The Noon Number

by J.P. on Jan 10, 2012 12:00 PM EST in The Noon Number

13 - Consecutive games the Caps have lost (0-12-1) when Alex Ovechkin has failed to register a point. (The last game the team won without getting a point from their captain was the fourth game of the season, a 2-1 win over Ottawa, which was the second time this season that a pointless Ovechkin was able to celebrate a victory. In 2010-11, the Caps were 6-14-7 in those games.)

Tweet Comment 29 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

That’s an awful lot of weight to be set upon one pair of shoulders. In 1948, there was a poem written about the Boston Braves baseball team that went:

First we’ll use Spahn
then we’ll use Sain
Then an off day
followed by rain
Back will come Spahn
followed by Sain
And followed
we hope
by two days of rain.

It was later shortened to “Spahn and Sain, pray for rain.”

At least the Braves had two guys. What do you do with Alex Ovechkin, if it is a case of he scores, or the Caps lose?… “Alex and…uh…uh…hope the ice melts?”

If you've read this far...seek help.

by ThePeerless on Jan 10, 2012 12:08 PM EST reply actions

“Ovi and Nick and then there’s dick.”

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 10, 2012 12:09 PM EST up reply actions 10 recs

Point being, it’s easy to call AO a “coach killer” or say he’s suddenly an average player or whatever, but the fact of the matter is that his teammates haven’t exactly picked up any slack he’s yielded, whether we’re talking about the goalies or the secondary scorers. This team is where it is as a team.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 10, 2012 12:18 PM EST reply actions

This was also the case in the playoff losses. If Ovi didn’t score, there was no “secondary” scoring happening.

Does this influence how teams play the Caps? If you shut down Ovi, that’s the game usually, right?

by kingbonehead on Jan 10, 2012 12:34 PM EST up reply actions

It’s an unmitigated disaster. Semin gets fed soft minutes, makes $6.7m, and has a dozen even-strength points in 36 games when he’s not with Ovechkin (which, btw, has been roughly 70% of the time).

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 10, 2012 1:03 PM EST up reply actions

Semin was pretty bad last night

It was disappointing to think he can’t see the bug picture. Green and Backstrom home, he cant raise his game. It almost seemed at points he was trying too hard and making easy mistakes. Missed passed flubbing the puck and grabbing the puck. I mean, come on, man! I saw that from the other end of the ice clear s day. Very disappointing.

by brettpedigo on Jan 10, 2012 1:35 PM EST up reply actions

He was also plus-two.

But yes, he’s not a guy I’ve seen raise his game when it needs to be raised, and not one who has really produced in anything other than a secondary role (i.e. when he’s not the focal point).

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 10, 2012 1:45 PM EST up reply actions

You must be forgetting the World Championship gold medal. He was the leading scorer. That’s raising his game, right?

Please, call me F&B.

by Rob Parker on Jan 10, 2012 2:13 PM EST up reply actions

Raising his game? Sure. Producing in something other than a secondary role? Nyet.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 10, 2012 2:22 PM EST up reply actions

Semin

Well there is 19 other players on the team and I haven’t see anybody else really step it up.Boudreau never held anybody acccountable for the actions on the ice and that transferred into a free for all.Remember when Hunter benched Semin for 2 games and then he came back playing like a mad man.If anybody can turn Semin around it’s Hunter. Watching last nights game there was a handful of players skating and the others were just along for the ride.It seems like we have enough good players to make 21/2 lines and the others need to pick it up or go.

by Caps Fan since 84 on Jan 10, 2012 7:16 PM EST up reply actions

Well there is 19 other players on the team and I haven’t see anybody else really step it up

Chimera hasn’t?

And I think we’d both agree that more is expected of certain guys by virtue of their salaries.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 10, 2012 7:58 PM EST up reply actions

Chimera has but then you look at someone like Matt Perreault who skates really hard but doesn’t accomplish much and Joel Ward. just to name a few You have the inside scoop on a lot more information than I do,is there any silver lining to this team.I read on Bleacher Report that the Caps could offer one of there first round picks,Jeff Shultz and someone from Hershey for Rick Nash and another player to be named later. It would be nice but I think it’s just wishful thinking. Thank you for your time and your response and will be looking forward to your articles.Smells Caps

by Caps Fan since 84 on Jan 10, 2012 8:41 PM EST up reply actions

On TV, I remember thinking that Semin actually looked pretty okay. He was moving his feet and creating some chances.

On the topic of the Nooner – when the Caps give up 5 goals, it ain’t on Ovechkin, unless he was responsible for the breakdowns.

