Varly can't do it all by himself; Caps lose 3-2 in OT
about 3 years ago
J.P.
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What worries me is that Varlamov is due a bad game. It happens to everyone, and he’s entitled. Can’t go wasting brilliant performances like that.
by Gould Old Days on May 6, 2009 10:15 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Well the Caps just had a stinker of a game and he almost salvaged it so I’m not going to worry about him. He hasn’t let anything phase him yet and I doubt a goal off his Dman is going to bother him. He gave us a chance to win and played great so I’m sure he’ll be fine. I don’t buy into the “due for a bad game” theory, at least not in this case. Hot goalie theory trumps all and he for sure is a hot goalie. If this isn’t Varlamov hot then I can’t even imagine how good he can be.
That earlier season concern about conditioning really concerns me now.
Especially with back-to-backs coming.
by Stephen Pepper on May 6, 2009 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I had thought about this, too. Perhaps Varly for Game 4, Theo for Game 5 ??
by RedskinFan4Life on May 7, 2009 6:41 AM EDT up reply actions
love that pic shot! just noticed the puck there in the middle.
I hope we win Game 4 – deflate them and then finish them Game 5 the next day.
by RedskinFan4Life on May 6, 2009 10:17 PM EDT reply actions
what is up with the Caps and their turnovers in the last 3 games? is it nerves? is it lack of experience? playing too tight? what do you think BB should say to the team?
by RedskinFan4Life on May 6, 2009 10:18 PM EDT reply actions
Southeast Division represent!
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 6, 2009 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Bad turnover?
A shame he couldn’t use his 12 foot stick to take it back. ;)
Yeah I thought the Southeast was supposed to be a weak division. More Stanley Cups in the last few years than the Atlantic.
by killianskid34 on May 6, 2009 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions
There are some good things to take away from this game.
1) Varlamov played like an absolute beast tonight. I can’t imagine him having a mental let-down in Game 4.
2) Sloan had a very quiet but very solid game.
3) The Caps played like garbage and still took the home team to OT while scaring the bejeezus out of it. I can’t help but wonder if this will affect the Pens more than the Caps.
4) Poti can play good defense on one leg.
Jurcina too, deflecting Letang’s shot over the glass; Letang had an empty net to shoot at.
Is it just me or has 71 awoken…I hope our D corps is prepared.
by red army line on May 7, 2009 2:30 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m not worried. We played like crap in front of him and still pushed them to OT. We should have lost by 4-1. We’ll be there.
You know what I mean. I’m mourning the Caps…really not concerned with what the Canes are doing. Smart ass.
Russian Machine Never Breaks
I don’t play that game this time of year…I’m not taking anything /em> for granted. We are still in control, but let’s get this to 3-1.
Russian Machine Never Breaks
Agreed. We played BOS better than CAR this year. Chara looks like Green and Thomas isn’t hot right now. I’ll take my chances with BOS.
Of course, if we end up playing Boston, it will mean that Thomas and Chara got their shit together…
by Scott in Shaw on May 7, 2009 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions
If we end up playing BOS it means we got our shit together, so I’ll take that.
by Rob Parker on May 7, 2009 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Poor effort
Everone but Varly needs to figure out where more effort will come from on Friday.
I must say that Morrisons worst game of the year (by a mile) couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Also, Nylander = sucks
You can't worry about Varlamov.
But he’s definitely gonna need more support up front.
i noticed how everyone’s saying Caps played very poorly tonight and that’s true. means only one thing. they can only improve. couldn’t be any worse than tonight, could they?
by RedskinFan4Life on May 6, 2009 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Nylander shouldn’t have been out there. I would have rather had someone from Hershey than a guy who skates in circles.
by killianskid34 on May 6, 2009 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions
ugh his worse game could have come in game 7. That would have been much worse
by sincitycapsfan on May 6, 2009 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions
That was the worst I've seen the Caps play for a full 60 mins
I’ve never seen the Caps make so many turnovers when they had time and space to make the right play. I’m just disgusted with their effort. They could have put this series away tonight after the fluky goal. Great teams don’t let up when they smell blood.
The announcers kept giving credit to the Pens, but the Caps shat the bed tonight (with the obvious exception of Varly).
if Fleury hadn’t overplayed the puck that would have been a goal for Backstrom.
by killianskid34 on May 6, 2009 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions
That wasn't a great game by the Caps but...
7 of the last 8 powerplays went to the Pens? We got bent over and screwed in the dirty hole in that one.
