Bad Ice In B-More

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Capitals 0, Predators 2

It should have been about the amazing skill of the players on the ice inside the 1st Mariner Arena at the 2011 Baltimore Hockey Classic. Or how great it was to see a Caps' sweater in Baltimore for a preseason match up with the Nashville Predators. But instead, the poor ice conditions overshadowed what should have been a great start to an annual event for the Washington Capitals. Add a 2-0 loss to the Preds and the Caps preseason begins with a disappointing start.

It certainly was not a good game to really gauge the players trying for positions on tight rosters. Stand outs for the Capitals would have to be Garrett Mitchell, Cody Eakin, Chris Bourque, and Jay Beagle. But early attempts at some pressure just was droned out by bad ice conditions.

Alex Ovechkin would have a solid game, but a late slashing call with under 4 minutes left sealed the deal for the Caps who were held scoreless since facing Carolina to start the '05-'06 season where they lost 6-0. He did have a big hit when Ryan Ellis tried to take a run at the All-Star foward, but Ovi was able to thwart the hit away sending Ellis flying as a result. 

The power play lacked any substance, again. The Caps special teams again suffered with the extra man. It did look like they scored in waning seconds of the game, but the whistle had blown leaving the Preds to hold the Caps off for their first preseason win.

DJ King was the overall stand out player for the Capitals. King, who is in roster limbo with the team since signing here a year ago, played a tough physical game, but also added some offensive pressure with Beagle on his line.

Caps don't have time to wallow in there sadness (or grab a sock). Some of the team will head off to Columbus tonight to face a preseason game against the Blue Jackets tomorrow night.

First Round Winners And Losers

The first round of the NHL playoffs had just about everything. And age old rivalry, some new foes in post season play and more game sevens than you can shake a hockey stick at. This is what the playoffs should be, right? Some games have been whoppers of games, while others have been snoozers.

So let's get to it, the first round winners and losers:

The Winners

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.

Grand Larceny In Nashville

Capitals 3, Predators 2 OT
Game Summary

From the moment the puck was dropped, the Capitals were on their heels. In the opening seconds the Nashville Predators had a breakaway on Michal Neuvirth, then Brooks Laich took a penalty just :24 seconds in the game. It would be the first of several penalties the Caps would take through the first two periods. But Neuvirth held strong, and the Caps used a late rally to defeat the Predators in overtime 3-2.

Brooks Laich scored the game winning goal in overtime after he tipped in an Alex Ovechkin point shot. Alex Semin also scored on the power play to get the rally going for the Capitals early in the third period. Tomas Fleischmann scored his second goal of the season to tie things up late in the third off of some hard work by the second line.

The Capitals had a hard time clearing the puck from their own zone. It lead to both Nashville goals in the first and second periods. J.P. Dumont scored a picture perfect shot over Neuvirth's right shoulder to catch the top corner for the first goal. That came after a Caps' turn over at their own blue line. The second goal was a cross ice pass that caught Brian Fahey's skate and deflected into the open net behind the Caps' goaltender.

Besides those two blunders, Michal Neuvirth was the story of the game. While the Caps' offense was dormant, Neuvy came up big with save after save keeping the score close. He would stop 28 out of thirty shots on net through the first two periods. He would finish the night stopping 37 shots out of 39, making a few beauty glove saves and taking the game's number two star.

Alex Ovechkin was originally credited with the game winning goal, but it was changed to Laich afterward. Ovechkin sees his goal streak end at three games, but he has scored a point in every Caps' game this season (a five game point streak). Ovi has also either scored or assisted in every game winning goal in the past 4 games.

The Capitals' penalty kill was heavily tested in this game, but came up perfect. The Caps took 4 minors in the first period, another two in the second. The Caps PK remains one of only two teams that are 100% so far this season (Florida is the other). Their power play also came through for them late in the game. Their power play goal early in the third started the rally, and the game winning goal was a PP tally.

Bottom line, the Capitals stole these two points. They might have even not deserve the win with their play through the first two periods. But they rallied behind Neuvirth's play in goal and when the puck started to go in for the Capitals, the Predators' lost their steam. The Caps must play much better, especially in their own zone.

