I was going to wait until tomorrow to write this because I thought I would need a little more time to cool off after that tragic loss, especially because I am one who takes his sports way too seriously, but I felt like I should get all my thoughts and opinions out there while the taste is still bad in the mouth and the ideas still fresh in the head. Since Catie just wrote a lovely post recapping the game, I'll try and just do a opinionated version of what I thought about the game. So as I step back a bit, let me just throw out some brief thoughts before I get into the analysis...
Wow. What a hockey game. I mean, easily one of the best I've seen in a while, and that's hard for a guy like me to admit when my team was on the losing end. I do not have any huge hockey fans in my family (frankly I'm the only one) but my hatred for Pittsburgh is a long, deep one, especially because my number one team is still the Baltimore Ravens (sorry Cate), who clash at least twice a year with the boys in the black and gold during the long NFL season. In my eyes, Pittsburgh is the epitome of all evil. I still cannot fathom how people actually like teams from there, so you can see that although my cell phone was not being lit up like Cate's, I still felt that awful sinking feeling after Pascal Dupuis' shot beat Neuvy to win the game for the Pens.
With that being said, here are the key points I took away from the game.
1) To put some more emphasis on it, let me just say it again. What. A. Game. The thing that I enjoyed about it most were the hard hits that the two teams constantly exchanged throughout the entire game. It all started when Ovi absolutely destroyed fellow Russian Evgeni Malkin, and it continued throughout the entire duration of the contest. All the bruisers came to play tonight, and that's something you love to see in a rivalry game such as this. Personally, I love it when the players on rival teams hate each other and will do literally anything to prevent their enemies from winning, and this game definitely had that feel. I could feel the tension and electricity through the television set. I feel that as the years pass these type of classic rivalries have sort of diminished, but you can definitely tell that these guys really do not like each other, or at the very least do not want them to succeed on the ice.
2) Goaltending. Both goalies came to play tonight. I'll start with the man in the white sweater, number 29, Marc-Andre Fleury. Much to the Caps disdain, you could tell from the very beginning of the game that he was on point. Even Craig Laughlin, in my opinion one of the biggest "homers" in the sports broadcasting industry, could not help himself from complementing the opposing netminder. Fleury's glove was working all night, which makes me wonder why the Capitals kept trying to rifle glove-side shots at him in the shootout, but that's a topic I'll cover later. Not to be outdone, Michal Neuvirth also put up a goal tending clinic for most of the night. He saved 25 of 27 (Fleury was 32 of 34) including a beautiful save on Malkin when the big center got a chance on a penalty shot. In the end, Fleury played just a little bit better.
3) Special Teams. I talked about this after the Devils game so I will be brief, but the Caps have got to figure this out. Granted, they did score on one opportunity but last year's unit would have had at least one more goal given all the chances. I am not saying I know how to fix it, but it needs fixing. I put this as special teams and not just power play because I just want to touch briefly on the third period. There must have been early Christmas presents in the penalty box, because the Caps just couldn't stay out of it. You cannot give a good team that many chances, and although it did not cost us (we actually got a shorthanded goal out of one of the penalty kills) it will cost us if we keep playing sloppy like that.
4) Mike Green. Final stat line for the best player on the ice tonight: one goal on six shots and at least seven hits and five blocked shots in 34 minutes and 3 seconds of ice time. When Poti went out after some friendly fire by his blueline mate John Erskine, Green stepped up and started doing double duty on the ice. He got his first goal since November 14th on a blast that went top-shelf, and almost ended the game with a beautiful deke and shot that probably beat Fleury, but that the refs did not see. He was consistently involved in the play both offensively and defensively, and as one of his critics, I can say that I am more trusting of 52 then I was heading into the game. He stepped up and was the dominant force that he should be every time on the ice.
