Saturday Caps Clips: Caps @ Bruins Game Day
by J.P. on Dec 18, 2010 6:59 AM EST
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Your savory breakfast links:
- Be sure to check out Japers' Rink Radio with special guest CSN Washington's Corey Masisak at 10:00 this morning and available for download thereafter.
- Previews of tonight's battle in Beantown from Vogs, NHL.com (Lozo), Peerless, KOL and SB Nation DC, and be sure to check out our SB Nation partner Stanley Cup of Chowder for more coverage from the other side of tonight's match up.
- Notes and assorted whatnot from yesterday's practice (including John Erskine's contract extension, injury/illness updates, the Caps breaking in some Winter Classic gear, and John Carlson and Jay Beagle droppin' the mitts). [Dump 'n Chase, Caps365 (video), CI, CI, CI, DCEx, DCEx, RMNB on YouTube (video), bridgetds (pics), Caps Snaps (pics)]
- For the Caps, balancing offense with defense has been a learning process. [NHL.com (Rosen)]
- Alex Ovechkin's leadership is being tested. Let's hope he passes. [Globe and Mail (Duhatschek)]
- Mike Green says the Caps are going to be alright. [CSN Washington (Scalise)]
- Ted Leonsis was a guest on Bill Simmons' podcast yesterday (perhaps answering the question "How many losses in a row do his two teams have to post before the damage-control PR tour starts?"). [The BS Report (audio), CI]
- Are the Caps Russia-bound? [FanShot]
- Speaking of Russia, in case you missed it in the overnight, Sergei Fedorov's old man chimed in on the Caps' current woes (spoiler alert: Russians good, everyone else bad). [Japers' Rink]
- The full first episode of 24/7 is now available online. Well, not quite the full first episode - the cursing has been edited out, so it's seven minutes long (no, not really). [FanShot]
- A very cool 24/7 moment for one fan. [RMNB]
- Alan May: "I know one thing about hockey players: they drink beer and they curse." I missed my calling. [D.C. Sports Bog]
- How to talk to your kids about all that cussin'. [RtR]
- Hope you got your Winter Classic alumni game tickets. [Post-Gazette]
- One silver lining to the Caps' losing streak - it makes Mike Milbury look bad. [CBC (Milbury)]
- Hey, it's me talking Caps on SB Nation Radio on 106.7 The Fan. [SBN Radio (audio)]
- Dale Hunter is the 25th Dirtiest Athlete. Ever. [Capitals Outsider]
- Cody Eakin has World Juniors bloodlines. [Toronto Sun, Winnipeg Sun]
- Final details on today's Rink pick-up game. I look forward to hearing all about it. [FanPost]
- Finally, happy 38th birthday to Jeff Nelson, happy 59th to Bernie Wolfe, and happy 65th to Jean Pronovost.
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A nice “aww” moment from Ovechkin.
Cool stuff, our Captain is straight up bad-ass class.
As for tonight…well lets take the positives from the Anaheim game and run with it.
proud 4th line advocate
After a long arduous summer of training, back for a new season of perpetuating hockey superstitions
I think the Caps turn it around tonight after seeing their losing streak from the outside in (HBO). I just get the feeling that after seeing their own depressing and lackadaisical play they all take a deep breath and come out looking like a brand new team. The Caps always prove unpredictable though, right?
~~~ R0cK D@ R3D ~~~
"I was pretty excited that Bruce made me captain and it's something I enjoyed. My record speaks for itself. I'm 1-0. I just went out there and did what I do: get the game winner." - Matt Bradley
by Chaz-Capapalooza on Dec 18, 2010 8:09 AM EST reply actions
The Power of the Red Pants Propels Them
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
“I feel like… a Dynamo!”
(yeah, yeah…those aren’t their colors)
If you've read this far...seek help.
The Christmas Tree Line
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
Don Fehr appointed as NHLPA Executive Director, odds on work stoppage in next 3 years go on Bodog.
"If you don't shut the [hell] up, I'm going to kick you in the balls so hard your dentist is going to have to work around them at your next cleaning."
by Bald Pollack on Dec 18, 2010 9:47 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Why does it seem like just about every major sport is headed for a work stoppage in the next couple years? It boggles my mind in how much money these leagues pull in, and yet they can’t come together to work this stuff out. And I know I’m probably being overly simplistic, but at the same time lockouts and strikes are bad for business.
