no different. If they blow a game in whatever way, they need to be docked. how else will they improve?
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Honestly with hockey in order to improve we either need bionic refs, more replay options, or acceptance that the refs are human.
You say you want it publicly handled but not like Ed Hochuli…There’s not much in between, it’s either public or it’s not. Ed himself apologized there also. It takes a special guy to do that, but I wouldn’t expect all refs to do the same.
Your calling the refs incompetent I feel is out of line. Like I said, you strap up and try reffing if you think you can do a better job. It’s not as easy as it looks.
I knew I spelled his name wrong…
What I, personally, want is the rules to be adjusted so that touching somebody with one’s stick isn’t a slashing penalty. It’s a bullshit call, and the league isn’t doing anything to make the game more playable. That’s the trap for the Refs, and that’s my defense for them. They’re trying to play by the rules.
When the Refs, however, are inclined to call a penalty for touching someone, I lay that blame on them. The Refs have got to be smart enough to realize that those calls aren’t penalties. but they also can’t be so scared to make calls in the playoffs like those on Orpik or anyone else. I’m mostly bothered by this because we all know absolutely nothing is going to happen to either Orpik for attempted castration or Kunitz for attempted decapitation. It’s bullshit and it makes me angry. That’s why i think the Refs should be accountable.
BB should be able to voice his frustration about the Refs. They are just people, but so is he. Refs should not be untouchable.
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions
That’s a reasonable complaint about the standing rule or implementation. It’s not so much the touching the stick that is the problem it’s that the stick breaks that gives away the slash. The refs aren’t always in a perfect position to see things and use indications as give aways that something happened.
BB did in fact voice his frustration in a productive way.
You come off as a huge prick if you go on a tirade about the refs after a game. double that if you win.
I still think it needs to happen. Win or lose, bad officiating affects everyone.
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions
I have been thinking about this too and said he looked like there was something wrong last round. But this round, the problem hasn’t been his legs. It’s his head.
I don’t have a theory about why, but he is just playing terribly. All three goals last night were scored because of a bad play by Green: a weak clearing attempt off the glass, a terrible line he took to defend and the Pens gained the zone with numbers, and then he didn’t clear Crosby out of the crease.
I’m not sure if he’s not getting playoff hockey or what, but he seems to be having really bad mental lapses, turnovers, taking himself out of plays with hits….it’s really frustrating.
And I'll double what you put down
That’s just not the Mike Green of the regular season out there right now. And I don’t think it’s playoff jitters.
Matt Wieters took batting practice this morning. There were no survivors.
I dunno. Green’s legs have looked OK in this round. His brain, on the other hand, seems permanently cramped. Every puck seems to bounce over his stick, every clear seems to find its way onto a Penguin’s stick. Nothing seems to be working for him, and his defensive game has gone to pot as well.
People forget that Green was streaky all year long. After his 8-game goal-scoring streak, he played like crap for about two weeks – which apparently coincided with the first time he had the “flu.” I’m hoping he goes on one of his streaks here soon.
I seem to recall a couple of occasions where his forechecking disrupted the Pens breakout and gave us a couple of chances.
I agree with you here. I thought Semin was their most effective forechecker last night. Unfortunately, the double minor, the minus-1, and the otherwise blah performance outweigh that.
Re Green, I think the “flu” lingering in either his oblique or his shoulder is the real problem. When the Caps are done playing, we’ll find out the rest of the story.
The double minor was inexcusable, but… Orpik clearly learned a thing or two about spearing dudes in the yambag from Ryan Whitney during the latter’s tenure in Pittsburgh.
For my money, Clark’s penalty was worse.
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Orpik clearly learned a thing or two about spearing dudes in the yambag from Ryan Whitney during the latter’s tenure in Pittsburgh.
Heh. I would expect Game 3 to have a certain “edge” to it…I doubt that Orpik’s spear and Kunitz’s crosscheck will go unremarked-upon.
For my money, Clark’s penalty was worse.
Yes, I agree.
