Boudreau’s Instincts Were Right – Caps Win Game 3, 5-1
By Rodger M. WoodUpdated: Coach Boudreau’s last minute decision to start goalie Semyon Varlamov in the nets, Boyd Gordon on the fourth line and penalty kill, and change the second line to Erich Belanger, Eric Fehr and Tomas Fleishmann at hostile Montreal Bell Center for Game 3 of the playoffs paid huge dividends tonight.
Varlamov stood on his head in the first period stopping several point blank shots, keeping the Caps in and taking 22,000+ rabid Montreal fans out of the game. He had a 26-shot shutout until the Canadiens power play tally late in the third period.Boudreau decision to put 2nd game healthy scratch Boyd Gordon on the penalty kill and fourth line also paid dividends when Gordon opened up the scoring early in the second period with a short handed goal to put the Caps ahead 1-0.
In rapid succession after Gordon’s goal, Brooks Laich, Eric Fehr and Alex O scored, making the score 4-0 at the end of the second period.Matt Bradley finished off the Caps scoring in the third period to give the a Caps a 5-1 win and a 2-1 game advantage going into Game 4 at the Bell Center Wednesday night.First star Game 3, Coach Boudreau, second star, Semyon Varlamov, and third star Boyd Gordon with honorable mention to Eric Fehr and Brooks Laich.
Caps Lose Game 1 in Overtime 3-2
By Rodger M. WoodThe Caps ran into the worst of all possible playoff scenarios tonight against the Montreal Canadiens in Game #1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.They faced a hot goalie, Jaroslav Halak who stopped over 50 shots, a couple big tough veteran defensemen, Hal Gill and Roman Hamrlik, who held their top goal scorer, Alex O, to no shots on net, and a forward, Tomas Plekanic, who feasted on them all season and scored the cheap winning goal from near the blue line to win the game in overtime.Caps defenseman Joe Corvo tied the game up 1-1 in the first period, Niklaus Backstrom put the Caps ahead in the third period, only to have savvy vet forward Scott Gomez score the tying goal to force the game to overtime.The game script wasn’t supposed to end this way, but until the Caps forwards figure out how to shoot high on Halak, play better offense between the blue lines, and get faster breakouts from their end, the result will be the same.But the Caps have rebounded from bad games all season so let hope they do it again.
Flashback Friday: Henri"The Pocket Rocket"Richard
By ThomAs we start getting our feet wet with this blogging thing, we thought we would add "Flashback Friday." Every Friday we will try to highlight a player from the past. Could be a former Capital as we slowly scan some of Rodger's film negatives or just a player we find interesting. Sometimes, it might just be some interesting memorabilia.
For the first Friday, we are going to start with an authentic autographed Henri "The Pocket Rocket" Richard postcard sent to us by a friend. Henri Richard finished his career the same year our Washington Capitals were born.Rodger grew up watching "The Pocket Rocket" play against his home town Red Wings and I may even have seen him play against the Caps as I attended several games with my father in 74. Not likely though as he only played 16 games that year.Watching the Capitals vs. Lightning tonight and another goal for Knuble! 18 goals in his last 22 games.