I got yer closed hand right here.

Starting the third period last night the contest with the Minnesota Wild seemed all but over. The Caps had been decimated by injury, looked worn down by their West Coast swing, were down by two, and had no offensive rhythm. And yet there was still plenty of time left for the game to turn. And then the referees inserted themselves into the game by calling what might have been the most pathetic and laughable calls of the season.

When Tom Poti and Alex Ovechkin were whistled for closing their hands on the puck within seconds of one another, the duo of Rob Shick and Chris Ciamaga essentially said "this game is about us and not about the teams playing." They put an undermanned team down 2 players, and the Wild promptly scored to go up by 3. The Wild went on to score again and go up 4-0, and the game looked to be over. And if they had been playing most other teams, the offensively bad pair of calls by the officials wouldn't have mattered.

Most teams can't break through the Wild's suffocating trap and get pucks past rock solid goaltender Niklas Backstrom. But the Caps are not most teams. They roared back in the third and scored not once, not twice, but three times to bring the game to within one. That they could not find the net for a fourth time should not have mattered. They shouldn't have had to.

All human beings make mistakes. Referees are human beings. So it follows that referees can and will make mistakes. That's forgivable. What is not is involving yourself in a game simply for the purpose of involving yourself. Calling obscure delay of game penalties that are practically never enforced not once, not twice, but three times in a game AND TWICE ON THE SAME TEAM WITHIN A MINUTE is grandstanding, plain and simple. And it cost the Capitals a point tonight.

I don't pay for my season tickets to watch referees insert themselves into games. I pay to watch the players. Period. Other than the families of Rob Shick and Chris Ciamaga, I bet every hockey fan feels the same way. And last night's display was an absolute embarrassment.

Something's missing here

So far, I've checked both Washington papers in order to get some perspective on yesterday's game, and they both fail to address a major issue: the horrendous officiating. It's one thing if the refs missed a call or two, but to miss a blatant trip that immediately resulted in a goal and call a non-existant dive in order to even things up late in a tight game? Just terrible.

For visual evidence of the first blown call, see below:



Now, at the top of the frame you'll see the referee responsible for handling calls in the defensive and neutral zone skating away from the play to pick up the pieces of a broken stick, which meant he was out of position and unable to view the play. Fortunately, the NHL has a two referee system in which the far side official (whose primary zone is the offensive zone) has the right to make a call if his partner misses it. The offensive zone official swallowed his whistle for no apparent reason, and because Brooks Laich was taken down on the play he was unable to cover the third man into the zone (Kobesaw), who was wide open for the only goal the Bruins would score in the game.

The Ovechkin diving call was as ridiculous a call as the trip on Laich was a non-call. Ovechkin had charged into the offensive zone at full speed and was attempting to split the defense when not one but BOTH defensemen lodged their sticks between the Russian Machine's legs. Ovechkin went down (not surprising, since you can't really skate on wood or fiberglass or whatever sticks are made of nowadays) and the referee made a call that was more out of the dead puck era than today's NHL. Instead of simply making the right call, the official "evened up" the penalty by calling Ovechkin for the (non-existant) dive. The result? Instead of a 5 on 4 power play, the teams would skate 4 on 4 and the Caps would be without one of their best players for the entirety of the penalties. It was a chickensh-t call by a chickensh-t ref.

It's not neccesarily an indicator officials are having an off night when there are as many "ref you suck" chants as "Lets go Caps" ones. What IS indicative of a terrible showing is veteran defenseman Tom Poti making comments to a locker room reporter about the slanted officiating while the game was still in progress, which will undoubtedly lead to a large fine. Players in the league know that the calls aren't always going to go their way, and are accepting of that. When they're willing to voice their displeasure in a public forum and take the financial hit that come with it (and they're not crybabies like Jagr or Lemeuix), you know they've got a legitimate beef.

The officiating debacle very nearly overshadowed the game, which the Caps were able to pull out in the shootout with a great delay shot by Alex Semin and a typically nonchalant (read: slooooooooooooooow) move to spread Alex Auld's legs and put the puck between them by Viktor Kozlov. If the NHL expects to have paying customers in the stands, they best be sure that they improve the level of officiating in their games, ESPECIALLY games involving one team in a "traditional" hokey market (like Boston or Toronto) and one that is not. Otherwise the impression will continue to exist among fans that the league has a vested interest in who makes the playoffs (the "traditional markets" and who doesn't (everyone else). And that is as damaging an impression as any other to the league's integrity and a threat to the expansion of the game into non-traditional markets.