Well, unless his shoulder is connected to his brain, that doesn’t explain his inexplicable decision to try and go up the boards with a pass (that led to Crosby’s goal) when Mo was wide open cross ice. That’s a play they teach in peewee.
He’s making both mental mistakes and looking physically infirm right now. Not a great combo, as you’d hope a weakness in one area could be somewhat masked by strength in the other.
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Yeah, the way he’s side-stepping big hits tells me he’s not OK physically. I can live with that, but he’s playing like it’s uncool to try hard. When you compare that to the ways guys like Mo, Jurcina and Poti are playing, the difference is glaring. The Penguins clearly know they can intimidate him and they’re going after him any chance they get.
The Penguins clearly know they can intimidate him
I disagree with that. I don’t think it’s intimidation, because he is getting somewhat dirty (dirtier than Flash, and more than I’d expect him to be if he were really hurt – “really” meaning ‘more,’ not ‘actually,’ I, too, think it’s physical pain, now, as he definitely looks better than he did in the Rags series, when he looked sluggish and ill). He’s not giving too many hits, though, certainly.
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions
But how much is his decision making a factor of having to think about what he can do or can’t do becuase of injury or pain?
Kind of reminds me of how we were all banging on Poti a couple of weeks ago when he was still struggling with his injured groin. Complaints were that he couldn’t even clear the puck on a hard around, either whiffing or not getting enough power on it. But if you can’t set your feet because of your groin, how are you going to be able to do these things easily?
In Green’s case, how much does a shoulder or oblique injury affect the things we are complaining about? I wouldn’t know, never played hockey, hurt an oblique, or tried to basically wrestle someone on a sheet of ice. Would this type of injury affect his ability to push and shove in open ice? Would double thinking about the injury change his reaction time or even change his decision on what to do in a defensive situation?
by HateOffSeason on May 5, 2009 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Things I didn’t like about last night’s game:
Green, Backstrom, Morrisonn, Semin and Fleischmann were minus-1 for the game. Fleischmann pulled the ol’ disappearing job again. Not sure what to think about Backstrom last night – did not notice him much, which generally isn’t so good, but I’m not sure whose line he was out there most against…
At least three times that I can think of, the Caps had two defenders low in th zone, with the puck in their possession, and a single Pen skated in and took it away from them. That in particular has to stop.
Sloan did well last night….Lets not forget game 4 and 5 are Fri/Sat…(I dont think we sweep, even though I would love it)
We could very well see some depth come into play, and Sloan earned another shot on Saturday if he is needed. Lets hope erskine gets well and back into the mix.
Nylander for Fehr? Nylander is so due for a 3 pt night…
Bring up Aucoin
I find sometimes it's easy to be myself
sometimes I find it's better to be somebody else
I like this idea, actually, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not disrupt Laich-Steckel-Bradley to do it. That line has been absolutely awesome and needs to stay intact.
Wonder if he’ll play Nylander instead, though.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
Over?
Your last line in the summary is the most important. It really isn’t a series until the home team loses. If the Caps go up to Pittsburgh and drop both games then we’re back to square one. Last night was fun, great fun, but it’s history and I’m not going to feel safe until win #4 is in the books. I still think this series is going 6, maybe 7 games. It would be nice, though, if Green decided this wasn’t a game of pond hockey and actually played with a little bit of urgency.
Its time for people to learn… Not knowing that line is like not knowing the 48 states or the 7 Canadian provinces ;)
47, right? It’ll be a cold day in hell before I recognize Mizzoura!
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions
Faceoffs
The linesman infuriated me in game 1. One of them (to my left as I watched from Sec. 408), had a “laissez-faire” attitude toward the faceoff – nobody needed to establish, and it was anything goes; while apparently, the other guy was a ranking member in the faceoff-rule Gestapo – he was tossing people left and right. It was no wonder that an inexperienced guy like Backstrom got tooled repeatedly.
