48 games in the books. Normally that would be a look at the halfway point in the season, but this year, the abbreviated season makes for an abbreviated prognostocation of the playoff race that is not.. abbreviated. I would do Western Conference picks up to the Conference Champs one day, and the Eastern picks the next. This year, why not put it under one roof. Also it's late and I am tired.
Western Conference Quarterfinals
#8 Minnesota Wild vs. #1 Chicago Blackhawks - Does anyone really think the Hawks are going to have the season they had to drop a playoff series to the Wild? As much as I like seeing the underdog take out the number one, the Wild haven't had enough consistency to get it done this season, even with big time summer signings. Sorry, but Hawks in 5.
Blackhawks defeat Wild in 5 games
#7 Detroit Red Wings vs. #2 Anaheim "Mighty" Ducks - New lease on life, the Ducks under the direction of Bruce Boudreau have proven to be a power house in the Western Conference. But, wait, where have we heard this tale before? The Red Wings are a sleeper team this year, and if they can finally put it together, you really can not count them out. Wings wake.
Red Wings defeat Ducks in 7 games
#6 San Jose Sharks vs. #3 Vancouver Canucks - The goaltender drama of the Canucks certainly caused an early stir for the Canucks, but the pair have put together a great backstopping tandem that added stability to Vancouver. This will be a great series, one for the record books. But the Sharks are playing well of late... so there.
Sharks defeat Canucks in 7 games
#5 Los Angeles Kings vs. #4 St. Louis Blues - A rematch of the Conference Semifinal a season ago, the Blues look to exact revenge against the reigning Stanley Cup Champions. Should be a good match up full of twists and turns and some pretty good hitting. Underdogs again, the Kings looked poised to make another deep run, not much the Blues can do about that.
Kings defeat Blues in 6 games.
Western Conference Champs
Yada yada yada, so on and so forth, bottom line is the Blackhawks make this post season their personal coming out party. So yea, Chicago wins the West.
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
#8 New York Islanders vs. #1 Pittsburgh Penguins - If any team sort of "over did" it to load its team with talent full of rentals to make the playoffs, then the Penguins are the mid-life crisis buyers of the NHL. Bringing in the big guns that included the stealing of Jarome Iginla from Boston, the Penguins are poised to push for the Cup even with out Sidney the first round or so. Islanders would be a fun underdog to watch though.
Penguins defeat Islanders in 6 games
#7 Ottawa Senators vs. #2 Montreal Canadiens - A team on the rise, the other stumbling into the playoffs. This was a hard one to dissect. Senators get Erik Karlsson back from injury and it should provide a short boost for the injury-riddled team. The Habs are a pretty fast talented team that could out talent the Senators.
Canadiens defeat Senators in 6 games
#6 New York Rangers vs. #3 Washington Capitals - I will break down this matchup in due time (we don't start until Thursday for Pete's sake). Caps playing stellar hockey down the stretch, Rangers sort of hanging around until a final push late in their season. Sorry Rags fans, no Ilander/Ranger series this year.
Capitals defeat Rangers in 7 games
#5 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. #4 Boston Bruins - For a team that going into the third period was a lock for the win, the Bruins have fallen into "no lead is safe" territory. The Maple Leafs are just begging to make an example out of them. Couple of interesting story lines with Phil Kessel returning to face Boston in the playoffs.
Bruins defeat Leafs in 5 games
Eastern Conference Champions
Everything points to the Penguins making it out of the East. They have the most talent that could include the return of one Sidney Crosby. But the road they have to traverse is full of teams that don't have the pressure they have to make it to the Finals. I don't think this team can plug all the holes in time. The Habs or Bruins are also favorites, but unless something extreme happens, Pens should take the East crown.
Stanley Cup Champs
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Picking a winner between two teams that didn't face each other in the short season. But to quickly make a decision, Blackhawks are far to good of a oiled machine for the patch work Penguins.
Blackhawks first team to repeat Cup champions since the '05 lockout.
There you go Chicago, you are welcome. Breaking down the Rags and Caps up next.
Showing posts with label Blackhawks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blackhawks. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monday, April 11, 2011
Stanley Cup Fearless Predictions: Western Conference
Before we go into the Caps/Rangers Series A, let's take a look at the big picture and go through what will be some dynamite series as we roll to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final. Before I have done the Eastern Conference before the Western. This year I am flipping it. As always, you can leave your thoughts below in comments.
In the Western Conference things took a while for the final 8 to settle into their final series places. In fact it took the very last game of the season between the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars to see if last year's champs even make a return to the post season (they did with a Star loss). This Conference has been ultra competitive, but one team has walked away from everyone. The Canucks may not want such a distinction given the fact they are facing a very good Blackhawk team in the first round.
Western Conference Quarter-Final
#1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #8 Chicago Blackhawks
The Canucks won the President's Trophy for most points in a season. They have the top point getter, most wins by a goaltender and an assist leader to give them a power house team that took their conference by storm. But I don't think they wanted to take on the Cup champs from last year in the first round. While the Hawks have had their bumps in the road, they have played well down the stretch to sneak in on the very last day. With some hard work and a little luck, the Blackhawks look to repeat with the same lack of respect they showed in last season's run. This should be a war of a series.
Vancouver sneaks past Chicago in 7 games.
#2 San Jose Sharks vs. #7 Los Angeles Kings
I really like the Kings this year, if for nothing else they have just wanted their wins more this season. If their goaltender Jonathan Quick can stay on top of his game and the Kings show that never say die attitude they could be a handful for the Sharks. But the Sharks have been bitten by the Cup bug shaking some old demons that have plagued them in post seasons past. The Sharks have shown some offensive supremacy against the Kings at times, but the season series is tied at 3 games a piece. If the Kings can make the score tight, they have a very good chance.
San Jose defeats LA in 7 games
#3 Detroit Red Wings vs. #6 Phoenix Coyotes
It's round two for these two teams from a year ago. Only this time, the Red Wings have home ice advantage. The Coyotes lean heavily on their goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. He has the opportunity to steal a series for them and they will need him against the Detroit powerhouse. The Red Wings do have a weakness this season. Jimmy Howard is the go to guy with no serious back up to, well.. back him up. It makes these two teams a lot even than you might think.
Detroit defeats Phoenix in 5 games
#4 Anaheim Ducks vs. #5 Nashville Predators
This should be an interesting series. Neither team really has a history playoff wise to speak of. The Ducks are coming off their best second half of the season in some time. It helped them secure a playoff spot early and they are looking to return to the promise land. The Predators are still inexperienced at this whole playoff thing, but their emotion and some smart goaltending should help them steal a series from the Ducks.
Nashville upsets Anaheim in 6 games
Western Champs: San Jose Sharks
Just about every pundit has the Canucks coming out of the Western Conference with flying colors. But just looking down the line they have to play a tough team in Chicago in the first round then face teams like San Jose or Detroit down the stretch. I just don't see that happening. The Canucks are already limping into the post season as it is. I think the Sharks have the best line to make it to the Western Conference Final and a chance to actually play for Lord Stanley's Cup.
In the Western Conference things took a while for the final 8 to settle into their final series places. In fact it took the very last game of the season between the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars to see if last year's champs even make a return to the post season (they did with a Star loss). This Conference has been ultra competitive, but one team has walked away from everyone. The Canucks may not want such a distinction given the fact they are facing a very good Blackhawk team in the first round.
Western Conference Quarter-Final
#1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #8 Chicago Blackhawks
The Canucks won the President's Trophy for most points in a season. They have the top point getter, most wins by a goaltender and an assist leader to give them a power house team that took their conference by storm. But I don't think they wanted to take on the Cup champs from last year in the first round. While the Hawks have had their bumps in the road, they have played well down the stretch to sneak in on the very last day. With some hard work and a little luck, the Blackhawks look to repeat with the same lack of respect they showed in last season's run. This should be a war of a series.
Vancouver sneaks past Chicago in 7 games.
#2 San Jose Sharks vs. #7 Los Angeles Kings
I really like the Kings this year, if for nothing else they have just wanted their wins more this season. If their goaltender Jonathan Quick can stay on top of his game and the Kings show that never say die attitude they could be a handful for the Sharks. But the Sharks have been bitten by the Cup bug shaking some old demons that have plagued them in post seasons past. The Sharks have shown some offensive supremacy against the Kings at times, but the season series is tied at 3 games a piece. If the Kings can make the score tight, they have a very good chance.
San Jose defeats LA in 7 games
#3 Detroit Red Wings vs. #6 Phoenix Coyotes
It's round two for these two teams from a year ago. Only this time, the Red Wings have home ice advantage. The Coyotes lean heavily on their goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. He has the opportunity to steal a series for them and they will need him against the Detroit powerhouse. The Red Wings do have a weakness this season. Jimmy Howard is the go to guy with no serious back up to, well.. back him up. It makes these two teams a lot even than you might think.
Detroit defeats Phoenix in 5 games
#4 Anaheim Ducks vs. #5 Nashville Predators
This should be an interesting series. Neither team really has a history playoff wise to speak of. The Ducks are coming off their best second half of the season in some time. It helped them secure a playoff spot early and they are looking to return to the promise land. The Predators are still inexperienced at this whole playoff thing, but their emotion and some smart goaltending should help them steal a series from the Ducks.
Nashville upsets Anaheim in 6 games
Western Champs: San Jose Sharks
Just about every pundit has the Canucks coming out of the Western Conference with flying colors. But just looking down the line they have to play a tough team in Chicago in the first round then face teams like San Jose or Detroit down the stretch. I just don't see that happening. The Canucks are already limping into the post season as it is. I think the Sharks have the best line to make it to the Western Conference Final and a chance to actually play for Lord Stanley's Cup.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Back
So I took a few days off to enjoy time with my wife and the little one. I don't make any apologies for that, but I have been (for the most part) in Hockey limbo until this weekend. Boy, a lot has happened. From Nick Backstrom signing a monster contract and some speculation on what the Caps plan to do this off season to the remainder of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, there is a lot for us to catch up on.
Big Contract Player
It's old news, but Nick Backstrom was signed to a 10 year, $67 million dollar contract. Backstrom's new deal escalates from $6 million to $8 million and breaks down each year like this: 6, 6, 6, 6, 6.5, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 7.5 and 8 according to Tarik on his blog.
It gives the Caps the room they need early, but it's a tougher contract to trade later in his career (if the Capitals are inclined to do so). That pretty much means Backstrom is a main figure in DC for the next ten years. It's a great signing for the Caps, who made a similar 10 year deal with Alex Ovechkin although that was up in the $9 million range. Per Wash Post:
Stay At Home
TSN.ca is reporting that Anton Volchenkov will be changing the license plates on his beamer to Washington DC Plates (does he drive a beamer?). While the stay-at-home defenseman Volchenkov would be a great addition, the contract TSN.ca puts him in is a $5 million with bonuses. That would squeeze the Caps to the limit salary cap-wise.
The Caps (as of today) are sitting pretty tight to the $56.8 million ceiling (somewhere around the $55 million range including Backstrom's new deal). Of course things can and will change over the summer.
Who Knew?
Former Capitals' prospect Jakub Klepis scored on a pass from Jaromir Jagr as the Czech Republic stall Russia's bid for a second straight gold medal at the IIHF World Championships. Russia's roster featured a beefed up NHL line up that included Alex Oveckin, Evgeni Malkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Datsyuk and Sergei Gonchar, but were not able to solve Tomas Vokoun as the CR's win gold with a 2-1 win.
Klepis was released by the team to play in the KHL amid some trade rumors concerning him in '08.
Always A Bridesmaid...
Phrases like "Shaking loose the playoff monkey on their backs" have been suddenly recanted concerning the San Jose Sharks. The veteran squad of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle were swept away by youngsters Johnathan Towes, Patrick Kane and Anntii Niemi of the Chicago Blackhawks. The Sharks playoff woes continue, apparently getting out of the second round is a bar raiser for them. Maybe their fans need to boo the Canadian Anthem again.
