On Frozen Blog

It’s not often that you can say that the ref gift-wrapped a point for your team, but last night was pretty close. Some bizarre officiating at the end of the third period and in the OT session marred what was otherwise an excellent game, with lead-changes and solid play.
We may be going out on a limb here, but perhaps, just perhaps, it’s time to add the shootout to the Capitals’ practice agenda. Not only is the team 1-10 in the shootout this year, thus leaving 10 points on the table, but tonight TEN Capitals failed to score in the shootout.

• The passing on the power play looks much better recently. Again, things look like they are much more simplified, with an emphasis on puck-movement vice holding onto the puck and waiting for someone to get open. Good to see more point shots, as well.
• Jiri Novotny’s first game as a Cap was not too bad, and I think he’ll learn quickly that feeding Alex Ovechkin in the slot is a pretty good way to make a living.
• Milan Jurcina brought the wood last night, clocking several Lightning. He’s been a welcome addition to the blueline.
• His partner, Shaone Morrisonn, is clearly getting more involved in the offensive side of things, and not just in shooting from the point. Morrisonn pinched a few times, as well as bringing the puck up himself. He had an adventure or two defensively last night, but he seems to be steadying up again.
• Brian Pothier on the power play blueline has not been as steady, sadly. His muff while trying to keep the puck in the zone only using his stick and not the body was directly responsible for the Lightning’s fourth goal. While his minutes have been down recently, you have to wonder if the ice-time is beginning to wear him down.
• Shane O’Brien is going to make things interesting in the Southeast division. Initially catching Caps fans’ eyes against Hershey in the Calder Cup playoffs last year, O’Brien is a tough customer who can play a good positional game. It looked like Matt Bradley would like to have had a ‘discussion’ with him last night.
• Johan Homlqvist was instrumental in his team’s win — he made several stops late to keep the game from getting out of hand.

The long shoot-out wouldn’t have been possible without some questionable officiating in the Caps’ favor — indeed, a few observers thought Lightning Coach John Tortorella was going to hop on the ice and aggressively confront the object of his ire — but when you get gifts like that, you don’t turn them down. Game #2 post-trade deadline and the Caps have two our of a possible four points, not bad considering they traded three regulars. Now, about that pesky shootout . . .