Hey fellow Caps Fans and other assorted readers - how ya been? For me it's been a month since my last blog post and three full weeks since the Capitals season ended, ignominously with a 5-0 defeat at the hands of the New York Rangers that followed a 1-0 defeat at their hands in the prior game. Coming to terms with six straight periods of scoreless hockey at the hands of "King Henrik" hasn't really been the reason for my hiatus, I understood that prety quickly. However letting the Rangers dominate them 5-0 in a game seven was a bit harder to understand, though a week of great fishing in the out islands of the Bahammas made that all a very distant memory so that wasn't th issue either. Now not knowing what to say or add to the discourse on the overall 2012-2013 Washington Capitals and their season, that was and remains the concundrum I find myself in. But hey, the good news is I do this stuff for fun, and when it stops being fun I can either stop doing it or change what I'm doing - like going fishing, so that's what I did. Now I'm looking ahead to the 2013-2014 Caps season and watching the remaining four teams in the running for the Stanley Cup battle it out. And that's starting to be fun again.
So looking at the Caps let me say, I'm excited with the way the Caps geled at the end of the season, and I like the way the Caps now play under Adam Oates and his coaching staff's system. Doesn't change my perplexion at the way the season ended but for the Capitals Organization and we fans, its time once again to move on and look forward. In the near term that means the resigning, or not, of Free Agents - Unrestricted and Restricted; and the NHL Draft. The Capitals had 10 guys under contract in 2012-2013 who are now unrestricted free agents:
Michael Carmen - you too are probably saying "Michael who" so I have attached a link to his Hershey Bears bio. He was picked up from the Avalanche in a trade of minor leaguers in February 2012 and from what I can tell is unlikely to be resigned by any NHL team at this point, though I wouldn't be surprised to see him continue his professional career in the "A" or Europe next season.
Joey Crabb - another guy from what I can tell is an easy no resign decision, at least for the Capitals the way he was handled and ended the season. Don't get me wrong I like the grit Crabb brings and I believe he'll end up signed somewhere next season, I just cannot see it being Washington.
Matt Hendricks - to me "Hendy" is a definate guy to resign and I believe he'll be back with a contract similar to the one that Eric Fehr signed (two years at 1-1.5M/year).
Patrick McNeill - if you haven't followed McNeill's career thus far I can't really fault you, to say his development has progressed slower than the Capitals hoped since he was drafted by the Capitals in theofourth round of the 2005 draft would not be understatment, but from my perspective he's worth keeping the 27 ear old around at least another year at the NHL Minimum and assigning him again to Hershey. Especially since I think we'll be seeing some moving and not resigning of Poti and Schultz this off season.
Tom Poti - it was great to see Poti back from what for most would have been a career ending injury but the Capitals just cannot and should not resign him this upcoming season, and personnally I expect to see the 36 year old d-man retire this off season assuing he doesn't get any significant interest in signing him for $2+M/year elsewhere around the league.
Ryan Potulny - the Capitals signed the 28 year old Center as an Unrestricted Free Agent in July 2011 and since then he has been playing in Hershey, he's 6-0 and 182# and has had two pretty solid seasons in Hershey, he is likely to be resigned at the end of offseason if he's still around and a roster spot is available for a league minimum and that seems like a fair thing to do. Who knows he could be another Matt Hendricks kind of guy.
Joel Rechlicz - this another guy definately worth giving another year and another shot - he's just too much of a charachter and with way too much grit to not see if he can't stick as a grinder somewhere in the NHL, sorry i know I'm a softee for guys like this but that's me.
Mike Ribero - I've made no secret of it, I think in order to continue to maintain thebalance they have and the ability to be a "four line team" the Capitals need to resign "Ribz". The question at hand is that really possible. If they don't resign Ribero then the Caps need to go after either Patrik Elias (unlikely that would work or be cheaper), Michal Handzus (also likely to be no easier or cheaper to sign than Ribero) or they could take a flyer on a promising guy whos been somewhat erratic like Tyler Bozak or Nik Antropov and hope it works out. Personnally, like I said, that's all why i think the Capitals need to resign Ribero but both the term and the amount have to be something both sides can live with and currently that agreement hasn't been reached.
