Alex Ovechkin Hat Trick, Cue Hats

Alex Ovechkin reverted to his old ways on Saturday afternoon at Verizon Center in a 5-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils, notching 3 goals in the victory.  Uhhhh GIF!

Eric Fehr Picks Up Caps First Shorthanded Goal Of The Season

Eric Fehr (Or Eric Flehr as I call him...WOOOOOOO) scored the Washington Capitals first shorthanded goal of the season against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday afternoon.  Fehr took advantage of the New Jersey goalie who was slacking off behind his own net.  Fehr got the steal, and wrapped the puck around into the empty net.

Troy Brouwer Is Mad Bro! Gets Post-Game Misconduct

In Thursday night's loss to the New Jersey Devils the Caps committed 6 penalties in the 3rd period, 5 of them in 9 minutes of play!  Plus add a 7th (see below).

The fans were angry at the refs chiming in with a very audible "Ref You Suck!" chant brought to the attention of the home viewers by Joe B.

After the game Troy Brouwer stayed on the ice to jaw at the officials before angrily leaving the rink by smashing his stick against the boards.  Brouwer was hit with a 10 minute misconduct penalty for the outburst below.  My lipreading deciphered "F**KING TERRIBLE".

Check out Brouwer's awesome move early in the game after the jump.

Vintage Alex Ovechkin Move

Here is Alex Ovechkin of 2007 2013.  Wait.  2013.  Really?

New Jerseys In New Jersey = New Loss

Washington Capitals 3 , New Jersey Devils 4 (SO)

Once upon a time up in Jersey, YO!  Haha.  I damn near had to wreck a ho...

The Washington Capitals, wearing their new throwback jerseys for the 2nd time this season, were defeated by the New Jersey Devils in a shootout in Dirty Jersey on Friday night.  The game was all NJ for 2 periods as the Devils dominated the first 2 periods scoring 3 goals while the Caps failed to get shots on goal. (13 through 2)  However in the third period the Caps came alive with 3 goals on 9 shots to tie the game in the final 2 minutes and picked up the pity point in the standings after a shootout loss.

Neuvy didn't play poorly despite the 3 GAA.  He actually kept them in the game.

I heard them [bad word]s in Virginia get smoked a lot...





The first period was brisk (30 minutes) and ended scoreless once again as the Caps failed to take advantage of two Power Plays.  Now technically they were Power Plays, but really the Devils looked like they were the team with the advantage spending the PK keeping the puck away from the Caps as well as getting a few nice shots on goal.

Alex Semin did what he did best in the first period.  Interference in the O-zone and 2 minutes in the box.  Alex should be expecting a lump or 40 of coal in his stocking this Christmas.  The Caps took only 6 shots the entire period.  Not good.

The Devils went crazy and dominated in the 2nd period.  The Caps barely had the puck.

GOAL 1:  About 2 1/2 minutes in the Devils were already firing their 6th shot of the period which turned into a Power Play goal for Kovalchuk.

GOAL 2:  The Devils 9th shot came just 2 1/2 minutes later and was a nice goal where Urbom broke Neuvirth's ankles to put it in the net in only his 4th game of the season after an AHL callup.

GOAL 3:  Shot 11 of the period was another goal for the Devils.  Right after the halfway point of the period Henrique put a goal in for the 3-0 lead.  At least this time it was 5 minutes of goal free Caps play.

The Caps had a couple chances in the 2nd but Backstrom's shots from a foot away hit the post 2 times.  Later in the period a wide open Semin shot went pinging off the top pipe as well.  Those are killers, but again the 2nd ended and the Caps only had 7 shots in the period.

As the 3rd period began the Caps were down by 3 goals and were being outshot 23-13.  However the Caps got on the scoreboard and ended Marty B's shoutout almost 4 minutes into the session.

Goal 1:  Laich hit a nice little deke layup on a great 3 man weave.  It was great because I didn't have to look up any Brodeur shutout stats...saved 1 minute of my life.

