Here We Go Again...
by J.P. on Apr 27, 2010 1:01 PM EDT
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Spectacular failures. The most disappointing team in franchise history. Choking dogs. These are among the labels that will be applied to the 2009-10 Washington Capitals... if.
An opposing goalie who was relegated to the bench in favor of his hot-headed backup earlier in this series has since caught fire and is poised to propel the playoffs' worst regular-season team into the second round... if.
A power-play that led the NHL in efficiency during the regular season has deserted the Eastern Conference's top team and seemingly taken the confidence that produced one of the most potent offenses hockey has seen with it, leaving the first non-Original Six team in League history to top 120 points on the verge of extinction... if.
So here we are, wondering whether we're a couple of days away from seeing another knock-down-drag-out best-of-seven with the hated Philadelphia Flyers... or break-up day. You know, the day when the team grasps to explain what went wrong and reveals all of the injuries and maladies its players have been playing through: Mike Green, detached cranium; Alexander Semin, dislocated cajones; Tomas Fleischmann, absent atria; etc. (given the lack of brains, courage and heart, respectively, displayed by these three, this series has looked more like a Wizard of Oz revival at times than playoff hockey).
And while it might feel as if nothing short of divine intervention can get the Caps from where they are today to where they want to be on Thursday morning, we're all in luck... the Caps have the divine; the Caps have Alexander Ovechkin. But if blind faith isn't your cup of tea, here's some seeing-eye truth: the Caps still have the goaltender with the lowest goals against average in this series, an offense that is throwing a ridiculous 41.7 shots per game at the Montreal cage and the best home record in hockey.
This team didn't win 54 games in the regular season by accident; they did so by being better - better than every other team in the League. Certainly better than Montreal and its under-sized (and under-skilled) forwards, slow-footed blueliners, inexperienced goaltenders and oft-maligned bench boss. And definitely better than they've played in the last two games.
The fact remains that the Caps are still the better team and there's every reason to believe that they will be tomorrow night. The team should know it and should play like it - with swagger, not fear; confidence, not cowardice. Get busy living, or get busy dying. And so on. At the end of the night, the "shaky-handed goalie" is going to be shaking hands with twenty Capitals - let's hope they can look him in the eye knowing that he's been kicked out of their collective heads.
Over the past three springs, the Verizon Center has played host to three NHL Game Sevens, two of which ended in gut-wrenching agony, the other over-the-top euphoria. It's time to level that ledger at two apiece... a year to the day after we all savored that one win.
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It is crucially important to PPP and my well being that you not blow this.
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
And fair or not…if the Caps blow this, conventional wisdom is that Ovie is officially no longer in Crosby’s class. Regular seasons be damned.
Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.
if the Caps blow this, conventional wisdom is thatOviethe Caps areis officially no longernot yet inCrosby’sthe Penquins class. Regular seasons be damned.
FTFY
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Apr 27, 2010 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions
No he had it right the first time, how many 20 goal scorers do you have on your team again? How many points did the Caps have this year? What seed are they, this year and last year? The answer to all those questions are more than the Penguins. Clearly as a team they have done better, statistically of course, we’ll see how better they have done progressing in the playoffs tomorrow…not sure how this is still debated.
It’s time you just accept that Crosby is just an all around better player, and even proved to be a just as good scorer this year all just because he decided to work on that part of his game in the short off season he had.
I’m not even going to be nice about it: go fuck a porcupine
Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
Donate to the Rink Pledge Drive for SAVES FOR KIDS, PLAYOFF EDITION!
by RedBirdie on Apr 27, 2010 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions 10 recs
Okay, but in what universe are the failings of the various 20 goal scorers the fault of the 50 goal scorer who’s playing his guts out. When Malkin when AWOL in stretches of past playoff series, would you have honestly blamed Crosby for that?
"That's hockey. You never know what's going to happen. It's a tough sport. No tooth, a broken nose, but I'm looking good [laughs]." - #8
by 80eight on Apr 27, 2010 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Malkin going AWOL is clearly, somehow, Ovechkin’s fault. Failure to get every Russian in the NHL to play up to potential, or some such.
Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
Donate to the Rink Pledge Drive for SAVES FOR KIDS, PLAYOFF EDITION!
