Farewell Bruce, Hello Hunter

What’s the first thing I see when I look at my phone this morning? A text from Dad: Bruce out. Hunter in. Immediately I ran to my computer to see if it was really true. Now, I am a big Boudreau fan, actually a huge Boudreau fan. The way he led the Caps on the ‘Cinderella run’ in 07-08 is something that sticks out to me particularly.

It strikes me as a little odd, considering Saturday night I was home watching the game with my dad and he said, “If they lose this game, I bet Bruce is fired.” Of course that immediately sparked a conversation about who would replace him. Dad voted for Dave Tippet (he’s always liked him) but seeing as he’s currently behind the bench in Phoenix, we came to the consensus that Hunter was one of the few options. (Considering we were just grumpy fans sitting at home grumbling, imagine my surprise when I saw the headlines this morning).

So let’s get down to the news.

Dale Hunter, former NHLer and longtime Washington Capital, replaced Bruce Boudreau as the head honcho for the Caps. Hunter spent 19 seasons in the NHL, 12 were spent with Washington. He is the 15^th head coach in Washington’s team history. He will make his debut tomorrow as the Caps host the Blues.

Hunter captained the capitals for five seasons (‘94-’95 to ’98-’99). He is known for a number of things including his work ethic and no-nonsense attitude, but he is most famous for his accumulation of penalty minutes. By the end of his career Hunter tallied 2,003 PIM, the most in Caps history. He is the only player in NHL history to record both 1,000 games and 3, 000 PIM. In addition to holding several capitals records, Hunter is one of the few players in capitals history to have his no. 32 retired.

Hunter, 51, has spent the last 11 years behind the bench for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. His team won the Memorial Championship in ’04-’05, and he holds the record for getting to 300 and 400 wins the fastest.

This is the second time that the Caps have brought a junior coach from their system to the big league. We’ll see how Hunter does from here on out, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the team will be giving him 110% in no time.

Just in closing, I'd like to say farewell Bruce. You saved our team when it was crumbling around Glen Hanlon. You didn't win us a cup, but I think people should remember you fondly, I know that that this particular caps fan will.

Tim Thomas is the man. That's about all that needs to be said for now.

Holy Jason Chimera!

I really, REALLY wanted to write this post right after Chimera snuck in the game winner, but seeing as my hands were shaking from a mix of a release of anticipation as well as a pure, raw form of excitement, I figured it'd be better to wait. So i took off my jersey and sat in front of the fan, which was running on high-blast, just waiting for myself to calm down. And while I was sitting there, I thought of some stuff to write. Most of this is just "right off the fingertips" as I like to call it, so please read and comment back either on here or on Facebook and let me know what you think.

First thing I said when overtime started was "the first team to make a mistake will lose this game." Both teams did give up some early chances (cough,THE OVI BREAKAWAY, cough) because they were so tired, but the Caps were able to capitalize (no pun intended, okay, maybe a little one) on the final mistake made by Marion Gaborik and Henrik Lundqvist late in the second overtime. Good work, Chimer.

The first think I thought after the game was, wow, what a difference a year makes, and although one may argue that last year's Caps would be able to score enough goals to come back in that game, the fact is last year's Caps also would not have had the ability to lockdown defensively when it matters most, especially when they had been pretty bad early in the game. After going down 3-0, I thought it was over, and I'm not a man who gives up on his teams that easily. All I could see was a tied series and loads of anticipation and nervousness on the Washington side as the series headed back to DC. But the Caps proved all of us doubters (including all the Blueshirts at Madison Square Garden) that this team means business, and no lead is safe.

The series now comes back to the Phone Booth in DC for Game 5 on Saturday. The Caps were in a familiar postion last year, going up 3-1 on the Montreal Canadiens before regrettably losing the series in Game 7 a few days later, and many fans are going to point to that series as a point of anxiety heading into the match-up. And although that is definitely something that should be of concern to Washington and its fans, everyone also knows that this team is different. Without the friendly (and sort of quiet...) confines of Madison Square Garden, the Capitals will look to encapsulate the struggling Rangers in a sea of Red.

Its time to Unleash the Fury and oust the Rangers for good. Let's bring it home, boys.

Question and Answer Session Number Two with Drew Hallman

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are upon us, and before they go too far into it, I wanted to bring my friend and self-proclaimed hockey nut Drew Hallman back into the fold at Dropping the Gloves. So I asked him a few questions on the Capitals current standing in the playoffs, their opponent, the New York Rangers, as well as some more general questions about the entire Stanley Cup Playoffs. Please note that due to some time contraints on my part (I am meeting friends for dinner and really need to study) there were no follow up questions, but I promise in the next session, I will try to provide you with some of those. Hope you enjoy.

Tim Horsey: Ok Drew, give me your evaluation of the Caps through the first 3 games of the playoffs.

Drew Hallman: Through the first three games of the playoffs, the Caps look about 87.56789% on their game. The Caps for the most part have stuck to their game plan, and it has worked. The times when they haven't, like taking all those penalties in Game 3, it hasn't. DC has seen the return of much needed defensemen Mike Green, much needed power play goals by veterans Jason Arnott and Mike Knuble, solid goaltending, including one shutout, by rookie Michal Neuvirth, and hopefully will soon see their favorite hockey team on the way to the second round of the playoffs.

TH: What have you thought of Michal Neuvirth’s performance in his first Stanley Cup Playoffs?

