Can't do any worse than last night.....

still no Semin, so Fehr is still there (it rhymes! hahahaha)

Interviewing Brendan Witt now. Talking about Nolan- wants them to work hard, if they don't, they hear about it. Very "black and white" coach.

Puck drops in about 2:00.

And I envy you with the snow warnings. We had warnings back last Monday, but it all stayed on the western side of the mountains. Since then, warmer and heavy rain. Gonna be in the 50s and 60s the next week..... ugh. I'm ready for winter.

Some delay, as they inducted Bob Bourne into the Islanders' Hall of Fame tonight.

Heather Cruzman sings the Anthem.... Heather looks better than she sings.

Game on.

No PP clock on the TV tonight. Couple good chances, no goal.

Heward was a scratch tonight, so Muir plays. Kolzig against DePietro in goal.

Back to ES.

Zubrus got hit in the face with an errant puck, just a minute ago. Fat lip[, but he'll survive.

Fehr with a great shot, RDP with a better stop.

Hadn't realized, Witt wears 32 now (in honor of Dale Hunter).

Isles get the PP now. Satan going for # 300 tonight.

After a long offensive shift, a pass gets it to Blake for the open side goal.

1-0 Islanders.

And the Isles are going right back on the PP.

Not good.

My bad- it's Satan in the box!

And almost immediately, the Caps get a 5 on 3 off a trip!

Got to get at least 1, if not 2 here.

Isles with a delay of game, and the 5 on 3 continues. Two clears already by the Isles- Caps not getting shots off. Ricky D with a nice stop on Zubrus, and another clear.....

wow- Satan was let out of the box while play was on..... too many men on the ice? 

Caps didn't score on the 5 on 3, and now didn't score on the rest of the PP.

1-0 Isles, end 1st.

The penalty problem seems to have been the officials held Satan (the first penalty) until Blake's (the second) expired, so the 5 on 3 was over and 5 on 4 was correct for playing on.

7 of the Caps' 11 SOGs were on the PP, but they're ofer.

Not good.

Blake makes it 2-0.

Great move. Two really fine passes, and a power past the Dman.

Now an Eminger penalty.

Ugh.

Here's an example- Caps get their 5th PP of the night, take the puck behind Kolzig to organize, and......

Green and Ovechkin collide. Took an easy :10 off this PP getting things back in order.

Wasn't me- I haven't worn a jersey this season. Might have been JWjr- he's usually in a white jersey.

Nothing on the first 1:20 of their 6th PP.....

Ovie finally makes a move, but RDP stops it.... Ovie gets hit in the face with another high stick, no call.... someone gets off a wicked slapshot, and RDP  barely gloves it while doing the splits at the top of the crease....

looking like a shutout for the Isles tonight.

Erskine and Simon fight: both throw and land blows, Simon gets the takedown, but I'd call it a draw.

Caps come down on a 3 on 1, pad save for RDP.

They go down the other end, Park scores on a puck none of the Caps including Kolzig can find, right in front of the crease.

3-0

The Caps drafted Seabrook's brother last year. Just what they need- a new set of Ferraros.

(edit: that's not to say I wouldn't want Brent as well. Just pointing out the brother angle.)

Park's goal was actually covered (for the slightest fraction of a second) by Kolzig, but Morrisonn coming through the crease bumped his glove and knocked the puck free.

3-0 end 2nd.

3rd is on.

I've always been reluctant to say this, but here it finally is:

I wish Kolzig had retired.

I admire and respect the guy, and he's got all the heart in the world, but he no longer has the reflexes needed in the "new" NHL. The Caps need a real center (someone for more than one year), a first line Dman, and a goalie if they are ever going to improve.

They listened to you, Marc!

3-1.

Eminger just got flat-out crushed into the boards- he got up, but was holding his head as he did. Kolzig covered the puck, but only to get a stop in play. Now Witt flattens Clark. Ovie crunches an Isle behind the goal.... more physical, all of a sudden.

RDP save on an Ovie shot.