In Glacialis Blog

Unus via ut pervenio eduro nox noctis’ PowerBall- victor-odds verto of vices in Ottawa est ut EGO did, in nebulosus disbelief, per suffragium of paramedics. Clutching lapels of similitudo jacket of tener mulier ex Bethesda-Chevy Fugo eripio squad supplex super mihi in meus domus near 1100: permaneo nox noctis, oxygen os super meus visio, EGO eram validus ut balbutio sicco “ nos vere. . . Orchestra. . . 13-1 ingressus. . .?” EGO suspectus is eram ex Minnesota vel Alberta, pro is dedi mihi tepidus of smiles quod nutus of affirmation. Quod a victoria beer.

Alius via ut pervenio est per solamen tamen quoque indignatio. Vacuus Sarcalogos Expedio quod vacuus Alexander Semin — 68 calx of absentis, nos erant jugiter admonitio is week — Caps have captus down suggero of Ontario nuper per duco of 11-2. Pestifer vere pulvis’ an indulgeo pro longinquus losing; iam nos teneo they vere cant’ exsisto unus huic poema poematis of Lavatio Caput. Quod nos teneo is: is team, vel absentis a iugo of key secui, est idoneus of lascivio valde hockey — tamen vos wouldnt’ volo ut bet caveo in lemma effectus is nox noctis in quod nox noctis sicco.

Quare cant’ they? Quare must estus exsisto verto sursum, sportstalk ostendo fomenting per hockey salutor rabies, huic team ut respondeo per skating splendens quod ferreus pro 60 minutes? Plures Caps’ fans inter urbs amo sententia Cogo Hanlon bought sui duos vel three weeks’ dignitas of additional officium obses per permaneo nox noctis’ attonitus eventus. EGO vere reputo praecessi suffulcio theca obviam him.

Olie Kolzig eram a silicis in net permaneo nox noctis, tamen is didnt’ have subsisto in suus caput capitis. Suus team ludio ludius ut puteus pro him. Orchestra, scriptor of optimus satus ut a season in NHL history, didnt’ dedi sursum a campester, take--W- pro- tribuo nixus; they skated ferreus quod splendidus, quod they ludio ludius fortiter quod professorius in tertius period. Tamen ordine illic erant adversus virga in suum obduco lanes, crus custodiae custodie in suum surculus Angli. Caput permaneo nox noctis sent sicco amoveo secundum amoveo of trado perturbatio, ile, quod dolus in negotium of victoria.

They ludio ludius desparatus hockey.

Forsit est, nos dont’ animadverto is sepius. Quod nos nunquam animadverto is convenienter.

Is est a team idoneus of shutting sicco ‘ baculus, humiliating Folium, debello optimus team in hockey in suus domus glacies. Tamen is est quoque a team idoneus of vultus mismatched obviam Isles.

Is est aliquantulus of a cliche, tamen in lusum certain teams, per rectum of suum maddening inconstantia, es designo ut lascivio sursum vel tenus campester of competition they visio. Is Caps’ squad est in cue auditioning pro talis a statua.

(qualis of convenienter would EGO peto? Ut of Metros’ disruptions, profero quod dysfunctions.)

Meus spes ingressus is season eram ut a universus sors of losing in repens seasons had bred a bile quod contemptio pro is inter a core of Caps. Ut medium-February Tuesday nox noctis compositus per Pardus would exsisto met per Vetus Vicis Orneriness. Maybe is etiam mos. Cogo Hanlon EGO reputo planto a mediocris cuspis in animadverto postulo ut mesh non tantum suus solvo procurator newcomers per suus core tamen quattuor vel quinque AHL graduates pariter. Tamen hora of meshing est super nos.

Sic is member of jury est etiam consilium. EGO may have a verdict adveho tardus Imbuo nox noctis.

Quis would a manus manus of hockey bloggers careo divinatio pro novus NHL season?

Nos dont’ vindicatum potior aut crystallus ball vel spys’ eyes inside palaestra castra of 29 alius stipes, tamen nos sententia is vires exsisto benevolens ut nostrum lector ut congero a album of offseason ( quod tardus permaneo season) ludio ludius tractus, in a concisus lima, quod have aliquantulus fun vitualamen sursum nullus- quoque-accountable “ pollex Sursum” vel “ pollex Down” forecasts pro totus 30 teams.

