Recap: Caps 5, Rangers 3
by Becca H on Nov 9, 2010 11:09 PM EST
in Game Recaps
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[NHL.com Recap - GameCenter - Game Summary - Event Summary - Faceoff Summary - Corsi/Fenwick - Shift Charts - Head-to-Head - Zone Starts]
Tonight's battle with the Rangers was nothing short of being just that, in every sense of the word. It was a battle on the scoreboard, along the walls, through the neutral zone, with and without gloves. It was a night that felt almost like the old days when the Patrick Division rivalry burned bright...but slightly askew and a little bizarre, as stars became fighters and fighters became stars.
And when all was said and done, the Caps emerge from the battle battered and bloodied but victorious.
Ten more notes on the game:
- Occasionally you see unlikely guys get on the scoreboard. It happens, everyone has a stick and touches the puck and even fires shots toward the goalie - and it's usually an isolated incident, an interesting, quirky note in an otherwise mundane game. Well, mundane is overrated, because this game featured goals from such snipers as John Erskine, Matt Hendricks, Brian Boyle and Derek Boogaard...yeah, those guys probably aren't going to challenge for the Richard Trophy anytime soon.
- Of course, you don't generally see guys like that get goals in the first place unless someone majorly messes up, and the Caps' defensemen had a trio of mistakes - one from each pair - that ended up in the back of the net. Pick your favorite: Jeff Schultz and Mike Green losing sight of an 8-foot-tall forward? Karl Alzner whiffing on a clearing attempt right in front of the net? Tyler Sloan's costly overskate? So many delightful options.
- Michal Neuvirth has had some stunningly good performances this year. This...was not one of them. Ignore the fact that he gave up a goal to a guy who had exactly two in his career (and none in over 200 games), his rebound control was atrocious and he looked uncomfortable in net all night long. Luckily for him, he plays on a team where an occasional night like that can be overlooked and overcome.
- A big round of applause and a fuzzy new pair of slippers for Mike Knuble, who finally snaps his slump and gets on the board (sparing the lives of goats everywhere) doing exactly what he's become known for - cleaning up the garbage. It even drew an extra big smile of relief from the normally stoic Knuble. First of many, perhaps?
- Quite the interesting evening for Mike Green, who was all over the scoresheet - for better and for worse. He picked up two assists and was a plus-one on the night, but was partially responsible for losing track of Brian Boyle on the Rangers' first goal. He had over twenty-five minutes of ice time, including over four minutes on the power play and penalty kill, but also spent seven minutes in the box that included a major for fighting...his second (and decidedly more successful) attempt at fisticuffs already this year.
- Physicality was the name of the game in general in this one, with big hits and chippiness prevalent throughout. You'd have to think the hometown scoring led to the heavy-handed 33 hits awarded to the Rangers, but even the Caps racked up 22 in their own right. Of course with chippiness comes penalties, and there was a parade to the box throughout the night, with some calls better than others.
- How about Brooks Laich? Despite battling an upper-body injury, he had a hit (and absorbed a painful-looking hit into the boards that drew a penalty), got himself to the front of the net to open the scoring for Washington and put the game away with a simple empty-net goal.
- Aside from the incredibly visible mistakes it wasn't a horrendous night overall for the defense. At least it wasn't horrendous for the defensemen not named John Carlson and Karl Alzner, who after a series of consistently good performances had quite the stinker tonight. The fact that each finished a plus-one is nothing short of a miracle.
- Strangest shot progression of the season for the Caps: fourteen in the first period, five in each period after.
- Of course some of that could be due to the Rangers and their prolific shot-blocking ability, which was once again on full display tonight. The team that is among the League-leaders in that category threw themselves in front of twenty Caps' shots - seven of them off the stick of Alex Ovechkin.
Game highlights:
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That was a bad mistake.
I have a twitter.
Not another Capitals blog!
"Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat"
Alzner in front of the net on Boyle’s 2nd was just as bad.
And let’s not forget that Fedotenko breakaway in the 3rd just because he missed the net.
You had me at no problem.
It’s just as bad because they both resulted in goals but Sloans was a much worse hockey play. He didn’t have to, and shouldn’t have, pinched in at full stride as the last man back.
