The Caps Deserve a Better Fate!
By Rodger M. WoodThe Caps deserve a better fate than losing the seventh game of the semi-finals to the New York Rangers in overtime last night 2-1 and losing their opportunity to be the winners of the 2015 Stanley Cup.I always thought the winners of the Washington Capitols/New York Rangers series would go onto win the Cup, although I hope now that the Chicago Black Hawks will win the West, prove a worthy opponent for New York, and hopefully pin their ears back.The Caps got the shaft in the 5th game when the referees disallowed Joel Ward’s goal. Lundquist was out of the net, Ward was bumped into him, and I think the referees were unduly influenced by the Broadway attraction of a New York national Stanley Cup series. It is the first time and probably the only time the Caps lost a playoff game 2-2 in overtime and a resulting opportunity to move onto the Conference finals against Tampa well rested.I don’t buy NBC Keith Jones’ argument after the game that the refs disallowing the goal was fair play, allowing the Rangers to settle the series on the field of honor next game.Washington played hard with a lot of heart, made plays I never saw a Capitals team make before in the 41 years I have been following them, e.g. winning goal with 1.5 seconds to go, Ovie great goal splitting two HOF defensemen and scoring on a HOF goaltender, Holtby stopping shots like Islanders great goalie Billy Smith in the 1980s, and the Caps forwards and defensemen blocking shots in droves like never before.It was a pleasure to see the Caps play tough and hard like never before, they have a good coaching staff in Barry Trotz and his assistants, and Tom Wilson, Michael Latta, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Andre Burakovsky are all youngsters who developed in the playoffs and are coming back to rejuvenate the Caps veterans next season.Hopefully, Mike Green will be re-signed and the rest of the hard core Caps defensive corp, John Carlson, Brooks Orpik, Karl Alzner, Matt Niskanen, and Tim Gleason, backed up by a healthy Dmitri Orlov and a seasoned Nate Schmidt will be ready to provide an even tougher defense than they did this season.Ovie is Ovie, a true superstar with lots of heart in the prime of his career and he will stay great. Backstrom will provide the creativity, Ward the brawn and clutch goals, the killer B-line, Jay Beagle, Troy Brouwer, and Andre Burakovsky will continue to buzz around opposing players, and Marcus Johansen, and Jason Chimera will continue to fly down the ice.I hope the 2016 Washington Capitals will be like my 1967 Detroit Tigers, who lost the American League pennant on the last Sunday of the season to the Boston Red Sox, but learned from the experience, got fired up to go on in 1968 to win the American League pennant by eleven games, and then come back to beat HOFer RHP Bob Gibson twice and the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games to win the 1968 World Series.Keep your chin up our Ovie and the Caps, use this year’s experience to build in advance for next year.when I think the Caps rough experience will drive us to win the Stanley Cup.
Caps Batter Islanders 2-1 in Game 7 Win
by Rodger WoodTied 3 games to 3 games, the Washington Capitals came into Game 7 of the 2015 quarterfinal playoff series ready to batter and bruise a physically smaller, 13 players depleted (including veteran defensemen Travis Harmonic, Calvin deHaan, and Lubomir Visnovsky) tired New York Islanders hockey team.While the Islanders hung in the game for 60 minutes, actually fighting back with lots of heart, 54 hits to the Capitals 46, they just couldn’t stand off a Capitals team whose rookies and veterans, with only Eric Fehr an exception, were on the bench ready to play another tough hockey game.Caps first year players, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Andre Burakovsky, Michael Latta and Tom Wilson played critical roles throughout the series – Kuznetsov played 17:45 minutes and scored the 7th game winner at 7:18 point of 3rd Period, while scoring two other tallies in the Caps Game 5 5-1 win.Tom Wilson’s hit on Lubomir Visnovsky in Game 4 took the Islanders veteran defenseman out of commission for the remainder of the series and with Calvin de Haan injured in Game 6 depleted the Islanders down to four healthy defensemen requiring them to suit up a couple rookies, Scott Mayfield and Matt Donovan in Game 6 at Nassau Coliseum and the final Game 7 at the Verizon Center.The Caps defense stifled the Islanders limiting them to just ten shots and Orpik and Ovie were awesome hitting any one who dared to come on their turf 7 times each.The Caps matched the Islanders blocked shot for blocked shot, both teams blocking a total of 20 shots each.Enough can’t be said about the Caps coaching and team play in this series. Barry Trotz and coaching staff had the team prepared, changed tactics game by game, and kept their cool on the bench stabilizing a team during some tough moments, like the loss 15 seconds into overtime 2-1 Game 4 and the late 3rd Period goal winning Game 6. It was a world of difference having a veteran coaching staff behind the bench this series.The playoffs are far from over, but this is a new Capitals’ team who can play the game. And at least for now, those fans who were at the old Capital Centre on April 18-19, 1987 can get some satisfaction having seen their team show the obnoxious Islanders’ fans the exit gate at old Nassau Coliseum for the last time, and revenging that terrible, terrible loss on that date in the fourth overtime period of another Game 7.I’ll never forgive Larry Murphy for making that bad pass out from the corner of Caps defensive zone right onto the stick of the opposing Islanders Pat Lafontaine.who scored the winning goal at the 8:42 mark of the fourth overtime period but what goes around, comes around. At least now I can get my proper sleep at night having seen the Caps overcome that loss.
