Maybe it was the Beavertails. Maybe it was the flight from Dulles. Perhaps they were held over a ridiculously long time at Customs. It could be that the officials there forgot all about hockey no thanks to the lockout. Whatever the reason, the Capitals completely squandered a great start to a game they seemed to be winning handily. They started out so well, dominating both ends of the ice. And then over the course or forty or so minutes of play, they faded like an overly bleached pair of jeans.
Perhaps the "O" on the Senators' sweaters were subliminal messages that told the Caps how much they'd have left in the tank by the third period. Because they certainly looked like they were OUT OF GAS.
Last night was yet another refrain in the song we fans kept singing about this team--why oh why can't they put together a solid 60 minute effort? That song may have ended on a horribly sour note with a highly dubious penalty handed out to Joel Ward towards the end of the game. However, as is often said, the good teams tend to rise above bad officiating. Last night was no exception. I am referring of course to the bad officiating done by Don Van Massenhoven and Wes McCauley. The truth is that the Capitals had ample opportunity to put the game away despite that and simply did not.
Yet another game where Alex Ovechkin got around 20 minutes of ice time. Here is what he accomplished: One hit, one minor penalty, and two shots. In other words, exactly squat. Perhaps what many are starting to say about him really is true. Only one man can properly answer the challenge. But he's only had two points in the first 6 games of this season. That puts him on pace to finish with 16 points. I don't have to tell you how embarrassing that is for someone that's supposed to carry this team at times as its Captain.
Wojtek Wolski set up Troy Brouwer's opening goal, but was also on the ice for the equalizing goal by Kyle Turris. Wojtek giveth and Wojtek taketh away.
The Caps did manage to get a few chances courtesy of two power plays of their own. But they limited their own opportunities by taking too long to set up. Then, when they did have a shot on net, Craig Anderson, he of the daunting save percentage and GAA, slammed the door shut for good. Why he wasn't named the night's First Star is beyond me--all he did was stop 31 of 33 shots. But make no mistake about it--his performance last year was definitely no fluke. As long as he is backstopping the Senators, this team has a chance to go far.
The Caps' best player up to this point, Mike Ribiero was far from it for this game. In addition to having his point streak snapped, he was a minus one defensively. He was also atrocious in the faceoff circle, only winning one draw...out of ten.
Mercifully this game may spell the end of the Eric Fehr experiment, as Brooks Laich will probably return to the lineup (hopefully) soon. And by soon I mean for tomorrow night's match against the Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, for Marcus Johansson, it was another night of nacho nibbling. If he hasn't gotten the point by now, he probably never will.
Matthieu Perreault...another game, another unneccessary penalty. He's like Alex Semin without the goals.
So to sum up, the game lasts for three full periods of 20 minutes each. It is also played on a surface that is 200 feet long. So all this team has to do, is figure out how to play like they did for the first 18 minutes for the entire 60 minutes of regulation. And do that over all 200 feet of the playing surface. Simple, right? If only.
Matt Hendricks is showing them the way....but nobody is following. If the rest of the team had his heart, they'd be running away with the whole thing instead of foundering.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
ReCap 1/27 vs Buffalo: Goodbye Goose Egg!
It didn't always look great. It wasn't a masterpiece by any stretch. And it certainly wasn't what was expected at this point in the season. But the drought is finally over, the Caps finally got their first win in five tries this season.
Of course I'm deliriously happy. I'm literally jumping up and down. But I'm keeping it inside. Goodbye goose egg from the win column, hello reality. Because there's still work to do, and lots of it.
I will of course begin with the good. Let's get the obvious one out of the way, that being who authored the game winner. Actually it's the who and how that is giving us Caps fans some hope. El Capitano himself, Alex Ovechkin looked like the Great Eight of old with a blast from the left point (that's right the left point) on the power play. Shame though that it took him five games to get on the board. Now that the tinkering appears to be over, he should be able to get back to doing what he does best--driving to the net, creating chances and getting his customary 4-8 shots a game, right? Right? Left?
Speaking of shot totals, the Caps got good results and finished the game with 30 shots on net. Good things happen when you get the puck to the net. Have I said this before? If I haven't I know someone else has. At least 4,000 times.
It was a much better overall effort by the team, the beginnings of which we saw in the previous game against New Jersey. Much better effort overall especially on the forecheck and puck pursuit. And though the defensive side had a shaky start, giving up 24 shots through three periods is far better.