Russians are notorious for dissapearing acts, Malkin included. I’ll take a Canadian over Russian any day.
Huzzah, xenophobia!
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Apr 27, 2010 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
Whew, thank God for generalizations.
Sincerely,
Joe Thornton
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Apr 27, 2010 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Wow. Just, wow.
Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
Donate to the Rink Pledge Drive for SAVES FOR KIDS, PLAYOFF EDITION!
Does this mean I need to have an engraving corrected?
Yours truely,
Conn Smyth Trophy
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Apr 27, 2010 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Your team sucks without Gonchar and Malkin.
I look to the future because that's where I'm going to spend the rest of my life.
by zephyr on Apr 27, 2010 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
….Don, is that you?
"That's hockey. You never know what's going to happen. It's a tough sport. No tooth, a broken nose, but I'm looking good [laughs]." - #8
by 80eight on Apr 27, 2010 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Let him score 50 again and then we’ll talk and be plus 40.
And I’m glad he scored in the gold medal game, so people wouldn’t ask him why he was invisible for the previous three games.
I’m not saying this is reality or not, but that will be the tidal wave of sentiment from the traditional sources…
Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.
No he had it right the first time, how many 20 goal scorers do you have on your team again? How many points did the Caps have this year? What seed are they, this year and last year? The answer to all those questions are more than the Penguins. Clearly as a team they have done better, statistically of course, we’ll see how better they have done progressing in the playoffs tomorrow…not sure how this is still debated.
This part of your post says the Capitals are better than the Penguins.
Clearly as a team they have done better, statistically of course, we’ll see how better they have done progressing in the playoffs tomorrow
The Penguins have done better in the playoffs, clearly.
It’s time you just accept that Crosby is just an all around better player, and even proved to be a just as good scorer this year all just because he decided to work on that part of his game in the short off season he had.
Whoop-de-do, he scored one more goal in around 10 more games played. Does not make him the better player (it’s the only evidence you’re giving right now—we like facts and evidence).
Nor do team achievements make Crosby better.
Anyways, irrelevant here, so I won’t press the point.
Cидни Kросби: Александр Oвечкин, он твой папа теперь
Capitals Coming: for Capitals fans who can bear reading something less intelligent than a story at Japers' Rink
by red army line on Apr 27, 2010 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
The point is when we talk about who’s the better player Crosby people show a Stanley Cup and a Gold medal, team awards…so obviously they don’t count silly me. OV people mention all the individual awards, which are clearly the most important part of the game. Individual awards are in some respects team awards, if he didn’t have a supporting cast that was pretty good he wouldn’t have all those points, same with Gretzky or Lemieux, you can’t have 1 star and 20 bums and expect the star to win every game, dosen’t work that way. This conversation can go on and on forever about who’s better but the game is played for a Stanley Cup not individual awards, and the Caps team has proven last year and especially this year with thier steamroll through the regular season that thier team is just as good, and in my opinion better than the Penguins. OV is the captain it’s his job to get them through the tough times and elevate his game and elevate his teamates. Until he does he will not be as good, hope he enjoys his little trophies.
sigh
If you swap Crosby and Ovechkin, with Ovechkin playing on Canada, and Crosby playing on Russia, Canada still wins, and it still doesn’t solve any debate that will rage for 10 years about which player is better.
Please, contribute something worthwhile, or go away.
Because now I can justify browsing and commenting during the work day with the argument that I am promoting my business.
by Sombrero Guy on Apr 27, 2010 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions
here’s hoping.
Because now I can justify browsing and commenting during the work day with the argument that I am promoting my business.
by Sombrero Guy on Apr 27, 2010 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Claude Lemieux is better than Mario Lemieux!
Suck balls you hack. You either have no sense of timing or you’re just a complete asshole. Either way, I invite you to the next Japers’ Rink pick up game. Don’t have skates? Can’t really play hockey? Doesn’t matter. You’d get through one shift at most.
I waited all year for this?
by Rob Parker on Apr 27, 2010 6:09 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Crosby didn’t win the Stanley Cup, the Pittsburgh Penguins did. Crosby wasn’t even the best player in the playoffs last year, it was his RUSSIAN teammate Evgeni Malkin.
