This is one of those nights

This is a night that Caps fans have always dreamed of. Your first line stats:
1, 2, 3, +4,
1, 3, 4, +4,
2, 3, 5, +4.

Now lets all hope Brent Johnson isn't for really real injured and that this is just a slick coaching move by Coach B to get J.T. (admit it, it sounds better that Joo-say Theey-oooo-dooore) some minutes without being under the gun.

Oh, yeah, and Carolina... you're old.

2 for 2

It's amazing what playing hard the full 60 minutes will do for a team. First, the Caps beat Carolina with their skills, scoring two pretty goals in the last 3 minutes of the game to shock the 'Canes 3-2. Two days later, they beat the Rangers with their will, grinding out a tough 3-1 win by creating havoc in front of Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist and crashing the net at every opportunity.

So what should be taken away from these two wins? First, that the Caps have the talent to compete with anyone in the East. The Hartford...er... Carolina Hurricanes were first in the SouthEast, having won 4 of their last 6 games. The Rangers lead their division and were 5-2 in their last 7 games and had just dropped a five spot on Tampa.

The Capitals played like a team tired of being questioned about their effort, about their talent, and about their commitment to winning. They got contributions from just about everyone on the ice. Their skill players scored (Alex Semin, 3g in 2 games). Their heavyweights scored resounding victories to boost team momentum (Donald Brashear in a one sided whupping of Wade Brookbank). Their grinders went hard to the net (Boyd Gordon setting up Tom Poti's goal with a drive to the front of the net and Brooks Laich slapping a deflected puck out of midair past Lundqvist). And their goaltender performed like a number one is expected (even if it was technically their number 2), making an arrray of difficult saves and even stopping a penalty shot in a one goal game.

A split over the weekend would be a sign of a team still trying to catch its groove. A win against both teams is an announcement to the league: the Caps are here to win, no matter the opponent.

What we know so far

We're three games into the season, and four things already stand out.

- Bruce Boudreau is a smart hockey coach. Knowing that he was playing a team that was not strong offensively and played the trap, Boudreau removed John Erskine from the lineup and moved Sergei Fedorov to the back line. Breaking the neutral zone trap depends on quick and accurate outlet passes, and Fedorov provided them in droves last night. Because of this, the Canucks were unable to slow the pace of the game and were completely outmatched by the speed and talent of the Caps forwards.

By specifically targeting the opposing gameplan and adjusting his lineup accordingly, Boudreau was able to completely nullify the strongest weapon in the Canucks arsenal (their boring as all get out system). The Caps have had fits dealing with trapping teams in the past, but it looks like they've found a viable solution for the future.

- Alexander Semin is good. Really good. Not that this is news to anyone who was watching the last 20 or so games last year, but Semin has arrived as an elite level talent. He's much stronger on the puck than in previous years, quicker, andis an absolutely lethal finisher around the net. If he stays healthy, fifty goals should be a cinch. On every team in the East except Pittsburgh or Atlanta he'd be the team's number one scoring option. And yes, I'm including the Canadiens in that list. Who would you rather have on your team, Alex Semin or Alex Kovalev? Thought so.

- Goaltending is going to be an adventure. Goals on the first shot in back to back games? Not good. Inconsistent stickhandling and poor decision making? Also not good. The Caps need to calm their goaltenders down in a hurry. Great puck possesion performances (such as the one the team put together against the Canucks) should go a long way towards settling Theodore and Johnson down and getting them focused.

- Defense is going to be even MORE of an adventure. The Caps right now have three viable NHL calibur defensemen, and one of them is a forward. Everyone not named Poti, Green, or Fedorov has so far looked like they're in a competition to see who can play themselves out of a job first.

So, to sum things up, our coach is showing that last year was no fluke, our defense is showing that the team needs Alzner sooner than later, our goalies haven't shown us much yet, and Alexander Semin is proving that he's got what it takes to be a superstar in the league.

Oh, and as the Deuce said, Viktor Kozlov has a boo-boo.

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.

Stepping up

During the Caps recent road swing through most of the Southeast Division, it became painfully clear that teams are throwing everything up to and including the kitchen sink at Alex Ovechkin in an attempt to slow the Russian Machine's insane scoring pace. Common sense dictates that to beat the Caps, other teams need to drape Ovechkin in third line players, hoping that enough will stick on him to keep him contained and off the scoresheet.

Certainly, if the Caps are to make the playoffs, Ovechkin will have to continue with his awe-inspiring play. But what of the rest of the team? Who is capable of stepping up and delivering star-level performances on a nightly basis from now until the end of the season? We may have seen the answer in the Caps performance on Sunday in Tampa.

If the Caps are going to win the Southeast, they'll need consistently excellent performances from Olie Kolzig and Alexander Semin. This should surprise no one, as secondary scoring and goaltending are keys to every team's success. The pressure on Semin and Kolzig will be far beyond that of most goaltenders and scoring wingers down the stretch, for many reasons.

