Destiny Deals Caps Fan A Cruel Fate!

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By Rodger M. WoodWhile many believe the Caps overachieved in the 2012 playoffs, if the truth was better recognized, destiny dealt the Caps and their fans a cruel fate. Like Ulysses, their ship was lured into a shipwreck on the rocks by beautiful beckoning Sirens.Fate mistreated us when we came within 6 seconds of beating the Rangers 2-1 at Madison Square Gardens in the 5th game and stopped us from going home to the Verizon Center with a 3 games to 2 advantage.A matter of inches beat the Caps in Game 5 when Joel Ward’s stick drew Hagelin’s blood and a double minor penalty, in the last faceoff , when Brooks Laich’s stick missed winning the face-off , and on Rangers Brad Richards tying goal, when John Carlson’s left arm didn’ block the shot.Fate teased us again when the Caps took control of the 6th game when Ovie scored in the first two minutes of the game, and Chimera at the 10:59 mark of the second period. In this game and Rangers Marian Gaborik’s goal in the last minute didn’t tie and force them into overtime like in the 5th game.Had fate gone differently, the harder working Caps would have won the series 4-2 in six games with the home win in Game 6, and gone onto play the New Jersey Devils in the Conference Finals.The tone was set for a well deserved Caps series win in the 7th game at New York, but fate dealt us another cruel blow when Brad Richards scored a goal at 1:32 of the first period to set the tone for a Rangers 2-1 win.It was a one goal game until 10:05 of the third period when Del Zotto knocked Ovie off the puck to score the Rangers’ winning goal.Thirty-seven seconds later the Caps were teased again when Caps defenseman Roman Hamrlik scored to make it 2-1 at the 10:43 mark of the third period.They were taunted with a man advantage at the 11:19 mark, when Rangers Fedotenko was waved off the ice for a two minute delay of the game penalty, but couldn’t organize their power play to even off the score..It was a series of inches, and the Caps deserved better. They may not get a better chance fto win the Cup for several seasons.When they look back on this year’s series, they’ll have to remember fate manifested on the sneering faces of Rangers coach John Tortorella, who probably sold his soul for another Cup win, and the celebrating Rangers fans who had last won a Stanley Cup in 1994.Another long hot summer awaits Caps fans. It may take a life time for destiny to reward our long loyalty with a Stanley Cup, but all will feel right again when we do.Lets hope our road to triumph includes a series win over Torotella and the Rangers so we can once and for all wipe clean those sneering faces of fate.

Win A Couple For The Gipper!

By Rodger M. WoodThe Caps loss of Game 5 in overtime 3-2 may just be unjustly blamed on our hard working hero of the Bruins quarter finals, right winger Joel Ward for a high stick penalty on Rangers forward Carl Hagelin with 22 seconds remaining in the game and the Caps ahead 2-1.Ward drew a double two minute penalty for high sticking, the Rangers pulled their goalie for a 6-4 man advantage, and Brad Richards scored to tie the game 2-2 with 8 seconds remaining. Marc Staal scores the winner on the same penalty at the 1:35 mark of the first overtime period.Some folks are faulting a player deserves better treatment. There were horrible racist Tweets leveled at him when he beat the Bruins and yet he ignored them. We should also be loyal to him, especially when he may have been duped into the penalty.I urge the referees, fans and teammates to look at a replay of the penalty high stick play. You may see how Hagelin brought his stick under Ward’s and up into his own face deliberately, maybe a predesigned play to draw a high stick penalty and minuscule blood. If injured, it is amazing how fast Hagelin got across the ice to show the referee the blood.It all looks suspicious to a hockey fan like me, but I’m told this is becoming an increasing tactic in the NHL, especially late in the game to draw a high stick when behind or in overtime.The referee and linemen ignored Ward’s lack of intent and gave the game to the Rangers by their oversight.In any event, the Caps are behind in the series three games to two and needing to win the 6th game at home Wednesday and 7th at New York Friday. It would be great if the Caps could rock the Rangers at the Verizon Center and then go on to stick it to them in their arena.Maybe, the Caps could dedicate their efforts in beating the Rangers to their much aligned teammate and win a couple games for the Gipper.