Always the Bride...
Hershey Bears advance to the Calder Cup finals for the fourth time in the past five years. Sigh.
That is all I got for now. I hope to come back with some original content, and a college radio station is begging for an interview with me (talk about desperate).
Until then, enjoy the playoffs.
Big Contract Player
It's old news, but Nick Backstrom was signed to a 10 year, $67 million dollar contract. Backstrom's new deal escalates from $6 million to $8 million and breaks down each year like this: 6, 6, 6, 6, 6.5, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 7.5 and 8 according to Tarik on his blog.
It gives the Caps the room they need early, but it's a tougher contract to trade later in his career (if the Capitals are inclined to do so). That pretty much means Backstrom is a main figure in DC for the next ten years. It's a great signing for the Caps, who made a similar 10 year deal with Alex Ovechkin although that was up in the $9 million range. Per Wash Post:
"I wanted 10 years, I wanted the long term and finally got it. I think it is good that we're together." -Nick BackstromThe Caps also had a minor signing of prospect and 2009 first round draft pick Marcus Johansson to a entry level contract.
"We went back and forth. Different trends were discussed. But players want different things sometimes. Nicky was ready to do 10 years, he was interested in doing 10 years. We discussed it and felt that that would work for us if we could get the right number." -GM George McPhee
Stay At Home
TSN.ca is reporting that Anton Volchenkov will be changing the license plates on his beamer to Washington DC Plates (does he drive a beamer?). While the stay-at-home defenseman Volchenkov would be a great addition, the contract TSN.ca puts him in is a $5 million with bonuses. That would squeeze the Caps to the limit salary cap-wise.
The Caps (as of today) are sitting pretty tight to the $56.8 million ceiling (somewhere around the $55 million range including Backstrom's new deal). Of course things can and will change over the summer.
Who Knew?
Former Capitals' prospect Jakub Klepis scored on a pass from Jaromir Jagr as the Czech Republic stall Russia's bid for a second straight gold medal at the IIHF World Championships. Russia's roster featured a beefed up NHL line up that included Alex Oveckin, Evgeni Malkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Datsyuk and Sergei Gonchar, but were not able to solve Tomas Vokoun as the CR's win gold with a 2-1 win.
Klepis was released by the team to play in the KHL amid some trade rumors concerning him in '08.
Always A Bridesmaid...
Phrases like "Shaking loose the playoff monkey on their backs" have been suddenly recanted concerning the San Jose Sharks. The veteran squad of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle were swept away by youngsters Johnathan Towes, Patrick Kane and Anntii Niemi of the Chicago Blackhawks. The Sharks playoff woes continue, apparently getting out of the second round is a bar raiser for them. Maybe their fans need to boo the Canadian Anthem again.
Always the Bride...
Hershey Bears advance to the Calder Cup finals for the fourth time in the past five years. Sigh.
That is all I got for now. I hope to come back with some original content, and a college radio station is begging for an interview with me (talk about desperate).
Until then, enjoy the playoffs.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Stanley Cup Fearless Predictions - Western Conference
The Western Conference wasn't as much of a log jam as they use to be in seasons past. In fact the West was decided pretty early, with about 3 or 4 games left in the season. Not bad. From the previous year's conference winner that looked all but out of it pre-Olympic break to a team that surprised everyone owned by the league, the West is definitely wild.
Western Conference Quarter-Finals
#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Colorado Avalanche
Everyone thought the Avalanche were going now where this season. They lost Joe Sakic to retirement and the team basically blew up their roster going with youth with a few vets sprinkled in. Bottom line, they really were not suppose to do much this year. But Craig Anderson and rookie Matt Duchene made this team competitive and the Avs are sitting pretty in the playoffs. The Sharks will have a pretty motivated, feisty team on their hands.
San Jose defeats Colorado in 6 games.
#2 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #7 Nashville Predators
A Central Division showdown, the Preds made a run in what may be the toughest division to play in. Led by Patric Hornqvist, the Predators just fell two points shy in the standings of best Detroit for the first time in their franchise's history. They draw a tough opponent in Chicago, who are hungry for more after making it to the Western Conference Finals and fell to the Red Wings. If the Blackhawks get some consistent goaltending, Nashville shouldn't be a problem.
Chicago defeats Nashville in 5 games.
#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 Los Angeles Kings
The Canucks are riding a heck of a season led by Art Ross Trophy winner Henrik Sedin. With gold medal winner Roberto Luongo in net, they look to be on paper a shoe in against a younger, less experienced team. But don't count out the Kings. They have a 24-14-3 record just on the road, while the Canucks have only managed 19 wins away from home. If Ryan Kesler plays like he did during the Olympics and the Kings fall into a slump or have injuries, Vancouver shouldn't have a problem. But I think they have a problem.
Los Angeles upsets Vancouver in 7 games.
#4 Phoenix Coyotes vs. #5 Detroit Red Wings
For a team that doesn't have an owner, the Coyotes are showing some gumption this season. They nearly made a successful run in their division by besting the Sharks, but they couldn't keep up with San Jose and instead settled on 4th in the Conference. Ilya Bryzgalov has been their savior in net for the 'Yotes and they made some important moves at the trade deadline to help with some injuries. They, however, drew a tough first round against Detroit. The Red Wings have been on a tear since the Olympic break. Two upsets in a row, wow.
Detroit upsets Phoenix in 6 games.
Western Conference Semi-Finals
San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings
I don't see the Sharks having much of a problem with the Kings. But stranger things have happened. Joe Thornton will be trying to shake the playoff monkey from his back and try to help the Sharks move along. Getting some good goaltending in Evgeni Nabokov doesn't hurt either. The Kings will have to rely on a lot of inexperienced players like goaltender Jonathan Quick to help them move to the next round. But the Sharks are just too talented for them.
San Jose defeats LA in 5 games
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings
Last year's Western Conference Final is this year's Semi-Final. The Hawks are a much more experienced team this time around and the Red Wings will have to lean pretty hard on rookie goaltender Jimmy Howard. It should be a wide open, high scoring affair between the two. If the Blackhawks don't get the consistent goaltending they need, they will be ending the post season prematurely.
Chicago defeats Detroit in 7 games.
Western Conference Final
San Jose Sharks vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Now this is a series to watch. The Sharks and Blackhawks will have to do with some pretty hefty travel in this series. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews against Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Danny Heatley. The names make it sound more like an All-Star game rather than a Western Final. The Blackhawks need to rely on their speed and scoring strengths, while the Sharks come in the bigger team and need to take up some space from the Hawks. Goaltending will be key again for both teams.
Chicago upsets San Jose in 6 games for the Western Conference crown.
Stanley Cup Final Fearless Prediction
Washington Capitals vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Two young teams going head to head and there is already drama between the two. Alex Ovechkin's little push from behind that sent Brian Campbell into the boards should be enough motivation for these two teams to be on less than civil terms. And with the Stanley Cup on the line as well. If you want scoring, you got it. Both teams can play a wide open, shoot-0ut style game. So defense will be key. If Campbell returns to the line up by then, he will be the Hawks rally cry. For the Capitals, they will have to depend on Tom Poti and Mike Green on the back end to keep the high powered Hawk offense at bay. Their goaltending will have to be spectacular for them to down an original six team and their franchise's first Stanley Cup. It all comes down to home ice advantage.
Washington defeats Chicago in 7 games for the Stanley Cup.
Okay, I know what you are thinking, "He is a blogger for the Capitals, of course he is going to pick them all the way!" Well, your right in some respects. I think the two best teams should meet in the finals, and right now those two teams happen to be Chicago and Washington, in my opinion.
For the Capitals, a lot of things have to go their way. They need the best out of Jose Theodore to make it to the Finals and they need goal support for their top line. If they can get both, they shouldn't have a problem getting to the Finals (as long as they don't play down to their competition in the early going).
I really like the Hawks coming out of the west. They surprised everyone last year by getting to the finals, but I don't think that was a fluke. They post some size and grit in their line up and if Cristobal Huet or Antti Niemi can get hot down the stretch, I don't see why they can't overcome the West.
If anything, I don't want to see another Pittsburgh/Detroit final. Nor really do other fans out side of Pittsburgh and Detroit. This predicted final would boost the NHL's image as the two have a history from the regular season and both are in good markets.
Western Conference Quarter-Finals
#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Colorado Avalanche
Everyone thought the Avalanche were going now where this season. They lost Joe Sakic to retirement and the team basically blew up their roster going with youth with a few vets sprinkled in. Bottom line, they really were not suppose to do much this year. But Craig Anderson and rookie Matt Duchene made this team competitive and the Avs are sitting pretty in the playoffs. The Sharks will have a pretty motivated, feisty team on their hands.
San Jose defeats Colorado in 6 games.
#2 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #7 Nashville Predators
A Central Division showdown, the Preds made a run in what may be the toughest division to play in. Led by Patric Hornqvist, the Predators just fell two points shy in the standings of best Detroit for the first time in their franchise's history. They draw a tough opponent in Chicago, who are hungry for more after making it to the Western Conference Finals and fell to the Red Wings. If the Blackhawks get some consistent goaltending, Nashville shouldn't be a problem.
Chicago defeats Nashville in 5 games.
#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 Los Angeles Kings
The Canucks are riding a heck of a season led by Art Ross Trophy winner Henrik Sedin. With gold medal winner Roberto Luongo in net, they look to be on paper a shoe in against a younger, less experienced team. But don't count out the Kings. They have a 24-14-3 record just on the road, while the Canucks have only managed 19 wins away from home. If Ryan Kesler plays like he did during the Olympics and the Kings fall into a slump or have injuries, Vancouver shouldn't have a problem. But I think they have a problem.
Los Angeles upsets Vancouver in 7 games.
#4 Phoenix Coyotes vs. #5 Detroit Red Wings
For a team that doesn't have an owner, the Coyotes are showing some gumption this season. They nearly made a successful run in their division by besting the Sharks, but they couldn't keep up with San Jose and instead settled on 4th in the Conference. Ilya Bryzgalov has been their savior in net for the 'Yotes and they made some important moves at the trade deadline to help with some injuries. They, however, drew a tough first round against Detroit. The Red Wings have been on a tear since the Olympic break. Two upsets in a row, wow.
Detroit upsets Phoenix in 6 games.
Western Conference Semi-Finals
San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings
I don't see the Sharks having much of a problem with the Kings. But stranger things have happened. Joe Thornton will be trying to shake the playoff monkey from his back and try to help the Sharks move along. Getting some good goaltending in Evgeni Nabokov doesn't hurt either. The Kings will have to rely on a lot of inexperienced players like goaltender Jonathan Quick to help them move to the next round. But the Sharks are just too talented for them.
San Jose defeats LA in 5 games
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings
Last year's Western Conference Final is this year's Semi-Final. The Hawks are a much more experienced team this time around and the Red Wings will have to lean pretty hard on rookie goaltender Jimmy Howard. It should be a wide open, high scoring affair between the two. If the Blackhawks don't get the consistent goaltending they need, they will be ending the post season prematurely.
Chicago defeats Detroit in 7 games.
Western Conference Final
San Jose Sharks vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Now this is a series to watch. The Sharks and Blackhawks will have to do with some pretty hefty travel in this series. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews against Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Danny Heatley. The names make it sound more like an All-Star game rather than a Western Final. The Blackhawks need to rely on their speed and scoring strengths, while the Sharks come in the bigger team and need to take up some space from the Hawks. Goaltending will be key again for both teams.
Chicago upsets San Jose in 6 games for the Western Conference crown.
Stanley Cup Final Fearless Prediction
Washington Capitals vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Two young teams going head to head and there is already drama between the two. Alex Ovechkin's little push from behind that sent Brian Campbell into the boards should be enough motivation for these two teams to be on less than civil terms. And with the Stanley Cup on the line as well. If you want scoring, you got it. Both teams can play a wide open, shoot-0ut style game. So defense will be key. If Campbell returns to the line up by then, he will be the Hawks rally cry. For the Capitals, they will have to depend on Tom Poti and Mike Green on the back end to keep the high powered Hawk offense at bay. Their goaltending will have to be spectacular for them to down an original six team and their franchise's first Stanley Cup. It all comes down to home ice advantage.