For those of you unfamiliar with the faceoff rules, there are two white slivers on either side of the faceoff dot. The away player must establish his stick in that sliver first, then the home player must establish, then the linesman drops the puck. In theory, purpose of this sequence is to prevent any player from cheating by sweeping through all in one motion. In practice, it never quite works that way. Regardless, the home centerman should have a significant advantage, since he can out-wait his opponent. The linesmen didn’t call these rules perfectly last night, but they were at least far more consistent than they were in game one.
In the first game, and in the first period of the second, I noticed that Backstrom was actually establishing first, letting Staal and Crosby sweep through. Predictably, he got tooled in the faceoff dot, particularly by Staal. Last night, he made some sort of adjustment mid-game, because he started winning just about every draw after that. Someone must have mentioned that he was establishing first. Also, Sergei seems to have figured out that the Pens’ centermen are too quick for his patented “lift the stick and kick” move. He started going more for the straight pull-back, with good effect.
Last night’s game was emblematic of why I love having guys like Steckel, Gordon and Laich on this team. Laich only took 4 draws, but he won 3, and each one was important. To me, his versatility is invaluable.
On the flip side, Malkin was just useless at faceoffs. He looked disinterested, and to me it was a reflection of his game as a whole. It will be interesting to see how the Pens make adjustments now that they have the home-ice advantage. Puck possession in this series is huge, and the Caps need to start holding onto the puck and out-shooting the Pens, or else this series comes back to DC tied 2-2.
by D'ohboy on May 5, 2009 9:23 AM EDT reply actions 17 recs
Rec’d. Great comment.
And I agree on the G1 linesman – Gordo was giving him a hell of a lot of lip after being tossed twice, and he’s not one to complain.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Speaking of faceoffs, did you see Sid’s attempt at winning the last draw? Break Fed’s stick with a slash.
Their were the same # of skins fans at both games, problem is FEDEX is 90k people….
(I shouldn’t laugh, I didn’t go to that game)
Wait what? As a non-football fan, you’ll have to explain this.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
Steelers fans travel very well so at Redskins instead of 16K Caps fans and 4K Penguins fans (for argument’s sake!) it’s 16K skins fans and 74K Steelers fans ;)
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
They don’t travel well…They’re just everywhere.
when the steel industry collapsed everyone in Pittsburgh ended up somewhere other than Pittsburgh. They’ve kept their fans over the years despite the distance. They run a good franchise. The fact that all the teams from Pittsburgh wear the same colors help all the other teams even though they’re not owned by the same guys.
There weren’t 4,000 PIT fans in VC last night. Maybe 400. And two of them threw hats on the ice late, the hates about which Whiny Diver apparently complained. VC security tossed ’em.
That is because your owner instituted a rule that only Virgina, DC, and Maryland residents could buy tickets
how that is legal? I don’t know!
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
by carolinaeasy on May 5, 2009 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Its his team, he can sell tickets to whomever he wants. Also note, he restricted sales to Pens fans in DC as well. Boo hoo
by renstar on May 5, 2009 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
^ This. How dare he want HIS fans to be in attendance. Frankly, I’m 99% sure that every college with an athletic department does this.
Think about it this way. Ted’s job as an owner, in my opinion, is to give a product that people want to pay to see. If the arena is decked in half red and half black, it’s not a fun atmosphere. It’s obnoxious, because I’m at my “home” arena. Him blocking the Pens fans is making me more likely to buy a ticket. And all most Pens fans like to do when they’re at Caps games (or around Caps fans) is Agitate them. “Let’s collect on the steps of a museum because it’ll piss people off!”
For what it’s worth, that’s childlike behavior. And blocking the sale of tickets to Pens fans is one way that “Uncle Ted” can remedy the situation.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
I'm not a lawyer
and I DO NOT want to begin an intelligent discussion on this, but he can’t pick “whomever he wants” to attend the games. What if he said no Mexicans could attend? Obviously this would be illegal discrimination. The question is, is discrimination based on geography unfair/illegal? Ted’s a smart guy, and I bet he was advised that this is legal. But it certainly feels like its going in the direction of unjust discriminatory practice.