DH: For the first time in three years, the game of musical chairs involving the Caps' goaltenders is up…well, maybe. Coming into the series with no previous NHL playoff experience while facing a seasoned NHL goalie and gold medal winner, Neuvy has played well so far in the series, giving up only four goals in three games, posting a 1.00 save percentage while the Caps have the lead or are trailing, and shutting out the Rangers in Game 2. However, Neuvy allowed 3 goals in Game 3, the final goal being a lucky deflection, and did not appear to leave the net as much to challenge the Rangers.

TH: If you had to pick one facet of the Capitals’ game that was most crucial to success this postseason, what would it be and why?

DH: The Caps' main key to success is sticking to the game plan. The Caps trailed in both Games 1 and 3 but were able to come back three of the four times that the Rangers took the lead by staying calm and sticking to the plan that they had established early in the game.

TH: I know this is a little late, but for the rest of the series, who (or what unit) on the Rangers is the biggest threat to the Capitals?

DH: If asked this question before the series, the answer would be Henrik Lundqvist. However, with a GAA of 1.84, giving the Rangers any edge in the series scares me more than "King Henrik". The Caps cannot lose Game 4, giving the Rangers the edge of tying up the series. The Caps must win Game 4 so they continue to have the edge in the series making it so they can wrap it up completely on Saturday in Chinatown.

TH: Okay let’s get a little more general. In your opinion, what is the most intriguing matchup in the first round (other than Caps v. Rangers)?

DH: The most intriguing matchup in the first round other than the Caps and Rangers is the Canucks and Blackhawks. For the past two seasons the Blackhawks have ruined the Canucks dreams of hoisting the cup in June. However, now after coming off of a Stanley Cup Championship and unfortunately then having to dump a good amount of players afterwards due to the salary cap, Chicago is being embarrassed on a national level by the team that they've tormented for two years and could very well be swept tonight on home ice in Chicago.

TH: What one player is most key to his team’s success and why (other than players on the Capitals)?

DH: Ned Braden is definitely the most key to his team's success. Without his striptease at center ice, there’s no way the Chiefs would have won the Federal League Championship. Tim Thomas might not be another bad answer, though. If he can't put up the amazing numbers he did in the regular season it looks like Montreal might have another upset and Boston has another playoff collapse for the second year in a row.

TH: I had to keep the Slapshot references in that answer because that movie is such a classic. Finally, give me your final four teams, your final two, and your eventual Stanley Cup champion.

DH: Final Four: Canucks vs Detroit and Capitals vs Penguins

Final Two: Detroit vs Capitals (Detroit's veteran playoff experience outdoes Vancouver and Crosby comes back just in time to face the Caps but Erskine crushes him into the boards behind the net ending his career)

Stanley Cup Champion: Washington Capitals (1998 the way it should have ended)

Thanks again to Drew Hallman for his insight. Hopefully he's right and the Caps will bring the Cup to the Phone Booth in June.

What A Start

Wow, what a way to begin the playoffs. Don't have much to say about it, but I do need to get into the habit of writing on a consistent basis, so here are some opinins from the game.

Mr Semin. I have never been a huge fan of little Sasha, but he sure had a good game tonight. I only saw him whiff once, and that OT goal to win it was a thing of beauty. I hope he can keep it going at not slump like last year's playoffs (he had zero goals against MTL last year). You may have gained another fan Semin.

The New York Rangers are going to frustrate not only the Caps players but its entire fanbase this series. They are so good at blocking shots and locking down defensively. Not to mention King Henrik. He was absolutely sensational last night (as were his posts, which rejected Semin and Jason Arnott in the first period). If the Capitals want to keep the momentum from game one, they are going to have to keep their cool and play their game, and the series will keep turning in their favor.

Last note before I sign off here, Michal Neuvirth looked cool as a cucumber in goal. The two time Calder Cup champion looked like the man he's been for the Hershey Bears the past two springs, stopping 24 of 25 shots against the Rangers last night. In his pre AND post game interviews, he said he did not feel any pressure and was not nervous at all. If that doesn't say "ice in the veins", I don't know what does. I think you finally found your man, Gabby.

That Time of Year

Hey folks, it's that time of year again, time for the best postseason tournament in professional sports: The Stanley Cup Playoffs. A time when every game matters and grown men go so far as to go back to their barbaric roots and grow long, tangled beards in lieu of shaving. Sixteen wins is all a team needs to lift that 34.5 pound glorious hunk of metal over their heads, beam a smile that would require heavy machinery to get rid of, and declare themselves Stanley Cup Champions.

The Washington Capitals are one of those teams who still have the dream, and they find themselves in a very familiar position: Numer Uno in the Eastern Conference. This year's opponent, who will try to do what Montreal did to the Caps last April, are the New York Rangers, a gritty, never-say-die team who gave the Caps fits in the playoffs two years ago until Sergei Federov put them away in Game 7.

The Rangers have had the Capitals number this year, winning 3 of the 4 meetings, including a 6-0 drubbing at the Phone Booth (aka Verizon Center) and a 7-0 defeat in MSG which was seen around the world on HBO's "24/7" and also came smack dab in the middle on Washington's mid season 8-game losing streak.

This is a much different Caps team, however. The trade deadline acquisitions of Marco Sturm, Dennis Wideman, and Jason Arnott, a former NHL captain who scored the game winning goal for the New Jersey Devils in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2000, have solidified an already very capable team. Although Wideman will not be back until at least the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, he did a great job filling the puck-moving/powerplay role of Mike Green while number 52 recovered injury. Green is expected to make his return tomorrow for game one against the Rangers, which is great news for Caps fans. Green is a dynamic scorer from the blueline, but more importantly, has become a sort of microcosm of the Capitals greatly improved defensive prowess this season. The Capitals are fourth best in the NHL in goals allowed per game with a 2.33 average and second in the league in penalty kill at 85.6%. Last year the Caps were ranked 16th and 25th in these categories, respectively. Coach Boudreau has led the charge to become a tougher, more defensive team rather than a high flying offensive team, because everyone knows that defense wins championships.

