(In Rochester)

Here's the preview posted at NHL.com:

http://www.nhl.com/scores/previews/138_2_preview.html

Buffalo won the opening faceoff, but the Caps controlled almost the first minute of play.... but as usual, it resulted in no SOG for the Caps.

Laich takes a penalty, and the Caps go shorthanded at about 17:40 left 1st.

Green did a fair job on a clear, and then Morrisonn read a cross ice pass and knocked the puck out of play. Good kill by the Caps, and back to ES.

Good pressure by the Freisen/Sykora/Cassels line, and the Sabres hold- the Caps to the PP early, at 14:25 left 1st.

No dice, on the PP.

After both teams show a little offense, Kolzig makes another good save, covers the puck, and a penalty is called just as they go to commercial. The penalty is on.... Muir for a crosscheck, I think. Sabres on the PP again.

Couple good clears by the Caps, lifting sticks, getting the puck out early....another clear at :45 left on the PP....  Sabres got it back in at :29, but good D by the Caps, and another penalty killed.

Buffalo offside, and another TV timeout.

I might add that, for as well as they've started the year, the Sabres are almost as sorry on the PP as the Caps- we may see an all-time record for penalty kills, tonight.7:45 left 1st, and not a hell of a lot of action on offense either way.

AO comes up the slot at 7:17, but hits the logo solid.... Miller is off to a fine start on the season.

Roger

Are you talking to yourself?

 

_____________________________________________
100% of the shots you don't take don't go in."
- Wayne Gretzky

Caps with another penalty, and the Sabres get their 3rd PP of the 1st period....

good clear by Willsie... Bradley clears it again, :45 left... Afinogenov with a rocket at 5:22.... 1-0, Sabres. It hit metal before it hit net (might have been the back crossbar, it was that hard.

But before I could type that, FREISEN!!!! :22 later, the Caps tie it up!!!!!

Not really, if Marc shows up, I want him to know what's occurred in his absence.

Another TV timeout, but new life for the Caps- showing some resilience tonight.

27.2 left 1st, and Buffalo puts the puck in the seats- intentional is the call, and the Caps go on the PP again.....

1-1, end 1st, the Caps still on the PP when they return.

Freisen was the interview, said it was a good "line" goal... spoke highly of Cassels as a passer and playmaker, didn't say much about Sykora (understandable, the guy hasn't been in the States that long).

Pretty good period, I think- the team seems to have some energy tonight against a "hot" team and goalie (Miller is 1 short of the rookie record for October wins- he's at 7, at the moment). If they can do it for 40 more minutes, the Caps have a good shot at winning the game outright.

They do need to get more of the players involved in the game. Caps lead 8-6 in SOGs, 59% faceoffs, Zubrus/Halpern/Eminger all with over 8:00 TOI in the 1st.

2nd on.... PP over.... Sykora! Good work led to it.

2-1, Caps!

Uh oh.... looking to see if the net was off before the puck went in....

still under review...... been almost 2 minutes now.....

GOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!

 

Good work by the Caps in front of the net, but... trip...

Sabres on the PP at 16:52 left 2nd.

Good stop by Olie... finally a clear at 1:07 left PP.

Another at :49.... another at :20. The Sabres have only 7 SOGs through 25 minutes of play.

Another call on the Caps.... 5 on 3 for :06, and then 1:54 of Morrisonn's penalty.

OK a good stop, a clear, and the Sabres offside at :41  of the PP....

cleared at :23.... ES. Another good kill. Caps change lines.... but they're still spending a lot of time in the Cap's end. 12:09 left 2nd, and a TV timeout.

Clark fans on a 2 on 1 for the Caps.... but a penalty on McKee puts the Caps on the PP again.

Notes: on Freisen's goal, it was from Sykora and Eminger. Sykora's goal from Pettinger and Eminger. Some of the guys are playing better tonight.

Halfway through the PP, nothing yet for the Caps... hecht with a breakawy shorthanded... missed the net... Caps having trouble getting into the Buffalo zone... ES... Caps still cycling, almost a minute since ES.... and the Sabres finally clear.

Good shifts by Laich, and then the AO/JH/DZ line.... the puck off the ice, and they go to timeout again, 4:46 left 2nd.

Team's got some jump, now- and AO is starting to turn on the jets.

Caps to the PP at 4:10 left... this might be it- they look confident.Sabres clear at 1:46.... again at 1:26, and still in control in the Caps' end.... again at 1:05.... again at :24... Sykora (or someone) tried one too many passes.... back to ES.

Suts working hard- Bradley too- Pettinger got turned around, and the Sabres control.1:00 left in the 2nd.... Kolzig save.... :30 left.... hard work in the Buffalo zone....

2-1 Caps, end 2nd.

SOGs are 18-10 Caps, after 2.... Heward has a whopping 17:35 of TOI now.... AO has only skated 12 shifts, 6 of them late in the 2nd- no idea if he had some equipment problems early, or if Hanlon is saving him for a giant 3rd period.

I'd have to say they're working hard, tonight- everyone's name has been mentioned, either by JB or Locker, for a good play here and there. Even Clymer got a nod at one point, and Muir for his hard shot (which missed the net by a good 10 feet, from what I could see).

20 more minutes like the last 40, and the Caps should get a well-earned W and the deuce.

Just noticed.... no Witt in the lineup- the Caps are going with 5 Dmen tonight....

hmmmm.... just in case, thanks, Brendan. I've enjoyed watching you these last several years.

