Well when I arose this morning and let the dogs out here in Bristow, VA it was "just a tad over" sixty degrees Fahrenheit. Sixty degrees, clear and low humidity on August 10th in Northern Virginia?!?!? I am not complaining, the weather this summer has been quite nice. In fact this is probably the nicest summer I've seen since we moved to the area in 1996.
There's a lot to like about the weather this summer. Here's my list:
1) The occasional days where we've not been above 85 degrees has mad it fair less humid and "muggy" than usual. I hate "muggy" days.
2) We've had enough rain and the temperatures haven't been so sweltering so here we are in August and with only minimal watering, our lawn is "NOT BROWN" as opposed to other years where by August 1st, immense amounts of watering has been required to keep it from being "MOSTLY DEAD". In fact many areas of our lawn are basically still green.
4) You can actually sit outside and enjoy the evenings a lot of the days so far this summer.
5) AND THE BEST ONE - The best part of this fall-like weather is it reminds you that the opening face off of the 2008-2009 NHL Season is just 55 days away when the Rangers play the Lightning and the Penguins face off against the Senators over in Europe on October 4th.
Can't Wait Till Next Season - LETS GO CAPS!!!!!!!!!!!
Showing posts with label Bristow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bristow. Show all posts
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Tuesday Night Is Hockey Night In Bristow
As a break to a hectic day in a hectic week, we simple Bristow, VA residents settled down to watch the Washington Capitals vs the Nashville Predators on Comcast, turning on the TV a little early, I was rewarded with the tail end of Gladiator on one of the Cinemax Channels and once again realized it's on so much because it's a great movie. It's an even better movie when you're getting ready to watch some NHL gladiators. The great movie line of the night before the game was: "He was a soldier of Rome - - - Honor him." At least for me it was the perfect mood setting line before watching a hockey game.
The first period was barely half over and the Caps were up 2-0. One of Craig Laughlin's better comments of the season or at least of late is noting how the Predators defenseman are all having a hard time just understanding how fast Alexander Ovechkin plays this game. The intensity of the Caps forced the play and the Predators were just either stymied or forced to commit penalties. Alexander Ovechkin had two assists already and his setup pass to Nicklas Backstrom for the second goal of the period was just pure mastery. When Ovechkin retires in about 15 or more years the highlight reel will be movie length and require an intermission the way this guy plays the game. Perhaps taking a cue from Overchkin - Brooks Laich also made a highlight reel setup pass to a wide open Matt Bradley who banged it home for a 3-0 lead at 14:40, and the Predators changed goalies. Chris Mason was put in for Dan Ellis who was victimized for 3 goals in 8 shots. At the other end through the first period Christobel Huet stopped all 7 of the Predators shot including two really awesome saves; Huet also could just have easily gotten a secondary assist on the Bradley goal. At the end of the first period, Sami Lepisto was in the box and The Great Eight was limping after getting hit in the right boot from a shot on his last shift of the period but the Caps were up 3-0. The first period was as they say "All Caps - All the Time"; Ovechkin had two assists one on Semin's power play goal at 6:49 and one on Nicklas Backstrom's 12th goal of the season at 9:59. Those assists were Ovechkin's 100th and 101st points of the season.