Caps Fight Into The Playoffs
By Rodger M. WoodAfter a 5-1 dubbing by the Sabres with four games to go in the regular season, the Caps playoff future looked bleak. Led by the whitewash goaltending of Ryan Miller, the Sabres looked like a team of destiny headed for a late season playoff position comeback win and Caps fans would be looking to join the Caps players for an early summer golf outing foursome.But then the Caps players came out of their slumber to decide to go down fighting rather than resign themselves to a long hot summer. Led by captain Alex Ovechin, who scored 11 goals in the last 16 games of the season, they beat the 2011 Stanley Cup winning Boston Bruins and last place Montreal Canadiens in overtime 3-2 shootouts, SE Division leading Florida Panthers 4-2, and President Trophy runners ups New York Rangers, 4-1, in the last game of the regular season.In the home stretch, Ovie was a big force on both ends of the ice. His hard checks motivated teammates to follow suit. He got back on defense to save the game against the Panthers, and Canadiens. In the Rangers game, he rocked monster man Dan Giardi with a check so hard the big guy had to open his glove hand to see if he spit any teeth out.Raising their play a couple octaves, other Caps players took charge of their season’s final destiny too.Brooks Laich refused to concede and predicted a playoff berth for the Caps in an interview the last week of the season. He crunched opponents with abandon game in and game out, scored critical goals against the Rangers and Florida, and netted five goals in the last 16 games of the regular season.With his animated play, forward Jay Beagle became a game winning factor, scoring 4 goals in March/April and hard forechecking each and every game.Forward Matt Hendricks played his heart out every game and delivered critical shootout goals in successive games against the Canadiens and Bruins.In the home stretch, forward Alexander Semin played hard two way hockey, delivering four critical goals and hard checks during the March stretch.Forwards Keith Aucoin, Mike Knuble, Jay Chimera, Mathieu Perreault were factors, giving the Caps four balanced lines who could score a goal when needed.A big spark to Caps playoff fortunes came when center Niklaus Backstrom returned to the ice against the Canadiens, and showed signs of recovery from his concussion with a big goal and an assist against the Rangers in the last game of the season.After losing Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth to injuries, Caps’ goaltending hopes were buoyed by 22-year old Braden Holtby 35-stopped shots and one goal performance against the mighty Rangers in Madison Square Gardens.While lopsided underdogs against the defending champion Boston Bruins in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs starting Thursday in Boston, the Caps have some hope.Mike Green and Niklaus Backstrom are on the ice again and getting their games back.They have four balanced lines, who can all put the puck in the net. Their captain is playing hard and providing them the inspiration needed to be winner.John Carlson, Karl Alzner, Dennis Wideman, and Roman Hamlik and four other talented defensemen are ready to suit up, block shots, check hard and play mistake free hockey blocking shots and score an occasional goal..Veteran goalies Thomas Vokoun and Michael Neuvirth are back on the ice, but questionable for play yet. It looks like young Holtby will be in the nets, but don’t sell this kid short. Coach Dale Hunter and the Caps players say they like his aggressiveness in the nets and he did a spectacular job against the Rangers last game. Although 15 years younger, he reminds me of a young Bruins goalie Tim Thomas who he’ll face Thursday.All in all, the Caps may be peaking just in time for the playoffs. They’ve had to fight hard to get there, and maybe they’ve found a team identity. Maybe it’s a team who won’t give up until they win. That’s a whole better than what they were mid season, and now as underdogs, we have some hope our guys will play hard the whole game and maybe, just maybe, they’ll come out winners against the Bruins.