Caps Split Home Series With Rangers

By Rodger M. WoodIf the Caps/Rangers keeping playing the classically tough hockey they played in Games 3 and 4 of the semi final Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Verizon Center last week for the rest of the series, the fans watching are going to have to keep an aspirin bottle by their sides to save them from heart failure from the lucky bounces that decide the game.In the third game, Rangers Marian Gaborik’s goal beat the Caps at the 14:41 mark of triple overtime.In the fourth game, Caps defenseman Mike Green scored the game winning 3-2 goal from the point with 5:48 to go in regulation to even their semi–finals series at two games a piece.The overtime game reminded me a lot of the New York Islanders/Capitals triple overtime game my son Thom and I saw at the Old Capital Center on April 18, 1987, except in the Wednesday game, Caps defenseman Larry Murphy wasn’t on the ice to pass toe puck out from behind the net to Islanders Pat Lafontaine to cost the Caps the game and their 1987 season.Playing all out offensively in overtime, Caps’ Ovie had two opportunities, Troy Brouwer, Jason Chimera, Mike Green, Matt Hendriks, and several other Caps players had great scoring opportunities, only to hit the post, bounce the puck off Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist and not bury the pill to make the Caps victorious.Getting two and a half days of rest before the fourth game, the Caps bounced back with a furious first period vengeance, outshooting the Rangers 14-3, with Ovie scoring his fourth goal of the playoffs to put the Caps ahead by a goal 1-0.The Rangers came out in the second period loaded for bear. After getting a chewing out from Coach Tortorella for his lethargic play, Rangers forward Artem Anisimov scored the first goal, and Marian Gaborik got another big goal to tie the Caps at 2-2 at the end of the second period. Niklaus Backstrom had scored the go ahead go at the 11;54 mark.The two teams battled in the third period until the 4:12 mark , when Green buried the winning goal to give three of the Caps “young gunners,” Ovie, Backstrom, and Green a goal each and the Caps encouragement that their top shooters were awakening offensively in the series.Playing mostly with only four defensemen, who did double duty in the overtime game, Caps forwards Matt Hendrick, Troy Brouver, Jason Chimera, Jay Beagle, Mike Knuble, Joel Ward, and Brooks Laich may be wearing the Rangers down.Hendricks had 11 hits in the overtime game, one of which almost put 6-1, 218 Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh up in the stands.The Caps also beat the Rangers at their own game in the regulation game, blocking 24 shots to the Rangers 7. While most of the Caps players stopped their share, defenseman Jeff Schultz stood out with 9 blocked shots.Goalies Braden Holtby and Henrik Lundvquist are having a classic battle between the pipes. In the overtime game, Lundvquist stopped 47/48 shots and the regulation game, 25/28 shots while young Holtby stopped 47/49 shots in overtime, and 18/20 in the regulation game. Holtby has allowed 9 goals in the four games, Lundvquist 8. While he is a goal better than the Caps 22-year old goaltender, the 30-year old Lundvquist may be showing signs of wear and tear as the series goes on.Both teams are playing good old time hockey. The teams are close alike in their “clogging the neutral zone play,” blocking shots, making big hits, and battling to win the battles in the corners. Coming back from a possibly devastating loss in overtime to win, Caps veterans and youngsters showed a lot of mental toughness, which they have been criticized as not having in recent past years.Neither team will be going down easy this playoffs, so Caps fans get your aspirin bottles out. Win or lose, you’ll need them to keep heart.

Coach Hunter Leads the Caps Home

By Rodger M. Wood

The Caps play the Rangers in Game 3 of the semi final playoff series at the Verizon Center tonight after coming off a dramatic second game 3-2 win at the wildly partisan Madison Square Garden to even the series off at 1-1.Ovie quieted the taunting NY fans, scoring the winning power play goal at 7:27 of the third period, while 22-year old Braden Holtby did the same, stopping 26 of 28 Rangers shots, many of them on break aways and point blank range.While the Caps get credit for the win on the ice, Coach Hunter and the coaching staff deserve the credit for coming up with the strategy for bringing home the bacon.When executed error free and supported by good goaltending, the team’s defensive system has been styfling. The Rangers had only 4 shots on net in the first period of the first game, 4 in the second period, and six in the third, and a total of 26 shots in the second game. The Rangers scored two of their 5 goals on Caps’ bad line shifts.Ovie scored the second game winner after only 13 1/2 minutes ice time. Hunter has been limiting the superstar’s ice time because of his defensive limitations, and probably also to keep him fresher for those offensive bursts like the game-winner late in the game. This move is paying off dividends so far and Ovie likes the system as long as the team is winning.Also, the hot goalie strategy is paying off. In the beginning against the Bruins, Holtby was the only available goaiie, but after the third game of the quarterfinals, which the Caps lost to the Bruins 4-3 and an admittedly average game for Holtby, Hunter, showing his confidence in the young goaltender, still chose to start Holtby over the now available “veteran” Michael Neuvirth in the nets.The result has been a hot rookie goalie outmatching the 2011 Stanley Cup MVP goalie Bruins Tim Thomas in the 7 game quarter finals and holding his own against a 2012 season Vezina Trophy finalist Henrik Ludqvist in the first two games of the semi finals.Hunter is also making moves to maximize his players’ strength. He likes the veteran players and has given defensemea Roman Hamrlik a lot of minutes in tight defensive situations in the waning moments of the game. He has put 40-year Mike Knuble back on the ice to score goals and block shots.He likes team effort blocking shots and uses players like forwards Jay Beagle, Jason Chimera, Matt Hendricks, Mike Knuble, Brooks Laich, and defensemen Karl Alzner, John Erksine, Mike Green John Carlson and Hamrlick, who are willing to sacrifice their bodies.The coach likes big bodied players to block or clear out the nets, and speed to get into the offensive zone quickly and has organized his lines to maximize that advantage.The Mike Knuble/Joel Ward combo won the last game of the Bruins series with a goal in overtime, and scored the first goal of second Rangewrs game.Speedy Marcus Johannson and Jason Chimera have performed on both ends of the ice, with Chimera scoring his third goal of the playoff in the Caps second game win.The Caps penalty kill unit has been stingy, with the Bruins scoring only in twice in 26 man advantage opportunities, and the Rangers once in the second game in an odd man situation. Niklaus Backstrom, Matt Hendricks, Brooks Laich, John Carlson, and Karl Azner have done the job killing penalties.Under Hunter in the playoffs, the Caps have played the best hockey seen around Washington in 38 seasons. The team plays like the coach did in his heyday, stopping pucks, forechecking and backchecking, playing for the team and sacrificing the bodies.Win or lose the fans know they’re getting 100 percent from their team, and maybe, just maybe, the Caps will get deeper in the Stanley Cup Playoffs than ever before.

