Play under way, and 1:15 in, the Caps go on the PK.... goalie interference on Nylander. Johnson in goal for the Caps (no goalies present at practice this morning).
This message has been edited by reallycrowesnest on Oct 20, 2007 9:31 PM This message has been edited by reallycrowesnest on Oct 20, 2007 9:30 PM
Pretty even so far, but by the 9:00 left mark, it seems the Pens are taking control, when at 8:28, Gonch takes a penalty, and the Caps go on the PP.....
With 3:30 left 1st, SOGs are 11-4 Caps.... and they keep the pressure on. Very quick period, only the one penalty so far, and few stoppages.... now at the last minute the Pens keep it in and get some pressure on BJ.... Locker says the Caps have tripped 3 Pens, but there's been no call...
I'll check for stats in a minute. First, a story from this morning....
I attended a wake for an acquaintance this morning, and when I got home, realized there was a morning skate at Kettler, so decided to go and see what was up.
As I got on the elevator (Kettler is on the 8th floor), I went to push the button, but saw "8" was already lit. there was an attractive brunette between me and the panel anyway, so I smiled at her and said "I should have known", referring to the elevator already headed to the facility level.
She smiled back and said in very good English, although heavily accented "Do you go to the practice?" I answered yes, and she then asked "do you go to game tonight?"
I answered no, and she then said "Why you not go to game tonight?" at which point I explained that I had had season tickets for 10 seas0ons, but gave them up this year. An expression came over her face, and I read it immediately to mean "Oh- I can understand that. I've heard that before." We had no further conversation.
She got off the elevator ahead of me, and was far ahead by the time I got to the rink. I watched practice for a while from the balcony behind the near goal, and decided to look around for her, but she wasn't hard to find... she was sitting with Ovechkin's parents and friends, at the left end of the group.
Meanwhile, I han't seen AO on the ice, but he was done early, I guess, as he came and sat with his parents for a while, soaked in sweat; he talked animately with his father for a while, and they were both gesturing across the rink toward the players bench. No idea what the conversation was about.
Semin was there and skating, took part in a couple of the drills, but took several breaks and stayed to himself, and when I left he had been sitting on the bench for almost 10:00, watching but not participating.
Most of the guys seemed very upbeat (including Semin, who was joking with several others); Erskine was the target of several of the jokes, including at one point, he went face down beside the bench area to demonstrate something, and it was either Shultz or Green (couldn't tell which) who laid down right on top of him and wouldn't let him up- I thought they were going to have to get a room.
No goalies present at the practice, so it doesn't surprise me that Johnson got the start- Kolzig has an even worse record against the Pens, and I guess the powers that be didn't want to advertise that Kolzig would not play in an attempt to sell a few more tickets.
All in all, if the team plays like they practiced (and they did, almost the entire first period), they should put a stop to the losing streak, and get back in the win column.
We shall see.....
This message has been edited by reallycrowesnest on Oct 20, 2007 8:06 PM
Laich hooks a guy after :41, and the Pens get another PP early in a period....
they get set up a couple times, but the Caps clear them both, and kill 1:00, when.... Morrisonn get called for a boarding, and it's 5 on 3 for :51.....
cleared at :45....
Johnson save at :23, and cleared.....
Johnson save at :06, and the 5 on 3 is done....
Caps finally clear at :45 left PP....
they clear again at :17....
and killed.... but just after killing 4:00 of penalties, the Pens tie it on a tough goal for Johnson to stop by Staal. Lots of guys right in front of him, and no way he could stop the rebound which Staal put over BJ's left shoulder.
12:46 left 2nd, the Pens go end to end, Johnson save, and a penalty....
TV timeout, but there'll be a Cap in the box when they come back.
Laughlin just mentioned Semin, and how he skated yesterday and today, and how he might be back "sooner rather than later".... well, Craig, I'd describe his skating as delicate, half-speed, and he took so many breaks to give the ankle a rest that there's no way he'll be back any time soon. Locker did also mention that "well they have some time off too, and he's got to be healthy before getting back", so he essentially pimped for the team, and then backed off his position to have an out.
While I was posting that, the Caps killed that PP easily, and halfway through the game it's like two boxers, feeling each other out in the early rounds. It's been a pretty even game so far. Haven't heard Ovechkin's name all that much, nor Crosby's...
Ovechkin sparks the team with a good rush and a booming shot that crashes off the glass, and for several shifts the Caps are in control.... 7:41 left 2nd, the Pens take a penalty, and the Caps go on the PP for only the 2nd time tonight. Hanlon's been saying in the papers the PP has to do better....
The Caps are controlling the play and Backstrom almost got his first goal, but they're just missing the opportunities, and they've had a bunch of them.
5:00 left in the 2nd, and SOGs are 17-14, hits are 18-5, but the score is still 1-1.
Sooner rather than later, they've got to bury one of these chances or the Pens will end up with the win.
2:51 left Green gets Crosby in the face with a high stick (trying to raise SC's stick, and MG's just slid right up it and into SC's jaw), and the Pens go on the PP....
:30 into the PP, the Caps have cleared and the Pens can't set up.... but around the 1:20 mark, they do set up, and and a laser by Whitney makes it 2-1 Pens very late in the 2nd.
The Caps can suck it up, or cave in at this point. Let's see which it is.
BJ makes a good save again at 1:45 left 2nd.... the Pens are in control. The Caps keep it in the Pens' end for almost :30, but no shots... we're under 1:00 left in the 2nd.... Caps get called for a hand pass at :27.1 left....
2-1 Pens, end 2nd.
JB says "Good period for the boys in the black and gold".
2:32 gone 3rd, and we have LaRoque and Brashear squaring off- GL takes the early lead with several lefts, but DB comes back with lefts of his own, and the takedown.....
PP is still ineffective (killed as I type), and the Pens get a SH 2 on 1 break.... first guy shoots, big rebound, 2nd guy shoots.....
HUGE SAVE by Johnson! This guy has been absolutely stellar tonight, and he's not getting near the support he deserves- the Caps have exactly 1 SOG in the 3rd period.
This message has been edited by reallycrowesnest on Oct 20, 2007 9:16 PM
Apologies for not posting much this period, but the play has been intense, and there have been very few stoppages.
Ovechkin is a man on fire right now, hitting everybody in sight, but getting no results for his efforts; Johnson has made at least 3 more fantastic saves, but the team isn't picking him up at the other end of the ice. All BJ's saves are in close- almost all MAF's saves are medium to long range.
The Caps are running out of time with 2:34 left... Steckel wins the draw, and Ovechkin gets thwarted by Fleury... 2:00 left....
Ovechkin again, it gets deflected, and Fleury gets to it before Clark can....
1:30 left....
Caps can't get out of their own end with the puck.... empty net at a bout 1:10....
:45....
:33, the Caps finally get in the o zone, the extra man has done them no good until now....
Ovechkin shoots.... save, Fleury with :15.6 left....
Hanlon calls his timeout.
the Pens win the draw.... :07 left.... Pens miss the empty net....
2-1 Pens, final.
great effort by the Caps, great individual play.......
Move Jurcina to the top PP unit on the left point. Feed him for one-timers while Clark creates havoc in front of the net. Let Ovechkin crash the net for the rebound.