Wait Til Next Season
By Rodger M. WoodThe Caps choked last night losing a vital playoff race game to 9th place Buffalo 5-1.They were in a prime position to take charge of the pennant race but fell on their faces against the hard skating, tough forechecking and outstanding goaltending of the rival Sabres.In other important road challenges to Caps playoff hopes the past week and a half, they lost to the Black Hawks 5-2, beat an injury depleted Red Wings team 5-3, lost to the Flyers 2-1 in overtime, lost to Winnipeg 4-3, and at home, beat Minnesota 3-0.Before the Buffalo game they were in 8th and the last Eastern Conference playoff position in control of their destiny with 6 games to go, one each against Buffalo, and Southeast Division leader Florida, who was only three points ahead of them in the standings.It’s sad the 2011-2012 Caps didn’t measure up to the “good team” GM McPhee said they’d be at the trade deadline when he made no player acquisitions to help the Caps limp offensive attack.It’s too bad the team didn’t measure up to the Stanley Cup winner, the Hockey News predicted at the beginning of the season.With or without Niklaus Backstrom, it doesn’t appear the Caps will win a playoff position or should a miracle happen and they win a playoff berth, make any significant playoff mark.Our only hope is for Caps management during the off season to make the necessary changes to the team’s toughness chemistry, let some of the talented non producers go, and look in the mirror themselves to see if they should follow the losers out on the road..If those necessary changes occur, maybe Caps fans have something to look forward and pay big bucks to see. As those changes are made, they can wait and look forward more enthusiastically to next season.
Vintage Ovi and Three in a Row
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Unbelievable Overtime Win!
By Rodger M. Wood
Down 3-0 after two periods in the fourth game of the quarterfinal playoffs at Madison Square Garden Wednesday night, the Caps rallied for three goals in the third period sending the game into double overtime, when Caps forward Jason Chimera’s clutch goal at the 12:46 mark beat the overwhelmed Rangers 4-3.The game’s outcome was truly bleak after Rangers Brandon Dubinsky scored his second goal of the series to make the score 3-0 midway through the second period. During the regular season, New York was a formidable 29-0-0 when leading after the second period.But fate had dealt Coach Boudreau a better hand. Before the game, he replaced an injured Mike Knuble with Chimera on the Backstrom/Ovechkin line and Chimera with Eric Fehr on the Marcus Johanssen/Brooks Laich line.Marcus Johanssen scored two goals in the third period and Chimera was in Knuble’s place on the ice when he scored the winning goal.Alexander Semin started the Caps goal surge at the 2:47 mark of the third period with his second goalof the series.After the game, Chimera said his sudden death winning goal was almost as good as getting married or having a baby. It was also his second winning goal of the series.The first period was scoreless, the fourth in a row in the series in which the two teams did not score in the first period.After a miserable second period, the Caps started knocking the Rangers around again, and getting pucks and forwards Semin, Johanssen, and Chimera on net in front of Rangers goalie, Henrik Lundvquist.In the third period, Rangers young defensemen made mistakes which led to the Caps goals. Semin intercepted rookie Ryan McDonagh errant pass to score, Johanssen was by himself in front of the net for both his goals, and Chimera got behind Lundvquist and Marc Staal to score the game winner.The Caps put 53 shots on the Rangers net, had another 28 blocked and missed 22 while the Rangersput 39 shots on Neuvy, had 21 blocked and missed 12. Brooks Laich took a shot defending a second period power play, which almost disabled him.Keeping the Caps in the game, Neuvy stopped 31/34 shots in regulation, 13/13 in overtime, and 36/39 for the game, while King Lundvquist stopped 49/53 in regulation and 18/19 in overtime.Slumping along with most of the other Caps in the second period, rookie defenseman John Carlson teamed up with defense partner Karl Alzner to play brilliant defense in the third and both overtime periods. He and Jeff Schultz blocked five shots each.By the end of the third period both teams had thrown over 100 hits, the Rangers 61 and the Caps 47. Matt Bradley led the Caps with 7 hits, while 6-7 giant Brian Boyle led the Rangers with 10. Except for Johanssen, every Cap on the ice hit someone.In the first two periods, the Caps had five minor penalties, but settled down for only one minor in the third, and one for too many men on the ice in overtime.The Caps rolled four lines and 3 pairs of defensemen in the game wearing down the opposition. John Carlson played a team high of 34:50, while Rangers leader Joe Girardi played 39:45 minutes.Ahead 3 games to one, the Capitals hope to end the series in a matinee game 3:30 Saturday at the Verizon Centre.
Caps Score Big At The Trade Deadline
By Rodger M. Wood
VP/GM George McPhee announced at the 3 PM trade deadline today that the Capitals acquired veteran center Jason Arnott from the New Jersey Devils, and defenseman, Dennis Wideman from the Florida Panthers in moves, which could very well fill the team’s two biggest holes in the lineup well before the April playoffs.The 6-5, 220 Arnott is a 16-year veteran, who scored the goal in double overtime, that won New Jersey the Stanley Cup in 2000. He scored 369 goals, 501 assists in 1,161 games and was an all star center in 1997 and 2008. He scored 30 goals, and 36 assists in 106 playoff games. This season he has 13 goals and 11 assists in 62 games. As a former Devils team captain, he’ll add a strong veteran presence to the Caps dressing room. Popular Caps player David Steckel and a 2012 2nd round draft pick were traded for Arnott.
