Well, that was fast. Capitals fans won’t have to wait long to see Huet again. Just announced from Caps’ PR:
The Washington Capitals will face the Chicago Blackhawks in their home opener at 7 p.m. on Oct. 11 at Verizon Center, one day after opening the season at Atlanta, the NHL announced today. The league also announced the Capitals will play two games each against Western Conference opponents Columbus, Los Angeles and Nashville during the season.
The Capitals will raise their 2007-08 Southeast Division championship banner prior to the home opener.
This is the second time in club history that Washington will host Chicago for its home opener, as the Blackhawks made the trip to D.C. on Oct. 5, 1996, and won 5-2. The Capitals are 17-14-2-0 in home openers. Washington is 33-38-11-1 all-time against Chicago, but owns a 20-15-5-1 record at home against the Blackhawks.
The three finalists for the 2008 Calder Trophy should be on the ice for the matchup and the goaltending pairings could provide some interesting storylines as well. Chicago’s Patrick Kane edged Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom last year for rookie of the year honors, as Kane’s teammate Jonathan Toews finished third.
Both teams could introduce new goaltenders during the game. Washington signed former Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy winner Jose Theodore during the off-season, and Chicago signed Cristobal Huet, who will return to Verizon Center after helping backstop the Capitals to a Southeast Division title last season.
The NHL tweaked the overall schedule this year so teams would play their divisional rivals only six times instead of eight, which had been customary the past three seasons. In doing so, every team in the league will play one another this year and teams will also play three non-conference opponents at home and on the road. Washington’s three non-conference opponents that they will play twice are Columbus, Los Angeles and Nashville.
The Capitals’ entire 2008-09 schedule will be released tomorrow, July 16.
13 Comments
Let’s let Boooo!!-Ayy hear it. I wish I could be there so I can give Cristobal an earful.
Boo or cheer Huet?
I say Boo him.
Not on the Capitals. Why would I cheer him?
I say cheer him when the banner drops; as soon as the puck drops we boo him.
I like that the Caps get Columbus and LA twice.
been a fan now for 28 years; ‘believe you me’ frenchy will be unmercifully booed. he should be booed; the Phone Booth needs to start taking on a life of its own now. nobody should want to play us here; there needs to be…..well……an “edge” to the proceedings in 2008-09. what a night that’s going to be!!!!
I agree with “vt caps fan”, I’m gonna cheer the guy until the puck drops. Sure he got torched in half of the playoff series, but with the D practically passing the puck to the Flyers on several occassions, that couldn’t be helped. And if it weren’t for Huet’s play down the stretch, would we have even MADE the postseason?!? I think not…
Don’t worry, Huet’s signed himself up to TRY and stop the champs SIX TIMES this season (at a minimum). He’ll get what’s coming to him right there I bet unless Chicago’s D is way better than I think they’ll be this season, eh? And BTW… Olie, ya hear what I’m sayin’ here? Funny that the goalie that took Olie’s job is headed to the team that he lost to so miserably in his final action as a Capital (5-0?).
Pick ‘em ALL apart, Ovie! We want 70!
@ Lee (PTO)
Huet will play the champs just once - on October 11.
Gotta love how the League planners played this. Could they have made this any more awkward?
Actually, since last year’s home opener was against a SE team, I was a little afraid our home opener was going to be against Tampa (so I am a little relieved). Talk about awkward.
We need to BOOOO him… The guy asked a price, eventually, GMGM matched it and Cristobal decided to take the free agency route and is making RIDICULOUS $$$$ for his ability. If he really wanted to stay in DC, he would have.
I hope Ovi lights him up for 4 again (while schooling Brian Campbell), Nicky lays out Patrick Kane a couple of times and Huet gets yanked. I think the VC would go CRAZY if Huet got pulled..
cheer huet!
Théo! Théo! Théo!
La visite est venue et elle est repartie la tête entre les jambes alors que José Théodore a été victime de huit buts pour la première fois de sa carrière encaissant un revers cuisant de 8-5 aux mains du Canadien dans le cadre d’un match de fou, mais enlevant au possible.Et dire qu’on s’attendait à un duel de gardien entre Théodore et Aebischer qui voulaient tous deux battre leur ancien club…Quoi dire de la soirée de travail de Théo? Qu’elle a été mauvaise.
Bon! Les pénalités ont coulé l’Avalanche. Et c’est vrai alors que le Canadien a marqué quatre de ses huit buts en attaques à cinq : deux pour Sheldon Souray, un pour Michael Ryder et un autre de Christopher Higgins.
Mais après avoir vu son équipe lui accorder une avance de 3-0, José Théodore devait garder le fort. Il ne l’a pas fait. Oh! Il ne s’est pas vraiment fait passer de sapins, mais il n’a pas fait la job attendue de lui non plus.
