I Laich It Laich That! Caps Win 5th Straight in NYC: Capitals 5-3 Rangers

photo credit - Frank Franklin II - AP

In spite of the Capitals making a regular habit of giving up the first goal to the opposition, the Caps keep on rolling, this time beating the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden to take the NHL standings lead with 22 points. The Caps once again played a very solid game, but the nagging sloppy defencive play continues. Lately it always seems like its going to be a long night for the Caps, as they have given up the first goal 11 of the first 15 games played so far this season. Fortunately for the Caps it has not really mattered to much when it comes to wins vs losses. You almost get the feeling now that when the Caps give up the first goal, the "ahhh, we got em right where we want em!" I would almost even say that at times the Caps appear to play better, late in the game when they are down, or the game is tied. It certainly has appeared that way more often than not. While it doesn't necessarily feel as good as getting a lead in a game and keeping it for good, perhaps there is something to be said for being able to handle adversity and overcome it. I'm definitely liking that aspect.

photo credit - Nick Laham - Getty Images

Tonight the Caps relinquished the lead to the Rangers 3 different times in the game, finally pulling level for good mid way through the second period. The first period was a penalty filled affair with each team getting a power play tally and the Caps killing off an extended 5 on 3. There were a total of 28 minutes in penalties handed out to both teams, including a fighting major each to unlikely combatants Mike Green and Brandon Dubinsky for this nifty little bout, which we're going to call basically even, maybe the slight edge to Green:




Tonight the Caps got goals from where they have not been getting them of late, with Brooks Laich getting two, along with 1 each from Mike Knuble, who scored his first goal since Opening night, John Erskine, and Matt Hendricks. Both Alexander Semin and Green's 4 game goal scoring streaks came to and end tonight, but they were not held off the score sheet as Semin logged an assist and Green got 2 helpers. Alex Ovechkin also got on the scoring docket with an assist as well.

photo credit - Nick Laham - Getty Images

Somehow, even with the glaring defencive lapses, the Capitals are managing to find the offence they need night after night to keep putting 2 points on the board in the standings.  Michael Neuvirth made his first appearance since being yanked 2 games ago in the Caps 5-3 win at home Vs Boston after yielding 3 goals in just under 7 minutes, two of them less than 1 minute apart. Neuvirth once again got the W for the Caps, stopping 25 of 28 Rangers shots tonight.  Next up is another MUST WIN game when division rival, and the team you, the readers here voted as the biggest threat to the Caps in the southeast division this season, the Tampa Bay Lightning visits Verizon Center on Thursday night.

You Be The Judge: Brashear gets 5 games, should Brown get 5 as well?

In tonights game one of the Anaheim Ducks / Detroit Red Wings NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, Western Conference semi final, Mike Brown of the Ducks leveled a crushing hit up high to the Red Wings Jiri Hudler at 11:29 of the 1st period. Brown was assessed a 5 minute major for interferance, and a game misconduct.(ejection) Brown came in late, well after Hudler at passed the puck away. Hudler suffered severe cuts to his head, which appeared to be caused by his helmet, and bled profusely. Hudler did however return to the game after recieving 10 stiches.

Last week in game 6 of the Washington Capitals / New York Rangers NHL Eastern Conference quater final series the Caps Donald Brashear leveled a hit on the Rangers Blair Betts that was almost identical in nature to the hit in tonights Ducks / Wings game. The NHL suspended Brashear for 5 games for the hit. Betts suffered a broken orbital bone, and did not return for the series.

I am posting video footage of both hits, and you can decide for yourself. It is my opinion that the hit Brown leveled tonight was almost no different than the one Brashear leveled last week. It is also my opinon that the NHL should suspend Brown for 5 games as well. While the injuries sustained were different, and the players leveling the hits may have somewhat different reputations, the NHL needs to show consistency here if they are going to attempt to take these kinds of hits out of the game of hockey. I should also qualify here, that it is also my opinion, that both hits were not "dirty" in nature. They may have been somewhat late, but neither were inherently "dirty".

S, you be the judge. Should the NHL suspend Brown as well, and if so, for how long? Here are the videos of each hit. Leave your comments with what you think.


Brown on Hudler:



Brashear on Betts:


Please leave your comments with what you think?

SO... Just like the COME BACK CAPS... This blog is BACK! Caps make it to 2nd round for first time in 10 years

I decided that this blog was going to be suspended until the Washington Capitals made it to the 2nd round of the NHL Playoffs. Well, tonight, after being outplayed for most of the game, they did just that. Your Washington Capitals have FINALLY made it to the 2nd round of the NHL playoffs, beating the New York Rangers 2-1 at Verizon Center in Washington. I personally did not have tickets to game 7, so instead I decided to go to one of my usual haunts in Old Town Alexandria... Bugsys Sports Bar, which is owned and operated by former Capital, Bryan "Bugsy" Watson. I arrived at 6:15PM, to a mostly empty place with a few Caps fans sitting at the bar. By 6:45, it was standing room only, and most were rockin the red in full Caps gear. The crowd, even though it was a HOME game for Washington, was still ELECTRIC!

The Caps looked Flat for most of the 1st, and 2nd periods, but so did the Rangers. The Rangers jumped on a chance early, but the Caps answered back two thirds the way through the 1st period and thats where things would stay until late in the game. In the 1st period alone, the Caps would be outshot 8-2 by NY, and would not fare much better during the second. The Caps mustered just 9 shots in the 2nd period, for a total of 11 the entire game at that point and the rangers just had 14. It was a very tight contest through 2 periods to be sure. A hush came over the crowd for most of the 2nd period and most seemed very apprehensive going into the third.

As fate would have it on this night, for all of us Caps fans around the country and the world, this was the Caps night. The Caps did somewhat dominate the 3d, outshooting the rangers that period a total of 13-1. With time winding down to just 6 minutes left in the 3rd period, the Caps were building a crechendo, but were not pulling it out and putting the Rangers away. Then, suddenly, with a break down the right wing side, Sergei Fedorov snapped a shot wich would turn out to be the most important Caps shot on goal in 10 years. Fedorov skated in down the right wing boards and let loose a hard wrist shot from the face off dot that sailed past Henrik Lundquist high on the glove side at 4:59 of the third period, and the Rangers never recovered. Lundquist place a good game, but the Rangers just could not put thier chances away. The Caps dominated the rest of the way, and for the first time in 10 years the Caps were heading to the second round of the NHL palyoffs. The bar ERUPTED in to cheers and chants, which continued throughout the rest of the game, and afterwards.








Not only did it feel great to finally have the Caps advance past the first round, but it was fantastic to see so many Caps fans packing a local bar, on a playoff game night which was a HOME GAME. The Caps have finally made it back, and made it back BIG. Suddenly, it feels like, Washington is finally starting to become the "hockey town" in waiting that it has always been. People are taking notice, and taking notice big time. Way to go Caps, and way to go CAPS FANS!!!!! The Caps are BACK, and they are, at least for this year...

THE COME BACK CAPS!!!!!