Greetings from high atop Verizon Center. I’ve ditched the family, sold the tickets and watching the game from press row. There is a bit more room now that the trade deadline has passed. I’ll try to pass along a few notes and observations as the game progresses and feel fee to use this as an open game thread.
Period 1
- And we’re off. Newly acquired Martin Gerber is in net for the Leafs. Theodore for the Caps.
- Four minutes in and the Leafs take the first penalty — Van Ryn for delay of game.
- And just like that, Backstrom evens it up with an interference call.
- Both penalties killed off.
- Bradley and Ondrus just squared off with a nice 2 round bout. I’ll call it two rounds and Ondrus fell to the ice and came back up for more. Bradley got him down a second time, so we’ll give the decision to Bradley.
- Oh, there was also a late game scratch for tonight. #8 is not playing as he has some lingering issues from that slapshot to the foot in practice yesterday. My son will be happy he missed this game. By the way, this is only the fourth game Alex has missed.
- The Caps fail to clear the crease, Theodore is taken out of the play by Blake and Mitchell puts it in. The zebras are conferring. No goal due to contact with the goaltender. No penalty, either.
- I went to the dentist for a cleaning today. I probably shouldn’t be eating this popcorn.
- Late period penalty with Van Ryn whistled for interference with 1:38 left to go.
- A big round of applause for the in-game pop-up video featuring Brashear and his fists.
- Nice late game pressure from the Caps on the PP, but no goal. Period ends 0-0. Shots on goal Caps 12 / Leafs 9.
- The “new Screech” from the Nationals is out with Slapshot and the Mites on Ice. One bird looks like an eagle, the other….. a chicken.
- I predict A LOT of scoring in the 2nd because I will be walking around the Phone Booth taking pictures.
2nd Period
- I spent the period walking around taking a few pictures. Some of them will be up in a little while. Did I miss anything? Didn’t look like it.
3rd Period
- Toronto takes a penalty pulling down Laich, then Semin evens it up. 4 – on -4.
- No one scored on the 4-on-4, but now with 10 mintues left in the game, Toronto has jumped out 2-0. Shots on goal? Caps 35 / Leafs 23. That Gerber acquisition is looking pretty good, eh? Goals by Stempniak and Kubina.
- The fans have unleashed the fury ….. will the Caps without AO?
- Caps with a time-out. First the “Fury” video, and now “Inches”. The entertainment crew is pulling out all the stops.
- Kozlov gets pulled down in the corner. No call.
- The bench seems to be watching the in-house “Funny Follies”… um… how about a little strategy talk?
- 2 minutes left down by 2 and the crowd starts to head to the exits… including JT. Neuvirth is now in net.
- Neuvirth came in to sprint to the bench. Flu must have JT still feeling slow.
- Empty net. Missed passes. Boo birds are signing.
- Final minute Backstrom wins the faceoff to Gerber’s right, Semin picks it up and shoots it 5-hole for the Caps only tally.
Game is over. A 2-1 loss as the slide continues and more ground is lost.
Three Stars
3- Semin
2- Mitchell
1- Gerber
7 Comments
Wait, so the new Screech is even worse than the old one?
About Screech, see for yourself:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2009/03/about_screechs_unveiling.html
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2009/03/see_screech_dance.html
1. On the power play, move. A stagnant power play is easy to defend. But if the attackers are on the move, it gets a whole lot tougher. There was waaaay too much standing around. (Was the in-game stat right? The Caps are 2nd in the league on the PP?)
2. Pay attention to what teammates are doing. Use them when three defensemen are coving you. That means someone’s open. Also pay attention to see if said players have already fallen back into a defensive posture before you pass the puck. (It will also keep you from running into your teammate center ice.)
The Fury was only half-unleashed, at least where I was sitting.
If a goal is disallowed for contact with the goalie, why is it not a goaltender interference penalty? (And show video of this to last year’s officials)
Someone in my row was asking about the goalie switch. Aside from Neuvirth skating to the bench faster, it also afforded some extra seconds of rest for the Caps (since the timeout had already been used).
Fedorov did a great job flying back on defense to disrupt the breakaway he caused.
Not a great game by any means, but at least they showed up tonight. And Semin seemed to take it upon himself to fill in for Ovechkin.
Nothing says Caps hockey better than the boo birds despite a great season going on.
hahaha!
Typical D.C. fair weather fans…
Bandwagoning… jokes.
Can’t wait to see the Caps fall on their face again in the playoffs.
Now you all realize how important OV is to your team. Good luck when hes out there and you all still cant score as hes defended more in the rest of season and playoffs.
Nice NONmoves GMGM… you all missed a great chance to add support and experience.
To quote the late Herb Brooks… (I hope you all know who he is)
“You dont have enough talent to win on talent alone!”
Wow… bitter much, MRJ? Not sure why you’re so miserably negative, but I hope for your sake (and the sake of anyone who has to spend time with you) that you cheer up and get a life.
Obviously this is your first visit to our site — asking if we know who Herb Brooks is when we do features for the Miracle on Ice aniversary every year, well that just shows your own ignorance.
Feel free to return if/when you have something useful to contribute to a conversation. ‘Til then, enjoy stewing in your bile.
@ MRJ…
I didn’t happen to notice who YOUR team is from your post? My guess is the Fish- I mean Islanders? Sorry we didn’t trade two or three good prospects for a hobbled Guerin and a bag of pucks. I’m also going to waste some time (on you, MRJ) pointing out that an OT game 7 loss to an eventual Conference Finalist is hardly “falling on our faces” as you put it. Sure it was disappointing, but so was being dead last in the East in late November before Gabby came to save ‘em. Do YOU know who Gabby is, Ken Jennings of all things hockey?
*sniff sniff* I smell “Troll”…
Well played sir, well played!
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