It is here. game Day! Game One! NHL Playoffs! And what a better day to start it out than by reporting, Ottawa 5, Pittsburgh 4. Cant get any better than that!
First, let’s get you the pre-game, preview links: Official Caps, NHL.com, Japers Rink/SB Nation, Russian Machine that Never Breaks, Caps Nut, Storming the Crease,
Reading some previews and pre-series hoopla, there seems to be some criticism leveled a the Caps and the style of play. They are daring, they are an offensive juggernaut that takes chances for the breakaways, often getting caught on odd man rushes. And some of it is true. But, let’s not forget, the Capitals still won the President’s Trophy and demolished the NHL in terms of scoring. Does that mean anything? Just for my part here, the Caps defense has a ton to prove. The spot light is on them, and will shine brightly.
On to the Verizon Center tonight. Wasn’t Caps hockey declared dead just three years ago? Not anymore, respect is given. (Calgary Sun)
Across the Potomac River, the Verizon Center is going to be the loudest rink in the NHL playoffs Thursday night when the Caps host the Montreal Canadiens in the first game of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal. Emotion is peaking like the Washington Monument here.
And Alex Ovechkin for one, rejects all the criticisms leveled at Caps hockey.
Read more after jump.
“Different people say different things,” said Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin. “One guy said we don’t have a good goalie. A different guy said we don’t have good trainers, coaches. If you want to listen to everybody, we’re going to be crazy and going to kill ourselves. We don’t have to listen to nobody. We just have to concentrate. We know we have good goalies, good defence, good forwards.”
He was asked Wednesday about wanting to prove something as “a playoff hockey player.”
“I don’t want to prove something. I want to win. I didn’t play well, team win, I don’t care what people are going to say, I just want to win,” he said.
“Every year we have a chance to step forward and get closer to the Cup. I hope this is going to be our year to bring the Stanley Cup home. We all want it. If you want it and you don’t get it, you have to play better.”
We agree Alex. Words and reputation goes so far. Performance on the ice takes care of business. Again, much like we wrote prior, we just don’t see the highest pressure on Alex or Jose Theodore, but the Capitals defense. Many, many articles and opinion columns opine that the caps go as far as Jose Theodore takes them. In fact, the Globe and Mail believe that Theo is the key. I disagree to an extent. I replace that with, the Caps will go as far as the DEFENSE takes them. The caps defense can be very good, they an also score. However, they can also be lazy in their end, and be out of place and give up the odd man rushes. They also can go in spurts of giving up a ton of shots on goal. They simply can’t do that in the playoffs. The Caps desperately will need sound defense.
Finally, along with the defense, the spot light will shine brightly on the Capitals penalty kill unit. The Caps have dominated the NHL in nearly every statistical category you can think of. BUT, the Caps PK unit has been a lwo 25th overall. Meanwhile, the Canadians boast the NHL’s second most powerful Power Play, next to the Caps. If the Caps struggle to put the Habs away, it could be this special teams battle that could be the culprit.
Now, given the offensive juggernaut the Washington Capitals have becomes, the most exciting team to watch in the NHL, here is how the current roster was built. (Washington Post). This is neat! Check it out.
If you did not ctach it by now, the Caps released their official iPhone application. It is very cool. Here is the info and then go to iTunes and download it.
Finally, the Hockey Writers give their top 10 reason why the Pittsburgh Penguins WILL NOT repeat.
In what might qualify as borderline obsession, the Capitals have had their eyes on beating the Penguins for years, maybe even decades. Ahead of their first round matchup with the Montreal Canadians, the Caps were already looking on to bigger and better things:
“I’m certainly not looking forward to playing them,” Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said. “I hope they lose in the first round. If we have to play them, we have to play them.”
Last year, the Capitals were devastated after getting blown out in the pivotal game 7 matchup with Pittsburgh. Injuries were likely to blame as it was later revealed Ovechkin, Green, Semin, and Poti were all battling various ailments. This year, after cruising through the Eastern Conference, anything short of a Stanley Cup will equal disappointment in Washington.
Other great reads . . .
On Alexander Ovechkin (Eyes on the Prize)
A Montreal reporter’s favorite Ovie story (Dan Steinberg)
Ovechkin’s path to greatness beckons (CSN Washington)
Post season chirping (Montreal Gazette)
John Carlson ready for playoff debut (CSN Washington)
Backstrom feeling better, will play (ESPN)
10 burning playoff questions (ESPN)
What washington, DC surrounding areas rock the red? (Washington Post)
Possibly Related Posts:
- Is Bruce Boudreau on the hot seat?
- RED ALERT: Caps team to beat in East
- Mitchell to Kings, glad Caps passed
- Caps working out Mitchell
- Fleischmann close to being dealt?
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