The Caps made a number of moves at the trade deadline yesterday that should bolster the team for the stretch run. While I’m happy with the moves George McPhee made, I believe they may be too late to make a significant difference in the push to get into the playoffs. It’s worth pointing out that Carolina General Manager Jim Rutherford made a couple of moves prior to the deadline that has played a role in their improved play as of late. None of the new additions were able to make it to Washington in time to be in uniform for the game against Minnesota last night. After last night’s victory, the Caps have 18 games remaining in the regular season.
At the finish of the last two seasons, the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference ended up with 92 points. With the preponderance of three point games this year, it is reasonable to assume that 92 points is the realistic number the Caps will need to finish with to end up in the playoffs. The Caps stand at 66 points after last night’s game. They are only three points out of the eighth spot but several of the teams in front of them have a game or more in hand on the Caps. They remain five points out of first place in the Southeast Division with two games in hand on Carolina. No matter how you look at it, the Caps can only lose five more games in regulation and hit the 92 point mark. Clearly, the Caps remain within striking distance and they do play Carolina two more times this year. These two games against Carolina may ultimately decide their fate.
The two most significant trades for the Caps netted them Sergei Fedorov and Cristobal Huet. Both of these trades addressed specific areas (a second center to help generate secondary scoring and goaltending) that the Caps have struggled with most of the year. Understanding that it takes two to tango, both of these moves were long overdue. If the Caps would have addressed these issues 15-20 games ago, the team would most likely be in a much better position with respect to the playoffs.
The acquisition of Huet is the one I’m most excited about. The Caps gave up the 2nd round pick they received from Anaheim for Brian Sutherby to acquire Huet. This is a great move not only for now but for next season as well. The goaltending has been an issue all year for the team and did not look good for next year either. The move buys the team a little more time to develop some of the younger goalies in their system. I should note that I believe the Caps made a mistake in letting Michael Neurvith play in the OHL again this year.
The Fedorov move will be interesting to see how it plays out. If it turns out that Fedorov is simply a rental player for the next 18 games, the trade may end up being a costly move for prospect Ted Ruth. It certainly was an aggressive move for the Caps and one that should be applauded. It would be a great problem to deal with next season with Fedorov, Michael Nylander and Niklas Backstrom as your centers. I look forward to seeing what Fedorov can add to the lineup for the balance of the season.
The Caps also acquired Matt Cooke from the Canucks for Matt Pettinger. Cooke should add a little more grit to the team. Pettinger has had a disappointing season this year and never seemed able to get it going no matter where he played in the lineup.
The Caps certainly made a statement with their moves yesterday. It’s clear they want to make the playoffs this year. I just hope that the moves were made in time to salvage a playoff spot that is seemingly slipping away from them.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Capitals/Hurricanes Preview
To say tonight's game is the biggest game of the year for the Caps might be a bit of a stretch. Win or lose the Caps will still be in a position to earn a playoff spot. However, a win tonight will go a long away in building some much needed confidence for the young team. The recent three game road trip within the Division provided a great opportunity for the Caps to separate themselves from the rest of the Division. Unfortunately, the Caps were unable to take advantage of the opportunity and only salvaged three points out of the trip with the win over Tampa Bay. The Caps returned home, blew a two goal lead to the Islanders and fell in a shootout.
Despite the slightly disappointing road trip and loss to the Islanders, the Caps are only four points behind Carolina with three games in hand heading into tonight's contest in Raleigh. You have to like the Caps chances tonight. The Hurricanes have played well since losing Rod Brind'Amour and beat Atlanta 5-3 in their last game at home. Alex Ovechkin has been held off the score sheet for three games in a row for the first time this season. It's been reported that he has been suffering from the flu. Hopefully he's feeling better. He seems to be due for a big game. The Caps have also only lost two games in a row once during Bruce Boudreau's tenure as coach. The biggest factor tonight will most likely be goal tending. If there ever was a need for a goalie to steal a game for a team, tonight is the night that Olaf Kolzig must stand tall in the net. No more goals can be scored from behind the goal line no matter how fluky the play.
It is also critically important that the Caps avoid a three point game tonight. They need to outright win the game in regulation and pull within four points with three games in hand. The Caps are 1-3 in their last four games and have slipped further down the standings in the Eastern Conference. They can not afford to continue playing .500 hockey or less and expect to stay in the playoff race. A win tonight will be huge for this team.