Alexander Semin has always been an enigma. A supremely talented dangler with a deadly wrist shot, he racked up 38 goals and 35 assists in his first full season of NHL play. He could easily have doubled his assist numbers had he not been playing with AHL level talent for most of the year.

Expectations for the uber-talented wing were sky high coming into his second season, even with his position switch from left to right wing. And then, before the season even began, it happened. Semin went behind the net on a routine play against the Flyers, made contact with an opposing defenseman, and went down in a heap. He stayed down for several minutes before being helped to the bench. Although he did test the ankle on a shift later in that same game, it was clear that something was wrong. How wrong, none of us knew at the time.

We kept waiting for Semin's ankle to get better. And waiting. And waiting. Almost 20 games we waited. Meanwhile, the team was in a downward spiral that would result in the release of Coach Glen Hanlon. Semin returned to the lineup, but was clearly not comfortable or fully fit. Paired with Michael Nylander and the left wing of the day, Semin produced lackluster (minus) game after lackluster (minus) game. Which is not to say that there weren't valid reasons for his lack of production. After all, Semin was still recovering from an injury which severely hampered his mobility, perhaps his second most important hockey attribute (after that amazing wrister). And most outside the organization didn't know it at the time, but Nylander was playing on half a shoulder, and eventually opted for season ending surgery. The second line on the Caps was outplayed and outclassed most nights and both Semin and the team were clearly frustrated.

However, as of late we've seen Semin's star beginning to rise again. As his mobility and touch improved with each passing day after the all-star break, we began to see some of the jaw-dropping, game-breaking moves that made him such fun to watch in the first place. His cuts and quick stop-and-starts improved to the point that he became a legitimate scoring threat from anywhere in the offensive zone, whether he was facing the net or not.

And Sunday, he put together his best overall performance, starting by feeding Tomas Fleishmann with a fantastic curl and pass that Flash deposited into the back of the net. He also scored off a rebound late in the third period to rebuke a Tampa comeback attempt and seal a two point night for the Caps. More important than the goal itself was the way Semin scored it. He showed the speed he lacked most of the season beating both defenders and to the puck and sliding it past Holmqvist for the win. Semin was also aggressive, attacking the net the way pure goal scorers must.

If the Caps are going to make the playoffs, they're going to need to see a lot more of that from him. Likewise, they're going to need a lot more performances like they saw that night from Olie Kolzig.

Kolzig was solid for most of the night, but more importantly, he was SPECTACULAR when he needed to be, stopping 24 shots in the second period when his team clung to a one nothing lead. In the third, Kolzig was again amazing, beaten only by two deflections in tight.

To friends, I've often described Caps games post-Hanlon era as a race to 4. Whoever scored four goals first was going to win the game. This exciting (and often hair raising) style of play led to more than a few top quality scoring chances by the opposition, and for most of the year Olie was not up to the challenge. He looked, for lack of a better description, his age. His lateral movement and positioning seemed off, and because of it he was kicking out too many hard rebounds and giving up too many scoring chances. He looks to have righted the ship for the playoff push after some much needed (though grudgingly taken) rest.

If Kolzig can keep opposing teams to 3 or less for the majority of their remaining games and Alex Semin can once again become a dominant scorer, the Caps should lock up at least an 8 seed, if not the Southeast Division title. If not, they'll be golfing early again this year.

Erskine Decides to Do His Stevens Impersonation; Capitals 2, Leafs 3

When did Johnny Erskine discover the ability to throw open ice hits like Scott Stevens?! The man was an absolute beast last night, clobbering Leafs forwards and putting the fear of God into them. Is it that Johnny has discovered something, or do the Leafs skate like Mites with their heads down? Either way, he was sure fun to watch last night. That hit on Darcy Tucker was priceless, then the check where he sent another Leafs forward flying into the boards had me out of my seat.

The best part is, his angry play seems to have rubbed off on the younger Capitals defensemen, with Mike Green flooring Blake and Steve Eminger throwing his body around as if his career depended on it (which, of course, it does). I must say that at this point I much prefer Eminger's desperate play to Schultz's "simple" (read: weak) plays. Yes, Schultz is 6'6", and yes, he has a ten foot wingspan, but what good is size if you don't use it. I think some more seasoning in Hershey is just the ticket for young Jeff. Either that, or a few workouts with this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Conte.

Anyway, the Caps were lulled into playing the Leafs' style of boring, boring, boring, slow hockey last night, and payed the price. The Caps totally dominated the first seven and a half minutes of the first period, but Toskala and the Leafs survived the onslaught, and, of course, scored the game's first goal. Somehow, both Caps defensemen decided that after wrapping the puck around the boards, there was no need to go back in front of the net and cover an absolutely naked Chad Kilger. Oops. That one was a little embarassing, and seemed to deflate the Caps. The rest of the game, the old, slow Leafs defensemen did a decent job against The Russian Maching, keeping him to the outside and forcing shots from wide. Of course, OV still fired a bullet past Toskala.

