Two Top Players Sit

Capitals vs. Lightening Preview

One with injury, the other healthy. Capitals goaltender Olaf Kolzig is still recuperating a leg injury. The Caps suffer badly with out him against the Devils even with good goaltending by Fredric Cassivi and Brent Johnson. Many news outlets are saying the scratch may just be a "better be safe than sorry" which gives time for the all-star goalie to heal.

Andrew Cassels is the other player that is once again scratched for the game. His positive attitude about the situation was chronicled in the Wash Post. Cassels was to be Alexander Ovechkin's set-up man, but he has found himself in a bit of a slump.

The Capitals once more have to put on their hard hats and come to work hard. The Lightening will be without Martin St. Louis with a broken finger. The Caps can hope that the Tampa Bay will be a bit tired after a win versus the Flyers last night, but not likely. The Lightening broke their 6 game losing streak with their win last night.

-- Other Notes --

• Jeff Halpern has a feature story on the NHLPA's website. Title: From the Ivy League to the Big League.
• Atlanta Thrasher's Ilya Kovalchuk and Dallas Stars' Marty Turco earn player of the week honors. Kovalchuk's 4 goals single handlely beat the Lightening. It's about time he scored.
• St. Louis Blues are for sale. I'd offer something to buy them, but then I would have to up end the couch for loose change. Buy the Blues, get the Savvis center for half-off.

Tickets still available for purchase for tonight's game, well for every home game for that matter. Caps play the Lightening on OLN TV tonight. Can't wait to see how bad the ratings are after this barn burner.

Editors Correction 11/16: Andrew Cassels did dress for Caps/Lightening game.

Broken Record

Capitals 2, Devils 3

Just when I think the Devil's defensive trap is no longer a factor in the new NHL, they prove that not only am I wrong, but also that you don't need a 2 to 3 goal lead to win a game in the second period. The Devil defense is so perfect that it frustrated the young Caps and kept most of the final minutes' action either deep in the Caps zone or kept them from breaking out.

All of the Devil's goals came on the powerplay. 5 penalties in the first period killed the Caps right off from the start. Most of the key players on the penalty kill looked sluggish in the third, from being overworked. Alexander Ovechkin did not score a point but still received the #3 star of the game. Would that be some respect for the Capitals rookie?

Overall Grade: C

The Capitals main problem was their system was ineffective versus the trap. And the coaching staff did little to make the adjustments (or the players just didn't execute). However, kudos goes to the New Jersey Devils for using their defense to help them win both games, a rarity these days in the NHL.

Wash Post covered the contest. Capitals must not be frustrated by their effort in these last two games, they have played well. The beauty of youth is the ability to forget and get up for the next game. I expect the Caps to again control their penalties and keep the work ethic high.

Down In Front!

Capitals 3, Devils 4

The one thing I hate the most other than the Penguins is going to a game that has as many Devils fans as there are Caps fans. What is worse is those Devil fans (or any visiting team's followers) that are obnoxious and rude, that sneak their way down the aisles to the seats they will never be able to afford and bang the glass and scream and yell for no other reason than to incite the crowd of Caps jerseys around them.

One such "friend" would hit the glass and scream, spilling his beer and being an idiot for idiot sake. Finally, and mercifully, an attendant finally checked their tickets early in the third and even some of the Devils fans around us applauded MCI Center's finest.

I don't mind the fans that wear their jersey's proud and support their teams and maybe heckle our guys a little bit. I remember when I attended a game in Phoenix wearing my Caps jersey and would jump up when we scored. When the puck scampered down the ice towards the Coyote's goaltender I yelled, "Miss it!"

It was just quiet enough for a few rows to hear me, and two rather large Coyote fans turned my way with scowls. Then they laughed upon seeing my jersey and nervous smile. I ended up haveing a rather good conversation with them through the game and it actually turned out they were relatively new to the game and I helped them understand the subtle differences between a center and goaltender.

My point being is I could support my team without making a drunken spectacle of myself. And in return I turned two guys into fans that would return and support their NHL Franchise.