Despite the slightly disappointing road trip and loss to the Islanders, the Caps are only four points behind Carolina with three games in hand heading into tonight's contest in Raleigh. You have to like the Caps chances tonight. The Hurricanes have played well since losing Rod Brind'Amour and beat Atlanta 5-3 in their last game at home. Alex Ovechkin has been held off the score sheet for three games in a row for the first time this season. It's been reported that he has been suffering from the flu. Hopefully he's feeling better. He seems to be due for a big game. The Caps have also only lost two games in a row once during Bruce Boudreau's tenure as coach. The biggest factor tonight will most likely be goal tending. If there ever was a need for a goalie to steal a game for a team, tonight is the night that Olaf Kolzig must stand tall in the net. No more goals can be scored from behind the goal line no matter how fluky the play.
It is also critically important that the Caps avoid a three point game tonight. They need to outright win the game in regulation and pull within four points with three games in hand. The Caps are 1-3 in their last four games and have slipped further down the standings in the Eastern Conference. They can not afford to continue playing .500 hockey or less and expect to stay in the playoff race. A win tonight will be huge for this team.
Friday, February 15, 2008
The Sandwich Game
After losing a tough game to Atlanta in a shootout on Wednesday, the Caps headed to Florida to take on the Panthers tonight. The middle game of this critical three game road trip ended in a disappointment. The Caps fell to the Panthers tonight 4-2 after battling back from a 1-0 deficit to take a 2-1 lead just a minute into the third period.
The biggest reason for the Caps loss tonight was simply goaltending. I feel like I'm beating a dead horse but goaltending continues to be this team's Achilles heal. In the game against Atlanta, Kari Lehtonen was better than Olie Kolzig in the shootout. In tonight's game, Tomas Vokoun was better than Brent Johnson. The Caps outplayed the Panthers in nearly every other facet of the game. They out hit them. They out shot them. They won the special teams battle. They had the edge in face offs. Their goaltending let them down again.
On Florida's first goal, Johnson gave up a terrible rebound that he should have easily directed to the corner. Unfortunately, the rebound softly bounced back into the center of the ice. Rostislav Olesz scooped up the puck and put an easy backhander into the net. Despite the deflating goal, the Caps continued to battle the rest of the period but could not beat Vokoun.
In the second period, the Caps really came out strong. Stephen Weiss was called for a questionable hooking penalty and Alexander Semin scored quickly off the ensuing face off. Vokoun shined during the next 18 minutes of play and the penalty kill units for the Caps played exceptionally well after some more questionable calls.
To start the third period, the Caps had to finish killing off a penalty. Shortly after the penalty expired, Tomas Fleischmann let go a wrist shot after crossing the blue line that fooled Vokoun and ended up in the back of the net. I'm sure Vokoun would like to have that one back. It was a great way to start the period and with a 2-1 lead, you had to feel pretty good about the direction of the game at that point. However, three minutes later Nathan Horton scored a goal to knot the score at 2-2. Just five minutes later, Johnson let in a brutal goal that was scored from behind the goal line by Kamil Kreps. It's almost impossible to overcome two bad goals in a game and David Booth scored an empty net goal to seal the victory for Florida.
The Caps have only salvaged a single point in the first two games of this important road trip against Division foes. Atlanta came back and beat New Jersey in overtime tonight to jump into a tie with Carolina atop the Division. The Panthers and the Caps are now tied for third place just two points off the pace. It's worth noting that the Caps do have a game in hand on all three of these teams. It's also worth noting that tonight's loss marked the first back to back losses since Bruce Boudreau became coach.
It's a relief to know that despite the back to back losses the Caps still are right in the mix. However, they desperately need better goaltending and some more secondary scoring to realistically have a chance at making the playoffs. It would be very helpful for the team to see Chris Clark, Tom Poti and Brian Pothier get healthy and back into the lineup. It's a shame that Rod Brind'Amour was lost for the season by Carolina last night. However, the injury will certainly make the road more difficult down the stretch for Carolina.
The Caps have another chance to salvage something from this road trip tomorrow night against Tampa Bay. A third loss would be a terrible end to the trip.
The biggest reason for the Caps loss tonight was simply goaltending. I feel like I'm beating a dead horse but goaltending continues to be this team's Achilles heal. In the game against Atlanta, Kari Lehtonen was better than Olie Kolzig in the shootout. In tonight's game, Tomas Vokoun was better than Brent Johnson. The Caps outplayed the Panthers in nearly every other facet of the game. They out hit them. They out shot them. They won the special teams battle. They had the edge in face offs. Their goaltending let them down again.