Basically, a team meritus a “ pollex sursum” si nos sententia suus manuevering quod maturation innutum ut itd’ amplio super suus 2006-07 cuspis numerus. Stipes ut “ subsisto pat” vel engineered boneheaded volo quod/ vel inedicabilis, altus- terminus solvo procurator farewells erant awarded “ pollex down.”

Sic weve’ dummodo panton “primer” a puckhead could postulo hic.

Praeter beer.

Team	Comings	Iens	Juvenis est Servo	Verdict
	Mathieu Schneider	Selanne quod Neidermeyer ( pro iam?), Pulvis Penner	Bobby Ryan
	Eric Perrin, Ken Klee, Todd Niveus	Scott Mellanby, Crur Hnidy, Glen Metropolit, Keith Tkachuk, Denis Harniis, Eric Belanger,	Bryan Parum(?)
	Glen Metropolit, Aaron Pupillus pupilla, Peter Schaefer	Crur Donovan	Res Ferito (?)
	Jocelyn Thibault	Fere sulum	Dan Paille, Drew Baculus
	Adrian Aucoin, David Vigoratus, Cory Sarich, Owen Nolan	Tony Inter, Jeff Amicus, Romanorum Hamrlik, Brad Stuart, Andrei Zyuzin	Eric Nystrom (?)
	Res Runco	Jack Johnson, Anson Currus, David Tanabe	Nullus	Hmm . . .
	Brent Spoel, Robert Lingua, Sergei Samsanov, Andrei Zyuzin, Yanic Perreault	Michal Manus manus, Adrian Aucoin, Peter Vinculum, Jason Cullimore	Jonathon Toews, Pium Kane, Jack Solers
	Scott Hannan, Ryan Smyth,	Ken Klee, Pierre Turgeon, Ossi Vaananen, Pium Brisebois	Nullus
	Michael Peca, Jiri Novotny	Vepres Boucher, Bryan Berard	Gilbert Brule, Insulto Orichalcum (?)	Hmm . . .
	Todd Fedoruk	Res Barnaby, Jon Klemm, Eric Lindros, Ladislav Nagy, Pium Stefan, Darryl Sydor	Niklas Grossman
	Vepres Rafalski, Dallas Drake	Robert Lingua, Todd Bertuzzi, Kyle Calder, Danny Vestigium, Mathieu Schneider	Igor Grigorenko
	Crusta Acidus, Joni Pitkanen, Pulvis Penner, Denis Grebeshkov, Dick Tarnstrom	Ryan Smyth, Joffrey Lupul, Petr Sykora, Jason Smith	Sam Gagner, Ryan OMarra’ (?)	Hmm . . .
	Uber Zednik, Radek Dvorak, Tomas Vokoun	Ed Belfour, Alex Auld, Bellicus Gelinas, Sarcalogos Memor, Todd Bertuzzi	Nullus
	Brad Stuart, Tom Preissing, Kyle Calder, Michal Manus manus, Ladislav Nagy	Mathieu Garon, Jamie Heward, Tom Kostopoulos, Jamie Lundmark, Aaron Miller	Jonathon Bernier, Jack Johnson
	Eric Belanger, Sean Tumulosus,	Ratio Fernandez, Todd Niveus	Benoit Fomentum (?)	Hmm . . .
	Romanorum Hamrlik, Bryan Smolinski, Tom Kostopoulos	Crusta Acidus, Radek Bonk, Sergei Samsanov, Mike Johnson	Tutela Pretium, Kyle Chipchura, Andrei Kostitsyn
	Bellicus Gelinas, Radek Bonk	Fere sulum	Villa Koistinen, Kevin Klein (?)
	Fastidiosus Zubrus, Vitali Vishnevski, Kevin Weekes, Karel Rachunek	Scott Gomez, Vepres Rafalski	Nicklas Bergfors (?)
	Bill Guerin, Mike Socius, Ruslan Fedotenko	Fere sulum	Sean Bergenheim (?)
	Scott Gomez, Sarcalogos Drury	Michael Nylander, Karel Rachunek, Res Runco, Kevin Weekes, Brad Isbister	Proficiscor Staal, Ryan Callahan (?)
	Tondeo Donovan, Luke Richardson, Denis Harniis	Mike Socius, Tom Preissing, Peter Schaefer, Oleg Saprykin	Nick Foligno, Vepres Lee
	Daniel Concisus, Joffrey Lupul, Jason Smith, Bellicus Biron, Scott Upshall, Kimo Timonen	Peter Forsberg, Joni Pitkanen, Kyle Calder, Robert Esche, Todd Fedoruk, Mike York	Braydon Coburn, Ryan Parentis
	Alex Auld, Radim Vrbata, Niko Kapanen, Mike York	Owen Nolan, Jeremy Roenick, Velum Joseph, Mike Ricci	Peter Mueller
	Darryl Sydor, Gary Roberts, Petr Sykora	Eric Cairns, Joel Kwiatkowski, Jocelyn Thibault, Michel Ouellet, Nils Ekman, Josef Melichar	Kristopher Letang
	Craig Flumen, Jeremy Roenick	Scott Hannan, Bill Guerin, Vesa Toskala	Nullus	Hmm . . .
	Paul Kariya, Keith Tkachuk	Radek Dvorek, Dallas Drake, Glen Metropolit, Jamie Flumen	Erik Johnson
	Michel Ouellet, Sarcalogos Memor, Jan Hlavac	Cory Sarich, Ruslan Fedotenko, Eric Perrin	Karri Ramo (?)
	Jason Blake, Vestigium Campana, Vesa Toskala	Jeff ONeill’, Michael Peca, Yanic Perreault, J.S. Aubin	Jiri Tlusty (?)
	Brad Isbister, Ryan Crur	Bryan Smolinski, Brent Sopel, Jan Bulis, Rory Fitzpatrick,	Luc Bourdon (?)
	Michael Nylander, Viktor Kozlov, Tom Venenum	Fastidiosus Zubrus, Kris Beech, Bryan Muir, Jiri Novotny	Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Viridis, Tomas Flesichmann

