I'm late, as usual, and Caps are up 2-0... with 2 goals by Bradley, including a short-handed one!!! I'll be here for the rest of the game.

End of the first period. Shots are only 6-3 Caps.

Varlamov in goal, of course. His little "mistake" was nothing, he still had a 1.01 GAA in his first three NHL playoff games. He's even leading the league in that department, for the playoffs. He's also tied with Luongo for first with 96.2%, and he's in good company among goalies with at least one shutout.

So, the Caps are missing a RW and a couple of d-men, I agree, but I think the Rangers miss Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom and Green, so the Caps still deserve to beat them. It would be great for them if they could at least win one round, especially after trailing 3-1. This kind of experience is good to have. And actually, anything can happen from there. They could be better, but they could also be weaker next year, without Fedorov, and if one of the guys mentioned above got injured for months. So why not now that the talented kids are healthy?

Let's try to win this one first, though. Go, Caps!

And early in the second, Semin scores! 3-0 Caps.

Assist by Mr Assist.

It's Semin's 4th goal in 5 games.

Ovechkin and Kozlov with a good moment, there. Kick save by Lundqvist, followed with a pad save! It was almost 4-0.

And now Varlamov with a good glove save.

Mid-game. 3-0 Caps. All we need now is a shutout for Varlamov and a couple of goals by Ovechkin.

Green (named today as one of the three finalists for the Norris trophy, with Chara and Lidstrom, as expected) will probably not take risks in this one either.

Forgot to mention that Avery got scratched.

Kolbe saw that one coming... "OVECHKIN UNLEASHES THE FURY!" 4-0 Caps.

Kolbe again: "Perhaps his best goal of the season." Can't wait to see that.

And the period ends on this score.

Shots were 8-7 Caps this period, 14-10 Caps total.

It is weird that Caps either destroy Lundqvist, or can't score against him to save their life. It will hopefully be the former for the next two games.

Rangers starting the third period with Valiquette in goal, and on the PP (minor for Calahan and double minor for Erskine at the end of the second period).

PP ends with no shot by the Rangers. They just had 1 PP shot in 4 opportunities, and only 10 shots total so far.

Fehr with an opportunity, Valiquette with the save, something between Dubinsky and Brashear, the puck goes into the net, but it's waived off.

Brashear almost had a goal, there, but he's called for roughing and also gets the 10-minute misconduct penalty. Fehr will go to the box for him.

Caps on the PK. With Semin, at some point. Taken down, it seems, but no call. And a good save by Varlamov!

John Tortorella furious because something was thrown at him from the stands. Jim Schoenfeld trying to restrain him.

Voros (replacing Avery perfectly) goes to the box with 12:23 left, Caps on the PP.

Caps with 3 shots, but the penalty is killed, and they're 0/4 in this game on the PP.

Caps will enjoy another PP after the break. I believe there was not much suspense in this game after Bradley's pair of goals. The Rangers are already thinking of the next game at Madison Square Garden.

Varlamov was the youngest goalie to get a playoff shutout at MSG, and the second youngest to win a playoff game there, after Patrick Roy.

Penalty killed again, but another Ranger going to the box, trying to bring a Cap with him, but it won't happen. I'm glad their ugly system doesn't work with our kids.

Drury goes to the box, which confuses Kolbe, but it's Orr who got called: double minor plus misconduct.

The last two penalties were drawn by Semin.

Looks like Voros got a misconduct too, it may be a mistake on the sheet.

Fleischmann kills the PP by getting called for hooking. There's still one left? I'm lost, hehe.

Two minutes left. Will Varlamov have a 0.75 GAA in four games after this one? We will know that very soon.

kudos to the Caps
but the Rangers look like a team that had no intention of winning this game from the drop of the puck .
one of the worse playoff efforts i have seen
(looking at their lineup , I now understand why they cannot score)

Caps win 4-0
they will win the series
(just not in 6 like I predicted)

Final score! Sunday's early game should be awesome.

I do think that it's the Caps who have impressive goaltending, now. The Lundqvist factor is dead. The Rangers were not able to beat Varlamov more than twice in the same game, and needed help from the Caps for that every time; he also shut them out twice.

Hi, Tom! Yes, it would be a shame if they didn't. No excuse, with the goaltending they have now. They certainly have the best offense in the league (the Pens' forwards have points, but not that many goals... only the Caps have snipers like Ovechkin, Semin and Green). They must overcome the Rangers.

Stars are Bradley, Ovechkin and Varlamov. Bradley killed the game early. That seems to be the way to go with the Rangers. Without taking too many risks, the Caps should try hard to score a couple early in the first at MSG. They must not wait and see. They have to bite into the Apple, hehe.

I hope Varly is the real deal but I will wait till he faces a team that actual has intentions to score a goal !!!!!!
this Rangers team is not a good measuring stick .

Kudos to Omar for his two goals(one tasty , the other......lets just say it was a classic)
Semin's goal was good
did not see the last goal


I must admit that I dislike playoff games where only one of the teams shows up .
I hope the rangers(and the caps for that matter) watch some of the hawks/Flames game so they can see what a series should look like .

Yes, I also think it's not the real test, but if it's already challenging enough, now, with the do-or-die situation.

Congrats to your nephew for the goal, by the way! Good night! Or is it the morning for you? - Just kidding.

here's a pic of Omar scoring his first goal



(every thread needs a pic)

Yes, looks good, hehe. At least, Roger attended a good game, and will hopefully have a better one to watch when the Caps come back from New York with the series tied.

'Night for good, now. Bye.

good night Marc

ND Hounds won again today
will the round robin thingy and now it time for the playoff


here's some boasting from a pround uncle(check out thursday top story)
http://www.tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/story/?id=276248

I've changed a portrait on the banner. Varlamov, first Capitals goalie with 2 shutout in a series since 1998. Hopefully a good sign.

Just watched the video summary. What a goal by Ovechkin! And what a shot off the faceoff by Semin, what a short-handed rush by Bradley, what a hit by... etc, etc.

I also have a feeling that the Donald scored a goal that they waived off a little too hastily.

Congrats to the team for this great effort.