Washington Capitals Hockey
Saturday, April 5, 2008
A Win, They're In
When I decided to start this website this past
Thanksgiving, I never thought in a million years that I'd be writing
about the Capitals controlling their own destiny on the final day of
this season. I just assumed I'd be talking about their odds of winning
the lottery and who was available in the Top 5 of the 2008 NHL Entry
Draft. And the recurring theme? Well, at least we've got the right to
match any offer to Alex
Ovechkin this offseason.
My how wrong I was. The Capitals finally made their
coaching change, signed Ovechkin for over a decade, and are one point
away from their first playoff appearance in five years. Incredible.
Now they just need to finish what they started, and all
the signs are there that they will. And the best part? If they do earn
at least one point against Florida, the Capitals will have home-ice
advantage in the first round of the playoffs. And just as importantly
(if not more so) they will avoid having to face the Pittsburgh
Penguins, meaning the Caps actually have a chance of making it past
the first round.
In a side note, Matt
Cooke was fined $2,500 for his
collision with Tampa's
Vinny Lecavalier.
Congrats to Lightning head man John Tortorella,
whose
incessant whining seemed to pay dividends. Torts said, "It's an
absolute cheap shot. We have stick fouls - stick foul after stick foul
- and then I see that. It's a guy in a vulnerable position. It's an
interference if the puck isn't anywhere near him, and that isn't
called. It's an absolute cheap shot." You
be the judge.
The big question is what kind of fine and/or suspension
will Tortorella receive for blatantly
sending an extra guy on the ice to pick a fight at the end of the game.
As best as I can tell, it may be nothing. The NHL is really dropping
the ball on these calls lately, whether it's penalties, disallowed
goals, or fines.
Let's just hope that things are tightened up a bit come
playoff time.
|
|