Halpern to the box with only :28 gone in the 3rd.... 2-2. Hecht at 18:42 left 3rd.

Now the Caps go on the PP- 17:33 left 3rd.

JB says the Caps are 0 for 25 on the PP, and AO gets taken down- 5 on 3, for a good amount of time (1:47)....

all in the Sabre's end now- AO fires (wide), and Miller smothers it.

Muir shoots, then Heward.... Muir off the heel... Heward!!!! with :05 left in the 5 on 3.

:16 left on the PP, and the Caps lead again, 3-2.

ES, but the Caps have the ofer monkey off their backs.... Laich gets a sharp angle shot.... Kolzig works at the other end.... Caps ice it, and another timeout.

Heward's goal now shows assists by Muir and Ovechkin. Good deal.

With 9:56 left in the 3rd, the Caps seem to be picking up the pace a little- Laich is having a good first game. Green is having a quiet game, but a good one... most of the action in the Buffalo end this period. Now they mention Witt on the air for the first time- "house issues" in Florida. Still a Cap....

Muir churnches Gostad into the boards, there's a call.... against the Sabres- a crosscheck!

Caps to the PP at 8:12 left 3rd. 

Good work by the Caps, but the Sabres finally kill it off- back to ES.

Now a lot of work behind Kolzig..... Willsie breaks out with the puck.... Miller save and a TV timeout.

4:30 left.... now the Sabres buzz... again... AO and Zubie, on a 2 on 1.... AO shoots...... Miller.

Exactly 4:00 left 3rd. Kolzig covers at 3:50, his 14th save on 16 SOGs tonight.

Caps dump it down Buffalo way... behind Olie again, at 3:00.... Caps offside at 2:57.

Eminger gets it out, but only to center ice... Caps offside at 2:29, the Caps glaring at the linesman.... 2:00 left... 1:30.... all in the Caps' zone.... Willsie clears at 1:18.... 1:00.... Miller coming off... goes back.... comes off again.... :30.... Halpern softly out at :20....

Caps win!!!!!

The Sabres had the pressure on, with the extra man, but the D kept them just enough at bay.

Good game all the way, for the Capitals- nice work on the road.

Awesome!

Thanks for the thread, Roger. I read it without knowing the final score, so it was a fun read.  I'm going to watch the highlights, now [EDIT: no highlights for the time being].

I thought that the game was only tonight.  Silly me. Next game is on Friday, at 7:30 pm.

WASHINGTON Capitals

Ovechkin Zubrus Halpern
Friesen Cassels Sykora
Clark Laich Willsie
Pettinger Sutherby Bradley

Heward Muir
Eminger Clymer
Morrisonn Green

Kolzig
(Johnson)

***

BUFFALO Sabres

Hecht Briere Dumont
Vanek Drury Grier
Kotalik Connolly Afinogenov
Campbell Gaustad Mair

Kalinin Numminen
McKee Lydman
Fitzpatrick Tallinder

Miller
(Biron)

A poster named "frasnap" posted this at official (he attended the game, so I thought this might be a good chance to see an "outsider's" view of the Caps. Great kudos to him):

A few random thoughts--

Was Ovechkin hurt at the end of the game, or is he still that much of a defensive liability? The third and fourth lines saw a ton of time in the third, which surprised me. Hanlon seems to trust those guys--including Laich. Laich had a couple of shifts where he just looked like he wanted to hit everything in sight. He did have one good offensive play, but his line spent most of the time pestering the Sabres.

Friesen looked pretty good tonight, especially on the goal. Cassels did not. He's very, very weak on the puck. He did seem to have a few moments of creativity, but he and Halpern seemed to get pushed around a lot out there (Halpern, as usual, made up for it otherwise, though).

Muir didn't seem bad, but I wasn't very impressed. He took a couple of penalties, one of which I thought was pretty dumb. He also seemed to be a bit tenative with the puck, which isn't too surprising given that he's been out for a while. Green had a couple of nice plays, and was invisible otherwise (which is a good thing). Eminger is the clear leader of this defense, especially without Witt around. His passing, skaking, and decision-making seem to have progressed by leaps and bounds since I saw him play last year in Wilkes-Barre. The skill has always been there, but he's obviously putting it together. Heward and Clymer performed admirably, and I reacted exactly like Heward did when he scored. I was the only Caps fan in hearing range--I'm lucky I sat at the back, or I might've gotten beer spilled on me...

The offensive touch for the Caps obviously wasn't there, aside from Ovechkin (and Heward on his beautiful one-timer). Ovechkin. Man. I know he's good, but man. Even the little stuff--there was a moment where he was going up the left wing, saw a stray stick in front of him, kicked the puck niftily back to himself (and around a defender), and went right back forward. He only had one really good chance on net, and it was one of those ones that the great players have--the puck just happened to find him alone in the slot for a quick shot. He didn't electrify tonight, but even so, he was worth watching.

This team doesn't have a lot going on offensively, and there were a few hair-raising moments defensively. All in all, though, if they play like this all year, they won't be the worst team in the league. High praise, I know, but that's really all I expect from this team. The Sabres played less than stellar hockey tonight, aside from a back-and-forth period in the second (which was beautiful hockey, btw, with all kinds of hitting and offensive chances), their power play, and the last few minutes of the game. The Caps took full advantage.

If you read all that, well, kudos to you. I so rarely get to attend Caps games, so I'm still a bit giddy...