The rest of the game was -- unremarkable (read: practically unwatchable), with the exception of another brilliant move by Semin. Give credit to Dave Steckel for recognizing the fact that he was breaking in on net with Semin. I can just imagine his thought process: I should shoot, wait, that's Semin, I'll just give him the puck and take the assist.

One sweet move by Semin later, and the Caps tied the game at 2. Unfortunately, in a move that could only have been brought on by his being starstruck coaching in Toronto, with less than a minute remaining Bruce Boudreau decided to go all in and put Alexander "Knucklehead" Semin out for the final shift of regulation. Out broke the Leafs 3-on-3. Unfortunately, the 3rd Leafs forward was Mats "I don't want to be traded" Sundin, and the 3rd Capitals forward, the guy responsible for picking up Sundin, the most dangerous Leaf player for the last 10 years, was Knucklehead, who promptly did what he always does and skated straight towards the puck -- like a moth drawn to a flame.

Of course, the puck went right to Sundin, who promptly deposited it under Kolzig (we really could've used that save Olie), who was in position to make a fantastic save, but somehow didn't (seriously Olie). The puck slowly, slowly, slowly crept UNDER Olie's stomach, and that was that. Dammit. Other items of note:
1) Did I mention Erskine was a BEAST. Never sit him again. Ever.
2) I'll take Eminger's boarding penalty any day. Good, aggressive, hard-nosed hockey. Just try not to do it from behind.
3) Typical night for The Russian Machine: 20 shifts, 8 shots, 1 goal, +1
4) Typical night for Knucklehead Semin: 3 shots, 1 beautiful goal, 1 boneheaded, lazy backcheck with the game on the line.
5) One all-too typical lately game for Kolzig: 21 saves on 24 shots: .875 save percentage. Does anyone remember the days in the last two years when his line looked like this: 42 saves on 45 shots .933 save percentage, 4 or 5 all-world saves? Me neither.

Let's see if the Caps can continue their trend of not losing consecutive games. They need to. At least, and I can't believe I'm saying this, we'll have Brent Johnson in net tonight.

It's hard to have an Avalanche when it's 70 degrees outside

Despite the spring-like heat and the total lack of snow on the ground, an Avalanche will be found in DC as Colorado visits the Caps for the first time in almost five years (thanks to the idiotic and soon to be scrapped unbalanced schedule). Perhaps its fitting that under such poor snow conditions the Avs come in hobbled.

With all-universe talent and surefire hall-of-famer Joe Sakic and garbage goal scorer extraordinaire Ryan Smyth both out with injuries, the Avs scoring burden will fall to sophomore sensation Paul Stastny (he of the ridiculously talent-laden Stastny family) and Milan "it's pronounced hey-dook, idiot" Hedjuk. Both players will look to feast upon a Caps defense that again will be missing two of its top four defensemen in Tom Poti and Brian Pothier. Coming off a 1-0 loss against their archrivals in Detroit, expect the Avs to ratchet up the forecheck in order to press the Caps remaining d-men and try to force turnovers in the offensive zone.

For the Caps, the key to the game will be to jump on Colorado early and wear the Avs down with a physical forecheck, and to play the puck quickly out of their own end. With the exception of wunderkid Mike Green, the Caps current defensive corps is not strong at playing the puck, so moving the puck out of danger quickly (without chucking it into the stands for a delay of game call) will be a tall order for them.

In the offensive zone, it's a night to shoot, shoot, and shoot some more. Neither Peter Budaj nor Jose Theodore is reminding anyone in Colorado of Patrick Roy these days, so expect at least a 7 shot night from the Russian Machine (and hopefully at least 5 from the once-again-returning-from-injury Alex Semin). If the Caps resist getting too cute with posession of the puck and simply pour on the pressure, they should be able to down the Avs to the tune of 5-3. If not, expect a low scoring affair that goes to a shootout.

Starting the year off right

Wow. I mean WOW. Two games against the Senators (one to send off the old year, and one to ring in the new) with an amazing 23 goals between the teams and, most importantly, two wins and four points for the Caps.

For anyone that calls themselves a fan of hockey, these last two games have been absolute heaven. A four goal outburst from the slightly knicked up Russian Machine in the first game followed by two tallies by Mike Green in the second, and all the sudden the Caps are only five points out of a eight place and a playoff spot. And while 37 points might not seem like much to brag about, their record since Coach Boudreau took over the team (10-5-4) sure is.

The Caps have also found their personality under their new coach. Where before the emphasis was on defensive positioning and keeping the other team from scoring, Coach B has turned the team's old system on its ear, and instead is emphasizing quick strikes from every skater on the ice. Now instead of having wave after wave of opposing players crash against the Caps until they break, the Caps are now quick to strike at even a hint of weakness from the opposition.

In short, where the Caps system used to resemble a turtle (hard shell, slow, methodical) the Caps style now more resembles a rattlesnake, still appearing defensive in posture but much more threatening and aggresive when approached. Before, there was no reason for teams to keep their players from pinching deep, since the Caps were sure to play low in their own zone and keep a defensive shell. Now, any forward looking to attack had better be sure he doesn't put himself out of position, because if he does it's almost guaranteed that the Caps will send a defenseman to gain a numbers advantage in their counterattack. With the way Tom Poti and Mike Green have been attacking the net, that's something the opposition's defense has got to be nervous about.