Not presuming to speak on some of the other sports, but I think it’s a little more than that, for instance MLS was in part due to wages (some players were making <$13k in the last CBA) and to contractual rights (some players whose contracts expired still had their teams retain their rights, thus hampering movement to other leagues because those teams required fees to let those players go).
Fehr’s job is tougher in that he’s got to help the union be harmonious so then things like revenue sharing with the owners occurs (or anything else they might want), and he’s more than aware of what little power the players have at this point, the question is how quick/when he convinces them to go to DEFCON 1.
"If you don't shut the [hell] up, I'm going to kick you in the balls so hard your dentist is going to have to work around them at your next cleaning."
by Bald Pollack on Dec 18, 2010 10:56 AM EST up reply actions
The NFL’s labor relations are so exploitive, that I have zero problem with the players forcing a lockout. Sounds like MLS is in the same boat.
I feel like the NHL is pretty balanced with regard to the revenue structure of the League and the payroll structure allocated to the players. Escrow is kind of a bad deal for the players, but they do have guaranteed contracts, so I can live with that.
MLB players have zero room to complain.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
The players aren’t forcing a lockout the owners are. Every single team in the NFL makes millions of dollars in profits, but they are forcing a lockout so that they can make more.
Aim for the head baby Jesus
Also they are trying to force an 18 game season on the players that none of the players seem to want. The owners want more money and aren’t concerned about the health of the players, so they are all for 18 games.
by vtcapsfan99 on Dec 18, 2010 12:29 PM EST up reply actions
The timing couldn’t be more beneficial for the NHL players. If the NFL and the NBA both have lockout seasons next year, the NHL will be front and center in sports, especially after the World Series. The additional exposure could provide a huge bump in revenue to the owners, and those numbers will no doubt be used by Fehr and the NHLPA in their negotiations.
"I would feed them lefts until I was pretty much tired of doing it." - Alan May, JRR, 10.16.2010
If the NFL has a lockout, (which I think they will) I think they will be back before the World Series is over.
Aim for the head baby Jesus
I don’t follow the business side of other sports close enough to really know; what’s going on in the NBA and NFL that there are these very real possibilities of a lockout? What are the major disagreements?
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 Dec 18, 2010 1:19 PM EST up reply actions
The NFL just wants to decrease the players share of overall revenues, the NBA owners want to get rid of the ridiculous loopholes in the salary cap. I think in the long run the changes would be good for the NBA, the NFL owners demands are just ridiculous though.
Aim for the head baby Jesus
And the NFL has huge revenue sharing battles between the owners. That’s one of the biggest reasons there is going to be a lockout. It almost doesn’t even matter what the players agree to, because the owners are at each other’s throats anyway.
Drunk Guy: "Alex Ovechkin is playing more like Magic Johnson than Michael Jordan this year."
Laichitor: "He has AIDS?"
While I am sure the NHL will get more attention if the NFL and NBA are both locked out, I think the majority of the attention will go to college football and basketball. People aren’t going to stop loving football and basketball. I don’t really follow the NBA, but I can’t imagine the NFL locking out an entire season. There is just too much money at stake. Although they do have their TV income guaranteed regardless of whether or not they play next season.
I agree that the NCAA will benefit, but I think there’s room for everyone to benefit. Will the NCAA really change the football schedule to fill the Sunday void? The NHL doesn’t schedule a lot of Sunday games now, but would have a great opportunity to do that if there’s a lockout. And as much as basketball will get more coverage, there won’t be enough compelling NCAA basketball to freeze out the NHL from the TV boon.
Drunk Guy: "Alex Ovechkin is playing more like Magic Johnson than Michael Jordan this year."
Laichitor: "He has AIDS?"
Dale Hunter is the 25th Dirtiest Athlete. Ever. [Capitals Outsider]
I’m just glad to see Ulf Samuelsson was considered far dirtier than Hunter by the guys who made the list.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
I haven’t paged through the entire list but agree. But must admit that Hunter’s “hit” to Turgeron was extremely poor sportsmanship, to say the least.
Rocking the Red for teams on the banks of the Potomac and at the Gateway Arch and Singing the Blues about Hockey.