For the record, I love that he did this, and wish these measures had been taken years ago (I’ll always be scarred from the ’Let’s Go Buff-a-lo’ chants from the Caps Center).
by Pivonka, Michael Ridley on May 5, 2009 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s a private enterprise, and he has the right to refuse admission to whomever he likes, provided they aren’t a part of a protected class (race, ethnicity, disability, gender, etc. - last time I checked, being from Pittsburgh wasn’t a protected class, although it’s a close call ;)
/I’m a lawyer
by Scott in Shaw on May 5, 2009 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions
last time I checked, being from Pittsburgh wasn’t a protected class, although it’s a close call ;)
apparently it is, if you’re NHL discipline
by gfcaps fan on May 5, 2009 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
Why not ask the Pens?
They did the same thing in the finals last year to keep the Wings fans out.
Thats not made up, they have geographic restrictions on who can buy tickets. For instance, if I were to come to DC for a game, I couldn’t buy the tickets online because my CC has an illinois zip code.
You're right, my apologies
Ticket sales were blocked for the Ottawa series, not the Wings.
The Wings weren’t even selling out the Joe last year.
Your team did the same exact thing
Get over it or file an Antitrust suit. I don’t care what you choose but don’t be a hypocrite.
wow, that makes 2 of us!
Fellow Seahawks fan here, interesting that we now have DOUBLE the reason to hate Pittsburgh with a vengeance! Like they say at the end of Conan, “But that is another story…”
Hopefully #10 doesn’t turn into our own personal jinx or we’ll have to fly Dave Krieg in to reverse the curse… : ]
by war_capitals on May 5, 2009 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions
I dearly hope both of you are from the NW, because if not, I suggest you pick any other franchise to support. It’s not that we don’t want you (we do); it’s more of a friendly warning. If you think being a Caps fan is heartbreaking, try being a Seattle sports fan. Witness, last year: Seahawks? Suck. Mariners? Suck – first team in history to lose 100 games with a $100 million payroll. Huskies Football? Sucked with a tight seal – as in ZERO wins. Sonics – left for Oklahoma City?!?!?! Are you freaking kidding me? (Of course, I didn’t mind because who really cares about the NBA?). Still, the Sonics were our only world Champion. . . All the way back in ’79.
If you want to support a Seattle franchise, might I humbly recommend the Sounders? They look promising. . .
I lived in Spokane in two separate stints growing up so I really don’t have much of a choice when it comes to football loyalty. Watching that Buffalo game in week 1 told me all i needed to see regarding the 2008 Seahawks. Ugh. But they still have plenty of workable pieces and should at least challenge for the division again? It would help if we had better than our #5 receiver to start the season…
Move the Coyotes to Seattle!!! Go Thunderbirds! Go Spokane Chiefs! (just don’t break the damned trophy next time!). My wife used to wear our Spokane Chiefs jersey to VC before I broke down and got her the Brashear jersey she wanted. Was trying to get some vicarious mojo from another champ in my closet. “No, it’s not a Montreal jersey, damnit…”
by war_capitals on May 6, 2009 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions
Dude, don’t even get me started on 2005. I can’t think about it without flying into a rage. I’ve never seen poorer officiating in any professional game. EVER. Seattle teams are plenty good at losing on their own – we sure as hell didn’t need the refs’ help.
The worst part of that game was the fact that Seattle will probably never see a team that good again. They were unbelievable. Just like the 2001 Mariners and the 1994-96 Sonics.
And now I’m depressed.
Who cares about Zorn? It was obviously the magnificent coaching of none other than on John Harbaugh who was shown right before OV got crazy.
Question re: the Semin 'interference on Ovie's 2nd goal.
Isn’t interference on a face off something you can call on every single face off (much like holding on the line of scrimmage in football). Everyone’s going for the puck and bodies collide. It happens.
Either way, Semin got away with one of those borderline crazy/genius plays.
Yeah, I dunno about that. Take a look at the highlight. Semin ties up with Cooke immediately when the puck is dropped (that’s probably OK) but then Cooke tries to disengage and get over to cover AO, and Semin trips him up.
