Backstrom talks illness, playoffs

Will Backie ever look older than 16?

Will Backie ever look older than 16?

Posted by: capscoach | April 14, 2010 6:07 PM

i don't think backs is gonna have a playoff beard this year

Nick's eyes seem to look somewhat watery. The nose is at least not red. (On whether he has a cold.)

Glad Nick is getting better and should be back tomorrow.

From a previous thread.

Someone had wondered if Backstrom, Semin, Flash, and Laich could grow playoff beards.

Flash grew a beard last year.

I've seen Laich with facial hair during the course of this season.

As for Backstrom and Semin, I've never seen either of them grow facial hair.

Peach fuzz!! ;)

I don't want to see Sasha with a beard..

Our cats are collecting their playoff fleas.

...and Keith Jones predicts the series sweep.

I cant say that I have seen him support the Caps this strongly in the past.

BUT I LIKE IT!

Heads up for tomorrow and beyond. It looks like VS will be blacked out for local games. In Pittsburgh right now VS is showing show recorded MMA type stuff because the game is on FSN. Just wanted to make sure people were not wondering where the game is tomorrow when it isn't on VS.

VS doesn't have the exclusive rights till they reach the conference finals... it was the same when espn had the rights.

Who the heck is this play-by-play guy on VS?

joek. I guess I just misunderstood what that ment I thought that ment it was going to be on both VS and the local channel. I was looking forward to seeing a Pens game and not having to listen to their announcers.

I like the tying goal from OTT, but not so crazy about the Pen's getting the first PP

Let's go Sens. (For the next two hours)

Woot!!! 2-1 Sens/Pens

Let's go Sens, let's go! MAF is overrated!!

I think the "white out" looks stupid.

it'd be a win-win to see Bryan Murray's Sens put it to duh Pens.

LA is telling their fans to all wear black tomorrow night - a black out might be more intimidating.

Wow -- I checked into the box score and it was 1-0 Pens, 3 shots Pgh to 1 Ott. Check back and its 1-2 Sens, 3 shots Pgh to 11 shots Ott.

So how's it look live?

Yeah anything other than white. White is the color of surrender. Maybe I'm missing something. Oh well who cares.

Pittsburghs goaltender Fleury is often fooled by pucks that bounce off the walls...and has let nice juicy rebounds. I said all along you can skate around their D and so its been very pretty so far.

Yeah anything other than white. White is the color of surrender. Maybe I'm missing something. Oh well who cares.

Posted by: LloydChristmas | April 14, 2010 7:57 PM

Well... Fleury is French-like...

Hmm.. a black out would look interesting. Maybe a little depressing? And LloydChristmas is right, white means surrender. HAHA!

I'm so excited for tomorrow! It feels like Christmas Eve or something.

HAHAHAHHAHA Fleurry!

Just as I say that a puck bounces off the end boards and Fleury leaves net and Sens get a third goal..Ha ha

LOL

MAF!!!

I wonder what R.J. Umberger would say of the way Pittsburgh plays.....the Caps never let pucks bounce in front of the goalie.

Haha I love it. Can't wait once the Pens fans start booing.

Another pens slash penalty...they already starting to boo.

And now 3-1 and 15-5 shots, go Sens!!!

It would make my year if the Pens got bounced in the first round.

Sens need to pick it back up....2 early to start playing on their heels!

I like that last Pens PK.

They are not allowing anyone to feel comfy out there.

If the puck comes to you, they are closing in, so you have to make quick decisions.

Pens have firepower, though not like the Caps. Still, plenty of time.

I gotta get home and see this. Sounds like fun to watch.

(Justafan formerly Sonyask)

Didnt see a hold there, need a replay. Did Cindy just get a gift?

Damn!

Die you filthy flightless ice birds!

Freaking refs pulling the Pens back into the game

I cant help it...

MAKE THEY PAY OTTAWA!