Likewise, Crosby didn’t win the gold medal, Team Canada did. Crosby wasn’t even the best player of the Olympic tournament as that honor went to Team USA goalie Ryan Miller.
So…you can’t say Crosby is a better player than Ovie because of the Stanley Cup or gold medal. Swap Ovie with Crosby on both teams and Ovie would be a Stanley Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist. He’d also still be the Hart trophy winner as league MVP, and still the best PLAYER in the NHL now.
by Ovietracker on Apr 27, 2010 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Just because most people say it doesn’t mean it’s right. Weren’t people saying that Malkin is a disappearing act? Wrong. That Ovechkin doesn’t backcheck? Wrong. That Crosby is a whiner? Wrong. That Fleury is too inconsistent? Wrong. That Letang and Goligoski are all O? Wrong. That Green is all O? Wrong. And so on.
Cидни Kросби: Александр Oвечкин, он твой папа теперь
Capitals Coming: for Capitals fans who can bear reading something less intelligent than a story at Japers' Rink
by red army line on Apr 28, 2010 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions
Malkin has been inconsistent this year, Ovechkin is steady on that blue line cherry picking, Crosby talks (whines) to the refs just as much as anyone what about Ovechkins crying the other night, Fluery does let in soft goals and it pisses me off, Letang is alot of O and Can’t-hit-the-goligoski is a liability, Green is definitely a defensive joke he’s a winger who decided to call himself a defenseman, just be a winger and get it over with.
by JasonGoPens on Apr 28, 2010 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Stop trolling or get lost.
Only YOU can prevent idiots from commenting!
by Knee high to a duck on Apr 28, 2010 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions
right, the caps as a TEAM are not where the pens are right now when it comes to playing in the playoffs. thats my point. its not ovie vs sid, its caps v pens. pens put together a better team around sid earlier on and it has paid off so far. caps were the better regular season team this year as of yet have not put together a team that has the playoff success of the pens.
we can argue whos better, ov or crosby, and we’ll both be right. the post said ov is not in sid’s class and i say it more about team than the individual player. sid has made himself a better goal scorer and ov has made himself a better assist man. ov still would have led in all categories had he played a full season.
both do well in the playoffs individually. but the caps as a team have not, yet. why? dont know. would love to find out.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Apr 27, 2010 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The Caps blow this, and Ovi starts to look like Dan Marino, the skill guy with all the nice numbers, to Crosby’s Joe Montana, the guy with all the rings. (Even though I think of Ovie as much more the Brett Favre of hockey).
Luckily Ovie will still have a long career ahead of him (knock on wood) to disprove this myth.
"By far the worst performers on the team are in the front office." – Sally Jenkins
Alex Ovechkin is twenty-four years old. Go look up how old Michael Jordan was when he won his first NBA title.
by sixsevenfiftysix on Apr 27, 2010 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions
There’ll be another $4m goal for the Caps in this game 7. Courtesy of Backstrom, who will now command a $11.5m salary.
President and sole member of the Erskine lobby.
I think that’s more than league max.
Cидни Kросби: Александр Oвечкин, он твой папа теперь
Capitals Coming: for Capitals fans who can bear reading something less intelligent than a story at Japers' Rink
by red army line on Apr 27, 2010 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions
I think that’s right about 20% of next year’s cap, the last I read.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
I remember reading about Kovalchuk wanting the max at $11m, fwiw.
Anyways, I hope Backstrom doesn’t want that much.
Cидни Kросби: Александр Oвечкин, он твой папа теперь
Capitals Coming: for Capitals fans who can bear reading something less intelligent than a story at Japers' Rink
by red army line on Apr 27, 2010 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions
I think everyone knows that neither of us is serious about that.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
Whatever. Who cares about all this?? We won the prezidents trophy, bitchez!!!11
by katzistan on Apr 27, 2010 1:04 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Sens fan in disguise/
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
by Karina on Apr 27, 2010 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions
I love this team too much...
I cried last night and didn’t go to school today. If we lose Game 7 I’m terrified my head may self-implode.
We have to get to the net and throw Halak off is game.