Think twice before you speak, and then you may be able to say something more insulting than if you spoke right out at once.
Agreed. Alzner was a flubbed pass. That’s a physical mistake that is going to happen to people. It was just a shitty time. Sloan’s was a mental mistake. It’s like he doesn’t realize he’s the worst D on the team and needs to play conservatively. That was not the situation to try to make an aggressive offensive play.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
Couldn’t agree more. In my coaching days, we preached about the difference between physical mistakes and mental mistakes. Physical mistakes were always acceptable. Shit happens.
Mental mistakes – not so much.
Life With Spidey -- a blog about sports, travel, work, family and fun.
Representing Caps fandom in the Gateway to the West.
I think Alzner’s had a mental element as well, looking for Ovie coming out of the box. Both had bad nights. Considering abilities, Alzner’s was worse.
Regardless of whether he was looking for AO it would have been a failed clear, he wouldn’t have really played it any differently, and insofar as he could have (going off the boards) he still could have hit AO like that. The problem was flubbing the pass, not deciding to try to ice it like that.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
I see your point. Sloan should pretty much just never pinch. BB should be like James Brown, who would fine his drummers for playing a fill.
Ha. Great anecdote. I don’t think Sloan should never pinch, but when he does it should be when we have established possession and he’s skating straight down the wall and has support to cover him. He was trying to skate along the blueline and then pinch in and he had zero support. He needed to make the absolute safest play there, and I don’t think that’s what he did. Maybe BB is coaching Sloan to be uber-aggressive, and if so that’s on BB. I just have a hard time believing that BB thinks Sloan is all that good considering he gets sheltered ice time so it seems like Sloan was freelancing that one.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
Yep. And I agree with Becc.a, Carlson looked bad several times. A couple real bad clear attempts, some whiffs…
But in the spirit of giving credit where it’s due, Alzner made a good, calm play leading to the EN goal. Of course, the game was over by then, but still, he did well there.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
Calm, yes, but there was a hint of, well not panic, but lack of confidence? there. His move was (smartly) to the most sure handed and sure passing defenseman that we have.
He looked like he was lining up for a full ice shot at net before the voice of reason took over.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
Saw that… I was already starting my slomo “NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” when he passed it over.
“…And starring Brooks Laich as The Voice of Reason” [insert photoshop of Brooks in a fairy costume with a nametage that I don’t have the time to make]
Great. Now I have to change my name to "Jaromir meet Alex".
by Chris meet Alex on Nov 10, 2010 5:17 PM EST up reply actions
Bad night by the second D pair, questionable for the top pair, bad night for the goalie. And we get a win. I’ll take it. AO still doesn’t look right (even if I picked the wrong time to voice that opinion to D’ohboy). Really didn’t like the timing of Green’s fight; we had them pinned in their zone with our top line, but I don’t mind him fighting. His pass to Laich on the ENG was a thing of beauty. Our 5 on 4 PP was mostly pathetic. Get well, Poti.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
He fought Kovalchuk first, and now the guy who happens to sit at 2nd in the league in goals? Greener picks his partners carefully, eh?
You had me at no problem.
Get well, Poti.
I wonder if a frozen-over hell has better ice than Verizon Center…hmm…
Agree on the timing of Green’s fight, but that just further convinces that there had to be more to it than what we saw. Something must have happened to set him off. Nice to see him win one for a change, too, and Dubinsky’s no Kovalchuk – he’s not Boogaard, either, but he can usually hold his own.
If anyone needs me, I'll be at Kettler.
I don’t like him fighting. Doing Kovy or Duby is kinda ok but if he dances with some heavyweight boy and gets smashed, we’re left with a very porous defense.
Cup, please.
...
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
by EmilyB on Nov 9, 2010 11:26 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
You know, it was hardly his best game ever but he definitely gutted this one out and fought through an injury – incredibly proud of him tonight. Also, did you guys see Semin being very mother hen-ish after Brooks got slammed into the boards? Very sweet.
…yes, that’s the sappy kind of crap I look for in hockey games, shut up.
If anyone needs me, I'll be at Kettler.
....