Tonight, the Caps look to take two standing points from a stumbling (3-6-1) Bruins team and the goaltending style (or lack thereof) of Tim Thomas. Though he has put up solid numbers this year, I can't think of a goaltender north of Tampa whose style of play inspires less confidence than Timmy T. Look up shaky in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of Thomas sprawling awkwardly to make a play while his defensemen look on terrified.

Game time is 7PM at the Gahden, and despite previous reports, neither Alex Semin (bruised buttbone) or Tom Poti (the dreaded it-could-be-just-about-anything upper body injury) will be in uniform.

Thoughts while in between games

While the Caps players are spending this week getting accustomed to Coach Boudreau's system, it's a good time to examine the state of the team and identify which areas have performed well and which, to put it politely, need improvement. While their record certainly indicated there will be more of the latter than the former, there are certainly bright spots to touch upon. After all, with the snow on the ground in the area and the holiday season approaching, we don't want to be called Grinches

On the positive side, the Caps have improved the overall skill level of their team, specifically with the additions of Nylander and Backstrom. While their impact has yet to show in the standings, you'd be hard pressed to find a more improved position for the Caps than at the center dot. Keep in mind, Kris Beech was playing top minutes for the team last year at the position. While Backstrom still has to improve his skating and physical play, he's shown that he can mentally keep up with the responsibilies of playing the pivot. And Nylander is miles ahead of any Caps center since Adam Oates wore the sweater.

Additionally, the Caps defense has developed more offensive swagger with the addition of Tom Poti and the emergence of Mike Green as a geniune offensive dynamo. While Poti has had to contend with injuries and increased responsibility in all zones, he has been effective as the Caps top defenseman. Mike Green, meanwhile, has been one of the team's top offensive threats for most of this season, redeeming himself after a lackluster second season (and making this post from last year relevant again).

Alex Ovechkin has 20 goals and is averaging over a point a game while playing the best two way hockey of his career. Nothing to scoff at.

Unfortunately, the list of problems is much more robust.

First, aside from Poti and Green, the defense for the Caps has looked positively amateurish so far. Jurcina is no longer hitting everything that moves, and Jeff Shultz must have pictures of Ted Leonsis naked in order to keep his spot on the roster. He's been overmatched in almost every game he's played. Why they haven't shuffled him out of the lineup and given Steve Eminger more looks confounds me. And while John Erskine has been effective at playing the body, he has had lapses of discipline that make his spot in the lineup tenuous at best. Another major issue for the Caps blueliners is their lack of footspeed. They simply cannot skate with the faster teams in the league, and they lack the toughness to pound away at quick players when they have opportunities. Looking for proof? Watch the replay of their performance against Buffalo.

In order for the defense to reach a respectable level, they need a banger, plain and simple. I hate to say it, but the Caps sure could use Brendan Witt right now. I think I just lost a year of my life typing that.

Injuries have also played a major part in the Caps horrendous start, but that does not excuse how they've been managed (and how they might have been prevented). First, let's go with prevention. Under Glen Hanlon, the power play lacked movement, which led to players having to flood the front of the net to create scoring chances (since the shot angles didn't change, they attempted to screen the goaltender and fight for rebounds). Unfortunately, their best shooter is at his best shooting for high corners. Close range shots aimed high tend to be VERY, VERY dangerous to anyone setting a screen. Just ask Chris Clark about it. The Caps could just as easily have created the same screen with Clark skating across the shooting lane, instead of standing in it, and Clarkie would still have both ears in one piece.

As far as Alex Semin's injury is concerned, we covered that weeks ago. Ankle injuries should be given ample time to recover, even if the player thinks they're ready to play. Instead of sitting him for a couple weeks, the Caps rushed Semin back into the lineup, after which he promptly reinjured himself and has yet to fully recover. Ugh.

In terms of forward contributions outside of the Russian Machine, there haven't been any. When your primary setup man is second on the team in goals and one of your defensemen is tied for third, you know there's a problem. Simply put, the Capitals second through fourth lines have not been getting it done. And while their old (trap) system is partially to blame, someone on the team has to step up and get the job done.

And speaking of stepping up, will someone let Viktor Kozlov know that the season has started? Kozlov has been by far the least impactful free agent signing, even though he's played on the top line almost exclusively. At this point, it's fair to say that Kozlov is stealing money every shift he's on the ice. At this point, I think every defenseman in the league knows that Kozlov needs time to make a play and presses him before he gets the opportunity.

It's true that despite his size, Kozlov will never be a banger. But would it be too much to ask for his to actually forecheck instead of weakly swiping his stick at opposing players as they skate past? And if he ever takes another shift at center it will be too soon. I'd rather see Backstrom losing draws but refining his technique than Kozlov losing draw after draw after draw after draw. He belongs on the wing (or more accurately right now, on the bench).