Caps Beat Bruins in Overtime

By Rodger M. WoodFourth liner Joel Ward, assisted by Mike Knuble, scored the dramatic winning goal in overtime to beat Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins 2-1 in the seventh game of their quarterfinal playoffs series.Capitals third and fourth lines dominated much of play with hard forechecking and backchecking all over the ice, with third liner Matt Hendricks scoring the first period goal to put the Caps ahead 1-0.22- year old goalie Braden Holtby had another unbelievable 1-goal game, allowing only Tyler Seguin’s tying goal in the second period. Nose to nose against last year’s Stanley Cup playoff MVP Tim Thomas, Holtby allowed only14 goals in 7 games for a 2.00 goals against average, while stopping a phenomenal .967 percent of all shots.It was a team effort throughout the series. The Caps bought into Coach Hunter’s defensive system and stopped a Bruins offense which had six players scoring 20 goals or more during the regular season, and monster defensemen, Zdeno Charra and Dennis Seidenberg manning the blue line.Capital players blocked shots with abandon, hard checked the opposition and held their ground against a very tough Milan Lucic led team.While forward Matt Hendrick, Mike Knuble, and Jay Beagle’s all out play sparked the team, 14 Capitals players scored at one goal, with Alexander Semin scoring three goals and Ovie two.Defenseman John Carlson and Karl Alzner played outstanding hockey against the Bruins top scoring lines, and, with center Brook Laich killing penalties, including one at 2 minute mark of the third period which almost killed the Caps.The Caps have to wait for the Rangers/Senators and Panthers/Devils 7th game outcomes before they know their opponents in the semi-final series which starts this Saturday.

Caps/Bruins, Awesome Hockey!

By Rodger M. WoodThe first two games of the Caps/Bruin Playoff Series were both nail biting games, which you couldn’t leave for a beer or potty break for fear of missing the winning goal.The first game Thursday was a 0-0 tie until the 1:18 mark of the first overtime period when Bruins forward Chris Kelly put a slap shot in the upper right hand corner of the net to beat goalie Braden Holtby and the Caps 1-0.In the second game Saturday, the Caps evened up the series at one game each at the 2:56 mark of the second overtime period when Marcus Johanssen from behind the Bruins goal fed Nicklas Backstrom the puck which he immediately propelled past the paralysed Bruins goalie Tim Thomas for the winning goal.Defensemen John Carlson, Karl Alzner, Jeff Schultz, Mike Green, Roman Hamlik, and Dennis Wideman played tough, errorless defense, blocking shots, clearing opponents from the front of the net, and steering Bruins passes to the outside.High scoring Bruins forwards Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Milan Lucic, and Tyler Sequin are gnawing at the bit trying to score on this defense.It is particularly pleasing to see veteran defenseman Jeff Schultz play the kind of hockey he’s always been capable of.In the second game, while goaltender Holtby was knocked out of the net, defenseman Mike Green held the ground to make a hand save that saved the day for the Caps.Caps forwards played tough two way hockey. Alexander Semin made a fall down, reach out, puck swipe to stop a Bruins scoring chance in the third period of the second game. Ovie blocked a shot. Poor Marcus Johannssen stopped two pucks with his head. Troy Brouwer made his net presence a factor when he scored the first goal in the second game, assisted by Ovie.Twenty – two year Bradean Holtby matched Bruins’ super star goalie Tim Thomas stop for stop, allowing only two goals on 74 shots in both games. He has ferociously attacked several Bruins to clear out his goal mouth but in contrast to his opposing goaltender, he has not choke collared Bruins forwards while a defenseman clobbered him from the front, like Thomas did Backstrom in the second game. It was ironical Backstrom paid Thomas back with the winning goal.Bush league play does not pay, Mr. Thomas. You should have paid Mr. Obama a visit to the White House with the other Bruins last Fall.The Caps seem to have finally managed to execute Coach Hunter’s “good defense and opportunistic offensive system” to a tee and the dividends are paying off. Hunter has also outcoached Bruins coach Claude Julien on a couple occasions when he double shifted Ovie on the ice when Charra and Seidenberg were sitting, and getting Johanssen on the ice to assist Backstrom on the winning goal.All in all, the Bruins/Capitals playoff games have been hard fought, hard checking, good clean hockey. They have been a pleasure to watch, regardless of which team wins and should make Bruins and Caps fans proud of their teams. It is the best hockey I have seen our Capitals play in my 38 years of watching them. When playing like this, I don’t blame the Caps or the Bruins for cutting down on my beer consumption. You need a clear head anyhow to watch this good hockey.