Maybe they’ll start Price?
by DaGreatOvechkin on Apr 27, 2010 1:05 PM EDT reply actions
Can anyone explain why we didn’t give Walker a shot last nite? Now what, throw him in cold/rusty for Game 7? Who’s likely to replace Poti? Puckhandling & speed, please!
by LangwayWasTheKing on Apr 27, 2010 1:05 PM EDT reply actions
We just picked up Walker to lock up the President’s Trophy.
But Brawndo's got what plants crave. It's got electrolytes.
by hotdog88gt on Apr 27, 2010 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
has Walker played at all in the playoffs?
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
by Karina on Apr 27, 2010 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Can anyone explain why we didn’t give Walker a shot last nite?
Because, clearly, Tomas Fleischmann was ready to break out.
by David Getz on Apr 27, 2010 5:57 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
….in hives.
Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.
by macvechkin on Apr 27, 2010 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The chance he blew last night was better than any of the other chances he had in the series. That’s improvement…right?
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Apr 27, 2010 7:44 PM EDT up reply actions
That’s being discussed over in the Clips post, FYI.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
For you lovers of history:
In the history of best-of-7 NHL playoff series from 1939 through 2009, teams playing Game 7 on home ice have an 80-49 (.620) Game 7 record overall and a 28-19 (.596) Preliminary-round Game 7 record.
Who Wins
I think if the Caps can score the first goal it will be huge. It will get the crowd into it and it should help relax the players and maybe they won’t squeeze their sticks so tight. OTH if Montreal scores the first goal it could be a long night.
I have confidence in the team and it is inconceivable to me that they will lose three in a row to the Canadiens and lose 3 games at home. In short, I believe the Caps will win tomorrow night.
Proud to be a Caps fan. Its a Great Day for Hockey.
er, forgot
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Apr 27, 2010 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions
I hate going to Game 7’s but tomorrow I will be there. It’s time to do this.
"the other day on sportscenter they said something along the lines of "the capitals score so much tiger woods is jealous" haha had me laughing hard while i was eating my cereal"
I hate going to Game 7’s and will not be there tomorrow. I’ve never been to one. I can’t do it.
Rink Rabbit & newest member of TySlo's fan club.
I was thinking of bailing out too. It is too stressfull and I don’t enjoy the experience. But I am riding this one to the end. I’ll be there.
You are not the only one. Almost 2000 tix available on ticketexchange.
Oh ye of little faith, myself included.
What????
If I lived there, I’d be going to the game
by L A Vikes Fan on Apr 28, 2010 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions
I was told “reduce stress.” which means no hockey tomorrow.
Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
Donate to the Rink Pledge Drive for SAVES FOR KIDS, PLAYOFF EDITION!
Isn’t it less stressful to watch than not to watch? It would kill me to not know the score while the game was going on.
Rink Rabbit & newest member of TySlo's fan club.
I’ll find something to do, something that doesn’t involved TVs anywhere close to me, leave the cellphones at home so I’m not tempted to check scores, all of that. What I’m going to do, I don’t know. But when I had a panic attack in the car, listening to the game on the radio, I knew my relationship with hockey had crossed into the “unhealthy” territory. doc confirmed that. I’d rather not have a stress-induced heart attack before I turn 30.
Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
Donate to the Rink Pledge Drive for SAVES FOR KIDS, PLAYOFF EDITION!
I think it should be you’d
rather not have a stress-induced heart attack beforeI turn 30the SC is in DC.
that too. (well, I’d rather not have any sort of heart attack at all…..)
Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
Donate to the Rink Pledge Drive for SAVES FOR KIDS, PLAYOFF EDITION!
you really aren’t going to go?
by alright alright alright on Apr 27, 2010 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Nope, never been to a Game 7. Trust me, I’d be too nervous to enjoy it anyways.
Rink Rabbit & newest member of TySlo's fan club.
Been there, done that
I’ve been to game 7s before, the last one the most stressful, in 2001. I was a Colorado Avalanche season ticket holder then, and got to go to Game 7 of the SC Finals vs the NJ Devils. It was tense and stressful the entire game—before, during and between periods. I can’t imagine what it would have been like if the Avs failed, after winning the Presidents’ Trophy and dedicating the season and playoffs to winning for Ray Bourque. Fortunately I didn’t have to endure that sort of agony; there was only sublime ecstasy as the Avs came through and I got to see RB hoist Lord Stanley.
