Capitals 3, Rangers 2 OT
Scoresheet - Wash Post
The Capitals had a couple of problems in the southeast match up that saw Carolina retake the Southeast Division lead. One was bad penalties (Alex Semin, we are all looking at you), the other was the power play. The Caps were able to remedy one of those problems early. The other, not so much. The Rangers may have played the night before, but they sure didn't look like it and kept the Caps on their heels for most of the game. It would take overtime to settle this one.
Alex Ovechkin solved the sagging powerplay with a goal they needed in the last 25 or so man advantages: a garbage goal (Ovie's 47th). The Caps slammed the net on their first power play and Eric Fehr created the traffic and Ovie slapped home the power play tally. After that the Rangers took it to the Caps stepping out to a 2-1 lead. Boyd Gordon, a player that needs to find his scoring touch a bit more this season ties it late in the second period. In overtime it was Mike Green who shot a laser past Stephen Valiquette and the Capitals take home the winner.
Olie Kozig got his 700th start and made it count by stopping some tough shots and looked a little like the Kolzig of old (besides the Avery goal in the first which he didn't play the angle right). It was fitting that his 700th start be a game winner and goaltender duel of sorts. The Caps split the season series with the New York Rangers, winning the last two in overtime.
The Caps took too many lazy penalties though. I'm not sure if it is because of the early start but the Capitals took a lot of tripping and hooking calls. Olie also didn't help his team too much with a delay of game penalty mid way through the third. But the Caps penalty kill was able to fend off the Ranger attack (0-6). Although the Caps didn't get much help from the refs who were pretty inconsistent in this game. Eric Fehr was leveled in the corner with a cross check to the back and the refs looked the other way. It seemed all the marginal stuff was called while some major take downs were not.
Quintin Laing was a healthy scratch, and even though the Capitals were perfect on the kill there was something definitely missing not having 53 out there. The Caps seem to lack a little grit on the checking line, even though Don Brashear did his best to create some havoc himself.
It's first place again for the Capitals as they leap frog the Hurricanes and Thrashers a second time. They even got a little of a breather as the Florida Panthers losing their game today keeping the Caps 2 points ahead of them. While they will have a few days to enjoy the number one spot in the division and 3rd in the conference, the Caps still have more work to do.
The Capitals now must face three division foes on the road for their next three games. The first game will be in Atlanta and the Caps need to win that game to put some distance between them and Thrashers and Hurricanes. Then they will face Florida then Tampa Bay. The Caps are looking for a 6 point sweep on this road trip, but realistically the Caps would be in good shape if they can come out of this road trip with 4 standings points.
Midway through the third period I heard Comcast Sportsnet left the game for a few minutes for the announcement of the new Redskins coach. Jim Zorn was named the new head coach and the Redskins remind DC hockey fans whose king by cutting away from the game to announce a coach nobody knows much about (other than at one point he was hired as an offensive coordinator). Nice to see some respect.
Showing posts with label Redskins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Redskins. Show all posts
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Ovechkin Snuffed, Gibbs Goes
Washington area sports were dealt a couple of blows over the last couple of days. Redskins' Joe Gibbs called it quits after his second stint as head coach for Washington. While Gibbs didn't move the team to a Super Bowl appearance in his second go around, he is considered going out on top. Considering the type of season the Skins had this season, Gibbs was responsible for turning a team around and getting them into the playoffs when it seemed the Redskins were done. Anyone who follows Washington sports or football in general knows what kind of titan Joe Gibbs has been as a head coach.
While one blow was a resignation the other is a snuff of one of the best players in the NHL. Alex Ovechkin will have to sit the first 40 some seconds of the NHL All Star game. Ovie finished 5th in Eastern Conference voting besides being on pace for a career season and tied for second in scoring in the league. The NHL fans let Ovechkin down. What's even more disturbing is what some people are saying about it.
Bruce Boudreau talked about it on Washington Post Live, saying if Ovechkin was playing for a Canadian team, Ovie would have topped the voting. It's sort of a jab at Capital's fans. But I also think it's a League problem. Their efforts to jam Sidney "the Kid" Crosby down the throats of hockey fans every where have made the kid probably one of the most overrated players in the League. Mind you, I think Crosby is a great player. But I also think Ovie is better.
While one blow was a resignation the other is a snuff of one of the best players in the NHL. Alex Ovechkin will have to sit the first 40 some seconds of the NHL All Star game. Ovie finished 5th in Eastern Conference voting besides being on pace for a career season and tied for second in scoring in the league. The NHL fans let Ovechkin down. What's even more disturbing is what some people are saying about it.
Bruce Boudreau talked about it on Washington Post Live, saying if Ovechkin was playing for a Canadian team, Ovie would have topped the voting. It's sort of a jab at Capital's fans. But I also think it's a League problem. Their efforts to jam Sidney "the Kid" Crosby down the throats of hockey fans every where have made the kid probably one of the most overrated players in the League. Mind you, I think Crosby is a great player. But I also think Ovie is better.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Sad Day
I mostly stick to hockey, it's what I know and what I like. But the news out of Redskins' Camp is too hard to ignore. Sean Taylor passed away this morning after being shot in the upper leg. Times like these, it's less about the sport or whose winning and whose losing. Rather it's a time of reflection and realization that our heroes are mortal. They are as human as you or I.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the Taylor family and to the Redskin family too. It's a senseless way to go and 24 is too young. It is a sad day to be a Washington sports fan.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the Taylor family and to the Redskin family too. It's a senseless way to go and 24 is too young. It is a sad day to be a Washington sports fan.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Offense-less
Washington D.C. The nation's capital. Home of the most powerful in all the world. Unless your talking of the area's pro teams. The Redskins, Wizards and the Capitals have collectively made the District groan with dissatisfaction. But every team seems to have the same problems besides not winning (although the Wiz did win last night), they are relying on their defenses a little too much. One could draw parallels.
