Time to Drink a Beer and Chill Out

Flyers Series Recap
In retrospect, the flyers played a good series all the way around. I thought they were the more consistent team during the series and were the beneficiaries of the majority of the tight calls. A fan can whine about the calls and that's okay because its a defense mechanism much like the objects tossed on the ice are a sign of abject pain than a lack of respect for the Flyers (maybe with the exception of Briere). But I think once the pain goes away, you begin to realize that:

1. The Caps were seriously outplayed in the first three games yet stole one
2. The Flyers were too good to rollover for three straight games
3. Received stellar goaltending from Biron when it mattered most
4. Took advantage of mistakes; their Power Play was flawless

I think every Caps fan that knows the difference between a charge and a boarding call would take Mike Richards or Jeff Carter on the team in a Flash (heh, heh). If you ever listen to a player that has won the Stanley Cup, the three things they say that allowed them to prevail over other good teams are: consistency, team depth, and luck. Of those three, the Caps only had one in the first series. With better consistency next year, we'll make our own luck.

Sidenote: Capitals fans must notice the irony of game 1 of the Montreal-Philly game as the Flyers outplayed Montreal, but lost the game because of some perceived poor refereeing. Those that live in glass houses...

The End of the Season
Actually, now is the time when I don't need 5-6 beers per Caps game because quite simply, they don't exist. Now I can enjoy a single beer, relax, sleep easier and go about my day thinking about other things than Caps hockey. Some would find this peaceful and relaxing, I think it stinks.

I'm looking forward towards the draft, free agency, training camp, and opening night (in that order). Those dates are like vacations that seem so far away right now but you know will be here before you know it.

Decision Time
This offseason is perhaps the most important one in the club's rise from rebuild-to-juggernaut. Basing my figures from various sources such as NHLSCAP.com and the NHLPA, I figure the Caps paid out about $44M in salary this year (including Jagr). With the new contracts kicking in for Semin and Ovie, the Caps are already committed to $38M for next year before you factor in all the UFAs and RFAs on their current roster. Meaning that the $38M doesn't include a starting netminder (Olie or Huet), Mike Green, Brooks Laich, Boyd Gordon, Matt Bradley, Matt Cooke, Eminger, Morrisonn, Fehr, or Sergei Fedorov.

My quick take is that it's going to very difficult to sign everybody under the cap and have the requisite wiggle room that smart teams keep. This will lead to difficult decisions around the higher paid unsigned players such as Green, Fedorov, and Huet. My assumption here obviously is that Green will be one of the top paid players next year and should command a great deal of attention going into free agency if the Capitals do not get him under contract quickly. More on this later.

Game 7 - Viewing Location

We're going to the Smokey Bones on E. Colonial near the Executive Airport in Orlando and not the Ale House. HERE is a map to its location if you're not familiar with it. It seems an employee there is a Caps fan and has commandeered the back widescreen for the game and festivities tonight.

I haven't spoken with that person but I've invited myself along anyway. Woohoo! I'll be wearing the purple teddy, knee socks, and Caps baseball cap. Wait a sec... I wore that last night. Hmm, I'll wear a faded a red t-shirt, a black Caps hat, and my unshaven scruff (I'm a dude).

See you there.

Game 6 - Recap/ Game 7 - Tomorrow

On this game, there was no Lilliputian effort anywhere to be found on the Caps squad... except for the Flyer's second goal by Danny Briere. Anywho, the Caps resembled a band of giants as they came out of a scoring drought in the middle of the second and continued their strong play through the end of 3rd. The difference-maker was Huet's effort after the score was 0-2. He cannot be faulted on the two goals scored against, but he can be given great PROPs for the goals he stopped especially during the Flyer power plays during the second and third periods. He was simply superb.

I noted after the first, that Ovechkin needed to pull his head out of his ass. He was looking for goals in this game, no doubt. He frequently turned down passing opportunities to shoot, getting off 9 shots on goal in the process. However, he came up with his two biggest goals of the post-season so I can give him a free pass on his inability to dish the puck to anybody else... except the goalie... at 100 mph... whizzing by his friggin' ear. Okay, he's Ovie and he rules.

Down the lineup, the team played great. Bradley, Brashear, Steckel, Gordon, and Eminger were solid. Semin made up for his roughing gaffe with a 1G 1A night and Laich is becoming a go-to stud. I'm not new to his skills (20 goals is pretty sweet), but Laich is getting something going every game. His bouts of invisibility that plagued last season and first third of this season, are gone.
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On to Game 7 and they just ran the greatest NHL commercial for Versus: "I am a ceiling..."
http://www.versus.com/nhlplayoffs_video?ID=7.

That sums it up beautifully. Tomorrow, watch for some crease-crashing Hartnell idiocy and a crowd in the VC that will be setting off those little earthquake meter/monitor counter dial thingies in Georgetown. You know, geiger counters for earthquakes. They're going to feel it in ... never mind.

By the way, a couple of us will be heading to the Orlando Ale House in Winter Park for the game if interested. Leave some here or shoot a PM.

7PM, April 22nd is a loooong 19 hours away, but let us thank all things good in the world that the game isn't played Wednesday. Good night and good luck sleeping.