The Caps next play the Boston Bruins in a home and home two game series first at the phone booth then at Boston.

Caps Notes:

• Brian Fahey was recalled from Hershey to play for injured Mike Green and Tom Poti who did not dress for the Nashville game. Both defensemen have been listed as day to day. Fahey was a -2 in 9:50 in ice time and was credited with one hit.
• The Hershey Bears received their championship rings and lifted their banner tonight. But they lost their home opener to the Rochester Americans 3-2. 

Finally

Preseason
Capitals 0, Predators 3

It wasn't pretty, but it is preseason. The Caps get shut out in their final preseason game keeping them from being undefeated before the games count for real. It would be some miscues on special teams that would do the Caps in as the game wore down in the third period.

Predators' Joel Ward would give the Caps fits in the third as he scored shorthanded early in the third, then under 5 minutes later he would score again just as the home team's penalty kill finished up a double minor by Brian Fahey.

The Caps finish the preseason (finally) with a 5-1 record. Great, all done. Bring on the regular season.

PK Shines As Caps Down Nashville

Preasason
Capitals 2 - Predators 1
Game Summary

In the second preseason test for the Capitals, it would be their penalty kill that would come up big. The Caps would take 6 straight penalties but would survive them all included a penalty in the waning moments in the game to win their second straight preseason game.

Mike Green scored an early power play tally just 3:21 into the game. Nick Backstrom fed him a sweet pass to set up Green's slap shot. Green would finish with a goal and an assist. Jay Beagle would score the game winner off of a Keith Aucoin pass and the Caps would down the Predators.

The Caps would be plagued with penalties all game long after taking the early 1-0 lead. But the penalty kill would come up big killing every Predator's power play chance. The Caps are a perfect 10 for 10 in the preseason killing off penalties (Columbus Blue Jackets were 0-4 on the PP).


The preseason tilt included a pair of fights with Steve Pinizzotto taking on Kelsey Wilson after Pinizzotto hit Wilson cleanly and Wilson took exception with the clean check. The second bout was between two heavy weights in Grant McNeill and Wade Belak. Belak got in a few punches but McNeill stood strong, lasting until the linesmen broke it up.


Cody Eakin continues to impress even though he did not score tonight. His speed led to a couple negated icings and a spectacular collision with Preds' goaltender Anders Lindback. Beagle made a strong case for making the team with his game winning goal. Marcus Johansson also stood out in this game.


Matt Hendricks didn't quite make the splash he did in the first preseason game, but he played a more physical after the coaching staff evaluated his first game. Brian Fahey also seemed pretty invisible through out the game.


Both goaltenders looked pretty good. Michal Neuvirth had a great series of saves late in the first period as the Predators picked up their play. Dany Sabourin even came up big in the waning seconds of the game coming up with some pretty nice saves to preserve the Caps' lead.


Caps Notes:

• Caps cut goaltender Braden Holtby and defenseman Patrick Wellar and sent them down to Hershey. 
• Bruce Boudreau indicated that Alex Ovechkin most likely will start in only three preseason games. Ovi is expected to only play in the Caps' home games.
• Next Preseason tilt is against Boston Tuesday night (9/28) at Verizon Center. 

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.

Rough Finishes

Capitals 3, Predators 2 OT/SO (1-0)
Scoresheet - Post - Times

Just when you think the Capitals are unstoppable, they always seem to shoot themselves in the foot. On a night when it looked as if Washington was going to run away with a win, they once again allowed a lesser team to get back into the game. The Nashville Predators were able to erase a 2-0 deficit to tie and send the game to a shoot out. They would eventually lose to the Capitals 3-2.

Alex Ovechkin had another stellar start. He netted his first power play goal of the year then followed that up with a lucky bounce off the boards to give him two goals in the first period. The Caps looked as if they might dominate again, but mental breakdowns and unfortunate bounces gave the Preds a chance to get back into the game.

First periods for the Caps have been awesome. They have outscored their opponents 13 to 2 in the opening frame and have never trailed. Eric Fehr drew a couple of penalties that eventually led to the Ovechkin power play goal. Their execution in the first shows how dangerous this team can be.