For the Redskins, you think they would learn from their mistakes. Yet again they put too much emphasis on the defense side of the ball only to realize they weren't as tough on "D" as they were last year. They allowed teams to creep back in the lead when their offense suddenly gets the equivalent of a brain cramp. The same could be said about the Capitals.
The Caps have put all their eggs in to a defensive package with little importance put on offense. Glen Hanlon's philosophy will always be defense (he is a former goaltender), but there seems to be no room left for creativity on offense. It's like an afterthought. And teams who are patient enough to wait for Caps' mistakes take advantage.
When I see the Capitals practice, they aren't working on offensive plays. You can't help but notice there is more work on getting back than pushing the attack. It's all apart of this possession game that Hanlon is pressing. Even in games it seems the only offensive play that seems evident is get the puck to Micheal Nylander or Alex Ovechkin and let's see what happens. Or my favorite play (sarcasm warning) Mike Green driving it up the wing only to lose the puck in the corner.
The Capitals cannot win games with out scoring goals. But that doesn't seem to be a priority for the Hanlon or the Caps right now. They are preaching defense, defense and more defense. Yes defense is important, but wins are too. Defenses are always going to make mistakes during a game, it's the offense that has to respond and respond when it is needed most. If I knew that the Caps give up 2 or 3 goals but could make it up with their offense, I wouldn't bite my nails everytime the Caps go down a goal or two. It is teams like Ottawa strike that perfect balance.
I was reading the comments on the TSN.ca website following the Caps win Ottawa and I couldn't help but see comments talking about Ovie being a bit of puck hog. I made a point of watching Ovie in the Lightning game and a couple of things were made apparent. Ovie is damn fast, he outskates his teammates often leaving him alone in the offensive zone. There other thing I notice is he doesn't quite know what to do with it once he gets there, and it just becomes another low percentage outside shot on net.
The Caps are not setting anyone other than Ovie up either, which goaltenders have gotten wise to. But in the Lightning game, Tom Poti and Tomas Fleischmann set up a beautiful give and go. I remember thinking, why don't we see more of this from the Capitals? I am not sure if Hanlon or anyone on the coaching staff knows much about producing offense at the NHL level. At the moment teams are not really cowering at the Capitals offensive punch.
The Caps need to start producing, but if the only suggestion is to put a guy in front of the net a la Tomas Holstrom style, the Caps need to do a little bit better than that (or trade the farm for Holstrom). The Caps instead should be working on getting their scorers in a position to, well, score.
For the Redskins, you think they would learn from their mistakes. Yet again they put too much emphasis on the defense side of the ball only to realize they weren't as tough on "D" as they were last year. They allowed teams to creep back in the lead when their offense suddenly gets the equivalent of a brain cramp. The same could be said about the Capitals.
The Caps have put all their eggs in to a defensive package with little importance put on offense. Glen Hanlon's philosophy will always be defense (he is a former goaltender), but there seems to be no room left for creativity on offense. It's like an afterthought. And teams who are patient enough to wait for Caps' mistakes take advantage.
When I see the Capitals practice, they aren't working on offensive plays. You can't help but notice there is more work on getting back than pushing the attack. It's all apart of this possession game that Hanlon is pressing. Even in games it seems the only offensive play that seems evident is get the puck to Micheal Nylander or Alex Ovechkin and let's see what happens. Or my favorite play (sarcasm warning) Mike Green driving it up the wing only to lose the puck in the corner.
The Capitals cannot win games with out scoring goals. But that doesn't seem to be a priority for the Hanlon or the Caps right now. They are preaching defense, defense and more defense. Yes defense is important, but wins are too. Defenses are always going to make mistakes during a game, it's the offense that has to respond and respond when it is needed most. If I knew that the Caps give up 2 or 3 goals but could make it up with their offense, I wouldn't bite my nails everytime the Caps go down a goal or two. It is teams like Ottawa strike that perfect balance.
I was reading the comments on the TSN.ca website following the Caps win Ottawa and I couldn't help but see comments talking about Ovie being a bit of puck hog. I made a point of watching Ovie in the Lightning game and a couple of things were made apparent. Ovie is damn fast, he outskates his teammates often leaving him alone in the offensive zone. There other thing I notice is he doesn't quite know what to do with it once he gets there, and it just becomes another low percentage outside shot on net.
The Caps are not setting anyone other than Ovie up either, which goaltenders have gotten wise to. But in the Lightning game, Tom Poti and Tomas Fleischmann set up a beautiful give and go. I remember thinking, why don't we see more of this from the Capitals? I am not sure if Hanlon or anyone on the coaching staff knows much about producing offense at the NHL level. At the moment teams are not really cowering at the Capitals offensive punch.
The Caps need to start producing, but if the only suggestion is to put a guy in front of the net a la Tomas Holstrom style, the Caps need to do a little bit better than that (or trade the farm for Holstrom). The Caps instead should be working on getting their scorers in a position to, well, score.
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