The Caps scored on their first shift, got a goal a few minutes later, played a decent third period and overtime. But they had their collective heads up their backsides for about two minutes midway through the second, taking two penalties in succession and allowing the Panthers to score on both ends of the 5-3.

They scrambled to get a point out of it with a tying goal from Zubrus (he had two in the game), but it was just another loss in the end . . . that's six out of the last seven. A long winter is starting to settle in.

___________
Play hard, shake hands, drink beer.

"LA needs two hockey teams like Switzerland needs two navies" -- Norman Chad (from "My 10-Point Plan to Save Gary Bettman from Himself")


If you've read this far, you probably could use a hobby

Thanks fjc. I guess Marc couldn't make it last night,and Roger is gambling his Christmas bonus away in AC.

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

Thanks for the summary, FJC. I was not at home, Sunday night.

 

WASHINGTON Capitals

Ovechkin Zubrus Clark
Pettinger Laich Willsie
Clymer Sutherby Bradley
+ Gordon (took Bradley's spot for most of the game)
+ Kane (a couple of shift)
+ Biron (mostly on the power play)

Witt Heward
Eminger Muir
Morrisonn Yonkman

Kolzig
(Johnson)

 

Highlights.

 

Positive points:

• Zubrus is starting to score goals, lately (at last!): he's 4-3-7 in his last 5 games. He's headed for a career season in goals (24... he never had more than 17, and I think he could score 30, thanks to Ovechkin).
• Since Biron plays again (9 games), the Caps have scored 12 power play goals on 62 opportunities: 19.35%. That percentage would make us the 7th PP in the league; instead of that, we're 27th with 13.8%. But without those 9 good games on the power play, we would be in the last position, I think.

Negative point: in the meantime (same 9 games), our percentage on the PK, 78.87%, doesn't show any improvement in that area. We're still dead last in the league with 78.1%. Unlike our PP, our PK remains a major problem.