But the Caps have once again failed to preserve that lead and fail to score when they seem to need it the most. The Caps had some very good opportunities to take to add to their score or to take the lead back, but failed to so. Either teams are making adjustments after the first period to counteract the Caps' offense or the Caps are just failing to execute what they were able to accomplish just one intermission ago.

The power play was a disaster to start with. The Predators seemed to be able to turn the puck over at their blue line and get a jump on the Caps aggressive defenders (Ovechkin and Mike Green were the defensive pair). It would give them two back to back breakaways on Semyon Varlamov. Varly would come up with both saves, bailing out the Caps power play that would eventually lead to Ovi's PP goal later. Varlamov, who came in for the injured Jose Theodore, played solidly through out the game but couldn't overcome a bad defensive play and a puck that he should have been able to stop.

A shoot-out was inevitable after the Preds played a much better defensive scheme and their goaltender, Dan Ellis, was able to bail them out with some great saves. The Caps dodged a bullet as the first two Nashville shooters missed the net and Varly came up with the save on the last one. Ovechkin's goal in the shootout was a show in stick handling and deke, as he got Ellis to move to the left as Ovi went right. The goal prompted a few fans to throw their hats on the ice, but it is not a hattrick for the Caps' winger.

Caps Notes:

• Shaone Morrisonn was scratch after he suffered a lower body injury in the last game. Tyler Sloan was his replacement. Sloan nearly had a goal after an aggressive play, he shot the puck and the rebound came right back to him. He rang the rebound off the post.
• Braden Holtby was called in to be Varlamov's back up. His stay with the club didn't last long, as he was sent back to South Carolina following the game. Theodore claims his back is now a dull pain rather than a sharp one that prevented him from finishing the game against San Jose.
• The Capitals are second in the league in 5 on 5 goals with 20. They are second to Edmonton (22). On 5 on 4 power plays the Caps are tied in 8th place with 5 other teams at 7 goals. They are ranked 5th in the league in goals for average per game with 3.50.

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.

A Bloody Win

Capitals 2, Predators 1 OT
Scoresheet - Post - Times

I think there is little doubt that the Nashville Predators have a tough team. But the Washington Capitals stood their ground even if that meant taking some pretty heavy blows to do it. In overtime it was Sergei Fedorov that won the game on a pretty pass from Viktor Kozlov to snap the longest losing streak the Caps have had all season as they defeat the Preds 2-1.

The Predators took the early lead, in fact it only took :50 seconds in the game for the Preds to take the early lead. But after a shakey first couple of minutes, the Caps stayed pretty determined.

Things got physical early when Donald Brashear got into a fisticuffs with Wade Belak. Belak took the bout with a thunderous left hand knocking Brash square on the butt. The very next face off Matt Bradley wanted to take revenge by taking on Jordin Tootoo in a battle that maybe Bradley shouldn't have gotten in. Brads ended up with the worst of it as he took the worst as his fast looked like a Warsack test of blood after that fight. Both Brads and Brashear finished the game.

But the fighting didn't end there as John Erskine took exception to Wade Belak in Belak's second fight of the night. Erskine stood his ground and got a few good shots in while Belak got a few cheap shots in including a shot to the back of Erkines head when the linesmen stepped in.

While the Caps let in the first goal in the first minute of play, their defense played a pretty solid game. The blue liners seemed to have a better handle on the Preds and besides the early flurey by the men in blue, the Caps had an answer for Nashville whether it a solid save by Jose Theodore or the defensemen being more active with their sticks getting into shooting and passing lanes.

Nick Backstrom was your only Caps' scorer in regulation. He scored off a pretty pass by Alex Ovechkin who drew in his defender and Backstrom was wide open deke and beat Dan Ellis stick side. Alex Semin was a force tonight, but just couldn't make the puck do what he wanted it to do. He had some great looks and a few nice dekes, but either Ellis was there with the save or shots went wide.

In the overtime period the Caps caught the Preds napping a bit as Kozlov found a wide open Fedorov in front of the net. One deke and the game ended with the Caps getting a much needed two points. Nashville walks away with a point themselves.

Puckhead player of the game has to be Shaone Morrisonn. He had a solid game and was a big part of the shutdown crew as the Caps didn't let in a goal for the remainder of the game. He finished the game with a +1, two shots and three hits, including a monster hit on Jason Arnott (are too!).

