Breakdowns Everywhere in First Period
The Caps should consider themselves fortunate to be down 2-0. They played with energy. But they didn't play smart.
The defense got burned badly on the first goal. It was a nice pass by Braydon Coburn, but no one was even close to R.J. Umberger, who split John Erskine and Jeff Schultz.
The second goal was again on the defense. Mike Green probably shouldn't have attempted to skate the puck out of the zone, not with that much pressure.
The Caps also came up empty on four power plays.
And lastly, when is someone going to do something about Scott Hartnell? He tackled Cristobal Huet -- and tried to pry off his mask in the process. I'll tell you this: Hartnell knows his role and does it well.
By
Tarik El-Bashir
|
April 13, 2008; 2:49 PM ET
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Posted by: mr1975 | April 13, 2008 2:58 PM | Report abuse
As X posted it. The problem is the power play.
Posted by: Resu | April 13, 2008 2:58 PM | Report abuse
ARRRRRGH SEMIN!
Posted by: Kurt | April 13, 2008 3:00 PM | Report abuse
this seems like a flat team to me.....
Posted by: chris larry | April 13, 2008 3:18 PM | Report abuse
The Caps are flat but it's just because they are so discouraged from being stoned by Biron. He's made the difference in the game so far.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 13, 2008 3:20 PM | Report abuse
good kill lets feed off that!
Posted by: chris larry | April 13, 2008 3:21 PM | Report abuse
Flyers are total goons. That is why they are penalized so much. Dirty team.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 13, 2008 3:22 PM | Report abuse
Any chance we see Kolzig???
Posted by: Cj | April 13, 2008 3:25 PM | Report abuse
Flyers keep tackling Huet. He's been rolling around a lot. GOONS.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 13, 2008 3:29 PM | Report abuse
Cj,
not this game unless the Flyers succeed in plan on injuring Huet...
Let's go Caps!!! Atlanta, last night, we can do this!!!!!
Posted by: jmu_capsgirl | April 13, 2008 3:30 PM | Report abuse
It would help if the Caps' D made some decent clearing passes.
Another chance for Bruce to motivate the troops.
Time for Ovechkin, who had the most third period goals, to show his stuff.
Posted by: Joe B | April 13, 2008 3:33 PM | Report abuse
@mr1975,
"What they fail to realize is that the Flyers draw the best TV ratings of any team in the league, bar none."
Where did you get that? Says who?
Posted by: BernieWolfeFan | April 13, 2008 3:34 PM | Report abuse
mr1975: Regardless of whether Hartnell was given a penalty for falling into Huet, one would be warranted for his slamming of Huet's head into the ice; the question is irrelevant. Don't be stupid.
Posted by: matt | April 13, 2008 3:35 PM | Report abuse
No shots on goal in the last 10 minutes of the period - they look utterly listless right now.
How Brash hasn't dropped the gloves with Hartnell is beyond me. This team needs some sort of energy boost.
Posted by: Ben | April 13, 2008 3:35 PM | Report abuse
These NBC analysts and commentators really SUCK.
Posted by: Jordan | April 13, 2008 3:37 PM | Report abuse
this team needs to get physical
Posted by: AP | April 13, 2008 3:39 PM | Report abuse
Flyers are doing a good job clogging the neutral zone. The Caps method of having one guy skate the puck into the zone isn't working because three or four Flyers are always there to meet him.
Time to adjust.
Posted by: Ben | April 13, 2008 3:39 PM | Report abuse
NBC analysis is painful.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 13, 2008 3:39 PM | Report abuse
I'm watching the game on mute with the internet radio feed from now on. NBC bastards.
Posted by: Jordan | April 13, 2008 3:41 PM | Report abuse
Matt,
My point was that the Caps defenseman should have been penalized for tripping Hartnell into Huet.
Posted by: mr1975 | April 13, 2008 3:42 PM | Report abuse
How many games have we played on NBC this year? How many of those have we won? Can we please request that they put the Pens on NBC for the rest of the playoffs and not us? They aggravate me and they jinx the team.
Let's get this third period going, boys!! We can repeat last night.
Rock the Red, Rock the Hawk, Let's Go Caps!!
Posted by: jmu_capsgirl | April 13, 2008 3:44 PM | Report abuse
highest NHL TV ratings??
that's not saying much.
FACTOID: Canadian viewers are not counted
in TV ratings.
Posted by: nielsen | April 13, 2008 3:45 PM | Report abuse
The team sucked, no exceptions, from the bottom to the top. They lost Flyers in hits, shots, faceoffs, etc. Actually just looked, slight advantage in faceoffs, but Gordon and fedorov are losing them.
Actually they were to lose game 1, but some miracle happened. So let's hope for a miracle in the third, that's all we can do.
We believe!
Posted by: King Huet | April 13, 2008 3:45 PM | Report abuse
Nice guys rarely win. Time for the Caps to increase the hits, clog the goal zone, and shoot the puck from everywhere. I am dissapointed on Brashear, Kozlov and Backstrom. They are playing afraid and not using the body. Brash it is time to drop the gloves! Don't the let bullies win. One of the reasons the PP has sucked is Semin, his testosterone is way too low today.
Posted by: Patricia | April 13, 2008 3:47 PM | Report abuse
Think Emminger being out is the key. he he.
C'mon boys
Lets Go Cap-I-Tals!!!
Posted by: BernieWolfeFan | April 13, 2008 3:49 PM | Report abuse
Wow, our powerplay is woeful right now.
Posted by: Ben | April 13, 2008 3:51 PM | Report abuse
lets stay on the penalty kill.....
We NEED a goal from Laich/Bradley
Posted by: chris larry | April 13, 2008 3:55 PM | Report abuse
new thread
Posted by: mvp | April 13, 2008 4:01 PM | Report abuse
Did the Caps win a faceoff this afternoon? Every time they need to win a big draw in the Phili end, Richards seemed to come up with it.
Posted by: Justin | April 13, 2008 4:34 PM | Report abuse
Flyers are kicking sum butt and the crapitol fans are whining about it....bah hah ha ha ha ha ha.
Go Scotty go!!! Richards is da man out there - the Flyers want it more
Posted by: Only the Lord Save More! | April 13, 2008 5:44 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.
After watching the first period Game 2.. it is a tribute to the Flyers that they are up 2-0. On the other hand it is obvious that the League has mandated that the referees do everything in their power to help the Caps. The NHL and the referees are a disgrace. The Flyers were penalized at least 4 times.. 3 out of those calls were bogus. Hartnell was tripped into Huet. It is obvious that the refs are also trying to NOT give the Flyers any powerplays. Lupul was hooked and nothing was called.. so what do they do instead?? call a penalty on Lupul. It is so obvious that big money and the League want Ovechkin's team to win. What they fail to realize is that the Flyers draw the best TV ratings of any team in the league, bar none.