Tuesday, March 11, 2008

When You're Hot, You're Hot. When You're Not...

So, yeah, things were looking up for the Caps, but not so much anymore. Not after this past weekend, anyways. To catch you up on things, the Caps ended up obtaining the rights to G Cristobal Huet from the Montreal Canadiens for next to nothing at the trade deadline. They also managed to get Sergei Fedorov (yes, the Sergei Fedorov) from the Blues and Matt Cooke from the Canucks for Matt Pettinger. So we compiled a nice little roster for our nice little playoff run.

Prior to the deadline, the Caps had to play the Devils, the best team in the Eastern Conference. The Caps lose on their home ice, 2-1 in OT. So, trade deadline done, Caps are looking pretty unstoppable at this point. First up is Minnesota at home. Not a bad matchup. Caps win, things look good. Next test is on the road against the Devils, who had just beat them, barely. Caps get a 4-1 win away from the Phone Booth. Then they have a minor slip up at home against the Maple Leafs. The Leafs are not too hot of a team, so to get beat at home to them kinda stinks, but we'll get over it. Next up at home are the Boston Bruins. In the first meeting between the two teams, the Caps lost 2-0, and they have historically always been able to stop Ovie.

Well Ovie finally got over his goal drought in the loss to the Leafs. So hopefully he could get number 50 against the Bruins. I was there for this game, so I was really hoping for an Ovechkin goal. And as luck would have it, Ovie got a hat trick --- in the first period. The Caps killed the B's 10-2, scoring 6 goals in the first period alone. It was an unbelievable game, and one that I will not soon forget. The Caps were winning, convinceably, too. If they kept up this pace, they would most certainly be fighting for and winning a spot in the playoffs.

Next stop for the Caps: Buffalo. With the roll that they were on, nothing could stop this team. Ollie gets the start, despite the whole 3 goalie controversy, and the Caps get the 3-1 win, and Ovie picked up his 53rd and 54th goal. So the Caps head back out onto the road to face the Bruins, who the Caps demoralized just 5 days earlier. Think revenge was on their minds?

So here it is, a tight game, the Caps up 1-0 and midway through the 3rd period. The older, wiser journeyman Donald "Brash" Brashear is on the ice. Usually, I wouldn't complain. The guy isn't the best skater, but he's an agitator that can get this team pumped. Well stupid Brash gets three minor penalties in two plays at the 6:41 mark, putting him in the box for 6:00. Great they have a 6:00 power play!! Then a phantom hooking call on Erskine gives the Bruins a 2-man advantage a minute later. They score. Tied game. At the 2:56 mark Tom Poti is called with another phantom call for slashing. Everyone had thought the penalty was against Boston, making it a 4-on-4 game, which is awesome for the Caps, but no. It's another 2-man advantage for Boston, and you guessed it, another goal. Game over. Caps lose.

I think the stupidness of Brash's actions is what ultimately cost them that game. The playoffs are not looking as obtainable at this point. Plus, the Caps have the Pens at home tomorrow with a healthy Sidney Crosby. Plus, we all lost an hour of sleep. Could the Caps bounce back?

The game was a good one. NBC was in the Phone Booth broadcasting nationally. The Caps were looking good. Caps drew first blood when Brooks Laich deflected an Alexander Semin shot into the net. Less than a minute later, the Pens netted one to tie things up. Later, as a Pens power play was expiring Sidney Crosby netted a Malkin rebound to put the Penguins up 2-1. The Caps caught a break at the end of the 2nd period when they got a 2-man advantage in the waning minute or so. Semin netted one to tie the game. Start of the third, Caps come out on the ice with a minute or so power play that they do nothing with. A hard fought period with both teams making great shots, and both Huet and Fleurry making great saves. I look at my dad with a little less than a minute left in the game and say, "We really just need to at least get a point out of this game." Here's a video clip that just explains the rest for you:




So with Nicklas Backstrom being the goat and scoring for the Pens, the Caps go on to lose the game, and most likely their playoff chances. Backstrom probably lost the Calder trophy on that shot, as well. But there are other individual milestones the team can strive for. Ovechkin is still on that quest to 60, and the Caps can do what no other team has done since the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1988-89: have the overall leading goal scorer and the most goal-prolific defenseman. Mario Lemieux and Paul Coffey did it back then, and Ovie and Mike Green can do it this year. For now, I'm still rooting for our playoff miracle and holding out hope that the Southeast Division, minus the Caps, will crumble like stale saltines.


Oh and I'm going to the game on Friday against the Thrashers. Let the crumbling begin!!

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