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
When does Neuvy get a new head shot? It cracks me up every time but he looks so bewildered.
Think twice before you speak, and then you may be able to say something more insulting than if you spoke right out at once.
#toomuchStamkos but happy for Neuvy and Brooks.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Ugh. I didn’t realize he was out. I’ll ask.
Best guess is he came back too quick from his hip pointer/whatever-it-was.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Yup, didn’t play. Mentioned that he would be out in Mullins blog, but I didn’t see that until after I looked at the game summary and didn’t see his name.
I thought it was his knee, but I’d have to go back and look as that’s working from memory.
Originally described as a knee by opposing media, turned into “hip pointer” by homer media. The truth is somewhere in between, most likely.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
In between a knee and a hip-pointer? Well hello there Patrick Thoresen!
I poured spot remover on my dog. Now he's gone.
by Rather Bengt on Nov 9, 2010 11:44 PM EST up reply actions
I know AO doesn’t look right, he’s barely top 10 in goals so far this season and that’s really strange. He is second in points overall but he’s one of the best goal scorers anybody has ever seen and should be putting up some higher totals in that category.
He also doesn’t look explosive and isn’t even getting many quality chances.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
That was right after I was bitching to D’ohboy about him. It was one of his best moments of the night, but I can’t help but see a lot of luck there. The D tottally misplayed him in the neutral zone and then that pass out front was, if we’re honest, to nobody. It bounced off Hank and went right to Knuble. Knuble deserved some luck like that but it wasn’t like AO put it tape to tape in a scoring area. Sure, he had traffic and he got it there, but it wasn’t classic AO in the sense that he just took control and left no chance for anyone else.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
I’ll be curious to see how things change once Knuble and Backstrom starts playing well. Backstrom is tied with Milan Hejduk and Dustin Byfuglien in points for christ sake, both he and Ovie have been off. I’ll just keep waiting for them to explode I guess. Just about the time Semin goes cold we’ll see Knuble back on that line when all three are back to normal, hopefully.
Sounds about right. I was real concerned when I saw Sasha leave the ice in pain but then I checked and it was just a stick to the face so he should be able to recover relatively easily. Nothing to his dainty wrists or hands or anything.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
He has the daintiest gorilla hands ever.
The guy is Peter Schumpmaker. Lord knows what a schump is, but you can bet your bippy his ancestors made them. What he's doing is far worse than crafting fine schumps.
by Steckel Me Elmo on Nov 10, 2010 12:02 AM EST up reply actions
Speaking of people being hurt, Backstrom was out for the last 3-4 minutes of the game. We actually saw Sasha on the ice closer to the end of the game than we saw Backstrom
Rocking the Red since 1975
BB talked about a lot of skate problems…maybe related to that?
I like Laich, but I <3 Green
by RockinRed4Life on Nov 10, 2010 12:06 AM EST up reply actions
Is this why Boyd Gordon apparently played 15 mins at ES (AO had 15.7 or so)? I found that extremely weird.
by red army line on Nov 10, 2010 10:15 AM EST up reply actions
There were all sorts of things going on last night. For a while, BB was rotating random grinders through the top line, but it didn’t seem as though anyone was hurt. I can’t tell if it was equipment stuff or just random juggling.
And I hear you talk the talk, but I don't see you walk the walk and I still don't believe a thing you say.
Considering how many he has put right on tapes lately (Knubs more than once) he deserves a lucky assist. Plenty of other guys we’d be just happy they got wide and put it on net for a rebound. When it’s AO we expect every point to be smooth as silk. Almost a reverse case of what everyone was discussing earlier people getting ragged on too much because of rep. In this case we want a good thing to be better.
Everything ends badly...otherwise it wouldn't end.
by Davethecapsfan on Nov 10, 2010 12:14 AM EST up reply actions
That’s fair, and I realized I’m being an extremely tough critic. I just know he is capable of more. He’s the three time reigning Pearson/Lindsey winner and has 2 of the last 3 Hart trophies. That’s the standard he’s set and I don’t think that’s the quality of his play thus far this season.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
TJ at Alex Ovetjkin says Ovi is playing more like a center right now … a center named Peter Forsbeg.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
100% agreed. I think he’s trying to change his game, I just want to see more than just laying the puck off, and without subtracting from his explosiveness.