And boys, I can already see the Cup in the Great 8's hands when it's all said and done.

Finally, A NEW POST!

I need to apologize for not posting in forever. My schoolwork has been hitting me hard ever since I stepped foot back on campus in late January, and I was reminded of my lack of posting by my grandmother on Friday during the radio show (Dropping the Gloves, 5-6 PM on Fridays, WMUCSports.com). Instead of trying to recap all the games since I’ve last been on here, I just want to talk about some notes from the weekend and do a brief preview of tonight’s big match-up against Pittsburgh.

Yesterday’s “Hockey Day in America” was an awesome marketing idea by NBC. All four games that were broadcast on NBC were great match-ups. I ended up watching hockey from 12:30 until the end of the Heritage Classic on Versus (which I honestly thought to be the most uneventful of all five games). I am here, however, just to comment on the Caps v. Sabres game.

What a solid win. I was very impressed throughout by the Capitals, especially on the power play. The Caps created many chances on the man advantage and were not afraid to shoot the puck when necessary. They should have definitely scored on the 5-on-3, but since we came out of this game with the W, I’ll let it go for now.

I feel like I have to talk about Ryan Miller. He is far and away my favorite goalie in the league, and even though he is struggling just a bit this year, he was on his A-game yesterday. He absolutely stuffed Nick Backstrom on back to back power play opportunities. If anyone else was in net for Buffalo, we would have been talking about a blow out in upstate New York.

Tonight’s game against the Penguins is the final meeting between the rivals in the regular season. The Caps look to take the series 3-1 with a victory tonight, and this looks very possible. Both teams played yesterday on the road, so there is no excuse for either team being tired. The Penguins are without Geno Malkin and Sidney Crosby, who is still suffering from a minor headache, uh, I mean, concussion-like symptoms. The same men were out for Pittsburgh when the Capitals shutout the Pens 3-0 in Washington just a few weeks ago. If the Capitals can keep playing solid defense and convert on the power play, they will take the momentum and steal a victory from the Penguins and add another victorious chapter to this storied rivalry.

Redemption Rejected

Coming into tonight, the Capitals had to be looking for one thing. Revenge. On December 12th, the Rangers took the Capitals to the cleaners in a 7-0 drubbing at Madison Square Garden that included a rare Ovechkin fight (that's how frustrating it was). Not only was the game seen by all watching, but it was also well-documented on HBO's "24/7: Capitals v. Penguins" four-part documentary series.

The game did not disappoint. It moved very fast and was physical from the beginning, and included many early chances for the Capitals, including a powerplay in which the home team could not capitalize on (starting to sound like a broken record). Ovechkin was locked in from the puck drop. He could be seen flying all over the ice and firing his rifle of a shot multiple times. The Caps defense also looked impressive as usual, and went into the first intermission locked at a 0-0 tie.

That did not last long. Less than a minute and a half in, Marcus Johansson delivered a pass from the right point that reached Matt Hendricks' stick on the left side of the goal for a beautiful tap-in. This was Hendricks' second straight game with a goal. This seemed to open the game up for the Capitals' offense, as they got got a few more open chances right after the goal that were stopped by Marty Biron.

The teams continued to trade blows in the third but still neither team could score until Marion Gaborik "pushed" the puck into the net with his arm with six and a half minutes left. Although the goal did go under review, the refs did not change their call of good goal. Even being a Caps fan, I had to agree, because it did not seem like Gaborik intentionally "punched" it in. The final 6 minutes were scoreless, leading to an overtime period after a tough, gritty regulation.

After a scoreless overtime that saw several chances to end the game for the Caps, including a beautiful shot by Marcus Johansson in the high slot that just went wide, came the shootout period. Hendricks and Backstrom both scored for the Caps, but Braden Holtby, after an impressive game, seemed to crumble in the shootout, allowing 3 of 4 Rangers to score fairly easily in the one-on-one opportunity. A classic heart breaker, indeed.

Although the loss was very tough, and the offense seemed to be almost non-existent (at least on the surface), the fact is that there was a lot of good to take from this game. The defense was extremely solid. The only goal that the Rangers scored was a fluke in which the puck bounced in their favor just a few too many times. Braden Holtby, minus the shootout, played a very solid game. He stopped 28 of 29 shots, posting a .966 save percentage, and consistently handled the puck very well.

As a Baltimore Ravens fan, I'm used to these type of defensive struggles that can end on either side of the coin. This time, unfortunately, it landed on the Rangers side. If a few more bounces go the Caps way, were talking about a solid, hard-fought victory. I have confidence that if the defense keeps playing the way they do, the offense will start to fire up, and the Caps will be right back on the road to Lord Stanley.

Caps v. Islanders

Amidst these final few busy days of break, I have not been able to sit down and watch a Caps game from start to finish, so I dedicated tonight to throwing on the Ovechkin jersey and watching the game. With this post I am going to approach things a bit differently. I'm going to write a new post each period to sort of document the chronologically.

1st Period:

The Caps played very well. Chimera started on the top line with 19 and 8, a move I love because of Chimera's speed, which open things up for the Caps two best players. He and Ovechkin took turns on either side of number 19. It paid dividends early. Just four minutes in, Ovechkin flew down the right flank and put a beautiful pass right in front of net for an easy tap in goal for Jason Chimera, his seventh of the year. This is something that the Caps need to do more often. They are currently last in the league in first period goals, something that no one expected coming into the season.