@tominfl1

Playoff fleas? LOL

NICE

I checked the box score on the Pens game and it looks like Malkin is really hot (with help from Crosby and Gonch).

I was saying earlier to Rachel that I would like for our road to the cup to go thru the Pens. AND I MEAN IT!

But in the heat of the moment my emotions get the best of me...

I JUST WANT THE PENS TO LOSE!!!

...maybe i shouldn't watch these games?

Another goal off a long rebound (off Fleury's pad) - must be getting close to being hooked.....will Johnson come in the game.

@wtf_e_fehr

Whether the Caps road to the Cup goes through the Pens or not, the road will still be a challenging one. Assuming we make it past Montreal, Ottawa would not be easy by any stretch of the imagination.

So far there have been four PP goals in the Pens/Ottawa game, 2 for each team.

I think it's going to take a lot for them to pull MAF. He'll probably need to give up 6 or 7

HAHA WTF. It's only natural to want the Pens to lose no matter what!! I love it when they lose b/c their fans have nothing to say!

I don't know if you saw my post to you earlier.. their were so many new posts today.

Rach, why not root for Pittsburgh?

I want our road to the Cup to go through them, just as theirs went thru us last year.

We need to exorcise these Pitt demons.

Beat the best to be the best, and shut ALL DOUBTERS up!!!

Posted by: wtf_e_fehr

I see your point wtf, but my thing is it doesn't matter WHO we face, just as long as we win 16 games. You face the team that's given to you. There was and has been a long discussion about whether we must go through Pittsburgh or not. If we went through them to get the Cup it would be sweet, no doubt but the Cup wouldn't be any less sweeter if we didn't face Pittsburgh. But I would love nothing more than for them to lose to the Sens! We shall see! ;)

Posted by: rachel216 | April 14, 2010 9:57 AM | Report abuse

@CapsFan75

I dont think any Cup run has ever been, nor will ever be, easy. Some matchups however, are certainly more favorable than others.

Regardless of that, the historical scars from the Pens run deep, well past last season.

I WANT SOME PAYBACK!

BAAAAAAD!!!!!

thanks for reminding everyone Rach

:/

Ottawa has some big d-men. How sweet would it be to see Volchenkov take Cindy into, and through, the boards?

Or whats wrong with dominating every team we play in 4 or 5 games......didnt the Lakers win the NBA with only one loss (2002 ??)....that would exorcize demons too...based on our best regular season this is the time to do it.

@LloydChristmas

Granted it's the playoff now, but they actually pulled Fleury after 3 goals the last time they played the Caps. But would not surprise me if they have him come back for Period 3.

@wtf_e_fehr:

Or whats wrong with dominating every team we play in 4 or 5 games......didnt the Lakers win the NBA with only one loss (2002 ??)....that would exorcize demons too...based on our best regular season this is the time to do it.

For those who are interested, here's a link to the NHL on TSN Live Playoff Blog:http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=318006.

Was wondering if anybody knows if the CAPS have a "hard hat" for the playoffs?? I do not recall if they had thatlast year or the year before like they do during the regulat season.

Awh, wtf. There's nothing wrong with what you said. I bet the majority of Caps fans would agree with you that we need to go through Pittsburgh because they went through us. I was just saying it wouldn't be any less sweeter if got the Cup and didn't go through them. I do think though that it's a little blown out of proportion. I mean, it's not like they swept us in the second round last year. It came down to game 7 and although we laid an egg that night, the series was THAT close. (We also scored for them in OT in game 5, remember? I think it was Tom Poti's stick.)

@yesisaiditfirst

There is absolutely nothing wrong with any scenario that involves us getting the Cup.

But surely you must agree that if we get the Cup while having gutted the Pens, a drink from the Cup would be much sweeter?

I was just messin witcha Rach.

I stand by my posts. Heck I even stand by most of yours!

;)

In the other game, Philly is up 2-0 on Devils... disturbing trend. No upset tomorrow night please.