Dany Sabourin - two words on resigning Sabourin - Philipp Grubauer.
Wojtek Wolski - I just can't see Wolski returning or the Capitals pursuing him in any sort of aggressive fashion. Though only 27, the 6-3, 215# LW from Poland hasn't really had a season that showcased his talent or potential since the 2009 - 2010 season that he split between Phoenix and Colorado.
So of the ten (10) UFA's, I'm suggesting the Capitals resign five of them: Hendricks, Ribero, Rechlicz, Potulny, and McNeill. That would be a good offseason for GMGM with regard to UFAs but if he doesn't resign Ribero, then he needs to sign a player with similar potential and talent as the second line center.
On the restricted free agent ledger, the Capitals have two unsinged. Karl Alzner - that's a no brainer. He needs to be the first signing of this off season and I'd guess he, his agent and GMGM are talking to make that happen. The second is Marcus Johansson, for the right price, MoJo should be resigned. The reality though is the decision to resign him cannot be a "no brainer" - his offensive production to date and his size make it a decision worth "mulling over" but he is only 22 and is likely to continue to develop over the next 3+ seasons.
Resigning Hendricks, Ribero, Alzner and Johannsson still leaves the Capitals - how all this happens with a healthy Brooks Laich and even thinking about retaining Jeff Schultz is likely an impossibility under next seasons salary cap but I'll continue to ponder and muse on that one.
LETS GO CAPS!!!
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Hockey Jeaopardy for $1000: "The answer is Character, Persistence, and Unparrallelled Professionalism"
The question is: "What has Adam Oates brought to the Washington Capitals, Alex." It's been three weeks since my last blog post, and that's what I've noted most during my "Hockey Musings" over the last three weeks, and the last eight games the Capitals have played. Since we had to see the return of the "Cardiac Kids" to overcome Tampa Bay on April 13th, all I've seen from the Washington Capitals is the even keeled drive and determination that exudes from their Hall of Fame coach every day. Its clear that in Adam Oates' mind and that of his players, it ain't over until its over, and when its over some group of happy players gets to raise Lord Stanley's Cup. It's also clear that as far as all of them are concerned, the Fat Lady hasn't even gotten onto the plane to fly into town yet on that one.
Looking at the Capitals' body of work the last two weeks of the regular season and the first week of the playoffs, one thing is certain, the Capitals are mentally ready for the long battle that a deep run into the playoffs takes. That said, the first thing they need to do is beat the New York Rangers two more games and as noted over at Scotty Hockey: "The saying goes that a playoff series isn't over until a team loses at home." The Capitals kept that from happening to them yesterday and make no mistake about it, Saturday's 1-0 victory over the Rangers was a game where the first team to make a critical mistake lost, in fact in overtime it took two critical mistakes in a row by the Rangers, for the Capitals to win. And that was after we had a nail biting two minutes with the Capitals on the Penalty Kill themselves, a sequence where the Capitals didn't make that critical second mistake in a row to end up with a home loss in overtime. That's an example why I'm saying what I'm saying about Character, Persistence, and Professionalism. Another reason is exemplified by the comments from the Capitals players after the game, humble, sedately pleased, but self-examining and critical of their own play and where and how they could have played better. They know they are professionals, and as such high levels of skill, execution, and energy are expected of them; that's a change from the post game comments after a victory in recent years past. It's totally in keeping with their comments all season long though, these guys are following a team leader named Alex Ovechkin, but he is following the example of a coach he clearly truly respects, and whose respect he wants to earn every game. And why not? This guy, Adam Oates, is a professional, and an adult, and that's the way he treats his players. He and his staff may also be the absolute best coaching group the Capitals have ever had as well. Just look at the adjustments between AND during games these guys identify and explain to the team in a way that they can implement - that's a huge difference from recent years past.