Joel Ward continues a comeback season of sorts, getting his third goal of the season. Comeback? No, not really because he never really went anywhere. That's right, I'm looking in your direction those of you that wrote him off because he spent most of his time on the fourth line last season. With haughty derision, I might add. As Mike Vogel said during the radio broadcast, put him in the hands of a coach that knows how to use him effectively, and he will produce. He proved that in the playoffs. He's proving it now. Oh yeah, by the way, he added an assist making him one of three Caps finishing with a multi-point total for the game. The others were.....
Mike Ribiero who is also continuing what hopefully is a trend that lasts all season and beyond--at least one point in every game he's played. Against the Sabres today, he began the play that led to both the first and third goals. Conveniently, he also went 7 for 11 in faceoffs. Let us also not forget the third multi-pointer in Jason Chimera who earned his first two points of the season with his usual brand of panther-like speed and strong play along the boards. Together, these three have easily proven to be the best line combination Coach Oates has put together so far. More of that, please.
Mike Green = minute muncher. Upwards of 28 on the ice for this game. On top of that, he was double-shifted by defensive Coach Calle Johansson at the end. Too early to call him Iron Mike, but great to see nonetheless.
Great not to see was Marcus Johansson on the ice. Whether this proves to be a message sent due his all-too-familiar ineffectiveness or a permanent thing, you can't argue with the result. Not as much so for Tom Poti, though. But he may get another look as the season wears on. Call him a decent insurance policy for the playoff run.
Finally, cheers to a 22-save effort by Michal Neuvirth, who has by now earned the title of hot goalie and will therefore be the go-to guy for the foreseeable future. But fear not, Braden Holtby fans, as a 48-game season is still long enough to wear out one goalie and so he will be sure to get another look later on. Neuvirth in the meantime, continues to make the game-preserving efforts. His penultimate save came on a point-blank chance from Sabres rookie Mikhail Grigorenko in the third period.
Now for the bad...it was yet another rocky start for the whole team, especially on the defensive side of the puck. Yet again they left the ice after the first period giving up a double-digit shot total. John Erskine contributed a surprise goal and was a good counter to the Sabres new-found physical game. But John Carlson still looks somewhat lost on the ice and not very confident in either his puckhandling or positioning. Too many times, what should have been a smooth first pass has been a bobble at his own blueline. Karl Alzner, meanwhile seems to have found his groove but must now get used to playing with new partners as the Caps brain trust seems to want to keep things fluid a far as the defensive pairings go. Either way, both Carlson and Alzner will need to get their game going if the Caps are to continue to improve.
The Caps did a much better job staying out of the penalty box this time and killed off both Buffalo power plays. And while it's true that your goalie has to be your best penalty killer, he doesn't have to be your only penalty killer. More than I cared to see, Neuvy had to come up with the big save because the Caps couldn't clear the puck out of their zone. This more than anything has to get better before much longer.
Matthieu Perreault has tried to make a case for himself for a larger role on the team for some time now. But a larger role under Coach Oates means you have responsibilities at both ends of the ice. Perreault appeared to have momentarily forgotten that on the Sabres final goal. Not only did he lose his draw against Marcus Foligno, he covered him poorly enabling Foligno to get around him in his own zone, which led to the goal. That kind of effort gets you a bowl full of pretzels in the press box, Perreault.
Results are all that are going to matter, though, no matter the looks from the old rear-view. And the end result after today's win: out of the Eastern Conference cellar. Out of the Southeast division cellar as well. Now begins what will hopefully be a long climb towards the top of both. Forty-three games to go. Now that you've tasted victory, it's time to keep it going.
Of course I'm deliriously happy. I'm literally jumping up and down. But I'm keeping it inside. Goodbye goose egg from the win column, hello reality. Because there's still work to do, and lots of it.
I will of course begin with the good. Let's get the obvious one out of the way, that being who authored the game winner. Actually it's the who and how that is giving us Caps fans some hope. El Capitano himself, Alex Ovechkin looked like the Great Eight of old with a blast from the left point (that's right the left point) on the power play. Shame though that it took him five games to get on the board. Now that the tinkering appears to be over, he should be able to get back to doing what he does best--driving to the net, creating chances and getting his customary 4-8 shots a game, right? Right? Left?
Speaking of shot totals, the Caps got good results and finished the game with 30 shots on net. Good things happen when you get the puck to the net. Have I said this before? If I haven't I know someone else has. At least 4,000 times.
It was a much better overall effort by the team, the beginnings of which we saw in the previous game against New Jersey. Much better effort overall especially on the forecheck and puck pursuit. And though the defensive side had a shaky start, giving up 24 shots through three periods is far better.