Caps denique preseason venatus nisus per nonnullus bonus novus quod nonnullus nocens novus. Ut usquequaque huic tractus, nocens novus primoris: A damnum, obviam Orientales Placitum champs quisnam did non vestio a plenus reular season cadre. bonus novus: team vultus aliquanto cohesive, quod is videor amo fans have a causa pro nonnullus bene is Cado, quod est a exspectata change.

• Of nonnullus sollicitudo est ut Olie Kolzig iterum vultus minor quam acer. Kolzig est a professio quisnam teneo quam paro quod had a firmus season permaneo annus, tamen ullus hesito procul goaltending positus in upcoming campaign could derail ullus postseason spera.
• Venenum quod Ovechkin had pauci lascivio qua they vultus amo they es orsa ut lego invicem. Youd’ diligo video vidi visum ut persevero.
• Iterum ostendo suus versatility, Sarcalogos Expedio eram efficens ut versus sursum per Nicklas Backstrom quod Michael Nylander in locus of an vulnero Alexander Semin. Suus’ nice scio ut si necessarius Expedio can lascivio in aut of caput capitis duos versus.
• Quidam quaedam quedam quidam a insolitus moment ut Res Bradley, pro haud scius causa, skates vox in Revolvo Laich secundum Voluntas’ net. Odd, ut.
• Jeff Schultz vultus aliquantulus lost in alter Orchestra’ calx, ut had is locus puck, ut’ an securus videlicet pro him.
• Res Pettinger persevero suus quietis, praeclarus castra, propono caput capitis defensabiliter awareness ut is gets tergum tectum parumper pinching tutaminis, skating tergiversatio quod vis Ottawa Orchestra vello sursum procul Caps’ blueline. Lectulus lascivio ut Peius’ bet cogo amo multus.
• Flesichmann addo puck sursum quod stickhandles dum probatur suus bene, tunc curo impetro sui clobbered obviam vas quoniam is didnt’ planto a sententia velox satis. Suus’ a opus in progressio.
• Nicklas Backstrom quoque showcased suus defensabiliter acumen ut is rectus coniecto ut Nylander eram iens habeo puck captus ex him. Backstrom eram iam in defensabiliter positus ut takeaway venio. Praeter quisquam, suus’ Backstroms’ 10- annus-veteran campester of defensabiliter officium ut infigo mihi. Laxus, is lucrum plaga quod decursus per plures inimicus odio nonnullus propinquus reprehendo, tunc partum a species ustulo chance. Is may non adepto magnus headlines, tamen tener Swede does multus of vegrandis res.
• EGO cant’ envision a scaena vox iam qua Mike Viridis est usquam alius in a Caps’ sudo in Oris Nox noctis.