The Caps came out of the gates aggressive. From the puck drop, the boys were all over the Islanders, especially on the forecheck. This is something that Caps fan love to see, but it came with a price. The Caps got sent to the box twice in the game, but the 6th ranked PK unit was able to kill off both. Braden Holtby, the starter due to the injuries suffered by Varly and Neuvirth, saved all 11 shots he faced in the first period.

2nd Period:

This period was named the "Whistle Period" by Craig Laughlin, and for good reason. The play in the middle period never seemed to flow. Three and a half minutes in, the Great 8 flew into the crease and left the puck for Backstrom, who tipped it in to a wide open net. This was the 12th time that Backstrom lit the lamp this season, but more importantly, the goal ended his long scoring drought. Just minutes later, however, Michael Grabner, the speedy Islander rookie, broke away from John Carlson and roofed a backhander into the back of the net. The Caps then faced two more shorthanded opportunities and ended up killing off both. It was a very solid, albeit sloppy, period from the boys from the nation's capital.

3rd Period:

The third period saw sparks fly. The teams almost got into a bench clearing brawl after a huge (and clean) hit on Hillen by Matt Hendricks. Both team played with lots of energy as the Islanders tried to even the score and the Capitals tried to protect their lead. The top line of 8-19-25 played great throughout. The Caps killed off two more penalties and failed to convert on one. In the end, the Caps were able to keep the Islanders off the board in the final period on the way to a 2-1 victory.

My top 3 players tonight are as follows..

3) Braden Holtby- He saved 24 of 25 shots and helped the Caps kill off 6 penalties. A very solid night overall for the rookie.

2) Nicklas Backstrom- Backstrom spearheaded a dominant top line that scored both goals tonight. His passes were crisp all night. He finished with a +2 rating, an assist, and a goal that ended number nineteen's 21-game scoring drought.

1) Jason Chimera- Chimera made all the difference tonight. His speed helped open up the ice for 8 and 19, and he was constantly a force down low. Great game, I hope we see him on that top line more often.

Caps Dominate Islanders

Pre-game Preview:

Holtby- 2-2-1

GAA 3.84

SV% .845

DiPietro- 7-6-4

GAA 3.43

SV% .892

---Michael Nuevirth was sent home after being injured against the Flyers on Tuesday night. Braden Holtby was recalled from Hershey and gets the start for tonight (as Varlamov is likewise injured). Holtby faces off against the rarely healthy Rick DiPietro.

---Capitals injury list continues to grow: #10 Matt Bradley, #28 Alex Semin, #3 Tom Poti, #30 Michael Nuevirth, #89 Tyler Sloan, and #16 Eric Fehr.

Game Article:

Holtby played a better game than his last debut, looking much steadier in net, as did the team in front of him. Though not back to the "old Capitals" just yet, they had certainly improved over their clumsy and bland starts of late.

The first period was simple, basic hockey--the kind that Bruce's teams tend to thrive on. Shots abounded, they were aggressive and as expected "when you shoot, you score". The Caps came up with an early goal, giving them the lead for a change, leaving the Isles to fall behind again for the eighth straight game. Chimera certainly isn't the most offensively talented man on the roster, but he's a good man to have on any line--including the Ovechkin/Backstrom duo. And he proved that, scoring the first goal of the game (in the first period, both recent oddities for the Capitals). Chimera brings speed, intensity and physicality to the front line, something that they have been lacking. His willingness to grind through defense helped the line create valuable scoring opportunities all night long. Though they got shots off from both the point and the slot, as well as created a number of quality scoring chances, their power play continues to hold them back.

The intensity and aggresive play continued in the third period, and the first line continued to gel. Nick Backstrom ended his 20-game goalless streak with a tally assisted by Chimera and Ovechkin. However, Backstrom's goal was quickly answered by a goal from the Islanders, who after scoring it, seemed to find new life. The Caps easily killed off a New York power play, and continued to take the puck to the net. DiPietro played the puck at the top of the circle, disrupting the Capitals rush and leaving his net wide open. Though one of the best puck-handling goalies in the league (when on his game), that was probably his most ill-advised play of the game.

Matt Hendricks body check caused a sensation in the third, firing up the Isanders and prompting Matt Martin to pound Jason Chimera in the corner. The third period was a continuation of the Capitals excellent play through out the game.

Caps Finally Capitalize

Well, it wasn't their most glorious game of the season, but it was a significant improvement over their recent play. Or at least the third period was.

The first period was another 20 minutes that they can add to their not-so-new habit of less than impressive starts. A quick sequence in front of the net resulted in Mike Green on the ground, Neuvirth scrambling and the puck in the net; probably one of the worst goals they have given up in recent games. And with that, the visiting Senators had a 1-0 lead just 1:12 into the period. Already trailing with over 18 minutes left to play in the first, the Caps assumed their defeated attitude and finished a forgettable first period with only 5 shots on goal.

The second period was no more memorable than the first, for both teams. Though the Caps did not play poorly, they did not play with any sense of intensity. Ottawa, despite being in the lead, did not have any more intensity than the Capitals. Both teams played an overly cautious game, with all the play on the boards.

