Day 3 of Camp.

by icehammer97 on Sep 19, 2011 1:55 PM EDT

Bruce Boudreau may not want the media to look into his camp lines too much but the fact that yet again Marcus Johansson was centering Alex Ovechkin and Mike Knuble while Nicklas Backstrom was between Alex Semin and Brooks Laich does raise some questions. Those questions remained when at the end of that groups session they did some power play work with Semin moving up to the top line with Ovichkin and MoJo with the second set being Backstrom, Laich, and Knuble.

Also with the, who is the first line center aspect it was interesting to see Ovechkin off the point on the power play and down low. The two pairing on the back end were Mike Green and Chris Bourque, who was out for his second session of the day, with the second pairing being Patrick McNeill and Brett Flemming. Bourque was likely taking the play of Roman Hamrlik, who did skate with group C, since he is a left handed shot and had 15 power play points last season with Montreal averaging 2:33 in power play time per game. The power play also moved much more then the Caps power play has in the past and was employing a lot more 4 skaters below the top of the circle looks with only one player at the point. There also was a lot less of one player holding the puck and a lot more puck movement which should help the power play regain some of the magic it had two years ago.

Tomorrow will be interesting as with the first preseason game being in Baltimore Coach Boudreau has said a lot of the NHL players will be on that roster so it could be the best look we get in the preseason at what the opening night roster might look like.

How do you make Joel Ward 6'2" look big? Put him on a line with Chris Bourque 5'8" and Mathieu Perreault 5'10"

Ovie out checking his edges before his session

Ovie shooting

Not as many pictures as day 1 but more here http://s365.photobucket.com/albums/oo98/icehammer97/Camp%20Day%203/

Day 1 here http://s365.photobucket.com/albums/oo98/icehammer97/Camp%20Day%201/

If this FanPost is written by someone other than one of the blog's editors, the opinions expressed in it do not necessarily reflect those of this blog or SB Nation.

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Interesting to hear about the PP; that sounds like a definite positive development.

Thanks again for reporting from camp, I’m always interested (and will always read) tactical insight and observations. Keep up the good work!

"Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful" George E.P. Box

I have $50 to Olie's autism charity or So Kids Can and a beer on the under for 50/57/107 as AO's final stat line for 2011-'12

by Knee high to a duck on Sep 19, 2011 3:04 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks. Right now I am between jobs and this is helping me put together some writing samples for the next possible job.

by icehammer97 on Sep 19, 2011 7:54 PM EDT up reply actions

It would be fun to see Dima Orlov on one of those PP groups, no?

You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!

by EmilyB on Sep 19, 2011 3:42 PM EDT reply actions

it was interesting to see Ovechkin off the point on the power play and down low.

This makes me happy.

We’ve got too many heroes. We need some monsters.
- The Jade Donkey

by Baildog on Sep 19, 2011 4:13 PM EDT reply actions

Forgot to mention on other thing. I noticed Alzner is back with a half shield after talking about the possibility of going without one. A very wise move in my mind.

by icehammer97 on Sep 19, 2011 7:20 PM EDT reply actions