Is wasnt’ a lucror, tamen Caps propinquus sicco preseason in a decens nota, quod per pauci glaring sollicitudo, quod pauci valetudo proventus — infligo in wood. Miserabile, tunc quattuor-plus dies es amo repere per ut nos specto denique roster tweaks quod denique adepto video vidi visum novus, amplio Caps in glacies.

Emendo ex Gustafsson: Is eram venatus vos could suscipio a solvo ticket per praesagium a DC Iunctus ticket pugnax ut arca archa muneris ticket EGO suscipio eram in Section 120, Row O, a $95 visio pendo Certainly non a nocens pendo.

Sulum memor beatdown Orchestra calx Ray Emery gave Sabres netminder Testis Biron . . . tamen hic’ nonnullus valde pes ex Emerys’ dies in Binghamton lascivio pro Voluntas’ AHL squad, ut is pummels non- calx Josh Memor of Philadelphia Phantoms:

dictata: Operornon mess per Ray Emery.

Iocus’ Rink permissum Caput’ angustus season ticket contemplatio ex pera ut quondam iterum broached thema of “ glacies Puella”. Neither OrderedChaos neque nec EGO suscipio season ticket contemplatio, sic nos dont’ teneo si is comprehendo praeter quinque questions memoratus per Iocus’.

Tametsi nos have penso informatio of Lavatio Caput’ Glacies Puella, nos dont’ teneo si is est a perfectus paciscor necne. Potissimum ceterus teams have iam held suum tryouts. Est Lavatio secundum curvo, sic oro? Vel have eximius specialis auditions iam been held quod glacies puella es promptus pello pepulli pulsum glacies in September 8th?

In ullus theca, nos erant curiosus ut ut quot alius teams have talis squads. refero may admiratio vos.

• Anaheim Ducks Vox Ludio ludius
• Atlanta Thrashers Puteulanus Crew
• Boston Frendo Glacies Puella ( link ut Glacies Puella pelagus page eram lost secundum profugus ut NHL servo)
• Calgary Flamma Glacies Crew
• Carolina Turbo Tempestas Squad
• Pullus Blackhawks Glacies Crew
• Columbus Puteulanus Jackets (quisnam vere have 2 humus) - Vox Patronus & Glacies Crew
• Dallas Astrum Glacies Puella
• Florida Pardus Glacies Presul
• Nashville Predators (quisnam quoque have 2 humus)
• Calx Puella
• Presul
• NY Insula Glacies Puella
• Ottawa Orchestra Vox Patronus (magis of a phasmatis humus quinymo quam glacies puella/cheerleaders)
• Philadelphia Flyers Glacies Team
• Phoenix Coyotes Sarcina
• Pitsburgh Penguins Pens Patronus (magis of a phasmatis humus quinymo quam glacies puella/cheerleaders)
• Tampa Sinus Levitas Puella
• Vancouver Canucks Glacies Team

update[: Dan Steinberg est procul Kettler quod has non seen ullus “ glacies- substructio letifico alio”]
update[ 2: Dan Steinberg suscipio confirmation ex Nate Ewell, Presul of Interventus Consanguinei, ut illic erohaud glacies- substructio letifico alio roaming Phone Tabernus is season.]

A compelling mane storyline in 2007 solvo procurator season est telum’ race within Atlantic divortium — truculenter similis solvo- prodigo dies praevius ut NHLs’ 2004 obfirmo — dum Northeast divortium videor impleo futurus picked tersus.

Flyers quod GM Paul Holmgren signaled their intention of carus revamping suum roster ahead of permaneo weekends’ Viscus Draft, ut they largior opprimo parumper iugum of six- annus pactum pro nuper us Predators Kimmo Timonen ($38 million) quod Scott Hartnell ($25 million). Ut is they added UFA cardo Daniel Concisus in Sunday, obfirmo him sursum pro duodeviginti annus procul $6.5 million per.