Caps aren't out of the woods yet. Next up the big bad Philly Flyers. Caps have to keep their defensive work up and make a few of those shots go in.

Dangerous Teams On The Bubble

The Washington Capitals have a habit of not taking teams on the bubble very serious of late. That has lead to four straight losses at home, a place that was a tough place to play in for opposing teams. The Caps' trail doesn't smooth out anytime soon as three of the next five opponents are on the playoff bubble and they will have to finish the month of March on the road playing the next seven of nine games in someone else's barn.

The Nashville Predators will be the next test for the Caps who have not done well against the West this season. The Preds are sitting in eighth place in the west and there is a log jam for teams trying to make the playoffs there. The Preds are looking to solidfy a playoff spot in a very tight race in the west. There are signs that they are starting to get out of their slump, but like Bruce Boudreau alluded to, it takes two wins to officially get out of a slump.

The next in line would be the Philadelphia Flyers. A team that the Caps have yet to figure out since the post season a year ago. The Caps are 1-2 against Philly and will have to face them at the Wachovia Center. The Flyers are not on the bubble, but this rough and tumble team are the kind of teams the Caps seem to have trouble with. And the tough opponents will not stop there.

After a tough road trip, the Caps will have to come back to the phone booth to face the Carolina Hurricanes. The 'Canes have been playing very tough and are on a 4 game winning streak that includes beating the Caps, Flames, Rangers and Lightning (they pounded the Bolts 9-3). They too are trying to make the playoffs after having to sit out last post season, at the hands of a surging Capitals team that pushed them out of the playoffs in the last game of the season.

The next three games should be more than enough of a test for the Capitals who desperately need a few wins to keep the pressure on for the top of the East Standings and keep Florida and Carolina at bay in the Southeast. I would be so bold to say that these next three games could be the biggest games of the season for the Capitals.

NHL Notes:

• Guy Carbonneau got the boot in Montreal as the story here seems to be a break down in communication. That makes seven coaches that got their walking papers in the NHL this season. That is a 23% unemployment rate, damn this economy! That is a lot of nice suits in the soup line.
  
• Former Capital Brian Sutherby found a home for the next two years. He signed a two year contract worth $1.6 million with the Dallas Stars.
• The General Managers' meeting in Florida seems to be obsessed with fighting... on the ice that is. As Brian Burke put it, "This will sound really silly, is there a way to [make fighting] safer? You know, guys like me who believe fighting has an intrical part or intrical place in our game. What's the best way to do it in a way that senseless or needless injuries can be averted."
  

Versus Sucks; Caps Win Anyway

Which game would you rather watch? A 7-0 blowout between Philadelphia and Atlanta or a tied game in overtime and shootout between to exciting teams in Washington and Nashville?

Hmmm, tough one.

Capitals 4, Predators 3 OT/SO (2-1)
Scoresheet - Wash Post - Tennessean

The Washington Capitals may have been with out Alex Ovechkin, but they were able to find offense from other sources. Much like the last time the Caps played the Nashville Predators, the Caps had the upper hand through out the first half of the game, but the scrappy Preds found a way to stay in the game. The game could not be settled in regulation or overtime and it went to shoot out where the Caps pull out a shootout win in 4 rounds.

David Steckel scored his second goal of the season, both shorthanded. Alex Semin added to his total with a goal of his own and an assist and Viktor Kozlov scored for his first of the year. The Caps shot for the cycle in a way, Semin's goal was a powerplay tally, Steckel's a shortie and Kozlov's goal was at even strength. Semin and Micheal Nylander scored in the shootout for the Caps.

Jose Theodore got the start, even though it was reported that Brent Johnson was supposed to start. He played well, coming up with some pretty solid saves. He turned away 23 shots in regulation, the Preds didn't get a shot off in the overtime period. Theo made three stops in the shootout for the win.

It was a pretty one sided game early as the Caps pressured. But the Predators always seemed to have answer for every one of the Caps goals. Nashville goaltender Dan Ellis played well to keep the Preds in it as he had to turn away 29 shots. I think Nashville should feel fortunate that they came out of Verizon center with a point.