On Florida's first goal, Johnson gave up a terrible rebound that he should have easily directed to the corner. Unfortunately, the rebound softly bounced back into the center of the ice. Rostislav Olesz scooped up the puck and put an easy backhander into the net. Despite the deflating goal, the Caps continued to battle the rest of the period but could not beat Vokoun.
In the second period, the Caps really came out strong. Stephen Weiss was called for a questionable hooking penalty and Alexander Semin scored quickly off the ensuing face off. Vokoun shined during the next 18 minutes of play and the penalty kill units for the Caps played exceptionally well after some more questionable calls.
To start the third period, the Caps had to finish killing off a penalty. Shortly after the penalty expired, Tomas Fleischmann let go a wrist shot after crossing the blue line that fooled Vokoun and ended up in the back of the net. I'm sure Vokoun would like to have that one back. It was a great way to start the period and with a 2-1 lead, you had to feel pretty good about the direction of the game at that point. However, three minutes later Nathan Horton scored a goal to knot the score at 2-2. Just five minutes later, Johnson let in a brutal goal that was scored from behind the goal line by Kamil Kreps. It's almost impossible to overcome two bad goals in a game and David Booth scored an empty net goal to seal the victory for Florida.
The Caps have only salvaged a single point in the first two games of this important road trip against Division foes. Atlanta came back and beat New Jersey in overtime tonight to jump into a tie with Carolina atop the Division. The Panthers and the Caps are now tied for third place just two points off the pace. It's worth noting that the Caps do have a game in hand on all three of these teams. It's also worth noting that tonight's loss marked the first back to back losses since Bruce Boudreau became coach.
It's a relief to know that despite the back to back losses the Caps still are right in the mix. However, they desperately need better goaltending and some more secondary scoring to realistically have a chance at making the playoffs. It would be very helpful for the team to see Chris Clark, Tom Poti and Brian Pothier get healthy and back into the lineup. It's a shame that Rod Brind'Amour was lost for the season by Carolina last night. However, the injury will certainly make the road more difficult down the stretch for Carolina.
The Caps have another chance to salvage something from this road trip tomorrow night against Tampa Bay. A third loss would be a terrible end to the trip.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Big Three Game Trip
It’s hard to say that the next three games are the most important games of the season but starting with tonight’s game in Atlanta the Caps have an opportunity to begin separating themselves from their Divisional foes. The Caps come into the game back in second place in the Division and tenth place in the Conference after Carolina’s victory over Boston last night. These games are as close to must win games as you can come. While the Caps certainly will not be out of the race if they lose all three games, they will make a significant step forward in terms of cementing their chance for winning the division.
The Caps are 2-2-1 against Atlanta this year and most recently fell 2-0 to the Thrashers in early February. Kari Lehtonen stopped all 36 shots he faced in that contest. I’m looking forward to seeing as mush as the game as I can tonight.
The Caps are 2-2-1 against Atlanta this year and most recently fell 2-0 to the Thrashers in early February. Kari Lehtonen stopped all 36 shots he faced in that contest. I’m looking forward to seeing as mush as the game as I can tonight.
Monday, February 11, 2008
How Sweet It Is Again
The Caps only had to wait two days to get back on top of the standings in the Southeast Division. The Caps put together a solid game against the Rangers and were able to come away with an victory in overtime. Beating any team that Jaromir Jagr plays for is especially sweet in my book. It also worth noting again that the Caps kept the streak intact with respect to back-to-back losses under Bruce Boudreau.
In my last post specifically about the Caps' loss to Carolina, I suggested that the team needed to improve in two areas. The first was on the power play. After going 0-7 against Carolina, the Caps went 2-3 against the Rangers on Sunday. Granted that the Rangers were a tired team after playing the day before in Philadelphia in a very physical contest, the Caps won the special teams battle which ultimately earned them the two points. The Rangers went 0-6 on the power play.
Carolina did a great job of pressuring the puck while shorthanded and the Rangers seemed to give the Caps a little more time to get things set up. Mike Green scored the game winner in overtime on the power play by simply firing a low, hard shot that appeared to deflect off of Marc Staal's stick. I thought it was fitting to see him get the winner as he played an awesome game, expecially in the third period when the Caps were trailing 2-1.
The second area for improvement was goaltending. Olaf Kolzig played perhaps his best game of the season. He made some unbelievable saves when the game was on the line. His rebound control was better with the exception of the second goal scored by Chris Drury. The team needs this type of goaltending on a more frequent basis to stay at the top. Perhaps some of the rest is helping Olie get back to the level expected of him.