I wish I had the opportunity to be there. You guys are spoiled. I live in Asia and have to follow the play by play on ESPN Gamecast. But you can be sure I’ll be online first thing Thursday morning, beers at the ready to either celebrate or drown my sorrows.
"Don’t put your beer in the microwave, eh. It’ll boil."-Bob McKenzie
The Caps have never lost a playoff game I’ve attended(3-0), and I’ll be putting that record on the line tomorrow night.
You had me at no problem.
by Ninjak on Apr 27, 2010 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
here’s to hoping your streak continues
Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
Donate to the Rink Pledge Drive for SAVES FOR KIDS, PLAYOFF EDITION!
A friend of mine attended the Philly game 7, the Penguins game 7, but not the Rangers game 7.
He doesn’t have tickets for tomorrow’s game.
by TFG on Apr 27, 2010 1:28 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
sorry, i was there for philly and pens, but not rags. i will be there tomorrow. i’m due…
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Apr 27, 2010 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Can you stay in the turtle? lol
"the other day on sportscenter they said something along the lines of "the capitals score so much tiger woods is jealous" haha had me laughing hard while i was eating my cereal"
no, but i’ll be in the fetal position if they lose…
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Apr 27, 2010 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions
btw, i was there for cap/isles back in the day too….i’m really really due.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Apr 27, 2010 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Ok, I’ll buy your beers if you stay in the Turtle.
"the other day on sportscenter they said something along the lines of "the capitals score so much tiger woods is jealous" haha had me laughing hard while i was eating my cereal"
imports?
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Apr 27, 2010 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I attended all three games and will be going tomorrow. What does that mean? Also, I might have walked under 7 ladders last night and I threw a black cat off the roof of the Verizon center. While some milk was boiling over I sneezed and knocked over some salt…
I look to the future because that's where I'm going to spend the rest of my life.
by zephyr on Apr 27, 2010 1:40 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
But no mirrors broken? We’re cool.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
And you dyed your hair a ridiculous color of red. I’m cool w/ it but don’t have to chirp us for what we do/believe in.
"the other day on sportscenter they said something along the lines of "the capitals score so much tiger woods is jealous" haha had me laughing hard while i was eating my cereal"
by highslot84 on Apr 27, 2010 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
What’s your point? I believe in hair and you don’t? (is that why your avatar is of Bruce?)
My hair has nothing to do with anything other than showing fan support, like wearing a jersey.
And that wasn’t chirping, this is: if you’re thick enough to actually believe in superstitions I can poke fun at them. It’s a small minded way of trying to cope with large issues and pretending to have some semblance of control.
I look to the future because that's where I'm going to spend the rest of my life.
by zephyr on Apr 27, 2010 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I am bringing a potential good luck charm tomorrow. No family was available for game 7 of the Rangers series last year, so I brought a friend. We won. She’s coming tomorrow night.
"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."
I had to buy a ticket on the exchange today to attend game 7 with my fellow addicts.
We win – drink a little and work Thur. Lose – try to keep away from high ledges.
by LangwayWasTheKing on Apr 27, 2010 1:41 PM EDT reply actions
Maybe Montreal will somehow sign Redden
and you guys can sign Federov and it can be glory again
Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers the only NHL team with three home arenas.
"We can trade Lisin for a gun, then hold it to Drury’s head and make him waive the no-movement clause" - XLII
good ideas. they do have paul mara making the trip. as bad as caps fans will feel if they lose tomorrow, how will rags fans feel knowing you are the only team we CAN beat in the playoffs…
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Apr 27, 2010 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s sad that I wish the NHL worked the way that conspiracy theorists thinks it does. Then we’d know Bettman would fix Game 7 like he fixed Crosby winning the Cup last year.
The next day or so will be torture.
no this is a conspiracy to keep the series going cuz it is montreal plus the nhl wants the caps being tired going into the next series
Follow me on twitter at Lancers25 i give insight on every sport. but hockey mostly
anyone else in full panic mode untill tomorrow?