The list is pretty good, though I feel hockey players are disproportionately represented in the top 10 (three of the top 10? really?). I will, however, point out that the video of Marchment cross-checking Mike Gartner is worth watching if only to see Pierre McGuire behind the Hartford bench with a very receding hairline.
24/7
Watched 24/7 again with the wife and we noticed Pascal Dupuis blowing a stop sign on the way to the practice rink. I guess that happens when you’re driving with a camera in your face!
by Whiskey_Robber on Dec 18, 2010 10:15 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Glad we got tickets to the Alumni Game. Anyone else going?
He's a better skater than Nick, but he's big in the back[side]...BB
by Backeez Got Back on Dec 18, 2010 10:21 AM EST reply actions
I haven’t signed up for it, so far although the idea is really cool. I’m just wondering if being outside for the current players’ game will be enough for one middle aged, cold-intolerant fan.
Rocking the Red for teams on the banks of the Potomac and at the Gateway Arch and Singing the Blues about Hockey.
Sound familiar?
"Sometimes you overthink all these situations,’’ he admitted. "If you keep hammering that over and over again that you need a good start, it ends up creeping in your head. Sometimes it can be more of a negative than a positive. Sometimes it’s about changing your way of sending the message and hopefully getting that result.’’
Could be Bruce, but actually it’s Claude Julien talking about the state of the Bruins. Dying for a win, it looks like the Caps will be playing another desperate team tonight. Great.
hmmm, guess tonight should be interesting.
I told my mom the Bruins need to lose tonight, “for the good of hockey.” She wasn’t amused.
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
Holy crap. Milbury says something not completely mind-numbingly stupid:
And don’t anyone tell me the Tomas Fleischmann deal broke their backs. He was a bit player for the Caps and his absence should make little difference to Washington.
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 Dec 18, 2010 11:22 AM EST reply actions
I would hope even he would realize that. You cannot determine the winner of that trade until April anyways.
Everything ends badly...otherwise it wouldn't end.
by Davethecapsfan on Dec 18, 2010 12:15 PM EST up reply actions
Agreed. Though that article in general was pretty good, and not just by Milbury’s standards. Did it say anything earth shattering that we didn’t know? No. But it made some good points that aren’t entirely common in MSM, yet.
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 Dec 18, 2010 12:26 PM EST up reply actions
I like that stopped clock. Consider it swiped.
The wait for 10/7 begins. This man is focused. Are you?
by souldrummer on Dec 18, 2010 12:29 PM EST up reply actions
From Carrera and the Post this morning on the more defensive style Bruce is now implementing…
“I think this is the type of game we need to play to be successful in the playoffs,” defenseman Mike Green said. “The only reason why I say that is because now having played in the playoffs for three years, this is what teams have done to us and this is how they’ve shut us down. . . . It was an area in our game that we needed to work on and we needed to adjust, and we’re consciously making the decision to adjust.”
and
“That’s the way you have to play in the playoffs,” Boudreau said. “If we learn how to do it now, hopefully by playoff time we’ll have it down pat.”
Am I the only one you would have liked comments like these in the beginning of the season?
Either way…this is the first time they’ve “said the right thing” and it’s actually made me hopeful. If this slump causes them to wake up and start changing up their game in a meaningful way, I think we all can agree of its benefits. And if Bruce is the one to actually implement those meaningful changes, I’m willing to give him another chance in my book.
Less drama, more hockey
by SeattleCapsFan on Dec 18, 2010 12:20 PM EST reply actions
I don’t think the slump is causing them to change their game. Green said on a radio interview that they’ve been trying to implement these changes since the beginning of the season, but it’s only the past month that the whole team has bought in. So I think the slump is partially a side effect of changing their game as they learn to adjust.
by vtcapsfan99 on Dec 18, 2010 12:27 PM EST up reply actions
Hmmmm. I have to say I disagree.
The scheme against Anaheim was markedly different from what I’ve seen from the team in the Boudreau era. I can’t remember a game where the Caps had started the game with one forechecker (and a pretty high-in-the-zone forecehcker at that) in the O zone and two forwards in neutral.
I’ve seen them go to that scheme when they’re up a pair or more in the third. But to start, it’s always been three forecheckers, and usually two of them below the dots.