5) Controversy. I just have to talk about this because I noticed Cate did in her post. She's going to kill me for saying this, but the referees were right in not giving the goal to Green after the official review. You must understand this is a big step coming from a man who usually despises the zebras and disagrees with almost EVERY controversial call that they make. Their claim was there was no indisputable evidence to overturn the call, and they were right. The key there is overturn. I believe that if the refs called it a goal originally (based on the argument that Cate presented in her post that said you could see the black cross the line under Fleury's white glove) then it would have stayed a goal. It was just a tough break for the boys in the red, white, and blue.
6) The Shootout. I just have one question. Why in the world did the Caps keep trying to shoot past Fleury's glove, which was on point the whole night, instead of dekeing him out? Ovi, who is really not that great when it comes to shootouts, had an easy backhander off on the first shot. After that, only Semin, Green and Perreault made an effort to try and fake out the netminder after Ovi's score. I don't care how good Fleury was that night, it should not have taken seven Caps shooters to try and beat him.
With all of this said, if this game was any indication of how the annual outdoor game is going to be in a few days, then it will certainly live up to the title of Winter Classic.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Well, You Can't Say It Wasn't a Great Game.
I'm starting to come to terms with the fact that though I know that the Capitals are a better team, there are several of my family members who, for whatever reason, bleed black and gold--rather than red, white and blue. It adds a whole another level of perplexity to an already overly-intense match-up. Text messages and Facebook wars are all a part of the rivalry, and I'm sure they can be expected all the way through New Years, as I'll be joining the family in Steel City for the Winter Classic.
Sure enough, my phone lit up when there was a score. And there you have it, the answer to this week's poll: who will score first, Washington or Pittsburgh? Though it makes me happy that both the votes in the poll were for Washington, those who voted (aka Tim and me) were wrong. Pittsburgh started it off with a goal from none other than Sidney Crosby, the most hated man in the district, at least today at any rate. The Pens set themselves up for a strong first period. Marc Andre-Fluery looked sharp from the drop of the puck. Sometimes, if you're lucky, he can be shaken off his game and you can wring an early goal out of him. But, no early goals for Washington. In a quick moving first period, the Caps burned three power play opportunities, including a brief 5 v.3 and a prolonged 4 v.3. Pittsburgh struck just once, but it was enough to give them a lead for the whole period. The physicality of both teams resulted in several elbows, high sticks, and even a boarding or two that went un-called. Big hits were a theme of the game. Ovechkin on Malkin, Malkin on Ovechkin, Kennedy on Carlson, Letang on Ovechkin; as Capitals forward Jason Chimera says, "sometimes games are a little more physical than others, this is a big rivalry, so this is a pretty physical game". And so it was. An attendee in the penalty box was assisted off the ice to the Capitals medical room where she received twelve stitches in the temple after being hit by a stray puck. Tom Poti also disappeared into the dressing room after being clipped up high, and was not seen for the remainder of the game.
The second period was no less eventful than the first. Nuevirth stopped a penalty shot by Evgeni Malkin, and seemed to spark life into his team. Through two periods the Caps dominated the Pens with 25-12 shots, giving Pittsburgh only 5 scoring opportunities. The Caps second two man advantage came from a play that you're not likely to see again. Matt Cook cleared the puck from deep in the corner of the Pittsburgh zone, and lifted it over the glass above Michael Nuevirth's head. Luckily for the Caps, they were able to convert. Mike Green scored his first goal in fourteen games. Green's goal seemed to instill a new found sense of urgency in each team. Hits became more intense, shots more sporadic, and Marc-Andre Fluery looked like a Mexican jumping-bean turned loose.
The third period was a different story. Pittsburgh scored thirty seconds in, making it 2-1. Not a minute later, Pittsburgh got their second power play of the game. The last twenty minutes was a parade to the penalty box for the Caps, as they gave up more than two power plays in a span of seven minutes. The Caps looked absolutely exhausted, as they killed of several critical penalties. Mike Knuble scored short-handed, assisted by Brooks Laich, tying the game 2-2 with five minutes left in regulation. The last five minutes were some of the loudest of the game, with the chants of the crowd canceling out the whistles and at some points even the announcers, the game made its way to overtime.