So what do the Caps need to do to address these issues? It's clear that not all of them can be taken care of with the team in its current makeup, so a trade is a possibility. It's much more likely that they'll wait until the offseason to make any moves (especially with the Russian Machine's contract coming due).

However, there are certain things that Coach Boudreau can do right now to improve the team (and some things he's already done).

1. Unleash Mike Green and allow him to play an attacking game (check).
2. Move Kozlov to the wing and off the first line (almost there).
3. LET SEMIN'S ANKLE HEAL. At this point, the Caps have played almost a third of the season without Semin. Sitting him a few extra games isn't going to make or break team chemistry.
4. Improve team discipline. The Caps have taken far too many penalties this year, from their Captain on down. It needs to stop if the Caps want to have any hope of a midseason run. You can win a game or two in a row without discipline, but not 5 or 6 in a row.
5. Wake up (or trade) Kozlov.

So, there you have it. Hopefully Coach B will bring the Caps out on Friday full of fire and wrath, and we'll look back at this as the point in the season where things turned around. Even if they don't recover and make the playoffs, at least we might get to watch some entertaining offensive hockey.

Two Wins Does Not a Day Off Make

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Deuce:

Well, that didn't take long, did it? After putting in two good efforts against two strong teams, New Caps bench boss Bruce Beaudreau gave the team the day off on Sunday. The result: The Caps apparently forgot how to try again.

Last night, the Caps put forth another stinker, a lackluster effort on national TV. Once again, The Russian Machine was the only one who appeared to care out there. Particularly stinky were Alex Semin, back from a 17-game absence (with a game or two in between), Michael Nylander, and Tomas Fleischman. Nylander and Fleischman should both be credited with assists on the Sabres second and third goals, since their horrible giveaways directly contributed to Buffalo scores. I like Nylander a lot, and he is a wizard in the offensive zone with the puck on his stick, but when he has an off game, he REALLY has an off game.

The rest of the Caps looked like they have all season, tentative, slow, and weak. The lack of a bruiser on defense who can actually move his feet (sorry, Erskine) is really starting to get old. In fact, I'm afraid our father, Original Six, is going to burst a blood vessel in his head if the D don't start hitting out there.

The Sabres forwards (and every other team's for that matter) fly around in the Caps' zone all game, trying spin-a-ramas and behind the back passes and all manner of things they would NEVER try against, say, the NJ defense. Somebody, at some point, has just got to tattoo someone out there. Also, could somebody tell Morrison and company that when somebody slashes Olie, you are allowed to shove them, push them, give them a face-wash, SOMETHING for crying out loud?! Anyway, on to the game analysis, depressing as that may be.

Going in to the game, I told Grumpy 3 that the speedy Sabres forwards would give our D fits, and that we would have a tough time beating Buffalo with all the speed they brought to bear. Well, they were faster, and we didn't hit them, but it was actually the Caps, not the Sabres, who killed the Caps last night. If not for the two egregious turnovers mentioned earlier, we might have been in this game until the end. Miller made a couple of great saves against the Russian Machine, and Nylander again missed a wide-open net. But what was most noteable last night was the lack of effort on the Capitals' part again.

I hope Bruce bag-skates them today until they puke. Somebody needs to motivate these guys. Before it kills our father.

Rainy day, yes... Lightning? Not so much.

It's a gloomy time in Capsland right now, both figuratively and literally. And what better team to come to town in the middle of a downpour than the Lightning (Bugs)?

At first glance, this looks to be a very difficult game for the Caps. They have always had trouble with Vinnie Lecavalier on home ice (10g, 8A in 22 games), they have no power play to speak of, and Olie Kolzig was shredded by Tampa to the tune of an .887 save percentage against the Bugs last season. All signs seem to point towards the highly potent Tampa offense dismantling the Caps.

Here's why it won't happen:

Olie Kolzig will be primed for tonight, having had a terrible outing his last start against the Islanders. Olie almost never plays back to back stinkers. Additionally, he's playing on almost a full week of rest, which should be extremely helpful to a guy who's a lot closer to 40 than 30. I expect a dominant performance from Kolzig tonight.

Alexander Semin returns to the lineup. While he may not play a ton of minutes, his presence immediately infuses much needed scoring into the Caps lineup. Expect Semin to take a little less than half his even strength shifts, with Flash taking the rest on the second line. Semin's presence should also bolster what has been an absolutely pathetic power play.

Mike Green starts on the first PP unit. This should have happened at the start of the season. Green may well be the third most talented scorer on the team right now behind Ovechkin and Semin. It's about time he gets a chance to prove it with the man advantage.

Tampa is prime for a letdown after their domination of the Thrashers. They're not as good as they looked in last game against the Thrashers (though Atlanta appears to be as bad as they looked). This looks like a classic letdown game for the Lightning Bugs.

Finally, the Caps seem to recognize that they need to start racking up points RIGHT NOW if they want to compete in a playoff race in the months down the line. In-division games are vital, and the team finally seems to understand that (although we won't know for sure until we see them not lay a stink bomb against that other team from Florida).