As you may know, the game was not televised because Versus had squater rights for the night. It was the only game that blacked out. If you tuned into Versus to maybe see some highlights, you were out of luck. Not only did they force the game in the dark, they didn't even give you highlights of a very entertaining game. A game that was much better than the 7-0 blowout between Philly and Atlanta. Since the other two games that started at 7 pm had Canadian teams, they were televised and available on Center Ice leaving Caps and Preds fans pissed at the channel that is trying to be NHL friendly. If you are going to black out a game, at least get us some highlights, that's all I am saying.

Steve Kolbe and Mike Vogel both did a great job by the way.

Viktor Kozlov was the first shooter in the shoot out, his attempt was saved. Alex Semin was next and scored on a nice deke to go top shelf on Ellis. Nick Backstrom got a chance to shine but his shot was saved. In the extra round Micheal Nylander roofed a backhander. Theo saved Radek Bonk's attempt, J.P. Dumont missed on his attempt. Ville Koistinen scored on his attempt on a shot that hit Theodore and bounce into the net. Theo made the save for the win against Martin Erat.

F.Y.I. - The Capitals have another game that is blacked out when they play the Panthers on December 2nd.

Bring On The Cup '08 - Fearless Predictions Pt. 1

Welcome to the third annual Bring On The Cup predictions on P.H.T. I just have to say that I am more than excited to get this ball rolling with the Caps securing a playoff spot of their own. Unfortunately, Gary Bettman isn't just going to hand the Stanley Cup to the Capitals, there are 16 other teams in contention for this silver bowl (hard to believe, I know).

Just some administrative duties to attend to first. The Capitals playoff schedule is now in stone and can be found here on the right column >>> under the Pic of the Week. The Caps get Philly instead of Ottawa in the first round after the Flyers beat the Penguins on Sunday 2-0.

Okay, back to the predictions. There are some surprises and some new faces, especially in the Eastern Conference. But as always, I will start in the wild, wild West.

Round 1

#8 Nashville Predators at #1 Detroit Red Wings - I think it's easy to pick Detroit here, and I think that's also a mistake. Nashville definitely didn't look like a team that was going to make it, especially after a loss to the Capitals a few weeks ago. But with the Northwest Division being a battle, the Preds sneak in the back door and get some playoff life. It's just that they have to face down big bad Detroit in the first round. Just how healthy the Wings are could determine if it's a one and done for the President's Trophy winners. I can see the Predators giving the Red Wings more than they can handle. But we are talking about Hockeytown.

Detroit wins in 6 games.

#7 Calgary Flames at #2 San Jose Sharks - Oh lord, let's hope that the San Jose fans mind their manners and not boo at the Canadian Anthem. Besides that, I am expecting a very physical affair between these two. San Jose has finally started hitting on all cylinders, after a ho hum start to nearly going undefeated in March. For the Flames, Jerome Iginla probably would have won the Hart for MVP if it weren't for that Ovechkin guy, he has basically carried this team into the playoffs himself. But he needs some help if they want to solve Evgeni Nabokov. Both teams are relatively healthy so this should be a hard fought series. If only the Flames goaltending was as solid as the Sharks this year.

San Jose wins in 5 games.

#6 Colorado Avalanche at #3 Minnesota Wild - Ah, my seven game series match up. The Wild have had a quiet but effective season while the Avalanche have struggled to make the playoffs. Minnesota has the skill, but their state of emotion will be the deciding factor. Sure the Wild has bulked up with the addition of Chris Simon, but the rule of thumb playing the Wild is be physical and they will lay down. The Aves are just looking for some old time magic to spark their once proud playoff tradition by bringing back Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg. It should be a great goaltending duel with Jose Theodore and Niklas Backstrom both manning the net for their teams. Will the Avalanche's experience be enough to out battle Wild's speed and talent? Short answer, no.

Minnesota wins in 7 games.