Not really. The Caps didn’t do much in the way of getting the puck down low and outworking the Penguins and they made some stupid decisions. For the most part, they brought it on themselves.
Exactly…when you are owning the zone and outworking the other team, that’s how you get all the PP. That is usually us.
Russian Machine Never Breaks
I’d still like to know the last time a playoff game had 6 straight powerplays go to one team. That just seems really lopsided…I could be totally wrong.
I don’t think the officiating was perfect, but it never is and I think it looks worse on paper than it was.
You’re probably right. I love your writing by the way. I’m probably just pissed and caught up in the moment but that’s 14 of the last 16 minutes of penalties that were on us. When does that happen in the playoffs?
I agree, and I was complaining about the 6 straight PP, still there was plenty of opportunities to call it both ways. I guess we’re just used to refs evening it up, right or wrong.
by Sombrero Guy on May 6, 2009 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions
You hit it on the head at least as far as I am concerned…the Philly series seemed to get evened up despite the actual penalties in the game. I’m just surprised we saw it that lopsided. That said, the Caps did not play well. But I refuse to believe that the actual penalties in the game were as lopsided as it was called. Eh, like I said, I’m just pissed. Caps in 6.
So next game we get 7 PPs to their 2, right?
by red army line on May 7, 2009 2:33 AM EDT up reply actions
Only if the Capitals outwork the Penguins to the same extent the Penguins outworked the Caps in game three
That won’t even be enough. It’s just not gonna happen. The Caps haven’t been good at drawing penalties all year, despite their speed and skill advantage. The Pens are getting the benefit of every call (not a recent development). BB was right, the same standard was not applied to each team last night. Yeah, Caps played like crap and deserved to lose, but the refs had no business compounding the situation. I’m sure it’s easier to call a team for a PIM when they are consistently being pinned in their own end but Jeezy Petes that is inexcusable. The only crew that performed well last night was wearing Black and Gold.
I had a feeling that Backstrom wraparound miss was going to be a crucial moment. Turns out it was. I think had he scored it, the Caps would have walked out a winner tonight. They could have deflated the Pens right there, but sadly, it didnt happen and it’s time to move on.
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by CapitalsKremlin on May 6, 2009 10:24 PM EDT reply actions
I’m just so fucking pissed right now. That was embarrassing. I hope Bruce can use this for motivation. They were missing four foot passes that I make after a six pack of Kokanee.
Yes, I didn’t think this would be a sweep, but I also didn’t think we’d be so close and just fucking give it away. We had a chance to bury this series tonight. The first goal was a GIFT FROM THE HOCKEY GODS – and we fucking wasted it.
There was a whole heavenly bounty from the hockey gods tonight bestowed upon us. Miracles upon miracles.
Now the hockey gods may get angry.
by Stephen Pepper on May 6, 2009 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions
I had never seen a 60 minute PP until tonght’s game. I mean take away the first 10 minutes and all of regulation and OT was essentially spent in caps end. I guess plus is can’t play much worse.
Feel horrible for Varly. Kid played his rear end of tonight.
I
Damn that was harsh
Not to jump on the (previous) pile with the guy, but Fleischmann adds nothing but turnovers.
That was a tough with all the PKs, too.
Still, would you prefer this loss, or Pens 5-3.
I’m on the pile. That guy is so freaking weak on his skates, I can’t take it. Bring up any of 5 guys from Hershey, I can’t take this guy anymore.
Russian Machine Never Breaks
Flash is the reason Semin and Backstrom haven’t been scoring this series. Flash wastes that line and all their talent. I get that Laich on the 3rd line makes it into a great checking line (and definitely Flash would suck up that line even more), but this ain’t working.
But then that messes up our third line of 10 39 21.
by red army line on May 7, 2009 2:35 AM EDT up reply actions
Without a doubt this loss.
5 goals allowed would have me worried about Varly. But none of the Pens’ 3 goals were clean/non-fluky.
This one hurts.
On the petty side, the “whiteout” was hilarious, they all looked like Caps fans. Also, the girl they kept showing with the inflatable Penguin. ROOWWWRRR!
Also, the girl they kept showing with the inflatable Penguin. ROOWWWRRR!
You’re kidding right? I thought she was particularly heiny.
What’s with the whiteouts? Didn’t they get the memo when the league switched to white for away games?
by CapitalCentre on May 6, 2009 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Goalies lose the puck in blackouts. There’s a serious safety issue there.
