The Capitals have been here before. February 2008. The Capitals are three points from an eighth place playoff spot, five points from division leading Carolina. There was a new coach, a new system and they were pressing the division. George McPhee did something that a few thought might be a foolish move if the Caps failed to make the playoffs. He made some very good strategic trades.
He traded Matt Pettinger to Vancouver for Matt Cooke, sent a prospect defender in Ted Ruth to Columbus for Sergei Fedorov, acquired Cristobal Huet for a second round draft pick from Montreal. The would go on to win 11 of their last 12 games in route to win the division and make the playoffs by the skin of their teeth.
Does McPhee has another rabbit out of his hat to finalize the push to the playoffs. In this shortened season, just getting into the post season is the Caps goal. The best way for them to do that is to win their division. McPhee has some trade bait in Wotjek Wolski, and a couple of good prospects in Hershey, but the market is not as idea as it was back in 2008.
Because the season is short and so many teams are still in the hunt for a playoff spot, the market for trades is squeezed to its bare minimum. What would the Capitals need? Bigger up the middle with another center? A goaltender? Bolster the wingers, or the defensemen? What is out there for the Caps to acquire while not breaking the bank doing so. Not much, and the Capitals will do better to stand pat rather than make a senseless move out of fear of not making the playoffs.
That is because the Capitals are in a prime position to make the playoffs by winning their division. They are 10-3 against their own division. They are just two points from the division lead as the Winnipeg Jets struggle to get late season points. The door is open for the Capitals to make a move with the team they have now.
The Caps will have to continue to win. With 12 games left in the season, the Capitals will still have to win 8 of those games. It is a good thing 8 of the last 12 are at home. They can control their own fate, but they have to get points to keep the pressure on the division.
Showing posts with label Cooke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cooke. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Distracted Caps Lose Divisional Battle
If George McPhee was looking for a bit of "shock and awe" with his trade before the Capitals played the Carolina Hurricanes, the shock may have back fired. The Caps allowed 3 first period goals and never recovered as the Hurricanes blow away the Caps 6-3.
What preceded the game left both fans and players a bit on edge as the team's captain Chris Clark and defenseman Milan Jurcina were traded to Columbus for Jason Chimera. Yes, the same Chimera that got under the skin of the Caps and was involved in the play that may have injured Alex Ovechkin. McPhee wanted more grit and some salary space. He got it with this trade, but he also disrupted a very tight locker room.
The Caps changes in the past 2 and a half years has not had a shake up like this in it's ranks, unless we are talking about goaltending. McPhee even came out and stated he would like to keep the group together for as much as he could to give them another chance. He already has a tight nit group of guys and this shake up may have caught them off guard.
The end result is a team that was off kilter, off game and a team that failed to win against a weaker team and slipped in the standing a point behind the New Jersey Devils. All for more grit. McPhee may have realized his team lacked a bit of toughness. Chimera will bring that edge that is not quite a fighter and not quite a saint either.
What McPhee brought in was someone to add some energy to a team that seems to only thrive on goals. A player that can mix it up, and still have the speed to cut to the outside and make a play. Not so much a fighter, but an agitator. It is something the Caps have lacked since saying good bye to Matt Cooke, choosing Matt Bradley instead.
GMGM has also made room for another possible trade or pick up at the trade deadline. He dumps salaries of $2.5 and $1.375 million off his cap will only absorbing $1.875 and a contract through 2012. In a word, some cap "srtategery" going on here.
It was a shock for the Caps to make the move and deal the players that seemed to grow on the fans. Captain Chris Clark was the leader of this team, and a close friend to many in the locker room. His play through injury and hard working attitude seemed to satisfy the Capitals' faithful. Jurcina would probably be the last defenseman you would think be traded. He was a physical player that had a laser of a shot. The trade does ease the log jam of defensemen the Capitals have as well.
That shock seemed to rub on to the Caps as they took the ice to get their ninth straight win against a divisional foe. But that didn't happen. In one of the worst first periods I have seen the Caps play in some time, the Hurricanes took advantage of a stunned Caps' team scoring three goals in the first and never really looked back. When the Caps needed a save, they didn't get one from Jose Theodore. Not that it was entirely his fault, but he certainly didn't look very special out there.
In the grand scheme of things, it was simply just another loss. We sill need to see how Chimera fits into the locker room and how his play will affect the Caps as a whole. There might be more moves to come out of GMGM and that remains to be seen as well.
What preceded the game left both fans and players a bit on edge as the team's captain Chris Clark and defenseman Milan Jurcina were traded to Columbus for Jason Chimera. Yes, the same Chimera that got under the skin of the Caps and was involved in the play that may have injured Alex Ovechkin. McPhee wanted more grit and some salary space. He got it with this trade, but he also disrupted a very tight locker room.
The Caps changes in the past 2 and a half years has not had a shake up like this in it's ranks, unless we are talking about goaltending. McPhee even came out and stated he would like to keep the group together for as much as he could to give them another chance. He already has a tight nit group of guys and this shake up may have caught them off guard.