#5 Dallas Stars at #4 Anaheim Ducks - The Stars are coming off a relatively successfully season. I say relative, because their record since the trade deadline is nothing to write home about. Since acquiring Brad Richards their once winning record in February became a losing one in March. They will also be with out Sergei Zubov on the blue line as he is out with foot surgery. While the Ducks found some late legs with Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer back in the fold, they still need some dependable goaltending and good secondary scoring. One could draw a conclusion that the Ducks have an easy opponent in the Stars, but often when one overlooks any team, that is when they are the most dangerous. The Stars might be limping, but they still have some fight.

Dallas upsets the Stanley Cup Champs in 6 games.

Round 2 - probable match ups based on 1st round predictions.

Dallas Stars at Detroit Red Wings - This is stirring up to be an all out shoot out, two very talented teams. The Stars have to be pretty beat up walking through the Ducks, so I don't expect they have very much fight left in them. Thankfully, Detroit is known more for their puck possession rather than the Ducks' beat-you-down method. If the Stars still have the legs, they could take Detroit to the brink. If.

Detroit wins in 5 games.

Minnesota Wild at San Jose Sharks - If the Wild's first series wasn't a battle royale it better be against the Sharks. It should be another great goaltender head to head with Backstrom and Nabokov with the waffle irons and mitts on. This is were Minnesota's toughness will have a chance to prove it's worth and San Jose should be wary of this quiet unassuming team.

San Jose wins in 6 games.

Western Conference Championship

San Jose Sharks at Detroit Red Wings - I actually predicted this two season ago, and it seems this might be the year we see these two giants settle it out in the conference championship. Detroit has come this far pretty unscathed, but this will be no cake walk for them. If there was ever a time to question the Red Wings' goaltending, it would be here and now in the Conference finals. The Sharks come into this contest battle tested and hungry. When these two teams face each other, I wouldn't be surprised to feel the ground quake and the skies quiver. Can Hasek/Osgood keep this Wings in it?

San Jose wins in 7 games.

The Sharks, I think, have learned their lesson from playoff series past. The previous two post seasons they faced Nashville and beat them 4 games to one, only to lose the next series 2-4 to both Edmonton and Detroit. But if the linage runs much as I have laid out here, they have had wonderful success against Northwest Division teams. Facing them in the first and second rounds is a good indicator that leads me to believe they are a Conference bound team. Since losing last year to the Red Wings I would expect Ron Wilson to use that as some inspiration in the Shark locker room.

As for the Red Wings, I think they will enjoy the spoils of winning the President's Trophy and will make quick work of their first two opponents. But if the goaltending is tested by a playoff veteran team like the Sharks, it may crack. The only bright spot may be home ice advantage.

Stay tuned for some Eastern knowledge I will be throwing your way next as I will start in on the Eastern Conference tomorrow. Feel free to comment. I will also have my prediction on who will be taking home the hardware, hockey's top prize: the Stanley Cup.

Caps Barely Make It Out Alive

Capitals 4, Predators 2
Scoresheet - Wash Post

The Washington Capitals are happy to leave Nashville with two points, after building a three goal lead in the first and then letting it dwindle in the second and third. The Caps dominated the play in the first, but were suddenly privy to what the Preds could do. The Nashville squad roared back to pull the game back to a one goal game before Alex Ovechkin showed his geometry skills and banked the puck off the boards into an empty net to finish the night with a goal and two assists (his 58th goal on the season, achieving the century mark for points for second straight season and he broke the 300 points for his career).

Alex Semin, Nick Backstrom and Matt Bradley all scored in the first in what was looking like a rout for the Caps. But the Preds dominated the play in the second and third pulling the game into a 3-2 nail biter. Cristabol Huet can be thanked for keeping the Caps in the lead. While the Predators pushed, Huet was cool and calm in the crease stopping chance after chance. If he had not been acquired at the deadline, the Cap would have certainly lost this game.

Perhaps the Preds were a little too in awe of the Caps in the first period. They were standing around a little bit taken in by the beauty that was Caps aggresive forecheck. But in the second and third, a different team came out of that locker room. They were playing the Caps' aggresive style right back at them, forechecking and pressing the play. The Capitals nearly lost it had it not been for Huet in net.