That’s pretty clearly obstruction/interference in my mind.
Caps got a break there. They also got a break when Letang was called for tripping David Steckel.
Cooke started out going in to clean up the face off, but I’ll agree with you that Semin kept him in while he was trying to get out to cut off Ovie.
When I watched it, I felt like Cooke kicked up his knee under Semin's leg and
almost tripped Semin, so Semin, just tripped him back and the refs let it go. Yes, my opinion is biased. :)
I actually thought what Semin did was fine. Cooke went into the circle to fight for the puck and got tangled with Semin. Battles for the puck start before either guy has the puck and clearly Cooke was willingly battling Semin. Cooke’s complaint (like Staal’s in game 1) was that he couldn’t get out to the passing lane over to AO. However, the only way Cooke was going to get into that passing lane is if he had committed to take that lane from the drop of the puck. Once he committed to entering the circle and battling Semin he wasn’t going to be able to take that lane regardless of whether Semin tried to tie him up (Just like Staal was not going to be able to intercept the pass from Backstrom to Semin once he committed to Green driving the slot).
Did we score on the ensuing PP after Letang’s tripping call? I was there, I should know but I can’t recall. Short term memory loss, the price I pay for… : ]
by war_capitals on May 6, 2009 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions
1) When people on the Pensblog are talking about a hit being dirty, and the player in question is a Penguin, it kind of speaks for itself.
2) It’s a good thing for Green the end of season awards are for the REGULAR season, and I wouldn’t feel shamed at all if I voted for him for Norris, even with his playoff dissappearence.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
Who won the hard hat last night?
Just wondering.
Matt Wieters took batting practice this morning. There were no survivors.
Can't exactly argue with the pick
3 goals will do that…
Matt Wieters took batting practice this morning. There were no survivors.
AO (only, I assume, b/c Stecks had won it Saturday and they don’t award it to guys consecutively)
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Too bad that's the policy
Stecks did some work last night.
Matt Wieters took batting practice this morning. There were no survivors.
`
It’s my understanding the guy who has it gives it to the next guy, so no one really would give it to themself.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
AO would’ve been my pick. team superstar is his superstar self on the biggest stage imaginable (short of the stanley cup finals). well deserving of an atta boy!
by Natty Bumppo on May 5, 2009 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions
That Varly save where he was in the splits and swung his glove low to high to knock the puck over the net was HUGE? I hate to jinx the poor guy, but he really reminds me of Patty Roy!
Amazing!
That was a game-changing save, no doubt.
Props to GMGM for some incredible drafting these past 6 years (Semin – Carlson)
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree, but I only count 2004-08. Semin was an outlier from the Pre-AO draft when GMGM wasn’t so hot.
Semin and Gordon came in ’02, not bad if you ask me.
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions
But he’s a great faceoff man and Pk’er. I’d rather that than the rest of the nothing that came out of the 5 previous drafts.
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Alright, people, we need some perspective here. As great as it was to wake up this morning up 2-0, it can always be better.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
What if we combined Semyon and Megan, so to speak?
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions
I was thinking more like “Megan Fox Sex Tape.”
I wonder if he’d mind….?
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions
And with those four words, our Google traffic just shot through the roof.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I dunno – imagine a goalie with the reflexes and poise of Varly, combined with the . . . “intangibles” that Megan provides. Honestly, I think nobody would score because they’d be too busy trying to score.
If their progeny is as attractive as Megan and as awesome as Semyon, I think we might have something going there…
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions
Damn them!
This gives you the flavor of it.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Play of the game. . .
For all the goals, the hats, the hits, for me, the play of the game was the Caps killing off the 5-3 at the end of the first. I turned to my friend and said, "that’s the game, right there." The Pens should have scored on that chance. Put one in right at the end of the first, and the Caps are heading into the locker room down 2-0 and feeling defeated. Instead, the Pens probably entered the locker room with Varly in their heads. Brilliant work by our PK and our keeper.
