Archive for April, 2010

As Capitals fans, we want to stop watching hockey. Without the Capitals, it’s no longer relevant. Okay, we could just watch the Hershey Bears, but we’re talking NHL here. As hockey fans, we’re still supposed to be interested in what unfolds. Let’s take a look: Canadiens vs. Penguins Easy – the Canadiens. Halak all the way. It’ll make the loss that less painful to know the Caps lost to the eventual champion. Habs in 7. Flyers vs. Bruins Bruins in 6. Canucks vs. Blackhawks Hmmm… does it really matter? Let’s go with the Canucks in 7. Red Wings vs. Sharks [...]

Along with other teams, the Capitals have a DVD series out now called NHL: Washington Capitals – 10 Greatest Games. I must ask, though, do the Capitals really have ten memorable – or ‘greatest’ games in their history that are worth reliving? The game when they advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998? The game when Dale Hunter scored on Ron Hextall in the playoffs? The virtually meaningless game when Ovechkin scored ‘The Goal’ in Phoenix? I’m at a loss here, and even as a die-hard Capitals fan, this DVD set will not be on my Amazon wish list [...]

It was no surprise that the media stormed into the Capitals’ locker room following the series-ending loss to Montreal on Wednesday, trying to get that last quote of the season. Alex Ovechkin, before and after his shower, answered questions, as did several other players, while guys like Mike Green didn’t bother making an appearance. Here is what the scene looked like:

The Capitals’ historical season is unwound by one player, a Montreal goaltender. Washington fans can only hope this guy becomes the BEST GOALTENDER OF ALL TIME, or ANYTHING to make this season’s Presidents’ Trophy and first-round knockout seem less disappointing. Good job, Jaroslav. You did it virtually on your own, sinking the hope of Washington, D.C. and taking your Montreal Canadiens to what? Another second round for a team that won, what, 23 Stanley Cups? We’ll get ‘em next year? We got unlucky and played the hardest team in the first round? Out of excuses. The life is sucked out [...]

I just spoke to Capitals TV commentator Craig Laughlin and he predicts that Alex Semin will score the game-winning goal for the Capitals in tonight’s Game 7 against the Montreal Canadiens. If it happens, it’ll be the most important goal of Semin’s career and instantly make him a hero in Washington. Despite scoring 40 goals in the regular season, Semin has struggled throughout the playoffs, notching only one assist in six games. Laughlin, who was helping himself to some pre-game goodies at the snack buffet, thought about it for a moment and gave his answer with his typical good-natured smile.

Ovechkin Speaks to Media (Alex Ovetjkin) Caps Closeout Fail (Capitals Insider) Halak Forces Game 7 (Hockey Mom) Headed for Game 7 (Japers’ Rink) One Final Chapter Remains (On Frozen Blog) Monday’s Three Stars (Not All Halak) (Puck Daddy) Zero Could be the Hero (Storming the Crease) No Excuses (Ted’s Take) Habs 4, Caps 1 (Peerless Prognosticator) Halak Pulls All the Stops (Mike Wise – Washington Post)

If there’s one thing that’s frustrating about hockey, it’s that no matter how well you play, how many shots you put on net, how badly you outplay the opposition, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get the victory. That’s because a hot goaltender can carry a team throughout a game, throughout a series, throughout the playoffs to a Stanley Cup. The Capitals outshot the Canadiens 54-21 on Monday, but it didn’t matter because the play of Jaroslav Halak was truly epic, and he virtually single-handedly carried the Habs past the Presidents’ Trophy winners to a seventh game in the series. The [...]

The Flyers have advanced. The Penguins have advanced. But where are the top-seeded Capitals? They’re in a struggle with the eighth-seeded Canadiens, who just beat them 2-1 and are headed back to Montreal for Game 6. Why is it in the playoffs things seem only as bad as the last game played? After Game 1, I was hearing whispers of SERIES OVER, which continued until the final five minutes of Game 2. With the series headed back to Montreal, you’ve gotta figure the Canadiens will win at least one at home. Meanwhile, teams that had worse records than the Caps [...]