While the first period goals eventually held, that killer instinct problem needs to be revisited. And it starts by not taking stupid penalties. The Caps did everything they could do wrong when playing with a lead. They allowed some light at the end of the tunnel to their opponents. The Preds scored both goals as a result of penalty calls against the Caps. While some could be called questionable (like Tootoo's dive into the boards after Tom Poti nudged him), the Caps need to be able to stay out of the box. Too that point the they had the game at hand and were dominating, but that first Pred's goal ignited the Nashville squad. And the Caps had to play on their heels for the next 40 minutes.

Alex Semin is playing better and better with every game. I think I actually saw the crafty forward back check. He now has 22 goals on the season and has helped spark an offense that often is stagnate when Ovie doesn't score. But Semin has been passing the puck more, playing smarter with the puck and playing a bit more defense.

It's pretty clear that no one is going to do the Capitals any favors. Atlanta couldn't beat the Flyers and the Caps could only keep pace. The Caps are able to leap frog the Sabres for ninth in the Conference but the Caps don't get much rest as Chicago is next. The Caps don't have a winning record against the Blackhawks. But Alex Ovechkin does have a goal and an assist against the Chicagoland hockey club. You can bet the rookies (Kane, Toews) on this team will want to put some distance between themselves and Nick Backstrom for the Calder trophy honors.

The road trip started on a so-so foot (the Caps got the win, but played poorly in the late periods) and the Caps need to keep their foot on the accelerator. For their mental state, it's a good thing this goes in the win column. But there is a long way to go.

Long Time Gone

Wow, don't post for a while and so much happens.

First let me tackle Gary Bettman's expansion proposal. The NHL is thinking of expanding to Kansas City and Las Vegas. This is absolutely absurd thing for this league to do right now. Bettman needs to work on the teams it has now. Instead of making the sport better, Bettman wants to dilute it even more.

Bettman is trying too hard to stuff the sport down the throats of U.S. audiences. It is not working. Instead of trying to do more grassroots campaigns, the league is wasting money on poor marketing and crossed fingers. The league must do a better job at helping the teams it has now. Markets where hockey is dying like Chicago and yes even Washington.

The league too much is trying to mirror the NBA, but they are not as popular as the NBA and never will be if the league continues to screw up. The league is clearly unaware of the danger they are in, if expansion is the right route to go. If the league was so hopped up about getting teams in KC or LV, it should have moved the teams that are struggling to make any cash off ticket sales.

The league needs fixing, not adding-on-to. I agree with Dan Wetzel's column.

Second, the Nashville Predators are going to move. I absolutely believe that. Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie bought the team and even though claimed that the team wouldn't move, you can see clearly that he is ready to make that a broken promise. Rumors are Hamilton will have a NHL team instead of an AHL one. Even if they did win the Calder Cup.

Finally, Josef Boumedienne is making a comeback in a Capitals sweater, probably to help make Backstrom more at home with another Swede on the team. That means there is no room for Bryan Muir who will be looking for work elsewhere. Wash Post has the details among other news.

A Birth And A Rebirth

Yesterday at 1:57 PM, my sister gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Ella. Which makes me Uncle “G”, you don’t have to refer to me as such though. What a great birthday though, 12/12/05.

It’s a new member of our family and I couldn’t be happier for my sister. Of course this means teaching the youth about my favorite sport, Hockey. If we get her in skates now, she has a chance to make the Olympic team in about 16 or 17 years from now. Wishful thinking.

This brings me to the whole point of this post. This is to tell my niece Ella now what the future of the NHL will be like in the ... future. And of course I put it in a letter.

Dear Ella,
You couldn’t have picked a better time to be born. The game of professional hockey is fast, fun and better than it has been in years. Even though I know your mother is a Penguins fan, I hope you will take into consideration that they suck. You don’t have to be a Pens fan like your mom, and you don’t have to be Caps fan like your uncle. Cheer for Anaheim, they need it.

Anyway, by the time you are old enough to understand the game, these are the changes I foresee in the future of NHL.

1) Back in 2005, we tested this whole keeping the goaltender out of the corners by creating a trapezoid area behind the net where the goaltender was only allowed to touch the puck in that area. Soon NHL officials realized more offense could come with a sharp pass from an experienced goaltender rather than just keeping them in designated areas.