Washington defeats Chicago in 7 games for the Stanley Cup.
Okay, I know what you are thinking, "He is a blogger for the Capitals, of course he is going to pick them all the way!" Well, your right in some respects. I think the two best teams should meet in the finals, and right now those two teams happen to be Chicago and Washington, in my opinion.
For the Capitals, a lot of things have to go their way. They need the best out of Jose Theodore to make it to the Finals and they need goal support for their top line. If they can get both, they shouldn't have a problem getting to the Finals (as long as they don't play down to their competition in the early going).
I really like the Hawks coming out of the west. They surprised everyone last year by getting to the finals, but I don't think that was a fluke. They post some size and grit in their line up and if Cristobal Huet or Antti Niemi can get hot down the stretch, I don't see why they can't overcome the West.
If anything, I don't want to see another Pittsburgh/Detroit final. Nor really do other fans out side of Pittsburgh and Detroit. This predicted final would boost the NHL's image as the two have a history from the regular season and both are in good markets.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Caps Win Without Ovechkin
Capitals 4, Blackhawks 3
Game Summary
Since everyone has their recaps up and most of you have read them, I am just going to give my 5 thoughts on the games.
The Capitals next three games will be against divisional foes all on the road. The Caps have opened a 5 point lead in the overall league standings. They keep their 14 point lead over the Penguins in the Eastern Conference.
Game Summary
Since everyone has their recaps up and most of you have read them, I am just going to give my 5 thoughts on the games.
- Chicago never had an answer for Nick Backstrom. He had a spectacular game. I think if Alex Ovechkin had not hit Brian Campbell and been ejected (my thoughts on that in a bit) he could have easily scored at least two goals off of Backstrom feeds. His goal in overtime was astonishing. He even knew the hit was coming as he cut in the slot and he still put a perfect shot through Antti Niemi's 5 hole.
- Eric Belanger was the only Capital with over 50% on his face off draws (he had 59%). The Caps were terrible in the face off circle and were 39% for the game. Dave Steckel was one who did not do well in draws, but his play right after Brooks Laich scored the power play goal was 100% pure hustle. He beat out the icing then found Eric Fehr wide open in front.
- The Capitals do not have an exceptional defense. They just have an average one which is prone to make mistakes. It looked as if the Caps were playing a rover to cover Patrick Kane. Early in the game when both teams were down a man, Joe Corvo continued to shadow Kane, while Steckel came off the face off he went high to cover the point instead of low to cover Jonathan Toews who didn't move from the face off dot. 5 on 5, that strategy would have (and did) worked, but instead it leads to the first goal of the game for Chicago.
- Jose Theodore played outstanding as in both games, you could not really fault the goaltending of either Theo or Semyon Varlamov. The difference between this game and the one before is the Caps work ethic in the third period. The Caps seemed to gain momentum off of hard work that finished off the second period and continued on into the third. When the Caps put on their hard hats, they are a tough team to beat.
- The hit by Alex Ovechkin was unfortunate. It happened in a bad area of the ice and it caught Campbell off guard. Campbell passed the puck across his body to reverse the flow. Ovechkin was on the other side of the Hawk player and gave him a push at the wrong time. Campbell, who was already vulnerable having passed behind him had very little time to protect himself as he went into the boards. Ovi clearly knew the hit was bad, maybe even wrong once he looked back at an injured Campbell. He would be ejected from the game. Should have Ovi been kicked out of the game? It is a tough call, but I think the NHL crew got it right. Keeping Ovechkin in may create the game to get out of hand. At times, it was about to with Blackhawks looking to land that revenge blow.
The Capitals next three games will be against divisional foes all on the road. The Caps have opened a 5 point lead in the overall league standings. They keep their 14 point lead over the Penguins in the Eastern Conference.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Go West, Young Man, Go West
Players in the Western Conference can breath easy knowing that they have dominated the Stanley Cup Finals in over a decade. The West have beaten the east 8 of the last thirteen finals. Those odds are pretty good and are only getting better as many of those teams have youth maturing.
Ranking the Western Conference is no easy task with teams on the rise and other teams in such turmoil. But there will be a lot of familiar faces back in the playoffs when the 82 games schedule comes to a close. Let's start with the bottom and work our way up.
15. Phoenix Coyotes: Three words, off ice drama. That is what keeps this team from moving forward. As far as player personnel are concerned, the 'Yotes had a busy off season. The signed goaltender Jason LaBarbera, forward Vernon Fiddler and defenseman Adrian Aucoin in free agency. They resigned Scottie Upshall to a one year deal and worked the trade route to acquire Lauri Korpikoski and Radim Vrbata. They seem like the right moves, but with ownership in question and a new coach to boot, there is a lot of chemistry questions to deal with. A team with this much turmoil up top is going to hinder this group through out the season.
14. Colorado Avalanche: Things in Denver are not good. With the departure of Joe Sakic over the summer, the team has lost its prolific leader and fallen from the elite grace they enjoyed just a few seasons ago. With a slew of veterans on their last year of their contracts, this looks more like a shopper's paradise for teams looking to beef up their line-ups come the trade deadline. Players afraid of being traded through out the season very rarely play their best. It is rebuilding time in Colorado.
13. Edmonton Oilers: They made a play for Danny Heatley, but in the end they couldn't pull the forward their way. The Oilers did however get a good goaltender in Nikolai Khabibulin. It is pretty much the only positive to come out of the off season for the beleaguered Oilers. They spent too much time on trying to get a deal done with Ottawa, there is not much improvement on this team from a season ago. They are going to have to rely on the players that gave marginal performances last year. It's a tough spot to be in.
12. Los Angeles Kings: Every time the Kings get some good news, something happens that dissolves it. But they may have some hope after signing Rob Scuderi in the off season and trading for Ryan Smyth to give them some leadership. What gives this team hope and heartache is youth. Jack Johnson, Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown make up the core of the Kings youth movement. If they can show some more mustard early in the season they could finish higher than 12th. But their goaltending is still marginal and they still need a super-star to make the big plays when they need it most.
11. Minnesota Wild: With the departure of some good talent late last season, the Wild replaced it by signing Martin Havlat, Greg Zanon and Shane Hnidy in the off season. The Wild are under new management though, getting a new GM and coach to lead the team in a new direction. It may take a season or two for the organization to get out of some old habits. They do have the pieces to possibly make the playoffs, but it remains to be seen if the Wild can pull it all together this season.
10. Nashville Predators: Nashville let a few players walk in the off season. They were able to keep Steve Sullivan and Joel Ward, but it may not be enough to make the playoffs. Part of Nashville's problem is the small amount of fans and money to work with. The management have failed to pull a team in around Sullivan and team captain Jason Arnott. The Preds still have a good core of defensemen and the combo of Dan Ellis and Pekka Rinne should steal a few games this season.
9. Dallas Stars: This team made some smart moves in the off season, and it should show in the standings. Will they make the playoffs? They could, but it will depend on how well the changes at management and coaching affect the team. The big D signed some good defense in Karlis Skrastins and Jeff Woywitka. Jere Lehtinen resigned for another year and the Stars have a better back up in Alex Auld who was acquired in the off season. Low expectations may hinder the Stars this year, but if they grow in the right direction, they could knock off someone on the next list.
Playoff Bound
8. St. Louis Blues: On the verge of something good, the Blues have to build on their experiences from a season ago. But they have to be careful, they are also in a division that highly competitive. One bad stretch could be doom for this young team on the rise. Veterans Keith Tkachuk, Jay McClement, Mike Weaver and Brad Winchester were all resigned and goaltender Ty Conklin should be a capable back up. Head coach Andy Murry has to get the youth of his team to start to believe in themselves. Once the kids start to buy in to the system, the Blues will have a good team on their hands.
7. Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks are a shell of their former selves. Chris Pronger, Rob Niedermayer, Francois Beauchemin and Brett Hedican all left for greener pastures. What saves the team from total breakdown is what they got in return. Saku Koivu, Nick Boynton, Steve McCarthy were signed in the off season and Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa and Ryan Dingle were acquired in the Pronger trade. The Ducks should make the playoffs again.
6. Columbus Blue Jackets: After making the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history, it is understandable that they might have a bit of hangover when teams start taking them more seriously. Lucky for the fans, the Jacks resigned Rick Nash. They also added Sammy Pahlsson to add some punch at center depth. But the BJ's need consistency in the division they are in. If they can build on what they started last year, this team should find a comfortable spot in the post season and will look for their first playoff win.
5. Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks shed some big contracts in the off season. Some of that shedding will hinder them, and maybe they won't win their division. But with Roberto Luongo in net and the Sedin Twins signed on for another go, there is no reason this team should miss the playoffs. They took advantage of San Jose's roster shedding by getting Christian Erhoff and Brad Lukowich in exchange for some prospects. They also pulled Mikael Samuelsson from the Red Wings pool. The Canucks should have a good year, but they have to grow some tougher skin to get further in the playoffs.
4. Detroit Red Wings: How can the Red Wings not win their division but still get home ice advantage? Because they are the Red Wings. Whether fans show up to the games or not, the Wings is a hard team to beat night in and night out. A few support players found spots on other teams, but the core of Johan Franzen, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, the Wings will be okay. Their hold on goaltending greatness in Chris Osgood may prove their downfall if Osgood is not playing his best.
3. Calgary Flames, Northwest Division Champion: Theo Flurey certainly created a lot of buzz in camp this off season, but his comeback was dealt a huge blow when he was released a week before opening night. It was a distraction for Flames' fans, but the real excitement will be the arrival of Jay Bouwmeester. Acquired in the off season, Bouwmeester's arrival bolsters Calgary's defensive squad that is already beefed up with Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr. If the Flames can score, their defense should hold up fine, and they will win their division.
2. Chicago Blackhawks, Central Division Champion: This team is riding a good vibe right now and it should carry through to another playoff run. There are few messy ends for the Hawks, the change in GM after Marion Hossa was signed to a ridiculous contract and the release of Martin Havlat and the NHLPA filing grievances with the team after they resigned a bunch of their young talent. The core of Chicago's youth is really is what is exciting about this team. Patrick Kane and Johnathan Toews make this team an offensive juggernaut. Solid defense led by Brian Campbell and good goaltending by Cristobal Huet can make this team a dangerous Conference foe.
1. San Jose Sharks, Western Conference Champion: The Sharks have been a tough team to play in the West for quite some time. But getting over that first playoff series seems to give the Sharks fits. San Jose did change up their look a little bit by shipping off Jonathon Cheechoo and Milan Michalek to Ottawa for Danny Heatley. The Sharks are looking for that certain something to push them over the edge. They should win the West again, but it still remains to be seen if they can do any real damage in the playoffs.
The Sharks have the talent to top the West again, but they need to show their stuff in the post season to really get any respect. I like the Blackhawks despite their off season shenanigans. They have now the experience and the coaching to help them win games, it will be hard to count them out come spring. The Coyotes are in trouble, which is sad since hockey did take root in the desert for a few years. I just don't see them coming out with a whole lot of get up and go when their coach was forced out and the league is fighting with a billionaire over their future.
Tomorrow, the Eastern Conference preview.
Ranking the Western Conference is no easy task with teams on the rise and other teams in such turmoil. But there will be a lot of familiar faces back in the playoffs when the 82 games schedule comes to a close. Let's start with the bottom and work our way up.
15. Phoenix Coyotes: Three words, off ice drama. That is what keeps this team from moving forward. As far as player personnel are concerned, the 'Yotes had a busy off season. The signed goaltender Jason LaBarbera, forward Vernon Fiddler and defenseman Adrian Aucoin in free agency. They resigned Scottie Upshall to a one year deal and worked the trade route to acquire Lauri Korpikoski and Radim Vrbata. They seem like the right moves, but with ownership in question and a new coach to boot, there is a lot of chemistry questions to deal with. A team with this much turmoil up top is going to hinder this group through out the season.