The second period started with Nashville on the power play. Caps fans had to be relieved when they saw Alexander Ovechkin out skating again, even though right after the Lepisto penalty was killed Tom Poti was called for cross-checking. The quick penalty on Poti meant the Caps were shorthanded for (time of goal less 37 seconds) of the period before the Predators' J.P. Dumont made it 3-1 with a power play goal, his 28th of the season at 4:09. Dumont's goal energized the Nashville team for the next six minutes or so, putting on their own forechecking exhibition and manufacturing several good scoring chances. However, Christobel Huet made a couple of excellent saves and the Caps regrouped and resumed the relentless forechecking that has become their style of play since Thanksgiving. Once the Caps had regrouped the pace of play became "blistering" with end to end hockey, and the Predators were every bit as intense as the Capitals had been in the first period. Unlike the first period where the Predators seemed like they couldn't keep up with any of the Capitals, the only line they seemed to be perplexed by in the second was the Ovechkin-Backstrom-Kozlov line and Chris Mason kept the Capital's sharpshooters "out of the net". During the second period Huet, like Ovechkin in the first, was a one man highlight reel stopping everything thrown at him, including a 1 on 0 breakaway by Dumont during 4 on 4 play while Eric Fehr and Scott Nichol were in the "sin bin". The Predators seemed to have made some clear adjustments between the first and second periods. The biggest three were a) how they played Mike Green - check him, check him and check him some more every time he got the puck; 2) how they played Ovechkin - as tight as mere mortals could possibly do so, even if that meant giving more room to Kozlov or Backstrom; and 3) forecheck as intensely and relentlessly as they saw the Caps do during the first period. Following the Dumont goal the Predators clearly outplayed the boys from DC however, Christobel Huet stole the period for the Caps. During the second period Nashville outshot the Washington 9-4 and had solid scoring chances, they also often bottled the Caps up in their own end for much of the period.
The third period was a back and forth match with some really fun hockey to watch for fans of both teams. The Capitals first line clearly caused lots of issues for the Predators, though the "Preds" were not without their own scoring chances; and an awesome center ice hit on Alexander Semin certainly got the Nashville crowd into the game for a while. After s lot of back and forth play the Predators scored during a 6-5 while the Caps had a delayed penalty call and Mason was on the bench. The Caps seemed to sit back, the Preds came down the ice and Jason Arnott scored on a wristshot through a partially screened Huet. Then right after that at 13:23 Matt Cooke was whistled off for tripping and the Predators swarmed. The attack was relentless and intense and at 14:19 they actually took Huet's mask off with a shot. After Huet's mask was taken off the rest of the Caps team seemed to realize they needed to play the final five minutes of the game. The Predators pulled Chris Mason at 18:25 and played like a team possessed. The Capitals responded playing unselfish defense and the crowd was on the edge of their seats or on their feet until at 19:56 Ovechkin with an unselfish clear off the boards netted the empty net insurance goal to "seal the deal" for Washington.
The Predators played a much more physical game in the second and third periods and that changed the whole "demeanor" of the game. During the first period the Predators repeatedly gave the Capitals shots on goal inside the slot. In the final two periods, the Predators got on the Caps forwards much earlier as they came in to the offensive zone. This single adjustment by the Predators changed the game and at times it seemd they were able to physically stifle the Caps. Six of the seven shots (including their three early goals) from the low slot were allowed by the predators in the first period. Overall though the game was pretty even - statistically. Through the 60 minutes of regulation the comparisons look like this: a) Shots on Goal: Caps 21, Predators 26; b) PIM: Capitals 12, Preds; 6; c) Hits: Caps 23, Preds 17; d) Giveaways: Caps 4, Preds 9; e) Takeaways: Caps 8, Preds 6; f) Faceoffs: Caps 28, Predators 36. The difference that tipped the scales in the Capitals favor were the shoulders of two players: Ovechkin who had 3 points (1G & 2A), 4 SOG, 2 Hits, and 3 Blocked Shots on 20 shifts and 20:54 of ice time and Christobel Huet with 24 saves and a save percentage of 92.308. Overall the Caps walked away with the first period; were severely outplayed in the second but kept in the lead by Huet; and in the third period it was basically a draw though in the end the Caps pulled the period out with Ovechkin's empty netter - his 58th goal of the season. The game was crucial for both teams but in many respects the Capitals needed it more and got it. Tonight's game was one of two games in hand the Caps have on the division leading Carolina Hurricanes and the win pulls them within three points of the rival 'Canes. Additionally, if you were scoreboard watching the Caps got no help tonight in the quest for 8th place in the Eastern Conference as the 8th place Philadelphia Flyers also won tonight.