Pittsburgh Black And Gold -- So new, it still smells like paint!
Maybe you guys should have a Urine-Yellow-Out then. :)
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What would we call it, Piss Off Night?
Actually, that’s not half bad. :)
Pittsburgh Black And Gold -- So new, it still smells like paint!
by JustinM on May 7, 2009 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Rec’d for being a Pens fan with a sense of humor. A rare breed around these parts.
by Scott in Shaw on May 7, 2009 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions
So Malkin’s wrister from the top of the circle with Guerin in front of Varly screening was a fluke? I beg to differ, Varlamov didn’t stand a chance on that or Letang’s goal
go pens!
I suppose, depends on the semantics I guess. I see your point. You could call it a “clean” goal but only insofar as a description of the shot, IMO.
When I hear “clean goal” I think the goalie shoulda stopped it (or at least had a better than average chance). Varly didn’t have a chance on that one.
Correct. You can’t stop what you can’t see. Unlike the Eaton goal…
by Scott in Shaw on May 7, 2009 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions
The only fluke tonight on the scoreboard was Ovechkin’s tally.
by Stephen Pepper on May 6, 2009 11:53 PM EDT up reply actions
You can add pretty much everyone to that dogpile. Flash was shitty tonight, but at least we expect that of him. Every single player had a god-awful game (again, Varly excepted).
Everyone turned the puck over. Everyone shat the bed. The Caps refused to do the simple little things required to win the game.
They lost every puck battle.
Every time they had a chance to clear, the puck went right to a Penguin.
Every time they had possession with time and space, they somehow found a way to turn the puck over, or simply dump it into the neutral zone.
Every time they should have got the puck in deep, they half-assed the dump in and gave it right to the Pens’ defensemen.
This was an embarrassing effort.
If not now, when?
We (me included) keep saying, “we have to play like ourselves eventually – we won’t get out-shot every game.”
If not now, when? I’m beginning to wonder.
With all due respect to the Pens, but they have zero chance if Semin revvs it up.
by red army line on May 7, 2009 2:37 AM EDT up reply actions
Rationalizing the loss, though many of the points are valid, well…it’s tough. I’d like to be encouraged that they played poorly and took the Pens to OT, but I’m more concerned (read: scared poopless) that they played poorly yet again and have so for a decent chunk of the series.
But I’m a glass half empty guy anyways.
Bruce was rather whiny about the penalties in his presser. Said Caps were deserved, but there were quite a few not called on the Pens.
Then a littlle quip “I hope they won’t be complaining about the no calls anymore”
there were a few questionable non-calls
but we also got away with a few more hackdowns and hooks that weren’t whistled.
by DonnieKnutts on May 6, 2009 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions

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by Chemmy on May 6, 2009 10:51 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I’m rooting for Washington but holy lol
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Ovechkin needed some rest and he got his night off.
But we really, really need to see more of Semin. He’s been invisible lately. Malkin woke up, how about Semin? Both D’s are average to decent anyways… Especially with Green injured…
It’s such a perfect storm of him being dumbfounded and the camera slowly zooming in.
I made this for him: http://ohnocaps.ytmnd.com/
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by Chemmy on May 6, 2009 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
Yeah, you’ll get em in two days. Plus Pittsburgh sucks.
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Playoffs vs. Pittsburgh? I’ve been there many, many times.
by Stephen Pepper on May 6, 2009 11:57 PM EDT up reply actions
106.7 post game
I was driving home, and was watching the road, but I swear I heard the post-game guy say the Caps had never won a game 3 playoff game. Didn’t they win game 3 in New York? Did anyone else here it?
That’s cool, on Versus they said that Peter Laviolette did a good job coaching the Canes tonight.
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Staal did a good job of making Laviolette look good tonight? Laviolette’s still a decent coach though. :)
Maybe that was it. I was too busy trying not to vomit after watching both Washington and Boston lose.
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yeah.. how about that jussi jokinen?
yeah.. how about that jussi jokinen?I’m just so frustrated with the team’s showing today. At least the dot didn’t suffer.. puck possession game aside.
Say what you will about support players...
But they are necessary…
When he cleared waivers from Tampa Bay I wanted Toronto to sign him but noooooo
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That just goes to show how TB is run.
The number of average to good players they had and released… Just sad…………. But they got Hedman probably…. And nobody’s gonna care over there. :)
I loooove watching Staal and Lecavalier...