14. Colorado Avalanche: Things in Denver are not good. With the departure of Joe Sakic over the summer, the team has lost its prolific leader and fallen from the elite grace they enjoyed just a few seasons ago. With a slew of veterans on their last year of their contracts, this looks more like a shopper's paradise for teams looking to beef up their line-ups come the trade deadline. Players afraid of being traded through out the season very rarely play their best. It is rebuilding time in Colorado.
13. Edmonton Oilers: They made a play for Danny Heatley, but in the end they couldn't pull the forward their way. The Oilers did however get a good goaltender in Nikolai Khabibulin. It is pretty much the only positive to come out of the off season for the beleaguered Oilers. They spent too much time on trying to get a deal done with Ottawa, there is not much improvement on this team from a season ago. They are going to have to rely on the players that gave marginal performances last year. It's a tough spot to be in.
12. Los Angeles Kings: Every time the Kings get some good news, something happens that dissolves it. But they may have some hope after signing Rob Scuderi in the off season and trading for Ryan Smyth to give them some leadership. What gives this team hope and heartache is youth. Jack Johnson, Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown make up the core of the Kings youth movement. If they can show some more mustard early in the season they could finish higher than 12th. But their goaltending is still marginal and they still need a super-star to make the big plays when they need it most.
11. Minnesota Wild: With the departure of some good talent late last season, the Wild replaced it by signing Martin Havlat, Greg Zanon and Shane Hnidy in the off season. The Wild are under new management though, getting a new GM and coach to lead the team in a new direction. It may take a season or two for the organization to get out of some old habits. They do have the pieces to possibly make the playoffs, but it remains to be seen if the Wild can pull it all together this season.
10. Nashville Predators: Nashville let a few players walk in the off season. They were able to keep Steve Sullivan and Joel Ward, but it may not be enough to make the playoffs. Part of Nashville's problem is the small amount of fans and money to work with. The management have failed to pull a team in around Sullivan and team captain Jason Arnott. The Preds still have a good core of defensemen and the combo of Dan Ellis and Pekka Rinne should steal a few games this season.
9. Dallas Stars: This team made some smart moves in the off season, and it should show in the standings. Will they make the playoffs? They could, but it will depend on how well the changes at management and coaching affect the team. The big D signed some good defense in Karlis Skrastins and Jeff Woywitka. Jere Lehtinen resigned for another year and the Stars have a better back up in Alex Auld who was acquired in the off season. Low expectations may hinder the Stars this year, but if they grow in the right direction, they could knock off someone on the next list.
Playoff Bound
8. St. Louis Blues: On the verge of something good, the Blues have to build on their experiences from a season ago. But they have to be careful, they are also in a division that highly competitive. One bad stretch could be doom for this young team on the rise. Veterans Keith Tkachuk, Jay McClement, Mike Weaver and Brad Winchester were all resigned and goaltender Ty Conklin should be a capable back up. Head coach Andy Murry has to get the youth of his team to start to believe in themselves. Once the kids start to buy in to the system, the Blues will have a good team on their hands.
7. Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks are a shell of their former selves. Chris Pronger, Rob Niedermayer, Francois Beauchemin and Brett Hedican all left for greener pastures. What saves the team from total breakdown is what they got in return. Saku Koivu, Nick Boynton, Steve McCarthy were signed in the off season and Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa and Ryan Dingle were acquired in the Pronger trade. The Ducks should make the playoffs again.
6. Columbus Blue Jackets: After making the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history, it is understandable that they might have a bit of hangover when teams start taking them more seriously. Lucky for the fans, the Jacks resigned Rick Nash. They also added Sammy Pahlsson to add some punch at center depth. But the BJ's need consistency in the division they are in. If they can build on what they started last year, this team should find a comfortable spot in the post season and will look for their first playoff win.
5. Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks shed some big contracts in the off season. Some of that shedding will hinder them, and maybe they won't win their division. But with Roberto Luongo in net and the Sedin Twins signed on for another go, there is no reason this team should miss the playoffs. They took advantage of San Jose's roster shedding by getting Christian Erhoff and Brad Lukowich in exchange for some prospects. They also pulled Mikael Samuelsson from the Red Wings pool. The Canucks should have a good year, but they have to grow some tougher skin to get further in the playoffs.
4. Detroit Red Wings: How can the Red Wings not win their division but still get home ice advantage? Because they are the Red Wings. Whether fans show up to the games or not, the Wings is a hard team to beat night in and night out. A few support players found spots on other teams, but the core of Johan Franzen, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, the Wings will be okay. Their hold on goaltending greatness in Chris Osgood may prove their downfall if Osgood is not playing his best.
3. Calgary Flames, Northwest Division Champion: Theo Flurey certainly created a lot of buzz in camp this off season, but his comeback was dealt a huge blow when he was released a week before opening night. It was a distraction for Flames' fans, but the real excitement will be the arrival of Jay Bouwmeester. Acquired in the off season, Bouwmeester's arrival bolsters Calgary's defensive squad that is already beefed up with Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr. If the Flames can score, their defense should hold up fine, and they will win their division.
2. Chicago Blackhawks, Central Division Champion: This team is riding a good vibe right now and it should carry through to another playoff run. There are few messy ends for the Hawks, the change in GM after Marion Hossa was signed to a ridiculous contract and the release of Martin Havlat and the NHLPA filing grievances with the team after they resigned a bunch of their young talent. The core of Chicago's youth is really is what is exciting about this team. Patrick Kane and Johnathan Toews make this team an offensive juggernaut. Solid defense led by Brian Campbell and good goaltending by Cristobal Huet can make this team a dangerous Conference foe.
1. San Jose Sharks, Western Conference Champion: The Sharks have been a tough team to play in the West for quite some time. But getting over that first playoff series seems to give the Sharks fits. San Jose did change up their look a little bit by shipping off Jonathon Cheechoo and Milan Michalek to Ottawa for Danny Heatley. The Sharks are looking for that certain something to push them over the edge. They should win the West again, but it still remains to be seen if they can do any real damage in the playoffs.
The Sharks have the talent to top the West again, but they need to show their stuff in the post season to really get any respect. I like the Blackhawks despite their off season shenanigans. They have now the experience and the coaching to help them win games, it will be hard to count them out come spring. The Coyotes are in trouble, which is sad since hockey did take root in the desert for a few years. I just don't see them coming out with a whole lot of get up and go when their coach was forced out and the league is fighting with a billionaire over their future.
Tomorrow, the Eastern Conference preview.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
What Olie The Goalie Meant To Me
Goaltenders are a funny bunch. Ask any rational person to stand in front of a screaming 100 mile per hour slap shot and they will tell you how crazy you are. But then expect to be hit by the screamer line drive shot to keep it from going into the net is somewhere between lunacy and committed-in-asylum crazy. It takes a special personality to do it. Olaf Kolzig was definitely special.
Kolzig wasn't a household name in the league when he was drafted in 1989 by the Washington Capitals. He played only two games in the NHL that year, he lost both games and was a disappointing .810 save percentage and had a 6.oo goal against average. He was sent to the minors for some seasoning. He was knocked around in the lesser leagues for a few years, even spending time in the ECHL (remind you of Micheal Neuvirth?).
Olie would ping pong from the Portland Pirates to the Washington Capitals from '92 to '96 before he finally stuck in the NHL. Playing backup for Jim Carey, a young goalie that seemed to leaped frog over Kolzig for the number one spot. Carey would carry the team until his numbers slipped in the '96-'97 season.
Biding his time, in comes Olie the goalie. Kolzig would used his size to his advantage, challenging shooters on the first shot, making the save and allowing his speedy defensemen like Calle Johansson and Sergei Gonchar pick put the rebounds. The only thing that hampered Kolzig was his temper. Stick breaking rages were common in practices and even between periods in the locker room. But while some would call it a temper, others saw it as passion. And did Kolzig ever have passion.
That passion would carry them through to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998. From that point on Kolzig would endear himself to Washington, and as Capital fans, we acknowledged him as our number one guy in net. No matter how bad things got, with Olie in the net, things were going to be okay. It would be a decade before anyone could knock him from the number one spot. Partly because of some failed prospects behind him, partly because he was that good. Olie and the Caps would fall to the Red Wings that year four games to none in the Finals, but Kolzig solidified himself as an elite goaltender in the NHL.
It wasn't long before the Caps desperately wanted to taste the Finals agian and they made the mistake of bringing in free agent after free agent. Jaromir Jagr was one of those big signings that had the Caps' fans chomping at the bit for another run in the playoffs. But that would end in disaster. When the Jagr experiment failed, the Capitals vowed to rebuild. That meant a long time commitment to developing players and a lot of good talent would be lost. But the Caps could never get rid of Olie. What he meant to this city, for hockey here, and to the fans, it would take something drastic to drag our goaltender from guarding the net.
Not only have fans gotten used to seeing Kolzig between the pipes, we overlooked his bad temper. We overlooked when he started missing the second and third saves that he used to make. His name and past record was good enough for us.
As a teenager, I even made a sign in his honor that read "Go-Olie!" Not only did it get me some jumbotron action (thank you ladies for the nice compliments following the game), it also got a rise from the crowd. Olaf Kolzig will always be a Capital, there will never be another quite like him. When the reality came that maybe Kolzig just wasn't up to the challenge any more, our hearts all just ached a little. We wanted him to succeed, because his success was our success too.
Olaf Kolzig will hang up the skates this season, calling it a career after 14 years guarding a 6 foot by 4 foot net from a black rubber puck. His amazing play in '98 when he brought us so close to the Stanley Cup are now apart of Capital legend and lore. While he didn't get to raise the Cup, Kolzig was always a champion to us.
Caps Nots:
Kolzig wasn't a household name in the league when he was drafted in 1989 by the Washington Capitals. He played only two games in the NHL that year, he lost both games and was a disappointing .810 save percentage and had a 6.oo goal against average. He was sent to the minors for some seasoning. He was knocked around in the lesser leagues for a few years, even spending time in the ECHL (remind you of Micheal Neuvirth?).
Olie would ping pong from the Portland Pirates to the Washington Capitals from '92 to '96 before he finally stuck in the NHL. Playing backup for Jim Carey, a young goalie that seemed to leaped frog over Kolzig for the number one spot. Carey would carry the team until his numbers slipped in the '96-'97 season.
Biding his time, in comes Olie the goalie. Kolzig would used his size to his advantage, challenging shooters on the first shot, making the save and allowing his speedy defensemen like Calle Johansson and Sergei Gonchar pick put the rebounds. The only thing that hampered Kolzig was his temper. Stick breaking rages were common in practices and even between periods in the locker room. But while some would call it a temper, others saw it as passion. And did Kolzig ever have passion.
That passion would carry them through to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998. From that point on Kolzig would endear himself to Washington, and as Capital fans, we acknowledged him as our number one guy in net. No matter how bad things got, with Olie in the net, things were going to be okay. It would be a decade before anyone could knock him from the number one spot. Partly because of some failed prospects behind him, partly because he was that good. Olie and the Caps would fall to the Red Wings that year four games to none in the Finals, but Kolzig solidified himself as an elite goaltender in the NHL.
It wasn't long before the Caps desperately wanted to taste the Finals agian and they made the mistake of bringing in free agent after free agent. Jaromir Jagr was one of those big signings that had the Caps' fans chomping at the bit for another run in the playoffs. But that would end in disaster. When the Jagr experiment failed, the Capitals vowed to rebuild. That meant a long time commitment to developing players and a lot of good talent would be lost. But the Caps could never get rid of Olie. What he meant to this city, for hockey here, and to the fans, it would take something drastic to drag our goaltender from guarding the net.
Not only have fans gotten used to seeing Kolzig between the pipes, we overlooked his bad temper. We overlooked when he started missing the second and third saves that he used to make. His name and past record was good enough for us.