In the other game, Philly is up 2-0 on Devils... disturbing trend. No upset tomorrow night please.

Posted by: rachel216 | April 14, 2010 9:04 PM |

...and this is why I said "most"!

Dont even start!

Rachel -- I'm not so sure Philly over NJ is an upset given their regular season and history. Boorish could beat Boring readily.

The Flyers are up 2-0 after two periods. If they win their series with NJ - and some of the NHL talking heads think that they will - the Caps would play them in Round #2.

Wtf, maybe I give in a little bit. I said it would be JUST as sweet if we got the Cup without going through the Pens... okay it WOULD be even more sweet if we went through them, but at this point who knows if they'll even get past the Sens. :)

carp - hate the pens

there are ALWAYS gonna be upsets in the SC playoffs, upsets elsewhere mean there is less of a chance your team will be a victim.

Hang in there Sens!!!!

Memo to Mike Wise: Learn how to pronounce your home team players names on your radio show. It shows you do zero research. Eric Belanger has been in town 2 months and you constantly botch his name. I can't count how many times you mispronounced Milan Jurcina. Leave the Caps reporting to Tarik.

I dont think that PHI beating NJ would be much of an "upset". Given the season series (5-1 PHI), Divisional rivalry.

Bottom line, NJ's all world goaltender "should" be the diff.

i meant: CARP, HATE THE PENS
pens or no pens i don't care. if the caps get the cup - either way the pens weren't good enough to get to the big stage

@capscoach

Agree with you there. Hang in Senators.

And the sens score again!

SENS, SENS, SENS!!!

Wise is just talking and writing about the Caps because he needs a job. Really, who wants to read or hear about the Bullets/Wizards or the other stuff he usually talks and writes about?

both goalies look like a big piece of swiss cheese...

MAF is leaking like a sieve

Well if the Sens hang on, I can assure you there will be no Pens trolling on here tonight! =)

now that was a legit call

i'm shocked - pens get a PP

As much as I like seeing the Senators up 5-3 right now, and keeping in mind it's game 1, I want the Caps to meet the Pens in the next round. Just want to see the Caps beat them in the playoffs, otherwise Pens fans and critics will be clamoring that we didn't go through the best.
Counting chickens though, lets beat the Canadians first.

You still want all the other series to go 7. Fatigue and embarrassment and loss of confidence can be our friend :)

Posted by: saltine182

What if the Pens don't make it out of the first round? How could they say anything then?

It's now 5-4. Come on Sens!!

I hate it when crosby make a good play...empty net...come on Sens!

the pens and the caps will meet many more times in the playoffs... the hockey world doesn't revolve around the pens

why should we care what some moronic pens would say if the caps happened to win the cup without beating them? if that happens, shame on the pens for not taking care of business on their end.

Sens up 1-0 now!

interesting game

Crosby talking with the ref after the game...trying to buy sentiment for game 2....if I was the Ottawa captain I would skate right over to listen in the conversation....dont leave ice until Crysby does.

Well I guess so far defense doesn't rule... 9 goals.

For all of the questioning of the Caps goaltending, the Pens/Sens game featured awful goaltending on both sides.

the sens won this one but if elliot keeps playing like he did tonight, they ain't gonna beat the pens

Crosby talking with the ref after the game...trying to buy sentiment for game 2....if I was the Ottawa captain I would skate right over to listen in the conversation....dont leave ice until Crysby does.

Posted by: yesisaiditfirst

Expect a flurry of bad penalty calls against the Sens in the next game. I understand the NHL is looking into borrowing Dick Bavetta for that game.

Ottawa held on and won 5-4.

I hear that after a bad start, Hershey was tied 3-3, going into OT.

The Devils are down 2-0 in the third.

The good news: the Senators held the much vaunted Pens offense to a low number of shots on goal (not sure of exact number). The bad news: 4 of them went in. Elliott has to be better if the Sens are to win this. I expect the Capitals to get the same type of game from the Canadiens tomorrow night with better goaltending than the Senators had tonight. I hope they are sharp defensively.

