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.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
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.
Friday, January 14, 2011
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.
Friday, January 7, 2011
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!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
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.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
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.
Monday, January 3, 2011
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?
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?
Sunday, January 2, 2011
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 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!
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.
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.
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