It was run and gun hockey, and it came down to Mike Green and a spectacular individual effort. Weaving his way through the slot, he shot (and undeniably scored) the puck past Marc Andre-Fluery in what would have been certain high-light reel material. But, "upon further review" there was inconclusive evidence as to whether the puck actually crossed the line. (However, I would like to point out that Fluery's webbing is white, and in the video it's black when it's across the goal line. Just saying.) Ultimately it came down to a shootout. Ovechkin (who I always cringe when I see him in the shootout lineup) scored, then Letang scored nearly the same goal. Alex Semin missed, as did Crosby, Backstrom and then Malkin, forcing a second round of the shootout. Mike Knuble and Mark Letesto also missed. Exhaustion was apparent in both teams. Laich and Kunitz also missed. The puck trailed off of the stick of Perreault, letting the grudge match go on. Six men in, Kennedy and Green also missed. Pascal DuPuis won it for Pittsburgh as the fourteenth shooter. And once again, my cellphone is lighting up.
Sure enough, my phone lit up when there was a score. And there you have it, the answer to this week's poll: who will score first, Washington or Pittsburgh? Though it makes me happy that both the votes in the poll were for Washington, those who voted (aka Tim and me) were wrong. Pittsburgh started it off with a goal from none other than Sidney Crosby, the most hated man in the district, at least today at any rate. The Pens set themselves up for a strong first period. Marc Andre-Fluery looked sharp from the drop of the puck. Sometimes, if you're lucky, he can be shaken off his game and you can wring an early goal out of him. But, no early goals for Washington. In a quick moving first period, the Caps burned three power play opportunities, including a brief 5 v.3 and a prolonged 4 v.3. Pittsburgh struck just once, but it was enough to give them a lead for the whole period. The physicality of both teams resulted in several elbows, high sticks, and even a boarding or two that went un-called. Big hits were a theme of the game. Ovechkin on Malkin, Malkin on Ovechkin, Kennedy on Carlson, Letang on Ovechkin; as Capitals forward Jason Chimera says, "sometimes games are a little more physical than others, this is a big rivalry, so this is a pretty physical game". And so it was. An attendee in the penalty box was assisted off the ice to the Capitals medical room where she received twelve stitches in the temple after being hit by a stray puck. Tom Poti also disappeared into the dressing room after being clipped up high, and was not seen for the remainder of the game.
The second period was no less eventful than the first. Nuevirth stopped a penalty shot by Evgeni Malkin, and seemed to spark life into his team. Through two periods the Caps dominated the Pens with 25-12 shots, giving Pittsburgh only 5 scoring opportunities. The Caps second two man advantage came from a play that you're not likely to see again. Matt Cook cleared the puck from deep in the corner of the Pittsburgh zone, and lifted it over the glass above Michael Nuevirth's head. Luckily for the Caps, they were able to convert. Mike Green scored his first goal in fourteen games. Green's goal seemed to instill a new found sense of urgency in each team. Hits became more intense, shots more sporadic, and Marc-Andre Fluery looked like a Mexican jumping-bean turned loose.
The third period was a different story. Pittsburgh scored thirty seconds in, making it 2-1. Not a minute later, Pittsburgh got their second power play of the game. The last twenty minutes was a parade to the penalty box for the Caps, as they gave up more than two power plays in a span of seven minutes. The Caps looked absolutely exhausted, as they killed of several critical penalties. Mike Knuble scored short-handed, assisted by Brooks Laich, tying the game 2-2 with five minutes left in regulation. The last five minutes were some of the loudest of the game, with the chants of the crowd canceling out the whistles and at some points even the announcers, the game made its way to overtime.
