On Frozen Blog

26 Comments

1. Curtis wrote:

   I am looking forward to sitting in front my TV with my sons and watching our MEN put a stomping/beating/old fashion but spanking on the hated fly boys!!!
   GO CAPS!!

   6 January, 2009 at 3:43 pm | Permalink
2. Bucky Katt wrote:

   I’ll be down at the game. I wanna see the Filthy Flyers get spanked.
   Gawd how I want to see that! :0)

   6 January, 2009 at 3:45 pm | Permalink
3. Steve wrote:

   I can’t wait!

   6 January, 2009 at 4:07 pm | Permalink
4. Hockey Mom wrote:

   Quote of the day comes from Flyers coach John Stevens: “We’re a stand-up, honest hockey team.” REALLY Coach? I think it’s time for an intervention to deal with your denial issue. Go Caps!!!

   6 January, 2009 at 4:07 pm | Permalink
5. pelle31lives wrote:

   I’m not a snob when it comes to which team considers which other team a true rival, but I’m pleased the Flyers-Capitals has become something again.
   I grew up in the mid-to-late 80’s when the Keenan-era Flyers constantly buried the Caps’ chances to rise to the top of the Patrick Division and succeed the Islanders as the division power.
   Both sides still had some pretty good games those years the Flyers were down, but I didn’t enjoy watching the Schoenfeld/Wilson-era Capitals because they just relied too much on choking defense to make games interesting.
   If Bruce Boudreau has to say something like that to stoke the fires of his club to make these games more competitive, so be it. I’m not sure the Flyers really feel that way but it doesn’t take much to build up hostilities with only four games a year between them.

   6 January, 2009 at 4:19 pm | Permalink
6. PM2416 wrote:

   The Caps really joined the NHL in December, 1980 when they went into the Spectrum and beat Philly 6-0. Before that game they were a joke. From that moment thru Hunter’s goal in ‘88 to the series last year the Flyers remain our best rivalry in the league. Apologies to fans of the bankrupt and flightless birds.
   I just hope the Caps and their fans don’t give in to this goon-it-up fervor that seems to be growing. The Caps out-skill the Flyers at every position, even goalkeeping right now. I would not trade off our lineup for theirs at any position, so why would you take your players off the ice? Outskate them and outplay them and fill their net with a dozen pucks. Should be fun tonight.

   6 January, 2009 at 4:20 pm | Permalink
7. pelle31lives wrote:

   Remember Caps fans…If your club happens to win, even win by a huge margin, it’s because your team is rested and the Flyers are beaten up from the road trip plus half the roster dealing with injuries.
   Nothing much is ever decided about either team in an early January game.

   6 January, 2009 at 4:22 pm | Permalink
8. Murshawursha wrote:

   Hey Pelle, have you been paying any attention at all? Half of out roster has been out with injuries since October. Not an excuse.

   6 January, 2009 at 4:25 pm | Permalink
9. Schultz wrote:

   Pelle,
   Relax, its not like its one game for the Cup. You beat us in your house and we would like to return the favor tonight. Its what good hosts do.
   Teams get injured. Good teams (and I would count the Flyers on that list) find a way to win when guys are hurt. We lost our 3rd and 4th best scorers for 2 weeks+ and still won 75% of the games. Let’s chat again in April…
   As for tonight, someone needs to tell Cote to stay away from Brashear. Its great that he’s willing to stand up to a bigger man, but not when the bigger man unloads 12 consective lefts into your face.

   6 January, 2009 at 4:48 pm | Permalink
10. Scott wrote:

    I’m looking forward to this game, it’s going to be a doozy…Mr. Brashear is in the house! I feel like a little kid on Christmas morning!

    6 January, 2009 at 4:59 pm | Permalink
11. nafyekcoh wrote:

    I believe the flame of this rivalry is burning a little hotter and it all started with last year’s playoff series. It will only get hotter once the Caps get their payback tonight for the teams early meeting this season. From a fans perspective this may be the best conference rivalry, but I think Hurricanes/Caps is the best divisional, especially when you consider what we did to the canes at the end of last season. If you’re the media/NHL, you want it to be Pens/Caps, Malkin/Backstrom, OV/Crosby, that’s the story that sells.
    What we need is for the Caps fans to get out and come join us at the games so we can keep the those obnoxious Flyer/Ranger/Pen fans out of our house.

    6 January, 2009 at 5:26 pm | Permalink
12. OrderedChaos wrote:

    @ Pelle:
    I appreciate your comments as always, as well as hearing a well-reasoned voice from the opposing fanbase… but I have to disagree with your assessment. Both teams’ injuries have been significant, so that’s not really a factor one way or the other. And after the 7-1 embarrassment in Philly last month, this game carries more significance (more of a punch, perhaps?), at least for the Caps, than most early-January contests.
    I’m leaving work in a few minutes for a pregame libation, then it’s off to what promises to be an exciting matchup. Go Caps!