Everything ends badly...otherwise it wouldn't end.
by Davethecapsfan on Nov 10, 2010 12:46 AM EST up reply actions
Firstly, great game to be at. Wild atmosphe at times.
I saw a different AO tonight at MSG i suppose. Lined up against the Rags top line, I thought he and Backs controlled play (corsi and fenwick confirm) and in general keep them from having any real 5v5 quality chances.
I thought luck on the 2nd period goal watching it live, but having seen the highlight, he basically caused that D misplay. And yes, deflected puck into the crease, but he made the right hockey play there and got the puck to the net, and lo and behold, good things happened.
So much more fun at the Garden then at the Rock or on the Island.
by 718CapsFan on Nov 10, 2010 12:39 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Something is still missing from Ovie's game
Yes the Caps are winning despite their mistakes. Finding a way to win one goal games is a crucial skill come playoff time. But…I’m not totally impressed with Ovie’s overall game this season. Sure, he’s getting the helpers on his teammates’ goals, but I second the observation that he doesn’t seem as explosive as he has been in the past. IMO something is missing—the joy and exhuberance, the passion and fire that are his trademark—I haven’t picked up on it yet. I commented elsewhere that at times Ovie has seemed indifferent and lackadaisical, and I stand by that until he shows me otherwise. I get the impression hockey isn’t his #1 priority anymore, that other things are more fun and interesting for him. I hope I’m wrong, and I also hope I get to see the exciting dominant Ovie that he’s capable of being.
he's Fine.
Ovechkin was about 40 seconds into a shift when he took possession in neutral, pulled something of his 1 – on – whoever bit, and notched an assist from Henrik’s doorstep. The guy’s just ho-hum amazing.
I think he’s playing with more guile and less Force than last year. Which could easily be worse news for opponents than it is for us fans.
There's no 'i' in "team". But there's a 'nap' in "champion".
I just don’t see the guile when he tries the same wrist shot from the top of the circles as he cuts across the ice. I want him to start cycling more and crash the net. Some of that is on BB, to be sure. Especially as it concerns the PP. It’s a waste of so many of his skills to put him on the point. I know he has a big shot but it’s pretty easy to take away on the PP when he’s that far away.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
Good news is that at some point Ovie will come to realize that cutting across the circles hasn’t worked since the MTL series and make adjustments. Gotta imagine he’s getting frustrated with not being even close to the top of the goal scoring leader board.
You’d think but I haven’t seen anything like that so far.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
I’m not even sure if there’s another “move” he can use or whatever, the next recourse would seemingly be to hang onto the puck and wait for his teammates to join the rush.
In the end his shots just aren’t accurate right now, not like he isn’t getting shots on goal.
The other “move” he needs to use is to wait back in the D zone and come up ice with the team and let Backstrom gain the zone and then set up a cycle. AO v. The Opposition is just not sustainable no matter how many times he’s scored like that. As soon as he starts to lose a step, which is going to be sooner than we want to admit, he’s going to be entirely ineffective doing what he’s been doing. Learning to play with his teammates is the biggest adjustment he needs to make. I’d also love to see him get his Brendan Shannahan on and start crashing the net like a crazed motherfucker.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
by Rob Parker on Nov 9, 2010 11:57 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
As soon as he starts to lose a step
From what I’ve seen this year, it looks as though he may have already lost it.
And I hear you talk the talk, but I don't see you walk the walk and I still don't believe a thing you say.
I’m not willing to say that just yet. We also thought Green had lost a step last season and his skating looks great again this season.
Release the Mackan!
by Killer_Carlson on Nov 10, 2010 12:41 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, I don’t think AO has lost a step, I just think other teams are defending him much better and he doesn’t have his mojo going. 25 is very young for such an elite player to lose a step.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
It seems to me that he’s rethinking his game some too.
Ovi is not hitting as much and has been pulling up if his target is too close to the boards. I’m sure he’s trying to find that balance to his game this season thus far and doesn’t have that reckless physical abandon of last season. Just one bad hit will land him a lengthier suspension.