Quoque yesterday Holmgren traba sicco spondeo young Finnish tutor Joni Pitkanen pro Oilers’ caput Jason Smith quod in- iterum, off- iterum volatilis Joffrey Lupul. Si illic’ unus res ut exsisto mico ex totus sudo-changing on Prolixus Vicus is offseason, suus’ ut obfirmo cella chemistry permaneo season eram aliquantulus of a weakpoint. Another vires exsisto: Holgren quod Flyers’ procuratio est abyssus- curvus in prodigo suum via out of it. 

Non futurus diffusus per a divortium certantibus — vel quisquam, illo res — Rangers fantasy’ league GM Glen Sather ponied sursum a combined $85 million in Sunday parumper iugum of no. 1.5 centers, Sarcalogos Drury and Scott Gomez. Drury has 70 calx suus preteritus duos seasons, quod ut talis forsitan est signum sui a legio 30- calx guy ( utique in 110-pt. Sabre stipes), tamen in six of suus duodeviginti seasons he scored fewer quam 25. Is volvit 31 is Ales. Gomez est coming off a 13- calx campaign in Jersey, quod in six of suus septem magnus-league seasons has deficio ut ustulo 20 calx. Sic haud admiratio is meritus a $7-million- pupa-a- annus paciscor. Utique is can exsisto said ut dum per Diabolus Gomez skated in an obscoena modestus ratio, quod iam in Prolixus, hell enjoy’ aliquantum more freedom. Like Concisus’ paciscor in Philly, illud pro novus Rangers’ centers tendoputeus in tunc decade.       

Drury quod Gomez es magnificabiliter hockey ludio ludius, and they are eximius pecuniosus iam. Tamen they quoque videor futurus valde similis ut caliber of ludio ludius cuius July pactum drove NHL in financial panic a mereo three annus abhinc.

Pittsburgh promptus believes that its Sto Vas aspirations postulo an anti- juvenis tractus: suus three plurimus significant roster additions, beginning per Februarys’ professio mortifer quod jugis in solvo procurator, es Gary Roberts, Petr Sykora ( decens- tamen- in- senium unus), quod Darryl Sydor.   

EGO have a difficilis vicis opus sursum ullus sympathy pro Jersey Diabolus, tamen in iustus preteritus iugo of annus hes’ vigilo amo of Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, Petr Sykora, quod Scott Gomez ingredior absentis, uncompensated pro. Hes’ got a torqueo novus aedificium edificium expleo explevi expletum showcasing hockey ut is oriens videor, si possible, vel magis boring than that of preteritus six vel septem annus.  

Tamen ut ambitus nos should sentio ullus sympathy pro ullus alius Orientales placitum certantibus ( quod Im’ non consilium nos should), take a inviso roadkill carcass in Porro Insula. Absentis es Ryan Smyth, Tom Venenum, Jason Blake, Viktor Kozlov, quod ( misericordaliter) Alexei Yashin. Team Wang did adaugeo Jon Sim. (ut’ scilicet got phones of the Isles’ venditio baculus buzzing. Remember) permaneo estas ut UFA subcribo Brendan Witt sermo of quispiam proprius res constructum in Porro Insula? Its not’ a porro super replacement pro Nassau Mausoleum, quod suus’ certus non a postseason hockey stipes in ‘07-’08.  

Meanwhile, res certus es acquisition- quietis in Northeast, quod certainly est melior quam res via pickings in Isle. Pro weeks totus Audivi inter ‘Net garrio eram quam Bob Lucrum quod Montreal erant positus facio a magnus incumbo of a medius roster. Ut may etiam venio, buit itll’ take trades ut perficio is — altus- terminus solvo procurator tractus obduco lemma per unacted-upon. Free procurator “Bridesmaids” est operative vox ex Montreal mane is week. Lucrum lost venatus’ plurimus fearsome cuspis presentia in Crusta Acidus quod tardus is meridianus restituo him per Romanorum Hamrlik. Downgrade.   

Folium, amo Habs, erant forecast futurus offseason roster permoveo quod infirmo. They venit ex porta Sunday quod subcribo Jason Blake. Suus 40 calx permaneo season erant a breakthrough. Vel a Brady Anderson mico- in--pan. He volvit 34 is September.