Ça lui a valu d’entendre son nom être chanté en dérision du début à la fin de la rencontre. Et dire qu’il n’y a pas si longtemps, les Théo! Théo! Théo! qu’on entendait étaient reliés à des performances étincelantes du gardien à ses années de gloire avec le Canadien.
José a effectué quelques gros arrêts. Il a même volé un but à Chris Higgins en gobant la rondelle dans sa grosse mitaine dans un geste de chance il est vrai. Mais quand tu n’arrives pas à freiner l’hémorragie, tu ne fais pas le travail.
Cela dit, avant de se moquer de José Théodore, les partisans du Canadien ont giflé David Aebischer qui, comme tout le monde, a entendu le nom de Cristobal Huet être scandé aux quatre coins du Centre Bell après qu’il eut accordé trois buts en 1 :15 en fin de première période à Joe Sakic, Andrew Brunette et Paul Stastny.
Derrière le banc du Canadien, l’entraîneur-chef Guy Carbonneau a alors eu peur qu’un moment d’histoire ne se répète. Carbo a eu peur que José Théodore imite Patrick Roy qui était venu battre le Canadien 7-3 le 5 mars 1997 dans un match au cours duquel Jocelyn Thibault, obtenu en retour de Roy par le Canadien, avait été chassé de la rencontre…
Heureusement pour Carbo, mais aussi pour David Aebischer, le gardien du Canadien s’est bien repris et les amateurs ont changé leur capot de bord plus tard dans la rencontre et se sont mis à chanter le nom du gardien suisse pour célébrer quelques uns de ses 31 arrêts.
Quand on dit que les partisans du Canadien sont difficiles à suivre et à comprendre, c’est de ça dont on parle…
Oui, le Canadien a profité d’une soirée ordinaire de José Théodore et des attaques massives pour gagner. Mais la victoire, il la méritait pleinement tant les joueurs ont su se regrouper et garder confiance.
Le jeu du match est d’ailleurs à l’image de cette confiance maintenu et des efforts mieux déployés en deuxième portion de rencontre.
Après avoir effacé des retards de 3-0, et de 4-2, le Canadien a pris les devants sur un but magnifique marqué par le défenseur Craig Rivet. Tout juste sorti du banc des pénalités, Rivet a profité d’une passe parfaite de Saku Koivu pour filer en échappée. Il a déjoué Théo avec un tir des poignets précis dans la lucarne du côté du bloqueur. Un but qui devrait lui valoir une chance – une petite! – de prendre part un jour à une fusillade…
Entre les lignes
Que dire de l’accueil réservé à Théo et à Patrice Brisebois qui disputait lui aussi un premier match à Montréal depuis son départ vers le Colorado? Eh bien, Théodore et Brisebois ont été accueillis par des huées nourries de la part des 21 273 spectateurs présents au Centre Bell lors de l’exercice d’avant match et lors de la présentation des joueurs. Des huées qui ont pris de l’ampleur à chaque fois que Théodore a effectué des arrêts ou que Brisebois a touché à la rondelle. C’était de bonne guerre et le tout s’est fait avec « politesse ». Les partisans ont le droit de huer qui ils veulent surtout que ces deux joueurs sont maintenant des ennemis.
C’est la première fois depuis le 10 janvier 2004 que le Canadien marque huit buts dans un même match. La dernière fois, il avait blanchi les Penguins de Pittsburgh 8-0 à Pittsburgh où Sheldon Souray s’était illustré avec un but et une récolte de six points…
Avec ses deux buts et deux passes récoltés aux dépens de Théodore et de l’Avalanche, hier, Sheldon Souray compte déjà cinq buts et neuf points à sa fiche personnelle. Souray a marqué ses cinq buts lors d’attaques massives…
Super en attaque massive avec quatre buts marqués en huit occasions, le Canadien a été encore très solide en désavantage numérique avec un seul but accordé en sept occasions…
En marquant le premier but du match, Joe Sakic s’est approché à quatre petits points du plateau de 1500 (578 buts, 918 passes) en carrière…
Le but de Paul Stastny était son premier dans la LNH. Il ne lui en manque que 449 pour rejoindre son célèbre père…
Réponses à vos questions
AlainF m’impute une citation de Craig Rivet selon laquelle la présence du Canadien en série en 2002 – j’ai écrit 2000 et je m’en excuse, comme j’ai écrit 2000 pour l’ouverture du Centre Bell qui s’est produit en 1996… j’ai dû accrocher sur le changement de siècle – était attribuable à seule performance de José Théodore et se demande pourquoi j’ai placé l’Avalanche hors des séries cette saison dans l’Ouest.