Now that the Caps are back on top, the hard part of staying there begins again. The challenge ahead in the next week seems a bit poetic. Three road games against Division foes offers a great opportunity for the Caps to start separating themselves from the pack. It will not be easy but climbing out of the cellar seemed like an impossible task in November.
In my last post specifically about the Caps' loss to Carolina, I suggested that the team needed to improve in two areas. The first was on the power play. After going 0-7 against Carolina, the Caps went 2-3 against the Rangers on Sunday. Granted that the Rangers were a tired team after playing the day before in Philadelphia in a very physical contest, the Caps won the special teams battle which ultimately earned them the two points. The Rangers went 0-6 on the power play.
Carolina did a great job of pressuring the puck while shorthanded and the Rangers seemed to give the Caps a little more time to get things set up. Mike Green scored the game winner in overtime on the power play by simply firing a low, hard shot that appeared to deflect off of Marc Staal's stick. I thought it was fitting to see him get the winner as he played an awesome game, expecially in the third period when the Caps were trailing 2-1.
The second area for improvement was goaltending. Olaf Kolzig played perhaps his best game of the season. He made some unbelievable saves when the game was on the line. His rebound control was better with the exception of the second goal scored by Chris Drury. The team needs this type of goaltending on a more frequent basis to stay at the top. Perhaps some of the rest is helping Olie get back to the level expected of him.
Now that the Caps are back on top, the hard part of staying there begins again. The challenge ahead in the next week seems a bit poetic. Three road games against Division foes offers a great opportunity for the Caps to start separating themselves from the pack. It will not be easy but climbing out of the cellar seemed like an impossible task in November.
Richard Zednik
In last night's game between Buffalo and Florida, Richard Zednik's carotid artery was sliced by Olli Jokinen's skate accidentally after Jokinen was upended. It was a scary moment. Zednik was rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency surgery to basically save his life. The good news is that the surgery was successful and he appears to being doing well with no brain damage.
The incident reminded me of the game in which former Caps goalie Clint Malarchuk had his throat slashed by a skate in a game also in Buffalo. If my memory serves me well, the incident happened after his playing days in Washington. It was a very scary and gruesome incident as well. I'm sure you can find the video on YouTube if you so desire.
I was part of the off ice staff for the Caps when "Fast Richard" first came into the league. He sure was cocky but he was a much needed injection of youth and speed for an aging, veteran team. I wish Zed all the best and hope he's back skating for Florida soon.
The incident reminded me of the game in which former Caps goalie Clint Malarchuk had his throat slashed by a skate in a game also in Buffalo. If my memory serves me well, the incident happened after his playing days in Washington. It was a very scary and gruesome incident as well. I'm sure you can find the video on YouTube if you so desire.
I was part of the off ice staff for the Caps when "Fast Richard" first came into the league. He sure was cocky but he was a much needed injection of youth and speed for an aging, veteran team. I wish Zed all the best and hope he's back skating for Florida soon.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Sweet While It Lasted
At the All Star Break, the Caps stood on the verge of over taking first place in the Southeast Division. After their win against Philadelphia, the Capitals completed their unlikely climb from the cellar of the NHL to the top of the Southeast Division. The accomplishment was nothing short of a miracle after the poor start to the season. I must admit I did not think the team would be able to climb out of the hole. Kudos to the team for getting to the top and putting themselves in a position to realistically compete for a playoff position. After battling so hard for the past few monts to get there, the hardest part began last night with the battle to stay there.
To say last night's game against Carolina was a huge milestone for this team is an understatement. After the final horn, the Caps stay atop the Southeast Division only lasted two days as the Caps fell to the visiting Hurricanes 2-1. The win vaulted the Hurricanes back over the Caps into first place. The loss dropped the Caps from the third seed to the tenth seed in the playoff standings. It was a disappointing loss for a few reasons.
First, the Caps did not play all that poorly as a team. They had their chances but could not take advantage of them. The most telling statistic of the game is the fact that they went 0-7 on the power play. The fact that they had seven opportunities shows that they were playing hard. However, the power play was simply terrible last night. The power play unit played selfishly with each individual trying to do it alone. The Caps had a five on three advantage for 1:10 and looked awful. In fact, Carolina had the best scoring opportunity during this time frame. In the game's waning moments the Caps had another power play with a chance to tie the game up. Alexander Semin was mugged in front of the net and ended up slashing the defenseman and taking a selfish penalty that all but ended the Caps hope of getting the equalizer. The power play will have to get better real quick.