Follow me on twitter at Lancers25 i give insight on every sport. but hockey mostly
I just had a guy at the office (I live out of the area) assure me they were going to win tomorrow. Not a Caps fan or anything, just likes hockey. I said thanks, but that doesn’t remove this feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.
I have the Yotes to worry about tonight, so no panic until tomorrow. I won’t truly panic unless the Caps surrender the first goal. Then it will be panic time.
"You ever use smelling salts, every time you type a bad blog?" Brooks Laich
Bring these...
It’s a link to a .pdf that prints clean at 8.5×11 or 11×17 – print out a bunch and pass them around, and LET’S GO, CAPS!
Credit to J.P. for providing the original image, and to jordanDC for the vectorizing website that I used. :-)
Photography: I Rock the Red
Twitter: @IRockTheRed
E-mail: irockthered {at} gmail {dot} com
by IRockTheRed on Apr 27, 2010 2:55 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
That's what we need.
In many ways this is a crisis of faith. Crisis that the same shots that you shot during the regular season will eventually go in at some point if you play the system and don’t let the Midgets inside of your mind. We can do our best as a fan base by offering conditional faith. Stay out of the box, play solid defense, and come out with energy from your Red Faithful and you will eventually achieve offensive success.
A real American hero...taking down Habs one game at a time
who starts tomorrow
theo or varly?
Follow me on twitter at Lancers25 i give insight on every sport. but hockey mostly
Theo, so the fairy tale season can continue and 15 columns can be written about how Boudreau is the king of clutch gut decisions.
I really have no clue, but goaltending is not a major issue at the moment. /sigh Our problems aren’t that simple to solve.
Theo — unless something else has changed. Montreal’s game plan is to get a two goal lead and set a trap defense. When Theo crashed, he crashed fast enough that bringing in Varly gave the bench a spark. In the last two games, when Varly’s given up two goals early in the first, he’s stayed in, the offense has gotten too cute, and the trap ends up being suffocating.
If the results will be the same no matter who’s in goal, let the veteran be the target. Advancing to round two would give Varly enough time to fight another day. Letting a three games to one series lead slip away might be harder on Varly’s long term confidence than Theo’s.
Price a flanché, cette fois devant le tsar lui-même, Alex Ovechkin.
I don’t see how it can be hard on his confidence knowing your #1 offense in years would have needed you to shut out the other team in both of the 2 chances to close out the series.
Everything ends badly...otherwise it wouldn't end.
by Davethecapsfan on Apr 27, 2010 7:23 PM EDT up reply actions
If the goalie can’t trust the offense/PP/defense in the first ten minutes of the game in games 5, 6 and 7 of a series when they’re playing the eighth seed, I think it doesn’t give a good narrative when we’re trying to predict next season’s playoffs based on this year’s results.
Price a flanché, cette fois devant le tsar lui-même, Alex Ovechkin.
If the goalie can’t trust the offense/PP/defense to show up in the first ten minutes….
Price a flanché, cette fois devant le tsar lui-même, Alex Ovechkin.
Hard to blame the team for a puck breaking Belanger’s stick and deflecting straight over to Cammalleri. Then a few minutes later another shot off his stick deflecting off Gordo. The big thing in my mind is that Varly kept them in each game at 2-0, making some big stops along the way in doing so. Granted in the 3rd last night it went to 3-0…but you could feel that coming after so many chances stopped by Halak or gone by the wayside.
Everything ends badly...otherwise it wouldn't end.
by Davethecapsfan on Apr 27, 2010 7:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Jesus, it sounds like no one is going to the game! That’s friggen depressing, I’d be there in a heartbeat if I could! I really hope there aren’t empty seats or too many Habs fans there…
Caps fan trapped in Ragsland
by mrszilla on Apr 27, 2010 4:32 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I’ve been hearing the same thing (here and on CI)… which makes me a little sad, but hopeful that I can find some tickets for my parents to be able to go! Know of anyone selling lower bowl tickets they don’t want to use? For roughly close to face value? It’d make a sweet birthday present for my dad.
by Caps Fan and a Texan on Apr 27, 2010 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions
I really can’t believe what I’ve been hearing all day from the Rinkers. So much doom and despair! The Caps are HUGE favorites to win tomorrow, and there is nothing to dissuade me from thinking that.