How important are character and persistence at this time of year, you might wonder, I mean as opposed to talent. For my two cents, they are everything. When you are down to the top 16 teams in the highest level league in the world in a tournament for the championship of your sport, every team is very talented and very confident, the difference is who wants it more and who is willing to overcome occasional bad bounces and adversity to go and get it. Illustrative of my point is the fact that as of the hour and date of this post, every playoff series in process except the Caps vs. Rangers and the Sharks vs. Canucks is such that each team playing has at least one win. Minnesota - Chicago clearly makes the point, the Blackhawks after tearing through the regular season lead the series over the Western Conference eighth seed 2-1, however two of the three games have been decided by just a singly goal. And how about San Jose - Vancouver or the Capitals/Rangers series? Well sure the Sharks and Caps are both up 2 games to nil, however in each series the last game required overtime to be settled; again once you get into overtime, either team could win, as it's usually "first mistake" looses. So again I say, at this time of year character, persistence and professionalism, are pretty much - everything.
So that's why I'm very pleased that Adam Oates is coaching "my team" - the Washington Capitals. I can't wait to see how the 2013 Capitals handle their first playoff game of 2013 at Madison Square Garden tomorrow evening.
Looking at the Capitals' body of work the last two weeks of the regular season and the first week of the playoffs, one thing is certain, the Capitals are mentally ready for the long battle that a deep run into the playoffs takes. That said, the first thing they need to do is beat the New York Rangers two more games and as noted over at Scotty Hockey: "The saying goes that a playoff series isn't over until a team loses at home." The Capitals kept that from happening to them yesterday and make no mistake about it, Saturday's 1-0 victory over the Rangers was a game where the first team to make a critical mistake lost, in fact in overtime it took two critical mistakes in a row by the Rangers, for the Capitals to win. And that was after we had a nail biting two minutes with the Capitals on the Penalty Kill themselves, a sequence where the Capitals didn't make that critical second mistake in a row to end up with a home loss in overtime. That's an example why I'm saying what I'm saying about Character, Persistence, and Professionalism. Another reason is exemplified by the comments from the Capitals players after the game, humble, sedately pleased, but self-examining and critical of their own play and where and how they could have played better. They know they are professionals, and as such high levels of skill, execution, and energy are expected of them; that's a change from the post game comments after a victory in recent years past. It's totally in keeping with their comments all season long though, these guys are following a team leader named Alex Ovechkin, but he is following the example of a coach he clearly truly respects, and whose respect he wants to earn every game. And why not? This guy, Adam Oates, is a professional, and an adult, and that's the way he treats his players. He and his staff may also be the absolute best coaching group the Capitals have ever had as well. Just look at the adjustments between AND during games these guys identify and explain to the team in a way that they can implement - that's a huge difference from recent years past.
How important are character and persistence at this time of year, you might wonder, I mean as opposed to talent. For my two cents, they are everything. When you are down to the top 16 teams in the highest level league in the world in a tournament for the championship of your sport, every team is very talented and very confident, the difference is who wants it more and who is willing to overcome occasional bad bounces and adversity to go and get it. Illustrative of my point is the fact that as of the hour and date of this post, every playoff series in process except the Caps vs. Rangers and the Sharks vs. Canucks is such that each team playing has at least one win. Minnesota - Chicago clearly makes the point, the Blackhawks after tearing through the regular season lead the series over the Western Conference eighth seed 2-1, however two of the three games have been decided by just a singly goal. And how about San Jose - Vancouver or the Capitals/Rangers series? Well sure the Sharks and Caps are both up 2 games to nil, however in each series the last game required overtime to be settled; again once you get into overtime, either team could win, as it's usually "first mistake" looses. So again I say, at this time of year character, persistence and professionalism, are pretty much - everything.
So that's why I'm very pleased that Adam Oates is coaching "my team" - the Washington Capitals. I can't wait to see how the 2013 Capitals handle their first playoff game of 2013 at Madison Square Garden tomorrow evening.
LETS GO CAPS!!!!
Sunday, April 14, 2013
WOW Cardiac Kids/Caps Make A Return At Verizon Center Last Night
Well who would have "thunk it" - I had my thoughts about last night's Caps - Lightning game about half right. The Caps needed to score more than three goals to win, and if they gave the Lightning's stars time and space an offense led by Saint Louis, Lecavalier, and Stamkos was going to score.
