Caps Try Not Playing Defense

Capitals 0, Islanders 5

In the series of “nobody cares” and “whose watching anyway” between the Islanders and the Capitals, the Caps drop one to the Islanders and piling up the minuses in the process.

I suppose you want me to talk about something positive about this game. Hmm … Glen Hanlon’s tie was very nice. How’s that?

Two defensemen I would send on the next bus to Hershey, and maybe farther down. Ivan Majesky played probably the worst game of hockey I have ever seen. Well I thought that at first then I saw Nolan Yonkman try to handle the puck.

A complete break down in special teams gave the Islanders all they needed to bury the Capitals in their own farm system. You could say all the bounces went New York’s way, you could say the Islanders were on top of their game. But I would say that it’s getting harder to see why I even cheer for the Capitals.

I thought of a letter I would write to George McPhee about his general manger skills. I think it would go something like this:

Dear George,

Are the goons you hired to man the blue line getting you down? Are you ashamed that you’re the only general manager in the National Hockey League that thought slow dumb defensemen who shouldn’t be handling the puck up ice were going to be the popular choice? Cheer up George because the season is almost over. Soon you can sip pina coladas on a beach somewhere during the off season and ponder more fantastic trades like Alex Ovechkin for a photo of Mike Bossy, two rolls of clothed tape in shiny sapphire blue and conditional draft pick in the 2060 draft. Take a hint and go for some defense.

Sincerely,
Garrett aka “Puckhead”

Overall Grade: D-

Wash Post tells you a stirring tale of the valleys and peaks of this game. Read it. Meanwhile I will have to sit down and give some serious thought about the playoffs and make some bold predictions. Stay tuned, ‘cause no one else seems to be tuning into the rest of the Caps season.