"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
And on Pekka Rinne's PK SV% dropping under .920 by the end of the '12 season

by Knee high to a duck on Jan 10, 2012 1:48 PM EST up reply actions

I saw him make a couple slick takeaways from behind in the 1st. I didn’t notice him nearly as much in the 2nd though.

Failure is always an option.

by timmyv38 on Jan 10, 2012 2:24 PM EST up reply actions

I cannot recall a more ineffectual player who has points in eight of nine games (5-6-11). His ability to make a difference is way out of proportion to his skill level.

If you've read this far...seek help.

by ThePeerless on Jan 10, 2012 1:50 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

In four post seasons, the Caps have scored a total of 101 goals. Ovechkin has figured in the scoring for 50 of them: 25 goals, 25 assists in 37 games. It breaks down like this:

2008: 20 goals total/9 involving Ovechkin
2009: 41/21
2010: 17/10
2011: 23/10

It would be hard to ask more of the guy on that stage.

If you've read this far...seek help.

by ThePeerless on Jan 10, 2012 1:48 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

… in aggregate.

I do agree with you, but, especially with regards to that Montreal series, the aggregate numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 10, 2012 1:52 PM EST up reply actions

Neither do the 2011 numbers, but it would be hard for any player to sustain without interruption that high a level of performance, especially a non-center, for whom playmaking opportunities are somewhat more limited.

If you've read this far...seek help.

by ThePeerless on Jan 10, 2012 2:09 PM EST up reply actions

Yep. I just get a little edgy when the implication is that he was great against Montreal. He was. At times. But I still hold his sleepy first ten minutes of Game 5 out as the moment the S.S. Caps hit the iceberg and began to take on water.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 10, 2012 2:24 PM EST up reply actions

Even Conn Smythe winners are rarely putting up non-stop points throughout the entire playoffs. The difference is that in those games when they are producing their teammates pick up the slack.

Release the Mackan!

by Killer_Carlson on Jan 10, 2012 3:33 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Prove it.

Please, call me F&B.

by Rob Parker on Jan 10, 2012 3:39 PM EST up reply actions

If you want to call Ovi’s series against the Habs “great” across the board, that’s where we’ll part company, my friend.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 10, 2012 3:42 PM EST up reply actions

I’m not sure how you got that from my comment. I’m saying that no player is “great across the board” in the playoffs, and thus it’s not realistic to hold AO (or anyone) to that standard. AO has just rarely gotten assistance from his teammates when he is not great. That difference is why a Crosby or Malkin can disappear for games or a series and still win a Cup.

AO hasn’t been great in every one of his playoff games, but I think it is fair to say that he has been a great playoff performer to date. His down games/series have just rarely been masked by someone else on the team stepping up.

Release the Mackan!

by Killer_Carlson on Jan 10, 2012 4:18 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, I agree with all of that. But I’d add that his most notable down game – or down ten minutes – was at the start of a home game when his team had a 3-1 series lead and he was the lead-by-example captain… who came out flatter than milk, which directly led to two goals against.

But absolutely agree with you that he’s, by and large, been a great playoff performer who hasn’t gotten shit for support from most of his ’mates.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 10, 2012 4:30 PM EST up reply actions

Its quite telling on its own too, even as I think “I wonder what that stat is like for other team’s super stars” and then I just look at Pitt, who not only don’t have points from Crosby, hes not even on the ice (to take up other team’s best defenders’ time, etc.).

While I still think Ovie is playing exceedingly below expectations, and thats putting it lightly, its easy to tell that this is not a good “team” by any stretch.

by feeya7 on Jan 10, 2012 2:02 PM EST up reply actions

In the last 13 games that Sid has played but hasn’t scored, the Pens are 3-7-3. Of course, that also dates back beyond mid-October of this season… to March, 2010.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 10, 2012 2:04 PM EST up reply actions

Help

Is there anybody down in Hershey that is hungry and wants a shot at the big league.Is there any trade rumors on who the Caps might be looking at.Watching the game last night there was at least 5 guys that just didn’t belong there or didn’t want to be there.When we play our 4th line they seem useless.Does anybody have any answers? I feel sorry for Dale Hunter to have to baby sit some of these players. Boston can roll with 4 lines that can hit,score and check and I can’t imagine what they would do to us in the playoffs.I know there is plenty of hockey left but with the Caps you never know what team is going to show up. Sincerely- Smells Caps

by Caps Fan since 84 on Jan 10, 2012 3:37 PM EST reply actions 1 recs