On Frozen Blog

Ran a bit of an open file last Saturday night in Hershey, where the public transportation is harmonious, and so a week later in a different league and rink, I thought it might be fun again.

Racing down Connecticut Ave., largely unimpeded, toward an early dinner in Chinatown tonight, I thought about all the victims underground who might not have seen our advisory of yesterday and today. Dante’s Inferno, Canto III:

Through me you pass into the city of woe:

Through me you pass into eternal pain

There is a fabulous crowd assembled for these fearsome Florida Panthers. This is January’s only date with a Southeast division foe. Comment amongst yourselves about that.

The Caps’ mission tonight is clear: arrive at .500. The visitors secured an improbable road win at Prudential Center last night, while the Caps rested. Georgetown hoops played here at noon, so I’m keeping an eye out for bouncing pucks early on.

6:49 in, we have a home tally: Kozlov’s 5th of the season, from Mike Green, who definitely shouldn’t be an NHL All Star, and Nicklas Backstrom, who actually deserved two assists on the play. Just when it looked like the short-handed Panthers had the clear, Backstrom managed to thwart the outlet attempt and keep the puck in the zone. He then ran the half boards QB with his usual stellar composure and earned a deceiving secondary assist.

Less than a minute later, John Erskine tallies, at even strength, from Steckel and Laing. I told my bloggermates and ice chums yesterday and today that I thought this game could go big for the Caps, and so far it’s looking that way. 2-0 home team.

Will Thursday night’s 4-goal second period be matched — or exceeded — by tonight’s first? Viktor Kozlov is on pace for 12 goals tonight. He was on the puck that had just been dropped to Vokoun’s left in an instant, and less than an instant later it was in the back of the Panthers’ net. Backstrom with another assist. It’s 3-0 Caps and we’re barely past the halfway mark of the first.

A late Erskine hooking penalty didn’t end up blighting an outstanding first period for the Caps. 3-0 home team after one. I will be interested to see if they bring a comparable intensity and drive in period two, and perhaps put this game away.

Idle thoughts at Intermission: from the Caps’ media pros: Bruce Boudreau’s 14 victories in his first 25 games are the most for any coach in Capitals’ history. Wow. Among those who had 13 victories in their first 25 games were Ron Wilson and Jim Schoenfeld . . . I think it might have been Tarik who’d recently suggested that the Caps needed eight out of a possible ten points on this homestand. That’s looking pretty achievable right now.

Actually, it’s a bit uncertain. The ‘Cats have scored 56 seconds into the second: Shawn Matthias from Bryan Allen. And two-and-a-half minutes Dave Steckel is off for holding. Some concern-tempering data: Florida’s power play is like 6-for-its-last 62.

Or . . . my recitation of that was the kiss of life. It’s now 3-2 Caps after a Florida power play tally. Matthais again! It’s only his second game of the year.

It’s as if the teams changed sweaters between periods. Another Caps’ penalty leads to more resuscitation of the Panther’s anemic power play. Jok from Nathan Horton and Magnus Johansson. Now all knotted up at 3. Bruce Boudreau, the story goes, had a few choice words for his team after Thursday night’s first period. I suspect he will after tonight’s second.

Interesting: the public address advisory of Metro delays “of up to 30 minutes” after tonight’s game draws the evening’s loudest boos.

A Semin sniping! The Caps are back out in front, and Semin was integral to the play’s development, keeping the puck in high in the Panthers’ zone and willing himself into the slot through about three Panthers before circling back and capitalizing. He now has goals in five straight games.

The final third of the period salvaged, a bit, what was a dismal middle frame for the home team. Nicklas Backstrom has three assists. 4-3 Caps after two.

Some weird league notes during the intermission: Sidney is having an MRI on Monday. For a high ankle sprain? Patrice Bergeron has been told by Peter Chiarelli to take “an island vacation.” Whoa.

Michael Nylander, his left shoulder in a sling, walked through the press box during the second intermission. He looked very tired and dejected. Understandably.

I’d like to have been a fly on the Caps’ room wall the past 15 minutes.

An-all-alone-in-front Nicklas Backstrom was toe-stopped by Vokoun just 45 seconds into the third. That may prove to be a pivotal moment in the game’s outcome.

4:40 of the third: these power plays that Alexander Ovechkin ends before they’re 5 seconds old, kinda nifty. A bit of breathing space after a tumultuous second period: 5-3 Caps. Green has multiple assists on the night, but Backstrom has four! Young Star indeed.

Triage update from the Caps’ Paul Rovnak: Shaone Morrisonn, hobbled from a slapper on the Panther’s second power play goal, won’t be returning tonight. Paul also confirmed for me that this is Nicklas Backstrom’s first four-point game of his NHL career. He’s had three three-points ones in his rookie season. Young Star indeed.

If someone else doesn’t, I’ll ask Bruce Boudreau after the game what he said during the second intermission — this has been the Caps’ third period.

Final: 5-3 good guys. Here’s some good stats: on home cooking, the Caps are 10-4-1 in heir last 15 at home. Boudreau’s Caps are 5-1-1 against the Southeast. They’re 9-7-2 against the division on the year.