Sigh. Guess that’s the only lead I can come up with after tonight’s game. The Caps played the body, played hard, but still look unorganized on the ice, and a hockey-savvy team from Pittsburgh worked Caps’ goaltender Brent Johnson out. No blaming anyone on this: the better team won.
- Boyd Gordon was a shot in the arm to the team, defensively, and Brent Johnson’s goaltending heroics kept the game from being a more lop-sided victory. Goaltending can’t be faulted.
- Nicklas Backstrom needs to be moved to a center position, ASAP. Outside of Ovechkin and Johnson, he was the Caps’ best player tonight: solid defensive play and heady offensive awareness. If you are looking for a real positive from this game, go with the young Swede. If you are looking for another positive…
- Brent Johnson and Alex Ovechkin played their butts off: effort, concentration, bravery, you call it. Johnson made at least three save he shouldn’t have, and Ovechkin threw hits - including one that I’m sure people will be talking about, though it was more of a glancing shot - and was a menace in the opposing zone. That said, they both are on the business end of a L tonight.
- The fights? LaRaque and Brashear was a decidedly one-sided affair until Brashear landed a definitive left. Hard to call a fight like that, but that was a serious left. Pettinger threw the only two punches in the fight with Staal that I saw, though it looked like he took his helmet off, so the Caps at least, acquitted themselves. Doesn’t change the score, though.
- Do we want to bring up the special teams play? Probably not, and there has been talk recently of how a power-play drought like this wouldn’t be looked at sideways if it was in January. That may be true, but we’re gone over the fact that points when your team is trying to gel count exactly as much as points when your team is gelled. Working the puck around the point and hitting the backdoor defenseman for a shot doesn’t seem that hard in theory.
- I have been, and probably will be in the future, a Marc-Andre Fleury critic, but tonight he made big saves and played like the talented goaltender he can be. No slights, here.
- I’m not on the Dave Steckel bandwagon yet. And while Joe Motzko may be a talented player, he emphasizes the Caps’ need for Eric Fehr to heal up. Brooks Laich may not have made an impression, either. (Ed - thanks for the reality check)
The Caps’ start reminds me reminds me of a quote from Caps’ captain Chris Clark (and I am paraphrasing): “You can’t make the playoffs in October, but you can miss them.” The Caps are one game under .500, and things aren’t exactly dire — I know I would have taken this start given the chances. However, with big talk of playoffs comes big expectations, especially against your rivals, and the Caps came up short. At some point, there has to be an accounting for that, or the team needs to stop acting like a bunch of strangers and come together. It can happen; it just needs to happen sooner rather than later. We may be able to wait (or not), but the league isn’t.
Programming note: Every blogger’s nemesis, Real Life, has finally caught up with me, and I am taking a leave of absence from OFB, likely permanent. OFB isn’t going anywhere, and my friends OrderedChaos, pucksandbooks, and Gustafsson will continue to represent, OFB-style.
I’d like to thank everyone in the Caps’ organization, who have been amazing to work with, and the Caps blogosphere, who are as intelligent as they are inclusive (an on-and-off again commodity amongst regional bloggers, I’ve found). Mostly, I’d like to thank you for reading. It’s a simple equation: no you = no us. I hope I see you around the rink, and maybe we can grab a beer and talk hockey.
22 Comments
No, no, that’s not correct. Joe Motzko is NOT a talented player.
While I may not like the outcome, the game itself was a whole lot of fun to watch.
It was nice to have our fans outnumber theirs. And make more noise.
Someone needs to tell Nylander it’s okay for him to take a shot instead of always pass.
If Crosby gets tired of hockey, he can join the ballet, after the pirouette he used to try to get a penalty called.
How can the referee not call Fleury for roughing, when the ref was staring right at it? I’m normally not one to blame the officials, but it would be nice if, one day, we actually saw a well-called game. There were penalties on both sides that they let go, but then called crap like Nylander for goaltender interference after he was pushed into Fleury. If they call Fleury for his rough, we would have had a potentially game-changing 5-3 (realistically, it probably wouldn’t matter, but still…)
Permanent…how am I going to get by? Your after game notes made me feel like I hadn’t missed anything…
empty- thanks for all of the great reads. Hope whatever real life event event that is pulling you away works our best for you and your family.