It was run and gun hockey, and it came down to Mike Green and a spectacular individual effort. Weaving his way through the slot, he shot (and undeniably scored) the puck past Marc Andre-Fluery in what would have been certain high-light reel material. But, "upon further review" there was inconclusive evidence as to whether the puck actually crossed the line. (However, I would like to point out that Fluery's webbing is white, and in the video it's black when it's across the goal line. Just saying.) Ultimately it came down to a shootout. Ovechkin (who I always cringe when I see him in the shootout lineup) scored, then Letang scored nearly the same goal. Alex Semin missed, as did Crosby, Backstrom and then Malkin, forcing a second round of the shootout. Mike Knuble and Mark Letesto also missed. Exhaustion was apparent in both teams. Laich and Kunitz also missed. The puck trailed off of the stick of Perreault, letting the grudge match go on. Six men in, Kennedy and Green also missed. Pascal DuPuis won it for Pittsburgh as the fourteenth shooter. And once again, my cellphone is lighting up.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Here We Go, Two in a Row.
It's been a while. A while since the Caps were able to hold onto a lead, a while since they've won two in a row, and a while since I've written an article. But, thankfully the semester is over, and the Caps are starting to pick themselves back up; everything is turning around. On Sunday they beat the Ottawa Senators 3-2, in a game that wasn't their best, but at least it was three periods of solid hockey. They continued that trend into tonight, beating the New Jersey Devils 5-1.
Now, I have a theory about what is going to pull them out of this slump; and if you watched the game against the Devils tonight, you might already know what it is. Here's a clue: it's not necessarily going to be the best or most experienced players. In slumps like these, everyone looks to the captain and the veteran players to do what they do best, to use their talent, experience and leadership to point the team in a better direction. The coaches do, the fans do, and usually, so do I. But in my opinion, that's not going to be the cure in this case. Take a look at who has scored these past two games: Matthieu Perreault, Brooks Laich, Andrew Gordon, Jay Beagle, Jason Chimera, John Carlson and Mike Knuble. Look at who has had the best games. Notice anything? The best players these past few games have been the Caps youngest and least experienced. If they are to successfully turn this streak around, it is going to be the second, third, and fourth lines that are the most important. And in my own personal opinion, it's going to be the young guys. The Caps are lucky in the respect that they have such a deep organization from which they can choose from any number of successful prospects. I'd say that the Caps are in luck with they holiday roster freeze. Starting at midnight on Dec 19, and lasting until midnight on Dec 27, there are no roster moves, meaning that the young men who are helping the team the most, won't have to worry about going home anytime soon (not that they needed to worry about anything anyways, based on their current play).
Thought they won against Ottawa, the game tonight was much more "Caps Hockey". They dominated the Devils for forty out of sixty minutes, taking off in the second period. New Jersey lost its ninth road game in a row as the Caps are trying to gun it past Atlanta and return as leaders of the Southeast division. It was a much more basic game than those that we've seen from the Caps recently. In the words of John Carlson, "good efforts snowball, and eventually they turn in your favor. We're getting back to doing the simple things, and it's working out for us right now." Work still needs to be done on the power play in order to return to the threat it used to be, but it's nice to see a much more shooting oriented unit, rather than the over-passing team which has been on the ice throughout the streak.
My stars of the game, in order of importance, would be: Marcus Johansson, John Carlson and Andrew Gordon. Though he didn't score a goal tonight, #90 had an oustanding game. He had several crisp passes, a number of quality shots on goal, and his physicality made him a presence every time he was on the ice. Carlson was the number two ice time leader with 23 minutes on the blueline, and a goal. And Andrew Gordon got the game going in the first period with his first NHL goal. Note: what do they all have in common? They're all young guys, and none of them are on the top line. Just saying...
Now, I have a theory about what is going to pull them out of this slump; and if you watched the game against the Devils tonight, you might already know what it is. Here's a clue: it's not necessarily going to be the best or most experienced players. In slumps like these, everyone looks to the captain and the veteran players to do what they do best, to use their talent, experience and leadership to point the team in a better direction. The coaches do, the fans do, and usually, so do I. But in my opinion, that's not going to be the cure in this case. Take a look at who has scored these past two games: Matthieu Perreault, Brooks Laich, Andrew Gordon, Jay Beagle, Jason Chimera, John Carlson and Mike Knuble. Look at who has had the best games. Notice anything? The best players these past few games have been the Caps youngest and least experienced. If they are to successfully turn this streak around, it is going to be the second, third, and fourth lines that are the most important. And in my own personal opinion, it's going to be the young guys. The Caps are lucky in the respect that they have such a deep organization from which they can choose from any number of successful prospects. I'd say that the Caps are in luck with they holiday roster freeze. Starting at midnight on Dec 19, and lasting until midnight on Dec 27, there are no roster moves, meaning that the young men who are helping the team the most, won't have to worry about going home anytime soon (not that they needed to worry about anything anyways, based on their current play).