The third period was a completely different story. It took seven minutes for Washington to get on the board, but then the energy changed in the building and they took control of the game. Brooks Laich's quick shot from the slot made it 1-0. That was all the Caps needed. They pressured the Senators, established a reasonable forecheck, and snapped their passes rather than just drifting them across the ice. Forty-three seconds later Milan Michalek cross-checked defenseman Karl Alzner, who went head-first into the boards. The image of a player face-down on the ice in the corner is never a good one. But after only a few terrifying seconds on the ice, Alzner was back on his feet of his own volition. He skated to the locker room, but returned to finish the third period. Michalek recieved two minutes for the hit, and it only took two seconds for the Caps to capitalize on the power play. John Carlson buried a slap shot from the point, right off of the face-off. With less than seven minutes left to play, Jason Chimera drifted the puck toward goalie Brian Elliot from behind the goal-line. The odd-angle shot hit the back of the slightly turned goaltender and went in. The Capitals pulled off their first win in the last 4 games.

Bright spots of the game: Bruce continued to change the line-ups through out the game, and while that might not always be the best option, Johansson proved that he could play some pretty significant minutes on the front line. The young Swede has Bruce's confidence, and had the best scoring chance of the five shots on goal in the first period.

Andrew Gordon (#63) is back on the ice. While it's awful that Eric Fehr will be out for 3-4 weeks (seriously, this team does not need another injured player), Gordon brings intensity, creativity and a fresh identity to the line-up.

Vancouver Vanquishes Caps

Craig Laughlin said during the broadcast, that the Capitals deserved a lot of credit for keeping up with an elite team like the Canucks. But the Caps are also an elite team (when they pull themselves together), which should mean that they can regularly compete day-in and day-out with the other "elite" teams of the NHL. Knowing how the Caps can play, not how they have been playing, I thought that the first period was a bit sloppy.

They got the early lead that they were hoping for, but gave one up halfway through the period to make it a tied 1-1 at the end of the first. Only the Devils have fewer first period goals than the Capitals this season, a rather surprising statistic considering the offensive talent that they possess. Though they had more energy than they have had in recent games, it did not seem to equal what the Capitals usually bring to the plate. (In my personal opinion, they have been rather flat since the Winter Classic, going 1-3 for four games).

The Caps were out-shot and out-manned throughout the game. Varlamov was great, but Vancouver pelted him with shots and he gave up two more goals in the second, making it 3-1. All the goals were scored on breakaways, and aside from Matt Hendricks goal in the first period, there weren't many golden moments for the Caps. They sparkled occasionally, like on Eric Fehr's quick shot to Luongo, though it didn't go in. With 10:39 left in the 3rd, Marcus Johansson buried a slap-shot, bringing the Caps within one goal.

Varlamov was pulled in the final ninety second, but a pass caught Daniel Sedin behind the defense for the empty net. If there's one bright side to this loss, it's that the points went out west.

Panthers Preview

Tonight the Caps have another Southeast division match-up, this time against the last place Florida Panthers. With 38 points they are ranked last in the division and 24th in the league. Though there is most likely going to be no play-off threat from the Cats, the rest of the divisional games from here on out are going to be some of the most important games in the remainder of the season. If the Caps can suck points out of the division, it puts them in better standings come play-off time. So with that in mind, tonight's game should be another important game for them.

A few notes from this week:

--Their last game had a disappointing drop-off in energy from the Winter Classic. But, considering that the Winter Classic was the biggest regular season game thus far, it's some-what understandable. Said Mike Green on 106.7 FM yesterday, "we just have to remember that we do have games after the Winter Classic. Yes, that game was huge, but we have to remember that we've got a game 2 and 3 days afterwards that we have to play. We have to make sure our heads are in it."

--He also had a few remarks about the power play. "Sometimes when you play a high risk game, then the risks pay off. With our minds being so focused on defense right now, we aren't necessarily playing the same high risk game that we used to, and sometimes that can translate into less goals."

--Ovechkin gets a cortisone shot and participated in a full practise yesterday. He should be ready for tonight's game.

--Happy Birthday Ted Leonsis!

Russia's Late Effort Wins Them Gold

As an American, I have two favorite teams: Team USA, and anyone who beats Canada. So even if I did not already have a mild obsession with Russia, I would be a Team Russia fan today. The young team played the come-back game of their lives, rallying from a 3-0 deficit to score 5 unanswered goals in the third period. They beat the stunned Canadians with a final score of 5-3. (Just a side note: The pre-game broadcast reminded me of the 2010 Olympics, not because it was a Gold Medal game, but because everything was so Canadian, especially the crowd. Making their 7th championship game debut in the past 7 years, Team Canada wore the home jerseys, decked out in red.)

Three players watch in the game: Cody Eakin #25, Canada, Evgeni Kuznetsov #25, Russia and Dmitri Orlov #9, Russia. All are Washington Capitals draft picks. And my, oh my, what games they had.

Team Canada came crashing out of the gates to get it started early, much like they did on Monday, when they demolished the United States 4-1. The best power play unit in the tournament made short work of an early man advantage, resulting in a quick 1-0 lead. Capitals prospect Cody Eakin was all over Russian goalie Shikin in the first, but could not get anything past him. Russia applied pressure late in the period with a break away, however, Evgeni Kuznetsov had the puck poke-checked away from him by a diving defenseman. Dmitri Orlov, was incredibly involved in the offense, leading rushes and creating scoring opportunities, something that we have not often seen out of him. The game equaled in intensity and physicality. Forechecks were forcibly established, and goal celebrations rivaled those of some overtime victories. Canada scored with 47 seconds left in the first to go to intermission with a 2 goal lead.

It was a slow second period until 13:33, when Canada made the lead 3-0. A goalie change for Russia promptly followed and Igor Bobkov took over for Dmitri Shikin. The third goal seemed to electrify Canada. However, that electricity certainly faded away in the locker room. The third period belonged to Russia. In what was a display of effort and creativity, Russia scored twice three minutes into the third, only 11 seconds apart, putting themselves back into the game. Russia played like a team with nothing to lose. Their attitude helped them to be more creative with the puck, when they might have otherwise been more reserved. Spinning passes from the circles, shots from the point, and pressure in the slot all stemmed from Russia's creativity and played a part in each of the five goals.

