I expected to see Pettinger on the RW, but he's on the LW for the second time. With Ovechkin (1st line), Semin (2nd line) and probably Clymer, who played on the LW on Halpern's line yesterday (although he's usually a RW), will Pettinger end up on the 4th line?
Zubrus could center the top line on opening night if Cassels is not back in time, so we could have a few holes to fill on the RW, especially if Fehr doesn't make the big team. Perhaps we should play Pettinger a little more on the RW in these preseason games...
I was thinking... I would go back the official Caps boards if they were not so awfully unreadable. I wish they had remained as simple as they were when I joined them in June 2001, just before the Jagr trade.
Sabres score again: Vanek (their new winger, who should play on one of their top two lines). 3-2, we lose again. But that was a much more positive game. We played without our best forwards again, plus it was the second of back-to-back games, against a team that began the (pre)season tonight, and played at home.
The Sabres were playing without three of their best forwards (Hecht, Drury and Grier), but their team was waaaaaay closer to what it will look like on opening night than ours.
Sorry I wasn't around for this- too many social obligations this weekend.
So far, this has mostly been all the guys who are still a year or two away from the big club showing they do indeed need more work. If they ever get everyone to show up (just where IS Sykora?), they can fashion a lineup and begin the learning process.
Looking forward to Wednesday and Ovechkin on the ice for the first time....
I couldn't listen to the whole thing as I had to go out. However, from what I heard and what I read this morning, Olie did a great job stopping the 21 shots he faced. Ouellet was rather disappointing though, letting in three of them. Hopefully, he'll get back to form and show the potential that the scouts saw in him in the past. Especially in light of the comments I've read that, with Olie being the highest-paid player on the team, he may possibly be traded at the deadline this season. Would hate to see that.
I know Majesky had knee problems, but, I didn't know that Zubie did too. Did he have surgery or something? As far as Sykora goes, he is apparently having the same problem that Semin has -- visa issues. Haven't hear details but that's why he still isn't here. Hopefully, it's just not some lame excuse for him backing out of playing in the US again.