Game 5 - Redux

We won. Sorry there were no posts but, I was abducted by Lilliputians and forced to listen to polka for two straight days. And as we all know, there's simply no blogging in Lilliput.

Game 4 - Recap

The Caps matched the Flyer's intensity in this one. It's the first game where they put forth an effort that was good enough to win, unfortunately, they weren't the recipients of any breaks. The referees fail to award two double-minors for highstick cuts to Semin and Bradley, then their momentum was destroyed at the end of regulation by having to PK Kozlov's imaginary goalie interference call.

A wise man once said, "A good team makes its own breaks." I'm far too lazy to Google the name of that wise man, but regardless I thought we were a good team when we killed Kozlov's imaginary. That kill seemed like a sign. To get a win, however, good and bad teams need sustained intensity and some luck to get a win.

Tomorrow will feel much worse being down 3-1 instead of tied 2-2... where's the Advil?

Game 4 - OT #1

It's hard to talk smack when the next goal wins. So no smack here except Danny Briere. A little known fact about Briere is that he was adopted. By a pair of infertile housecats. Really.

When is the NHL going to create a "The Cup Changes Everything Commercial" with Pat Thoresen.... oooh. Low blow.

Six beers and counting. 6:30 will come quickly tomorrow. I was talking with Peaker (remember him?) between periods and reminisced that back in "the day" 6 beers wouldn't have made it through pre-game.

Game 4 - First 40 Minutes

I'm watching on Versus with Forslund, Bob Harwood, and Eddie O doing the color. The team has jumped ship and are counting the Caps out. Richards is suddently the second coming of Eddie Shore and Danny "Spearchucker" Briere is Mario Friggin-Lemieux. Oh well. I hope the Caps make them eat their human interest stories. Some thoughts thus far:

• I loved watching Briere leave the box after the PP goal
  
• Two double minors missed. Bradley and Semin's cuts have us looking like a M.A.S.H unit
  
• Twice in the second period Eddie Olcyk called for the Flyers to get more in the face of the Huet. Like they need encouragement? It's like counseling Charles Manson to get organized and start keeping 'to do' lists.

Maybe more later. Dunno. Four dead soldiers down after 2. Wife and neighbors much happier with my beery state. My playoff motto: A Numb Daddy makes for No Broken Furniture... It's not a real snappy motto, but I'm working on it.

Ay Carumba

At about the 8 minute of the 3rd period in tonight's game, the Caps suddenly woke up. They looked around all groggily-eyed and said a collective, "Holy S$it! We're in the playoffs." From that moment on, they played well and looked like they could complete with the Flyers in this series. Let's hope the doesn't hit snooze and goes back to sleep for the next two periods or they can remain asleep until October.

I won't go into detail on why they lost tonight other than a summary: lack of commitment and turnovers. Fehr looked good. Eminger will play again. Somebody got in a fight. Things are looking up.

Goodnight Caps nation.

Recap: How Did We Get Here

Let's ask a question of you (oh wise beyond your years reader), how did the Capitals make it to this dance?

a. Did we squeak into the post-season on the brilliant play of Alex Ovechkin? Alex sold tickets, sold the refreshments, hired the band, was the emotional conduit, and was the emcee for the dance but he didn't break down the door.

b. Did we get to the post-season through our shutdown defense? Ha, ha. Not on your life.

c. Did we get into the playoffs because the team lost one game in its last thirteen? Did we get into the playoffs because Cristobal Huet has been unstoppable since the Backstrom own-goal? If you picked 'C', DING-DING-DING. You win a...well, nothing except a congratulations for your keen observations. (I'm not much for giving out prizes right now)

With that in mind, how the hell can you not defend Huet when Hartnell runs over the goalie and shoves his face into the ice?

I'm not the only one who noticed this treatment. From Philly.com this morning:

Bruce Boudreau is a little annoyed at all the traffic in front of goaltender Cristobal Huet, particularly Scott Hartnell, who drew a first-period penalty for goaltender interference. Hartnell steamrolled Huet and rubbed his face into the ice for good measure. "We know what they're doing," Boudreau said. "Sometimes you play a little safer in the playoffs. But we have to protect our own" . . .

Hartnell got two minutes for his work so it would have been a perfect opportunity for somebody to take him to task either with a couple of extra cross-checks or, god-forbid, a fight and take the instigator. As it was Huet was the only one giving Hartnell any extra abuse (and it was as lame as you may expect a goalie to dish out). Hartnell is a tough guy and admittedly, the personnel wasn't on the ice at that time that normally takes care of such things. However, there was a stretch in the second where Bruce matched up Brashear and Bradley against Hartnell line. The announcers were bemoaning the move as an advantage for the Flyers but they didn't understand Bruce's intentions. Nor, do I think, did Brashear and Bradley.

If the Caps continue to display such lack of grit, the series will soon be 1-3 and next Saturday our arena will be overrun with the Orange and Black goons from up the pike. They will serenade Hu-et, make derisive remarks about our ancestry, wear ill-fitting clothes, and be a general nuisance at the very least. At the very most, they will take what has become sanctified; our place of worship: a home ice that feels like home. Get it together fellas.