But I have a problem with fans that don’t support their teams at all… Must be that I’m Canadian. It’s in my genes. ;)
I’m from Hartford, I sort of hope Carolina disappears and we never hear from them again.
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LOL
I kinda understand that! Although be happy! Their jerseys are cool again. ;)
Hey I'm just sayin'!
I hated those jerseys myself.
I'm just saying I have a problem caring for a team...
when the very own fan from that city don’t care to begin with. :) Ward and Staal are still fantastic Elite-caliber players.
They also said that Malkin hadn’t scored since game 3 against the Rangers.
by Scott in Shaw on May 6, 2009 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions
VS also had a graphic up that said Malkin’s last playoff goal was in Game 3 against the Rangers. Uh, what?
by TJA on May 7, 2009 1:01 AM EDT up reply actions
That was the night Theodore realized he didn’t have to stretch every morning anymore.
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by Chemmy on May 6, 2009 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Well, at least we're not WATBs like the Pens fans
Caps got outworked, outshot, and outplayed. We admit it.
Probably not a good idea to open a thread post-game. Varlamov is due a bad game? Varlamov is due a bad game? Who says?
Enough already! The Penguins were swarming the Caps all night long, just like the Rags did at times. The Caps were turning the puck over every 15 seconds it seemed. Ovie is gripping his stick too tight and probably would have buried his chances on any other night.
Chill out.
uhh...uhh...uhh...
Varlamov is due a bad game because people always regress to the mean. What evidence do you have that says he’s really as good as he’s been in the playoffs so far? He was barely your best goalie in Hershey before the playoffs started.
This isn’t to say that he isn’t good or that he never will be (in fact, I think he’ll be fantastic). It’s just that he had decent numbers in Russia, but that’s a lower-scoring league than the NHL. He’s barely played at all in North America let alone the NHL, so it’s really difficult to get a handle on how good he really is right now.
My guess is that he’ll come back down to earth. If it doesn’t happen this series, it probably will before the playoffs are over.
Pittsburgh Black And Gold -- So new, it still smells like paint!
Keep telling myself what, exactly? That statistics are meaningful and goalies—especially goalies this young—just don’t play this far over their head for an extended period of time without it being a historic occurrence?
If you take goalies age 21 or younger, which fits Varlamov, who play at least 16 games in the playoffs, which he’ll have to do if he’s to carry the team to the Cup, not one of them has ever had a save percentage above .928. .940+ is an absolute pipe dream. Nobody can convince me that this kid is that much better than Brodeur and Roy.
Pittsburgh Black And Gold -- So new, it still smells like paint!
But it doesn’t just happen when they are hot. Goalies that get hot in the playoffs generally stay hot until the playoffs end. You can talk about regression to the mean and what other goalies have done but if you take a step back from the numbers it’s pretty obvious that Varlamov is hot right now and I see no reason he won’t continue to be hot until the Caps’ season is over.
Sure, it’s possible. I’ll eat my keyboard if he does, though. :)
Look, he’s been fantastic. Jaw-droppingly ridiculous, in fact, and it takes a lot for a goalie to make me say that because of how dependent they are on the team in front of them. But this kid’s been great.
Just another note: only two goalies have ever played 16 games in the playoff and finished with a save pct over .940: Giguere in 2003 and Kolzig in 1998. Both of their teams got to the Cup finals and lost. Not even Hasek, the goalie most able to take over games and make the opposition look like fools even when he had no team in front of him, wasn’t able to do it.
Pittsburgh Black And Gold -- So new, it still smells like paint!
I don’t know why .940 is the magic number. If Varlamov gives us a chance to win every game (which he has) and ends with a .930 I’ll be happy. My point is that hot goalies just don’t go cold all of a sudden, even if they don’t win the Cup. Kipper, Giggy, Ward have all shown that. None of them statistically play that well regularly but when they get hot they stay hot until they don’t play anymore. Varlamov is so focused and locked in right now I just don’t see why that would stop. The back to back 4/5 is going to be the real test. If he makes it through that on his game he’ll be fine for as long as we survive.
.940 is not a magic number by any means, and I never meant to imply that it was. It’s just that he’s above that mark right now and my statement all along has been that it’s not sustainable, at least not by someone as new to the league as him, and that he’ll come back to earth. Really, I’d say it’s not sustainable period given that the only two times it’s ever happened were pre-lockout during some of the lowest-scoring seasons on record.