2) When you were born Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby were rookies. They were outstanding, and Sid the Kid played in Pittsburgh back then. Ovechkin was traded after the Caps failed to win a Stanley Cup and gone through 5 coaches. But after the lockout, it’s all anyone wanted to talk about, the two rookies, Crosby and Ovechkin.

3) The Nashville Predators had this god awful third jersey that was a mustard color. Thankfully Dijon Mustard makers of America sued the team over patent infringement, and they got rid of them.

4) You may hear about some hockey movies that people will tell you to watch, but there is only one good one: Slapshot from the seventies starring Paul Newman. Miracle is the only other one I consider good, but if anyone tells you about Youngblood, or Mighty Ducks, just know that they suck, and the movies do to.

Well I am sure there will be a lot of changes as you grow older and I will poison your mind about hockey and other things your mother would not approve of. And anytime you want to come to Washington, I will get you a nice warm seat next to me to watch the Caps. Welcome to Earth Ella.

Your Uncle “G”
Garrett

P.S. If you want to be all girly and hang out with my wife and shop that is fine too, but then no personalized jersey for you!

-- Other Notes --

• Jiri Fischer is grateful yet uncertain about his future. Detroit’s own was emotional during his first press conference since collapsing on the bench. I am still pulling for Fischer to make a return to the ice.


• I am starting to believe that the Ottawa Senators are almost unbeatable this year. Why didn’t Colorado start David Aebischer? Is there some kind of goalie problems in Denver?


• Now that the Capitals seem to be getting better and their brand of play is getting more exciting, Brendan Witt and Olaf Kolzig are starting to like D.C. a whole lot better. Even though Olie didn’t say it, Kolzig thought about moving on and ending his career with a Cup contending team. Even the trade rhetoric from Witt has subsided. But is that good news for the Caps?

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Predators' Power Play Punishes

Capitals 2, Predators 5

The Caps may have been prepared for the 2nd placed team in the Western Conference. They may have been prepared for the likes of Steve Sullivan and Paul Kariya. But the Capitals were not ready for the Predators power play.

3 power play goals lifted the Preds to win number 18 and just one win behind first place Detroit that the Capitals face on Friday. The Capitals didn’t look like the buzzing team that had given the Rangers a beating last Saturday.

With as many times the penalty kill unit has been on the ice for the Caps, you would think that they would have their system down pat. But the Preds caught the Caps standing around, watching the play. They have been a man short 196 times already this season.

Penalties killed the Capitals, and the quick passing of the Predator power play left Olaf Kolzig spinning, and on the first two goals being beaten so badly he didn’t even go down into the butterfly to attempt a save.

Alex Ovechkin had the only power play goal for the Capitals after a pretty pass from Andrew Cassels. Add a Ben Clymer “garbage goal” and the Caps were frustrated all night by the Preds defense and Chris Mason in goal for Thomas Vokoun.

Overall Grade: D

The Caps need to take advantage of opportunities their opponents give them. Unable to score with a two man advantage has plagued the Caps all year. The Caps must stay out of the penalty box against Detroit, or the result will be the same.

Wash Post covers the details as usual. The team is definitely hard on themselves after this game, maybe it will be a wake-up call for them when they face the first place team in the west, the Red Wings.

Preds Come To Washington

Capitals vs. Predators Preview

Capitals are 1-0 versus western teams. It was their home opener win against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Now they face one of the hottest teams in the west. The Nashville Predators are the surprise team of the season and most of the praise goes to Paul Kariya. Since his arrival to Music Town, the Preds have been hard to stop this season.

The Capitals have to come at the Preds with an aggressive forecheck and play with as much intensity as they did against the Rangers. The Caps have the right system to keep teams that are hot in the scoring column to a minimum if they show up to play tonight.

The game tonight starts a 4 game stretch against the west, with the Detroit Red Wings in town on Friday, then a west coast swing to play the L.A. Kings and San Jose Sharks. This should test the Caps against good teams on the long road trip. This will be a quick trip considering in January the Caps go on a three game swing to the west to play Dallas, Phoenix, and Anaheim.

The Caps should surprise the Preds early in the game; Alex Ovechkin should be able to exploit the defense early. The Caps once again must bring their lunch pales and hard hats and be prepared to come to work. Fearless Prediction: Caps 4, Preds 2.