I see the Caps pulling this game out 4-3, with Kolzig being peppered for around 40 shots and being named the game's first star.

The Deuce: Lineups and Special teams

Ladies and gentlemen, the Deuce:

As I watched with helplessness the Caps embarrass themselves in front of a lukewarm home crowd filled (yet again) with Pittsburgh idiots, I got angrier and angrier. And Glen Hanlon is now the focus of my rage. I like Glen. I really do. I think he has shown a great ability (up until now) to get the most out of minimal talent, get his guys to play hard every game, and stay positive in the face of mounting losses. But now he has a real NHL team to work with, and the results are not good.

I know we're only 7 games into the season, but the Caps are going to need all the points they can now get to make the playoffs this year. So, I ask you, what are the signs of a good coach in the NHL? How about these, for starters: Good matchups, good special teams, good effort. Glen's one for three. Let's take those first two in turn, shall we? Matchups/Line combinations: First, let's look at the Caps lineup on Saturday:

Ovechkin-Kozlov-Motzko
Backstrom-Nylander-Fleischmann
Pettinger-Gordon-Clark
Brashear-Steckel-Laich

Not exactly Heatley-Spezza-Alfredsson, are they? Or Lecavalier-St. Louis-Prospal? Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom? Not even close. Now why is it that most of the guys on those lines are always near the top of the NHL in scoring? Maybe because they are playing with other WORLD CLASS players!

Now I like Joe Motzko, and it's nice that Kozlov and OV can talk Russian together on the bench -- but if I hear any more about their great "chemistry" I'm going to puke. Chemistry is important, but great talent often creates great chemistry. And Kozlov is not a great talent. He is a pretty good player, and, as tsn.ca stated in last year's scouting report: "does not look good playing the pivot." Does that sound like a center you want to pair with your franchise, all-world left wing? NO! In fact, it sounds a lot like Zubrus II.

Know who IS a world-class talent at center? Michael Nylander. I don't know how many times during Saturday's game I turned to Grumpy One and Original Six and said, "Look at Nylander. He's UNBELIEVABLE with the puck on his stick. He's playing keep away with NHL defensemen, and they can't get the puck away from him." And I actually had time to say all that while he was still holding the biscuit. Then he made two beautiful passes to a breaking Backstrom (whom I like), who promptly flubbed both of them. Think OV's going to miss those? Neither do I. If OV and Kozlov have such great chemistry, let them play together: How about OV-Nylander-Kozlov. Then Kozlov can take advantage of that huge frame to park it in front of the net or dig pucks out of the corners while Nyls and OV play keep away together.

I don't know why Caps coaches always insist on having two average lines instead of one great one. Anyone remember when Oates came to DC, and everyone said, "watch out. Bondra's going to score 60 goals now!" Well, guess what? Oates and Bondra played on separate lines, so we could have a "deeper" lineup. Great.

As for the second line, I'd be perfectly happy with Backstrom centering Semin and Clark. Or Flash, if you still want to give him a chance to show what he can do. In fact, while Semin is out Flash could have the perfect opportunity, playing with Backstrom and Clark! Now, I know, Glen doesn't want to "rush" Backstrom to center. I can only assume that's because of either 1) faceoffs and/or 2) defensive responsibilities. OK Glen, that's fine. Put Steckel or Gordon up with those guys until he's ready. They'll still be potent, but more importantly, WE'LL STILL BE STACKED ON THE FIRST LINE! I'll take the above stated first line against any checking line in the league. Let it ride! And we still have a shut down line of Pettinger-Gordon/Steckel-Laich. So there it is. Stop converting wingers to center to play with OV, and give him the setup man he deserves. Did we really pay all these millions to Nylander to play him with two rookies?!

Next - special teams:

Well, really this is just a repetition of the previous rant. Last year (to start off the year), Glen tried to have two good power plays by breaking up Semin and Ovechkin, his only all-star caliber players. The results were so atrocious that (thankfully) he scrapped the idea three games in and just "stacked" the first PP. What's the quote about those who forget history are doomed to repeat it? Well, see all Glen's quotes this year about all the best teams having two great PP units. Um, Glen, at this point, I'd settle for one average PP unit!

Once again, we're throwing out JOE MOTZKO, Kozlov, OV, Poti, and Clark. Please see previous paragraph about Michael Nylander. If you're not going to match him with OV on a line, at least, for the love of GOD do it on the PP Glen! The only goal Saturday night was set up by a nice patented Nylander curl around, followed by a pass to the point, a shot on net (no, really!), and a real honest to goodness screen! So please, move Nyls up where he belongs. How about putting Ovechkin on the point, where penalty killers would be forced to respect his cannon and stay up high, thus opening up space down low for Nylander to operate (not that he needs that much space). It has to be better then putting a career minor leaguer out there, doesn't it?

So, there you have it. My expert analysis from the cheap seats (actually, they're not so cheap this year!) The effort is still there, now we need the smarts to go with them. And that starts with the coaching staff. The players are saying all the right things. They buy into Hanlon's systems and strategy. But they'll also buy into any changes he makes right now. Four losses in a row will do that to you. Please Glen. Do the right thing. Save The Russian Machine. And my two-year old from another thirty-three years of suffering and losing to those G-D Penguins.