As we all likely know the Caps came out executing their game plan and playing well, it was the smoothest first period of the season to my way of thinking and at the end of the period, the Caps were up 3-0 and had not gotten frustrated by what was a couple of pretty darn good penalty kills by Tampa Bay. The second period was a tit for tat affair where at the end of the period the Caps led 5-2 despite being as out shot by the Bolts in the second period by a margin almost as large as the Caps had out shot them in the first. And the third period you ask? Well if the third period wasn't the Lightning's best period of hockey this season it had to be close. From the 18:47 mark of the second period through the end of regulation, the Lightning scored four unanswered, even strength goals to tie the game at 5-5 with 2:35 left to play. At that point the Capitals seemed to really, no kidding, wake up. Sure during the first two even strength goals by the Bolts they tried to shake the cobwebs from their game, aggressively exhorted to do so by their Captain, Alex Ovechkin. However, those efforts just didn't seem to thwart the high energy, wildly aggressive play by Tampa Bay until after the game was tied 5-5. During the final 2:35 of play, Washington again seemed to find their groove but they were unable to find the back of net before the Lightning earned at least one point before leaving Verizon Center. As "Sudden Victory Overtime" began, the Capitals "took it up a notch" and once again we witnessed a well played game by two teams with lots of talent. Then at the 1:50 mark of the extra stanza a bounced puck enabled Marcus Johannson to get away and behind the Tampa Bay porous defense of countryman Victor Hedman such that Bolt's Captain Vinny Lecavalier had to break MoJo's stick with a well executed two handed slash to keep the game going by preventing the young, compact, speedy Swede from scoring. Lecavalier was called for slashing putting the Capitals on the 4 on 3 powerplay for 2:00. Personally I love watching 4 on 3 PPs simply because there is so much open ice that guys at the NHL level can and do just use so well. Last night was no exception. Watching the Capitals powerplay since about mid/late February has been a joy. Watching it execute last night on the 4 on 3 man advantage in OT was as the British would say "brilliant." Mike Ribero setting the puck out to Mike Green while the Bolts also had to worry about "yet another" one-timer from Ovechkin as well resulted in the increasingly common exclamation from "Joe B" on Comcast "GAME OVER!"
It was, despite a very rocky ~25:00+ minutes from the last few of the second period through the end of regulation, a good night. A good two point night was in the books for the Capitals when the teams left the ice. Interestingly, last night was not a game with poor goaltending by either Bradon Holtby or either of the Bolts goalies, IMO, despite 11 goals being surrendered. The seventy-eight shots on goal by both teams were filled with excellent scoring chances. In Holtby's case he face 40 shots and ended the night with an unremarkable 0.875 SV %, but I ask you what could he have done on either of Marty Saint Louis' goals? Those two goals by Saint Louis are NOT two that anyone would "want back." Ovechkin's goal was "sick" - there's only a couple guys in the world ever that can make that move to the backhand while skating that fast wit the puck - I mean there's only a couple guys who can skate with the puck that fast - think about it... The issue for me relative to the eleven goals scored last night was not the goaltending but the fact that the Caps let the game get away from their game plan. That's why I was pleas that none of the Caps players were pleased with the way their team played in the game during post game interviews despite getting both available points. They know they can and must do better the rest of the way until their season ends.
Not mentioned by many is that last night's meeting was the last regular season meeting between the two teams as "Division Rivals" as next season Washington, Carolina, as in "Conference 2" while Tampa Bay and Florida are in "Conference 1" in the East and Winnipeg moves to "Conference 3" out West. So as we Caps fans look at the Capitals six remaining games it's interesting to note that all six are against teams that are either definitely in the playoffs (Montreal) or fighting for a playoff spot and seeding; however, none of those six teams will be in the same division as the Capitals will be in next season. I just think that's an unusual situation and one that only happen in a crazy lockout shortened season right before league realignment.