It wasn't meant to be (this year)

There were two distinct points last night when the Capitals had opportunities to cement their lead on the Penguins and take control of the game. The first was Alexander Semin's fake and pass on the power play from the right corner of the net, which he put directly on the tape of Kris Beech. Since Semin had slipped towards the front and taken on the defenseman in front, Beech had an empty net with nobody even close to him. And what did he do with it?

He flubbed it. I'm still not even sure how it's possible, but if anyone can flub a shot from two inches away (besides Zubrus), Kris Beech is the man for the job. He somehow managed to have a perfectly settled puck flip up and over his stick as he tried to redirect it into the net. So instead of a 3-0 lead, the Caps were stuck at two, and Pittsburgh dodged a game-breaking bullet.

The second point came on the first Penguins power play after a soft Bryan Muir hooking call. During the course of the penalty kill, Shaone Morrisonn had not one but two clearing opportunities with nobody on him. Both times, his weak clearing efforts were held in by the defense. Not surprisingly, Pittsburgh capitalized, and made what should have been a 3-0 game into a tenuous 2-1 score instead.

As has become habit lately, the Caps were unable to hold on.

There was some good to come of last night's game. Alex Ovechkin absolutely DESTROYED Jordan Staal with a huge shoulder check, and looked dangerous all night. Olie Kolzig was strong if not stellar throughout the game. Alexander Semin also played extremely well, although the Beech flub seemed to affect his overall game. He was considerably less likely to give up the puck to anyone that didn't speak Russian after that point. And who can blame him?

Unfortunately, we didn't get much out of the first bout between Big Donnie and Gentleman Georges Laraque. Lots of posturing, a quick tie up and a spill. Not exactly the all out throwdown we expected of two of the league's finest enforcers. Kudos to Don for keeping his head in the game and continuing to play a hard, clean physical game even after the fighting major.

I know it's a moot point, but I'm going to bring it up anyway. The referees last night might as well have been wearing yellow instead of white so their jerseys could match the team they were playing for. The tripping call against Semin was maybe the worst piece of refereeing I've seen all season. Semin had control of the puck, was being pressed by another player, made a move with the puck, and his checker tripped over Semin's stick during the stickhandling maneuver. Because of that SEMIN gets the gate? Utterly ridiculous. The non-calls on Pittsburgh all night were equally egregious. The only call the refs made against the Pens was a double minor for high sticking, and only because the play needed to be stopped because the possibility of injury existed. The only other call the refs made was in garbage time in an attempt to make the scoresheet look more balanced.

Yes, we know the Penguins are going to the playoffs. And yes, we also know the Caps aren't. But that's no excuse for the NHL (by way of its officials) to hand the game to the Pens on a silver platter. The Pens first three goals were on the power play, two of them because of questionable calls. The ice would have been slanted Pittsburgh's way last night because of the differential in talent. There is no reason, and more importantly no excuse, for the NHL to tilt it further just to keep the Pittsburgh story going. And if you think the Pens treatment last night was anything but the norm, you're a fool.

If the Pens and Crosby are as good as advertised, they should have no trouble winning games without the help of the refs. But it's clear the league isn't willing to take any chances with it's posterboy or Pittsburgh's feel good storyline.

Now THAT was a hockey game

It has to be said... that was one of the best NHL games I've seen in some time. Great back and forth action, great talent on display, just a fantastic example of what the game of hockey is all about. It was like someone rolled a shooting, passing, and goaltending clinic all together and edited them into a single game. As a fan of hockey, I enjoyed last night's game more than any in recent memory.

Unfortunately, as a Caps fan, I left with that whole glass half empty feeling. Even though the Alex and Alex highlight reel continued to grow courtesy of jaw dropping plays by both wings, the team lost the game. Not that the rest of the team didn't match the intensity of their best players. They did. Any time Big Donnie Brashear tallies for the Caps, you know they're getting good work out of all four lines.

The Capitals on the whole played a fantastic game last night, but left Ottawa with no points. Zero. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. Not good for a team that has serious ground to make up in the playoff chase.

The Caps have some serious issues that need to be addressed, and soon. Dainus Zubrus is officially colder than the ice he skates on. Hell, he's colder than the ice Sasha Semin skated on in Siberia. He flubbed yet another easy scoring opportunity (that makes 500,000 by my unofficial count), missing a shot from less than two feet out where all he had to do was lift the puck a foot off the ice. Martin Gerber was even LOOKING THE OTHER WAY AT THE TIME. Just goes to show you... I can't write anything nice about anyone and have it work out.

[late edit - don't believe me? Words from the horses mouth, courtesy of Tarik: "I'm not taking anything away from [Gerber], but at the same time I don't think we shot the puck all the times when we should have," said Zubrus. "Myself included. I had two opportunities. On the five-on-three, I couldn't get over the pad and in the third period I missed on a breakaway. But I just couldn't finish it."]