In any case it was "a two point night". Next up - the Chicago Blackhawks tomorrow night at United Center. The Blackhawks are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games and 18-16-2 overall at home; additionally, the Hawks have a couple of injuries they are working though so there is another possible road win against a Western Conference opponent. However, it is Tony Esposito night and the sellout crowd will be looking to see why their rookie phenom, RW Patrick Kane (17 G, 45 A for 62 points) should be the Calder Cup winner over Caps rookie Center Nicklas Backstrom (12 G, 49A for 61 points) and rooting for their rebuilding 'Hawks to spoil the Caps drive for the playoffs. Players to watch? For the Caps: Backstrom, Ovechkin (wouldn't he like to get goals 59, 60, and 61 in "an original 6 city") and Kolzig (wouldn't he like to get win 302 on "Tony Esposito Night" and match or best Huet's 92.3% save percentage tonight). For the Blackhawks: Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews. The 19 year old Toews has played 55 games this season and has 20 goals - he is the "other Alex" to Kane's "Ovechkin".
The first period was barely half over and the Caps were up 2-0. One of Craig Laughlin's better comments of the season or at least of late is noting how the Predators defenseman are all having a hard time just understanding how fast Alexander Ovechkin plays this game. The intensity of the Caps forced the play and the Predators were just either stymied or forced to commit penalties. Alexander Ovechkin had two assists already and his setup pass to Nicklas Backstrom for the second goal of the period was just pure mastery. When Ovechkin retires in about 15 or more years the highlight reel will be movie length and require an intermission the way this guy plays the game. Perhaps taking a cue from Overchkin - Brooks Laich also made a highlight reel setup pass to a wide open Matt Bradley who banged it home for a 3-0 lead at 14:40, and the Predators changed goalies. Chris Mason was put in for Dan Ellis who was victimized for 3 goals in 8 shots. At the other end through the first period Christobel Huet stopped all 7 of the Predators shot including two really awesome saves; Huet also could just have easily gotten a secondary assist on the Bradley goal. At the end of the first period, Sami Lepisto was in the box and The Great Eight was limping after getting hit in the right boot from a shot on his last shift of the period but the Caps were up 3-0. The first period was as they say "All Caps - All the Time"; Ovechkin had two assists one on Semin's power play goal at 6:49 and one on Nicklas Backstrom's 12th goal of the season at 9:59. Those assists were Ovechkin's 100th and 101st points of the season.
The second period started with Nashville on the power play. Caps fans had to be relieved when they saw Alexander Ovechkin out skating again, even though right after the Lepisto penalty was killed Tom Poti was called for cross-checking. The quick penalty on Poti meant the Caps were shorthanded for (time of goal less 37 seconds) of the period before the Predators' J.P. Dumont made it 3-1 with a power play goal, his 28th of the season at 4:09. Dumont's goal energized the Nashville team for the next six minutes or so, putting on their own forechecking exhibition and manufacturing several good scoring chances. However, Christobel Huet made a couple of excellent saves and the Caps regrouped and resumed the relentless forechecking that has become their style of play since Thanksgiving. Once the Caps had regrouped the pace of play became "blistering" with end to end hockey, and the Predators were every bit as intense as the Capitals had been in the first period. Unlike the first period where the Predators seemed like they couldn't keep up with any of the Capitals, the only line they seemed to be perplexed by in the second was the Ovechkin-Backstrom-Kozlov line and Chris Mason kept the Capital's sharpshooters "out of the net". During the second period Huet, like Ovechkin in the first, was a one man highlight reel stopping everything thrown at him, including a 1 on 0 breakaway by Dumont during 4 on 4 play while Eric Fehr and Scott Nichol were in the "sin bin". The Predators seemed to have made some clear adjustments between the first and second periods. The biggest three were a) how they played Mike Green - check him, check him and check him some more every time he got the puck; 2) how they played Ovechkin - as tight as mere mortals could possibly do so, even if that meant giving more room to Kozlov or Backstrom; and 3) forecheck as intensely and relentlessly as they saw the Caps do during the first period. Following the Dumont goal the Predators clearly outplayed the boys from DC however, Christobel Huet stole the period for the Caps. During the second period Nashville outshot the Washington 9-4 and had solid scoring chances, they also often bottled the Caps up in their own end for much of the period.