But the point isn’t to say that Varlamov can’t do well or even that he can’t win a Cup. I just tried to explain to hotdog88gt why people say he’s due to have a bad game. That’s it, and you won’t catch me saying much worse. Just because I’m a Pens fan doesn’t mean everything I say is meant to be demeaning to any given Capital. :p
Pittsburgh Black And Gold -- So new, it still smells like paint!
Took me a second to get that. Yeah, this thing will need some pretty heavy seasoning.
Pittsburgh Black And Gold -- So new, it still smells like paint!
all we heard before the series started was that pitt had a clear goalie advantage with MAF, versus a still untested (hehe, rangers) varlamov. keep on doubting him right until the end of the series, good by me.
by Natty Bumppo on May 7, 2009 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Meh, I don’t doubt anymore that he’s good. I think these past few games have shown that he has a lot of talent. I just want to know how much of this is real and how much is illusory, the catching of lightning in a bottle.
Pittsburgh Black And Gold -- So new, it still smells like paint!
where pens fans are concerned, he only has to keep it up another few games. i’m not saying he will, but it’s comforting to know that the opponent’s fan base is still banking on his “inevitable” bad game.
by Natty Bumppo on May 7, 2009 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Heh, I may be a Pens fan, but I’m looking at the big picture. I’m banking on the assumption that he’ll have a bad game, but I’m nowhere near willing to assume that it’ll be in this series. The kid’s on fire.
Pittsburgh Black And Gold -- So new, it still smells like paint!
He is on fire but good god Pittsburgh is also just missing a ton of opportunities with the net open. Varly has made a lot of great saves in this series but Pitt is just blowing it a lot of the time. If they were converting those I don’t think it would mean Varly having a bad game, he’s doing all he can out there. Here’s hoping Pitt continues to whiff.
Yeah, and they’ve done it ever since Bylsma took over. I’d say they did it before that, but hell, you’re not missing too many empty nets when you only take 20 shots to begin with.
Pittsburgh Black And Gold -- So new, it still smells like paint!
Varly can't win it himself...
… but he damn sure tried. The back-to-back is obviously a concern, but damn. The kid is something else.
Overall, the Caps fell asleep at the wheel tonight. It’s tough, but we win Friday and we’re still in good shape. Hopefully this was a swift kick in the ass to get the 60 min effort we’ve lacked all three games. You can’t keep pulling wins out of your ass like we have been, and this one went to the better team.
The Mongoose can do his part!
And the rest of the team is gonna have to wake up and realize they’re playing a pretty good team. Then, they should be fine.
One positive: Juicy's highlight hit on Crosby
That was beautiful.
Thought Pothier had a bad game though. Though the one back-door play that he almost converted off his skates was good. In our own zone he looked nervous and he made a couple of ill-advised pinches…
I just hope Bruce takes Flash off the line with Backis and Semin. That is my only request. Flash is killing us.
I wonder if a double shifting of AO/Clark/Laich (to eat some of his minutes) could do it. I would really hate to break up that third line.
I’d personally just like to rearranged the top six somewhat – I don’t think Ovechkin’s getting the support he needs with Kozlov and Fedorov. Maybe go Ovechkin-Backstrom-Kozlov on line one and Fleischmann-Fedorov-Semin on line two.
Tried that in first round. Lost the first two at home.
by red army line on May 7, 2009 2:40 AM EDT up reply actions
My bad, I happened to have it up. :)
Pittsburgh Black And Gold -- So new, it still smells like paint!
Yes, but two years in a row, BB breaks up 19 and 8 and pairs 8/91 and 28/19, and the Caps suddenly get good. Maybe it’s more even distribution of talent, maybe it helps to settle down Ovechkin, but in a tight series, I don’t think it’s a good idea yet.
by red army line on May 7, 2009 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions
What about moving Laich with Semin/Backs, dump Flash and put Fehr in his place?
by RedskinFan4Life on May 7, 2009 6:49 AM EDT up reply actions
To quote the masterworks of “Batman”, a pinnacle of 20th Century literature.
“What do we do when we fall down, Master Wayne?”
“We get back up”
Yes sir, we get back up, and then grab our rifles and go Penguin hunting. Onward to Friday!
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by CapitalsKremlin on May 6, 2009 11:18 PM EDT reply actions
Bruce Wayne: I wanted to save Gotham. I’ve failed.
Alfred: Why do we fall, Master Wayne? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.
Bruce: You still haven’t given up on me, have you?