I can’t imagine them losing on home ice , where they’ve been so specatacular, to a team that was so bloody average all year.
Take heart, my friends. The dam will break. The goals will come, not a moment too soon, admittedly, but they will come. So many quality opportunities cannot be denied – with so many great chances, they will score goals.
I can’t imagine them losing on home ice for the third time in four games , where they’ve been sospecatacularless than average in this series, to a team thatwas so bloody average all year.played the Caps very competitively in nearly every game during the regular season and so far in the first round
Look, snarkiness aside, I do, in fact, like the Caps in Game 7 at home versus a team that I just don’t see stringing along three straight top-notch must-win games. However, the Caps have fueled the Doubt Mobile with high octane fuel in this first round series and I don’t begrudge people their iffiness going into this last game of the series.
"That's hockey. You never know what's going to happen. It's a tough sport. No tooth, a broken nose, but I'm looking good [laughs]." - #8
Might I suggest the tranquil sounds of Charlie and Dave???
This is the kind of 48hour period where you need good old 162 game boring baseball to help fill the emptiness and keep you off the ledge. Nats are due to win one and regular season baseball commands attention but not investment, something that can help Caps nation get through this trying hour.
A real American hero...taking down Habs one game at a time
Could part of the problem with the Caps be the following? The fact that their bad history has gotten so much publicity over the years that it’s gotten into the guys’ heads and they’re playing “tight” and nervous as a result.
The fact that the team and their fans are always “waiting for the other shoe to drop”, so to speak.
Rocking the Red since 1975
I think it’s the opposite. I think the Caps had total tunnel vision with the Cup, and totally overlooked the need to win the first round, and learning to walk in the playoffs before they tried to run.
The Daily Forehand -- SB Nation's Tennis Destination.
Broad Street Hockey.
by Ben Rothenberg on Apr 27, 2010 7:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Maybe your theory was right at the beginning of the playoffs but as the playoffs progressed, the “bad history” thing is getting into their heads.
Rocking the Red since 1975
I don’t believe that for a second. That stuff’s left for worried fans.
by mechanicsville on Apr 27, 2010 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions
Love the Wizard of Oz Reference
Brains, courage, and heart. The Caps will need all of this and more to prevail tomorrow night. They certainly have the talent, and they will have the home crowd behind them. But will they have the desire and the will to do what has to be done to win? I predict we’ll know in the first 10 minutes what these Caps are really made of.
I can’t stand the stress and anticipation leading up to the puck drop. Bring it, and let’s get this thing done and over with no matter what. Put me out of my misery.
Tickets purchased.
I think I’ll spend the night watching highlights from the good games over the last 2 playoff runs. Feds’ winner in heavy rotation.
Everything ends badly...otherwise it wouldn't end.
Game Seven Anxiety
I’ve been reading through this thread and it seems like a few of us are so afraid that the Caps may blow it that they will not go to game 7 or even watch it. I can’t understand this. In any sports playoff game 7 is the ultimate! Win or lose. I was at the 4 overtime game 7 playoff against the Islanders, and even though we lost my son and I had a memory that will last forever. You never know what will happen. That’s the excitement! It’s a sport, not life or death. I just don’t understand how anyone could pass up the opportunity to be there tomorrow. Go Caps.
"Don’t put your beer in the microwave, eh. It’ll boil."-Bob McKenzie
6:30 in the morning and I can’t sleep. This damn game is literally the only thing on my mind. Hopefully that means one of two things: They win and we move on to 3 more potential game 7’s Woohoo! OR they lose and I don’t think about hockey for the next 5 months. Either way, I will have a ton of weight lifted off my shoulders…
~~~ R0cK D@ R3D ~~~
by Chaz-Capapalooza on Apr 28, 2010 6:31 AM EDT reply actions
Congratulations, JP
I noticed “Real Clear Sports” linked to this blog this morning. Of course they cited “Jasper’s Rink” as the source.
"Don’t put your beer in the microwave, eh. It’ll boil."-Bob McKenzie
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