John Erskine's Point Streak Hits 2 Games, Caps Lose To Sens

The Washington Capitals started the game strong with a 2 goal lead in the first period, but the Senators fought back with help from a dominant 2 periods by Craig Anderson, and took home the victory, scoring a game winning power-play goal on a shady penalty call by the referees.

With under 3 minutes remaining former Washington Capital Sergei Gonchar placed in the timely power-play game winner sending the Caps out of the Canadian capital with their 4th loss.

The Caps played a strong first period outshooting the Sens 14-9.  The full court pressure was on, which according to Locker is called the "first man pressure".  The Caps scored 2 goals in the period, their first goal on a fast break where Wolski made a great pass to Brouwer, who made a tiny move and stuck the puck in the net.  The goal all started out with bad stickplay by the Senators in the Caps zone.

The second goal came on a Matt Hendrix faceoff win, as the Caps powerplay expired, Hendy got it to Erskine who knocked it over to Beagle who fired the puck towards goal that ended up being deflected into the net by the man who started the play, Matt Hendrix (that is how I spell it, cuz he rocks).

That's a 2 game point streak for John Erskine if you are counting.  Adam Oates was smiling like a mug after that goal (see the GIF here)

The Caps looked like they were going to take the game, but the Sens ended up getting a goal right before the end of the second period and then one quick into the 3rd period to even up the game.  The 2nd off a faceoff on a little nudge towards goal that went through Neuvirth's legs. Bad.  Then with time running down, Gonchar notched that BS power-play goal for the Seators win.

My favorite play of the game took place in the first period as Mike Green took the puck towards the Senators net.  He flicked the puck up in the air, a saucer pass that was more like a soccer cross about 7 feet in the air as Joel Ward crashed the net looking for the header. Well, he didn't actually try to head it in, he tried to baseball swing it in, but still, it looked very soccery.


Notes & Questions:

• What the hell is "hooking off"? Sounds gross Locker
• Neuvy almost committed a trapezoid penalty, which would have crushed me, damn trappy
• What are these new NHL rules, what is "concealing the puck"
• Your name is pronounced "Jack-Up" what the hell
• Is Neal on every team?
• Senator's coach Mustache...epic
• Sort of get Cycling, is that like rotating to keep spacing in Basketball?
• Hitting someone in the face with a stick is OK on a followthrough? 

Adam Oates Bro Smiles With Nick Backstrom

The Caps lost to the Senators on Tuesday night, but one of the more interesting moments came in the first period as the Caps took a 2-0 lead on an Erskine secondary assisted goal by Matt Hendricks.  After the goal the cameras caught the typically stern-faced Washington Capital's coach Adam Oates with a big smile on his face.

Oates looked over at Backstrom and shared a Bro Smile before Oates realized he may be on camera and he tucked away his smile.

Gif after the jump:

Alex Ovechkin The Superstar Shows Himself

Washington Capitals 3, Ottawa Senators 2 (OT)

The Washington Capitals won their 2nd game for Dale Hunter on Wednesday night (both were against the Ottawa Senators) by a score of 5-3 in Canada to climb back above .500 at 14-13. The Senators put up a good effort but the Caps went B-A-N-A-N-A-S like Gwen Stefani in the 3rd Period to knock off the Senators for the third time this season in as many tries.

After a relatively boring 1st period, who's highlight was a so-so fight between Troy Brouwer and the fastest gun in the west Jesse Winchester, the Caps came out and got a goal early in the second from Jeff Halpern off a rebound.

Halfway through the 2nd period, Alex Ovechkin gave Chris Neil a little cheap shot to the midsection with the end of his stick. The referees did not see that take place and gave Neil an unsportsmanlike for diving. When they showed the replay to the crowd the place erupted in boos and for the remainder of the game Ovi was booed louder than he has been all season.

For the rest of the period, the Caps and Ovi looked flustered. Tomas Vokoun spent the period acting as if he was a muddy dog and the goal was a bathtub, as the Sens scored two goals with Tommy V nowhere near the net. The Caps headed to the locker room before the 3rd period trailing 2-1.

The Caps began to charge about 5 minutes into the period. During that time something magical happened. I couldn't believe my eyes. I saw someone wearing a #8 jersey that I had never seen all season. You could tell just by looking at him that he was something special and I began to have a feeling that the Caps were going to win.

With Ovi pumped up and playing like a maniac, the Caps scored the game tying goal halfway through the period when Nick Backstrom fired a shot past the Sens goalie on a beautiful give and go with Brooks Laich. The moment the puck went in the goal I KNEW, I didn't THINK, I KNEW that Ovechkin was going to score the game winning goal. He was so fired up. I can't even explain it in words.

Sure enough the REAL Ovechkin scored two minutes later as he took the puck coast to coast, went around the net, hit the breaks causing the helpless defender to fly 10 feet past him, and then did a slapshot turned snapshot that caused the defender to flinch, and the puck to go through the goalies pads into the net.

The Ovi energy passed off to his teammates and just fifteen seconds later the Caps scored again on a Troy Brouwer goal sending the crowd home early with 6 minutes left to play and giving Bouwer the clincher on a Gordie Howe Hat Trick. However, the game was not over yet.

Alex Semin picked up a Hooking penalty with four minutes left and the Sens scored literally 5 seconds later. The crowd came alive as the Sens only trailed by one goal with 4 minutes remaining. A minute later Joel Ward helped the Senators cause by picking up his 2nd slashing penalty of the period, but luckily the Caps killed the penalty and John Carlson hit a full court empty netter to seal the Caps 5-3 victory.

Game Notes:

• I knew Phil Jackson retired from coaching in the NBA but I didn't know he moved to Ottawa to coach the Senators
• I found it interesting that the in-arena scoring summary was done on the PA in both French & English
• I don't know what switch Ovi flipped on, but I hope it stays on...