Bs requiro playoffs quod have quoque sat etiam. Ottawa est in optimus vultus of quislibet in Northeast, having drafted sic puteus primoris, medius, quod tardus in drafts, sursum frons quod in blueline. Etiam, tardus Monday is videor tanquam Orientales champs erant slated perdo species blueliner Tom Preissing. Voluntas have been picked at the preteritus duos summers by free procurator quod es iam iunctus per Plaga ut victor of suum superstes success.  

Si Insula have subnuba in roster-gutting, suus’ Plaga. Permaneo season Sabres erant laudabilis pro suum quattuor- versus depth. Theyll’ need emergency reserves in ‘07-’08, causa theyve’ lost 150 cuspis down medius. Tristis, isnt’ is?

Inferus has, EGO reputo, showcased unus headline ludio ludius in solvo procurator eatenus, quod ut’ quisnam is necessarius futurus: nos in D.C.  

Gustafsson quod EGO vigilo Venatus 4 of Sto Vas Denique in Canadian soil — procul Canadian Legatio in Lavatio, DC. Elliot Segal eram illic leto in Voluntas, ut erant socius blogger amicitiaDC Lusum Pullus, 1/2 Asian Vir, quod Ken of Iocus’ Rink. Vos can animadverto Elliot evinco ( per per ceterus nostrum) per Inicio Alo’ blustery tirade obviam parcus hockey elbow pads in recedentia vox of magnus-screen photo subter supter.

vicis eram populus perConnect2Canada, “a via ut verto novus quod informatio, quod expiscor quis est venio in U.S. finitumus Canalis” norma eram fundator duos annus abhinc per quondam Orator Francisca McKenna, quod est a valde radix pro notitia super nostrum vicinus ut north.

Ut sanctus mica of Canadian beer, Alexander Keiths’, eram quoque tendo, ultum ut letifico of vesper’ famulor. Vel melior, nos erant thrilled ut reperio auctorizopoutine: fanaticus amicus topped with cheese curds (squeaky cheese!) and gravy. Trust me, try some if you get the chance; Gustafsson practically had a gravy IV.

While the result of the game disappointed the crowd of Canadians and Canadian well-wishers, the event was a rousing success. Embassy staffers were even kind enough to escort a few of us to the roof for a few photos. Additional thanks to 1/2 Asian Man [and DC Sports Chick] for snapping a few of the interior photos, particularly the one of me gleefully reveling behind our many beverage containers.

(Continued)

Special thanks to Bernie at the Canadian Embassy for providing me special access to photograph the Canadian and Ottawa Senators flags flying over the embassy. Unfortunately, Mother Nature did not even send as much as a puff of wind to unfurl the flags.

Thanks also to Nicole at the embassy who sent us a wonderful picture taken on May 30th by Embassy Event Manager Glen Bullard. Glen had Mother Nature on his side that day.

OFB will have more from our embassy visit later.

Truth be told, I’m not an Alanis Morisette fan. Just not my thing, nothing personal. However, she and her 20,500 background singers taught me a lesson in how one is supposed to sing their national anthem tonight.

I’ve never been at a sporting event (or any other event for that matter) where a crowd sang so enthusiastically and without self-consciousness the anthem of their country. Maybe I haven’t been to the right games. Maybe our anthem is too tough. Maybe I’ve just been oblivious (which happens with an uncomfortable regularity), but it occurs to me that how it was done tonight is the way it should be done.

As I’ve been guilty of not singing, or singing under my breath, I have no right to talk. So, the next time I’m at a Caps game and not working in the press box, I’ll do it. I’ll be that guy. I’m not gifted with a particularly good singing voice, and goodness knows I may embarrass and/or enrage those around me. Maybe I’m just a softie. But I’ll do it.

And no, I’m still not shouting “O.”

[OFB Edit: A Sens fan recorded the anthem from his seat at ScotiaBank Place and we’d like to share it with you]

[OFB Edit 2: Here is a split screen video of both the NBC and CBC feed of both anthems.]

For the past nine years I’ve watched the Stanley Cup Finals with dispassionate interest, not having a proverbial dog in the fights. That streak ends later today, with the arrival of Game 1 tonight in Anaheim. Twice during the regular season I noticed an unusual interest among the Washington hockey press (its old guard, anyway) associated with the arrival of the Ottawa Senators at Verizon Center. Quickly I realized that nearly 20 years after he’d last coached a game behind the Washington Capitals’ bench Bryan Murray retained a sizable segment of friends here.