While I guess it might be simple coincidence that they made this change at the same time as the slide, I have a hard time believing it.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
I’ve seen them go to that scheme when they’re up a pair or more in the third. But to start, it’s always been three forecheckers, and usually two of them below the dots.
The Caps typically have all three below the blueline, with at least one below the dots pressuring the puck. The position of the other two depends on the position of the prospective breakout options.
This game is all about overcoming diversity.
I still believe the Anaheim game was an anomaly. The team was so shorthanded and sapped of energy by the flu, they played a style that you play when your forwards are worse than the other team’s. Add in the fact that due to Anaheim’s own injuries, they were basically a one-line team. It’s good that the new strategy was as effective as it was in the Anaheim game, but I’m not sure we’ll see it again when folks are feeling well, and I’m not sure I’d want to.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Dec 18, 2010 12:37 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
It may be an anomaly, but it may be too soon to say that too. I bet they play a similar style again tonight considering they’re still missing some forwards, and Boston isn’t exactly an offensively-minded team. A few games from now and we’ll really see what they’re up to.
Personally, I’m disappointed in the same way as fat_daddyo. I’ve loved seeing these guys play up tempo and scoring a ton of goals these past few years. Part of me wishes they’d just stick to their guns and keep playing that way. Obviously if these changes end up in winning a Cup, then so be it. I just worry that instead of playing the way they used to offensively and augmenting their defense, they’re instead shifting away from playing offense and just worrying about playing defense.
I feel like Thursday’s Ducks’ game is a hint of what a typical Caps game will be like if the Caps don’t resign Alex Semin. They’ll be stuck being a one line team. But, of course, if the Caps don’t turn it around and start winning again, I would expect them to let Semin, Laich, and Knuble all walk as free agents or possibly even traded just before the deadline.
I still maintain hope that this is too good a team to continue to play so badly. Yes, the team as a whole probably played over their heads during the regular season but, sooner or later, the law of averages has to kick in and “ascension to the mean” should happen for the Caps.
Rocking the Red for teams on the banks of the Potomac and at the Gateway Arch and Singing the Blues about Hockey.
Will tonight be the night that the division lead evaporates? TBL and ATL play bad teams that both played last night and then travelled (BUF and NJD), so the odds of at least one of those teams winning is pretty good.
The Caps play a team that has struggled lately, but who has been notoriously stingy at home. A regulation loss and a win from one of the SE teams above, and the Caps will fall to at least second in the division.
In a worst-case scenario, the Caps could go to sleep tonight in 7th place in the conference.
Interesting times, interesting times.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
Hey, I’d rather experience rock bottom in the middle of the season than at the end of the playoffs for a change. But plunging toward rock bottom ain’t no fun regardless. Please pretty please work your way out of this slump for 1/1. They can abuse us all they want on 24/7 but if we have to be a laughingstock on 1/1 I’ll be bummed.
The wait for 10/7 begins. This man is focused. Are you?
by souldrummer on Dec 18, 2010 12:31 PM EST up reply actions
Cool story about the Ovie knitted doll. I haven’t given away stuff like that but have received some stuff similar and keep it all and have it in the more neat places of my college apt. I do technical theatre and for one of the shows I designed the director got me a framed picture of the cast overlapped with a poem relating to the play and all of their signatures on the frame. But I’m a normal person who would keep something like that around. Ovie, being crazy, well that was pretty cool it made it into 24/7.
I lol’d at Beagle beating up on JC. Am I mistaken or is that Mojo next to Perrault picking up the pucks? Kinda funny to see 2 rookies gathering the pucks and another 2 rookies messing around.
Bruce Boudreau when asked about Brooks Laich's return to the lineup, he said: "He just adds another dimension to our team. If it was puzzle, he just fits that thing. He completes us."
Brooks Laich completing everything from teams to tires and everything in between.
Cute pic of the "fight"
John Carlson - Glory follows him.
Six Beers Too Many Fantasy Team - BizNasty's Hobo Rodeo
My lord, Hendy
John Carlson - Glory follows him.
Six Beers Too Many Fantasy Team - BizNasty's Hobo Rodeo
Is it just me, or is that thing not getting better?
"I would feed them lefts until I was pretty much tired of doing it." - Alan May, JRR, 10.16.2010
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