Joel Ward continues a comeback season of sorts, getting his third goal of the season. Comeback? No, not really because he never really went anywhere. That's right, I'm looking in your direction those of you that wrote him off because he spent most of his time on the fourth line last season. With haughty derision, I might add. As Mike Vogel said during the radio broadcast, put him in the hands of a coach that knows how to use him effectively, and he will produce. He proved that in the playoffs. He's proving it now. Oh yeah, by the way, he added an assist making him one of three Caps finishing with a multi-point total for the game. The others were.....
Mike Ribiero who is also continuing what hopefully is a trend that lasts all season and beyond--at least one point in every game he's played. Against the Sabres today, he began the play that led to both the first and third goals. Conveniently, he also went 7 for 11 in faceoffs. Let us also not forget the third multi-pointer in Jason Chimera who earned his first two points of the season with his usual brand of panther-like speed and strong play along the boards. Together, these three have easily proven to be the best line combination Coach Oates has put together so far. More of that, please.
Mike Green = minute muncher. Upwards of 28 on the ice for this game. On top of that, he was double-shifted by defensive Coach Calle Johansson at the end. Too early to call him Iron Mike, but great to see nonetheless.
Great not to see was Marcus Johansson on the ice. Whether this proves to be a message sent due his all-too-familiar ineffectiveness or a permanent thing, you can't argue with the result. Not as much so for Tom Poti, though. But he may get another look as the season wears on. Call him a decent insurance policy for the playoff run.
Finally, cheers to a 22-save effort by Michal Neuvirth, who has by now earned the title of hot goalie and will therefore be the go-to guy for the foreseeable future. But fear not, Braden Holtby fans, as a 48-game season is still long enough to wear out one goalie and so he will be sure to get another look later on. Neuvirth in the meantime, continues to make the game-preserving efforts. His penultimate save came on a point-blank chance from Sabres rookie Mikhail Grigorenko in the third period.
Now for the bad...it was yet another rocky start for the whole team, especially on the defensive side of the puck. Yet again they left the ice after the first period giving up a double-digit shot total. John Erskine contributed a surprise goal and was a good counter to the Sabres new-found physical game. But John Carlson still looks somewhat lost on the ice and not very confident in either his puckhandling or positioning. Too many times, what should have been a smooth first pass has been a bobble at his own blueline. Karl Alzner, meanwhile seems to have found his groove but must now get used to playing with new partners as the Caps brain trust seems to want to keep things fluid a far as the defensive pairings go. Either way, both Carlson and Alzner will need to get their game going if the Caps are to continue to improve.
The Caps did a much better job staying out of the penalty box this time and killed off both Buffalo power plays. And while it's true that your goalie has to be your best penalty killer, he doesn't have to be your only penalty killer. More than I cared to see, Neuvy had to come up with the big save because the Caps couldn't clear the puck out of their zone. This more than anything has to get better before much longer.
Matthieu Perreault has tried to make a case for himself for a larger role on the team for some time now. But a larger role under Coach Oates means you have responsibilities at both ends of the ice. Perreault appeared to have momentarily forgotten that on the Sabres final goal. Not only did he lose his draw against Marcus Foligno, he covered him poorly enabling Foligno to get around him in his own zone, which led to the goal. That kind of effort gets you a bowl full of pretzels in the press box, Perreault.
Results are all that are going to matter, though, no matter the looks from the old rear-view. And the end result after today's win: out of the Eastern Conference cellar. Out of the Southeast division cellar as well. Now begins what will hopefully be a long climb towards the top of both. Forty-three games to go. Now that you've tasted victory, it's time to keep it going.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
ReCap 1/25 vs. New Jersey: Caps Make a Point, but Devils Get Their Due
Still not pressing the panic button over here at Blueliner's Bunker (AKA my humble abode). In fact, I may have pulled my hand away from the big red switch of AAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH! for the time being. Yes the playbook that had appeared in the previous three games yet again reared its ugly head. To explain:
1. Play well enough in the first 10 minutes or so as a start.
2. Give up a goal and fall behind after said good start.
3. Get yourselves into penalty trouble and fall even further behind.
4. Get a late goal to make it look somewhat respectable.
But this time Coach Oates was able to find that spark that had been eluding him and his team so far. At least between steps 3 and 4. The Caps stuck to their guns and through a lot of determined and gritty play, eventually forced overtime on a Mike Green goal with 2:56 left in the third.
Game Extended, Green. Not as good as "Game Over, Green" but I will take it. Let's hope this means he's back for good. His shot and skating certainly look like it.
