JB says first time in NHL history two 2nd generation goalies (Johnson, Grahame) face each other.

0:11 seconds in, Fedotenko scores for the Bolts.

1-0 Tampa, very very early........

Halpern, Bradley, and Eminger are scratched once again.

The Caps had a real good shift a couple minutes later, no goal but a lot of effort. JB also said the Caps got in to Tampa Bay at 3:00 AM this morning.... could be a long night for the boys. We shall see- when Morrisonn lost his stick, Laich first gave him his, and then made a sliding block of the puck to get it out of the zone....

Ovechkin has created a couple chances already, but the TB defense is collapsing back on the goal, and Locker says the D is going to have to get involved if the Caps are going to score tonight.

This game will not be nearly as physical as last night's, and at the 10:33 left 1st mark, it's still 1-0 Bolts. JB talking up Friesen again, and I think the Caps are going on the PP for the first time tonight. Ranger to the box for interference on Clark.

TB kills.... I think they said that makes 31 of the last 32. Yikes.

I forgot to mention, no Lecavalier tonight- "upper body injury".

Bolts swarm at the 7:10 mark, but the Caps turn them away.... again at the 6:50 mark, but Johnson covers.... TV timeout.

From flat on his stomach after being cleaned out in front of the crease, Ryan Craig puts the Bolts up 2-0. He worked hard for it- good goal.

Caps to the PP again at 2:49, as Willsie got hooked.

Well, looks like the "power kill" is back..... and then Clymer hooks St. Louis to make it 4 on 4 for :10.....

now the Bolts have a 1:50 PP.

2-0 Lightning, end 1st.

A little trivia they divulged earlier- Fedotenko's goal, at :11 in, tied the record for fastest goal against the Caps to start a game. The previous one was by Dino Cicarelli.

Over 60 hits in last night's game, a grand total of 5 between these two teams in the 1st. SOGs are tied at 13, the Caps lead in missed shots 7-3....

Here's more trivia stuff: if you read around the various boards, everyone complains about how the Bolts don't get called for many penalties. Their secret?

From the opening days of training camp, Tortorella says they have emphasized KEEPING THEIR STICKS ON THE ICE! They don't take many stick penalties at all and have the fewest in the League (the Caps, on the other hand, have the MOST stick penalties in the League). That difference shows every day in the scoreboard,  and in the long run in the standings.

2nd on.... the Bolts start out with just over a minute of PP time, but the Caps kill it off- no early goal for the Bolts in the 2nd. Yikes- AO had 9:18 of ice time in the 1st.....

a penalty on the Caps, for a high stick (Muir).

Bolts to the PP again at 18:10 left 2nd.

With :39 left in the Bolts' PP, Johnson covers, Modin takes a late poke at him (hit his stick), and a 10 man scrum breaks out..... and TB gets a PP out of it (Sutherby) because the refs screw up on the clock... now it's straightened out, with :27 left in the PP for the Bolts.

Killed again.

Johnson save with 16:02 left 2nd.

Around the 15:00 mark, the Caps finally get the puck into the offensive zone for the first time this period..... and the pace seems to have picked up- more hitting, faster skating, a surge in energy by both teams. Let's see if the Caps can translate that to the scoreboard: Zubrus just missed when the Bolts closed down on AO.

Bolts get another PP .....

Caps clear, Caps clear and change, Caps clear and control in the TB zone, Caps stop things up in the neutral zone, Caps clear, and Caps clear and kill.

Nice work.

 

in other league action as we speak...

The Leafs started the 3rd Period up 3-0 on the Devils but on the PK. Gionta scored on the PP and as the ACC's PA announcer reviewed the goal, John Madden scored another one.

Toronto may be finding yet another way to lose.

________________________

ANNIE
I’ve never even been to a hockey game.

EDWIN
Well you fit into this town perfectly.

With the Caps going on the PP, I go to the john, and miss the turnover, the breakaway, and the Richards' goal.....

3-0, Bolts.

Then, a Caps' penalty, and early in it, another- the Bolts with over :50 of 5 on 3.....

the wheels are about to come off the road warriors' wagon.

4-0, Richards again, and it was on the 5 on 3.... still killing time....

As the penalty ends, so does the period.....

4-0 Bolts, end 2nd.

At 18:59 of the 3rd, we go to a hockey game, and a fight breaks out.... not much of one, might just be roughing on both guys. Nope, Bolts get another PP....

edit: my error, it's the CAPS on the PP! Woohoo! (sarcasm)

My sarcasm was well-deserved: Laughlin says "If you like passing, that was a nice sequence to watch"....

the "power kill" strikes again. Back to ES.

I went out for a smoke, and watched the Bolts' 5th goal (PP) through the window....

Caps get a PP with :35 and change left, but.....

5-0 final.