Goal 2:  Later in the period the Devils failed on a 2 on 1 break then hit the post on a shot that should have been a goal.  That play transitioned into a Caps goal as Chimera went straight to the goal and just powered it into the net through the goalie pads.  Still only 4 shots in the period, but 2/4 ain't bad.

Goal 3:  The Caps improbably tied up the game with 1:40 left in the contest.  After a Semin shot was rebounded by, Laich, he put a no look pass across the crease to a wide open Chimera for his 2nd goal of the period and a tie game that didn't seem possible just 18 minutes before.  6 big shots after the 2nd goal and the Caps end up with a chance in Overtime.

The OT was intense but the period ended with no goals and the two teams headed into the shootout for the 2nd time out of their 3 matchups this season.  The Devils dominated the shootout and Neuvy couldn't stop anything (the 1 Devils miss was a shot that went over the net) and the Caps couldn't put anything in goal (Backstrom & Ovi stuffed)  2-0 Devs.


The Caps have been playing hard lately, but only in certain periods, not a whole game.  The Caps play the Devils one more time in March for a chance to tie the series...Next up for the Caps a 7pm Monday night game in Buffalo (that conflicts with Wizards opening night!)


Notes & Questions:

• If a player takes a shot and it hits the post, is it a shot in the stats?
• Is Locker color blind or is he joking?
• Broadcast has a new "Shots on Goal" graphic that blocks the view of the puck and players.
• Come on Joe B, where is the "Zajac, no relation to Pat Sajak"
  
• You are allowed to make a hand pass in the D-Zone...interesting new info
• Chimera, Laich, & Semin each had 2 points

That's A Lovely Accent You Have...New Jersey?

Friday, Dec 23rd:  Washington Caps @ New Jersey Devils (7:00pm)

*HONK HONK HOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK* *Strobe Light*

On Friday night (Christmas Eve Eve) the Capitals will head to New Jersey to face the Devils.  The Caps & Devs are close in the standings (who isn't these days) and have been playing at a similar level lately.  The Devils won 6 out of their last 8 games and the Caps have won 5 out of 8.  Washington is coming off of a win against the Predators where each member of the big 3 (Alex, Alex, Nick) scored a goal.

*HONK HONK HOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK* *Strobe Light*

Back in mid-November the Caps and Devils split a 2 day home & home series, the Caps winning 3-1 in NJ and the Devils winning 3-2 the next night in a shootout in DC.  #areuseriousbro

Remember This:

The Caps will be looking to keep their offense as crisp as it was when they played in the first period on Tuesday night and I would assume that Dale Hunter will be sticking with the hot goaltender Michal Neuvirth.   (But who knows)

*HONK HONK HOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK* *Strobe Light*

Last time I was in Jersey I was at a place called Djais.  It was like 11am but the place was filled with Jersey Shore type people.  Every 1 minute the DJ would cut the song off, play a car horn sound like 10 times, and flash a strobe light, at which point everyone in the bar went absolutely bonkers.  Later, like 4 of my friends made out with the same girl.  At one point there was a beer bottle in the middle of a circle and people were dancing around it and with it like it was a person.  When we stumbled out of the bar it was still daylight...

Lets put another shrimp on the barbie...or at least another win in the standings...

*PUKE*

Caps Are Here!!!!!!!

The Washington Capitals looked like a bunch of Gorrila Juiceheads but lost to the the DTF (Down To Fail) New Jersey Grenades in the blowshootout by a score of 3-2. Worst Day Of My Life!!!! The Lets Go Caps gernade horn was in full effect at the frozen Shore, the crowd caught tons of free shirts during T-shirt time, and there was plenty of GTL (Goals, Tip-ins, and Line Changes)

The Caps smushed the net 2 times in regulation, making Devils goalie Hedberg look like a sloppopotamus. Ovechkin was going crazy lots of blasts in the glass. Alex Semin also gained a new nickname. he will now be referred to as "The Honey Badger" because Sasha clearly doesn't give a s'. After Ovi scored I thought I'd be fist pumping all night...but it wasn't so...

Meet The Cast: We've got Team Meatpuck, Brookie & Greena. We've got MVP, Michal "The Stickuation", Goalie V, and the nice guy Matty P. And what a trainwreck, the relationship between Rommy & Schultzy Sweetheart.