Initially I thought it a bit ironic that much of the Washington media would regard Murray so warmly, for it treated him with little warmth and affection as he became inextricably linked with the Capitals’ ’80s playoff shortcomings. But over the past three decades Murray’s career has migrated into one of genuine distinction and accomplishment in the game — from south Florida to Hockeytown to now in Canada’s capital, Murray has earned deserved acclaim; he’s a hockey man of the first order.

Time has a way of affording not merely perspective but also a healthy healing of hockey hurts, and today I think I am joined by hundreds, perhaps thousands of Washington hockey fans who, whatever our disappointment with and criticism of Bryan Murray two decades ago, this morning want nothing so much as to see him prevail in his ultimate postseason challenge.

It’s worth remembering how significant Murray’s tenure in D.C. was. There was a veritable carousel of Caps’ head coaches preceding Murray’s hiring in November 1981: six different coaches in the Capitals’ first seven years, among them Jim Anderson, Milt Schmidt, Tommie McVie, Danny Belisle, Gary Green. Bryan Murray’s first accomplishment with the Caps was bringing stability to a position that had never known it. He also guided the team to its first-ever postseason appearance, in 1983. The following season, 1983-84, Murray won the Jack Adams award. He remains the only Caps’ coach so honored.

He won only one Patrick Division title, ironically in his last season here, in 1989, but consider that his Caps’ clubs ever were competing against Al Arbour’s dynastic New York Islanders (beginning in 1980, Stanley Cup champs consecutively through 1983) as well as perenially strong Flyers’ and Rangers’ teams. In a lot of those seasons there was a great deal of truth to the adage that the second-best club in the Patrick division was also the league’s second-best (the 1980 Cup finals featured the Isles against the Flyers). Beginning with his 1983-84 Caps Bryan Murray would guide the club to three consecutive 100-pt. seasons, including 107 points in ‘85-86, and earn not one division title.

Looking back on the 1980s Caps with the advantage of hindsight, it appears quasi miraculous that Murray’s clubs were as competitive as they were with Arbour’s Isles, one of the great dynasties in NHL history, particularly in the postseason. Murray had Langway, while Arbour had Denis Potvin. Arbour had Billy Smith, and later Kelly Hrudey, while Murray went into postseasons with the likes of Al Jensen, Pat Riggin, Bob Mason, Pete Peeters, Clint Malarchuk, and Don Beaupre. Nice goalies, but obviously, not a Hall of Famer among them. We old timers have spent the past 10 or 15 years perpetually playing the great what-if: What if Bryan Murray had had Olaf Kolzig behind those terrific ’80s bluelines?

Of course, for Washington’s columnists and very part-time hockey observers, Murray was ultimately judged a regular season hero and a postseason goat. But this morning, look who’s persevered. Entering the 2006-07 season Murray ranked sixth in the NHL in all-time games coached (1,057) and seventh for wins (513).

Almost wherever he’s coached pedestrian netminding has often been believed to be Bryan Murray’s postseason undoing, and heading into this postseason, while I liked the look of the Ottawa Senators through all four forward lines and three defensive pairings, Ray Emery seemed to invite the same sense of trepidation for Murray’s admirers. Maybe, just maybe, we’re seeing the maturation of Emery into one of the league’s elite. Of his coach, that accomplishment occurred many years and hundreds of wins ago.

DJ Gallo, writer at ESPN, The Sports Pickle, and others, posted a fun Stanley Cup Finals Q & A on ESPN’s Page 2 I thought you’d enjoy. Here’s an excerpt:

If during this series anyone says “Getting Jiggy with it” in relation to Jean-Sebastien Giguere, am I allowed to punch that person in the throat?

Most definitely. In fact, I encourage it. And then once this person falls to the ground, follow up with a kick to the throat, too.

His discussion of the Finals’ likely television viewership is classic. Bathe in the sarcasm!

The Eastern and Western Conference Teams and Finals are now set. The Eastern Conference final has #1 Buffalo vs. #4 Ottawa starting on Thursday. The Western Conference final has #1 Detroit vs. #2 Anaheim starting on Friday.

Some tight-checking, defensive hockey over the weekend, including the rise of a player I’ve never been a particular fan of.