Never surrender. That seemed to be the theme for Team Russia in all of their games. This was their ultimate come-back of the WJC tournament, despite each of the come-from-behind wins they accomplished as they made their way to the championship. It is Russia's first Gold since they defeated Canada in 2003, and the looks of incredulity and pure joy on the faces of the young Russians was definitely the heartwarming moment of the tournament.

Team USA Takes The Bronze in IIHF World Junior Championship

"It's a mans game," said USA forward Chris Kreider. And finally, Team USA is once again playing like men. They broke the trend of sloppy hockey against Sweden, playing for the bronze medal in the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The United States started off strong in a scoreless first period. In Mondays game against Canada, the team looked exhausted at the end of every shift, and by the end of the first period they looked completely out of gas. This was not the case in today's game. Team USA looked refreshed from their day off, intent on forgetting Monday's embarrassment against the Canadians. From the drop of the puck USA finished shifts with energy, and controlled the puck much better than they had in their previous game. Several opportunities were stolen from the United States as Sweden's goalie did everything but stand on his head to make saves.

The second period was played much the same as the first, and at about the 10 minute mark Sweden scored on USA goalie Jack Campbell. The Swedes played an aggressive game, looking more like a North American team, than a typical European team. (An interesting side-note mentioned during the broadcast: almost every player on Sweden's WJC roster is an NHL draft pick. Impressive numbers Team Sweden.) Team USA also put up a goal, scored by Chris Kreider. Though they maintained pace and pressure, they did not manage to keep the shots up.

Correcting their mistakes, Team USA got an early goal and took the lead for the first time in the game. With the United States in control, an aggressive power play pushed the pace of the game, but did not result in a third goal. A fault of the offense throughout the game, and the tournament was the failure to get the puck in the air on their shots. At 8:20 Nick Bjugstad made it 3-1 USA. Sweden was not rattled, and responded with a goal 2 minutes later, making it 3-2. A two on one opportunity created a fourth goal for USA, second of the night from Kreider.

A schizophrenic two final minutes led to Team USA taking the bronze. This is a huge opportunity for USA Hockey. Following last year's Gold Medal victory, this is the second consecutive year that the USA has medaled, a first for the program. As NHLers in international competition (aka the Olympics) is a hot-topic, hopefully this will not be the last international competition that these young men (who are mostly comprised of NHL draft picks) are eligible to compete in.

Caps Look To Take Back The Southeast Division

Fresh off their Winter Classic win against Pittsburgh, the Capitals dropped the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning in what was perhaps an even more important game. The Lightning seemed anxious to display their new, old goalie. Dwyane Roloson was acquired from the New York Islanders last Saturday. The 41-year-old goaltender, whose win/loss records could really use some work, was the unofficial starter. Rick DiPietro (the Islanders starter on paper only) is one of those players who makes the news for actually being healthy.

The division rivals entered the game both tied for first in the Southeast Division with 51 points, Tampa with a game in hand. Despite the importance of the game, the Capitals were slow to get it started. Even Varlamov's three sprawling saves were less than fabulous. With just 5 shots in the first, Washington both burned a late power play and killed one off. The penalty kill was the highlight of the period as they shut down the Lightning's top two scorers Steven Stamkos and Vincent Lecavlier, and their top play maker Martin St. Louis.

The Capitals had more energy coming out of the first period intermission, however, instead of playing like themselves, it was a rather conservative period. Two minutes in, Alex Ovechkin sped down the ice using the defenseman as a shield, forcing Roloson to go post-to-post. A hooking call on Matthieu Perreault as he went hard to the net resulted in the Caps second power play of the night. The power play, which has been the Capitals Achilles tendon this season, managed to produce a few quality shots before St. Louis and Ryan Malone made a short handed rush down the ice and crashed into the waiting Varlamov. Matt Hendricks and Steve Downie dropped the gloves and exchanged a few choice words, yelling to one another through the penalty box glass. Backstrom created the best chance of the period, wrapping the puck around the net, but Roloson came up with his fifth big save of the game, which is undoubtedly why Tampa traded for the 41-year-old. He made Tampa's GM, Steve Yzerman, look like a genius. With 2:28 left in the second period, the Lightning announced that they signed Boston's Marc-Andre Bergeron.

Tampa came out ready in the third, piling shots on goal in the first three minutes. The score, however, remained 0-0. The third period was the best for both teams, as though it took them both 40 minutes to realize that the winner of this game would take back control of the Southeast division. Eventually the teams took it to overtime, whihc was much quicker paced than the entire game. With 2:43 off the clock, Martin St. Louis put it past Varlamov, putting the Caps two points behind the Lightning, #2 in the Southeast Division. Washington is going to have to play much better if they expect to win their division again. This was an over all underwhelming game.

Here's an article on the Winter Classic I thought you all would enjoy per my cousin Jillian Gardiner. On Frozen Blog happens to be one of the best Capitals blogs around. I'm working on posting my own--it's written, but Blogger wont publish it.