The end result is a team that was off kilter, off game and a team that failed to win against a weaker team and slipped in the standing a point behind the New Jersey Devils. All for more grit. McPhee may have realized his team lacked a bit of toughness. Chimera will bring that edge that is not quite a fighter and not quite a saint either.
What McPhee brought in was someone to add some energy to a team that seems to only thrive on goals. A player that can mix it up, and still have the speed to cut to the outside and make a play. Not so much a fighter, but an agitator. It is something the Caps have lacked since saying good bye to Matt Cooke, choosing Matt Bradley instead.
GMGM has also made room for another possible trade or pick up at the trade deadline. He dumps salaries of $2.5 and $1.375 million off his cap will only absorbing $1.875 and a contract through 2012. In a word, some cap "srtategery" going on here.
It was a shock for the Caps to make the move and deal the players that seemed to grow on the fans. Captain Chris Clark was the leader of this team, and a close friend to many in the locker room. His play through injury and hard working attitude seemed to satisfy the Capitals' faithful. Jurcina would probably be the last defenseman you would think be traded. He was a physical player that had a laser of a shot. The trade does ease the log jam of defensemen the Capitals have as well.
That shock seemed to rub on to the Caps as they took the ice to get their ninth straight win against a divisional foe. But that didn't happen. In one of the worst first periods I have seen the Caps play in some time, the Hurricanes took advantage of a stunned Caps' team scoring three goals in the first and never really looked back. When the Caps needed a save, they didn't get one from Jose Theodore. Not that it was entirely his fault, but he certainly didn't look very special out there.
In the grand scheme of things, it was simply just another loss. We sill need to see how Chimera fits into the locker room and how his play will affect the Caps as a whole. There might be more moves to come out of GMGM and that remains to be seen as well.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Trade Talk - What Do The Caps Really Need?
Long time Bruin GM Harry Sinden once said of late season trades, "Moving-van trades, I call them, because the moving-van companies are the only ones that make out well. Neither team benefits." With the trade deadline looming, the Capitals may not take any of Sinden's advice and will look for some help down the stretch. But where do they need it and from who?
The first priority the Caps need to fill, in my opinion, is the lack of grit among the forward lines. Donald Brashear adds muscle and policing but you really need an agitator that can play well enough to sit on the second or third line. Last season, Matt Cooke filled that role to a tee. He was versatile enough to be used on the third and checking line as well as some penalty killing duties. We could be talking a Sean Avery-type character, but I don't think the Capitals have the patience to deal with that much character.
Who would be available? Good question. It's been a tough season for the Colorado Avalanche and Ian Laperriere could be an interesting pick there. No one would doubt Laperriere's toughness or his grit, but he also brings in Stanley Cup experience. He only has 14 points through 45 games but he is a +4 and brings in 96 PIMs. But it's too early for the Ave's to talk about being a seller as they are still only 5 points from a playoff spot.
Second priority seems to be already in the works for the Capitals and that is the unproven defensive line. With Chris Clark out, it frees up enough cap space to pull up Karl Alzner who now can be considered a top 2 or 3 defenseman for the Caps. George McPhee also picked up Staffan Kronwall off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs (which, I am sure, puts him in the good graces of Brian Burke). The Capitals could make a trade for a bigger named defenseman closer to the deadline, preferably one that adds more toughness to the blue line.
Third would be goaltending. That priority, if it is one at all, has been less and less prominent due to Jose Theodore's excellent play of late. If we were talking 3 months ago, we might be more concerned about who was in front of the cage for the Caps with Theo's numbers looking dismal and Brent Johnson was looking more like the starter than the one we were actually spending money on. JT60 is playing with a little bit more confidence and is swallowing up rebounds.
Being on the look out for a good deal will be hard. Long time St. Louis Blues defensman Bob Plager nailed it on the head when talked about how "Everybody's out to trade a row boat for a battleship." The Caps are looking to keep their prospects but improve their team at the same time.
The first priority the Caps need to fill, in my opinion, is the lack of grit among the forward lines. Donald Brashear adds muscle and policing but you really need an agitator that can play well enough to sit on the second or third line. Last season, Matt Cooke filled that role to a tee. He was versatile enough to be used on the third and checking line as well as some penalty killing duties. We could be talking a Sean Avery-type character, but I don't think the Capitals have the patience to deal with that much character.
Who would be available? Good question. It's been a tough season for the Colorado Avalanche and Ian Laperriere could be an interesting pick there. No one would doubt Laperriere's toughness or his grit, but he also brings in Stanley Cup experience. He only has 14 points through 45 games but he is a +4 and brings in 96 PIMs. But it's too early for the Ave's to talk about being a seller as they are still only 5 points from a playoff spot.
Second priority seems to be already in the works for the Capitals and that is the unproven defensive line. With Chris Clark out, it frees up enough cap space to pull up Karl Alzner who now can be considered a top 2 or 3 defenseman for the Caps. George McPhee also picked up Staffan Kronwall off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs (which, I am sure, puts him in the good graces of Brian Burke). The Capitals could make a trade for a bigger named defenseman closer to the deadline, preferably one that adds more toughness to the blue line.