6-0, 200, Defenseman Dennis Wideman is a two way defenseman, who can play the blue line and be the right handed point shot the Caps need on a slumping power play. He scored 9 goals and 24 assists this season, and in a 7-year NHL 439 GP, 55 goals and 143 assists. McPhee said the book on Wideman is he’d take a puck to the jaw, if it would helphis team win. The Caps traded prospect center Jake Hauswirth, and a 2012 3rd round pick for Wideman.
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Caps Fight Back Against Flyers
By Rodger M. Wood
The Caps fought back to a 2-2 draw against the Broad Street Bullies last night at Philadelphia in regulation, but lost 3-2 in overtime.The game started off like, “Oh, here we go again,” when the Caps fell behind 1-0 early on Jeff Carter’s goal at the 1:31 mark of the first period, but the Caps showed more fight this game, starting with Caps DJ King pummeling a 6-3 230 Flyers goon named “Jody Shelley” at center ice a minute later.Caps showed more toughness at the end of the first period when defenseman John Erskine challenged each and any one of the Flyers on the ice to fight or go to the dressing room, and throughout the game with their bone crunching checks.After Claude Giroux scored the Flyers’ second goal at midway point of the second period for a 2-0 lead, the Caps staged a ferocious comeback, fore checking, dumping the puck in the Flyers end, and collapsing in front of the net. The hard work paid off with Mike Knuble’s rebound goal, assisted by Marcus Johansson, at the 7:58 mark of the third period, and Alex O’s 2-2 tie goal a minute later.While the Flyers won 3-2 in overtime on defenseman Andrej Meszaros’ hard wrist shot from the point, Caps goalie Semyon Varlomov kept the Caps in the game with his unbelievable goaltending, after replacing injured Michael Neuvirth in the second period.Atpyically unmarred by penalties in the second and third periods, all the Flyers/Caps goals were scored with no man advantage.While getting only a point for the tie in regulation and falling a point behind the Lightning in the Southeast Division race, the Caps’ comeback showed they can take the ice and beat an Eastern Conference point leading Flyers (65) anytime home or away, and more especially when the puck starts bouncing and the referee start calling a few penalties their way again..The Caps move on to Nassau Memorial Coliseum to face the New York Islanders Thursday night and the Toronto Maple Leafs away on Canada’s Saturday night hockey, which was made famous by HOF broadcaster Foster Hewitt back in the 1950s when I was growing up in Detroit.
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Caps Take Penguins to Overtime Shootout
By Rodger M. WoodThe hard play of veteran forward Alex Ovechkin and defenseman Mike Green ignited Caps teammates to play their best game of the season against Sidney Crosby and his hard charging Pittsburgh Penguins before a capacity crowd at the Verizon Center last night.Alex O’s hard check on Evevgi Malkin in the first minute of play set the tone for the game, telling opposing Penguins he and the Caps were there to play them tough.Making bone breaking checks on Penguins forwards Crosby, Malkin, and other opposing forwards, while playing 31+ minutes of strong defense, veteran Cap defenseman, Mike Green made sure the Penguins got Alex O’s message.Midway through the second period, Green topped his strong defensive effort off with a goal to tie the game 1-1, and midway through overtime, appeared to have stuffed the game winning goal behind Penguins goalie Marc Andre Fleury, only to have the goal disallowed on review.
Killing a penalty at the 14.31 mark of the third period, Caps center Brooks Laich, set up Mike Knuble’s shorthanded goal to tie the game at 2-2.Throughout the game, Caps newly acquired stay at home defenseman, Scott Hannan added a steadying Influence in front of rookie goaltender, Michael Neuvirth, who seemed to thrive under the game’s pressure, stopping 25 shots, and Malkin’s unnerving penalty shot In the second period.While the Caps had their opportunities to win on 5-3 and other man advantages situations, the game was a 2-2 tie at the end of overtime, forcing the Caps and Penguins into a shootout to decide this hard fought contest.Scoring on the Caps first shootout try, Alex O. gave the home team a chance to win, but Penguin defenseman Kris Letang tied it next frame, and Dupuis won it for the Penguins in the seventh frame.While the Caps got only a point in the standings for all their effort, the Caps’ hard play showed the visiting team the bite, which will make the Winter Classic Game a “must game” for all hockey fans on New Years Day.
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Caps Get Outmuscled By The Panthers... Really!
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Ovechkin and McNabb Capital One Commercial
Not a funny one like the viking commercial, but hey, its "Ovi."