The Noon Number

by Becca H on Jan 16, 2012 12:01 PM EST in The Noon Number

58 - Number of days that passed between the last time the Caps were in first in the Southeast Division (November 18, 2011) and last night, when they regained the division lead thanks to their 2-1 win over division rival Carolina. The two points moved the Caps into a tie with Florida at 50 but Washington holds the top spot thanks to more regulation/overtime wins (23 to Florida's 19).

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Mediocre record and top of the division.

Yay! We’re the Broncos of hockey!

by Brainumbc on Jan 16, 2012 12:09 PM EST reply actions

I thought it was the Giants who had the mediocre record/top of the division role in football, rather than the Broncos, but point taken.

Admit we look mediocre. But we at least have more ROW than Ottawa and NJ who have more “points”.

Rocking the Red for teams on the banks of the Potomac and at the Gateway Arch and Singing the Blues about Hockey.

by CapsFan75 on Jan 16, 2012 2:26 PM EST up reply actions

I didn’t even notice the division lead until this morning. I’ve missed most of the games the last month. Been so busy it’s been a couple weeks since I looked up at Florida and tried to figure out how fast we would catch them. Didn’t think it was happen this fast.

Not bad. More comforting than seeing an 8 game losing streak and 3/4 the season to catch Tampa Bay

by Brainumbc on Jan 16, 2012 5:52 PM EST up reply actions

Hooray

Sweet!! These next 5 games will be big. 3 very winnable games, then off to Pittsburgh, then the real measuring stick, Bruins at home before the break.

We are going to need someone other then Vokoun to step up and get to the break with the division lead.

Any ideas when Backstrom might be back?

by JRJD928 on Jan 16, 2012 12:23 PM EST via mobile reply actions

I much rather have backstrom after the ASG break, just to be on the safe side. Besides, we’re wining w/o him, somehow.

What doesnt kill you makes you stronger.

by BetterOffWith28 on Jan 16, 2012 12:29 PM EST up reply actions

Call me crazy… but both Washington and Florida both have 50 points out of a possible 86 points… which I’m pretty sure means they have the same points percentage.

I think the relevant tie-breaker is the second one:

The greater number of games won, excluding games won in the Shootout. This figure is reflected in the ROW column.

Caps have 23 ROW vs 19 for Florida.

I am a hockey fan first, and a Caps fan second.

by iwearstripes on Jan 16, 2012 12:56 PM EST reply actions

…that’s what I meant, thanks. I was flipping between the tiebreaker section of NHL.com’s standings page and this post and must have read that as being part of the ROW note.

The definition of being a Caps fan is watching the same team over and over and expecting different results.

by Becca H on Jan 16, 2012 1:09 PM EST up reply actions

Points percentage is just another way of explaining how a team with games in hand is ranked above a team with the same number of points in the standings.

by discuit on Jan 16, 2012 1:24 PM EST up reply actions

right, and while it’s the primary tie-breaker in season, it’s ROW that is the most important at the end of the season. Racking up those non-shootout wins is important.

Pledge Drive 2011-2012: CARSON KOLZIG FOUNDATION! Season Pledge total--$1018.22!

by RedBirdie on Jan 16, 2012 2:18 PM EST up reply actions

Well at least they are doing something right.

Knuble: "I am what I am. I play well with good players."

On his milestone: "It's going to be like unwrapping a birthday present. Then the day after you're kind of like [sighs]....Now you just have to keep going."

by capsyoungguns on Jan 16, 2012 2:52 PM EST up reply actions

The Caps inability to get to OT is killing them. (was? I hope it’s in the past). At their halfway point, the Caps had 23 wins. 46 wins should put a team comfortably into the playoffs. No Eastern team since the lockout has had 46 wins and missed the playoffs.

And if the Caps have finally turned a corner (and dear god, I hope so), then they should tack on a few extra wins and pass 46 games won. Last time the Caps didn’t win at least 46 games? 07-08.

Pledge Drive 2011-2012: CARSON KOLZIG FOUNDATION! Season Pledge total--$1046.66!

by RedBirdie on Jan 16, 2012 3:09 PM EST up reply actions

Correlating tidily with their inability (hopefully in the past) to win on the road. The upcoming tough stretch of games should show us whether they have finally turned that proverbial corner. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Knuble: "I am what I am. I play well with good players."

On his milestone: "It's going to be like unwrapping a birthday present. Then the day after you're kind of like [sighs]....Now you just have to keep going."

by capsyoungguns on Jan 16, 2012 3:26 PM EST up reply actions

Call me crazy…

You’re crazy!

(Sorry, was channeling “Win Ben Stein’s Money” there…)

You are correct. The first tiebreaker for points is ROW.

Occasionally reporting from Section 421 of the Verizon Center...

by MikeL-Pivonka on Jan 16, 2012 1:43 PM EST up reply actions

Despite the heartburn the first half of this season has caused, I would like to think that this crucible has taught / is teaching the team that the regular season cannot be taken for granted and that grinding hockey like this is what they need in the playoffs. (If they can rediscover the explosive offense as well, that’d be great.)

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

by skyywise on Jan 16, 2012 1:02 PM EST reply actions

Except lately we’ve kind of relied on Vokes a little too much for my liking.

by Vinn on Jan 16, 2012 1:35 PM EST up reply actions

Agreed. Two things I have noticed the last few games is that 1) our passing needs to be a bit more accurate. We gave missed out on some great chances because the passing has not bee crisp. It has been just enough to throw off an entire play. I especially have noticed it through the neutral zone.

2) has anyone noticed that we seem richer caught with poor spacing entering the offensive zone. I have seen numerous occasions when players will skate right next to each other into the zone and it allows for easy takeaways. For whatever reason I have notices Joel Ward doing this a lot. I think some small adjustments and the offense will start at least getting back to the 25-30 shot range. But all in all, I am seeing some good things from the Caps the last few weeks

by JRJD928 on Jan 16, 2012 3:26 PM EST via mobile up reply actions