Third would be goaltending. That priority, if it is one at all, has been less and less prominent due to Jose Theodore's excellent play of late. If we were talking 3 months ago, we might be more concerned about who was in front of the cage for the Caps with Theo's numbers looking dismal and Brent Johnson was looking more like the starter than the one we were actually spending money on. JT60 is playing with a little bit more confidence and is swallowing up rebounds.
Being on the look out for a good deal will be hard. Long time St. Louis Blues defensman Bob Plager nailed it on the head when talked about how "Everybody's out to trade a row boat for a battleship." The Caps are looking to keep their prospects but improve their team at the same time.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Arbitrarily Speaking
No surprise that Brooks Laich and Shaone Morrisonn have opted for an arbitrator.
And if you were curious, Matt Cooke becomes a Penguin. Since the Pens already lost a agitator they needed to get one in return. Cooke now is the enemy. But with a sweet face.
And if you were curious, Matt Cooke becomes a Penguin. Since the Pens already lost a agitator they needed to get one in return. Cooke now is the enemy. But with a sweet face.
Friday, July 04, 2008
Happy 4th Of July
Happy Birthday, big ol' USA. Since I doubt the Caps will sign anyone today, being a holiday and all, I am going to take a nice weekend off. Get some BBQ, light some illegal fireworks and just enjoy a nice long weekend.
Just some loose ends to tie up.
Per Tarik, GM George McPhee maybe done signing free agents, now is the time to lock up some of the those RFA's. Sounds like GMGM is pretty confident that Brooks Laich will be back even though his agent has confessed that Laich has been contacted by other teams about possible offers. What ever the market might give him the Caps will match.
Deals are also in the works to get Sergei Fedorov back, but like I surmised, the Caps and Fedorov are going to wait until the dust settles and comtemplate each others' options. Looks like Fedorov might wait until McPhee has the team he wants under contract and then start negotiating. Which makes sense.
Matt Cooke looks like he will move on. While he served his purpose here in DC, it was down to either Matt Bradley or Cooke. Bradley resigned. End of story.
You might have noticed that Capitals' first round draft pick is not on the development roster. Anton Gustafsson will not be here in July due to his nagging injuries. At first the Caps thought they could at least get him in and work a rehab program for him. At least he would be able meet some of the other players in development. But I think doctors put the kabosh on that and told Gus II to stay home. He was going to stay there for next season anyway.
Shaone Morrisonn's status is still in the air, but it's likely he will be resigned. He found some chemistry with Mike Green last season, which is a big reason the Caps would want him to stay. But with so many good defensemen now in the Caps' system, it going to make playing for jobs quite the battle.
Also some good news. The Rangers weren't going to wait around for Jaromir Jagr and signed Markus Naslund instead. I pretty much think that puts the Caps in the free and clear of any contractual monies obligated to the Rangers and Jagr. It truely is Independence Day!
That's all for now. Happy 4th
Just some loose ends to tie up.
Per Tarik, GM George McPhee maybe done signing free agents, now is the time to lock up some of the those RFA's. Sounds like GMGM is pretty confident that Brooks Laich will be back even though his agent has confessed that Laich has been contacted by other teams about possible offers. What ever the market might give him the Caps will match.
Deals are also in the works to get Sergei Fedorov back, but like I surmised, the Caps and Fedorov are going to wait until the dust settles and comtemplate each others' options. Looks like Fedorov might wait until McPhee has the team he wants under contract and then start negotiating. Which makes sense.
Matt Cooke looks like he will move on. While he served his purpose here in DC, it was down to either Matt Bradley or Cooke. Bradley resigned. End of story.
You might have noticed that Capitals' first round draft pick is not on the development roster. Anton Gustafsson will not be here in July due to his nagging injuries. At first the Caps thought they could at least get him in and work a rehab program for him. At least he would be able meet some of the other players in development. But I think doctors put the kabosh on that and told Gus II to stay home. He was going to stay there for next season anyway.
Shaone Morrisonn's status is still in the air, but it's likely he will be resigned. He found some chemistry with Mike Green last season, which is a big reason the Caps would want him to stay. But with so many good defensemen now in the Caps' system, it going to make playing for jobs quite the battle.
Also some good news. The Rangers weren't going to wait around for Jaromir Jagr and signed Markus Naslund instead. I pretty much think that puts the Caps in the free and clear of any contractual monies obligated to the Rangers and Jagr. It truely is Independence Day!
That's all for now. Happy 4th
Monday, June 23, 2008
Anything But Free
With the Draft now in the books, the focus now turns to more immediate concerns. Free Agency has already have some players salivating at their calendars with a big circle around July 1st. For the Capitals, there are some pretty big holes that need to be filled, and I wouldn't be surprised to see some contracts signed this upcoming week.
The biggest contract that might give the Caps some fits would be the Mike Green signing. Already it sounds like there is a rift between GM George McPhee and Green's agent. Don Meehan called out GMGM publicly for "low-balling" Green on a new contract. McPhee responded by stating that the Caps would match any offer for Green if they stretched the talks to July 1st, which Meehan wants to do to test the market. Testy-testy.
Another big hole the Caps have would be in net. They seem to have burned the Olie Kolzig bridge and Cris Huet seems to make the most sense to hold onto. Especially after his fantastic play late in the season, where Huet help the Caps make the playoffs for the first time in 5 years with impressive numbers.