Semin out

As expected, Sasha Semin will not play this weekend, with the team hoping he'll be ready for next week's game against the Islanders.

Ankle injuries suck

Just ask Sasha Semin. What initially was thought to be a relatively minor injury (even though it did NOT look minor at the time, with Semin staying down on the ice for several minutes) has turned out to be more substantial. Per Tarik, Semin has not skated since playing half of the game against Carolina.

As a person that has suffered multiple ankle injuries over the years (including a couple surgeries), I can tell you there is good news and bad news here. The bad news in that injuries to joints that control balance tend not to heal quickly, and to be somewhat less stable once they do heal (then again, I went to the doctor a total of three times after my injury, where I imagine Semin is seeing trainers and doctors every day and getting the best care possible). The good news is that the boot of a hockey skate comes up high enough to offer a great deal of ankle support, so it's not necessary to have the joint at 100% before skating. The issue is how much the injury will disrupt Semin's ability to make quick cuts and push with power off that foot.

I would expect the Caps to be extremely cautious with this injury, as players rushed back too quickly from injuries such as this one tend to perform below expectations and heighten the risk of aggravating the injury further. I don't see Semin playing in either game in New York this weekend, which would give him a further five days of rest before the Caps host the Islanders next Thursday.

Just because

Mmmmmm... Alex Ovechkin highlights....



And some Semin highlights as well -

Semin: Significant Talent, insignificant knee problems

Per Tarik, Alexander Semin's reported knee "injury" is nothing to worry about (contrary to this report. If you want to make any sense of it, I hope your Russian is better than mine, or BabelFish's, for that matter).

Good to hear that Sasha isn't hurt. With the upgrades the Capitals have made, this will be a telling season for Semin.

When surrounded by a decent supporting cast, will he sublimate his own individual talents for the greater good of the team? We're betting that he will... as long as he's not paired up with Brooks Laich (since Kris Frikkin Beech is no longer with the team).

Remember, Semin always gave his linemates a chance to make a play last year. It was only when they blew easy tap ins and shanked good scoring opportunities that he would attempt to take the other team on singlehandedly. If Semin believes in his teammates ability to finish what he starts, he may well finish as the Caps leading scorer.

Ovechkin's reaction to Semin's removal

Vogs does a solid follow up on the Semin situation, which details Ovechkin's reaction to Semin's removal from the team. Check it out here.

As would be expected, the Russian Machine walks the delicate line of expressing his sadness that his friend was cut, but also understanding as to why the move was made.

It's also very interesting that Semin had to hear the news that he was cut secondhand from Ovechkin and not directly from a team official. That smacks of unprofessionalism. Then again, Semin probably called Ovechkin before any team officials when he arrived in Moscow.

To me, the organizers for Team Russia should have done a much better job handling the situation. If they were going to cut Semin, they should have let him know before he caught a flight to Moscow. And they definitely should have alerted him to the situation before he heard it from someone else. It's very clear that team officials were making a statement with their actions, but in the way they did it they made another, less flattering one about themselves.

Just a bad situation all around.

It's none and done for Semin at the Worlds

Per Mike Vogel, Alexander Semin has been dismissed from the Russian National team. Semin was cut because the flight he had scheduled into Moscow would not arrive until after the team's deadline for players to report to training camp. Semin was unable to switch his flight reservations in time to comply with coach Sergei Nemchinov's timeline, and thus will not play in the tournament.

Although at first glance this seems terribly unfair, the Russian team has had issues in recent years with players who seemed either indifferent or uninterested in playing for their country. Russian hockey officials have repeatedly stated that they only want players who want to represent their country.

While Semin seems to have the desire to play for the team, Nemchinov believed he had to stick to his guns and set an example by suspending Semin, even though he admitted the team would miss Semin's offensive ability.

While Nemchinov's actions may have been for the long term good of the Russian hockey program, there is no doubt that Semin's suspension from the team does nothing but hurt their chances at the World Championships. It's a shame that things had to unfold this way, especially since Semin seemed to be looking forward to playing in the tournament.

One can only wonder what effect cutting Semin will have on the morale of Caps teammate Alex Ovechkin and the rest of the Russian team.

All things must come to an end

Another year, another Capitals season done before its time. The Caps were unable to put together a three game winning streak to end the season, falling 2-0 to the Buffaslugs. Kris Beech had two of the best opportunities for the Caps, which is why they ended the game with a goose egg. Indeed, if the Capitals could have taken advantage of their opportunities, they might have won the game. However, the inability to finish chances again proved their undoing.

Two observations on Buffalo. One, Ryan Miller is good. Real good. But he isn't as good as the Caps made him look Saturday. For example, at first glance Miller's save on a one timer from a wide open Beech appeared to be an all-world save. Until you realize that 1) Beech took an extra second to settle the puck, so it wasn't a one-timer at all and 2) that gave Miller the time he needed to set and kick across to make the stop. Good save, yes. But it was just as much a poor offensive decision. Hopefully, the Caps will have guys with better offensive instincts to finish off plays like that next year.

