Washington Capitals Hockey
Friday, April 4, 2008
The Code Has Been Cracked
How does this look folks? (Though it may be short-lived.)
So for at least one evening, the Washington Capitals are
resting (un)comfortably in the 8th seed. Of course the Caps got no help
(surprise, surprise) from the Toronto Maple Leafs who played the role
of punching bag against the Muhammad Ali-esque Ottawa Senators. But
tonight remains the biggest night of scoreboard watching for the
Capitals in years.
While the Caps recover for their Saturday tilt against
Florida, the Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins,
and Ottawa Senators are all in action tonight. Once these games have
been decided, we will almost certainly know exactly what the Capitals
need to do Saturday to make the playoffs, and where they may wind up in
the standings.
The biggest game of the set is the Ottawa/Boston
matchup. A result in regulation allows the Caps to finally control
their own destiny -- something they've unquestionably earned with their
play since the trade deadline, including 10 wins in their last 11.
Other scenarios that would place Washington in control
of their own destiny include either a Carolina OR Philadelphia loss in
regulation or overtime.
Never lost in the playoff shuffle is Alex Ovechkin, who
is making his case for MVP more decisively with each passing day.
Ovechkin has 17 goals and 29 points in his last 16 games and is a +19
along the way -- the kind of numbers the league hasn't seen since the
days of the string bean, stand-up goalies of the '80s and early '90s.
So let's find a comfy seat, grab the remote, and get
those NHL Center Ice channels memorized. Tonight's slate is sure to be
a doozy.
A
FEW NOTES FROM THE GAME:
- Another quietly spectacular performance was turned in
by Cristobal Huet,
who has extended his career long winning streak to eight games. He has
allowed just two goals on 73 shots over his last three starts,
equivalent to a .973 SV% and 0.67 GAA.
- The Capitals penalty kill, an Achilles' heel most of
the season, has killed off their last 13 penalties including a momentum
saving kill of a double minor to John
Erskine in the third period.
- Washington has outshot their opponents by AT LEAST 17
shots in 4 of their last 6 games.
- Tomas
Fleischmann had a very solid game. Tampa wasn't able to
knock him off the puck the way just about every other team has this
season. Watching Tomas Holmstrom...uh, I mean Fleischmann easily nudge
down 6'5" 230 pound Matt
Smaby was fairly impressive.
- Watching referee Dan
O'Rourke waive off an obvious goal was a bit less
impressive. Does he have a running bet with Chris Rooney as to
who can best screw the Caps out of a playoff spot?
- It's a little bit weird hearing nothing from our
franchise guy, Olie
Kolzig, during this unprecedented run. He looks good in
that bright white on the bench though.
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