Alfred: Never.
by Sombrero Guy on May 6, 2009 11:30 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ll be the first to admit. I’d qualify as a Caps neophyte but I’d still personally call for Alzner instead of Green since Green doesn’t have much defensive impact and is not contributing much offensively to begin with.
He hasn’t been as strong in his own recently (mirroring his inconsistency in the offensive end), but Green’s done pretty well in his own end this season.
Put another way… would you take Chara off the Bruins? He’s been stinking it up too…but I draw the same parallel..
I'd say Chara is MUCH more physical presence than Green ever could.
I love the guy but he isn’t physical or offensive enough to make an impact…
I’d love to see Laich get on that second line but it takes the “jam” out of the third line with stecks and brads. Putting Flash on that line just kind of sucks I guess.
I would LOVE to see Aucoin called up and sit Nylander. I know it’s a waste of a call-up but man, he was just so bad and Aucoin is a guy we could have used tonight- you know, to help our almost nonexistent forcheck.
The Pens have to look at this going into game 4- Wow, it took that much to beat them. It took that much of a ridiculous effort, 14 minutes on the PP to beat DC.
We have to and will be better on Friday, we will get more PP chances. If we are more disciplined, and work harder in the corners in those 1×1 battles- we will be fine.
Hopefully Feds and Poti is ready to go and hopefully Nylander gets an " injury" and we have to call up Aucoin.
" 60 percent of the time...it works everytime"
But we don’t want to screw Hershey over against WB Scranton.
Speaking of which, WB won 3-2 (OT).
by red army line on May 7, 2009 2:42 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes, but we’re not talking about this season, are we? But talking about this post-season… And he sure as hell hasn’t been containing Crosby as of late.
Despite that, the fact that he’s had a couple bad games against the Penguins doens’t negate what he’s done all season, the same way that the fact Semin hasn’t done much against the Pens doens’t negate how productive a player he generally is.
Yeah but we’re all pretty sure that Green is injured enough that he can’t contribute while Semin is just in a funk. You can miracle cure a funk but an injury is another thing… If he was that close to making a difference he would have by now. More than once he got outplayed badly by Crosby and that’s worth something.
Is it me or will they ever wave off a goal for a man in the crease? Guerin had a camp fire lit on there second.
The difference between ORDINARY and extraORDINARY is that little "extra"
Yes, but it IS Crosby. Not exactly an easy defensive assignment.
by red army line on May 7, 2009 2:43 AM EDT up reply actions
I know this is way too early to be talking contracts, but I can’t seem to find how long we have Varly under contract for? Is it similar to the deal that Backstrom or Alzner got/have?
How about a Detroit-style contract?
I say you sign the Mongoose until 2020 and make the mose of it 6 years from now.
for a 21-year-old goalie with an injury history? please, no.
by Natty Bumppo on May 6, 2009 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions
i just don’t think goalies are the players to be giving the 10- or 12-year contracts. they tend to fall off the face of the earth (jim carey), significantly regress (theodore) or run into injury trouble (dipietro, the one goalie that did receive a mega deal). so few haseks, roys, brodeurs.
Yeah, no.
As for finding out how long we have Varly under contract… check the left sidebar of this site’s front page for “The Vault,” which has our Caps’ salary/contract commitments database.
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Agreed. I’m sure nhlscap could tell you how much he’s paid now, but my guess would be either like Steckel’s or Jurcina’s (.5K to just under 1M qualifying). Either way, I hope by the time 2011 rolls around… he doesn’t mind a cut to play with the rest of the Russians.
Here are a few excerpts from Coach Bruce Boudreau’s postgame press conference:
On the difference-maker in Game 3: “Well, [the Penguins] played great. They were going on all cylinders and we were watching them skate. As far as penalties go, I hope I never hear them complain about penalties again, picks, and everything else. I think we might have deserved the penalties, but they sure as hell deserved a few more than they got.”
Well, I'll see you guys for game 4
Keep the faith in the Russian Mongoose and we’ll get there eventually.
Did anyone else notice AO fan on a great opportunity late in regulation after Backstrom tied the game, and then again early in OT? Think he went back to his legal stick for those…
Yea, Ovechkin tends to fan on the puck more than other players. But he also tends to score more than other players. So like…
possible his stick was just too hot?
by Natty Bumppo on May 7, 2009 8:56 AM EDT up reply actions 5 recs





