Well looking ahead to the Capitals' last six games of the season you can see the road to the playoffs won't be easy. On Tuesday Evening the Capitals face off at Verizon against the Maple Leafs. The Leafs are currently in 5th in the East with 51 points and just dissected the Canadiens last night with a 5-1 pasting in Toronto - this will be a key game for the Capitals and one I am very much looking forward to. Then they travel north for a two game road trip to Ottawa and Montreal on Thursday and Saturday. So for the Caps this week is "Canada Week." Ottawa is in 6th in the Eastern Conference with 48 points, a stingy team GA of 84 goals with 41 games played and goalie Craig Anderson back in the lineup and looking like a "stone wall." Thursday won't be an easy game for the Capitals but it too will be an important one as it might be a precursor to an opening round playoff match up. Saturday sees the Capitals facing off against Montreal at Le Centre Bell. Montreal has been one of three "Beasts of the East" this season along with Boston and Pittsburgh. The Canadiens currently have 57 points in 41 games and are still battling with Boston (56 points) to see who will be the Northeast Division Champions. After last night's loss to Toronto and three games (Flyers, Penguins, and Lightning) this coming week before they meet the Capitals, it's hard to predict how Montreal will be coming into next Saturday Night's game. The week after next the Capitals have three final games at home to wrap the regular season up. The biggest is likely to be against Winnipeg on Tuesday evening 4/23 before facing off against the Senators on Thursday and finishing the season off against the Boston Bruins on Saturday evening in what will no doubt be a good game though hopefully it will be one with little to no suspense for either team. An interesting note about the Capitals last two weeks of the regular season - especially their last four home games - the ice at Verizon Center should be good ice - better than usual that is - because there are no other events at Verizon besides Ice Hockey from 4/15 through 4/28. That's just plain unusual as Verizon Center, like Madison Square Garden is on of the busiest arenas in the league.
Well there's not much else to say except ...
As we all likely know the Caps came out executing their game plan and playing well, it was the smoothest first period of the season to my way of thinking and at the end of the period, the Caps were up 3-0 and had not gotten frustrated by what was a couple of pretty darn good penalty kills by Tampa Bay. The second period was a tit for tat affair where at the end of the period the Caps led 5-2 despite being as out shot by the Bolts in the second period by a margin almost as large as the Caps had out shot them in the first. And the third period you ask? Well if the third period wasn't the Lightning's best period of hockey this season it had to be close. From the 18:47 mark of the second period through the end of regulation, the Lightning scored four unanswered, even strength goals to tie the game at 5-5 with 2:35 left to play. At that point the Capitals seemed to really, no kidding, wake up. Sure during the first two even strength goals by the Bolts they tried to shake the cobwebs from their game, aggressively exhorted to do so by their Captain, Alex Ovechkin. However, those efforts just didn't seem to thwart the high energy, wildly aggressive play by Tampa Bay until after the game was tied 5-5. During the final 2:35 of play, Washington again seemed to find their groove but they were unable to find the back of net before the Lightning earned at least one point before leaving Verizon Center. As "Sudden Victory Overtime" began, the Capitals "took it up a notch" and once again we witnessed a well played game by two teams with lots of talent. Then at the 1:50 mark of the extra stanza a bounced puck enabled Marcus Johannson to get away and behind the Tampa Bay porous defense of countryman Victor Hedman such that Bolt's Captain Vinny Lecavalier had to break MoJo's stick with a well executed two handed slash to keep the game going by preventing the young, compact, speedy Swede from scoring. Lecavalier was called for slashing putting the Capitals on the 4 on 3 powerplay for 2:00. Personally I love watching 4 on 3 PPs simply because there is so much open ice that guys at the NHL level can and do just use so well. Last night was no exception. Watching the Capitals powerplay since about mid/late February has been a joy. Watching it execute last night on the 4 on 3 man advantage in OT was as the British would say "brilliant." Mike Ribero setting the puck out to Mike Green while the Bolts also had to worry about "yet another" one-timer from Ovechkin as well resulted in the increasingly common exclamation from "Joe B" on Comcast "GAME OVER!"