As Coach Oates mentioned in his postgame presser, both goalies played very well last night. But Michal Neuvirth was on fire last night. The Caps found themselves in penalty trouble early in the extra session that forced them to kill off a dreaded 4-on-3 against one of the league most consistent, if not dangerous, power play units in the Devils. Neuvirth was amazing, covering as many angles as he could. The ones he didn't he recovered with near-perfect lateral movement.
By the way, the Caps performance on that very same penalty kill is yet another reason for hanging on to optimism. They did everything right blocking shots and standing their ground, and when they did lapse, Neuvirth was there to make the key stop. Inevitably, they would kill off the disadvantage, even surviving Jay Beagle's stick breaking. And though he would eventually give up the winner off Ilya Kovalchuk's patented sharp angle blast, Neuvirth did well for himself by finishing with 32 saves, eight of which came in the OT session.
Whoever picked the three stars last night, a suggestion: lay off the controlled substances. Are you serious? Jacob Josefson as the third star? And neither one of the goalies who each put on a spectacular show as one of the three stars? Come on.
Faceoff performance has been something of a weak spot (among others) but was much improved last night. All but two Caps either broke even or won the majority of their draws...except for two. Mike Ribeiro was one of them. Can you guess the other? I'll give you a hint, his name rhymes with "Choke-Man-Son." No, not the assistant coach. Ribiero can at least be excused as he potted the first of the Caps' two regulation goals. The other.....yeah, not going there today. We've beaten that horse to death.
What I liked was the surge in the Caps' effort in the last period. Though they were down by two, they upped the intensity of their attack. This in turn led to a couple of power play chances, one of which would be converted by Mike Ribiero. In all, they would launch 13 shots at Devils' goalie Martin Brodeur, one short of their combined total from the first two periods. It was a hell of a lot more fun to watch than their usual half-assing that we've been treated to in the previous games.
Of course there's still more work to be done. Though the Caps got the loser point, they remain, well, losers. Four games in and one point and no wins to show for it isn't very good, but it can be turned around. And the Caps seemingly are on the way to doing that. But they will really have to start earning it as the road gets increasingly tougher: back home against a gritty Buffalo squad, then a quick road trip into Canada to play Ottawa then Toronto. Good things are starting to happen, let's see if they can keep it going.
1. Play well enough in the first 10 minutes or so as a start.
2. Give up a goal and fall behind after said good start.
3. Get yourselves into penalty trouble and fall even further behind.
4. Get a late goal to make it look somewhat respectable.
But this time Coach Oates was able to find that spark that had been eluding him and his team so far. At least between steps 3 and 4. The Caps stuck to their guns and through a lot of determined and gritty play, eventually forced overtime on a Mike Green goal with 2:56 left in the third.
Game Extended, Green. Not as good as "Game Over, Green" but I will take it. Let's hope this means he's back for good. His shot and skating certainly look like it.
As Coach Oates mentioned in his postgame presser, both goalies played very well last night. But Michal Neuvirth was on fire last night. The Caps found themselves in penalty trouble early in the extra session that forced them to kill off a dreaded 4-on-3 against one of the league most consistent, if not dangerous, power play units in the Devils. Neuvirth was amazing, covering as many angles as he could. The ones he didn't he recovered with near-perfect lateral movement.
By the way, the Caps performance on that very same penalty kill is yet another reason for hanging on to optimism. They did everything right blocking shots and standing their ground, and when they did lapse, Neuvirth was there to make the key stop. Inevitably, they would kill off the disadvantage, even surviving Jay Beagle's stick breaking. And though he would eventually give up the winner off Ilya Kovalchuk's patented sharp angle blast, Neuvirth did well for himself by finishing with 32 saves, eight of which came in the OT session.
Whoever picked the three stars last night, a suggestion: lay off the controlled substances. Are you serious? Jacob Josefson as the third star? And neither one of the goalies who each put on a spectacular show as one of the three stars? Come on.
Faceoff performance has been something of a weak spot (among others) but was much improved last night. All but two Caps either broke even or won the majority of their draws...except for two. Mike Ribeiro was one of them. Can you guess the other? I'll give you a hint, his name rhymes with "Choke-Man-Son." No, not the assistant coach. Ribiero can at least be excused as he potted the first of the Caps' two regulation goals. The other.....yeah, not going there today. We've beaten that horse to death.