Game Notes & Questions:

• People were talking about Hendricks and a hoody. What was the deal with that?
• Is it super hard to fill in on defense in the NHL? (Brooks)
• For the 2nd day in a row, the Devils Andy Greene is still not related to Mike Green. No seriously...NO RELATION!
• Why are there pictures of Semin's family all over the penalty box?
• That Papa John's deal would have been nice, too bad (Caps50)
• The announcer says "slither" a lot...Honey Badger eats things that slither...

Do You Ever Have Deja Vu Mrs. Lancaster?

I don't think so, but I can check with the kitchen...

Tonight the Caps will be playing the 2nd game of a home and home at home against Ben Affleck and the Jersey Girls. After a Friday of drinking delicious Starr Hill beer for 12 straight hours, Saturday became hockey day. I watched last night's game on the DVR and I get to watch a game again tonight. I think the NHL should add doubleheadders!

Mike Green is back out again, and Kovalchuk won't be playing either. Mitch Hedberg will be in goal for the Cruella De Vils and Mike N will be in the Caps net. The benched Semin will be unbenched, until he trips someone in front of the Devil's goal. Here's hoping Ovi scores a Hockey-Love-A-Trois tonight.

I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too. -Mitch Hedberg

Devils Get Zach Braffed In The Garden State

The Washington Capitals defeated the New Jersey Devils 3-1 in Newark on Friday night in a game that had more icing than cakes (8). Once again the Caps gave up the first goal but then scored 3 unanswered. The Devils gave up both even strength and shorthanded goals, and probably would have shut out the Caps if they had a man in the penalty box the whole game.

My pregame was flipped as Kovalchuk didn't play and Mike Green came back...but Greenzo promptly left the game again. Ovi doesn't like to score at Verizon so he put one in against the Devils in NJ. Later Chimera put in a nice shorthander and Marjo finished the Devils up in the 3rd, no relation.

The main substory aside from Green's injury in the game was Alex Semin. After 2 O-Zone penalties in the previous game he picked up one more in Jersey and was promptly put on the bench to watch the rest of the game. Eakin also didn't play in the 3rd period.

Notes & Questions:

• The game coverage opened by showing Ovi with a Flamethrower. What was he doing trying to make a flaming hockey stick?
• Martin Brodeur is the Devils goalie? Is that Martin Brodeur Jr? It can't be the guy who was the goalie when I was a kid in New Jersey.
• No icing when shorthanded right?
• The TV coverage needs to show more replays of big hits. Maybe do a split screen or a picture in picture or something.
• Did the announcer say a player was the highest ranked European by "Central Scouting Girl"
• Why did the announcer call Bruce Boudreau 'Gabby'?
• If I saucer the biscuit out of the logjam with my twig, what the hell am I doing!?

I Painted My Face...You Painted Your Face?

Don't Mess With The Devil Buddy...We're Number 1 We Beat Anybody...We're The Devils...THE DEVILS...HIIIISSSSSS!


The Washington Capitals are playing a home & home series this weekend against the New Jersey Devils. Jersey on Friday night followed by Verizon on Saturday night.
When I was younger, in my street hockey & NHL '94 days, I lived in New Jersey for 6 years. I never liked the Devils but I may have actually owned a Devils hockey jersey (I guess I was kind of being a Devils advocate). Man that was an oppressed memory.
I also used to live a mile away from the Devils practice facility in West Orange (not sure if they are still there) I remember going to one scrimmage there, the only time I would be in a hockey rink for 10 years. (I guess that was designed for me to remember my hockey filled childhood that I didn't remember existed)
The Caps are coming off of 2 bad losses and the Devils are coming off of 3 straight wins. The Caps are probably going to be going without one of their best players Mike Green, and the Devils are probably getting back one of their best players Ilya Kovalchuk. (Damn, another chuk) The Caps wear Reebok, the Devils wear Prada. (sorry)
I'll save the rest of my M Night Shyamalan Devil jokes for later...