If Kolzig leaves and Huet finds better cash somewhere else, the Caps could be with out a number one goaltender. That could make for a rough season and the Caps can ill afford to take their foot off the pedal now. If they miss the playoffs next season, it could be huge step backward. I don't see this team making the post season with Brent Johnson and a rookie in net.
Others that need to be resigned in terms of unrestricted free agents include Sergei Fedorov and Matt Cooke. I find it unlikely that Cooke will be back next season, I figure he would like to test the market for something better.
Fedorov is still a question mark though. He would have to take a pretty extensive pay cut to stay here in DC, but his chemistry with both Alex Semin and Alex Ovechkin at the World Championship could convince the talented Russian to stay. I wouldn't be surprised to see July 1st come and go, and training camp to come around before Fedorov does decide what he wants to do.
Other restricted free agents that are on the Caps' radar include Shaone Morrisonn, Boyd Gordon and Brooks Laich. The most important signing maybe keeping Morrisonn in the fold considering the chemistry he had with Mike Green. It may also depend on Mike Green being in a Caps' jersey come fall. Morrisonn had a solid year and like all the Caps' defensemen stayed pretty healthy all season long.
Gordon would be a good character sign, a strong defensive center and good in the face off circle. Laich is the only talent I could see moving on in this group to be honest. He has already gone to arbitration last summer, and he may want to test the market for his services come July 1st. With talent in the pipeline, would Laich's face be missed all that much?
While that is what the Caps' hand looks like, we have yet to hit what free agents are available elsewhere around the league. Do the Caps need another defenseman? Is there a talent out there that is looking at the Capitals as a team they want to be apart of? How about Sean Avery? I guess we could let the speculation and rumors overrun us until July 1st, when all our questions will be answered.
The biggest contract that might give the Caps some fits would be the Mike Green signing. Already it sounds like there is a rift between GM George McPhee and Green's agent. Don Meehan called out GMGM publicly for "low-balling" Green on a new contract. McPhee responded by stating that the Caps would match any offer for Green if they stretched the talks to July 1st, which Meehan wants to do to test the market. Testy-testy.
Another big hole the Caps have would be in net. They seem to have burned the Olie Kolzig bridge and Cris Huet seems to make the most sense to hold onto. Especially after his fantastic play late in the season, where Huet help the Caps make the playoffs for the first time in 5 years with impressive numbers.
If Kolzig leaves and Huet finds better cash somewhere else, the Caps could be with out a number one goaltender. That could make for a rough season and the Caps can ill afford to take their foot off the pedal now. If they miss the playoffs next season, it could be huge step backward. I don't see this team making the post season with Brent Johnson and a rookie in net.
Others that need to be resigned in terms of unrestricted free agents include Sergei Fedorov and Matt Cooke. I find it unlikely that Cooke will be back next season, I figure he would like to test the market for something better.
Fedorov is still a question mark though. He would have to take a pretty extensive pay cut to stay here in DC, but his chemistry with both Alex Semin and Alex Ovechkin at the World Championship could convince the talented Russian to stay. I wouldn't be surprised to see July 1st come and go, and training camp to come around before Fedorov does decide what he wants to do.
Other restricted free agents that are on the Caps' radar include Shaone Morrisonn, Boyd Gordon and Brooks Laich. The most important signing maybe keeping Morrisonn in the fold considering the chemistry he had with Mike Green. It may also depend on Mike Green being in a Caps' jersey come fall. Morrisonn had a solid year and like all the Caps' defensemen stayed pretty healthy all season long.
Gordon would be a good character sign, a strong defensive center and good in the face off circle. Laich is the only talent I could see moving on in this group to be honest. He has already gone to arbitration last summer, and he may want to test the market for his services come July 1st. With talent in the pipeline, would Laich's face be missed all that much?
While that is what the Caps' hand looks like, we have yet to hit what free agents are available elsewhere around the league. Do the Caps need another defenseman? Is there a talent out there that is looking at the Capitals as a team they want to be apart of? How about Sean Avery? I guess we could let the speculation and rumors overrun us until July 1st, when all our questions will be answered.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Is There Room For 2?
Matt Bradley signed his 3 year, $3 million contract today. What could that mean for another tough guy on the free agency, Matt Cooke? Cooke could be looking for some dough (why shouldn't he, he's earned the right) and could be looking elsewhere for it.
Looking at who needed to be resigned this off season, I always thought it would be a decision on who you would keep between Bradley and Cooke. Both are hard working pests in a way, Cooke could be a bit more of an agitator than Bradley. I thought it would be a good indicator on who was sticking around for the '08-'09 season when one or the other were signed.
While it looks like it maybe Cooke out the door, I am sort of done trying to figure GMGM out. McPhee has done nothing the conventional way, or the way that I would have approached it. But hey, I am not the one with the job title. Nor am I in charge of one of the most exciting teams in some time in the NHL. So you go, George!
Bradley will definitely keep the Caps a tough squad and his energy line served the team well down the stretch. Truthfully, I am happy we will see Brads in red, white and blue for another three years.