*****************************************************************************Senators, Rangers, Penguins, and Flyers Are A Disgrace!In contrast, the Ottawa/New York Rangers and Penguins/Flyers series have been travesties, terrible disgraces for the NHL, which they should rectify with suspensions, and heavy fines to the team management and the players involved in the mayhem that occurred in their games Saturday and Sunday.The games sickened most fans. The likes of Boyle, Carkner, Giroux, Crosby, long haired Scott Hartnell, Aaron Ascham, and Wayne Simonds, who looked like he was told by Flyers coach Craig Berube to go out on the ice to make Penguins James Neal pay the price for his sins, should be banished from the game for awhile.The NHL better get their act together without hesitation. Fans want to see the hard clean hockey played in the Boston/Washington series rather than those goons in New York and Philadelphia. Do you want your ten year old to watch this kind of hockey?

Should the Caps Be Buyers or Sellers

By Rodger M. WoodAfter losing to Tampa in overtime and Florida in regulation last Tuesday and Wednesday, and falling out of first place in the Southeast Division into 9th place in Eastern Conference playoff hunt, Caps management faces the dilemma of should they become buyers or sellers before the NHL February 28th trade deadline.At the end of the first half, Caps’ balanced play was getting playoff worthy. Before the losses in Florida, they won 5 of their last eight games with one loss in overtime against Pittsburgh. In their last game of the first half, they beat last season’s champ Boston in a dramatic 5-3 win. Centering a line of wingers Alexander Semin and Marcus Johansen, Caps second year center Mathieu Perreault scored a hat trick and started making the fans forget they were missing three of their four top scorers on the ice.The bottom line is Niklaus Backstrom is still out with concussion symptoms, which if as bad as Sydney Crosby’s condition, could keep him out the rest of this season. His blatant elbow in the head nemesis Rene Bourque should have been suspended for as many games as Backstrom was hurt, but the Brandon Shanahan system does not consider injury to a player in its award of punishment as his 3 game suspension of Ovie for a non-injury check demonstrated.Until banished for three games for his hit on Penguins’ defenseman Zbynek Michalek , Ovie was scoring and hitting like the “Great One” of olden days. While not penalized in the game by the referees, he was cited by NHL disciplinarian, Brandon Shanahan for rising up on his skates and targeting Micalek’s head with a hit. The three game suspension is negligible as long as the punishment does not make Ovie a pansy on the ice again.After Ovie returns against Montreal Saturday, the Caps will still be missing Backstrom and defenseman Mike Green’s potent offense. While Green is starting to skate again after his operation, hope is eternal, and fans should remember Caps Tom Poti, who has been out the better part of three seasons with a groin injury.In the next week or so, Caps Vice President General Manager will have has to bite the bullet to decide whether Perreault will do the offensive job long term or should he buy another center and defenseman to replace the injured players before the 2012 playoffs or just chalk everything off and sell off some core players for prospects, who they believe can help win all the marbles next season.If you’re into fantasy hockey, maybe the lowly Islanders would be interested in giving up center John Tavares for defenseman Jeff Schultz, forwards, Alexander Semin, Joel Ward, and a prospect or draft pick, or fighting for a playoff position, maybe Western Conference Nashville Predators would be willing to give up All Star defenseman Ryan Suter, who is a free agent this summer, for a package of players, which gives them more offensive punch in the playoffs.With a tough schedule coming up in the home stretch, the Caps need to do something. They can’t rely on Backstrom and Green coming back to get them out of trouble.They face off against Montreal away Saturday and come back home to face Boston in a matinee game Sunday at the Verizon Center..