The third period was a back and forth match with some really fun hockey to watch for fans of both teams. The Capitals first line clearly caused lots of issues for the Predators, though the "Preds" were not without their own scoring chances; and an awesome center ice hit on Alexander Semin certainly got the Nashville crowd into the game for a while. After s lot of back and forth play the Predators scored during a 6-5 while the Caps had a delayed penalty call and Mason was on the bench. The Caps seemed to sit back, the Preds came down the ice and Jason Arnott scored on a wristshot through a partially screened Huet. Then right after that at 13:23 Matt Cooke was whistled off for tripping and the Predators swarmed. The attack was relentless and intense and at 14:19 they actually took Huet's mask off with a shot. After Huet's mask was taken off the rest of the Caps team seemed to realize they needed to play the final five minutes of the game. The Predators pulled Chris Mason at 18:25 and played like a team possessed. The Capitals responded playing unselfish defense and the crowd was on the edge of their seats or on their feet until at 19:56 Ovechkin with an unselfish clear off the boards netted the empty net insurance goal to "seal the deal" for Washington.
The Predators played a much more physical game in the second and third periods and that changed the whole "demeanor" of the game. During the first period the Predators repeatedly gave the Capitals shots on goal inside the slot. In the final two periods, the Predators got on the Caps forwards much earlier as they came in to the offensive zone. This single adjustment by the Predators changed the game and at times it seemd they were able to physically stifle the Caps. Six of the seven shots (including their three early goals) from the low slot were allowed by the predators in the first period. Overall though the game was pretty even - statistically. Through the 60 minutes of regulation the comparisons look like this: a) Shots on Goal: Caps 21, Predators 26; b) PIM: Capitals 12, Preds; 6; c) Hits: Caps 23, Preds 17; d) Giveaways: Caps 4, Preds 9; e) Takeaways: Caps 8, Preds 6; f) Faceoffs: Caps 28, Predators 36. The difference that tipped the scales in the Capitals favor were the shoulders of two players: Ovechkin who had 3 points (1G & 2A), 4 SOG, 2 Hits, and 3 Blocked Shots on 20 shifts and 20:54 of ice time and Christobel Huet with 24 saves and a save percentage of 92.308. Overall the Caps walked away with the first period; were severely outplayed in the second but kept in the lead by Huet; and in the third period it was basically a draw though in the end the Caps pulled the period out with Ovechkin's empty netter - his 58th goal of the season. The game was crucial for both teams but in many respects the Capitals needed it more and got it. Tonight's game was one of two games in hand the Caps have on the division leading Carolina Hurricanes and the win pulls them within three points of the rival 'Canes. Additionally, if you were scoreboard watching the Caps got no help tonight in the quest for 8th place in the Eastern Conference as the 8th place Philadelphia Flyers also won tonight.
In any case it was "a two point night". Next up - the Chicago Blackhawks tomorrow night at United Center. The Blackhawks are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games and 18-16-2 overall at home; additionally, the Hawks have a couple of injuries they are working though so there is another possible road win against a Western Conference opponent. However, it is Tony Esposito night and the sellout crowd will be looking to see why their rookie phenom, RW Patrick Kane (17 G, 45 A for 62 points) should be the Calder Cup winner over Caps rookie Center Nicklas Backstrom (12 G, 49A for 61 points) and rooting for their rebuilding 'Hawks to spoil the Caps drive for the playoffs. Players to watch? For the Caps: Backstrom, Ovechkin (wouldn't he like to get goals 59, 60, and 61 in "an original 6 city") and Kolzig (wouldn't he like to get win 302 on "Tony Esposito Night" and match or best Huet's 92.3% save percentage tonight). For the Blackhawks: Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews. The 19 year old Toews has played 55 games this season and has 20 goals - he is the "other Alex" to Kane's "Ovechkin".