I would say something about the Pens’ PP, but I don’t want to jinx it.
by D'ohboy on May 5, 2009 10:54 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Not scoring on a 5-on-3 is as much a recipe for disaster as walking the leadoff hitter in an inning – it always seems to come back to bite you in the ass.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
been a while since i’ve seen a goalie pretty much shut down a 5 on 3 around these parts. Not since Olie Kolzig was good.
Yup. That kill was a little bit of defense and a whole lotta Varly.
by Scott in Shaw on May 5, 2009 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions
Past as Prologue
Apologies if someone brought this out already, but according to my favorite site, when the home team wins the first two games in the Conference semifinals they have a 63% chance of winning Game 3 and an 89% chance of winning the series. I’ll take it.
Thanks for the link. I was wondering what those numbers might be.
‘Course, we all know the Caps history in blowing big leads [shudder]…but these ain’t the lunch-pail Caps of the past.
Yeah, the past is irrelevant when talking about this team. If Olie were still playing… well. You know…
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions
Well, maybe not irrelevant. We’ve seen this version of the Caps lay a big egg when they’re feeling overconfident.
But the simple fact of the matter is they’re not going to run into a significantly more skilled team…
And, yeah, to answer your last question, I know. Do I ever.
Hell, we’ve come back from 2-0 this year, we sure as hell can’t think this is automatic. That in mind, it’s a billion times better to be up 2-0 than down.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
I am extremely glad that we can now cross off “Playoff performer?” on our AO checklists. He hadn’t really taken over a game before last night, incl. Philadelphia, and that was sort of lumping him with Malkin. NO MORE!
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 12:13 PM EDT reply actions
I don’t know that 1-for-16 (by your accounting) changes much, does it?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
1-for-16 is better than 0-for-16, is it not? :-)
And he hadn’t. It was becoming a point of concern. Now that he has, hopefully he can continue.
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions
The dude does have 7 goals this year, accounting about 19.5% of total team scoring. He’s been a factor in all the games, which you would expect from a superstar. So to that extent he’s been fine, IMO.
He just hadn’t yet this year slammed the door shut on a team, until last night.
Not to mention AO rushing back like a madman to prevent
odd man rushes. He was possessed last night…though I was glad to see his shifts get shorter as the game progressed.
shorter because he was cutting them short…high glove-side!
by Natty Bumppo on May 5, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions
The shift right after the Caps killed the 5-3 in the first period, Ovie looked straight possessed. Have you ever heard really old-timers talk about Maurice Richard, or read anything about him? People talked about the way his eyes looked when he was bearing down on the net – as though he were possessed by demons and his eyes were on fire. I always get that same feeling about Ovie when he gets into one of his “moods.”
Alright, so he’s improved from 1-in-16 to 2-in-16! Alright!
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions
This may or may not be a sign from the Pens’ locker room at the Igloo:
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
So, I've been thinking about the Kunitz thing
And I don’t think it’s worth a suspension. Should have been a 5-minute major at the time, but I’m not sold about the intent to injure. I think it’s just a cheap shot in the heat of battle, trying to get a guy to cough up the puck.
Best thing would be for the league to not suspend him, maybe mention to the refs to keep an eye on this guy as he’s got a history of it…and then let the Caps sort it out on the ice either in the remainder of this series or perhaps next year.
He crosschecked another player above the shoulders.
Intentional or not, a “hockey play” or not, it’s a point of emphasis in the League that players have to be more careful about headshots. He deserves a game.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
This is my disconnect with the league office: the in-game call by the ref (or lack thereof) seems to act as some sort of counterbalance to what suspension Colin Campbell considers levying. Let’s put aside the Wheel of Fortune adjudication to date on headshots—there is no policy and procedure or yardstick that makes any sense to anyone except CC on that, playoffs or not. So, “precedent” is out the window. In this particular case, Kunitz and the Pens suffered no PM’s for a dangerous infraction during the game that went uncalled, so when CC views the tape, it seems fair that the suspension becomes a punitive measure for the missed call, no?
from the house that Red Jesus built
It’s the fact that they made such a big deal about setting a standard with Brashear, but haven’t followed it ONCE (in this now being the third attempt) that is going to piss me off, not so much that there isn’t a suspension.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
shot to the head.
with the stick.
with intent.
what question is there?
from the house that Red Jesus built
Colin Campbell
Case By Case
No real previous record of suspensions
No injury.