It was, despite a very rocky ~25:00+ minutes from the last few of the second period through the end of regulation, a good night. A good two point night was in the books for the Capitals when the teams left the ice. Interestingly, last night was not a game with poor goaltending by either Bradon Holtby or either of the Bolts goalies, IMO, despite 11 goals being surrendered. The seventy-eight shots on goal by both teams were filled with excellent scoring chances. In Holtby's case he face 40 shots and ended the night with an unremarkable 0.875 SV %, but I ask you what could he have done on either of Marty Saint Louis' goals? Those two goals by Saint Louis are NOT two that anyone would "want back." Ovechkin's goal was "sick" - there's only a couple guys in the world ever that can make that move to the backhand while skating that fast wit the puck - I mean there's only a couple guys who can skate with the puck that fast - think about it... The issue for me relative to the eleven goals scored last night was not the goaltending but the fact that the Caps let the game get away from their game plan. That's why I was pleas that none of the Caps players were pleased with the way their team played in the game during post game interviews despite getting both available points. They know they can and must do better the rest of the way until their season ends.
Not mentioned by many is that last night's meeting was the last regular season meeting between the two teams as "Division Rivals" as next season Washington, Carolina, as in "Conference 2" while Tampa Bay and Florida are in "Conference 1" in the East and Winnipeg moves to "Conference 3" out West. So as we Caps fans look at the Capitals six remaining games it's interesting to note that all six are against teams that are either definitely in the playoffs (Montreal) or fighting for a playoff spot and seeding; however, none of those six teams will be in the same division as the Capitals will be in next season. I just think that's an unusual situation and one that only happen in a crazy lockout shortened season right before league realignment.
Well looking ahead to the Capitals' last six games of the season you can see the road to the playoffs won't be easy. On Tuesday Evening the Capitals face off at Verizon against the Maple Leafs. The Leafs are currently in 5th in the East with 51 points and just dissected the Canadiens last night with a 5-1 pasting in Toronto - this will be a key game for the Capitals and one I am very much looking forward to. Then they travel north for a two game road trip to Ottawa and Montreal on Thursday and Saturday. So for the Caps this week is "Canada Week." Ottawa is in 6th in the Eastern Conference with 48 points, a stingy team GA of 84 goals with 41 games played and goalie Craig Anderson back in the lineup and looking like a "stone wall." Thursday won't be an easy game for the Capitals but it too will be an important one as it might be a precursor to an opening round playoff match up. Saturday sees the Capitals facing off against Montreal at Le Centre Bell. Montreal has been one of three "Beasts of the East" this season along with Boston and Pittsburgh. The Canadiens currently have 57 points in 41 games and are still battling with Boston (56 points) to see who will be the Northeast Division Champions. After last night's loss to Toronto and three games (Flyers, Penguins, and Lightning) this coming week before they meet the Capitals, it's hard to predict how Montreal will be coming into next Saturday Night's game. The week after next the Capitals have three final games at home to wrap the regular season up. The biggest is likely to be against Winnipeg on Tuesday evening 4/23 before facing off against the Senators on Thursday and finishing the season off against the Boston Bruins on Saturday evening in what will no doubt be a good game though hopefully it will be one with little to no suspense for either team. An interesting note about the Capitals last two weeks of the regular season - especially their last four home games - the ice at Verizon Center should be good ice - better than usual that is - because there are no other events at Verizon besides Ice Hockey from 4/15 through 4/28. That's just plain unusual as Verizon Center, like Madison Square Garden is on of the busiest arenas in the league.
Well there's not much else to say except ...
LETS GO CAPS!!!!
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Another Week of Good Play for the Capitals
Well Caitals fans it's been another week of good play by "your" Washington Capitals. The Caps had two games this week, and they won both games in regulation.
The Caps are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games and 12-3-1 in their last 16 games (1/3rd of this lockout shortened season). For the entire season thus far, the Capitals are 22-17-2 with 19 Regulation or Overtime Wins that's 0.561 hockey overall (46 out of a possible 82 potential points.) The Capitals are looking and playing like we all thought they could and would for the entire season right now. Over the last 16 games they have been playing 0.781 hockey; and an even better 0.850 over them last 10 games; and that is on pace with the top teams in the League in either conferences. Though it bears pointing out that the Chicago Black Hawks 64 points in 39 games is an even more amazing 0.820 over the entire season. However, the Caps current six (6) game winning streak makes them and the Saint Louis Blues (also on a 6 game winning streak) the "hottest" teams in the league going into the last two weeks of the season. All that being said, it's unlikely the Capitals will "clinch" the Southeast Division and a playoff spot until they either beat Winnipeg on Thursday, April 23rd at Verizon Center or the last day of the season.