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Back Home and a More "Normal" Existance - Also Comments on Last Two Caps Games
Well day three back home here in scenic Bristow begins and it seems like things are getting back to some sort of normal pace. My wife, Cinday, was discharged from Bryn Mawr Hospital on Thursday after lunch and we made our way back home with a short stop to pick up Dmitri, one of our three Tibetian Terriers from the breeder's home/kennel. Of course, the transition back home wasn't without one challenge, the pharmacist couldn't read the resident's DEA number on her perscription for pain killers so that took a few minor gyratios but by Friday Morning all was right on that front; and the CPM (continuous passive motion machine) wasn't delivered until yesterday but now we have a routine that will be in place for a couple of days until she starts going to outpatient pysical therapy at Prince William Hospital. This whole experience has been both educational and motivating. Cindy and I are now motivated to take better care of ourselves, since while she was in the hospital we saw a lot of things going on with folks in the 60's and 70's that could have been amoelerated if not entirely avoided had they taken better care of themselves at our age (something my family doctor has been telling me for two years). In any case, over the past 2 1/2 weeks with only minor changes to my diet, I have lost about 10 pounds (the 10 I had gained over the prior 6 months), of course that's 10 down and 50 to go....
Of course normalcy means back to work and following the Caps at this time of year. As with any break from work the hard part is always catching up after you return from whatever hiatus you take and these past three days have been very hectic. Life at ICx Technologies did not in any way, shape, or form stand still while I was away. Of course I did work while I was away but I also deferred several things till I got back home and am now pushing very hard to get caught up. The three day weekend should help a little on that front and I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel after working most of yesterday. That said it is a busy time of year for the aspects of the business I work in - of course being busy is a lot better than the alternative - which is not being busy when you should be.
As for the Caps I did catch both Friday Night and last night's games on the tube, which is where I'll probably catch the Islander's game on Wednsday evening from as well. As things stand the Southeast Division remains wide open. The Caps (62 points) are now two points behind the Division leading Carolina Hurricanes (64 points) but have a game in hand. They are also tied in points with the Atlanta Thrashers and again have a game in hand on the "bluebirds." Friday night's 3-2 overtime loss didn't help the Caps cause for the division title nor has their February perfromance against Southeast Division rivals, the Caps went 1-3-1 against Southeast Division foes in February. Last night's 3-2 win in regulation against Tampa Bay was a nice but their next in division game against Carolina in RBC Center next Saturday is even more important. Of course first the Caps need to beat the Islanders on Wedsnday night here at the Verizon Center. Right now the Caps are second in the Southeast Division - 2 points behind the Hurricanes and tied in points with the third place Atlanta Thrashers as well as just two points ahead of the fourth place Florida Panther bu the Panthers have a game in hand on the Caps. In the Conference race the Caps are currently tenth in the Eastern Conference two points behind the eighth place Boston Bruins and the ninth place Buffalo Sabres. They are also only one point ahead of the twelth place Islanders. It continues to be both cliche' and true that when looking at the Caps schedule and the Division and Conference standings, for the Caps and the rest of their Southeast division mates, evey game has playoff implications. In fact, while the Southeast Division race is the tightest right now and could have the highest stakes, since it is very possible only the division winner will make the playoffs, all three division races in the Eastern Conference are in play. Even in the Northeast division, the Montreal Canadeans have cut the Ottawa Senators, once commanding, lead to just two points. In the Atlantic Division the early leaders - the Philadelphia Flyers have faltered of late going 3-7-0 in their last ten games and have dropped to third in the division and sixth in the conference with 65 points, while both Pittsburgh and the New Jersey Devils have surged. At present the Devils lead the Atlantic with 71 points and the Penguins are close behind with 69. Over in the Western Conference, the only thing that looks probable to a virtual certainty is that Detroit will will the Central Division, the Western Conference and the President's Trophy and that neither the Los Angeles Kings, the Chicago Blackhawks or the Edmonton Oilers will make this year's playoffs though nobody is mathmatically out of contention yet. As a final general note on standings and statisitics, despite being regularly called the weakest division in the NHL, all four teams in the Eastern Conference, Southeast Division, have winning records over a) their last 10 games and b) since the All Star Break when the "push to the playoffs" is generally thought to occur. That doesn't help the Division get any more playoff spots though where it once appeared certain the only SE team in the playoffs would be the Division winner, it is possible that two or even three Southeast Division teams could surge to a position that would enable them to qualify for the seventh or eighth spot as well. The next four weeks are truly going to be wild in Eastern Conference play.