Likely not a suspension. This case by case shit is really bugging the hell out of me. A headshot is a headshot is a headshot. Punish it accordingly. But he won’t.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
shot to the head.
with the stick.
with intent.
what question is there?
Intent. Like it or not, he’s still trying to get to the puck. You want an intent to injure cross check to the head? Go talk to Dave Brown.
We've got a goalie who's playing pretty good right now, while you've got one who can't get onto the ice without falling on his ass.
Legally, it can’t. Puck was behind him, too.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
behind Kunitz? or behind Varley? I thought it was in front of Varly at the time???/
by RedskinFan4Life on May 5, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah, in front of them — puck was heading towards Sykora (#17) when the cross-check occurred
by RedskinFan4Life on May 5, 2009 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions
think he means causing the goalie to lose the puck or disrupt his attempt to grab the puck in order to gain the puck????
by RedskinFan4Life on May 5, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions
so here’s where i fall:
i don’t think the act itself is necessarily suspension-worthy. it’s a cross check, and it’s goalie interference, and as you say, it’s easily a 5-minute major. i also don’t think a suspension should be the result of a call being missed on the ice. if it’s a 5-minute penalty at the time, the fact that the penalty wasn’t levied shouldn’t give the NHL the right to remove the player from a future game’s roster. in general, a penalty should affect that particular game in that particular moment…nature running its course, so to speak.
the issue for me is the intent of the penalty (in my eyes, at least)…to send a message…in the final minutes, when the game is already decided. because that’s how players get hurt, and that’s where the line should be drawn in terms of honor and respect towards an opponent. and of course these are also the kind of plays that the NHL publicly reprimanded just before the playoffs.
if you commit a major penalty and you’re not trying to affect the outcome of the game in any way, then a suspension should at least be a consideration. in this case, i doubt the league sees kunitz’s intent as clearly as i do, and the backlash against a suspension might be worse than the backlash against no action at all.
by Natty Bumppo on May 5, 2009 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions
problem is that it was to the head, in the waning minutes of an intense game.
Most of Pittsburgh will be pissed if he’s suspended, but a lot of the rational hockey fans think it’s grounds for suspension, including those in Pittsburgh.
That said, if they let Brown go, they’ll let this go. This is the No Teeth League.
"problem is that it was to the head, in the waning minutes of an intense game"
It was in the waning seconds, but they were desperately trying to tie the game. That is a little different than being down three and having your goalie in the net and just waiting until the next game. They were still fighting to win. As I have said before I don’t know what his intentions were, but I don’t think he went out there with the thought in his head of cheap shotting the goalie.
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
Yeah, I didn’t think this was “message sending” as much as a guy going outside the rules to try to help his team score a goal.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I agree with that assessment.
I really think there wasn’t a message being sent.
But I have been wrong before!
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
Thanks for pointing that out
Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish, it will fill you up but it won't taste good. - Joe V. Paterno
A goal they should not have scored, as the face-off after the penalty would have been at the other end.
In one sense, I am glad that Crosby got that last goal. I like the asterisk beside is first playoff hat trick.
if there’s no suspension from the NHL, I’m thinking that the Caps will give their own “suspension” for Kunitz in Game 3…. or if it gets to Game 6, then Brashear will do it again and get suspended 6 games again.
by RedskinFan4Life on May 5, 2009 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Seriously? When have these Caps ever made someone pay for something like that? They sure as hell won’t do it in the playoffs with a potential PK on the line. Kunitz is gonna get through this series just fine. Down the line though… someone will catch up with him.
Well, Brash made Betts pay for dumping the puck.