Is it fair to say that Cam Ward stole the game for the Hurricanes? While I'm not so sure that Ward is the main reason the Hurricanes were victorious, there is no question that Ward outplayed Brent Johnson last night. I know this is a familiar refrain but far too often the Caps goaltending has been subpar vis-a-vis the opposing goaltending on a night by night basis. Last night simply came down to rebound control. Ward did a fantastic job controlling his rebounds all night. On Carolina's second goal, Brent Johnson gave up a huge rebound to his left that was easily drilled home for the eventual game winner. The first Carolina goal was not Johnson's fault. Milan Jurcina got beat wide by Erik Cole and Cole made a sweet move to deposit the puck into the net.
The good news is that the Caps still have a game in hand on Carolina. The Division is packed so tightly right now that the race over the final two months of the season to win the Division crown should be great to watch. The Caps have a lot of games against the teams in their Division and it seems pretty logical that the team to play the best against their Divisional foes will most likely win the third playoff seed. The Caps will face the Rangers at home on Sunday before embarking on a three game road trip against Atlanta, Florida and Tampa Bay.
The Rangers presently hold the eigth and final playoff spot. They are three points ahead of the Caps but the Caps have played one less game. Let's remember that the Caps have not lost back to back games since Bruce Boudreau took over the coaching duties. It would be sweet t0 beat Jaromir Jagr and the Rangers.
The three road games following the conclusion of the home stand should really provide a better understanding of how far this team has come. The trip offers the Caps a chance to get some separation in the Division. Let's hope the team continues it's improbable climb to the top and, once there, gets to enjoy it for more than two days.
Forsberg, anyone?
To say last night's game against Carolina was a huge milestone for this team is an understatement. After the final horn, the Caps stay atop the Southeast Division only lasted two days as the Caps fell to the visiting Hurricanes 2-1. The win vaulted the Hurricanes back over the Caps into first place. The loss dropped the Caps from the third seed to the tenth seed in the playoff standings. It was a disappointing loss for a few reasons.
First, the Caps did not play all that poorly as a team. They had their chances but could not take advantage of them. The most telling statistic of the game is the fact that they went 0-7 on the power play. The fact that they had seven opportunities shows that they were playing hard. However, the power play was simply terrible last night. The power play unit played selfishly with each individual trying to do it alone. The Caps had a five on three advantage for 1:10 and looked awful. In fact, Carolina had the best scoring opportunity during this time frame. In the game's waning moments the Caps had another power play with a chance to tie the game up. Alexander Semin was mugged in front of the net and ended up slashing the defenseman and taking a selfish penalty that all but ended the Caps hope of getting the equalizer. The power play will have to get better real quick.
Is it fair to say that Cam Ward stole the game for the Hurricanes? While I'm not so sure that Ward is the main reason the Hurricanes were victorious, there is no question that Ward outplayed Brent Johnson last night. I know this is a familiar refrain but far too often the Caps goaltending has been subpar vis-a-vis the opposing goaltending on a night by night basis. Last night simply came down to rebound control. Ward did a fantastic job controlling his rebounds all night. On Carolina's second goal, Brent Johnson gave up a huge rebound to his left that was easily drilled home for the eventual game winner. The first Carolina goal was not Johnson's fault. Milan Jurcina got beat wide by Erik Cole and Cole made a sweet move to deposit the puck into the net.
The good news is that the Caps still have a game in hand on Carolina. The Division is packed so tightly right now that the race over the final two months of the season to win the Division crown should be great to watch. The Caps have a lot of games against the teams in their Division and it seems pretty logical that the team to play the best against their Divisional foes will most likely win the third playoff seed. The Caps will face the Rangers at home on Sunday before embarking on a three game road trip against Atlanta, Florida and Tampa Bay.
The Rangers presently hold the eigth and final playoff spot. They are three points ahead of the Caps but the Caps have played one less game. Let's remember that the Caps have not lost back to back games since Bruce Boudreau took over the coaching duties. It would be sweet t0 beat Jaromir Jagr and the Rangers.
The three road games following the conclusion of the home stand should really provide a better understanding of how far this team has come. The trip offers the Caps a chance to get some separation in the Division. Let's hope the team continues it's improbable climb to the top and, once there, gets to enjoy it for more than two days.
Forsberg, anyone?
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