C’est simple. Parce que l’Avalanche ne me donne pas l’impression de pouvoir rivaliser avec les meilleurs clubs dans l’Ouest et parce que José pourrait difficilement répéter les exploits réalisés lors de cette saison de rêve…
Petit message à Alain Descôteaux, non je ne cherchais pas à faire de l’ironie en utilisant l’expression ne pas connaître ni des lèvres, ni des dents qui est une expression consacrée dans ces circonstances..
Translation: French » English
Huet cheer!
Theo! Theo! Theo!
The visit came and she went head between his legs while Jose Theodore was the victim of eight goals for the first time in his career cashing a stinging setback to 8-5 at the hands of Canadian in connection with a match crazy, but removing the possible.Et say we anticipated a duel between caretaker Theodore and Aebischer, who wanted both beat their former club… What about the evening working Theo? Whether it was bad.
Good! Penalties sank the Avalanche. And it’s true then that the Canadian has scored four of his eight goals in five attacks: two for Sheldon Souray, Michael Ryder and another by Christopher Higgins.
But after watching his team give him a lead of 3-0, Jose Theodore should remain strong. He did not do so. Oh! He did not really go fir, but it has not made the job expected of him neither.
It won him to hear his name be sung in derision from beginning to end of the meeting. And to think that not so long ago, Theo! Theo! Theo! was meant was linked to sparkling performances Keeper its years of glory with the Canadian.
Jose made some big stops. He even stole a goal by Chris Higgins to gobant the puck in his big mitten in a gesture likely it is true. But when you n’arrives not to slow the bleeding, you do not work.
However, before making fun of Jose Theodore, Canadian supporters have slapped David Aebischer who, like everyone, has heard the name Cristobal Huet be chanted at the four corners of the Bell Centre after he had awarded three goals 1: 15 at the end of the first period Joe Sakic, Andrew Brunette and Paul Stastny.
Behind the bench Canadian head coach Guy Carbonneau has then been afraid that a moment of history from repeating itself. Carbo was afraid that Jose Theodore imitates Patrick Roy had come to beat the Canadiens 7-3 on March 5, 1997 in a match during which Jocelyn Thibault, obtained in return for Roy by Canadian, was expelled from the meeting…
Fortunately for Carbo, but also for David Aebischer, the Canadian goalkeeper was well taken and fans have changed their cover board later in the match and began to sing the name of the Swiss keeper to celebrate some of his 31 stops.
When we say that the Canadian supporters are difficult to follow and understand is that you are talking about…
Yes, the Canadiens took advantage of a regular evening Jose Theodore and massive attacks to win. But the victory, he fully deserved both players were able to regroup and keep confidence.
The game of the match is indeed a reflection of this confidence maintained and efforts made to better the second portion of the meeting.
After delays erased 3-0 and 4-2, the Canadiens took the lead on a beautiful goal scored by defenseman Craig Rivet. Just out of bench penalties, Rivet took advantage of a perfect pass from Saku Koivu for spinning a breakaway. He foiled Theo with a precise wrist shot in the side window blocker. A goal which should assert a chance - a small! — Take part one day in a shootout…
Between the lines
What about the reception given to Theo and Patrice Brisebois which disputait also a first game in Montreal since his departure to Colorado? Well, Theodore and Brisebois were welcomed by huées fed from 21 273 spectators present at the Bell Centre during the exercise before the match and during the presentation of the players. The huées which have gained momentum whenever Theodore made judgments or that Brisebois has touched the puck. It was good war and everything was done with “polite”. Proponents have the right to huer who they want especially since both players are now enemies.
This is the first time since January 10, 2004 that the Canadian mark eight goals in one match. The last time he had laundered the Pittsburgh Penguins 8-0 in Pittsburgh where Sheldon Souray had illustrated with a goal and a crop of six points…
With his two goals and two assists harvested at the expense of Theodore and the Avalanche yesterday, Sheldon Souray already has five goals and nine points in his personal record. Souray scored his five goals in attacks massive…
Super a massive attack with four goals scored in eight occasions, the Canadian was still very strong digital disadvantage with one goal in seven opportunities granted…
In scoring the first goal of the game, Joe Sakic was approached by four small points of the plateau 1500 (578 goals, 918 assists) in career…
The purpose of Paul Stastny was his first in the NHL. The only thing lacking that 449 to join his famous father…
Answers to Your Questions
AlainF m’impute a quote from Craig Rivet that the presence of a Canadian series in 2002 - I wrote 2000 and I apologize, as I wrote 2000 for the opening of the Bell Centre happened in 1996… I had to hang on the turn of the century - was only due to performance of Jose Theodore and wondered why I put the Avalanche away series this season in the West.
It’s simple. Because the Avalanche is not giving me the impression they can compete with the best clubs in the West and because Jose could hardly repeat the feats achieved during this dream season…
Petit message to Alain Descôteaux not looking I do not get the irony in using the term not knowing or lips or teeth which is an expression enshrined in these circumstances ..
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