IMO It seems as if Ovi is passing more often instead of just shooting, as well as choosing different methods or spots from which to shoot. With his rush last night, I thought how effective he was to just keep carrying the puck down down and around the net which gave his line time to get down the ice. And his shot on Lundqvist was just hard and sharply angled enough that it led to a great rebound—finally getting Knuble a goal.
Alright, confess-how many goals are you going to make this year?
"I'm not going to tell!"
Well can you at least guarantee fifty?
"No way. I have a different objective. To win."
by capsyoungguns on Nov 10, 2010 4:29 PM EST up reply actions
Through -your -legs – from – circletop definitely gets old, and you can see the league suspects if even if it still works sometimes. Timonen and a few others seem able to lock him in that mode. I don’t know why BB corrals him at the PP point; if I’m PK I’d rather ‘only’ have to deal with what he can create out there, busted shin pads and all.
But I see some craft in off-speed shots, a D-freezing hitch on a curl or pass, little things that add guesswork to an already-significant problem.
There's no 'i' in "team". But there's a 'nap' in "champion".
I’d like to see him play where Stamkos plays. He can still use his shot but he’d also be free to track loose pucks down low, in the slot, and around the net.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
Yep. He’d be more kinds of worrisome, with and without the puck, from there. I dont need him fetching the mail so often, either.
There's no 'i' in "team". But there's a 'nap' in "champion".
by redlineblue on Nov 10, 2010 12:11 AM EST up reply actions
Re Green's Timing
This…This and This. I was so furious about that decision. Great that he was able to redeem himself and throw some real punches, but what the hell? That’s the type of shift, with our talent that should end up in the back of the net and Green goes and “answers the bell” at the absolute wrong time. If Duby was trying to pick the fight just to get their players a break from having to play real hockey, kudos to him cause it worked..bad on Green for not just letting him take a 2 min instigator or roughing penalty.
I put Greener in the group of people I don’t like taken off the ice for 5 minutes. If it’s an important part of his development, then I guess this is the time of year to do it, but surely wouldn’t want to see that later in the year or post season.
Great. Now I have to change my name to "Jaromir meet Alex".
by Chris meet Alex on Nov 10, 2010 5:20 PM EST up reply actions
Looks like everyone went to bed early back on the East Coast. I caught the first two period on TV in the restaurant I was in in Chicago, but missed the third.
I’m thrilled that they are 11-4. I’ll take the optimist route and say that they are winning the close games, getting secondary scoring (or quaternary in the case of Erskine and Sloan), and overcoming poor individual plays.
FYI – in the end, I couldn’t order the poutine. Just seems like too much of an artery clogger.
Life With Spidey -- a blog about sports, travel, work, family and fun.
Representing Caps fandom in the Gateway to the West.
Sorry. Couldn’t keep track of the thread between food and being on the iPhone.
The restaurant is The Gage. I think it’s on Michigan Avenue. It had a very eclectic menu, but it was clearly popular based on the loudness of the crowd. And it had Versus playing. I ended up have some deep friend escargot and some elk. Very tasty.
Life With Spidey -- a blog about sports, travel, work, family and fun.
Representing Caps fandom in the Gateway to the West.
Just in case you aren’t an adventurous eater, they had chicken noodle soup and a cheese burger as well.
Life With Spidey -- a blog about sports, travel, work, family and fun.
Representing Caps fandom in the Gateway to the West.
Yes. I didn’t pay. No idea even what the bill was. But – the elk was quite good.
Life With Spidey -- a blog about sports, travel, work, family and fun.
Representing Caps fandom in the Gateway to the West.
So you still haven’t answered my question!!1
I have a twitter.
Not another Capitals blog!
"Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat"
About my son? Whether he’s single?
Life With Spidey -- a blog about sports, travel, work, family and fun.
Representing Caps fandom in the Gateway to the West.
yea, I’m joking, but at this point I want to know haha
I have a twitter.
Not another Capitals blog!
"Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat"
Yes. He does not have a girlfriend right now. I did see him snuggling a bit next to a girl in our basement when he had 10 friends over, but I don’t know whether it’s significant.
I believe his Facebook status is that he’s single.
Call me in three years at minimum.