Anyways, enjoy.

http://www.onfrozenblog.com/2011/02/01/plundering-western-pa-with-a-reversal-invasion.html

USA Flops in Semi-Finals

It's been quite a 10-day span for hockey. The World Junior Championships are in town, the Winter Classic was a success (well it was for Washington fans), and the IIHF got their dream match-up. Team USA and Team Canada have a deep-seeded rivalry like none other, and now they get a chance to face off, albeit, in the semi-finals. The winner of this game will get a chance to play Russia for the glory and the gold, the loser playing Sweden for the bronze. Though it cannot hope to match the significance of the last three North American games (USA/Canada Olympic bracket game, Olympic Gold Medal game and last year's WJC Championship game), it had intensity in its own right. Despite having the international tournament in Buffalo, New York, the game got under way in a mostly red building.
Team Canada got it started early with a goal from Curtis Hamilton. Storming the slot, Hamilton easily put the puck past USA goalie Jack Campbell who was far too aggressive on the play. Drawn out of his crease, he left the net wide open. Canada's Quinton Howden scored again with 6 minutes left in the first period on a nice tic-tac-toe play. Though physical, Team USA looked jittery and unsure of themselves, especially after the second goal. Campbell played at the top of his crease for much of the period, and was slow from post to post.
The United States got a chance to try out their second ranked power play at the start of the second period, but scoring no goals. With one second left on the penalty kill, Canada was given a chance to test out their power play, with a 5 on 3 for two minutes. With 35 seconds left, Canada scored a third goal. Jack Campbell made a few big saves, but often enough it looked as though he was out there playing alone. The last half of the period, Team USA began to get a few quality shots, however none went in.
The third period brought a breakout goal from Zach Kassian, making it 4-0 Canada. It took Team USA nearly 50 minutes to get a goal. Forward Chris Brown went upstairs on the Canadian goalie, giving Team USA a glimer of hope.
Sadly enough, USA wasn't able to pull through. Look for them to play Team Sweden on Wednesday at 330 on NHL Network. Team Canada (oh what a bitter taste that leaves in my mouth) will be playing Team Russia the same day at 730. Who besides me is hoping for a Russian victory?

The Winter Classic: A New Year Miracle

Large and imposing, bright lights lit up the sky as I caught my first glance of Heinz Field, looming high above the mouth of the three rivers from which it gets its nickname. A little voice, which I had been suppressing all week broke through--this is it, I thought. The months, weeks, and days of waiting were over; only a few short hours separated me from what might be the most intense game the Washington Capitals have possibly ever played in.

Walking the short half mile from the parking garage to the stadium, I passed thousands of tailgaters sporting jerseys from both teams. The air was filled with the smell of hot dogs, coca-cola and mustard, and the sounds of small children running in between cars playing street hockey and corn-hole. The sun was setting, turning the overcast sky seven different shades of pink and purple. Joining the crowd, I was swept along Art Roony Boulevard toward the front entrance of Heinz Field. A police motorcade drove down the street, flashing their lights. A bus rolled to a stop behind them. Suddenly everyone wearing blue or black started to sprint toward the bus, while the people in red continued walking at a normal pace. Shouts of "It's them! It's them!" added to the already noisy street. I reached the bus in time to see the back of the last Penguin disappear into the stadium.

Being two hours early, I walked around to see what all the NHL event had to offer. There were large blow up jerseys representing each team, and a colossal hockey player whose face was so gruesome that it could only be a rather large, inflatable, cartoon Ovechkin. There was a small rink set up, complete with boards, glass and penalty boxes, behind large merchandise tents. The whole street was blocked off, and with all the tents and food booths, it had all the appeals of a carnival.

Walking into the stadium was a jaw dropping experience. As we climbed to the upper decks, the rink came into view for the first time. The untouched ice glimmering under the lights had a mesmerizing effect. It added a whole another level of intensity to an already intense game.

My worst fear was that we would emerge from the escalators and find our seats close enough to touch the sign saying section 526. Thank God we weren't that high up; our seats were perfect. The ice had been built on a platform, leaving those in the 100 level sections unable to actually see onto the ice. Though we were probably sitting as close to heaven as you could get in the stadium, we could see onto the ice as well as everything else going on on the field. Blue and red melted together as everyone stood to sing the national anthems in an Olympic-like opening ceremony. Flashes of cameras other than my own shone like flashing stars throughout the stadium. Excitement and tension built up in the stadium, encouraging every fan in the stands to hoot, holler, and cheer for their team. The noise rose to a peak, and then the puck dropped and the game got underway.

The first period was gut-wrenching. The 0-0 tie was enough to send the butterflies in my stomach into a frenzy. Erskine's fight with Rupp halfway through the period sent energy through the stands, even though it was a pretty even draw.

Evgeni Malkin's goal in the second period was perhaps inevitable. It came off of a bad line change by the Capitals. Pittsburgh fans stood and pointed in our faces and laughed. But about five minutes later we got to jump up and cheer and laugh at them as Mike Knuble put the puck past Fluery. Discernable groans came from the Pens fans as 8 minutes later Eric Fehr scored, and the Caps left the ice a goal ahead. There was a hit behind the play at the end of the period, and Dave Steckel ran into Sidney Crosby, who was according to the Pittsburgh press, "seriously injured". It began raining half way through the second period, and continued throughout the game.

Eric Fehr put another one on the board before the game was over. The atmosphere had an electric feel as the clock winded down. The caps started celebrating with .6 seconds left in the game. Caps fans all over the stadium exploded in chants and applause, and it was really amazing to see how many of them had actually come to the game.

With all of the hype surrounding the Winter Classic, I feel like there should have been a trophy awarded after the game. The NHL did its best to turn this into a "Superbowl-esque" event. And let me tell you, it had all of the components of a big league championship game. To me, this felt like more of a play off game than many that I've been to.

