Back from Fishing and Musing About Hockey

First off, WOW - it's great to have the team we came to love all season back on the ice isn't it? Great jobs to the Capitals for coming back and tying it all back up in the Rangers series. I didn't see much of either game 5 or 6 though I did follow the series and know the final score as the 3rd period of each game was ticking down. However, I didn't see any of the incidents that are the subject of so much controversy as they were happening. Without being in the flow of the game and moment it's hard to judge but I wouldn't be me if I didn't have my opinions and this bully pulpit, so among other things tonight I'll be sharing my views on them but first a look ahead to tonight's game.

I am so psych'ed to be going to tonight's game seven at the Phone Booth - LETS GO CAPS!!!! I think Tom Poti's post game comments after game 6 are right on. Tonight, it's a one game series - these two teams will be going at it, full bore, head on - "Mano e' Mano" so to speak. It will be another tough, physical game. The keys for the Capitals: play their game, continued solid goaltending and defense. The keys for the Rangers: great goaltending, score first, knock the Caps off at least one aspect of their game-plan. The wild card: one or the other goaltender "stealing" the game. Everything else is just midway at the carnival.

Now let's look at the "drama" and sideshow of the past two games of the series.

Item 1: The Tortorella suspension - absolutely the right thing, he just knows better than to interact with fans, no matter how "bad" the insults were and/or how much he was spit on; that's my bottom line. Also the impact of him being in an MSG box instead of behind the bench for game 6 is marginal at best.

Item 2: The Brashear suspension(s) - also the right thing to do, though the length can and will be debated ad infinitum. That said, if Brash interacted with Orr, Orr interacted with Brash - both should have gottent that one game. The suspension for the late hit was correct, Brash knows better but I think he was looking to keep his team stoked and running hard. Betts is out indefinitely, if you think the hit warranted a suspension, 6 games isn't so excessive. Now let's hope for some consistency in the calls the next time Avery does some of his stunts...

Item 3: The other whining ranger from the "ShaMo bit me" to "its a conspiracy to get a Caps - Pens series - "Give me a break"....

Now on to game seven - anything can happen so boys, here's to hoping for the best but preparing for the worst....

LETS GO CAPS!!!!