Second, Daniel Briere is an absolute pansy. If there was any doubt before he was tossed for spearing, it's gone now. This is the second time against the Caps Briere has used his stick as a weapon in one season. It shows an utter lack of respect for the opposing players and the game of hockey in general. But from a class act like Briere, we've come to expect no less. If the Caps sign him instead of Drury or Gomez this summer, my head might explode.

As a side note, Fan Appreciation Night proved to be an exercise in frustration. Yes, it was nice that prizes were given to the fans throughout the game. That part of the day was well-organized and executed. And it was great to see all the members of the team, even the injured ones, on the ice at the end of the season. But there was an issue which kept a lot of folks from enjoying the entire game. For some reason, the concessions stands on the 4th floor were less than half staffed, which led to lines so long that some folks (such as my girlfriend) had to wait in line for OVER HALF of the second period. Not the experience you want fans to take away from the last game of the season.

And so we come to the end of another Caps season. We've seen the good (Olie Kolzig's consistently outstanding play, the wizardry of Semin's stickhandling and the power of Ovechkin firing a wrister in full stride). We've seen the bad (the team's dowright futile road record in the second half of the season, the regression of a very young defense, the rash of injuries after the all star break). We've definitely seen the ugly (several downright atrocious performances against the Florida Panthers).

But with all we've seen, this offseason promises to offer the one thing that's been in short supply for Capitals fans. Hope. The team now has the chance to build on a solid foundation of young talent. I don't think the same has been said about a Caps team in 15 years. Not even in their best years did the Caps have the top-flight offensive talent that has been on display at the V this season. With all due respect to Peter Bondra, who was a scoring machine on a team with almost no other offensive options, the Capitals have never had an Ovechkin before. They certainly haven't had two players with the amazing offensive gifts that Semin and Ovechkin have.

Yes, they certainly have holes to fill. Lots of them. But with the core of the offense (Ovechkin, Semin, Clark, Backstrom, Gordon, Fleischmann, and Eric Fehr if his back ever heals) set for next year, the future looks bright. And with the another year's experience, this young defense has a lot of potential. And while I'm the first one to say the Caps need to be active in free agency and possibly trade some of their stockpiled draft picks and young talent for established players, the future of this team looks bright. Keep your chins up, Caps fans. Better days are on the horizon.

And always remember:

Let's go Caps!
Let's go Caps!
Let's go Caps!

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Update: There's a great shot of the Deuce with his newly won Alex Ovechkin signed puck at Japers' end of the year shindig up at Japer's Rink. As usual, I won nothing.

And we're rolling!

Another day, another Caps win. I could get used to this.

Again, the Russian Machine looked spectacular, scoring twice despite being shadowed by an opposing forward every shift he was on the ice. He scored on an unstoppable snipe from the slot on the power play, and again on a positively evil wrister off a takeaway.

Note to Atlanta. We've told you this before, but apparently you just don't get it. We'll try it real slow for you (we know you southerners need a little more time to digest things).

Do.
Not.
Piss.
The.
Russian.
Machine.
Off!

There. That aught to do it. Make sure you forward this to all of your defensemen before they think of lining Ovechkin up again. It was all well and good when he and Kovalchuk were going at each other one on one like they do every game they play one another. But you had to go and have one of your defensemen get involved, to try to get a nice big hit on Ovie. The Russian Machine was not amused.

He spent the next few minutes looking to line someone up and knock them into next season, but settled down and channeled his rage into an offensive showing worthy of the best power forward in the NHL. Once the Russian Machine got geared up, there was simply no stopping him.

Evil Brent Johnson once again tried to make his presence felt, giving up what appeared to be a goal off a terrible clearing attempt. He was saved by a high sticking call, and was banished in favor of Good Brent Johnson for the rest of the game. Good BJ made a slew of impressive saves late in the third, denying Atlanta on an extended 6 on 3 power play to secure the victory.

Now, if tonight wasn't evidence enough that Ovechkin and Semin (who missed the game with a foot injury) should be playing on separate lines, I don't know what is. It's clear that Ovechkin thrives when he is the undisputed top guy on the line. He doesn't worry about making nifty passes or trying to get the puck to his opposite wing. He does what he does best: get a head of steam up and attack the goal. With he and Semin on the same line, there simply isn't enough puck to go around, so both players end up a little worse off. Hopefully this will be remedied when (not if, WHEN) the Caps pick up a couple big time players this offseason to bolster the attack. With two legitimate scoring lines, it only makes sense to have the two natural left wings playing on different lines.

The Caps close out the season at home this Saturday, taking on the Buffalo Slugs at 1 PM at the V. If you don't have tickets, go get them. NOW. And if you win a Matt Bradley jersey at Fan Appreciation Day, you might want to pass it along to one of your friends at Grumpy Caps Fans. C'mon, you know you want to :-)