As a teenager, I even made a sign in his honor that read "Go-Olie!" Not only did it get me some jumbotron action (thank you ladies for the nice compliments following the game), it also got a rise from the crowd. Olaf Kolzig will always be a Capital, there will never be another quite like him. When the reality came that maybe Kolzig just wasn't up to the challenge any more, our hearts all just ached a little. We wanted him to succeed, because his success was our success too.
Olaf Kolzig will hang up the skates this season, calling it a career after 14 years guarding a 6 foot by 4 foot net from a black rubber puck. His amazing play in '98 when he brought us so close to the Stanley Cup are now apart of Capital legend and lore. While he didn't get to raise the Cup, Kolzig was always a champion to us.
Caps Nots:
- Rusty no more. The Capitals pulled a 6 spot on the visiting Chicago Blackhawks beating them at the phone booth 6-2. Mike Knuble finally looked comfortable on the top line with Alex Ovechkin and the pair accounted for 2 goals each. You can get a recap and the scoresheet from NHL.com.
- Expect more cuts to come, but the Caps have already bid a farewell to a good number of players including John Carlson and Francois Bouchard. All will be in the Hershey Bears training camp in the coming days. You can catch up with everyone on JohnWaltonhockey.com.
- The Caps will do a home and home preseason tilt with the New York Rangers. Donald Brashear should be in at least one of the two games. We are now just under a week away from the start of the regular season.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Caps Win In OT... Again
Preseason: Capitals 3, Blackhawks 2 OTScoresheet
In almost a repeat of the first preseason game, the Capitals have to come from behind to get the win in overtime against the Chicago Blackhawks. In front of 19,734 in attendance at United Center in Chicago, the Caps' start was a little slow. The Blackhawks jumped to the early 2-0 lead. But Washington came back with goals in the second and third periods to force overtime and eventually winning with just :12 seconds left in the extra frame.
The Caps got off to another shaky start, but goaltender Micheal Neuvirth kept them with in reach. Chicago got some jump from the crowd early and scored in the first five minutes of the game off of a Patrick Sharp clean up shot with the puck in the crease.
The Caps then started taking penalties, much like they did in the game against Buffalo. They were called for four straight infractions for a total of 5 penalties in all. But the penalty killers did their job, not allowing a single Blackhawk power play goal. That seemed to build the momentum for them and Chris Clark's goal that bounced off a Blackhawk's skate to beat Huet seemed to energize the team.
The line of Clark, Alex Giroux and Kyle Wilson were on the ice for Chicago's 2 goals, but they made up for it by scoring the next two. Wilson scored late in the third to tie up the game and Neuvirth continued to look strong in net, killing off a 3:19 Blackhawk power play when Giroux took a 4 minute high sticking double minor.
Cam Barker took a high sticking call late for the Hawks and the Caps had a late power play to finish regulation, but their power play didn't click. It wasn't until late in the overtime period did Shaone Morrisonn dig the puck from the corner and feed it to a waiting Mathieu Perreault. Perreault buried the walk off goal and the Capitals stay perfect in the preseason.
The battle for second chair in goaltending has reached a boiling point. After Semyon Varlamov gave a spectacular performance in Buffalo, Neuvirth answered with a pretty well played game in Chicago. Both are making the decision harder for the coaching staff to pick one over the other, but one thing is for sure: the Caps have some great goaltending for the future.
Kyle Wilson and Mathieu Perreault played well for the Caps as the battle for the forward spots heat up. Wilson finished with a game tying goal and an assist, while Perreault scored the game winning goal in OT. Andrew Gordon also played well although he didn't make the scoresheet.
The Caps' defensive squad played well overall. Although there were some breakdowns, Neuvirth was there for the save. John Erskine had 5 hits, while Morrisonn assisted on the game winning goal. Tom Poti and Milan Jurcina both finished a plus 2.
The Blackhawks had a lot of stars on the ice for this exhibition game, but the Caps held pretty firm. Jonathan Towes, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Dustin Byfuglien and Cristabol Huet were all in the line up for the Hawks and the Caps still were able to hold their own. A positive sign.
Caps have one day of practice before their next game at the phone booth in Chinatown versus the Sabres. Caps may have more cuts on the way before the game Monday night.
Photo: AP
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Say What?
On Tarik's blog is the correct pronunciations of our Russian brothers in Capitals sweaters. I believe Puckhead is not translatable to Russian. But, that is a conversation for another day. I am working on my Russian with out saying comrade or Bolshevik. Impressive, I know.
I have just watched the game two marathon between Anaheim and Detroit that went to 3 overtime periods. The game started at 2 pm and nearly went the distance to connect to the evening game between Bruins and Hurricanes at 7:30 pm on Versus. The long game also saved us from watching ponies on Channel 4 (apologies to those who like ponies, like every little girl I knew in first grade).
Spoiler alert:, Ducks won just 1:15 into the sixth period. Todd Marchant (which is correctly pronounced Todd Mar-CLUTCH) scored the winner off a wrister that found its way through two defenders and beat Chris Osgood (correctly pronounced Chris NOT-az-good) high glove, top corner. The Ducks' netminder Jonas Hiller (not sure if you pronounce that any differently) was spectacular. He stopped 59 shots after his team was out shot by the Red Wings in the extra frames, 29 to 15.
The other Western Conference battle between Chicago and Vancouver took an interesting turn. The youth of the Blackhawks does not seem intimidated by Roberto Luongo (that is pronounced LU-shut-out-ongo, weird I know). The Canucks have blown a 3-0 lead and a 2-0 lead in back to back games, losing the later. I am starting to really like this Chicago team.
Finally, I am waiting for the Boston and Carolina game to start tonight. The Hurricanes just didn't look like themselves in game one. They were a bit overwhelmed by Boston's offensive talent and Tim Thomas' goaltending. The 'Canes need a win badly or their series will be over before they know it. Let's hope you don't pronounce Eric Staal "Cha-OKE."
I have just watched the game two marathon between Anaheim and Detroit that went to 3 overtime periods. The game started at 2 pm and nearly went the distance to connect to the evening game between Bruins and Hurricanes at 7:30 pm on Versus. The long game also saved us from watching ponies on Channel 4 (apologies to those who like ponies, like every little girl I knew in first grade).
Spoiler alert:, Ducks won just 1:15 into the sixth period. Todd Marchant (which is correctly pronounced Todd Mar-CLUTCH) scored the winner off a wrister that found its way through two defenders and beat Chris Osgood (correctly pronounced Chris NOT-az-good) high glove, top corner. The Ducks' netminder Jonas Hiller (not sure if you pronounce that any differently) was spectacular. He stopped 59 shots after his team was out shot by the Red Wings in the extra frames, 29 to 15.
The other Western Conference battle between Chicago and Vancouver took an interesting turn. The youth of the Blackhawks does not seem intimidated by Roberto Luongo (that is pronounced LU-shut-out-ongo, weird I know). The Canucks have blown a 3-0 lead and a 2-0 lead in back to back games, losing the later. I am starting to really like this Chicago team.
Finally, I am waiting for the Boston and Carolina game to start tonight. The Hurricanes just didn't look like themselves in game one. They were a bit overwhelmed by Boston's offensive talent and Tim Thomas' goaltending. The 'Canes need a win badly or their series will be over before they know it. Let's hope you don't pronounce Eric Staal "Cha-OKE."
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Bring On The Cup '09 - Fearless Predictions Pt. 1
Can you believe it? It's playoff time, which means it is time to make some predictions. This will be the fourth straight year for PHT's fearless predictions and it's the most exciting due to the Capitals ranked second in the East and they wrapped up a playoff position two weeks before the end of the season.
There are a few newbies to the Playoffs from a year ago which makes this an exciting playoff season. Two Southeast Division teams find their way to the post season, the Blue Jackets get to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the Blues not only sneak in but get get a good ranking on their last game and the Blackhawks look tough to beat. So much going on!
Let's start in the West where it was a wild finish. Eastern predictions to follow tomorrow morning.
Round 1
#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks - It is an interesting matchup to say the least. The Ducks and Sharks do not really like each other, and going into playoff series with one another is not going to help the situation much. The Sharks however might be a tad too powerful for the Ducks this year, considering goaltending has been the Ducks weak point this season. J.S. Giguere could be the back up. The Ducks will play some tough defense and it should be a good test for the number one team in the league. But the Shark's solid goaltending should win out the day in Evgeni Nabokov.
Sharks win in 7 games.
#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets - Central Division rivals meet up for the first time in the playoffs. Actually every thing the Blue Jackets do will be for the first time, since this is their first trip to the post season in franchise history. The BJ's have a tough hill to climb if they are thinking of surpassing the Red Wings who hold the season series over them. The Red Wings are at the top, if not the first, in every category in the league. The Jackets are just trying to do well and they will behind phenom rookie goaltender Steve Mason. If Chris Osgood can keep it together that is.
Red Wings win in 5 games.
#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 St. Louis Blues - Look who just crashed the playoff party, the St. Louis Blues. Hard work and determination do pay off. But it is going to be a short playoff series if the Blues can't stop the offensive juggernaut of the Vancouver Canucks while at the same time solving the arguably the league's best goaltender in Roberto Luongo. No easy task. I am afraid that the Blues venture into the post season might be short lived, Vancouver is just on too much of a roll these days to be stopped by a Blues team that has to keep up their intensity and strong forecheck if they want to be successful.
Canucks take it in 6 games.
#4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames - Proven leadership. That is what this series is going to be about. Jerome Iginla is the poster boy for leadership and he has lead this team to a finals already. Calgary's first test however will start on the road against a young and budding team that is not short on talent. The Blackhawks will have to depend on their goaltending here, Nikolai Khabibulin gets the edge in that department. His experience and tenacious play of late will help the Blackhawks do well. But I just think Calgary's leadership will help them through. Experience over youth.
Flames win in 7 games.
Round 2 (probable matchups based on Round 1 predictions)
San Jose Sharks vs. Calagary Flames - The Sharks offense will be just too much for Calgary unless Miikka Kiprusoff can put together a consistent effort. The Flames will need much more than leadership if they want to continue on. But these two are not strangers in the post season. It should be a dirty, down out fight. But with solid goaltending and an offense that is confident in themselves, San Jose just has an edge.
Sharks win in 6 games.
Detroit Red Wings vs. Vancouver Canucks - This should be a good match up. I imagine Luongo will be at his best against the best. The Red Wings must rely heavily on Osgood in this one and I am just not sure if he is up for that challenge. The Canucks' offense has found a groove. If they keep it up, the Red Wings will have their hands full.
Canucks squeak by in 7 close games.
Western Conference Final
San Jose Sharks vs. Vancouver Canucks - Ooo, a Pacific Division final. Who would have thunk it? Two of the best offensive teams in the west gear up for a show down. Travel shouldn't be an issue with both teams in the Pacific time zone. Goaltending will be the big show down, Luongo and Nabokov will go head to head for their teams. What will be the factor is how fresh the Canucks will be after their tangle with the Red Wings. Both teams seem to be evenly matched in offense, defense and of course in net, but I don't think the Canucks have the experience to take it the distance. Should be one heck of a series.
Sharks win in 6 games.
I really like San Jose coming out of the west. I have predicted it now two years in a row. The Sharks seem to have things going for them as well as the Canucks, but every time I count out the Red Wings, they end up in the finals, again. I don't think the newcomers are in a position to overtake the top teams, but how I have been wrong before.
Eastern Conference predictions and my prediction of the Stanley Cup winner will come tomorrow morning. Then it is game on, bring on the playoffs and bring on the Stanley Cup. We are more than ready.
There are a few newbies to the Playoffs from a year ago which makes this an exciting playoff season. Two Southeast Division teams find their way to the post season, the Blue Jackets get to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the Blues not only sneak in but get get a good ranking on their last game and the Blackhawks look tough to beat. So much going on!
Let's start in the West where it was a wild finish. Eastern predictions to follow tomorrow morning.