So during all of this, the Caps drop the first game of a home and home against the Devils. The Caps killed themselves with bad turnovers in their own end. Jeff Halpern, a name not heard for a while on here, gets his first goal of the season on a bad Devil's pass the trickled in front of the net and on Halpern's stick.

If the Capitals play the entire game like they did in the last 10 minutes, the Capitals will be a tough team to beat. Frederic Cassivi filled in the net for the Caps doing a spectacular job in the net. He should have been the number one star because he kept the Caps in the game to the very end.

Overall Grade: C-

Wash Post covers the game in greater detail as always, and since I haven't posted in a while, they also explain personel moves which includes Mike Green's return to the Hershey Bears and Olaf Kolzig's injury.

Caps, Leafs Split Home And Home

Capitals 4, Maple Leafs 6

The Capitals were able to get the lead one more time and Leafs fans were shaking their heads at the end of the first period, "Not again." The Capitals may have won the first period, but they lost the next two periods the Leafs powered their way to a win at home. It's almost fitting that these two teams split their series, a tale of two teams. One packed with experienced and proven winners, another with talented upstarts.

The Capitals work ethic in this game was outstanding, and I loved their never say die attitude. Something that very much comes from coach Glen Hanlon. Alexander Ovechkin scored twice (again), but the Leafs were much too determined and at home. It's hard to win on the road in the NHL, for any team.

The Leafs are a powerhouse club that really needs more solid defense. In terms of goaltending, there is none better than Eddie Belfour (except maybe Olaf Kolzig) and I thought last night he won that game for the Leafs. The two quick goals in the second period by Chad Kilger and Jeff O'Neill gave the Maple Leafs new life, and made sure they were the next to score to take the lead.

The Capitals just needed that one more goal, to make the lead just that much larger, but allowed the Leafs to play their brand of physical play and to defend their home ice.

Overall Grade: A-

The Capitals not only lost the game, but lost a future prospect as well. Just a month into the season, Petr Sykora decided that the NHL wasn't for him. George McPhee agreed for the transfer and the Capitals are dealt another personel blow. Sykora returned to the Czech Republic to play in his former league. Sykora missed the last 3 games due to back spasms. Maybe that will free up more money to land some suitable defense.

The Capitals play a rare afternoon game Friday at home in another home and home series against the New Jersey Devils. The Caps have the potential to win if they continue their hard work and win the one-on-one battles.

Wash Post covers both the game and Sykora's exit.

Caps Win At Home

Capitals 5, Maple Leafs 4

It was a game of firsts for the budding Capitals. First game the Capitals scored more than 3 goals, first game the Capitals won when scoring the first goal, first game the Capitals had a two goal lead, first game the Capitals shot more than 30 shots in a game, the Capitals first back to back wins. Was it any surprise that the Capitals finally found their nitch, using their offensive talent to keep good teams off kilter?

Alexander Ovechkin scored twice (including the game winner) earning the first star of the game. Jakub Klepis got his first NHL assist and Olaf Kolzig stopped 26 to give the upstart Capitals a winning record at home at 5-3.

The Maple Leafs looked tired and uninterested the whole game, even up to the end of the third period they looked as if they were simply going to win. In short the Capitals outworked the Leafs in one on one battles and made a point of throwing the puck to the net more. Special teams were the key for the Caps as their first two goals came off a powerplay shot from Bryan Muir, and a shorthanded tally by Matt Pettinger.

When the Leafs scored back to back goals late in the first, I knew the Capitals were thankful for the horn at the end of the period. And they used that intermission wisely, coming back on the ice and in 1:21 scored the only even strength goal the Caps could muster.

Overall Grade: A

Wash Post covers the details including Kolzig praising special teams:

"Special teams was the difference tonight," Capitals goaltender Olie Kolzig
said. "Penalty killing was unbelievable, even though we gave up that
five-on-three goal. Other than that, we were terrific."