Looking at who needed to be resigned this off season, I always thought it would be a decision on who you would keep between Bradley and Cooke. Both are hard working pests in a way, Cooke could be a bit more of an agitator than Bradley. I thought it would be a good indicator on who was sticking around for the '08-'09 season when one or the other were signed.
While it looks like it maybe Cooke out the door, I am sort of done trying to figure GMGM out. McPhee has done nothing the conventional way, or the way that I would have approached it. But hey, I am not the one with the job title. Nor am I in charge of one of the most exciting teams in some time in the NHL. So you go, George!
Bradley will definitely keep the Caps a tough squad and his energy line served the team well down the stretch. Truthfully, I am happy we will see Brads in red, white and blue for another three years.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Hurricanes Downgraded To A Stiff Wind
Capitals 4, Hurricanes 1
Scoresheet - Wash Post - Wash Times - News Ob (Raleigh)
What a night indeed! The Washington Capitals could not compromise on this night, no three point game here. They needed the win. More than just winning, they needed to send a message: "We are not out of this yet!" The Hurricanes couldn't match the intensity and they started to crack. And the Capitals capitalized.
Matt Cooke opened the scoring with a rebound sweep that just crept inside the post. Then powerplay goals by Brooks Laich and Alex Semin. On a broken play, Alex Ovechkin scored his 63rd goal matching Luc Robitaille for most goals by a left winger in a season. And Cris Huet shut the door only allowing a single goal (and even that was a bit flukey). Huet ends up with the first star and his seventh straight win. Mike Green and Sergei Fedorov both had a pair of assists.
But the win came at a cost. Shaone Morrisonn made a quick exit with an "upper body" injury. With his head down he was checked hard by a 'Cane player toward the end of the first period. The Caps had to finish the game with only 5 defensemen, and that was stretched when both Milan Jurcina and John Erskine were in the box. But the remaining players stepped up and Huet stopped whatever came his way.
Semin played one of his best games in a Caps sweater. He set the tone early by catching Eric Staal with his head down and put the big forward down on his butt. He added a powerplay goal and seemed to dominate play whenever he was on the ice. It was by far the most physical game I have seen him play ever. His play mimic the Caps' attack that was relentless often pressing the 'Canes deep in their zone for minutes at a time.
The 'Canes also took some bad penalties since they couldn't match the Caps intensity and aggressiveness. Peter Laviolette even lost his cool a little bit after the Caps crept up to 3-1 lead on a Semin powerplay goal. But Carolina was just outworked in this one. And the Red Out had a lot to do with that as well.
The Verizon Center crowd were loud and crazy. Imposing indeed. After Cooke scored the first goal, you would have thought the roof was going to cave in. They gave their home team a standing ovation at the end of the first period, and shouted "M-V-P" when Ovie picked up his 63rd and giving Bruce Boudreau his due with a standing ovation for him too when his image flashed on the big jumbotron.
While this win is HUGE, with a capital H-U-G-E, the Caps work is not done. Two more games, and hoping, praying, wishing that someone falters in the waning days of the season. The next two will be no walking the park either. Tampa on Thursday and Florida on Saturday. And these won't be easy games. The Caps have to continue their little run to make no doubt that they have done everything they could do to clinch a playoff berth.
Scoresheet - Wash Post - Wash Times - News Ob (Raleigh)
What a night indeed! The Washington Capitals could not compromise on this night, no three point game here. They needed the win. More than just winning, they needed to send a message: "We are not out of this yet!" The Hurricanes couldn't match the intensity and they started to crack. And the Capitals capitalized.
Matt Cooke opened the scoring with a rebound sweep that just crept inside the post. Then powerplay goals by Brooks Laich and Alex Semin. On a broken play, Alex Ovechkin scored his 63rd goal matching Luc Robitaille for most goals by a left winger in a season. And Cris Huet shut the door only allowing a single goal (and even that was a bit flukey). Huet ends up with the first star and his seventh straight win. Mike Green and Sergei Fedorov both had a pair of assists.
But the win came at a cost. Shaone Morrisonn made a quick exit with an "upper body" injury. With his head down he was checked hard by a 'Cane player toward the end of the first period. The Caps had to finish the game with only 5 defensemen, and that was stretched when both Milan Jurcina and John Erskine were in the box. But the remaining players stepped up and Huet stopped whatever came his way.
Semin played one of his best games in a Caps sweater. He set the tone early by catching Eric Staal with his head down and put the big forward down on his butt. He added a powerplay goal and seemed to dominate play whenever he was on the ice. It was by far the most physical game I have seen him play ever. His play mimic the Caps' attack that was relentless often pressing the 'Canes deep in their zone for minutes at a time.
The 'Canes also took some bad penalties since they couldn't match the Caps intensity and aggressiveness. Peter Laviolette even lost his cool a little bit after the Caps crept up to 3-1 lead on a Semin powerplay goal. But Carolina was just outworked in this one. And the Red Out had a lot to do with that as well.
