Recap: Bruins 3, Caps 1

1) Play Boyd Gordon.
2) ????
3) Profit!

Please to not have many more games without Mike Green. Please!

Sheesh, I felt like I went to a different game tonight. I thought that was another hot mess for the most part. Lazy passes, poor clears, a few bad turnovers, a completely impotent power play.

Something’s (still) missing. It’s too easy to claim injuries, the lineup shuffling, and/or another hot goalie. They simply don’t look well. Maybe I’m just really tired. Actually, I’m definitely really tired.

Continuing with D’s logic…if he was looking the least bit 100%, why start him? Odds were that each goalie was going to get a start the next two games. And it’s not that he even played that poorly. Goal #1 was “How to not play a 2-on-1, by Tyler Sloan” and Goal #2 he was out of position a bit – compounded by the invisible D on the play.

What bothered me the most was that you have Varly, coming off yet another injury, and now you throw him in for his first game action mid-way through a period? This could have been dicey.

Anyone else interested in seeing Fehr skate with 8-19 for a few games?

When do we start asking what’s wrong with Nick Backstrom?

So was in 425 tonight, long way up. From my view it really looked like Sloan could have stepped up and made a play on the puck at center before the 2 on 1 even developed for their first goal (although admittedly it’s taking a risk but I thought he could have gotten there)…and also once they were in on him 2v1 he did nothing to take the pass away it looked like it went right under his stick. Neuvy is playing the shooter there Sloan has to do more. Every night he doesn’t get a sweater is a night I feel more confident. He wasn’t atrocious all night but that play stood out for me, he’s still not very sure handed either in our zone.

PK looked great again. Guys are putting in the work. Recap had it dead on for that 5 on 3. Grats to Marcus Johansson on his first NHL goal…don’t want to say I called it, but I did call his first point tonight. Great hard work play by those 3 forwards out there.

It felt like we should have buried a few more chances tonight that we normally do. Sasha was everywhere although he still has his moments that make me cringe. Ovie had a better game tonight, although I felt like he was looking to lay the puck off or look for a deflection on his shots a lot more instead of just rearing back and letting it fly a few times.

I was almost happy with Erskine tonight. He still made his share of mistakes but the physical play taking guys off the puck was what he needs to be doing to be successful.

Hopefully Thursday night goes more our way…I thought Varly looked fairly sharp for what he had to face. Appeared like he was screened by a forward and a D man on the 3rd goal, he never saw it.

Agreed that there was a lot to like from tonight’s effort and for all the haters out there, you just got a glimpse at what life would be like without Mike Green in the lineup. With virtually no offense being generated from the backline, the Bruins were able to pack in the neutral zone once they got that lead and force the forwards to carry the puck themselves. Let’s hope Mike is back for Thuirsday’s game. And as for Lucic, am I the only one who thought he started that fight just so he could get the Gordie Howe hat trick? What other reason can there be to go after Erskine when your team is up 3-1 late in the third.

If Neuvy started when he shouldn’t have, it’s on Bruce, and I wouldn’t doubt it’s because we all know how much he loves milestones. If Neuvy had played the whole game, he would have set a Caps record. Then again, it’s on him to say he’s too sick to go.

Oh yeah, and what was with Ovi batting the puck into the net with his hand? Frustration?

If we gave out a hard hat tonight, I would give it to Laich: strong gritty defensive play, good PK-ing, and made some opportunities on the offensive end with his tenacious play tonight. Best I have seen him play all year. Good on ya Brooksie.

In a way it makes me wish we can get a legit 2C and slide him down to the 3rd line where he really should be playing in my eyes.

Oy, what a disappointing game to go to.

No bounces went the Caps’ way, and Thomas played excellent while the Caps were horribad. The result isn’t really unexpected.

I kept telling myself it’s way, way, way too early to be concerned, but the Caps are being consistently outplayed by just about every opponent for a healthy chunk of each game. Oh well, at least if they’re consistently struggling, surprises can only be positive.

As a side note, anyone else think Boudreau was a bit complacent tonight in the presser considering the result?

I’m a big Boudreau supporter, but when it comes to Ovi’s TOI on the PP, I have to ask, is there really a coach on this team? Might Ovi (and the Caps) benefit, at least for one season, from more of a hard-ass coach?

Ovi played 3:05 straight on the extended PP early in the 2nd period. He was CLEARLY gassed about halfway through, and they spent the last minute defending in their own end as if they were even strength (or 4-on-4) b/c Ovi literally wasn’t moving anymore: couldn’t get to the puck at all.

I love the guy, but it’s f’ing selfish, narcissistic and immature to stay out that long. It’s related, I’m afraid, to the BS style he fell pray to late in the Montreal series where he stopped passing to linemates and kept trying score on rushes from the blue line. This is the first negative comment I can remember writing about Ovi, but I’m concerned about the lack of discipline, smart play and coaching.

Will more of our “walking wounded” return on Thursday, including Green, Bradley, and Boyd Gordon.

Katie C. had reported in an earlier post today on CI that Gordon was “hurting”, took a maintenance day, and would be a game time decision but that it was not related to his back problems of last year.

Yes, I’m not happy about the loss tonight but to keep perspective, if we continue at our current pace, we will be 54-28, with 108 points, which will be good enough to make the playoffs. (I’m not accounting for Bettman points at the moment — just counting OT losses as losses.)

Is 7 for 77 since March 30, 2010. 9%

Meaning the PK, MarJo’s first goal, and the physical play coming from everybody – there wasn’t much to like when it comes to a full team effort. Really, they sucked out loud. PP was dreadful, defense was sloppy, passing was nonexistent, and no one seemed to be on the same page.

I just hope this is the wakeup call they need to get back to opening night form.

I have to admit, in the preseason I kept hearing about how good the Bruins will be this year and I just didn’t see it. Let’s just say, they scare me as one of the most well-rounded teams in the East. A little like the Flyers but with much better goaltending. Caps need to win Thursday for the long-term psychology factor if nothing else.

I skimmed the thread and didn’t see this mentioned yet: both Laich and Semin has some great takeaways in the offensive zone last night that led to immediate scoring opportunities. Had Tim Thomas not played as well as he did, at least one of them should have gone through.

Semin, in particular, had two beautiful takeaways that were both opportunistic and well executed. Laich’s takeaway came down low on the forecheck, while Semin’s two came up high. I like seeing this pressure applied throughout the offensive zone, and not just down low. It showed that line (or 2/3 of it, at least) was not giving up on the play once the Bruins gained possession.

not a particularly enjoyable game, compounded by having to get the assholes behind us tossed out of the game.

thought Varly looked pretty good, particularly having to rush into the game when he clearly wasn’t ready, and the PK can’t be praised enough. My mom also became an instant Macken fan.

I don’t know if anyone else commented, but before the opening video played, there was a short video with highlight from the Jersey game….with Marty’s quote about the sea of red. It was fabulous.

in “awwwww!” moments in Mites on Ice: the white team dropping to the ice to do snow angels.