Round 1
#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks - It is an interesting matchup to say the least. The Ducks and Sharks do not really like each other, and going into playoff series with one another is not going to help the situation much. The Sharks however might be a tad too powerful for the Ducks this year, considering goaltending has been the Ducks weak point this season. J.S. Giguere could be the back up. The Ducks will play some tough defense and it should be a good test for the number one team in the league. But the Shark's solid goaltending should win out the day in Evgeni Nabokov.
Sharks win in 7 games.
#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets - Central Division rivals meet up for the first time in the playoffs. Actually every thing the Blue Jackets do will be for the first time, since this is their first trip to the post season in franchise history. The BJ's have a tough hill to climb if they are thinking of surpassing the Red Wings who hold the season series over them. The Red Wings are at the top, if not the first, in every category in the league. The Jackets are just trying to do well and they will behind phenom rookie goaltender Steve Mason. If Chris Osgood can keep it together that is.
Red Wings win in 5 games.
#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 St. Louis Blues - Look who just crashed the playoff party, the St. Louis Blues. Hard work and determination do pay off. But it is going to be a short playoff series if the Blues can't stop the offensive juggernaut of the Vancouver Canucks while at the same time solving the arguably the league's best goaltender in Roberto Luongo. No easy task. I am afraid that the Blues venture into the post season might be short lived, Vancouver is just on too much of a roll these days to be stopped by a Blues team that has to keep up their intensity and strong forecheck if they want to be successful.
Canucks take it in 6 games.
#4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames - Proven leadership. That is what this series is going to be about. Jerome Iginla is the poster boy for leadership and he has lead this team to a finals already. Calgary's first test however will start on the road against a young and budding team that is not short on talent. The Blackhawks will have to depend on their goaltending here, Nikolai Khabibulin gets the edge in that department. His experience and tenacious play of late will help the Blackhawks do well. But I just think Calgary's leadership will help them through. Experience over youth.
Flames win in 7 games.
Round 2 (probable matchups based on Round 1 predictions)
San Jose Sharks vs. Calagary Flames - The Sharks offense will be just too much for Calgary unless Miikka Kiprusoff can put together a consistent effort. The Flames will need much more than leadership if they want to continue on. But these two are not strangers in the post season. It should be a dirty, down out fight. But with solid goaltending and an offense that is confident in themselves, San Jose just has an edge.
Sharks win in 6 games.
Detroit Red Wings vs. Vancouver Canucks - This should be a good match up. I imagine Luongo will be at his best against the best. The Red Wings must rely heavily on Osgood in this one and I am just not sure if he is up for that challenge. The Canucks' offense has found a groove. If they keep it up, the Red Wings will have their hands full.
Canucks squeak by in 7 close games.
Western Conference Final
San Jose Sharks vs. Vancouver Canucks - Ooo, a Pacific Division final. Who would have thunk it? Two of the best offensive teams in the west gear up for a show down. Travel shouldn't be an issue with both teams in the Pacific time zone. Goaltending will be the big show down, Luongo and Nabokov will go head to head for their teams. What will be the factor is how fresh the Canucks will be after their tangle with the Red Wings. Both teams seem to be evenly matched in offense, defense and of course in net, but I don't think the Canucks have the experience to take it the distance. Should be one heck of a series.
Sharks win in 6 games.
I really like San Jose coming out of the west. I have predicted it now two years in a row. The Sharks seem to have things going for them as well as the Canucks, but every time I count out the Red Wings, they end up in the finals, again. I don't think the newcomers are in a position to overtake the top teams, but how I have been wrong before.
Eastern Conference predictions and my prediction of the Stanley Cup winner will come tomorrow morning. Then it is game on, bring on the playoffs and bring on the Stanley Cup. We are more than ready.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Just One More Win
With one more win and two points...
The most points the 'Canes can acquire are 101 points with their four games remaining. If the Caps win tonight that means they take the divisional crown and at least solidify home ice advantage.
Florida can still make the playoffs if they can catch the New York Rangers. That seems more plausible now with the way the Rangers seem to be going backwards. Plus the Panthers have a game at hand on the Rangers, so they must better their pace against the Broadway Blues.
The Buffalo Sabres are not mathematically out of the running. They have two games on hand against the Rangers. But they will need at least 8 points in their remaining games in order to do it. That is assuming the Rangers lose their remaining four games, which is possible since they play Boston, Montreal and a home and home with the Flyers to close out their schedule. Currently, the Sabres stand 6 points from 8th place.
Speaking of Buffalo, the Sabres and the Capitals duel this evening at the phone booth. One will be playing for their post season lives, the other will be fighting for a divisional crown. Both teams are looking for two points, the Caps are the only ones that can afford a single point.
- The Washington Capitals can clinch the Southeast Division crown (two years in a row).
- The Boston Bruins can clinch the Eastern Conference crown (seems inevitable).
- The Vancouver Canucks can surpass the Calgary Flames for lead in the Northwest Division (that is if the Flames lose their next game).
- The Florida Panthers can tie the 8th place New York Rangers with a game in hand (Rangers drop from first to worst).
- The Tampa Bay Lightning still won't make the playoffs (oh snap!).
- The Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks can solidify a playoff spot.
The most points the 'Canes can acquire are 101 points with their four games remaining. If the Caps win tonight that means they take the divisional crown and at least solidify home ice advantage.
Florida can still make the playoffs if they can catch the New York Rangers. That seems more plausible now with the way the Rangers seem to be going backwards. Plus the Panthers have a game at hand on the Rangers, so they must better their pace against the Broadway Blues.
The Buffalo Sabres are not mathematically out of the running. They have two games on hand against the Rangers. But they will need at least 8 points in their remaining games in order to do it. That is assuming the Rangers lose their remaining four games, which is possible since they play Boston, Montreal and a home and home with the Flyers to close out their schedule. Currently, the Sabres stand 6 points from 8th place.
Speaking of Buffalo, the Sabres and the Capitals duel this evening at the phone booth. One will be playing for their post season lives, the other will be fighting for a divisional crown. Both teams are looking for two points, the Caps are the only ones that can afford a single point.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Third Jerseys, Nylander Trade Talk
In the NHL, the "in" thing to do is make a third jersey. Personally, I am kind of glad the Capitals are sticking with just the two. I really only see two reasons for teams to go the third jersey route, revenue and revenue. Other than that, the jersey is just a jersey.
Before the days of the flying eagle and the dome with crisscross hockey sticks, the Capitals only had two jerseys; home and away. Now every team wants to have a third jersey which never made sense to me as a fan. Third jerseys are like a fade, a crazy what if.
Hey, I used to place playing cards on the wheels of my bike with clothes line pins to improve my bike. After awhile I realized it didn't improve my bike. It turns out my bike was just a bike whether it had the playing cards on or not, it was just louder. A team is just a team no matter what they wear. A third jersey is not going to guarantee a playoff spot.
Clarification. If a team uses their third jersey as a retro jersey, then surprisingly I am okay with that. Buffalo, Edmonton and the Islanders have introduced third jerseys that are throwbacks from the day, all of which I liked. If you think about it, their current jerseys would be the third jersey.
I don't consider myself an traditionalist by any means, but there is just something about heritage in the logo you started out with that I am partial too. I still like the vintage Caps' jersey. The blue pants with the stars down the side. Now that the Caps are back in red, white and blue, I do like the modernization of the logo and love they are back in the colors they started with.
The San Jose Sharks will be sporting their third jersey tonight when they face off with the Capitals. The Caps will be in their same ol' white road jerseys.
Trade talks seem to continue about a possible exchange concerning the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals for Micheal Nylander. Since management is pretty mum here, most of these reports have been coming out of the Windy City.
The Blackhawks reportedly were considering putting newly acquired Cristobal Huet on waivers to make room for Nylander. While that might be fun to speculate, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense on the Blackhawks behalf. I am almost certain if Huet hits the waivers, he will be picked up by a team in need of a goaltender of his stature. Seems like a lose, lose for Chicago.
Nylander/Brent Johnson for developing player/Huet? Hmm.
NHL Notes:
The Boston Bruins are quickly becoming a very scary team to face. They have been climbing up the standings and now find themselves tied for first in the East with the Rangers (who have two more games played than Boston). The Bruins are first the Conference with goals for with 66, the Capitals second with 64.
The Southeast Division maybe a race between just two teams. It seems Carolina and Washington have pulled to a 3 and 3 and a half game lead respectively over the rest of the division. It's too early to rule out the remaining three, but I wouldn't be surprised if the 'Canes and Caps finish in the top two.
Contract talks have started with Brian Burke and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Are fans in Toronto sure they want an American running the team? I guess the resounding answer is yes.
It's not hockey, but it's played on ice and in full pads. Close enough. It's Red Bull Crashed Ice where you go down a rather steep ramp of ice that curves and banks, beating out four other competitors to win a Red Bull (there is a video of it on the site). It will be held in Quebec City January 24, '09. Since it doesn't look like it takes much skill, I took the liberty of signing up JP and DC Sports Chick for the competition. Good luck!
Before the days of the flying eagle and the dome with crisscross hockey sticks, the Capitals only had two jerseys; home and away. Now every team wants to have a third jersey which never made sense to me as a fan. Third jerseys are like a fade, a crazy what if.
Hey, I used to place playing cards on the wheels of my bike with clothes line pins to improve my bike. After awhile I realized it didn't improve my bike. It turns out my bike was just a bike whether it had the playing cards on or not, it was just louder. A team is just a team no matter what they wear. A third jersey is not going to guarantee a playoff spot.
Clarification. If a team uses their third jersey as a retro jersey, then surprisingly I am okay with that. Buffalo, Edmonton and the Islanders have introduced third jerseys that are throwbacks from the day, all of which I liked. If you think about it, their current jerseys would be the third jersey.
I don't consider myself an traditionalist by any means, but there is just something about heritage in the logo you started out with that I am partial too. I still like the vintage Caps' jersey. The blue pants with the stars down the side. Now that the Caps are back in red, white and blue, I do like the modernization of the logo and love they are back in the colors they started with.
The San Jose Sharks will be sporting their third jersey tonight when they face off with the Capitals. The Caps will be in their same ol' white road jerseys.
Trade talks seem to continue about a possible exchange concerning the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals for Micheal Nylander. Since management is pretty mum here, most of these reports have been coming out of the Windy City.
The Blackhawks reportedly were considering putting newly acquired Cristobal Huet on waivers to make room for Nylander. While that might be fun to speculate, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense on the Blackhawks behalf. I am almost certain if Huet hits the waivers, he will be picked up by a team in need of a goaltender of his stature. Seems like a lose, lose for Chicago.
Nylander/Brent Johnson for developing player/Huet? Hmm.
NHL Notes:
The Boston Bruins are quickly becoming a very scary team to face. They have been climbing up the standings and now find themselves tied for first in the East with the Rangers (who have two more games played than Boston). The Bruins are first the Conference with goals for with 66, the Capitals second with 64.
The Southeast Division maybe a race between just two teams. It seems Carolina and Washington have pulled to a 3 and 3 and a half game lead respectively over the rest of the division. It's too early to rule out the remaining three, but I wouldn't be surprised if the 'Canes and Caps finish in the top two.
Contract talks have started with Brian Burke and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Are fans in Toronto sure they want an American running the team? I guess the resounding answer is yes.
It's not hockey, but it's played on ice and in full pads. Close enough. It's Red Bull Crashed Ice where you go down a rather steep ramp of ice that curves and banks, beating out four other competitors to win a Red Bull (there is a video of it on the site). It will be held in Quebec City January 24, '09. Since it doesn't look like it takes much skill, I took the liberty of signing up JP and DC Sports Chick for the competition. Good luck!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
20 Games In
What has surprised you most now that we are about 20 games into the season? The Sharks strong start? Barry Melrose's short tenure? Alex Semin atop the scoring list?
There have been more incidents in the last 20 games that raised an eyebrow or two. Here are a couple that surprised me.