The Verizon Center crowd were loud and crazy. Imposing indeed. After Cooke scored the first goal, you would have thought the roof was going to cave in. They gave their home team a standing ovation at the end of the first period, and shouted "M-V-P" when Ovie picked up his 63rd and giving Bruce Boudreau his due with a standing ovation for him too when his image flashed on the big jumbotron.
While this win is HUGE, with a capital H-U-G-E, the Caps work is not done. Two more games, and hoping, praying, wishing that someone falters in the waning days of the season. The next two will be no walking the park either. Tampa on Thursday and Florida on Saturday. And these won't be easy games. The Caps have to continue their little run to make no doubt that they have done everything they could do to clinch a playoff berth.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Thrashers Get Capped
Capitals 4, Thrashers 1
Scoresheet - Wash Post
The Thrashers might have been a little tired from the game the night before where they mustered a comeback win at home against the Calgary Flames. The wear and tear started to show. But in a playoff race there is no mercy for the wicked and the Caps pulled a giant win and played the possession game to a tee. If there was any doubt about the lopsided tilt just look at the shots: Capitals 37, Atlanta 12.
Brooks Laich is the man with two goals and Alex Ovechkin and Matt Cooke added tallies as the Capitals steam rolled the Dizzy Birds. Ovie scored his 57th and added an assist to keep him atop the league leader board for both goals and points and puts him near the century mark for points with 99. Sami Lepisto scored his first NHL point (an assist) and nearly scored his first NHL goal moments later but his shot rang off the crossbar. The Verizon Center horn even thought it was a goal. Cooke's goal was a shorthanded tally at a crucial point in the game, the Thrashers will still in it on the power play, but that goal was the knife in the heart of any comeback like the night before.
Olie Kolzig won his 301st game, it might have been his easiest of the previous 300. He only faced 12 shots and made 11 saves, that included only 2 shots in the first and 4 shots in the second. Sergei Fedorov also played his best game as a Capital. Although he only had an assist, Fedorov seemed to have a lot of jump in his legs and looked that of a Red Wings Fedorov from years ago.
The Caps took full advantage of a tired Atlanta Squad keeping the puck deep in their zone and peppering Kari Lehtonen with shots. When the Capitals put their mind to it, they are a down right scary team. The Caps relied on all four lines tonight and the Thrashers had little answers to stop the Caps momentum. The only reason this wasn't a 8-1 or 10-1 slaughter was Lehtonen in net. Despite a tired team in front of him he did manage to make 33 saves on the night and at times doing it on top of his head.
Both teams I told you to cheer for tonight lost, what does that tell you about my smarts. The Panthers were able to keep pace with the Caps by beating the Rangers and Buffalo broke out of whatever slump they were in to crush the Hurricanes. So now the Caps find themselves 5 points behind the 'Canes and just three points from Philadelphia for the 8th place spot in the Conference and still a point under Buffalo. But if the Hurricanes have hit a sudden rut, the Caps could once again be looking at a chance at Southeast Division leaders. If they can just shake Florida.
If this is giving you a headache, I will simplify it for you. For the Caps to make the playoffs, they must keep winning, period. Lose more than 2 games down the final stretch and the season is done for the Washington Capitals.
Scoresheet - Wash Post
The Thrashers might have been a little tired from the game the night before where they mustered a comeback win at home against the Calgary Flames. The wear and tear started to show. But in a playoff race there is no mercy for the wicked and the Caps pulled a giant win and played the possession game to a tee. If there was any doubt about the lopsided tilt just look at the shots: Capitals 37, Atlanta 12.
Brooks Laich is the man with two goals and Alex Ovechkin and Matt Cooke added tallies as the Capitals steam rolled the Dizzy Birds. Ovie scored his 57th and added an assist to keep him atop the league leader board for both goals and points and puts him near the century mark for points with 99. Sami Lepisto scored his first NHL point (an assist) and nearly scored his first NHL goal moments later but his shot rang off the crossbar. The Verizon Center horn even thought it was a goal. Cooke's goal was a shorthanded tally at a crucial point in the game, the Thrashers will still in it on the power play, but that goal was the knife in the heart of any comeback like the night before.
Olie Kolzig won his 301st game, it might have been his easiest of the previous 300. He only faced 12 shots and made 11 saves, that included only 2 shots in the first and 4 shots in the second. Sergei Fedorov also played his best game as a Capital. Although he only had an assist, Fedorov seemed to have a lot of jump in his legs and looked that of a Red Wings Fedorov from years ago.
The Caps took full advantage of a tired Atlanta Squad keeping the puck deep in their zone and peppering Kari Lehtonen with shots. When the Capitals put their mind to it, they are a down right scary team. The Caps relied on all four lines tonight and the Thrashers had little answers to stop the Caps momentum. The only reason this wasn't a 8-1 or 10-1 slaughter was Lehtonen in net. Despite a tired team in front of him he did manage to make 33 saves on the night and at times doing it on top of his head.
Both teams I told you to cheer for tonight lost, what does that tell you about my smarts. The Panthers were able to keep pace with the Caps by beating the Rangers and Buffalo broke out of whatever slump they were in to crush the Hurricanes. So now the Caps find themselves 5 points behind the 'Canes and just three points from Philadelphia for the 8th place spot in the Conference and still a point under Buffalo. But if the Hurricanes have hit a sudden rut, the Caps could once again be looking at a chance at Southeast Division leaders. If they can just shake Florida.
