Great Weekend for Those Capitals, eh?

You Betcha - No Worries, Eh?


Excuse the gibberish and the disjointed, erratic posting here on Mark's Musings. I've been travelling a lot and buried at work. In fact, I've been in Ottawa since last Wednesday and just working about 14-18 hours a day. I missed the Caps games but as you can imagine I've been able to get a lot of hockey news whenever I turn on the tube here. Just for fun I will definitely pick up and read a copy of the Ottawa Sun today, for sure. I may even scan it and post it here when I get back to DC on Wednesday.


So seriously how about those Capitals? What's the season outlook appear to be now. What are the Capitals fighting for now? Well simply put Playoff Seeding and home ice advantages in the upcoming playoff series. For example if the season were to end now, and all top four teams in the Eastern Conference were to win their first series, then the Caps would play the Devils in the second round and have home ice advantage throughout both series. If the Caps were to lose to the Devils on Tuesday and the season ended Wednesday, they would still play the Devils in the second round but the Devils would have home ice advantage in a 7 game series. So even when your team is 5 or 6 games up on their nearest division follower, there is still a lot to play for with 31 games left in the season. LETS GO CAPS!!!!!



How do things look for individuals on the Capitals?


Well as you no doubt know, Alexander Ovechkin is leading the league in goals scored and is on pace for 58+ goals and 108+ points for the season. That will no doubt keep him in the running for a potential repeat of the individual accolades he received last season. This past weekends 5 goals in two game performance in front of home sellout crowds on back to back afternoons will no doubt fuel more purchases of all sorts gear with the number "8" in the DC area. I know I'm off to buy some. You have to love the passion he plays the game with.


Alexander Semin continues on pace to a 35+ goal/80+ point season season assuming he stays healthy. That said in many ways the most important things to note about Semin's season so far is his great performances in shooting percentage (a team leading 19.2%) as well as his team leading +23 rating. He has become one of the best two way power forwards in the league, not just an awesome stickhandling, sniper. Way to go Sasha! Maybe I'll get a few jerseys and shirts with 28 too. Actually, I already have a few, just stay away from the fighting stuff, I liked it but I took a lot of ribbing.


Nicklas Backstrom is definitely "game on" this season as well. No sophomore slump for the teams number two point getter. Backstrom leads the team with 40 assists and with his 13 goals he has 53 points behind only Ovechkin. He has matured into a league leading first line pivot man in just his second year as a pro. When you look at the maturity and calmness he brings to the ice, it is truly amazing to think he is just 21 years old and has played "only" 133 regular season and 8 playoff games.

More Later when I get back from Ottawa....

LETS GO CAPS!!!!