Around the League:
While I am not surprised at Melrose's dismissal, I am surprised that it took all of 16 games to decide his fate. Where does that leave the Tampa Bay Lighting? In the hands of Rick Tocchet. You remember him, he had a thing with Wayne Gretzky's wife.
Brian Burke's sudden availability. Good news for Toronto? Maybe. Burke has been apart of a Stanley Cup winning Duck team and he pulled Dustin Penner out of the dust (which seems to be working out for the Oilers). It seems all but certain that Burke will bleed blue as the latest change in Toronto, that is there isn't another franchise that gets to Hogtown first.
The Boston Bruins strong start has surprised me. For a team that was hanging by a thread just to make the playoffs last season, they have certainly turned it around. It seems that Claude Julien has his team working hard and winning. The Bruin's head coach had some time to make the system work (I wonder who else needed more time... hmm...).
Nikolai Khabibulin. Why is he such a surprise? He is playing the best goaltending I have seen from him in a long time. All he needed was a little motivation in one Cristobal Huet. The Blackhawks have tried to trade him, send him to the minors, loan him out to the KHL all for not. In return Khaby is making the case to stay in the NHL. Now the Hawks have a couple of very good goaltenders which will make beating this team down the stretch that much harder.
For the Capitals:
I know you are thinking I am going to say Semin's offensive explosion. Well, here is a surprise of my own. The most surprising thing, in my opinion, is Tomas Fleischmann's improvement over a year ago. I really had my doubts putting the fourth year Czech on the second line but Flash is on pace for a 30 goal season considering he only had 10 goals all of last season. He has come up with a couple of big goals already this year.
The Caps goaltending situation has been a bit surprising only in that it's better than originally thought. Jose Theodore may have not been the best fill in, Brent Johnson has picked up the slack. This back and forth between goaltenders maybe good for the Caps as well. A little competition seems to keep both goaltenders sharp. While it's not a perfect arrangement, for the moment it's working.
I can't wait to see what the next twenty games bring. If it is anything like the first twenty, we have some very interesting times leading up to the All Star game in Montreal. Especially the consideration of voter fraud in the balloting. It's been a pretty entertaining first quarter of the season so far.
There have been more incidents in the last 20 games that raised an eyebrow or two. Here are a couple that surprised me.
Around the League:
While I am not surprised at Melrose's dismissal, I am surprised that it took all of 16 games to decide his fate. Where does that leave the Tampa Bay Lighting? In the hands of Rick Tocchet. You remember him, he had a thing with Wayne Gretzky's wife.
Brian Burke's sudden availability. Good news for Toronto? Maybe. Burke has been apart of a Stanley Cup winning Duck team and he pulled Dustin Penner out of the dust (which seems to be working out for the Oilers). It seems all but certain that Burke will bleed blue as the latest change in Toronto, that is there isn't another franchise that gets to Hogtown first.
The Boston Bruins strong start has surprised me. For a team that was hanging by a thread just to make the playoffs last season, they have certainly turned it around. It seems that Claude Julien has his team working hard and winning. The Bruin's head coach had some time to make the system work (I wonder who else needed more time... hmm...).
Nikolai Khabibulin. Why is he such a surprise? He is playing the best goaltending I have seen from him in a long time. All he needed was a little motivation in one Cristobal Huet. The Blackhawks have tried to trade him, send him to the minors, loan him out to the KHL all for not. In return Khaby is making the case to stay in the NHL. Now the Hawks have a couple of very good goaltenders which will make beating this team down the stretch that much harder.
For the Capitals:
I know you are thinking I am going to say Semin's offensive explosion. Well, here is a surprise of my own. The most surprising thing, in my opinion, is Tomas Fleischmann's improvement over a year ago. I really had my doubts putting the fourth year Czech on the second line but Flash is on pace for a 30 goal season considering he only had 10 goals all of last season. He has come up with a couple of big goals already this year.
The Caps goaltending situation has been a bit surprising only in that it's better than originally thought. Jose Theodore may have not been the best fill in, Brent Johnson has picked up the slack. This back and forth between goaltenders maybe good for the Caps as well. A little competition seems to keep both goaltenders sharp. While it's not a perfect arrangement, for the moment it's working.
I can't wait to see what the next twenty games bring. If it is anything like the first twenty, we have some very interesting times leading up to the All Star game in Montreal. Especially the consideration of voter fraud in the balloting. It's been a pretty entertaining first quarter of the season so far.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Welcome Back Home
Capitals 4, Blackhawks 2
Scoresheet - Wash Post - Chi Trib
The Caps may have gotten off to a horrible start, but they sure made up for things on banner night at the Verizon Center. Brooks Laich broke the 2-2 tie in the third and Alex Ovechkin scored a pair as the Capitals extend their home opener winning streak to seven games, beating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2.
The game started a bit late as the Capitals raised their Southeast Division Champions banner before the game. In their amazing run last season, the game they played against Chicago was the last game the Caps lost. They would go on to win 7 striaght to clinch the division crown.
Ovechkin, Laich and Matt Bradley are your scorers. Each got their first goals of the year. Jose Theodore even got involved in the scoring as well, getting an assist. Ovi, Bradley and Mike Green were all a +2. Sergei Fedorov was a solid faceoff man winning 13 of 17 draws while Nick Backstrom struggled in the circle winning only 2 of 10.
The game started pretty shaky for the Capitals. The Blackhawks took the lead :26 seconds into the game. The Hawks followed that up with a second chance rebound that got passed Teddy halfway through the first. From the Atlanta game into the start of this game, the Capitals just didn't look right. Something was off. They didn't look fast enough and looked as if making a pass was the same as solving Pythagorean theory. It just wasn't Caps hockey.
The energy line consisting of David Steckel, Bradly and Donald Brashear finally brought some energy back to the phone booth when Steckel set up Bradley's goal and from then on the Caps started to look much more familiar. They were forechecking with abandonment, finding the open player, getting shots to the net and, most importantly, dictating the tempo. The Caps kept the Blackhawks on their heels for good long portions of the game.
Maybe the Caps were energized by their energy line goal or by the amazing crowd at the sold out Verizon Center, who were loud even during team warm ups. Even a few M-V-P shouts resonated after Ovi's second goal. Whatever the case maybe, the Capitals looked much better in the second and third periods.
Theodore's play reflected the team's play as well. Even down two nothing, Theo made an awesome save on a wide open net shot from a Blackhawk. A few hit posts here and there, he looked much more comfortable in net towards the end than in the start. While he was not perfect, he did look better at stopping shots in this game than in the previous two.
While Ovechkin took the praise and the game's number one star, it was Laich that was recognized by his team as the hardest working player. Captain Chris Clark gave Laich a hard hat, after which several of the guys poked fun at him, even Ovi. But Laich's hard work gave the Caps the lead and his hard work didn't go unnoticed.
Some quotes from after the game:
Blackhawks head coach Denis Savard on Ovechkin: "Look at him and how he plays - he wins his battles. That's why he's a star player. You want to be a star player, you do it every night, not just once in a while."
Bruce Boudreau on Theodore: "I just felt really bad for Theo. I knew he wanted more than anything the start tonight, and I knew he wanted to redeem himself."
Ovi on the comeback win: "Showed our character. We know we can come back. It doesn't matter what the score is."
Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell on Ovechkin: "You can't defend him with just one guy. Especially when he cuts to the middle, it's hard to gap up on him. You need help from forwards."
Theo on his performance: "It didn't start the way I wanted, even yesterday in Atlanta. At one point, you try to do too much, and it affects your play. Tonight when they scored two goals I said to myself, 'Go out there and play like you can.' From there I did my part and the guys did the rest. I knew that if I allowed only two goals, we would come back. And that's exactly what happened."
Laich when asked about the hard hat given to him by Clark: "It's something new. It goes to the guy who works hard and does something to help the team win. He (captain Chris Clark) also said I have to wear it for all interviews."
Highlights by NHL.com:
And Brooks Laich in his fashionable hard hat from Caps 365:
Scoresheet - Wash Post - Chi Trib
The Caps may have gotten off to a horrible start, but they sure made up for things on banner night at the Verizon Center. Brooks Laich broke the 2-2 tie in the third and Alex Ovechkin scored a pair as the Capitals extend their home opener winning streak to seven games, beating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2.
The game started a bit late as the Capitals raised their Southeast Division Champions banner before the game. In their amazing run last season, the game they played against Chicago was the last game the Caps lost. They would go on to win 7 striaght to clinch the division crown.
Ovechkin, Laich and Matt Bradley are your scorers. Each got their first goals of the year. Jose Theodore even got involved in the scoring as well, getting an assist. Ovi, Bradley and Mike Green were all a +2. Sergei Fedorov was a solid faceoff man winning 13 of 17 draws while Nick Backstrom struggled in the circle winning only 2 of 10.
The game started pretty shaky for the Capitals. The Blackhawks took the lead :26 seconds into the game. The Hawks followed that up with a second chance rebound that got passed Teddy halfway through the first. From the Atlanta game into the start of this game, the Capitals just didn't look right. Something was off. They didn't look fast enough and looked as if making a pass was the same as solving Pythagorean theory. It just wasn't Caps hockey.
The energy line consisting of David Steckel, Bradly and Donald Brashear finally brought some energy back to the phone booth when Steckel set up Bradley's goal and from then on the Caps started to look much more familiar. They were forechecking with abandonment, finding the open player, getting shots to the net and, most importantly, dictating the tempo. The Caps kept the Blackhawks on their heels for good long portions of the game.
Maybe the Caps were energized by their energy line goal or by the amazing crowd at the sold out Verizon Center, who were loud even during team warm ups. Even a few M-V-P shouts resonated after Ovi's second goal. Whatever the case maybe, the Capitals looked much better in the second and third periods.
Theodore's play reflected the team's play as well. Even down two nothing, Theo made an awesome save on a wide open net shot from a Blackhawk. A few hit posts here and there, he looked much more comfortable in net towards the end than in the start. While he was not perfect, he did look better at stopping shots in this game than in the previous two.
While Ovechkin took the praise and the game's number one star, it was Laich that was recognized by his team as the hardest working player. Captain Chris Clark gave Laich a hard hat, after which several of the guys poked fun at him, even Ovi. But Laich's hard work gave the Caps the lead and his hard work didn't go unnoticed.
Some quotes from after the game:
Blackhawks head coach Denis Savard on Ovechkin: "Look at him and how he plays - he wins his battles. That's why he's a star player. You want to be a star player, you do it every night, not just once in a while."
Bruce Boudreau on Theodore: "I just felt really bad for Theo. I knew he wanted more than anything the start tonight, and I knew he wanted to redeem himself."
Ovi on the comeback win: "Showed our character. We know we can come back. It doesn't matter what the score is."
Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell on Ovechkin: "You can't defend him with just one guy. Especially when he cuts to the middle, it's hard to gap up on him. You need help from forwards."
Theo on his performance: "It didn't start the way I wanted, even yesterday in Atlanta. At one point, you try to do too much, and it affects your play. Tonight when they scored two goals I said to myself, 'Go out there and play like you can.' From there I did my part and the guys did the rest. I knew that if I allowed only two goals, we would come back. And that's exactly what happened."
Laich when asked about the hard hat given to him by Clark: "It's something new. It goes to the guy who works hard and does something to help the team win. He (captain Chris Clark) also said I have to wear it for all interviews."
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Caps Open Against Chicago
Via the press release from the Capitals:
So much young talent, all three nominees for the Rookie of the year award in one place. And we get a banner, yea baby! Oh and Huet will be back in town. Ooo, awkward.
The Washington Capitals will face the Chicago Blackhawks in their home opener at 7 p.m. on Oct. 11 at Verizon Center, one day after opening the season at Atlanta, the NHL announced today. The league also announced the Capitals will play two games each against Western Conference opponents Columbus, Los Angeles and Nashville during the season.
The Capitals will raise their 2007-08 Southeast Division championship banner prior to the home opener.