    6 January, 2009 at 5:41 pm | Permalink
13. pelle31lives wrote:

    Thanks for the kind words, blogmaster.
    My point is, while the injuries to both sides are significant, the number of immediate problems affecting the Flyers clearly took a toll, evidenced by the way they got their clocks cleaned in Chicago and Columbus, plus those narrow wins in Vancouver and Anaheim plus the SO loss to the Kings.
    The bodies that do show up on the Philly side will be operating at lower power because of the freshness of the hurts plus the road trip, so I disagree that injuries will not play a factor.
    And yes, there is more riding on this game for Washington, but true rivalry games happen when there is something at stake for BOTH clubs, like division/conference standing or playoff seeds.
    @ SCHULTZ Agreed on all accounts. True, the 7-1 thrashing will be on the Caps’ minds, but it wasn’t like Washington played badly. As I recall, they had everything but the score on their side, including one of the worst fights I’ve seen any Flyer tough guy partake in. Brashear can still throw and it was dumb of the Flyers to get rid of him. Looking at record and not overall play within games, the Caps injuries to key personnel has not affected performance like the Flyers’ hurts have, especially on the road trip.
    I will be talking to you sooner than April, guaranteed.
    @ MURSHAWURSHA – It’s easy to pay attention to just one team, and when you are a big enough fan to try and keep track of the other 29, things slip through the cracks. Ease up. Look above for my rationale as to why the Flyers won’t be as competitive tonight as their standing indicates.
    I honestly don’t see the Flyers being cowed too much if they get blown out, although it would be a huge lift to the Caps.
    Whatever happens, I’m looking forward to a good one.

    6 January, 2009 at 6:06 pm | Permalink
14. Murshawursha wrote:

    I probably worded that more harshly than I meant it, and to be completely honest I didn’t know how banged up the flyers were until I read the pregame story.
    But the point I was trying to make is that a really good team will find a way to be competitive despite injuries and the like. So I’d argue that this game carries just as much weight for the Flyers, albeit probably not for the same reasons.

    6 January, 2009 at 6:30 pm | Permalink
15. Gustafsson wrote:

    Caps are starting off well. Putting one in on the first PP in the first 3 minutes is huge.

    6 January, 2009 at 7:34 pm | Permalink
16. Gustafsson wrote:

    Hey, what happened to the intermission interview with Bengt Gustafsson? Al got his Swedes mixed up and had Backstrom.

    6 January, 2009 at 7:54 pm | Permalink
17. Andrew Tomlinson - OFB Intern wrote:

    Just got here – thank the lord for NHL Gamecenter

    6 January, 2009 at 7:56 pm | Permalink
18. Gustafsson wrote:

    Ah… there he is.

    6 January, 2009 at 7:57 pm | Permalink
19. Gustafsson wrote:

    Bengt Gustafsson was on with Al Kolken right before the beginning of the period and it was mentioned that it is almost the 25 year anniversary of the game where Bengt hung 5 on Pelle Lindbergh in a win over the Flyers on 8 Jan, 1984.

    6 January, 2009 at 8:07 pm | Permalink
20. Gustafsson wrote:

    Ugh… how did none of those shots in the 2nd period PP go in?

    6 January, 2009 at 8:18 pm | Permalink
21. DC Sports Chick wrote:

    Andrew, are you ever coming back to DC?

    6 January, 2009 at 8:27 pm | Permalink
22. Victor wrote:

    Good to see Metro back. I always liked him, no matter what the front of the sweater said. The man plays with a lot of heart.

    6 January, 2009 at 8:31 pm | Permalink
23. Gustafsson wrote:

    Thanks Nylander.
    1-1.

    6 January, 2009 at 8:53 pm | Permalink
24. Gustafsson wrote:

    Holy crap… AO about killed Clark.

    6 January, 2009 at 9:16 pm | Permalink
25. Gustafsson wrote:

    The way the game started, you figured it would be high scoring.
    Not so, but another 2 points.

    6 January, 2009 at 9:52 pm | Permalink
26. PM2416 wrote:

    if ever a game should have been a tie, this was it. Get the sense the Caps feel lucky to get the extra point and they are right: one piddly break the other way and Philly gets the charity point. Considering Philly’s road trip they are happy to get one, and Caps should be disappointed they didn’t get better scoring in front of Theodore’s best 65 minute effort of the year.

    7 January, 2009 at 10:38 am | Permalink

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