Thought they won against Ottawa, the game tonight was much more "Caps Hockey". They dominated the Devils for forty out of sixty minutes, taking off in the second period. New Jersey lost its ninth road game in a row as the Caps are trying to gun it past Atlanta and return as leaders of the Southeast division. It was a much more basic game than those that we've seen from the Caps recently. In the words of John Carlson, "good efforts snowball, and eventually they turn in your favor. We're getting back to doing the simple things, and it's working out for us right now." Work still needs to be done on the power play in order to return to the threat it used to be, but it's nice to see a much more shooting oriented unit, rather than the over-passing team which has been on the ice throughout the streak.
My stars of the game, in order of importance, would be: Marcus Johansson, John Carlson and Andrew Gordon. Though he didn't score a goal tonight, #90 had an oustanding game. He had several crisp passes, a number of quality shots on goal, and his physicality made him a presence every time he was on the ice. Carlson was the number two ice time leader with 23 minutes on the blueline, and a goal. And Andrew Gordon got the game going in the first period with his first NHL goal. Note: what do they all have in common? They're all young guys, and none of them are on the top line. Just saying...
Fury: Unleashed
After the come-from-behind victory against Ottawa to end the miserable 8-game losing streak, I thought that it was almost more important to win the NEXT game after the losing streak had come to an end to start something that the Caps and their fans would be much happier about... a winning streak.
And it looks as though the boys from DC thought so too.
The Capitals dismantled the New Jersey Devils tonight, 5-1. The Caps scored 5 or more goals for the ninth time this year, and the offense looked like it was back to the powerful machine that the Capitals faithful are used to: free-flowing, creative, precise, and nearly unstoppable. Goals were scored by Andrew Gordon (his first NHL goal), Jay Beagle, Jason Chimera, John Carlson, and Mike Knuble. Gordon scored his inaugural goal on a beautiful assist from Marcus Johansson. Beagle's goal came down in the dirty area on a tap in. Chimera scored on a breakaway even while he was being hooked by the NJ defender. Carlson fired an absolute missile past Marty Brodeur after Ovechkin left the puck all alone for number 74, and Knuble tipped-in a rebound late in the game.
My Player of the Game is (much to Catie's delight) John Carlson. He recorded a goal and an assist while maintaining a +4 rating. Plus, his bomb of a goal in the 2nd period had me jumping out my chair and rewinding the DVR multiple times.
The most impressive part of this win to me has been the play of the so-called "no name players". No average non-Caps fan would be able to recognize all the names of the goal scorers, but they all have skills that make the Caps one of the deepest teams in the league. Gordon is known as a natural goal scorer in the AHL (where he has spent most of his career) and Chimera is one of the fastest skaters in the NHL, which allowed him to break away from the defense and put the puck top shelf on the New Jersey net.
But it was not only these men who were making plays for the Caps. Marcus Johansson had a brilliant game. His magnificent, cross-ice assist set up Gordon's goal and he dominated control of the puck, which allowed for him to set up other teammates for some easy chances, especially in the 2nd period. Matthieu Perreault played his usual high-energy role, getting into the dirty areas and helping to set up his line mates, Brooks Laich and Mike Knuble. The defense as a whole, including Neuvirth, also stepped up and did not allow an early goal, which it had been susceptible to do not only during the losing streak, but all season.
