Caps Fry Flyers

Capitals 5, Flyers 1
Preseason - Scoresheet

It's a preseason game, so any thoughts of the Caps getting vengeance for the 2-1 loss up in Philly or the early post season exit by the Flyers should stop. Vengeance will come when the Caps knock them out of the playoffs, not by a meaningless game a week before the start of the season. This by no means was "getting back" at the Flyers, so all that talk is just stupid.

Sorry, back to the game.

Alex Ovechkin had a goal and two assists. Ovi has yet to score an even strength goal in the preseason, his goal tonight was on the penalty kill (which by the looks of it, he will see some time there since this is his second shorty of the preseason). Again, as the story line was with the rookie game, it was the Caps high powered talent and speed versus the Flyers slow hard hitting game that led to a Caps victory 5 - 1.

The Caps didn't let the Flyers get their defensive play slow down their offense, even if they were on the penalty kill. The Caps power play was back to sufficient as the Caps went 1 for 7 and the penalty kill did okay too killing off 5 of 6 chances for the Flyers and scoring a shorty.

While the Caps lead increased, as expected, the Flyers started to get chippy. I guess that is this team's motto; "Win, and if you don't win, slash the crap out of the good guy on the other team." Nice to see that Scott Hartnell took that to heart. But in the preseason? C'mon Harts, the Caps aren't even in your division. Let it go. It was pretty clear to see that both teams lost no love for one another in the off season. In order to keep the peace, the refs ended up throwing both Donald Brashear and Ryan Cote out at the end of the game. When they were both tossed, neither one had been fighting, just chirping. 2 minutes unsportsmanlike and a 10 minute game.

All of Ovechkin's points came on the first three goals. Also scoring goals were Chris Clark, Nick Backstom, Eric Fehr and Tomas Fleischmann. Sergei Fedorov, who was experimenting being a defenseman this game, came away with a couple of assists. And Chris Bourque may not be sent down the way he is playing, he had an assist tonight. He also saw time on the power play and about 12 minutes of game time. In all, 10 Capitals made the scoresheet.

Jose Theodore played all 60 minutes, and he didn't look bad. The only goal scored on him was a rebound shot from the point that went right to Daniel Briere's stick on a Flyers power play, he had no chance to save it. One thing I have noticed about Theodore is he is aggressive on the primary shot, and if a rebound goes where he doesn't want it, he is very out of position. Although tonight he had a stellar defensive squad in front of him only allowing the Flyers 18 shots. In fact in the first period, the Flyers could only muster 3 shots on Theodore. I was afraid Jose might fall asleep. When he did have to make a save, Theodore made some pretty good ones.

Next preseason game is Sunday against Boston. After that the Caps will have finished their preseason and open on the road Friday, October 11th in Atlanta. The NHL season actually begins tomorrow (Saturday) with the New York Rangers taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning in Prague.