Vinnie and Malone out tonight for the Bolts..... if the Caps let them hang around for a couple periods or longer, shame on them- this should be a blowout. Caps can clinch 2nd in the conference, and set a team record for points in a season with a win.

Backstrom has assisted on 43 of Ovechkin's goals (they just showed the "all-time assists in first 2 seasons' list, Backstrom something like 9th on the list at 118 with a couple of games to go.... )

Don Koharski's last game tonight... game on.

And Stamkos blasts a slapper past Theo with :36 gone. Not good.

Game started in Pittsburgh too. Malkin still scoreless after 1:18 of play. What a loser!

17:16 left 1st, and it's been ALL Tampa Bay so far. Now the Bolts go a man up....

killed, mercifully- all Bolts again on that PP, except one :15 stretch where Semin kept the puck away from them.... 13:52, icing Caps....

13:45, Fedorov to the box, and the Bolts with another PP after the TV timeout.

Ugly game so far.

Attempts (shots on goal, blocked and wide): 11-0 Tampa after 6:15 of "play".

Erskine with the first shot by the Caps, now, but the Bolts had 3 others.

Killed again, but almost the whole 2:00 was spent in the Lightning Ozone, and now it's icing Caps at 11:36 left 1st....

The Caps go on the PP as Ovechkin gets held up (and wisely so- he was off to the races otherwise)

edit: 2MA, as Artyukin got the unsportsmanlike as well as Smaby's hold....

1-1! Brooks Laich! And still 1:29 of PP coming....

Killed.... Green smashed another stick attempting a shot, and Joe and Craig are talking about how he only has a few good sticks, and is hoping to keep them for the playoffs- they were saying they hope these that break are from his "new" batch. Under 8:00 left 1st....

now the Caps put on a clinic for a full shift- Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin, Schultz, and I missed the fifth guy, but they were wearing the Lightning out. The Bolts get the "mercy" TV timeout on the stoppage.

Malkin got a secondary assist as the Pens tied the game 1-1.

Caps with another PP (Koci- high stick).... stat they just showed, the Caps are tied for first in the League with Boston for most 1st period goals (85) .... Green robbed by Ramo.... Ovechkin rips one off the draw, but it's high and wide.... Caps stay on the PP, another call of a slash... :01 of 2MA....

now it's 5 on 4.... Aucoin and Nylander on the PP unit this time.... the PP and the period will end simultaneously... St. Louis gets the SH break, Ovechkin slides into him to stop it, but the call is on Ovechkin.... 4 on 4. Replay shows he DID get the puck first- bad call.

1-1, end 1st.

2nd on, with the Lightning on the PP for 1:19.... killed. Semin had a good SH chance, but Ramo made the save he needed to make.... 17:35 left 2nd, icing Caps.

 

Caps to the PP at 16:25 as Erskine is taken down.... Theo got pissed Koci put the puck in net after the whistle for the penalty.... killed....

Laich!! Green with a pass from behind the goal line to out front!!

2-1Caps!!

And now Bradley with the same pass to Steckel :31 later!!!

3-1 Caps!!!

edit: well, almost the same pass- Bradley's was about a foot in front of the goal line to the top of the crease...

11:58 the Lightning get the PP this time- Fedorov with another hook....

killed again.... and at 9:17 left 2nd, a TV timeout.

6:05, Tampa gets another PP.... killed....

now there's under 3:00.... Bradley fires and Ramo smothers at 2:01.... Ovechkin out of mid-air, and Ramo finds it in the crowd.... Ovechkin another shot off the faceoff, Ramo blocks it....

now it's Semin with the shot, Ramo gets that too....

3-1 Caps, end 2nd.

A few minutes into the third period, still 3-1 Caps. 3-1 also in Pittsburgh, but Malkin still with only one assist.

3rd on, Ovechkin another good chance but Ramo blocks it.... Ovechkin behind the goal, to Morrisonn- Ramo gets it again.... already 7:00 gone 3rd.... and a TV timeout while the teams get some air.

And Tampa reduces the score! 3-2.

And with 7:07 left reg, it's a 1 goal game....

Kolbe (and the guy of the score sheet) thought it was scored by Szczechura (bless ya!), but it was tipped in by Pettinger... his first goal against the Caps.

5:30 left.... under 4:00.... 3:00.... 2:32 and a TV timeout.

Pens with two quick goals, and Malkin gets a primary assist on a Gonchar PPG.

Ex-Caps are hurting us, there.

Less than a minute left, Ramo pulled, Bolts with the extra attacker, and they keep the puck for a while, but can't take a good shot, it seems.

Green scores one into an empty net!

Laughlin says a closer look at the play Ovechkin made on St. Louis, AO did take him down just before touching the puck.... under 1:15 left in regulation....

EN for the Bolts.... :30 left.... :22.3, icing Caps.... green the ENG with :04.8 left!!!!

4-2 Caps, final!

Final score! 4-2. Franchise record (although the SO points may have helped).

Pens scored the 6th one, but nothing for Malkin.

Good night, Roger. I'll try to follow the last season game, and I'll do my utmost to listen to all the playoff games. This may be the year we have all waited for.