I sure hope they play better at home.....

stats from last night said 71 hits in the game (42 Rangers, 29 Caps) - guess it's getting like it used to be Florida, since that tied for the NHL lead in one game this season WITH TWO OTHER GAMES.

Pettinger in the pregame interview said they have to keep getting shots off, get a bounce. I'd settle for a fluke goal or two.

Game on, it's Kolzig against Niitymaki.

Lost interest, turned away for a moment, and Fleishmann pots one off a sharp pass (according to the TV) from Nylander.

1-0 Caps

At the end of a play, Cote tries to get into it with Brashear, but the refs step in....

off the next faceoff, Lupul and Pettinger go at it, but the refs step in and send them both to the box for 2:00.

Update- the goal was Fleishmann from Backstrom and Nylander, according to the stats at NHL.

Now BEFORE a faceoff with 6:51 left 1st, Bradley and Coburn have words, but no results as the refs step in. They drop the puck, play a few seconds, Caps get a PP, and now Hartnell (boarding) and Bradley (roughing) head for the box, matching minors again.

A description of the goal taken from official, a post by Jupe2:

Caps 2nd line had a controlled entry into the zone with Nylander skating the puck to the left, Backstrom taking the center, and Flash coming up on the right. Nyles waited until the last second to rocket a pass to the slot, which was deflected by Backstrom. The deflection didn't go at the net, but flipped end over end into the air to Flash's wing. Flash batted it in in a split second, IN MID-AIR.

2:26 left 1st, the gloves hit the ice as Richards and Laich go at it- pretty good fight, I'd say a draw as Laich got a couple good ones in, then Richards got the good jersey hold , a couple good shots, and the swing-around takedown.... the refs stepped in as Laich got back to his feet, and cut it off.

Olie trips a guy, and Ovechkin serves it- Flyers' PP at 1:59 left 1st.

1-0 Caps, end 1st.

I put the stats up once, but right then Net54 decided to log me out.... suffice it to say the Caps pretty much dominated in the stat department, but it's still a 1 goal game.

3:23 gone in the 2nd, Erskine goes for boarding.... Flyers' PP again.... Briere almost scores as it starts.... Caps clear at 1:24.... SOG, save Kolzig at 1:02.... cleared.... back in at :36.... Kolzig save again and stoppage at :19.... faceoff.... cleared and killed.

 

Caps get a 3 on 2 chance, but that's all it is- a chance. Next time in the Bradley line turns it over, the Flyers get a 3 on 2 of their own, and Briere ties it up.

1-1, under 12:00 left in the 2nd.

7:46 left 2nd it looked like Eager and Sutherby first exchanged elbows during play, and then dropped the gloves and exchanged blows as well- another draw. Eager got the best punches off, Sutherby got the takedown and the head-over-heels flip. Caps got a PP out of it, as Eager got the extra 2:00.

Flyers killed it easily.

4:13 left, Jurcina gets a shot off, big rebound off Kolzig, all the way out to the blueline, where the Flyers pick up the puck and race off to a 2 on 1.....

which is what the score is.

2-1 Flyers, 4:08 left 2nd.

And now, a Flyers' PP coming, 2:57 left. Ugh.

2:41, save Kolzig ... cleared finally at about :53 PP left....

cleared again at :32.... cleared and killed, :57 left in the 2nd. Flyers got off 5 SOGs on that PP alone.

A few secs left in the period, a pass from Kozlov to Pothier, a rocket shot, it gets through Niitymaki, and..... the Dman skates through the crease and takes the puck with him.

Right after, a high stick call puts the Flyers back on the PP for 4:00....

2-1 Flyers, end 2nd.

After two periods any game this season, Philly is 6-0-0 if leading.... the Caps are 0-7-0 if trailing.

Not good.... particularly when the Flyers start the 3rd with almost 4:00 of PP coming. Just as I typed those last words, Umberger makes it 3-1 with 2:19 left on the PP, so the Flyers only lose :19 and still have a 2:00 PP coming.

3-1 Flyers....

Killed it, but still 2 down and running out of time.

Ouch- Nylander skating through center with his head down, Coburn crushes him.... he skates off ok, but he'll keep his head up the rest of the game, I'll bet.

Terrific, clean hit from Coburn (who I wanted in that draft, but didn't last until the Caps picked).

Late 3rd.... Caps get a PP. Faceoff, to Ovechkin.....

3-2 with about 4:09 left in regulation. Same old story- just enough late to make fans think they've played a decent game, but not enough to actually win.

1:00 left... Kolzig out......

3-2 Flyers, final.

Stat-o-the-game, in the cold light of day:

Steckel and Gordon got taken to faceoff school by Briere last night...

Gordon only won 3 of 9.

Steckel didn't win any of 6.