Ottawa Again = More Chances To Spell It Ottowa!

On Wednesday night the Washington Capitals will fly to Canada to face the Ottawa Senators for the 3rd time this season. Just two games ago the Caps and Sens met and Dale Hunter picked up his first and only win for the Capitals.

In Monday's game against the Panthers, Hunter went with the "hot" goaltender Mikey Neuvirth, who was not really hot. But he beat the Senators in OT giving up only 2 goals in the previous game so Dale opted to use him against Florida instead of Tomas Vokoun who had shutout the 1st place Panthers earlier in the year. I would guess that Voko will get the start tomorrow night...or else Hunter has some 'splainin to do...

The Senators and Caps are straddling the 8th and 9th seeds in the East (respectively) but the Caps have won both matchups this year so far.

According to Caps Insider, Ovi, Semin, and Backstrom were all practicing as the first line, so that should be interesting if they go into the game like that.

Dale Hunter Gets His First Win

The Caps beat the Senators on Saturday night in overtime at Verizon Center to give Dale Hunter the first win of his coaching career. The Caps scored the game winning goal twelve seconds into the extra period on a nice pass from Jason Chimera to Brooks Laich giving them the 3-2 victory. Three is gonna be the magic number in order for the Caps to start winning some games.

It was another physical game by the Caps who were knocking people over left and right for the 2nd straight game, which appears to be Dale Hunter style hockey. The Caps struck first in Period one on a nice shot by Nicky Backstrom.

The Sens tied it up in the 2nd but it looked like the Caps were going to get the win after a Troy Brouwer score off of a nice Ovi pass in the 3rd. However, the Sens scored with under 4 minutes remaining to send the game into OT where the Caps took only twelve seconds to send the Verizon crowd into a frenzy.

Games this week on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday, so a nice little week of hockey coming up including a matchup on Monday night against the division leading Panthers.

Notes & Questions:

• John Carlson & Erik Karlsson, No Relation (DRINK!)
• I heard "lift check" mentioned a few times. What exactly is that?
• Is it a penalty to break someones stick? What if you do the same move but the stick doesn't break. Is that still a penalty?
• When the announcer says the ref has "washed out icing" that is because the puck was tipped or something right?

Fans Ripped Off, Only 3 Periods Of Hockey

The Capitals just pulled out the victory over the Senators in regulation (now you have to mention that) to go to the 4-0 start. The Vokoun played pretty well, and the Caps got some nice Ovi Smashes (when a player, usually Ovechkin knocks over a player on the other team).

Now this was only my 4th game, but I was expecting I would get to see more than an hour of hockey. I'm quite disappointed. The losing team in OT gets an extra point so the winning team also gets an extra point too right?!

The goal of the game was when Marjo pulled off a move after my own heart. Johansson did a move I did probably 1,000,000 times with Doug Gilmore in NHL 94'. Instead of going straight towards the goal he went straight to the wrap around and slid in the puck for the goal.

By the way, I have tickets for Tuesday, First Caps game!

Bad words in this video, Warning...

Notes & Questions From The Game:

• How do you become a penalty box doorman?
• I think the glass needs to be higher, and possibly install a ceiling so that the puck doesn't go out of play so much
• If you are a grown man, do NOT paint your entire face red..unless rocking the red...enjoy the enthusiasm but not sure I'm 100% in agreement with that...
• Intentional Off Sides, What are you?
• Why does the announcer call it the face-off "dot" sounds lame
• What is a snapshot? (not in regards to taking a photograph)
• Saucerpass? Seriously? Meow! Kitty wants milk!

Washington Capitals vs Ottawa Parliaments?

Part I: A Bad Lesson In Canadian Government

I took a look at the Caps schedule and noticed it said Capitals vs Senators. My first thought was that the Caps were facing off against Frank Howard & company in a field of dreams style hockey game at RFK. Then I looked a little closer at the schedule. In front of Senators it said Ottawa. Wait...Ottawa. Isn't that in Canada?

I don't know much anything about the US government let alone foreign governments, but I did see the movie "The Queen" and I think I learned something from that movie. I think what I learned was that Canada is under the Queen's realm? As is tradition...

Basing this entire posting on that "fact" I'm gonna have to assume that Canada has an Atomic Dog parliamentary government, V for Vendetta style with the wigs and everything, minus the George Clinton.

Ok, so why is this hockey blog teaching people (incorrectly) about the Canadian government? I'm glad you asked! It is because I am under the (wrong) impression that Canada, and therefore Ottawa, doesn't have Senators!

And yet posted for all to see on the Caps schedule is "Ottawa SENATORS". So wouldn't that be the same as calling us the Washington Potatoes, or the Hawaii University Polar Bears?

Part II: Wait, Canada Does Have Senators...DAGGER!

Because I am a professional, I decided to actually learn a little bit about the government of Canada. And much little to my surprise I was completely wrong. Canada does in fact have senators!

And not only does Canada have Senators, but the We Want The Funk Parliament that is made up of senators is based out of Ottawa, which is also the capital of Canada. So am I smarter than a 5th grader...No Jeff Foxworthy.

Even if there were no Senators in Ottawa, their logo seems to be a Roman Senator, which makes my discussion pointless once again...Damn you Hockey, you defeat me once again...

That means this entire posting was a waste of time, because the name "Senators" fits Ottawa perfectly. Now that I think about it maybe I should be thinking about the Washington Capitals name. Why is it plural, is it a building, is it about a capital city, etc...For a later time...

So everyone enjoy the Washington Capitals vs the Ottawa Capitals tonight...or is it the Washington Senators vs the Ottawa Senators. Whatever...What a wonderful day for Canada and therefore of course the world...