If this is giving you a headache, I will simplify it for you. For the Caps to make the playoffs, they must keep winning, period. Lose more than 2 games down the final stretch and the season is done for the Washington Capitals.
Monday, March 03, 2008
When It Rains...
Capitals 10, Bruins 2
Scoresheet - Wash Post - Wash Times
You could tell that this team was dead tired of being bottled up offensively against the Bruins. The Caps were going to do something about that. In the process the Caps crush the Boston squad by eight goals. Alex Ovechkin had a hattrick and 2 assist for a five point night (also breaking the 50 goal barrier for a second year and getting 51 and 52 in the process). Instead of breaking down the entire game, I will instead just give you a couple of tidbits I found interesting during the game.
The Caps' game on Sunday has been moved up to 12:30 pm as NBC picks up the broadcast. They will be playing the Penguins and it's rumored that Sid "the Kid" Crosby will be back in the line up for that game. Evgeni Malkin must be hogging the spotlight a bit too much.
Scoresheet - Wash Post - Wash Times
You could tell that this team was dead tired of being bottled up offensively against the Bruins. The Caps were going to do something about that. In the process the Caps crush the Boston squad by eight goals. Alex Ovechkin had a hattrick and 2 assist for a five point night (also breaking the 50 goal barrier for a second year and getting 51 and 52 in the process). Instead of breaking down the entire game, I will instead just give you a couple of tidbits I found interesting during the game.
- Only Boyd Gordon, Sergei Fedorov, Milan Jurcina and the goaltenders were held pointless on the night.
- Brooks Laich, Sergei Fedorov and Alex Semin were all a -1. Rough night.
- Two players had playmakers (three assists), one was Nick Backstrom. The other was Hershey success story Eric Fehr.
- Nick Backstrom caught the Bruin defense napping and snapped a pass to Ovechkin breaking him free in the first, Ovie returned the favor for Backstrom in the second period.
- Matt Cooke had a career night being the catalyst the Capitals have been looking for all season. He scored the opening goal and finished the night with his one goal and 3 points. Welcome aboard Cooke. He also did the most amount of damage while only getting 10 minutes and 21 seconds of ice time.
- The Caps made amends on two fronts, a lackluster shut out from the last time they lost to the Bruins and the mistake-laden game from Saturday night.
- Alex Ovechkin looks like he got that "50 goal monkey" from his back. After that goal he looked more like Ovie we know and love. Fast, strong and a nice scoring touch.
- Brooks Laich scored two goals and was still a -1. Hmm.
- Alex Semin is starting to pass the puck a bit more than I have seen him do in his last few games. Sure, he is a bit of puck hog, but he did set up a couple of pretty shots including a powerplay tally that Ovie scored sneaking behind the defense.
- Tim Thomas is a brave, brave man to come back on the ice in the second period. He must have been called out in the locker room.
- All four goaltenders from both teams saw action. Thomas was pulled twice in favor of Alex Auld, and Cris Huet was suffering from an injury after the second, Olie Kolzig played the third period. Olie was a perfect 5 saves on 5 shots, including a couple of great saves on the penalty kill. Huet gets the win though.
- The Verizon Center faithful were actually enjoying themselves. It was the first time in a long time I actually saw smiles on just about every face, except for you Bruin fans. "Beat.. the traffic! Beat, Beat the traffic!"
- Zdeno Chara is a pretty big push over when his team is down by 6.
- Donald Brashear was an assist shy of a Gordie Howe hattrick. But he was involved in two fights, I think that makes up for it.
- Matt Bradley did have the Gordie Howe hattrick, a goal, an assist and a fight (two goals actually).
- The Caps were 4 for seven on the powerplay. The Caps and Bruins were called for the exact same number of penalties.
- Ted Leonsis was almost constantly on his cell phone all night. Big deal going down? They even caught him on the Versus broadcast and you can clearly see him mouth "Ovie has a hattrick already." Wonder who he was on the phone with? Probably Ben Affleck.
- If I had a dollar for every time I heard: "...and there are two periods still to go." or some variation of it, I would be sitting in the owner's box too.
- Hart Trophy talk for Ovie?
The Caps' game on Sunday has been moved up to 12:30 pm as NBC picks up the broadcast. They will be playing the Penguins and it's rumored that Sid "the Kid" Crosby will be back in the line up for that game. Evgeni Malkin must be hogging the spotlight a bit too much.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Caps Busy On Trade Day
Contrary to what George McPhee told reporters just yesterday, the Washington Capitals were in the deal making business. He made it sound as if the Caps were comfortable where they were. Trades would not make sense at this point. GMGM sure pulled one over on us.
There were some grumblings about the Capitals shopping Steve Eminger and Ben Clymer around the league. A trade seemed imminent, but it would see the Caps gaining more than dumping. McPhee did say he wasn't in the selling mood. The Caps make an astonishing 5 trades acquiring 5 new players and only losing two. All players the Caps acquired are unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.