The Caps Need Heart To Win The Stanley Cup

By Rodger M. WoodLike the Marines, our theme for the Caps’ 2011-2012 season will be “acta non verba,” or “actions not words.” We’re tired of getting all fired up at the beginning of a season, only to be let down with the team’s early departure from the Stanley Cup playoffs.After the Capitals hockey season started the season off with an overtime 4-3 win over Carolina Saturday night, Caps fans are hearing the same old song and song, “The Caps will win the Stanley Cup this season.”The sage editors of the Hockey News are singing the same song predicting, “This will be the season the Capitals bring home the Stanley Cup.” However, without showing the heart, or mental and physical toughness the Boston Bruins did last spring while winning the prized trophy, I think we’ll be in for another long hot summer, our 36th in a row, since the Caps came into being the 1974/1975 season.We can only hope Caps VP and GM George McPhee watched how the Bruins beat the Montreal Canadiens up in seven games last spring, the Philadelphia Flyers in four, Tampa Bay Lightning in seven, and the Vancouver Canucks in seven.Goalie Tim Thomas, forwards Patrice Bergeron, Nathan Horton, David Krejic, Milan Lucic, Shawn Thornton, defensemen Zdeno Chara, Dennis Seidenberg, and Johnny Boychuk and the rest of the Bruins were talented, but more importantly, demonstrated they had the courage, grit, durability, mental and physical toughness to beat tough opponents.Our Caps were more talented than the Bruins, and displayed star power during the regular season, but core stars, captain Alex Ovechkin, Nicklaus Backstrom, Alexander Semin, and Mike Green failed to show the internal fortitude necessary to win in the playoffs.You can’t measure the heart of a hockey player or team until they are in the thick of the playoffs. During the summer, McPhee acquired some free agents, Troy Brouwer, Joel Ward, Roman Hamrlik, Jeff Halpern, and Tomas Vokoun , who look good on paper and may perform well in the regular season, but without Ovie and the core stars setting the example in the playoffs, our Cup efforts will still be futile.Novice Caps fans, I hate to dampen your enthusiasm, but we’ve heard the same old story many times before, and won’t believe it until our Cap stars bring us home the Stanley Cup.Winning the Stanley Cup will speak louder than any words used to drum up season ticket sales or fill up the Verizon Center stands.

Did The Caps Let Their Guard Down Too!

By Rodger M. WoodIt’ll be another long summer, my family’s 36th straight, without a Stanley Cup winner. Will the Caps ever fulfill our impossible dream? Can we last another year to see what their fortune will be in 2012?Yes! Our poor Capitals let us down again, but not without trying. Four fluky goals, a few bad calls, defensive amnesia and our fate was sealed in Tampa, 5-2. The Lightning foe stuck four straight times to sweep the 2011 Stanley Cup semifinal playoffs four games to none.You can blame the loss on Coach Boudreau for being outfoxed by first year Tampa coach Brian Boucher, or on Caps stars, Alex Ovechkin, Niklaus Backstrom, Alexander Semin, or Mike Green’s lack of mental and physical toughness or for reverting back to “run and gun” hockey again, or to the immaturity of John Carlson and Karl Alzner, or veterans Scott Hannan or Jeff Schutz’ play on the blue line, but the bottom line is Tampa worked harder and wanted to win more than the Caps.There will probably be a scapegoat for the Caps loss this summer, but I remember a boxing match I lost in my youth, which taught me a big lesson in life. My younger opponent asked me that night when we were getting our hands taped before the fight not to hurt him too badly. Shortly afterwards, I walked down the aisle to the ring, cocky confident, waving and performing for my brothers, dad, friends, and a few attractive women in the stands. I had no doubts I was going to win the match, maybe even by a knockout. But after my opponent and I got our instructions and the command “to come out fighting” from the referee, I didn’t put my guard up right away. My “frightened” opponent sucker punched and broke my nose in the first seconds of the match. I held onto him until my head cleared, fought as hard as I could the next four rounds, but still got my butt kicked royally.Did my history repeat itself for the Caps? Did they let their guard down, get sucker punched, and have their royal butts kicked just like I did many years ago!

Lightning Strikes the Caps Again... Caps Fall to Lighting

by Thom

And so it goes... the Caps have been swept in four by the Lightning. Hand it to the Lightning, they came to play. They outperformed the Caps in every aspect of the game including coaching.

Not much else to say. It will be interesting to see what changes occur, if any, this summer. Ted Leonsis seems dead set to stick with the plan, so fans calling for the coaches head or for a "reconstruction" may not get their wish. Should changes be made? I hate to say it, but this team is underachieving in a grand way. This season should have seen no less than a trip to the conference finals.

Regardless, after more than 35 years of cheering for the Caps, we will still look forward to a new season of hope and possibilities. Thanks for visiting the CapitalPowerPlay this season.

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We’ll Still Beat Tampa

by Rodger M. WoodLady Luck turned her face on the Caps a couple moments, while one Lightning goal deflected off Caps defenseman Mike Green’s stick in the second period and another came after a pass made good in overtime when defenseman Scott Hannan left the ice for a necessary rest. After Alex Ovechkin had tied the score up 2-2 with a minute to go in regulation, and came out on the ice fired up, the Caps lost 3-2 in overtime.Yes, we’re down 2-0 in the semifinals, but don’t fear. The Caps were dominating the second game too, hitting and playing hard and lucky breaks have a way of evening themselves out in a seven game series. So watch out Tampa fans. We’ll come back to win two games on your ice Tuesday and Wednesday, just like your 2003 Tampa Bay Lightning did against the Caps on their way to the Stanley Cup Championship!

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Caps VS Lightning Game 2

Go Caps!

Caps Beat Themselves!