The play of the guys on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th lines took pressure off the Capitals' superstars, who as a whole did not have the spectacular game that is expected out of them on a daily basis. Towards the end of the game, they started to gain some of their swagger, but none of the big name players (Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin, Green) scored, something that should still concern Caps fans going into the two match-ups with the rival Penguins within the next two weeks. Alex Semin in particular played absolutely horrible. I realize that he has been out for 3 games, but he just looked lost and did not look like he was putting in a lot of effort throughout the entire game. The other Alex, Alexander Ovechkin has only scored 2 goals in his last 18 games. If he does not get back on track, the Capitals will have a tougher time keeping the wins coming. Another small area of concern has to be the power play. The Capitals had all of their opportunities killed off in this game, something that can absolutely not happen in the next couple of games. If the boys do not capitalize on the man-up opportunities against the better teams in the league, they will have a much harder time winning.
The play of the Capitals tonight gave fans, especially this one, much more hope for the near future. After watching this dominating performance on both ends of the ice, I know that the Caps are indeed back to their winning ways and that the teams that are on the schedule in the near future (I'm looking at you Montreal and Pittsburgh) are going to have to fear the most potent attack in the NHL. Were back, baby.
And it looks as though the boys from DC thought so too.
The Capitals dismantled the New Jersey Devils tonight, 5-1. The Caps scored 5 or more goals for the ninth time this year, and the offense looked like it was back to the powerful machine that the Capitals faithful are used to: free-flowing, creative, precise, and nearly unstoppable. Goals were scored by Andrew Gordon (his first NHL goal), Jay Beagle, Jason Chimera, John Carlson, and Mike Knuble. Gordon scored his inaugural goal on a beautiful assist from Marcus Johansson. Beagle's goal came down in the dirty area on a tap in. Chimera scored on a breakaway even while he was being hooked by the NJ defender. Carlson fired an absolute missile past Marty Brodeur after Ovechkin left the puck all alone for number 74, and Knuble tipped-in a rebound late in the game.
My Player of the Game is (much to Catie's delight) John Carlson. He recorded a goal and an assist while maintaining a +4 rating. Plus, his bomb of a goal in the 2nd period had me jumping out my chair and rewinding the DVR multiple times.
The most impressive part of this win to me has been the play of the so-called "no name players". No average non-Caps fan would be able to recognize all the names of the goal scorers, but they all have skills that make the Caps one of the deepest teams in the league. Gordon is known as a natural goal scorer in the AHL (where he has spent most of his career) and Chimera is one of the fastest skaters in the NHL, which allowed him to break away from the defense and put the puck top shelf on the New Jersey net.
But it was not only these men who were making plays for the Caps. Marcus Johansson had a brilliant game. His magnificent, cross-ice assist set up Gordon's goal and he dominated control of the puck, which allowed for him to set up other teammates for some easy chances, especially in the 2nd period. Matthieu Perreault played his usual high-energy role, getting into the dirty areas and helping to set up his line mates, Brooks Laich and Mike Knuble. The defense as a whole, including Neuvirth, also stepped up and did not allow an early goal, which it had been susceptible to do not only during the losing streak, but all season.
The play of the guys on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th lines took pressure off the Capitals' superstars, who as a whole did not have the spectacular game that is expected out of them on a daily basis. Towards the end of the game, they started to gain some of their swagger, but none of the big name players (Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin, Green) scored, something that should still concern Caps fans going into the two match-ups with the rival Penguins within the next two weeks. Alex Semin in particular played absolutely horrible. I realize that he has been out for 3 games, but he just looked lost and did not look like he was putting in a lot of effort throughout the entire game. The other Alex, Alexander Ovechkin has only scored 2 goals in his last 18 games. If he does not get back on track, the Capitals will have a tougher time keeping the wins coming. Another small area of concern has to be the power play. The Capitals had all of their opportunities killed off in this game, something that can absolutely not happen in the next couple of games. If the boys do not capitalize on the man-up opportunities against the better teams in the league, they will have a much harder time winning.
The play of the Capitals tonight gave fans, especially this one, much more hope for the near future. After watching this dominating performance on both ends of the ice, I know that the Caps are indeed back to their winning ways and that the teams that are on the schedule in the near future (I'm looking at you Montreal and Pittsburgh) are going to have to fear the most potent attack in the NHL. Were back, baby.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Q & A with Drew Hallman
First off, I need to apologize for both Catie and I. We have not been posting nearly as much as we need to, but this is the first time I've been able to breath amidst the busy end to the college semester.