Also, Kris Beech is a problem. Not has one, IS one. Not sure what else to say. He had a chance on a clear breakaway to get the Caps back into the game and he MISSED THE NET ENTIRELY. What a disappointment he's been. I doubt he'll be in the league next year.

The only other problem I had last night (outside of the score) was with the referees, who consistently go too far in eliminating physical play. Listen, boys, the focus is cracking down on OBSTRUCTION. Hooking, holding, and interference are obstruction related penalties. Roughing is NOT. So please, stop trying to turn the NHL into the Swedish Elite League. Thanks.

Next game is tomorrow against those #@!!$#@! Florida KittyCats. If the Caps bring the same game they played the last two nights, they'll come away with two points. If they bring the same game they played their last two games against the Kitties, there may be mass suicide attempts by Caps fans that tune in. So either way it should be interesting to watch.

Takin' Care of Business

Just like Elvis, the Caps took care of business last night against the Philadelphia Fallers, jumping out to a 5-0 lead and going on to win 6-2. Ben Clymer scored on a squeaker that eluded Bob Esche only 15 seconds in, and Alex Ovechkin was, well, Alex Ovechkin, scoring an sniper's goal from a bad angle in early in the first and again in the second to begin the route of Philly. Olie Kolzig provided excellent play early on while the Caps defense was on its heels, and continued his steady play throughout the game.

Big Donnie Brashear netted his first goal as a Capital off what can only be described as a moonshot, but had to delay his celebration for about 5 minutes while the goal was under review. Man, enforcers just can't catch a break.

As for the tone of the game, I can only describe it as Us Vs. The Men Wearing Orange and Black, and I don't just mean Philly. The refs once again made a mockery of the game of hockey, especially on Clymer's "interference" call in the second. The NHL needs to recognize that this is hockey, not figure skating, and that last I checked, a hip check is still legal. There was nothing even remotely illegal about the play. Listen, if the fans wanted to watch no-contact hockey, they'd move to Sweden.

The only good thing about the string of bogus calls was the energy they supplied the crowd. It's good to see the fans finally realizing that they CAN make noise, get rowdy, and support their team at the top of their lungs, especially when said team is getting the shaft. The fans really came together to give it to the refs and, more importantly, to let the penalty killers know their efforts were appreciated. So pat yourselves on the back, Caps fans. Good job. Lets try to keep up that intensity for the rest of the season.

There is, however, one small issue I have to take up. Lets quit all this sweep nonsense. The term sweep should ONLY apply to the playoffs. This wasn't the playoffs. I mean, seriously. These days, if you win ONE GAME against a Western Conference team, you've technically swept the season series. So lets retire the word until we get into some 7 gamers.

Also, Barra Brava and the Screaming Eagles could be heard through the entire arena this time. Gran trabajo, muchachos!

Oh, and Zubrus is starting to look lazy out there again. Don't make me eat my words, Zubie-doobie-doo.

Daniel Briere shows his true colors

and apparently they're yellow (and I don't mean Buffaslug yellow). Instead of trying to exact retribution through physical play or trying to pile on the offense, Briere showed what a classless piece of trash he is by attempting to spear Alex Ovechkin in the, ahem, lower region. Ovechkin showed his strength of character by not killing Briere on the spot. At the whistle, Ovechkin challenged the coward to a fight, which, of course Briere chickened out of. AO later scored on a wicked shot from just inside the blueline to an ovation of boos from the crowd.

Yet again, the gutless NHL referees "didn't see the play," which makes you wonder why, besides slowing the game to a crawl, they actually show up. First and foremost, it is the responsibility of the referees to make sure that they keep the game under control and prevent cheap shots that endanger the health of the players on the ice. And they failed. Spectacularly. Again. I doubt the league will do anything to discipline Briere, since the Sabres resurgence has been too cute a story to ruin by suspending one of their star players for being a cheapshot piece of trash.

Oh, and the Caps lost the game, undone by allowing the Sabres six goals on their first nine shots. Brent Johnson got the early hook, and the Caps pressed to make the game competitive, scoring a goal late in the first and two more down the stretch.

Next game is tonight at the V against les Canadiens de Montréal.

Devils put Caps to sleep

Is it just me, or should the Devils be sponsored by ambien?

Led by a rock solid defense and the standard brilliant game by Marty Brodeur, the Devils sat on a 2-1 lead and cruised to a 4-1 victory. The league's attempts to limit goaltender's stick use certainly hasn't slowed Brodeur, who effectively used the poke check from his crease last night more often than the rest of the goaltenders in the league combined this year. That gave his defense the ability to play tighter coverage on their men in front, knowing that Brodeur would slap away any quick passes or wraparound attempts.

