Do The Caps Have Enough Heart To Win The Stanley Cup

By Rodger M. WoodWith the playoffs this week, the acid test is about to begin for the Washington Capitals.Embarrassed by a first round loss to the Canadians last season after finishing #1 overall In league standings, they have to win the Cup or face a rough summer.Going 15-3-1 since March 1st, they showed they have the tools.Bruce Boudreau is a good coach who taught them defense and how to win again after a horrendous 8 – game losing streak in December.They have strong goaltending in Michal Neuvirth (2.49 GAA, 27-11-4) and Semyon Varlamov (2.23 GAA, 11-9-5), and a sensational backup in rookie goalie Braden Holtby (1.79, 10-2-2), waiting in reserve at Hershey, if either falters or is injured.They’re blessed with healthy 30 - goal scorer in Alex Ovechkin, who could turn into a 50-goal scorer in the playoffs, 28 –goal scorer Alexander Semin, and a clutch 24 goal scorer in rejuvenated 38-year old Mike Knuble.They have 18-goal scorer Niklaus Backstrom, 16 goal scorer Brooks Laich, 17 goal scorer Jason Arnott, 13 goal scorer Marcus Johanssen, and 10 goal scorers in Jason Chimera, Dennis Widemann, and Eric Fehr.They have a new leader, Jason Arnott, who has won a Stanley Cup.They have two high scoring lines, a speed line that can score, a checking line, and tough guy line in Matt Bradley, Matt Hendricks and Boyd Gordon.While Tom Poti and Dennis Widemann are still on the injured list, they’ll have seven healthy defenseman available for the playoffs when Mike Green returns to the lineup.They’ve learned to play good defense, dump the puck in the opposing offensive zone and won many low scoring games with an late opportunistic goal.Rookie defensemen, Karl Alzner and John Carlson are shutting down opposing scorers, and Scott Hannan is the stay at home defenseman they’ve always needed.The power play scored five goals in the last three games and was working without Mike Green or newly acquired Dennis Wideman, who will be out the first playoff round with a leg injury.Having won eight of nine in overtime in March, including wins against Philadelphia, Tampa, and last year’s cup winning Chicago Black Hawks, they can withstand heavy duty pressure, similar to that experienced in the playoffs.The penalty killers, Boyd Gordon, John Carlson, Scott Hannan, and others have been superb all season.The Caps have the talent, but it takes more to win a Stanley Cup. If we could only inject Matt Hendricks or Matt Bradley or John Erskine’s mental and physical toughness into our star players, we’d have sure winners.All our guys would play tough, block shots, give and take bone crushing checks shots, win the battles in the corners, and do the little thing needed to win hockey games. And then, with a little luck and some dirty goals, we’d be sure winners.The Caps have all the pieces to the puzzle, but need heart to bring home the Stanley Cup.

Defense In the Caps Favor!

By Rodger M. WoodEven after they lost 1-0 to their new Southeast Division rival Tampa Bay Lighting in overtime this past Tuesday and fell out of first place, Versus commentator Brian Engblom said, “I like the Caps chances in the playoffs now that they havelearned to play defense.”Indeed, defense has been the name of the Caps game lately. Since ending their 8-game losing streak with a win at Ottawa 3-2, the Caps shut down the Devils 5-1, lost to Penguins 3-2 in an overtime shootout, shut out the Canadiens 3-0, beat the Penguins 3-1 in the Winter Classic, and lost to the Lightning 1-0 in overtime. They’ve allowed 8 goals in 6 games, an outstanding average of 1.33 per game.Although Lightning GM Steve Yzerman may have pulled off a coup getting the veteran goalie, Dwayne Rolonson from the Islanders, the Caps have been getting Stanley Cup goal tending from its rookie goalies tandem of Michael Neuvirth (2.58 average and .911 save %) and Semyon Varlamov (2.09 ave and .925 save %) during its 5-0-2 streak the past 7 games.Jeff Schultz is back on the blue line teaming with Mike Green, Scott Hannan is taking hold, and John Erskine is playing the best defense of his career. Rookie defensive pairing of John Carlson and Karl Alzner is hyped by Washington press as the Caps stop combination on Crosby, Stamkos, and other top opposition lines. The defense has been doing so well, Coach Boudreau made defenseman John Erskine, whose toughness, scoring, and heart as of late have ignited the Caps, a healthy scratch against Tampa.The Winter Classic was a win and a half for the Caps. Before the game, Mike Milbury slammed Alex O as “Peck’s Bad Boy” and made the Caps out to be bad guys, while making Crosby and the Penguins look like the good guys.They went on to compare the Winter Classic contest to the blood baths the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings played in the 1950s and the contest between Crosby and Alex O. to the battle that went on between Gordie Howe and the Rocket Richard every time they played against each other.

Image from memorabilia collection owned by Jack Cross. © UnknownFor a fan who saw both the battles of the 1950s and the 2010s, let me reassure you, there is not much comparison. Alex O’ is sometimes tough and a hard checker, but Crosby is a pansy, who has others fight his battles and make his checks, unless they are blindside checks, in which case he might make them.If you had suggested to Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, Marcel Pronovost, Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Bernie "Boom-Boom" Geoffrion, or any old Canadiens or Red Wings player that they have someone else do their fighting, or make their checks, you might have been taking your teeth home in a handkerchief.While the Winter Classic was a great game and there were many hard checks and tough guys like John Erskine, Matt Hendricks, and Alex O. out on the ice playing, it is doubtful we’ll ever see the likes of the old time Detroit/Montreal hockey again.

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