The Caps jumped at an opportunity to land Cristobal Huet for a second round draft pick early. Already GMGM was turning heads. Huet, ranked 11th in the league for goaltenders with a 21-12-6 record and a 2.55 goals against average and a .916 save percentage, will certainly help the Capitals out in net. GMGM acquired Huet with the draft pick he obtained from Anaheim. It does stir a controversy in the goaltender position as Olie Kolzig and Huet will most likely be sharing duties. That leaves Brent Johnson out in the cold. Huet will be a UFA at the end of the season, so it's still unclear if this is just a rental type deal or if the Capitals are interested in signing the goaltender long term.
Then the Caps pulled Sergei Fedorov from Columbus for their next move. While he is no replacement for a Micheal Nylander, Fedorov does add experience in the middle as a solid second or third line center. He may see some time with both Alex Semin and Alex Ovechkin on a line, but I am assuming he is there to fill out their center position farther down the line. I don't see McPhee signing Fedorov in the off season, he would be a hefty price tag to keep. But you can not deny Fedorov's veteran status if the Caps were to make the playoffs.
Not long after that was announced, the Capitals made their move again swapping Matts with Vancouver. Matt Pettinger gets to go to his hometown to be a Canuck and Matt Cooke adds some gritty play to the Capitals line up. Cooke, an agitator, actually comes in with better stats then Pettinger. He will be a key checking line acquistion and will prove his worth in a division that seemed to beef up some at the deadline. Pettinger's season was a bit disappointing personally. A change of scene for both players may become a positive for both.
For the final trade, the Caps get back Alexandre Giroux from the Atlanta Thrashers right at the deadline. They give up Joe Motzko who seemed to vanish into the wood work in Hershey, while Giroux seemed to grow up a little. I think McPhee didn't feel right about sending Giroux to Atlanta, and he had an opportunity to get that piece back. But Giroux will be sent to Hershey as soon as he arrives.
The Capitals seemed to make the most head turning moves, and seemed to impress most of the analyst who are still scratching their heads on the Huet deal. GMGM did well, but are these only temporary band-aids for the rest of the season. Will McPhee sign any of the players he traded for. It seems that remains to be see.
Meanwhile Steve Eminger and Ben Clymer are still stuck in the system as neither player was moved.
There were some grumblings about the Capitals shopping Steve Eminger and Ben Clymer around the league. A trade seemed imminent, but it would see the Caps gaining more than dumping. McPhee did say he wasn't in the selling mood. The Caps make an astonishing 5 trades acquiring 5 new players and only losing two. All players the Caps acquired are unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.
The Caps jumped at an opportunity to land Cristobal Huet for a second round draft pick early. Already GMGM was turning heads. Huet, ranked 11th in the league for goaltenders with a 21-12-6 record and a 2.55 goals against average and a .916 save percentage, will certainly help the Capitals out in net. GMGM acquired Huet with the draft pick he obtained from Anaheim. It does stir a controversy in the goaltender position as Olie Kolzig and Huet will most likely be sharing duties. That leaves Brent Johnson out in the cold. Huet will be a UFA at the end of the season, so it's still unclear if this is just a rental type deal or if the Capitals are interested in signing the goaltender long term.
Then the Caps pulled Sergei Fedorov from Columbus for their next move. While he is no replacement for a Micheal Nylander, Fedorov does add experience in the middle as a solid second or third line center. He may see some time with both Alex Semin and Alex Ovechkin on a line, but I am assuming he is there to fill out their center position farther down the line. I don't see McPhee signing Fedorov in the off season, he would be a hefty price tag to keep. But you can not deny Fedorov's veteran status if the Caps were to make the playoffs.
Not long after that was announced, the Capitals made their move again swapping Matts with Vancouver. Matt Pettinger gets to go to his hometown to be a Canuck and Matt Cooke adds some gritty play to the Capitals line up. Cooke, an agitator, actually comes in with better stats then Pettinger. He will be a key checking line acquistion and will prove his worth in a division that seemed to beef up some at the deadline. Pettinger's season was a bit disappointing personally. A change of scene for both players may become a positive for both.
For the final trade, the Caps get back Alexandre Giroux from the Atlanta Thrashers right at the deadline. They give up Joe Motzko who seemed to vanish into the wood work in Hershey, while Giroux seemed to grow up a little. I think McPhee didn't feel right about sending Giroux to Atlanta, and he had an opportunity to get that piece back. But Giroux will be sent to Hershey as soon as he arrives.
The Capitals seemed to make the most head turning moves, and seemed to impress most of the analyst who are still scratching their heads on the Huet deal. GMGM did well, but are these only temporary band-aids for the rest of the season. Will McPhee sign any of the players he traded for. It seems that remains to be see.
Meanwhile Steve Eminger and Ben Clymer are still stuck in the system as neither player was moved.
Cooke A Capital
The Washington Capitals aren't sitting on their heels this trade season. The Caps move Matt Pettinger to Vancouver for Matt Cooke. The Caps were expecting more from Pettinger, but he just couldn't find the net this year. In return the Caps get Cooke, a winger with slightly better stats joins the Caps' push for a playoff spot.
Pettinger did practice this morning with the team.
Pettinger did practice this morning with the team.
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