Life With Spidey -- a blog about sports, travel, work, family and fun.
Representing Caps fandom in the Gateway to the West.
Age of consent is 17 in Missouri!!1
I have a twitter.
Not another Capitals blog!
"Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat"
by Ovechwin on Nov 9, 2010 11:30 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I’m his dad for god sake. Age of consent is 45.
Life With Spidey -- a blog about sports, travel, work, family and fun.
Representing Caps fandom in the Gateway to the West.
I’m just joking around! I have little to no interest in your son, no worries!
I have a twitter.
Not another Capitals blog!
"Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat"
Not that he doesn’t seem lovely!
I have a twitter.
Not another Capitals blog!
"Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat"
Thanks. I think it’s cool that Buccigross put the photo in.
Life With Spidey -- a blog about sports, travel, work, family and fun.
Representing Caps fandom in the Gateway to the West.
It is heart attack on a plate
I poured spot remover on my dog. Now he's gone.
by Rather Bengt on Nov 9, 2010 11:30 PM EST up reply actions
I just couldn’t do it. I called up a picture on wikipedia and that was it.
Food was outstanding though.
Life With Spidey -- a blog about sports, travel, work, family and fun.
Representing Caps fandom in the Gateway to the West.
I wonder if the slow starts can be explained by the Target on the Back theory? Every team seems so fired up to play us, the Rangers came out swinging tonight.
I’ll go with a positive spin on Alzner – it was a good learning experience on the road against a team that forechecks hard and hits.
Yeah, of all the guys that made mistakes tonight, the rookie pair is the most likely to learn. Alzner’s late PIM was the result of Carlson getting walked.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
Agreed. Totally lay that penalty at Carlson’s feet, he left Karl little choice.
BTW, how weak was Greener’s hooking penalty. He hooked the Ranger player (forgot who it was) WAY after the other guy reached around [no comment] pulled Green, who clearly had a step on him, back.
In my book, that situation leaves one of three options for the ref:
1) the initial infraction of holding is what necessitated the hook from Green, so penalty on NYR only.
2) holding on NYR, subsequent hook in retaliation, dual minors.
3) two players each guilty of an opposing minor infraction; play-on.
The ref choose door number 4. [insert standard officiating rant here]
Great. Now I have to change my name to "Jaromir meet Alex".
by Chris meet Alex on Nov 10, 2010 5:30 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah I’m totally with you on that, we’ve faced a ton of teams that have come out strong. How many opening nights did we play on the road? At least 3 to start the season I think
by funkyalligator on Nov 9, 2010 11:27 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I had a thought last night:
teams know they really have to amp up and be on their game to stop the offense, but by the 2nd period the intensity fades for them and fatigue sets in and that’s when the offense keeps coming at them.
"By far the worst performers on the team are in the front office." – Sally Jenkins
Not a bad game could have a lot different outcome if lundquist didn’t have such a good first period and the caps hadn’t gift wrapped the rangers two goals. But these things happen and the caps deal with them. I think caps fans learned a long time ago to ignore what happens with the refs and just expect to win…which they did tonight by tightening up once they got the lead
by funkyalligator on Nov 9, 2010 11:25 PM EST via mobile reply actions
I’m seriously impressed that we* can play like massive garbage from start to finish and win by 2
*has the first person thing ever been established here? Kosher?
Don't celebration when you score goal
In that context I think it’s fine, occasionally it can sound fanboy/girl-ish to some…I don’t generally mind it.
I don’t think they played like massive garbage, though. It wasn’t a pretty game but it was entertaining and they never seemed out of it – and definitely dominated at times. Neuvirth was bad, 27-74 was bad, there were a few noticeable gaffes…but overall there was some good, gritty work going on out there. I thought it was a decent win.
If anyone needs me, I'll be at Kettler.
It wasn’t a pretty game but it was entertaining and they never seemed out of it – and definitely dominated at times. Neuvirth was bad, 27-74 was bad, there were a few noticeable gaffes…but overall there was some good, gritty work going on out there.
Sounds like a description of winning ugly, which is on the Caps to-do list.