By Rodger M. WoodUntil they reverted back to their “old run and gun offense” near the end of the second period, the Caps were comfortably beating the Lightning 2-1, but then, looking a gift horse in the mouth, they ended up losing the first game of the semifinal playoffs to Tampa 4-2.On an assist by Marcos Sturm, Alexander Semin tied the score up 1-1 at the 4:08 mark of the first period, and Eric Fehr, assisted by line mates, Jason Chimera and Marcus Johanssen put the Caps ahead 2-1 at 1:51 of the second period.Midway through the second period, Brooks Laich appeared to have slammed the puck past Lightning goalie Dwayne Rolason, which if the goal had not been disallowed, would have the home team ahead3-1Looking like they were on a ten minute power play in the second period in the Lightning’s end, the Caps were dominating. They were hitting hard and blocking shots. Defenseman’s Scott Hannan’s check took Lightning LW Simon Gagne out of the game, and Jason Chimera’s smashing check on Lightning defenseman Pavel Kubina also took him out of the game. Crashing the net, Caps forwards had Lightning’s goalie Dwayne Roloson on the ropes ready to take a 10 – count, and Caps goalie, Michal Neuvirth was stopping everything in sight.It was the Caps game and you couldn’t help thinking it could be a blowout, but then Lady Luck suddenly turned her head on the Caps. On a fluke goal off Caps defenseman Scott Hannan’s stick, Steve Downie scored the tying goal, and on a power play with less than a minute to go in the second period, Steven Stamkos scored the go ahead goal to give Tampa a 3-2 lead.Caps stars resorted to the old routine which failed against the Canadiens in last year’s playoffs. Alex Ovechkin, Niklaus Backstrom, Alexander Semin, and Mike Green, who all played a -1 game, tried carrying the puck up the ice, and winning the game themselves. The Lightning 1-3 -1 scheme, which the Caps were beating earlier in the game, stopped them dead in their tracks. On both power plays in the third period, Ovie and Backstrom were whistled off sides three times. They did not shoot the puck in the Lightning’s end, or work for possession in the corner, which worked the second half of the regular season and against the Rangers in the quarterfinals.And you would have thought they’d be believers in the system by now.Without the home team advantage, the Caps face Tampa in the second at home 7 PM Sunday.

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Caps Have To Play Lightning Even Tougher!

By Rodger M. WoodThe Caps played the Rangers tough in the quarterfinals, but if they want to beat Tampa Bay in the semifinals, they’ll have to turn up their play another notch.Blanking the Pittsburgh Penguins 1-0 at Pittsburgh Wednesday, Tampa goalie Dwayne Roloson helped the Lightning win the quarterfinal series four games to three. During the regular season, the Caps went 4-1-1 against the Lightning, but struggled badly when Roloson shut them out in third and fourth games in early January. After installing a strong defensive system in December/January and Cap forwards started aggravating Roloson, they beat the Lightning decisively in games 5 and 6.Like they did to Lundqvist in the Ranger series, Brooks Laich, Matt Hendricks, Boyd Gordon, Matt Bradley Mike Knuble, Jason Arnott, Niklaus Backstrom and other Caps forwards have to crash the net and disturb Roloson.Sharing the net minding responsibilities with Manny Fernandez in the 2003 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Roloson led the Minnesota Wild’s come backs from 3-1 game deficits to beat strong Colorado and Vancouver teams in the quarter and semifinals. If the Caps don’t break his concentration early in the series, Roloson could hurt them.Like he did against the Rangers, Captain Alex Ovechkin must come out the first shift hitting every Lightning that moves. He must continue to lead the young Caps by example, pop some goals in andset up his line mates. His goal in the second period of game five against the Rangers was a thing of beauty. Skating down the right wing, with a good defenseman, Marc Stahl, hanging all over him, cuttingleft at the last instance, and putting the puck past Lundqvist was a superstar moment hockey fans should always remember.But Ovie needs to do more against the offensive minded Lightning, maybe block an occasional shot, scramble Lightning forward Steve Downie’s brains with a hard check, if he is stupid enough to get on the ice with him at the same time, and maybe add Mattias Ohlund’s too, while he’s at it, and play more right wing once in a while to make the Lightning defense adjust and teach Roloson his new moves. He has to show the same fire and mental toughness he did the entire Ranger series.Other Caps forwards must continue to contribute goals too. Alexander Semin was flying high in the Rangers series scoring the winning overtime goal in game one, and dramatic goals in games 3 and 4. On a different line than Ovie, he gave the Rangers another force to reckon with. After the Caps dramatic3 -goal comeback in the third period of game 4, Jason Chimera scored the winning goal in second period overtime and also scored the winning goal in game two. Marcus Johanssen has to keep flying down the ice, finding a spot in front of the net and putting three more goals past Roloson.Jason Arnott and Scott Hannan need to keep exerting veteran leadership on the Caps. Their leadership in the dressing room and on the ice was invaluable. Arnott played a big role in getting the young Caps ready to come out to score three goals in the third period comeback win in game four and keeping Semin’s head in the game. Hannan constantly cleared the puck out of harm’s way in the Caps defensive zone and jumped up into the offense to add a little extra pressure on the goalie.Mike Green and hopefully, Dennis Wideman, will be ready to play the point and keep the power play alive. Green’s first period power play goal In game 5 got the Caps rolling, his shot and creativity from the point assisted on another four goals, and his blocked shot showed a lot of courage but little technique.. Both of these players also add a lot to the Caps defense.Jeff Schultz and Karl Alzner led the Caps in the Rangers series with 15 blocked shots each, and the Caps blocked 104 shots in the five games to lead the 16 quarterfinal teams. Blocked shots made Neuvy a better goaltender.The Caps have to keep throwing their impressive depth, 3 defensive pairs and four lines, out on the ice every shift to tire and slow down Lightning skaters. Defensive pair Alzner and John Carlson have to continue their often spectacular defensive play.Against a somewhat anemic Rangers offense, Caps goalie Michal Neuvirth was spectacular with a 1.38 GA and 946 save percentage. Tampa’s offense, which had thirteen different players scoring 23 goals against a pretty good Pittsburgh goaltender, Marc-Andre Fleury in a 7 game series, will be a better test. In the Penguin series, Tampa got 4 goals from stars Martin St. Louis, 2 each from Vincent LeCavalier and Steven Stamkos and 3 goals from lesser players Sean Bergeheim, 2 from Simon Gagne, and a goal from Steve Downie, Eric Brewer, Teddy Purcell.The Caps cannot give the Lightning a lot of power plays like they did the Rangers, While Boyd Gordon and the Caps penalty kill unit stopped all but one of the Ranger 18 power plays, it will be hard job stopping the likes of St. Louis, Stamkos, and Lecavalier eight times a game like in the Caps did their only loss in the quarterfinals.Instead, they need to draw Tampa’s bad boys into mistakes. In the Penguins series, Steve Downie spent 16 minutes in the sin bin, LeCavalier 8 PIM. Dominic Moore 16 PIM, and Ryan Malone 12 PIM. The Caps must play tough, but make sure they don’t retaliate to the Avery type play of those players. Hendricks may have to take Downie out again as he has the past four games the two teams have played.Tampa’s defense is playing well. Nate Thompson did it all against the Penguins, and Caps fans rememberthe shots Mattias Ohlund put on Ovie during the regular season. Defensemen Eric Brewer and Pavel Kubina came on strong adding some scoring from the point but Caps fore checking must put pressure on them, particularly their ice time adds up.While the Caps have all the tools to beat Tampa, they have to play even tougher and smarter, get the benefit of the doubt once in a while from the referees and a lucky bounce now and then to beat the Lightning.The Caps start the semifinals off 7 PM Friday at the Verizon Centre.