If the Flyers hold on to win tonight, it just makes tomorrow night's game with the Habs more important. It sure looks like the Pens and the Devils are in for tough series. The opportunity available to the Caps gets bigger with every Sens/Flyers win.

looks like bears win 4-3 in OT

The Bears just won 4-3 over Bridgeport in OT. Joudrey had the GWG and was first star; Matty P was second star. GO BEARS!

(I can't help it--I'm SO GLAD the Sens won tonight. I LOVE seeing all those unhappy faces in the Igloo.)

Can't wait for tomorrow night. LET'S GO CAPS!

wocoliz,

Yeah, and everybody done up to the nines too. Let's not gloat too much though - bad karma.

I don't know about "opportunity." Caps were 1-1-2 against Ottawa (as opposed to 4-0 against Pittsburgh) in the regular season and they were a real handful, and stifled our PP (1-13). Of course I'm rooting against the Pens, but be careful what you wish for. :)

You're right, FloridaCapsFan--I was just enjoying the moment. Trust me, I don't underestimate the Pens or their ability to win this series.

Now I'm looking forward to the Phoenix-Detroit game. This ought to be one he11 of a series!

Ottawa is a decent team. Good defensively. Mediocre offensively, very questionable goal-tending IMO. I don't expect that many people would consider the Sens to be a bigger threat than the Pens in a seven game series, notwithstanding the regular season results.

Keith Jones has the Capitals to sweep? That's the kiss of death.

if the Capitals dont go 'through' the pens on their way to the cup its the pens' problem. Last years pens no longer exist, Caps would never meet that team no matter what happens with the pens this year.

That's true, esp. with a couple of the Pens' defensemen (Sculderi and I forget the other guy's name) gone from last season.

On the video, I half expected Tarik to try to insert a thermometer into Backy's mouth and say, "C'mon! We gotta figure out what's REALLY wrong with you!" :)

@OVI - I think that is the right way to look at it. This year's Pens team is clearly not as strong depth-wise and defensively as last year's team. Fleury has not been solid. Malkin had a good game tonight, but he's been inconsistent and had numerous illnesses and injuries. Same uniforms, different team.

@ blackjack65

the other one is Hal Gill and we're gonna see plenty of him starting tomorrow night

its only one game, but it sure is nice to see the vaunted Pens lose

The only time a Pens fan could legitimaly use the excuse "well, you didn't have to go through us" is if Malkin or Crosby were out for the playoffs with an injury.

If everyone is healthy and they lose and the Caps are fortunate enough to win the Cup then the Caps beat the teams that were better than the Pens.

the sens won this one but if elliot keeps playing like he did tonight, they ain't gonna beat the pens

Posted by: joek443 | April 14, 2010 9:42 PM |

And if MAF continues to play like he did tonight, the Pens will need to score 6+ goals every game.

The Bears just won 4-3 over Bridgeport in OT. Joudrey had the GWG and was first star; Matty P was second star. GO BEARS!Posted by: wocoliz | April 14, 2010 9:58 PM
------------------------------
I was at the Bears game tonight. Very, very, very fortunate to come out of there with a win. The Bears played like crap. Coach French's assessment was "played very poorly in the first and below average in the second and third." Can't blame Holtby for the goals. Two were weird bounces and the other was a defensive breakdown. In fact there were defensive breakdowns all night. The power play sucked. Bad passes, weak shots, slow skating. Take your pick. And the Bears third goal, the one that tied the game, should not have counted. Appeared to be hit in by Matty with a high stick. Bridgeport protested, but since we don't have video review in the AHL, the ref let the goal stand. I guess he felt bad about some of the borderline penalties he had called on the Bears earlier in the game! Anyway, the Bears pulled out a win that they really didn't deserve, and they better fix a few things by Friday or it could be an embarrassing series for the defending champs.