The Capitals offense looked frustrated from the get go, with their only tally coming from Captain Clark in a scrum around the net. Their early inability to put pressure on seemed to frustrate the team, resulting in some ticky tack penalties, which they could ill afford. The team simply didn't put enough pressure on in either end to come away with the victory. Also, the line shakeup that put Ovechkin on the second line while teaming Semin with Zubrus and Clark didn't exactly spark great play out of any of those players. Don't expect to see too much of it in the future.

Notes on tonight's game:

1) NEVER taunt Marty Brodeur. He plays big in big games, and I can't imagine the whole mirrored glasses taunts didn't get him just a little geared up to play. So lets add him to the short list of players not to piss off before gametime.

2) There is a substantial difference in the way referees are calling penalties on the Super Sophomore class. If Crosby caught a high stick like Ovie did in the first, the offending player would have been taken out back and shot by league officials. As it was, no penalty was called against the offending Devils player. The referees in this league have always had this problem. The more physical the player (and I don't think anyone would dispute that The Russian Machine plays with more of a physical edge than Diver Down Crosby) the more liberties the refs allow opposing players to take with them. I've never understood this. A high stick is an easy call to make, and should be made uniformly by every referee, regardless of the players involved.

3) If you ever have trouble sleeping, I recommend getting the NHL Center Ice package and watching every Devils game. Insomnia cured.

In the end, there can be only one.

Wow. I mean WOW. A dominating performance by Ovechkin. A goal to get the Caps out in front early, a goal to send the game into overtime with under a minute left, and a goal second into overtime to win it. You think maybe Ovie was a teency weency bit fired up for this game? Just an incredible performance. The kind that makes you think that as long as we have this kid playing for the Caps, a championship is more a matter of when than if.

We believe the reason for Ovechkin's domination of the game came from 2 sources. One, you already know about (and again, if you've been stationed in Antarctica for the last few months, click here). The other, surprisingly, was Ilya Kovalchuk. In the first, Kovalchuk seemed intent on making an impact in this game, and I do mean IMPACT. I don't ever think I've seen him throw so many big body checks in one period. It seemed Kovalchuk was trying to show Ovie that HE was the best Russian in the NHL.

Bad move.

Ovechkin thrives on competition. Feeds off of it the same way Popeye feeds off of spinach. It makes him skate faster, hit harder, and grow incredibly enlarged forearms. Okay, maybe not that last one. His drive to be the best has been documented all over the place, most noticeably in the post's recent feature article. And here was Kovalchuk, running around like he was the biggest, baddest guy around. Like he was the one deserving of all the fanfare. Like he was the best player on the ice. And he ended up stepping on The Russian Machine's toes.

Very bad move. Ovechkin made him pay for his transgression. He made them all pay.

Other observations on the game: Dainus Zubrus has officially come into his own. As a Caps fan over the years, I've always been critical of Zubrus. I didn't like the trade we made to get him (I was big on Zednik and Bulis' upside). I thought Zednik would be a star 2nd liner (and turned into one in Montreal, right up until he was nearly decapitated in the playoffs by a Kyle McLaren cheap shot in Montreal's series against Boston a few years back). I didn't think Zubrus would ever play with a physical edge or develop the intensity needed to be a star at the NHL level.

Well, Dainus, my apologies. I promise to limit my suggestion that you hit opposing players with your purse to twice a game.

This season, Zubrus has consistently won physical battles, made solid defensive plays, and is making stellar set up passes, like the 2 assists he had last night. His talent makes the first line a formidable presence. And his newfound willingness to bang around makes the first line not just a scoring line, but a line that beats other teams up. Clark, Ovechkin and Zubrus don't just want to score when they're out there. They want your lunch money too. And they're not going to stop pounding you until they get it.

Now you're going to have to forgive me for being grumpy here and pointing out that Zubrus is also in a contract year. Hey, it's in the name of the blog folks. Just can't help myself.

Let's turn focus now to the ridiculous nature of some of the penalties last night. The referees in Atlanta had NO SPINE. NONE. The ridiculous no call on the goaltender interference on Atlanta's washed out goal was just that. Ridiculous. Ditto the Semin diving minor. Forgive him for not being able to stay on his feet while being suplexed by Coburn. As my brother put it, "that was a reputation call, plain and simple." And reputation calls are made by referees that aren't good enough to keep up with the game. Kudos to Semin for not loosing his cool, or letting the rough stuff affect his game. Though he didn't score, he was a force on the ice, and Atlanta had to account for him.

Next game is tonight, 7PM against the Flyers. Regrettably, I won't be able to attend, but I'll have the TiVo spun up (and my brother will be watching with his one year old from the comfort of his couch) so I should have something on the game posted Sunday.