The Caps need to continue their hard work against the Leafs Tuesday night. The home and home games played back to back will test the Capitals in a playoff like setting, games against the same opponent back to back. The Caps do have a lot working against them, like their away record, which is a disappointing 1-4.

Most of the talk around Toronto was about Brendan Witt, who many think the Leafs should trade for. The Leafs need a solid defenseman that can come to the plate and make smart plays and Witt matches a lot of what they need. The problem is the Leafs have nothing to trade for him. The Capitals need more experienced defensemen in their line up, so a trade seems unlikely now. However, closer to the playoffs, it may be a different story.

Oh My, Another Shootout Win

Capitals 3, Thrashers 2 F/OT, SO

When I picked up my wife from work and made our way through traffic to the phone booth, I could see that she wasn't quite up for a hockey game. We parked in the MCI garage and made our way to our seats and we settled in for the game. I was excited to be there, a game were Gary Bettman himself attended (it's like royalty, but not really) and couldn't wait to watch Alexander Ovechkin play live for the second time this season.

I told myself, don't get involved in the game, let it go. If they lose, they lose. The Capitals were blown out the night before by Philadelphia, and Atlanta looked as if they were actually glad to play against the struggling Caps. My wife looked at me in her bored mood and started giving me trivia questions from the program. "Who do the Capitals play on Nov. 11?" "New Jersey" "Correct!"

The Caps played hard in the first even though it seemed the whole period was being played at their end. I was admiring the Thrashers ability to control the puck, with the occasional Capital break the other way that made the thinned crowd oh and awe. Then it happened. Stupid Peter Bondra puts the puck high over Olaf Kolzig's outstretched leg to score first. I looked to my wife and said, that is actually a good thing. Everyone around us looked at me like I was mad, then I told them "Look, the Caps are 0-4 when they score first."

Then it happened, Bryan Muir stormed out of the penalty box and gets a lucky bounce and a break away to the net. I actually stood up when I saw the Thrasher defensemen look the other way. "He doesn't know the puck is behind him," I screamed and a split second later it's past Mike Dunham and the place went nuts.

Jakub Klepis (yes, I said Jakub Klepis) scored his first NHL goal less than a minute later, and things were looking up while my wife continued to shoot trivia questions at me. "What is the average age of the Capitals?" "27" "Right."

Midway through the third, my new hero, Ovechkin knocks a errant pass down storms in and scores, the place erupts, except the ref is pointing to the off sides dot. What? Knocked down with a high stick. My wife keeps at it, "What is Ben Clymer's hometown?" "Bloomington MN" "How did you know that?"

The Thrashers tie the game and all looks lost until Jeff Halpern makes a good hit against a Thrasher player (not sure who) then Ilja Kovalchuk takes a cheap shot at Halpern, checking him in the back. The ice explodes with gloves, sticks, helmets flying everywhere. The only ones not fighting were the goaltenders. It was one of the better drop the gloves fight I have seen live in a long time. "Who is the Thrasher's strength and conditioning coach?" "Jay Bear" "Ok, seriously, your scary."

Then came the shootout, my first live shootout. I stood because Ted Leonsis told me too. And the Capitals didn't disappoint. Ovechkin's goals slipped past Dunham. Then Bondra was up against Kolzig. I cringed as he took the puck. Kolzig leaned toward the left, which was odd because if Bondra cut it across, Kolzig would be in no man's land and Bondra would have the whole net to backhand the shot in. I thought, Bondra make your move. But he never cut it and ran out of room shooting it right into Kolzig's pads. I actually jumped like a giddy schoolgirl.

My wife was entertained too, "Wow that was pretty exciting, I actually had fun." There is a god. Capitals work hard to pull a great win, and my wife and I get to go home happy.

Overall Grade: B+

I loved the overall effort, and Klepis was outstanding. Although I didn't know who he was at first (Whose #38 out there? No idea). The Capitals may have a new face to keep in the lineup.

Wash Post has the details. Caps face the Maple Leafs next, on Sunday.