Friday night's game was indeed disappointing, the Caps didn't play badly, of course they didn't play great either since they came away with zero points on the short end of 4-2 score against the Florida Panthers. The Caps took too many penalties, ending up in the box seven times and were outshot by Florida; they did "out hit" the Panthers 28 - 26 and I felt two of the penalties against the Caps were questionable calls, but the game was called the same on both ends and the Panthers ended up in the box five times. All in all the Caps just left Brent Johnson "naked" a couple too many times, ending up down by one with 11:33 to play in the thiord period on a night when Florida goalie Tomas Vokoun was on his game and stopped 30 of 32. While as Caps majority owner Ted Leonsis notes on his blog the game was there for the taking but that didn't happen and the Caps found themselves two points back of Carolina and tied with Florida in the Division point totals again.
Last night was as noted by CapsChick - another "heart stopper" but thanks to super play by goalie Olie Kolzing and Alexander Semin (aka "the other Alex") the Caps came away with two points in regulation against the suddenly hot Tampa Bay Lightning. Olie Kolzig had a shutout going through 2 full periods and 15:39 of the thirds period in what was until then a true Goaltenders Duel. All in all Kolzig stopped 39 of 41 shots he faced and Johan Holmqvist stopped 32 of 35 shots. Both netminders routinely stoned the best scorers/shooters of the opposing team and as is the case some of the top scorers in the league. Tampa Bay managed to blank the other usually prolific, league leading scorer Alexander Ovechkin despite Ovie getting 5 shots on goal including two instances where Holqvist came up big. Alexander Semin had an awesome game setting up Tomas Fleischmann for a power play goal at 16:12 of the first period for what was, a long time, the only goal to get by either netminder. The second period was a fast skating, high flying affair and while the Lightning outshot the Caps 24 - 12 (yes thats right 24 shots in the second period alone), both Kiolzig and Holmqvist were perfect during the middle period of the game and the second period ended like the first - the Caps leading 1-0. The game was a clean one the Caps only took one penalty Matt Bradley went off for two minutes giving the Lightning their only power play opportunity at 18:17 of the second period. The Caps penalty killing unit held off the Bolts during that man advantage, despite the Lighting getting off 7 good shots during the waning minutes of the second period. During the third period for the first 15 minutes it was more of the same from the first period, then the Bolts came swarming and seemed to overwhelm the Caps scoring two gaols in less than a minute so the game was tied at 16:22. Caps Coach Bruce Boudreau wisely called a time out and settled the team down so that right after the time out Alexander Semin put the Red, White and Blue back on top for good at 17:00 in the third. Alexander Semin had a goal and an assist, as well as 6 shots and was +1 for the game. Semin was "robbed" by two other awesome Holmqviist saves as well, in what was clearly his best game this season. David Steckel and Tomas Fleischmann should imagine they are playing the Lightning every time they get on the ice when you look at their career statistics. With the win, his 21st this season, Kolzig's GAA is now below 3.00 (at 2.99) and his save percentage has risen to .889 for the season. Alexander Ovechkin is the leading sorer in the league, despite being blanked last night. Ovechkin's 78 points is two better than Tampa Bay's Lecavilier and 3 better than the Penguins Evgeni Malkin. The Great Number Eight's 48 goals are 8 better than Atlanta's Ilya Kovalchuck. In order to make the playoffs the Caps need more games like last night and a lot less games like friday night. Next up the Islanders - Wednsday at the "Phone Booth" - LETS GO CAPS!!!!!!!!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