Great. Now I have to change my name to "Jaromir meet Alex".
by Chris meet Alex on Nov 10, 2010 5:33 PM EST up reply actions
I’m pretty sure that alzner got his first point tonight an assist and If erskine Is scoring goals he’d better.
by funkyalligator on Nov 9, 2010 11:34 PM EST via mobile reply actions
My two favourite smaller things that happened in the game:
1/ Jeff Schultz’s defensive play on the NYR 2-man advantage: Dropping a knee to the ice and laying his stick on the ice to clog the passing lanes. Good on-ice intelligence Sarge. It reminded me of the type of play Rod Langway would make in his glory years.
2/ Boyd Gordon directing traffic and steering Alzner to pass to an open Laich on the empty-net goal. Little things like this make me very happy we have Gordo rockin’ the red and confirm my belief he should be getting a sweater every night.
I poured spot remover on my dog. Now he's gone.
Yeah, watching Schultz put the stick to the ice on the 5-on-3 was strangely satisfying. Like he was daring the Rangers winger to loft the puck over it. “Try it, motherfucker.”
by cajuncook on Nov 9, 2010 11:42 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
And at one point they did, but it got blocked.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
Ah, I missed that. I figured being low would give Schultz good position to swat the puck in that scenario, too.
Meh. He could’ve just hit the guy.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
by EmilyB on Nov 9, 2010 11:44 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Not so sure a stick on the ice is a smart deterrent to a seam pass on the PK, I suck and even I wouldn’t be deterred by having to saucer a pass over a stick laid flat, surely anybody who gets powerplay minutes in the show can sauce over a stick…
That being said, it does cover a lot of the lane and at least makes them make a good play to make that pass successfully. Not sure what I would have preferred to see there… thoughts?
Great. Now I have to change my name to "Jaromir meet Alex".
by Chris meet Alex on Nov 10, 2010 5:38 PM EST up reply actions
And it’s not like the caps have had a super easy schedule to start the year…they’ve played some good tough teams and beaten them.
by funkyalligator on Nov 9, 2010 11:43 PM EST via mobile reply actions
TFS needs to be waived so we can get a D man that doesn’t make me cringe every time he tries to make a play with the puck
by funkyalligator on Nov 9, 2010 11:46 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Unfortunately, through 15 games this season, TFS isn’t the only D man that is having serious trouble out there. I was fuming at TFS’s backhanded clearing attempt late in the game that just about found the back of the net. He had time, space and ability, and made the low percentage decision and didn’t even get the puck off the ice.
All season sofar, another D man has just looked uncomfortable and maybe in need of a night off. Maybe it’s the Sarge problem. He doesn’t score, he just shuts guys down. Maybe he’s making just as many mistakes as his most common partner, Capt America, but Alzner has looked more like our 6th D (if Poti is healthy) than the 4/5 we would have expected from him at this point.
I’m not writing him off. I’m not arguing for him to be sent down or traded. He will be good. He’s young. Sofar, aside from the failed clear last night, it hasn’t been physical either. It’s been mental. Positioning and pinching decisions have plagued him all year and you would hope that would be something easily fixed.
Alzner is still learning and while he has had some major gaffes there hasn’t been anything as horrendous as TFS….with TFS you expect him to screw up and he does it every time. He is always the worst defenseman out there. I wouldn’t even come close to putting Alzner and TFS in the same sentence when comparing their defensive play.
by funkyalligator on Nov 10, 2010 12:52 PM EST up reply actions
Awwww...
@JohnCarlson74
Another good win, first game at the garden was a lot of fun and even more fun to see my family!
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Double Awww...
@JohnErskine04
Thanks for all the congrats! Love playing at MSG!!
If anyone needs me, I'll be at Kettler.
I don’t know about scary, but definitely better. Gaborik is the only offensive difference maker in that group, but Drury is great on the PK and a lucky rabbit’s foot. Prospal will help with some secondary scoring but he’s not special. I don’t think Callahan and Dubinsky are going to keep this pace up so you have to factor that in as well.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
Glad to see Laich back. Somehow I don’t quite believe the speculation I heard that he was “benched” for Period 3 on Sunday (and given time off on Monday.)
Rocking the Red since 1975
Lulz
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You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
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