10 February, 2012

Category Archives: Morning cup-a-joe

When Animals in Orange Attack

6 January, 2012

Last month I intimated that the reconstitution of the Patrick division represented something very special for Capitals fans. But by very special I didn’t mean always uplifting. Dateline, Philadelphia, January 5, 2012. Three Philadelphia Flyers fans are wanted by Philadelphia police for their role in beating two New York Rangers fans in the immediate aftermath [...]

Also filed in National Hockey League, Philadelphia Flyers, The Great Old Patrick Division, Winter Classic | Comments (4)

Size, of Body and Heart, Matters — Especially in 2012

31 December, 2011

Instructive moment: Rangers’ captain Ryan Callahan, made captain at so tender an age partly out of his affinity for playing December hockey games like they’re game 7s in May, blocked a John Carlson slapshot at the point the other night, and the selfless sacrifice led to a Rangers goal in transition seconds later. The block [...]

Also filed in Dale Hunter, George McPhee, HBO's 24/7, Jeff Schultz, New Jersey Devils, New media, New York Rangers, Old Time Hockey, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, The Great Old Patrick Division | Comments (6)

A Hockey Bar Is a Great Place To Meet a Hockey Legend

13 December, 2011

In Bugsy’s Sunday afternoon three Marines in their dress blues knew exactly who Dale Hunter was two tables over, and the coach knew exactly who they were. Coach Johnson, too, seated with his new boss, greeted the soldiers with warm respect and gratitude. I enjoyed being a witness to the moment. I enjoyed greatly seeing [...]

Also filed in Bugsy's, Dale Hunter, Hockey Heroes, Jim Johnson, Puck Sodas, Washington the hockey town | Comments (6)

Failure’s Blame Stretches Far and Wide

1 December, 2011

Some random observations and notes-sharing from a remarkable last 72 hours: There’s standup, and then there’s what Gabby offered the Washington Post’s Tarik El Bashir Wednesday morning — actually agreeing with Capitals management that it was time for a change behind the bench. He actually told General Manager George McPhee, “You’re doing what you have [...]

Also filed in Alexander Ovechkin, Bruce Boudreau, Dale Hunter, George McPhee, Joe Finley, Media, Print, Tarik El-Bashir, Washington Capitals, Washington Post | Comments (4)

A Grand Experiment Begins

29 November, 2011

Early Monday afternoon out at Kettler I approached a Capitals official while awaiting Dale Hunter’s first press conference as Capitals head coach, and thanked him for “the early Christmas present.” The team rep, smiling, replied, “We couldn’t stop [the gift giving] with just [John] Walton for you!” It was for me a special moment of [...]

Also filed in Bruce Boudreau, Capitals' greats of the past, Dale Hunter, George McPhee, John Walton, Old Time Hockey, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, Washington the hockey town | Comments (8)

Tallying the Warning Signs, It’s Time

28 November, 2011

This morning, we could look back on November 1 and Ovi’s outburst and deem it a moment of contempt . . . a mutinous moment, in fact.

Also filed in Alan May, Alexander Ovechkin, Bruce Boudreau, Dan Daly, Karl Alzner, Washington Times | Comments (18)

In an Autumn of Challenge, I’m Counting Special Blessings This Thanksgiving

23 November, 2011

I thought I knew what a really bad clock was — the one that counted down the Capitals’ demise in game 7 here against the Pens a couple of springs back. Not a terrific reckoning of time to be sure that night. But no way that moment in time had anything on the really bad [...]

Also filed in Eric McErlain, Francois Bouchard, Hershey Bears, Hockey Heroes, Kevin Kaminski, Tara Wheeler, Washington Capitals | Comments (4)

Reflections on the Post’s Survey of Our Sports Town Standing

26 October, 2011

If you haven’t read Dan Steinberg’s Washington Post essay on the District’s standing as a sports town, which ran on A1 this past Sunday, you really ought to. It’s underpinned by a significant survey of the region’s sports patronage/consumption patterns, and the analytical narrative Steinberg constructs is thoughtful and provocative. We’ve long known that we [...]

Also filed in Dan Steinberg, Media, Print, Washington Capitals, Washington Post, Washington the hockey town, Washington the would-be sports town | Comments (8)

The Club That’s Needed Has Been Built

24 October, 2011

The sort of Capitals club I’d want to see contest an NHL postseason would be able to roll four lines almost interchangeably, impact achieved rather uniformly among them, and cumulatively, deliver an impact that wears down a quality opponent the longer games go. In the absence of possessing an authentic “shutdown” defenseman, this designer Capitals [...]

Also filed in Alexander Ovechkin, Dennis Wideman, Jeff Halpern, Marcus Johansson, Mathieu Perreault, Mike Green, NHL playoffs, Old Time Hockey, playoff hockey, Tomas Vokoun, Troy Brouwer, Washington Capitals, Washington the hockey town | Comments (7)

Questions for a Hockey Club at a Crossroads

7 October, 2011

Yes, there are important, impact veteran additions to the Capitals roster for 2011-12, and yes the club likely will be backstopped by the finest talent they’ve had in net since Olie Kolzig more than 10 years ago. Yes, the Capitals again will boast as much high-end skill as any club in the NHL. Yes, returning [...]

Also filed in Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Bruce Boudreau, Dave Steckel, Ice, John Carlson, National Hockey League, NHL playoffs, Tomas Vokoun, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals | Comments (3)

© 2006-2012 On Frozen Blog All Rights Reserved