The game turned on Vincent Lecavalier’s third period injury. Matt Cooke clobbered him in open ice, and while Cooke probably went appropriately unpunished, Tampa reacted as hockey teams typically do when their star player is violently removed from a game: with vengeance. On the ensuing Caps’ power play, Alexander Ovechkin scorched a wrister past Ramo that unleashed Def Leppard-like loudness in an arena that had spent nearly 50 game minutes united in an updated version of woes of old: ”They’re gonna come this far and blow it against the bottom-feeding ‘Bolts?”

Lecavalier’s absence was also acutely felt on Tampa’s 4-minute man-advantage from a John Erskine high stick. The last-place ‘Bolts still ranked 6th in the league on the power play. The ensuing effort was competent but lacked its customary lethal fright. Then Boyd Gordon made it 3-1, occasioning another eardrum-paining celebration among the red-clad. 

Greg Wyshynski, who yesterday authored “Can You Smell the Sidney/Ovie in the Air?”, stood next to Dmitry Chesnokov and me amid the relief-delerium and shouted, barely audibly, ”Washington isn’t a hockey town!” to demonstrate the very changed air within the rink on F Street. Dmitry and I took turns replying, “We can’t hear you.”  

The Caps, a team that spent years recently seeking 5 consecutive wins, won their sixth in row Thursday. (They last won six in a row in 2001). At least for one day, they moved into the Eastern conference’s top eight, and postseason qualification. Their no. 1 star Thursday night is also the league’s no. 1 star of 2008. Soon, formally acknowledged as such.   

“We have so much firepower on this team, and so much trust, if we play our way we can come back and score goals, and it’s just a matter of time,” Brooks Laich said afterward. Laich in his breakout season is also a disciple spreading the gospel of puck in a region increasingly receptive to it. 

“You can obviously tell in the building that hockey’s really catching on,” he said.

“It’s starting to become a hockey town.”              

 

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Posted at 5:15 am. Filed under 2 Points, Alexander Ovechkin, Cristobal Huet, Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, Nicklas Backstrom, Stanley Cup Playoffs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals.
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6 Comments

  1. SpartyCuse wrote:

    Lets hope that DC is becoming a hockey town. But in 30+ years, it has not caught on. Granted, the Caps have never had an AO before, but they have had some runs with very good teams.

    After they made the SCF in 1998, a lot of people thought DC would become a hockey town. Unfortunately, it didnt happen.

    Lets hope this is the start of something big in DC. Making the playoffs would be a major step. The most important thing, though, is to have big, enthusiastic crowds 41 times in 08/09.

    The Caps are definately starting down the right path.

    And one question - does anybody else think this run is more rewarding and fun than if they had just been good all year, and clinched two weeks ago without a sweat? Maybe its me, but I enjoy this more. AND….I think it develops a better killer instinct and character for the players.

    Go Devils….Go Panthers…..Go OTT/BOS not going to OT!!!!!

    Friday, April 4, 2008 at 7:45 am | Permalink
  2. SovSport wrote:

    pucks,

    I still have some “ringing” in my ears after last night’s crowd and its cheering. And we weren’t even in the stands. Awesome atmosphere!

    Friday, April 4, 2008 at 8:14 am | Permalink
  3. Garrett wrote:

    Ok, this is where we stand (Revised):

    Tomorrow is a win-and-we’re-in game if:

    Tonight’s OTT/BOS games ends in regulation
    Philly loses tonight (even in OT)
    Carolina loses tonight (even in OT)

    A win tomorrow still gets us in if none of the above happens but:

    Boston loses in OT tonight and loses tomorrow (BUF)
    Boston wins tonight but loses in regulation tomorrow night (BUF) (i.e., only gets 2 pts in the next 2 games)
    Philly wins tonight but loses Sunday - even in OT (PIT) (i.e., only gets 3 pts in the next 2 games)

    1 pt Saturday gets us in if ANY the following happen:
    Boston only gets 1 more pt: @OTT, BUF
    Philly only gets 2 more pt: NJ (tonight), PIT
    Carolina loses in regulation tonight: FLA

    A loss tomorrow night (ha!) gets us in if:
    Boston doesn’t get any more pts: @OTT, BUF
    Philly doesn’t get at least 2 pts: NJ, PIT

    And tomorrow is a Caps-On-Tap bar crawl to, uh, encourage us to go to the game?

    Friday, April 4, 2008 at 11:38 am | Permalink
  4. Garrett wrote:

    Should have said if ANY of those things happen.

    Friday, April 4, 2008 at 11:41 am | Permalink
  5. Aneesa wrote:

    Masses are jumping on the Caps bandwagon now that we are having a sensational end-of-the-year season and phenomenal playing action. I wish they had been along for the ride from the beginning. They have missed out on a great ride. Hopefully the newbies will stick with us next year.

    Friday, April 4, 2008 at 5:20 pm | Permalink
  6. cc Caps fan wrote:

    Aside from maybe Toronto and Montreal, towns are only hockey towns when there is faith in the ownership that the team will be competitive consistently. Most people think of Chicago as a hockey town but the Hawks have not filled that building in years (until quite recently thanks to Kane and Toews). Washington is on the verge of becoming a hockey town and it is the result of a committed owner, a great player and an expectation that the team will complete consistently for the foreseeable future.

    Friday, April 4, 2008 at 6:12 pm | Permalink

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