Tonight, we are going to do things a little differently. I am going to interview my friend and fellow Cap Fanatic (who is more knowledgable than myself) Drew Hallman, the man who got me into hockey two years ago.
Tim: Okay Drew first off, how do you feel about the Caps so far this season?
Drew: While the Caps are once again leading the league points this year, I still won't be completely satisfied with the team until the playoffs come around and I see Ovechkin raising the Cup above his head. If there's one thing last season taught, it was that regular season success means nothing but a seed in the playoffs.
T: How do you feel about the Fleischmann-Hannan trade?
D: While Fleischmann's offensive production will be missed, there still will be no shortage of it seeing that the Caps led the league with 318 goals last season, have a two time Rocket Richard trophy winning captain, have last season's leader in goals by a defenseman, and had a total of seven 20 goal scorers last season. Hannan, a player who would have led the team in shot blocking last season and who has played more NHL games than any other current player on the Caps, brings to the defense exactly what it was criticized for not having. Overall this was a positive trade to ensure bringing the Cup home to Washington this June.
T: Who do you believe is the toughest competition in the East?
D: Our top competition is the usual group of the Bruins, Penguins, Flyers, and now the Canadiens, though teams such as the Rangers and now our division rivals the Lightning and Thrashers and Hurricanes should not be overlooked.
T: Speaking of division rivals, the Caps now have some formidable competition in the Southeast, something that could not be said in the past few years. Which team out of the three you mentioned is the biggest threat and why?
D: I'd say its a tough decision between Atlanta and Tampa Bay with Tampa winning. Both teams have new coaches which add a great amount to their success and both teams have a good amount of Stanley Cup champions on their roster, however with last year's Rocket Richard trophy winner, Steven Stamkos, along with St Louis and Levcavalier, Tampa Bay is definitely our biggest threat.
T: Which Caps player has impressed you most so far?
D: While the play of Michal Neuvirth and John Carlson should not be overlooked, Alexander Semin's play this season has been the most impressive to me. Semins in a contract year and he's definitely playing like it. While I've always thought Semin has been capable of this play, what surprises me and impresses me is his consistency at which he's playing at it.
T: Who has been the most surprising Caps player in your eyes?
D: Matt Hendricks has surprised me the most this season. Arriving at training camp last minute on a tryout, I honestly didn't know much or think much of Hendricks. Thankfully though and much to my surprise, Hendricks has turned out to be a quality 3rd and 4th liner who can fit in at whatever position we need him and only brings positive things to this team.
T: Interesting answer my friend. With Fleischmann being traded, it looks as if the two centers behind Backstrom will now be Mathieu Perreault and Marcus Johansson. Which player do you think is better at this point in their career?
D: At this point in their careers I feel Perreault is better due to the fact that he has more experience than Johansson. At the ripe age of 20, Johansson, despite possibly having more talent than Perreault, is still adjusting the play in the NHL as well as play on North American ice as a whole.
T: Now just some quick questions about the Winter Classic. Give me a score prediction.
D: 5 to 3 in the Caps favor.
T: How do you like the throwback jerseys the Caps will be donning at the game?
D: Many caps fans have expressed negative views on the throwbacks, however I feel their complaints are minor things which they are making a bigger deal out of than they should. The classic throwbacks, paired with red pants and helmets, will definitely be the best looking jerseys on the ice on New Years Day.
T: Anything else you want to comment on about the Caps or the NHL in general?
D: I'd just like to say I'm glad New Jerseys gamble on Kovalchuk is working out just as they planned. His 5 goals on the year look promising for the next 15 years that the Devils will get all $100 million worth of.
Love the answer on that last one. Thanks again to Drew Hallman, not only for doing this interview, but also for getting me into this wonderful sport. I went to a few games when I was little, but becoming friends with Drew junior year of high school really pulled me into the sport. We'll be sitting together up in the nosebleeds on Thursday against the Panthers, GO CAPS!
