Here I am with less than 3 minutes left to the second period, LOL!

It's 1-0 Caps thanks to a PP goal by Backstrom, from Semin and Kozlov, 2:10 into the first period.

After that, some 4-on-3 hockey in the first, 2 PP opportunities to 1 for the Caps in the second period...

End of second. Still 1-0.

Theodore vs. Biron.

Shots are 23-23, with Theodore possibly en route to a shutout (OK, let's say I didn't pronounce the word, if you're superstitious).

Well I was about to say I left with 5:02 left 1st at 1-0, got to the grocery, and still 1-0 when I got home with a few left in the 2nd, but :23 into the 3rd the Flyers tie it up on an iffy call on Nylander- didn't look like a hook to me, but I'm not a referee.

1-1

Great shift by Brashear/Gordon/Bradley, but Biron covers the bounce off the boards behind him....

seriously, this is a great crowd at the Verizon center. Very loud, very proud, it's more good natured than ugly, like in the playoffs last year. If I didn't have an early, long day tomorrow, I'd still be there.

I edited my first post, where I said Munroe instead of Biron, hehe.

Caps to the PP with 11:14 left reg......

Two shots on goal so far in this power play, which is about to end...

Back to even strength.

This is the kind of game I've wanted them to win, home or away- Ovechkin/Semin not really a factor, good D, good goal..... time for a secondary guy to step it up and win this game- a Schultz, Collins, Morrisonn, maybe a Gordon or Fehr.

We shall see....

We also once had a 30-goal scorer named Clark, I think. What has he become?

That year was an aberration- he was healthy, and played with Ovechkin. Clark has never really been more than a 20 G guy in his career.

There was the chance- Collins slapper, glove save Biron.... :54.7 left reg.

Fehr trying to score one for you, but it's Biron in goal.

54 seconds left.

OT.....

2 minutes left...

Turnover to Ovechkin, who tries to go five-hole, but Biron makes the big save!

All Philly for the first :28..... to 4:14, Caps.... Caps offside at 3:56 left..... all Flyers to 3:31.... Flyers again at 3:04.... Flyers again at 2:47....

wow- Semin with a 2 on 1, pad save Biron around 2:31....

Flyers with the puck at 2:00....

Flyers with the puck at 1:38....

Flyers mistake, Ovechkin shot at :56.2... Biron great save.....

Caps in the zone until :22 or so....

shootout.

I'm out, enjoy.

 

Night, Roger.

So, we know the story, Ovechkin will miss, Biron will stop everything...

Kozlov... scooooooooooooores!!! top shelf! 1-0 Caps.
Gagne... backhander, save by Theodore!

Semin... glove save by Biron!
Richards... denied by Theodore!

Ovechkin... off the goalpost! (I told ya, LOL!)
Carter... save by Theodore! 3 of 3!

Caps win!

Theodore has really been another goalie since that game where he got pulled then called again. Caps really have a chance in the playoffs with the three goalies they have, now!

We've never had such a team, ever! I believe it's also a franchise record, with 57 points in the first 41 games.

Yeah, Caps "win". This was a classic tie game- both teams earned a point, neither deserved to win.

Kozlov- the guy can't score in regulation, he's ofer for the playoffs in his career, but he can "score" when it doesn't really count.

Big whoop- there's no shootout in the playoffs, boys.... better to learn that now, than in May or June.

Odd stat: Gagne, Richards and Carter lead the league in short-handed points (respectively 8, 6, and 4, last one tied with two other guys... Steckel has 3).

Now, Roger, tell us what you REALLY think about shootouts.

OK, I like them, but I'm totally in favor of repeated overtime periods instead. Can't happen during the season, though, the guys need to rest. I preferred when we had 10 minutes of overtime, and 1 point each if no goal was scored.

See, I'm torn on that- remember when games went 3-4 OT periods? There's nowhere for guys to learn what that means, now. They don't learn to pace themselves, to know when to take a chance or when to lay back..... the shootout kills that. 5:000 of zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, and then the Kozlovs of the world take over.

The day will come when the shootout rules all, even in the playoffs- and that's the day I stop watching.