And Green, now. Ovechkin. Shot by Poti. Caps are trying to give some life to the last minutes of this period. Boudreau sent Brashear-Steckel-Bradley, though.
And a big stop by Kolzig now, with the Thrashers pushing for the lead too.
So have the Caps- this is a tired Atlanta team, without their biggest gun. Caps should be all over them, but I guess they're still enjoying the glory of Ovechkin's last game. Still, the Thrash only have 8 SOGs....
Good thing is that Caps never lost two consecutive games in regulation under Boudreau. So we should be able to get at least a point out of the next one, hehe.
"This is a game they'll remember forever, if they lose it- the Hurricanes are winning 1-0 tonight, and the Caps losing 1-0.
The difference between playing for the Cup and playing golf...."
'Canes lost 4-1 (Pens scored 4 goals in the 3rd period).
Florida beat Tampa.
So Caps are still potentially one point ahead of 'Canes and Thrashers if they win the two games they have in hand. Nothing dramatic. But still, it's sad they gave two points to the Thrashers. Can't lose games to Southeast division teams anymore.
They're still the hottest team in the Southeast division, though (12 points in 10 games, like the Thrashers, but with more wins), and potentially first, so I believe in them. And also I very much like the fact that they don't go anymore through long periods of nothing. They're willing to win games or at least points in any manner. If they keep on doing this, they'll automatically make the playoffs (they don't even need to watch the standings), and of course, with the same spirit (except for OTL, but they only have 5, after all, and 4 recent wins in OT and SO), they can be dangerous in the playoffs.
You keep me optimistic, and I'll keep you grounded in reality.
As of this morning, the Caps sit 12th in points in a 15 team conference; they haven't scored a goal Ovechkin wasn't involved in in over 3 full games. Florida's right on their ass in the division, too. And they haven't had their "hot" streak yet, and the Hurricanes are over their flu bug now, and Atlanta's playing just as well without Kovalchuk as the Penguins are without Crosby... maybe better.
The Capitals are a one-man, one dimensional team, and Atlanta showed the rest of the division (and the conference) how to beat them- don't get into the run-and-gun game with them, be stingy on defense (even if you give up shots, it's quality that counts, not quantity), stay out of the box.
The Caps have no quality defense, no right wings to speak of, and shaky 2nd-tier goaltenders. Other than Ovechkin, the team is still very young, very inexperienced, and very frustrating to watch. Name one guy other than Kozlov (and he's been playing with Ovechkin) that's gone on a hot streak of two or more games? Green? He's cold as ice now, and now he doesn't remember he's a Dman, either. Semin? Can't stay out of the box, and takes really dumb penalties- I like the guy, but take one of those in the playoffs in an early game, and the whole team dies with you. Name another...... stumped? So are the Caps.
Boudreau post-game last night was speaking of Semin's penalties as "lazy", said that situation needs to be addressed, and then challenged the rest of the team to step up in support of Ovechkin. I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that the only one who responds to the challenge will be Semin, and that puts Boudreau on the spot of do they want in the playoffs this season, or do they want to prove a point?
The only place they're going is to the golf courses.
McPhee even has the luxury now of not having to sign a FA or two to boost the team into the playoffs- Ovechkin's signed now, so he either drags the team on his own back in, or waits until next season (again). What else can he do- walk away from $120 million?
Current Topic - Game 53 vs. Atlanta Thrashers (L 0-2)