What I liked was the surge in the Caps' effort in the last period. Though they were down by two, they upped the intensity of their attack. This in turn led to a couple of power play chances, one of which would be converted by Mike Ribiero. In all, they would launch 13 shots at Devils' goalie Martin Brodeur, one short of their combined total from the first two periods. It was a hell of a lot more fun to watch than their usual half-assing that we've been treated to in the previous games.
Of course there's still more work to be done. Though the Caps got the loser point, they remain, well, losers. Four games in and one point and no wins to show for it isn't very good, but it can be turned around. And the Caps seemingly are on the way to doing that. But they will really have to start earning it as the road gets increasingly tougher: back home against a gritty Buffalo squad, then a quick road trip into Canada to play Ottawa then Toronto. Good things are starting to happen, let's see if they can keep it going.
Friday, January 25, 2013
ReCap 1/24 vs Montreal
OK, I'm not panicking just yet. But I'm damn sure not happy with what I'm seeing.
You can't chalk up the kind of sloppy play that was the Capitals' effort last night to just another round of lethargy. Not only is it too easy, it's just not accurate. Although players missing assignments and being out of position can be the result of being out of game shape, the fact that it's happening consistently over the course of several games points to an internal flaw, not just worn parts.
Still...three flops, however colossal, does not a season make.
Last night seemed to be a carbon copy of the game against the Jets. Hence why I will keep this post short--there's really nothing new I can add!
Seriously though, it followed the exact same summary, except for the fact that the Caps actually played well in the first period. But again, they got themselves in penalty trouble and the rest went down the crapper.
And how ironic (as in not the ha-ha type of funny) was it that Matthieu Perreault, who has been grumbling about his role recently, began the parade to the penalty box? This makes two ill-advised and horribly timed penalties in three games. Not the way to impress the coaches or the fans, Monsieur quatre-vingt cinq.
And yet you get the sense that this team could be on the verge of righting the ship. Well, I do anyway. The reason is because there's just too much talent on this team to squander a wide-open opportunity. There are flashes of brilliance; who'd have thought Joey Crabb would be the only one to get on the board? Just another example of how the newcomers seem to be leading the way.
I listened to the Capitals Report this morning and I heard Mike Vogel say he wasn't a big fan of Alex Ovechkin playing the Penalty Kill. I have to say I agree. I think his talents are better suited to switching him off with your top four wingers and giving him his minutes that way. By the way, Marcus Johansson would not and should not be among those forwards. Those familiar with my work should know that I have never really cared for his supposed talents. Some of the regulars over at Japers Rink call him Marcus Nohandsson. Last night for the gazillionth time he showed why. Can we finally cut our losses with this guy?
I remain for the most part optimistic. But like a fart in the wind, that optimism is fading quickly. And like a fart, the Caps are becoming scary good at clearing a building early.
You can't chalk up the kind of sloppy play that was the Capitals' effort last night to just another round of lethargy. Not only is it too easy, it's just not accurate. Although players missing assignments and being out of position can be the result of being out of game shape, the fact that it's happening consistently over the course of several games points to an internal flaw, not just worn parts.
Still...three flops, however colossal, does not a season make.
Last night seemed to be a carbon copy of the game against the Jets. Hence why I will keep this post short--there's really nothing new I can add!
Seriously though, it followed the exact same summary, except for the fact that the Caps actually played well in the first period. But again, they got themselves in penalty trouble and the rest went down the crapper.
And how ironic (as in not the ha-ha type of funny) was it that Matthieu Perreault, who has been grumbling about his role recently, began the parade to the penalty box? This makes two ill-advised and horribly timed penalties in three games. Not the way to impress the coaches or the fans, Monsieur quatre-vingt cinq.
And yet you get the sense that this team could be on the verge of righting the ship. Well, I do anyway. The reason is because there's just too much talent on this team to squander a wide-open opportunity. There are flashes of brilliance; who'd have thought Joey Crabb would be the only one to get on the board? Just another example of how the newcomers seem to be leading the way.
I listened to the Capitals Report this morning and I heard Mike Vogel say he wasn't a big fan of Alex Ovechkin playing the Penalty Kill. I have to say I agree. I think his talents are better suited to switching him off with your top four wingers and giving him his minutes that way. By the way, Marcus Johansson would not and should not be among those forwards. Those familiar with my work should know that I have never really cared for his supposed talents. Some of the regulars over at Japers Rink call him Marcus Nohandsson. Last night for the gazillionth time he showed why. Can we finally cut our losses with this guy?
I remain for the most part optimistic. But like a fart in the wind, that optimism is fading quickly. And like a fart, the Caps are becoming scary good at clearing a building early.
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