Tonight, we are going to do things a little differently. I am going to interview my friend and fellow Cap Fanatic (who is more knowledgable than myself) Drew Hallman, the man who got me into hockey two years ago.
Tim: Okay Drew first off, how do you feel about the Caps so far this season?
Drew: While the Caps are once again leading the league points this year, I still won't be completely satisfied with the team until the playoffs come around and I see Ovechkin raising the Cup above his head. If there's one thing last season taught, it was that regular season success means nothing but a seed in the playoffs.
T: How do you feel about the Fleischmann-Hannan trade?
D: While Fleischmann's offensive production will be missed, there still will be no shortage of it seeing that the Caps led the league with 318 goals last season, have a two time Rocket Richard trophy winning captain, have last season's leader in goals by a defenseman, and had a total of seven 20 goal scorers last season. Hannan, a player who would have led the team in shot blocking last season and who has played more NHL games than any other current player on the Caps, brings to the defense exactly what it was criticized for not having. Overall this was a positive trade to ensure bringing the Cup home to Washington this June.
T: Who do you believe is the toughest competition in the East?
D: Our top competition is the usual group of the Bruins, Penguins, Flyers, and now the Canadiens, though teams such as the Rangers and now our division rivals the Lightning and Thrashers and Hurricanes should not be overlooked.
T: Speaking of division rivals, the Caps now have some formidable competition in the Southeast, something that could not be said in the past few years. Which team out of the three you mentioned is the biggest threat and why?
D: I'd say its a tough decision between Atlanta and Tampa Bay with Tampa winning. Both teams have new coaches which add a great amount to their success and both teams have a good amount of Stanley Cup champions on their roster, however with last year's Rocket Richard trophy winner, Steven Stamkos, along with St Louis and Levcavalier, Tampa Bay is definitely our biggest threat.
T: Which Caps player has impressed you most so far?
D: While the play of Michal Neuvirth and John Carlson should not be overlooked, Alexander Semin's play this season has been the most impressive to me. Semins in a contract year and he's definitely playing like it. While I've always thought Semin has been capable of this play, what surprises me and impresses me is his consistency at which he's playing at it.
T: Who has been the most surprising Caps player in your eyes?
D: Matt Hendricks has surprised me the most this season. Arriving at training camp last minute on a tryout, I honestly didn't know much or think much of Hendricks. Thankfully though and much to my surprise, Hendricks has turned out to be a quality 3rd and 4th liner who can fit in at whatever position we need him and only brings positive things to this team.
T: Interesting answer my friend. With Fleischmann being traded, it looks as if the two centers behind Backstrom will now be Mathieu Perreault and Marcus Johansson. Which player do you think is better at this point in their career?
D: At this point in their careers I feel Perreault is better due to the fact that he has more experience than Johansson. At the ripe age of 20, Johansson, despite possibly having more talent than Perreault, is still adjusting the play in the NHL as well as play on North American ice as a whole.
T: Now just some quick questions about the Winter Classic. Give me a score prediction.
D: 5 to 3 in the Caps favor.
T: How do you like the throwback jerseys the Caps will be donning at the game?
D: Many caps fans have expressed negative views on the throwbacks, however I feel their complaints are minor things which they are making a bigger deal out of than they should. The classic throwbacks, paired with red pants and helmets, will definitely be the best looking jerseys on the ice on New Years Day.
T: Anything else you want to comment on about the Caps or the NHL in general?
D: I'd just like to say I'm glad New Jerseys gamble on Kovalchuk is working out just as they planned. His 5 goals on the year look promising for the next 15 years that the Devils will get all $100 million worth of.
Love the answer on that last one. Thanks again to Drew Hallman, not only for doing this interview, but also for getting me into this wonderful sport. I went to a few games when I was little, but becoming friends with Drew junior year of high school really pulled me into the sport. We'll be sitting together up in the nosebleeds on Thursday against the Panthers, GO CAPS!
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