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Night Storm Produces Lightning for Second Round

The Tampa Bay Lightning strike the Penguins out of the playoffs. Caps to host the Lightning this Friday.

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Complete Game Gives the Caps a 3-1 Win! Off To The Second Round.

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Rangers Outgoon Caps 3-2

By Rodger M. WoodThe Caps retaliated to Rangers goon tactics in a hostile Madison Square Gardens, got caught and gave up too many power plays, forgot how to check and block shots, and lost a Gotham street fight 3-2.While the Rangers scored on only one of them, the young Caps gave up eight power plays, two of which were 5 on 3’s. Boyd Gordon and the penalty kill unit were worn down chasing down the likes of Erik Christensen, Marian Gaborak, Brandon Dubinsky, Bryan McCabe, and Vinny Prospal.In the first period, the Caps penalty kill unit held on to kill a 5 on 3 in the last minute and a half of the period. At the buzzard, the score was still 0-0, and it was the third playoff game in a row between these two teams in which there was no goals scored in the first period.At the 5:30 mark of the second period with Mike Green off in the sin bin for a hook, Erik Christensen broke the Caps long penalty kill streak and the Rangers got their first power play goal in the last thirty – three attempts to go ahead 1-0.The parade to the penalty box continued in the second period with John Carlson (cross check), Alex Ovechkin (hook), and Scott Hannan (hold) going off to the penalty box, effectively killing any momentum the Caps could build up in the period.However, at the 19:00 mark of the second period, Alex Ovechkin, assisted by Jason Arnott and Mike Green, raised our hope, putting the puck past Henrik Lundqvist, to tie the game up at 1-1.As Ovie was scoring the goal, “tough guy” Marc Stahl clobbered the side of the head of Mike Green, who just returned to the lineup from a concussion three games before. In defense of our Capitals, this was not the last time Stahl hit Green in the head in the game and was the type of play they retaliated to because the referees didn’t make the calls.At the 8:01 of the third period, Ranger center Vinny Prospal put the Rangers ahead, but after taking advantage of an “unusual” Ranger mistake on Marian Gaborak’s cross check penalty, Mike Knuble, assisted by Alex Ovechkin and Niklaus Backstrom, tied the score 2-2 at 14:48 mark.The game looked like another overtime contest, until Ranger forward Brandon Dubinsky carried the puck to the Capitals net at the 18:21 mark, cut into the crease, and shot the puck off Caps defenseman Karl Alzner’s shoulder and deflected by Ovie’s stick, into the net behind Caps goalie Michal Neuvirth to give the Rangers a dramatic win in Game 3.The Caps lost the game in the trenches. The Rangers outhit them 41- 29 for the night.While Caps goalie Neuvirth lost the duel to veteran adversary Henrik Lundqvist, he stopped 32 of 35 shots, and didn’t have a chance on the three goals that got past him. Failing to block shots and protect the young goaltender like the first two games, the Caps just allowed too many shots to go through on net.Before next game, the Caps need to regain focus, composure, remember how to check cleanly and block shots and not take so many penalties if they want game 3 to be in their win column. When they have won three games and are ahead 3-1 in a fourth game win with ten seconds to go in this series, Coach Boudreau can put DJ King on the ice across from Stahl. Maybe then we can see how tough Staal is.Playoff hockey is like a chess game. You have to change your moves every game, or the opposition catches up to you. The Rangers changed their moves last game and won. Let’s hope the Coach Boudreau changed the Capitals at practice today.The Caps/Rangers 4th Game is at 7:30 Wednesday at New York.

