Washington Capitals Hockey
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Still Alive
A win is a win is a win. But the second half of
Washington's 3-2
win in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series is more
than a bit worrisome.
The Washington Capitals outshot the Flyers 14-5 in the
first 30 minutes while setting the tone physically by more than
doubling up Philly in hits. But the Caps finished the game on their
heels and were lucky to outlast the Flyers' 21 shot barrage in the
third period alone.
For a desperate team faced with a "win or go home"
scenario, the Caps sure played like it -- for just half the game. Then
they looked a bit tired while the Flyers made all the right adjustments
(just as they've done all series long) to take control of the game.
However they came up short and this loss puts the pressure on Philly as
Monday's game will be
treated as a Game 7 in the Flyer camp. They certainly don't want the
series coming back to a frenzied Verizon Center whose fans will be
raucously behind their comeback Caps.
A FEW NOTES FROM THE GAME:
- Philly's Derian
Hatcher had some of the best chances
the entire game, including that late third period marker. The Capitals
should be happy about that since familiar nemeses Daniel Briere, Jeff
Carter, Mike
Richards, et al were generally held in check. But at the
same time, why the heck is Hatcher getting so many chances?
- I know Alexander
Semin has been Washington's most
consistent scoring threat this postseason, but why in the world was he
on
the ice for the last minute and a half of the game. We've seen him cost
the Caps more than once this season in the game's final minute with
terrible penalties and poor defensive coverage. I was cringing in
horror when he sprawled to block a shot in the last 10 seconds and
ended
up practically at neutral ice while the Flyers were setting up a
scoring chance.
- Viktor
Kozlov and John
Erskine combined for as many
giveaways (8) as the entire Flyers team.
- Mike
Green added two assists and now leads all
playoff defensemen with 7 points, though his plus/minus is tied for
second worst among the top 20 scorers.
- In his last three games, David Steckel is
now 6 for
29 (20.7%) at the faceoff dot.
- Kudos to Alex
Ovechkin, Brooks
Laich, and Green for drawing two Flyers D-men with them in
front of Martin Biron
on Semin's
goal. I'm surprised Biron, who never moved, even caught a glimpse of
the puck as it went past him. That's what having bodies in front of the
net does -- it leads to game-winning goals.
- How 'bout Matt
Bradley looking like Sergei
Fedorov of
15 years ago turning on the jets to draw a Flyers penalty.
- Stat of the day: Donald
Brashear 7 hits in less than
7 minutes.
|
|