As for the game - you are spot on. I thought it was one of the best games by Ovie ever. He was flying, hitting everything, made several great defensive plays.
Should be noted that Petty spent all this time not only getting Staals hemmed off but his own as all.
Mo played a pretty rough game as well
Empty Maybe, just wanted to say thanks for your kick @$$ job. I wish you all the best.
as for the game… When princess Pettinger drops the gloves, you know its an odd game. i hate pittsburg. I hate them with a passion. There fans are more bandwagon the the !@$%!$#@#@! dallas cowboys. pathetic.
I only saw the 3rd period last night; they didn’t play that all badly. Ovie and Johnson were brilliant, but Fleury was oustanding. For the PP woes, I’d put Jurcina on the left point of the top unit shooting one-timers with Clark in front of the net to collect any garbage.
Thanks for your insight on this blog, Empty Maybe. All the best for you away from OFB.
Boy, that is truly a bitter loss. The Caps’ one is only a game but without Empty Maybe OFB will never be the same…
Will miss the knee-jerk summaries. Maybe you can guestblog when a computer is available in Antarctica (or at whatever waystation you end up). Good luck regardless. You game synopses are spot on (including this one). Mo, Kozlov, & Laich weren’t on their A-game. Ovie & Johnson were straight-up sick. Did anybody watch in slow-mo the high-stick to Cindy C? The stick clipped his mask and you would have though he lost six teeth and an eyeball. Pansy.
First, DC Sports Chick, now you. Forget avian flu, “Real Life” is the pandemic to worry about. Seriously, good luck on the real life adventure, and we hope to be reading you at least occasionally in the future.
Knee-jerks are my favorite read on the web. You will be missed! Hope all is well!
I agree, OFB will be missed. That’s more tragic than the Caps’ start this season. Anyone know of another Caps blog that’s even close to the quality of this one?
no one,
OFB is not going anywhere. Unfortunately for us, Empty Maybe is taking a hiatus from blogging which may prove to be permanent. The rest of us will continue on. OFB will still be there, just with a few changes.
We understand the reasons for Empty’s hiatus. That doesn’t mean we like it. He will be missed.
We will go on.
Thanks for your continued support.
Hey E.M.
We’ll be feeling Empty Definitely without your continued posts on our beloved Caps. Congrats on a pioneering job well done and good luck with what is more important than hockey…
Thanks for workday distractions, Empty. You’ll also be missed quite a bit on the Capitals Report with your timely questions and comments.
I was at the game and, upon leaving the arena, a fan said to his wife / girlfriend (both Caps fans): “These games take a lot out of you. I’m emotionally exhausted.” Truer words . . .
The power play might have been more effective if not for #50. I can’t express (in 20/20 hindsight of course) what a boneheaded move it has been to have him playing a PP point. The slump now versus in January is such a huge deal simply because we have no other data to compare. Its not as if the team converted at a 25% clip until a drought. This is your 2007-08 Caps team on the PP until further notice.
I’m borrowing from others hear, but makes sense to me - the top two lines need to be:
8-92-25
43 (then 28 when ready)-19-17
If no lineup / personnel changes are made and we lose on Wednesday, we have a serious problem.
Fare thee well, Empty. I wish you the best.
Sorry to see you go, hope whatever is taking you away is not life threatening nor permanent. Thanks for the insightful, relevant and meaningful coverage of a team we all love and get frustrated with. All the best for the future.
Sorry to see you go- you’re awesome! But both Chanuck and I hope to see you offline for a beer soon.
Best of luck, EM. Your insights will be missed.
Good luck, Empty. At least stick around on the message boards; your insight is always welcome.
Thanks for the contributions you have given to the online community. I will miss your knee jerks and wish you well.
It won’t be the same waiting anxiously refreshing OFB in order to see what you had to say about the games and seeing if it lined up to what I was thinking.
You’re leaving? Noooooooooooooooooo!
You’ll definitely be missed here.
You will be missed! I, also, love your blogs the most. You have terrific insight! I wish you well…
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[...] I greatly enjoyed reading readers’ appreciation for Empty that amassed in the comments to his final Knee-Jerk file. He made as large an impression on many of you as he did us. We just had the added good fortune of being able to empty a few cold ones with him in and out of season. And of calling him friend — which his departing of course doesn’t change. [...]
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