I guess Sutton is gone tonight (IR, I think), as well as a couple of the Thrash battlers, so all the hype down there to sell tickets might produce the usual SE snoozefest.

Chris Clark, last 7 games: 7-2-9

Hossa still red hot for the Thrash

One nice hit, as Mellanby cleared someone out in front of Lehtonen.....

Caps get the early PP.

When I was kid (I was in 4th grade, so I guess I was 9), my appendix ruptured- on a Saturday, while my mom was at work. So I laid there all day, until she got home. When she saw me (gangrene had already set in), she got the guy upstairs to rush me to the hospital. Doctor told her afterward if they had been 5 minutes later, they wouldn't even have bothered to operate on me.

NOW the Caps get a PP.

Sad news- Caps' minority owner Joshua Freeman was killed in helicopter crash last night.

Ovie scores on the PP on a really sharp pass from Zubrus!

Semin and Coburn get coincidental high stick calls- 4 on 4 again.

Just noticed- Heward is back! He got an assist on the goal.

Two more passes, same thing- Brashear coming in all alone, the pass to him is about 6" too far out in front, but he manages to get wood on it and send it right to the net, where Laich deflects it just wide as he goes flying by the crease.

Sooooooooo close.

Stats:

SOGs 14-12 Caps

Hits 10-5 Thrash

Blocks 10-4 Thrash

Faceoffs 12-6 Thrash (67%)

looks like Thrashers everywhere except where it counts the most.

I must be jaded, because McPhee (the interview) and now Laughlin talked up how well the Caps played that period.

They do have a point- kept most of the Thrasher SOGs to the outside (mcPhee), passing was sharp (Laughlin). I commented on the passing myself, but other than that, I thought it was ok, but not great hockey. Ovechkin had some good moves, and a bad one (toe-pick along the boards, went down with no one near him). Noticed Zubrus flub two of the passes..... noticed Green with a couple good D plays, and that pass by Brashear. I guess it was better than I thought.

Good shift to start the 2nd by Sutherby, Gordon, and Clymer.

Cap to the box (Heward) for elbowing.

First PP for the Thrash tonight.

Well hi there, Marc- how's your appendix?

Betty killed, BJ glove save off a Kovalchuk shot again,......

Cap-killer Jon Sim scores. Great pass from Kovy.

1-1.

Heward the interview, talking about the injury. He was scared at first, thought it was his eye, took about 4-5 minutes to realize it was just a bad cut, but then the realization of the pain of reconstruction..... wearing a 3/4 face shield now, not as bad as he thought, still good vision. Says if he didn't think about it lightly (could have been career-ending), he'd be gunshy out there.

Best of luck to him..... a tough guy.

I don't know how, but we'll survive.....

Good luck to the nephew.

3rd on.

Stat just shown: highest scoring teams, 3rd period

1. Ducks

2. Hurricanes

3. Thrashers

Nothing on the PP, and then Vigier scores his first ever goal against the Caps.....

2-1 Thrashers with 5:00 left in regulation.

Disappointing. Even thought its close, now that I'm kinda back into hockey, have higher expectations.

I take it so far this has not been the brawl fest that the Atlanta media was hyping it to be?

They didn't pull Johnson, but now they do. :30 left.....

WOOOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OVECHKIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2-2!!!!

Good. Now I expect them to win in OT or finally win in a SO!

Malone had a hat for the Pens tonight, which reminds me......

I seem to recall a 3-2 Caps' win last season, where Ovechkin had the first 2 goals......

Unassisted, too. Those who say he's been missing a step this season need to watch that play several times!!!

Tom, you picked a good one to leave us with. Have a good time with your family these next couple weeks, and give the nephew a couple cheers from us.

Marc, you can sleep well tonight!

Good night, all!

A quick predict on NHL's 3 Stars:

1. Ovechkin (all 3 goals in a 3-2 win)

2. Malone (hat trick tonight)

3. Crosby (4 points AGAIN.... 1-3-4)

The "kids" are all right....