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Neuvy, Neuvy, Neuvy!

By Rodger M. WoodTrying to forget an overtime loss in the first game and silence the 20,000+ sea of red at the Verizon Center Friday night, the Rangers came out shooting, failed to get a puck past rookie goalie, Michal Neuvirth, and lost the second game of the quarterfinal playoffs 2-0.23-year old Neuvirth stopped 13 shots in the first period. Stymied by the Caps chokehold defense, the Rangers mustered only 9 shots on the net the second and third periods. Early in the game, a thunderous roar of “Neuvy, Neuvy, Neuvy” started greeting the fans’ new found hero every time he stopped a shot.Skating fast and furious, Caps third line of Brooks Laich, Marcus Johanssen, and Jason Chimera took charge of the ice in the second period. Assisted by line mates, Chimera gave the Caps a 1-0 lead at the 2:11 mark, and barreling into Ranger players the entire game, a psychological lift with 5 hits the rest of the game.Assisted by Mike Green, and Alex Ovechkin, Jason Arnott gave the Caps a power play insurance goal a couple minutes later. Whenever on the ice, it was reassuring to see Arnott and line mate, Marcos Sturm calmly playing veteran hockey.The Caps’ suffocating defense and tough back checking punished the Rangers. Ovie and Chimera set the tone with six and five hard hits each, and each other Capital, except Mike Green, made the Rangers keep their heads up with a hit each.Doing the little things necessary to win playoff games, John Erskine, Niklaus Backstrom, and Karl Alzner blocked three shots each. Late in the third period, Green blocked a hard shot from Rangers Russian Fedotenko to keep the Rangers from tying the game.Showing frustration In the second period, the Rangers started resorting to Coach Tortorella’s infamous goon tactics. Rangers biggest culprit, Sean Avery was seen bumping Neuvy every time he passed by him, including a couple times when the play was well down ice out of the referee’s sight. LW Brandon Prust kept trying to get things going with Erskine, and defenseman Marc Stahl took cheap shots on Ovie and Johanssen’s backs.But their tactics didn’t work and the Caps kept laying Brian Boyle and the rest of the Rangers out on the ice. They kept their cool preventing the NY goons from changing their winning ways. The result was a 2-0 shutout, a commanding 2 games to 0 lead in the series, and a strong hope to win two games in New York to win the series.The Caps/Rangers play the third game in a 3:00 PM matinee game at New York Sunday.Caps defenseman Dennis Wideman is back on the ice skating. The prognosis is that he could possibly return to play as early as a week.

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Caps Win with Heart, Determination and Stifling Defense

Caps Beat Rangers in Overtime!

By Rodger M. WoodRemembering last year’s first game loss against 8th seeded Montreal, the Caps came out strong, hitting everything in sight, and doing all the little things necessary to beat the New York Rangers 2-1 in overtime of the first game of the 2011 quarterfinals Stanley Cup playoffs.They played good defense, blocked opponent shots and waited for the right opportunity tocome back from a 1-0 deficit late in the third period.Ovie set the tone, crunching Rangers all over the ice, and his teammates soon followed suit with 17 hits in the first period and a total 35 hits for the game.Although the Rangers are notorious for keeping their offensive zone clean, Caps were the better of the two teams, blocking 32 shots to the Rangers’ game total of 28.The game was scoreless until Rangers Matt Gilroy scored on a slap shot from the slot at 1:56 mark of the third period.Sticking to the game plan, Alex Ovechkin crashed the nets to even the score up 1-1 with his first goal against the Rangers this season at the 13.44 mark of the third period.Both teams played cautiously until Alexander Semin broke into the open in front of the Rangers net to take a perfect pass from line mate, Jason Arnott and score the game winner at 18.53 of overtime.Throughout the game, Rangers veteran goaltender, Henrik Lundqvist dueled Capitals rookie goaltender Michal Neuvirth, who in his first NHL playoff game, matched the old pro stopping 24 of 25 shots, many of which were taken from point blank range. The Caps 23-year old net minder made several unbelievable stops.Coming back from a concussion, defenseman Mike Green played 24:45 minutes and assisted on Alex O’s goal in the third period.The Caps take on the Rangers in the second game in 7:30 PM game at the Verizon Center Friday night.See you there!

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