Thankfully though for we Capitals fans, our Capitals record is 3.7%; 2 points; 1 1/2 games better than the Jets from Winnipeg. Additionally, even if the Capitals were not in first place in the Southeast Division they would still be a playoff team - in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. To my way of thinking that's an important consideration when thinking about the Capitals post season prospects. The Capitals are hitting their stride at the right time of year - the end o the regular season. That's a positive. The fact they have four vetran players - good vetran players - banged up right now - that's a negative. Next up for the Capitals will be their final meeting this season with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the fourth and final time this season. The Capitals lead the series 2-1 but beating Tampa Bay has been anything but easy for the Capitals. Tampa Bay will no doubt come out playing hard tonight - the Lightning certainly have some very lethal weapons. Weapons named Stamkos, Saint Louis, Lecavalier, Malone, Hedman, Pouliot, and Carle. Tampa Bay's achillies heel this season though has been and continues to be goaltending. At least that's the theory, I say that because Tampa Bay's "team" SV% is a respectable 0.917. The issue is their team combined GAA which is 3.625 vs their team combined GFA which is 3.05. So despite having a positive goal differential, the Lightning have just 17 wins and they have yielded an average of 43.65 shots against per game.
What's all the above mean? It means the Capitals should extend their current winning streak tonight but that's only going to happen if they score 3+ goals and keep their team defense at or close to their average GAA of 2.75/game.
The Caps are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games and 12-3-1 in their last 16 games (1/3rd of this lockout shortened season). For the entire season thus far, the Capitals are 22-17-2 with 19 Regulation or Overtime Wins that's 0.561 hockey overall (46 out of a possible 82 potential points.) The Capitals are looking and playing like we all thought they could and would for the entire season right now. Over the last 16 games they have been playing 0.781 hockey; and an even better 0.850 over them last 10 games; and that is on pace with the top teams in the League in either conferences. Though it bears pointing out that the Chicago Black Hawks 64 points in 39 games is an even more amazing 0.820 over the entire season. However, the Caps current six (6) game winning streak makes them and the Saint Louis Blues (also on a 6 game winning streak) the "hottest" teams in the league going into the last two weeks of the season. All that being said, it's unlikely the Capitals will "clinch" the Southeast Division and a playoff spot until they either beat Winnipeg on Thursday, April 23rd at Verizon Center or the last day of the season.
Thankfully though for we Capitals fans, our Capitals record is 3.7%; 2 points; 1 1/2 games better than the Jets from Winnipeg. Additionally, even if the Capitals were not in first place in the Southeast Division they would still be a playoff team - in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. To my way of thinking that's an important consideration when thinking about the Capitals post season prospects. The Capitals are hitting their stride at the right time of year - the end o the regular season. That's a positive. The fact they have four vetran players - good vetran players - banged up right now - that's a negative. Next up for the Capitals will be their final meeting this season with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the fourth and final time this season. The Capitals lead the series 2-1 but beating Tampa Bay has been anything but easy for the Capitals. Tampa Bay will no doubt come out playing hard tonight - the Lightning certainly have some very lethal weapons. Weapons named Stamkos, Saint Louis, Lecavalier, Malone, Hedman, Pouliot, and Carle. Tampa Bay's achillies heel this season though has been and continues to be goaltending. At least that's the theory, I say that because Tampa Bay's "team" SV% is a respectable 0.917. The issue is their team combined GAA which is 3.625 vs their team combined GFA which is 3.05. So despite having a positive goal differential, the Lightning have just 17 wins and they have yielded an average of 43.65 shots against per game.
What's all the above mean? It means the Capitals should extend their current winning streak tonight but that's only going to happen if they score 3+ goals and keep their team defense at or close to their average GAA of 2.75/game.
LETS GO CAPS!!!!
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