I thought that Pittsburgh's reaction to the loss was completely classless. The pens skated off the rink, ignoring Washington lined up at center ice. As I mentioned in my short post last night, I was completely outraged, as were many other Washington fans I spoke to. Again, I place the blame on the coach, and the Captain Sidney Crosby, for certainly it was a fault in leadership. The poor sportsmanship was a thread we saw through the fans, whose only (and quite unoriginal) post-game chant was "c-u-p-s, we have more!" And you can bet that sitting on the street corner for two hours while waiting for the car, I was the subject of much taunting. The media coverage was much whinier than anticipated. The general consensus was that the Winter Classic had been spoiled by Washington and that it was in no way fair.

But that's okay. I got my revenge on some penguins fan's car. In his carefully painted Pittsburgh emblem on his back windshield, I traced "lets go caps" with my fingers. I wouldn't change any part of this weekend for the world. This was an amazing experience from the tailgaters all the way through to the waiting in the parking lot at 2 am. The NHL had a task at hand to create a game worthy of these two powerful rivals, and they certainly did a tremendous job of it. A small suggestion for next time, if you're going to go to all of the trouble to make it such an event, then make it feel less like a penguins home game. Also, Washington, trod out those retro jerseys more often. They're better than the uniforms we have now!

I would definitely recommend going to an NHL event like this if you get the chance. It's an experience that you won't soon forget!

So Classic.

Oh man, what a game. You can say it was not as much of a spectacle as the previous Winter Classics because of the weather, but to me, that made it all the more special. Cate was at the Winter Classic, so I will let her handle how the atmosphere of the whole event was in greater detail, but just from watching on the television I could tell that it was probably awesome to be there, no matter how much water was being dropped from the sky. The thing that pleased me the most was the mass amounts of red that I saw in the stands. Pittsburgh fans are a proud bunch and usually you do not see many of the opposing fans in their seats, but tonight was a much different story. The many loyal fans who were "Rockin' the Red" were just as loud and supportive as the fans in black and gold (oh, and blue for some reason). Pittsburgh fans are known for following their fans around, but we showed that Caps fans can do just the same if not better.

In a night that was all about Sid the Kid vs. the Great 8, how awesome was it that a player who even casual Caps fans don't know ends up being the hero for the boys. Eric Fehr scored two goals in last night's game. It was only his second multi-goal game, the first coming in 2009. The first goal came off a Marc-Andre Fleury "assist" and the second on a breakaway shot that Fehr did not mess around with. Instead of trying to deke out the super quick Fleury, he simply wound up and put it top shelf to help seal the deal for the boys in Red, White, and Blue. Just as a final note, if you listened to the very first episode of our show, I picked Eric Fehr as the breakout player of the year. Loos like someone has a good eye for talent ;)

The biggest aspect of this game was the weather. Shout out to the weather man working for NBC who said the rain would only last "another five minutes" midway through the second period. Way to keep the reputation of the weatherman ALWAYS being wrong alive, sir. Anyhow, the rain did seem to play a major factor in the game. By the start of the third period, the puck had a wake trailing behind it, and players were constantly falling on the ice for no reason. The rain seemed to enhance the rough and tough game that the Caps and Pens always seem to play when the rivals clash. Ovi broke the glass by hitting a Pens defender into it in the first few minutes. Erskine and Rupp scrapped to (in my opinion) an even draw in the first period, and from there, the hits kept on coming. With .6 seconds left on the clock, the Pens kept preventing the faceoff from happening by starting mini-scraps. It seemed as if they could not accept the fact that they had lost a sixth straight to the mighty Capitals in Pittsburgh.

The weather conditions definitely affected the goalies the most, and on this night, the man with the blue number one on his sweater rose to the occasion. Varlamov saved 32 of 33 shots and spearheaded a group that killed off 4 power players for the Pens. The more important thing, however, is that he did not make the key mistake. The same could not be said for Marc-Andre Fleury, who consistently came out of the crease and misplayed the puck. One of those mistakes ultimately led to the loss, as Fleury lost the puck to Marcus Johansson, who then gave it up to Eric Fehr for the easy goal. From all of us Capitals fans, I would like to thank both goalies for their efforts (mishaps?) in the Capitals' win.

One negative that came from this game was not a fault of either team or the weather. It was the NBC camera crew. The camera angles that were being shown to the viewing public were horrendous. I don't know if they got confused on whether or not it was a hockey game or football game or what it was, but they could not figure out that all the fans wanted was the simple side view. Granted, most of the game was presented in this format (as it should be), but they spent much of the game with weird canted angles from far away that made it impossible to see what was going on on the ice. Dumb it down a bit, NBC.

Those retro jerseys were amazing. The white with the red helmet and pants were awesome. I hope the Caps take a note from their rivals and use those jerseys in more games this season and in following years

Final note. Just a shoutout to the crew I watched the victory with and followed that up by beating the beat up and Applebees. Drew and Amy Hallman, Mike, Ryan, and Matty Brown, John Welsh, and Adam "Lucky Retro Jersey" Artuso. With this huge win, the Caps have officially gained their swagger back.

Stuck In The 'Burgh

I just spent the last two hours sitting on a street corner in the rain, waiting for my dad to get our car out of the casino parking garage. Therefore, I am rather cold and tired, and I will be writing a much more detailed post tomorrow. But before I turn out the lights, I would like to say that I am extremely disappointed in the Penguins for skipping out of the ceremonial post-game handshake. Washington was lined up at center ice, and the Pens just skated away. It's not an official rule, but it's tradition from peewee all the way through the pro's, and I blame that specific lack of sportsmanship on the head coach as well as the captain Sidney Crosby. Stay classy Pittsburgh.