“Goddamn it, Betts, it stays OUT of our zone!”
by DrinkingPartner on May 5, 2009 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
what I’m impressed with is how Varly, a 21 year old, stayed cool and tried to move on and finish the job. if it had been Patrick Roy or Martin Brodeur or Ron Hextall (remember him?) – I think Kunitz would have been in trouble.
by RedskinFan4Life on May 5, 2009 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions
It'll probably turn out like the Osgood/Ribeiro incident last year.
Fine, slap on the wrist, game on. I would be shocked if there was any serious disciplinary action. (Granted, Osgood initiated contact in that one, but it still resulted in a stick up high on a goalie at the end of a game).
by Kerry Fraser's Hairspray on May 5, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Call me barbaric, but this kind of thing really REALLY makes me want to get rid of the instigator rule. If it wasn’t there, someone on the ice (I dunno, Mo or even Ovechkin) could just drop the gloves and hammer on him – they get matching fives, there’s some roughing, and the situation is over at the end of the fracas. Then, if he’s suspended FOR THE HIT, it’s taken care of by the league, and it’s already taken care of by the league. Or, in the next game, Bradley could jump him. I dunno. I don’t like comments like “I think it’s dirty and I think the league have to do something about it. It’s cheap shot. It’s not good for hockey. If league doesn’t suspend him for a couple games, I don’t know what’s going to happen.” out of Ovechkin. We don’t need anymore fucking Steve Moore incidents.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
ref-bashing needs to stop
JP, I love the site and love reading the open thread after the game but can you ban ref-bashing? Refs don’t win/lose games. Ugh.
Lots to fix for the Caps, but happily still lots of potential because we haven’t seen Green or Semin at their best.
Crosby and Staal look good. Hope Malkin doesn’t get pissed/motivated or else we may have a big problem.
by sgallant on May 5, 2009 1:27 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Hey, I offered to have two game threads – one for people who wanted to talk about the refs and one for people who wanted to talk about hockey. I’m with you – agree or disagree with a call if you must, then move on sans tinfoil hat.
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Holy crap, I go to lunch and the whole operation starts breaking down.
We've got a goalie who's playing pretty good right now, while you've got one who can't get onto the ice without falling on his ass.
My concerns
There’s quite a lot to be pleased with right about now, but I thought I’d be contrary and point out my biggest concern to this point in the series.
The Penguins have a bead on the Capital’s breakouts. The coaches need to address that. Even more troubling, they have a bead on what Caps defensemen tend to do on dump-ins. They are beating them 1-on-1 by anticipating which way the puck will be moved, they are attacking 2-on-1 on dump-ins with much success, and they are winning more than their share of 2-on-2s. I don’t know how much of this is coming from bad line changes (there are way too many 2-on-1s coming off of Penguin dump-ins) or just good scouting and coaching on their part, but I would be happier if the Caps came up with a response.
I have a few as well. 5 on 5, we’re playing THEIR tempo, in our end of the rink way too often for my liking. Thankfully, it’s closer to ours than the Rags was. Having only seen the tail end of game one, and the third in game two, yeah, I have concerns about the odd man rushes (namely, they get too many). You could really see them set up a two on one on two occasions, and on a third, a three on two. You gotta be careful not to get beat by the weave. It’s hard, but it’s do able if you have skill, and we do.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
What's good?
1) despite the Pens 2 PP goals last night, we are winning the special teams battle.
2) our depth has shown up to play.
3) Bruce continues to push the right buttons. Case in point: Tyler Sloan, when everyone and their aunt, including me, jumped to the King conclusion. Quite a debut for
4) 8 is 8
from the house that Red Jesus built
I totally agree with you. My “concerns” stem from, “How can we just shut these guys down completely” kind of thinking. Once I got over my bias toward the King yesterday afternoon, I realized it made perfect sense to play Sloan b/c of his experience. And like Potsy said, I don’t think he made a mistake all night!
by mechanicsville on May 5, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions
We’re up 2-0, and there’s still things that are fixable. Fixable problems are never bad. You just have to fix them.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
Sloan got out skated the whole first period. A lot of the Pens scoring chances\shots stemmed from that. He played safe but I don’t think he played well.
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