This is the second time in club history that Washington will host Chicago for its home opener, as the Blackhawks made the trip to D.C. on Oct. 5, 1996, and won 5-2. The Capitals are 17-14-2-0 in home openers. Washington is 33-38-11-1 all-time against Chicago, but owns a 20-15-5-1 record at home against the Blackhawks.
So much young talent, all three nominees for the Rookie of the year award in one place. And we get a banner, yea baby! Oh and Huet will be back in town. Ooo, awkward.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Huet Gone, Kolzig Gone, Welcome Jose
The goaltender situation just couldn't get ironed out. Cris Huet wanted a longer contract, George McPhee was only going to give him 3 years. The result, Huet makes the move to Chicago for a 4 year, $22 million contract. And the Capitals felt they had no choice but to pick up what they could.
Jose Theodore comes to Washington with a so-so career record. Plus the Capitals got him for a deal, 2 years, $9 million contract. Theodore did play well in the first round of the playoffs last season, and helped his team make the second round, a fact that Huet did not. Theodore should bring some of that calm butterfly demeanor to the Caps net. Let's hope he got that hair thing all figured out.
Huet seemed the perfect fit, but the hold up was 1 year. McPhee offered 3, Huet wanted 4. As a result Olie Kolzig signs a one year contract with the Lightning. Wha? Kolzig was rumored to head to Ottawa, to sort of settle things down goaltender wise. But the move to Tampa actually makes sense. They will use him in conjuction with Mike Smith, and when Smith's game starts to get in consistent bring in Olie.
The market apparently wasn't very kind to Kolzig. Who could only muster a mere one year, $1.5 million contract. Leaving his future very much in question. Will his competive nature help the Lightning or hurt them? Is Kolzig past his prime? We will have to wait to see. It will be interesting to see the Caps play against their former team leader. Kolzig will definitely be in a back up capacity with the contract he signed. Maybe even a back up, back up capacity, don't forget Karri Ramo.
Will Thoedore's contract give Simeon Varlamov the time he needs? Is he a good enough goaltender to get the Caps back to the playoff landscape? Is he healthy enough? Much of these questions will haunt Caps fans for the off season. Let's hope good things are to come.
Update: according to Tarik:
I just heard from a source that Huet asked the Caps for three years, $15 million and the Caps offered it to him. But Huet told them he wanted test the market today and see what might be out there. Now it's looking like he'll sign a four year deal with Chicago for $5.6 million per.
Did GMGM jump the gun thinking Huet wasn't going to sign?
Jose Theodore comes to Washington with a so-so career record. Plus the Capitals got him for a deal, 2 years, $9 million contract. Theodore did play well in the first round of the playoffs last season, and helped his team make the second round, a fact that Huet did not. Theodore should bring some of that calm butterfly demeanor to the Caps net. Let's hope he got that hair thing all figured out.
Huet seemed the perfect fit, but the hold up was 1 year. McPhee offered 3, Huet wanted 4. As a result Olie Kolzig signs a one year contract with the Lightning. Wha? Kolzig was rumored to head to Ottawa, to sort of settle things down goaltender wise. But the move to Tampa actually makes sense. They will use him in conjuction with Mike Smith, and when Smith's game starts to get in consistent bring in Olie.
The market apparently wasn't very kind to Kolzig. Who could only muster a mere one year, $1.5 million contract. Leaving his future very much in question. Will his competive nature help the Lightning or hurt them? Is Kolzig past his prime? We will have to wait to see. It will be interesting to see the Caps play against their former team leader. Kolzig will definitely be in a back up capacity with the contract he signed. Maybe even a back up, back up capacity, don't forget Karri Ramo.
Will Thoedore's contract give Simeon Varlamov the time he needs? Is he a good enough goaltender to get the Caps back to the playoff landscape? Is he healthy enough? Much of these questions will haunt Caps fans for the off season. Let's hope good things are to come.
Update: according to Tarik:
I just heard from a source that Huet asked the Caps for three years, $15 million and the Caps offered it to him. But Huet told them he wanted test the market today and see what might be out there. Now it's looking like he'll sign a four year deal with Chicago for $5.6 million per.
Did GMGM jump the gun thinking Huet wasn't going to sign?
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Blackhawks Dominate Caps
Capitals 0, Blackhawks 5
Scoresheet - Wash Post
The Caps couldn't match the intensity of the Chicago Blackhawks. Knowing the Capitals had played the night before they push the Caps to the brink and over. On Tony Esposito night, you know goals were going to be tough to come by for the Caps. Throw in a late whistle, a bad penalty and two goals Olie Kolzig should have had and the Caps get a can of whoop ass opened up on them.
Olie should have been replaced after the 3rd goal, and why they continued to keep him in I am not sure. The Caps were pretty worn down from the night before and it was evident in the second and third. The pace of the game drop drastically, and played right into Chicago's hands. After that they sat back and played strong defense. Alex Ovechkin had a guy in his back pocket for the entire game and the Caps had no answer for it.
The Caps offense took a bad night off. They only produced 6 shots in the first, and 25 for the game. Compare that to the Blackhawks 42 shots on net. Playing games back to back on the road took an extreme effect on the Caps. They just couldn't match the Hawks' intensity. It couldn't have happened at a worse time either.
Buffalo retains their ninth place position by beating Tampa Bay and Carolina won their game over Atlanta. The Caps fall back to tenth in the Conference and drop to 5 points behind Carolina. Now the Caps face off against divisional foes for their rest of their road trip. If they are hoping to reach the playoffs, they must get wins against their division. The Caps have little room (if any) for mistakes anymore. One can hope a lesson was learned in Chicago.
Scoresheet - Wash Post
The Caps couldn't match the intensity of the Chicago Blackhawks. Knowing the Capitals had played the night before they push the Caps to the brink and over. On Tony Esposito night, you know goals were going to be tough to come by for the Caps. Throw in a late whistle, a bad penalty and two goals Olie Kolzig should have had and the Caps get a can of whoop ass opened up on them.
Olie should have been replaced after the 3rd goal, and why they continued to keep him in I am not sure. The Caps were pretty worn down from the night before and it was evident in the second and third. The pace of the game drop drastically, and played right into Chicago's hands. After that they sat back and played strong defense. Alex Ovechkin had a guy in his back pocket for the entire game and the Caps had no answer for it.
The Caps offense took a bad night off. They only produced 6 shots in the first, and 25 for the game. Compare that to the Blackhawks 42 shots on net. Playing games back to back on the road took an extreme effect on the Caps. They just couldn't match the Hawks' intensity. It couldn't have happened at a worse time either.
Buffalo retains their ninth place position by beating Tampa Bay and Carolina won their game over Atlanta. The Caps fall back to tenth in the Conference and drop to 5 points behind Carolina. Now the Caps face off against divisional foes for their rest of their road trip. If they are hoping to reach the playoffs, they must get wins against their division. The Caps have little room (if any) for mistakes anymore. One can hope a lesson was learned in Chicago.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Hard Times Chicago
Chicago Blackhawk fans have not been a fan of the team's owner. Its been a rough couple of years to be a Hawk's fan. Games were never televised, the team lost it's franchise players and an owner that was more about save a dime than making the team competitive. That may all change with the passing of William Wirtz, the Blackhawk's long time owner.
As much as the fans may have had less than a pretty word for the owner, Wirtz did help to shape the league we know today:
Wirtz is survived by his wife, five children and seven grandchildren.
As much as the fans may have had less than a pretty word for the owner, Wirtz did help to shape the league we know today:
Wirtz served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Hockey League for 18 years and was responsible for negotiating the merger between the NHL and the World Hockey Association in the late 1970’s as well the expansion of the league.
Wirtz is survived by his wife, five children and seven grandchildren.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Bondra Lands In Chicago
The Chicago Blackhawks weren't done with making changes to their club. There newest addition Peter Bondra who was not picked up by anyone else this year, could make the roster as early as Tuesday. The long time Capital was in jeopardy of sitting out the entire year before the Blackhawks look his way. Let's see if he can help that team do a fair shade better.
NHL.com has gone Ovie/Kid crazy. Their "Tale of the Tape" feature puts Sid "the Kid" Crosby stats against Alex Ovechkin's. It also includes some pretty cool videos of some promos of the up coming game later tonight on Versus. I really don't care if Crosby or Ovechkin score, just as long as the Caps win.
Like I said earlier, with the win over the Flyers the Caps moved up to 8th place in the eastern coference. A win against the Penguins could push the Capitals into a tie with the Rangers and the Hurricanes at 34 points. Although is too early in the season to start talking playoffs, the Caps are in the hunt. The Caps have to keep up their good play to keep the pressure up and keep close to that 8th place spot.
NHL.com has gone Ovie/Kid crazy. Their "Tale of the Tape" feature puts Sid "the Kid" Crosby stats against Alex Ovechkin's. It also includes some pretty cool videos of some promos of the up coming game later tonight on Versus. I really don't care if Crosby or Ovechkin score, just as long as the Caps win.
Like I said earlier, with the win over the Flyers the Caps moved up to 8th place in the eastern coference. A win against the Penguins could push the Capitals into a tie with the Rangers and the Hurricanes at 34 points. Although is too early in the season to start talking playoffs, the Caps are in the hunt. The Caps have to keep up their good play to keep the pressure up and keep close to that 8th place spot.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Overtime Loss, This One Hurts
Capitals 3, Blackhawks 4 OT
The Blackhawks looked to end their ten game skid, and they were able to jump to a 3 goal lead early. The Caps powered their way back, but were not able to play with much intensity after scoring the tying goal.
Chicago played with much more urgency than the Capitals. It even looked as if the Caps had the game all but won, with the pressure they had on the Blackhawks late in the third. Chicago was able to kill every penalty tonight. If the Caps wanted to win, they would have to do it at even strength.
The Caps failed to get their 14th win. This whole game had a bad taste in my mouth for some reason. Even as the Capitals were able to pull back with a tie, something told me that Chicago was just hungrier for the win.
Overall Grade: C
I liked the gusto of the team to get back into it, but then they just stopped pressuring after Brian Sutherby’s tying goal. I couldn’t understand why the caps were not playing with a sense of purpose. Almost like their job was over when they had tied.
Bright side, Alex Ovechkin has found his scoring touch once more. Rumor has it that Jeff Friesen will be back in the line up on the southwestern road swing.
Down side, Olie Kolzig may have once again injured his groin but was not taken out of the game. He didn’t look that sharp in overtime and Chicago’s aggressive play may have caught the veteran goaltender off kilter.
Wash Post has the quotes and details. The Caps need to finish the game. They need to match the same intensity has they had when they were down 3-0. This is one they let slip through their fingers.
The Blackhawks looked to end their ten game skid, and they were able to jump to a 3 goal lead early. The Caps powered their way back, but were not able to play with much intensity after scoring the tying goal.
Chicago played with much more urgency than the Capitals. It even looked as if the Caps had the game all but won, with the pressure they had on the Blackhawks late in the third. Chicago was able to kill every penalty tonight. If the Caps wanted to win, they would have to do it at even strength.
The Caps failed to get their 14th win. This whole game had a bad taste in my mouth for some reason. Even as the Capitals were able to pull back with a tie, something told me that Chicago was just hungrier for the win.
Overall Grade: C
I liked the gusto of the team to get back into it, but then they just stopped pressuring after Brian Sutherby’s tying goal. I couldn’t understand why the caps were not playing with a sense of purpose. Almost like their job was over when they had tied.
Bright side, Alex Ovechkin has found his scoring touch once more. Rumor has it that Jeff Friesen will be back in the line up on the southwestern road swing.
Down side, Olie Kolzig may have once again injured his groin but was not taken out of the game. He didn’t look that sharp in overtime and Chicago’s aggressive play may have caught the veteran goaltender off kilter.
Wash Post has the quotes and details. The Caps need to finish the game. They need to match the same intensity has they had when they were down 3-0. This is one they let slip through their fingers.
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