• Say what you want about his diving and his off-ice antics, but Sean Avery has been playing excellent hockey for the New York Rangers, in many cases being their best player on a given night. I’ll never be a fan, but props to his remarkable playoff performance so far.



• The Red Wings surprised me on Saturday. I thought for sure that San Jose had asserted themselves, but the play of much-travelled Dan Cleary has them tied in a series I thought was definitely going the Sharks’ way.
• It was close, but I think the video judges made an error on the disputed goal at MSG yesterday. The calls, in general, have been very odd in that series, and in the Sabres’ favor. I’m not an indulger in conspiracies, and I don’t think there’s any bias in the officiating, just some bad calls are being made, and they’re being called on the Rangers. The Sabres are a skilled, fast team, and that creates opportunities for the refs to call a penalty with only a split-second to make a decision. Buffalo Coach Lindy Ruff complaining about the officiating was out-of-line, if predictable.
• Zubrus has really been throwing the body this series, though his hit on Jagr looked a little low to me.
• I’ve liked Jonathan Cheechoo’s effort in the Detroit series.
• Anaheim is big, physical, and skilled. Vancouver did a fantastic job stealing a game from them, but I can’t see them taking it from the Ducks. The Canucks got good games from Luongo, the Sedins and Naslund and still lost. That doesn’t bode well.
• Martin Broduer looked like his old self on Saturday, which is bad news for Ottawa. The series is too close for me to strongly favor either team, but goaltending makes and breaks playoff series.

A fun hockey weekend, and it’s always nice when there’s an early game and an evening game, so you can catch both without staying up to 1 am. Back to the late-night grind tonight.

The Thursday post-work agenda is slobber-inducing: mosy on over to the Capitol Hill home of close friends and take in Game 5 on their straight-out-of-the-delivery-box-on-Wednesday, 46-inch hi-def television. I’m distinctly technology challenged, but I believe it boasts something like a million pixels. Tonight’s game will literally be its first program viewed. What a baptism! Given the about-to-be-vanquished backdrop for the flightless fowl, the March of the Penguins to the first tee, I feel as if I should arrive in a tuxedo.

A Comcast technician has been lavishly bribed to arrive there this morning and ensure smooth connection to Versus. It occurs to me that I have not watched an end-of-series shaking of hands in high definition. What a way to end that virginity. At approximately 9:25 this evening I expect to be seated approximately six feet from this wetting of my eyes window, tears of unrelenting Schadenfreude joy streaming down my cheeks and staining my “Iron City Is Swill” t-shirt.

If with the aid of forklifts one were able to draw back the manes of western Pennsylvania mullets this morning one would find an uncommon tally of golf pegs tucked behind ears.

The best part is the manner with which the Mullets are being dispatched. It isn’t as if they are carrying the play only to be bested by a standing-on-his-head Ray Emery. Their best player is 40 years old. And Canada’s preeminent hockey voice is calling out Sir Sidney’s incessant whining on national television.

The reality is as simple as it is undeniable: the Penguins are inadequate. First round inadequate.

What would make my evening completely perfect? If during the center ice shaking of hands Coach Murray were to make his way over the Mullet staff, reach out his hand to Coach Therrien’s, and whisper, “While scouting you guys we watched tape of March 27 in D.C., all that riff-raff in the stands bused in on a weeknight when the rest of the country had to be at work the following morning.”

“This one was for my friends in D.C., too.”

A fella can dream a little, can’t he?

No sweeps tonight, which I selfishly like, as it means more hockey to watch.

• New York was all over the Thrashers, who look turned around. Goalie changes aren’t helping, and the team seems to be on the ropes. You have to wonder if Don Waddell’s much-publicized late-season moves will come back to haunt him in the off-season. His guarantee of last season didn’t end his tenure in Atlanta, but this was an aggressive and public push to get deep in the post-season.
• Gary Roberts has been a huge addition for Pittsburgh. He’s a fixture on the ice late for the Penguins.
• Ilya Kovalchuk going after Sean Avery, that’s frustration. Kovalchuk actually got a shot or two in.
• Ottawa’s first goal is exactly the kind of fluke goal that seems to happen to M-A Fleury.
• Mike Comrie is playing out of his mind right now.
• Dan Cleary clocked Dion Phaneuf, then created a Detroit goal. I never expected to type those words in that order, but all c