Turkey Left Overs

Holiday weekend over and it’s back to work. Yea, right. On to Game 1:

Capitals 2, Rangers 3 FOT, SO

It was actually fun to watch this shoot out, even if the Caps lost. 15 rounds to be specific, a new NHL record. The game was just 5 rounds away from resetting the players at the beginning.

Marek Malik’s shot was wicked, between the legs over Olaf Kolzig’s shoulder for the win. I went from being the biggest lover of the shoot out to loathing it. It took me a couple hours to cool down from the lost to realize I watched something that was so fun to watch. Even my wife had to stop from work to watch with me. Do you know how hard it is for my wife to watch hockey?

Overall Grade: B+

The Caps did well, holding the red hot Rangers from running away and keeping Jaromir Jagr to no points (not many teams were able to). At some point the Capitals will get over that hill and turn those close games into great wins. Wash Post covers the sick details of the shoot out, Olie actually thought it was fun, so did I!

Game 2:

Capitals 2, Sabers 3

After a sluggish first period the Capitals actually put together a great game. Just a goal shy of tying the game and actually keeping the Sabres reeling in the last 30 seconds of the game buzzing around the net. How the puck didn’t go in, I will never know.

Again the Capitals looked poised to make the comeback and force overtime, but the post was the biggest foe for the Caps, hitting the post at least 3 times in the final seconds of the game.

Overall Grade: B+

Capitals need a little more seasoning, but I remember watching both of these games how close we were to actually becoming a great team. Alex Ovechkin will start to figure out how to get through the defense or use their respect of him to his advantage. The CBS Line of Ben Clymer, Matt Bradley, and Brian Sutherby have been the best line thus far, and are beginning to play better and better as the season progresses. Wash Post again covers the details.

All is all the Holiday week was tough on the Capitals but they worked hard through it. The last four games have been the best games I have seen the Caps play thus far. Sooner or later, just like in the Montreal blow out win, the puck will bounce the Caps way. And they can only get better!