Gordon Out 2-3 Weeks

Crap. Hope BG's back in time for playoffs. He's gonna be heavily missied in PK.

Hopefully Laing and others like stecks and brads can step up and fill gordons shoes

I didn't think it was possible for the PK to get worse. Damn. Well, good luck Q!

Some injuries are good injuries. Same way when some of our Hershey D provided a boost when some of our "regulars" were out.

You'll see the boost we'll get from having Laing in the lineup and Gordon out. Gordon does some things very well and he's got some real holes in his game also. Laing should provide a ton of energy, board work and strong defensive play. Last year his line incl Steck and Brads was very effective. There was no reason for him to lose his spot in our lineup frankly.

Heal quickly, Gordo! We're gonna need you soon!

For some reason, Laing being here made me think either Gordo or Brash was going to be out a bit longer than just a few games. But my reasoning didn't really make a whole lot of sense after I thought about it. But if Laing had to clear waivers, it seems the Caps saved him for a long end-of-season stay.

Did Joe B really say "a piece of the puddle"? C'mon Joe, we know they're bad, but be nice!

q laing.

LET'S GO CAPS!!!

Laing the shot blocking machine returns...hope Varly gets a solid performance from our D tonight. Time to chip away at that magic number.

wow can we start with a face off win

PIPE SAVED that one LETS GO CAPS!!!!

I like QL. Oh sh*t Scott Cherry is a line men. I wonder if there is any relation

ovechkin setting up the screen, as hes done.

Nyls skating hard...maybe that line will just click.

jurcina, wrong net.

there you go, great 1st shift by the Laing-Steck-Brads line gets some momentum going and the next line on the ice keeps it going with Ovy and company

hooking call, go figure, caps lead the league in hooks

that was about a 3/10th's of a second tap to the glove, calling it tight tonight!

If juice had scored on Varly I have a feeling he wouldn't see the ice the rest of the game. Jeezus!

game is slow so far BB needs to light that fire

I just started watching the game and, of course, the first thing I see is a Caps penalty. What is the problem with this team?

calling it real tight...guess it's even.

SICK #50

good way to draw the penalty schultz

50 baby!!!

I'm ou tof town. Can anyone tell me if Semin is out there with OV and Nick or if it is Koz?

TAKE THAT CELEBRATION CHERRY DON

thats nuymber 50

man, great shot but i cringe when i see him celebrate like that, someone's gonna try to take his head off at some point. Jumping up into the boards is one thing, looking like an NFL player in the endzone is a bit much

Here I was rolling my eyes about our guys trying to skate through a bunch of defenders. Ovechkin!!! Go Caps Go!

it is Semin out there with them.

Koz is with nyls and laich.

see the lines below...

Ovie is SO COOL! Don Cherry, what do you think about that celebration?! #50!!!!! CONGRATS!!!!

50!!!!

Ovie just went Chad Ocho Cinco on everyone!

that celebration was awesome!!!!!!!!!

I'm ou tof town. Can anyone tell me if Semin is out there with OV and Nick or if it is Koz?

Posted by: WVPhil | March 19, 2009 7:51 PM

Semin has been so far, he's in the box now for a hook though. A hook! can ya believe it!

Varlamov is god.

Somehow I doubt you would have seen it if it hadn't been #50. Maybe a shot at Cherry as well just to let him know. Oh Varly sick recovery. Anyone that has tried to take out Ovie usually gets the worst of it. Try at your own risk.

Wasn't Cherry just talking about how amazing Savard was for worshiping his stick?

wow that was a sick kick save by Varly

Great goal. Didn't care for that celebration. Made me cringe a little bit. I don't like planned stuff. But even if that wasn't planned, it didn't seem spontaneous like his celebrations normally do.

I don't get it?

I'm sure that was a shot at Don Cherry.
"talk away old man, i dont really care. i just scored 50 goals."

@Dave

I hope you're right about doing it just to tell Don Cherry to lick it. I'm completely in favor of that.

That right there is when I don't like the SOB line. Ovie should have shot from there but tries to make a cute return pass to Semin. Backstrom was going to the net let that shot go.

I missed the Savard thing, was that what Ovie's celebration was about? I was off skiing in Vermont and playing musik in Boston with friends.

They keep old Cherry clips on CBC. I will go look. (thx jmu)

So it was planned that Semin gets penalty, then a Bolt gets penalty, Ovi+Backs are 4 on 4, and Ovi scores?

I dont get it either, but we dont have to. he has 50 goals.

If I'm wrong that it wasn't obviously just a little thing to celebrate #50 and more likely just to let Cherry see it, then I think it was a little much. Everyone in the league does the fist pump and a lot of them are jumping into the glass now. Maybe Ovie was throwing Grapes a bone so he actually could legit single him out again.

worshiping the stick that got 50 goals?

if anyone wants to see a glimpse of the kind of player Joe Finley may turn out to be, Matt Smaby (TB) is what Finley should resemble. Not very fleet of foot but big and bad. They both played in the same program at UND and once Smaby was on his way out, UND went and got Finley to replace him. Smaby's ice time has risen under Tocchet and his job is simply to paste and plaster opposing forwards into the boards whenever possible as he did to Laich.

Savard apparently talks to his stick on the bench. Cherry was crowing about how these young whippersnappers these days don't take care of their sticks and they needed to follow Savard's example of worshiping the stick. I'll look for the video. Its, um, awkward. Not as awkward as Tyler Kennedy, but approaching.

That celebration makes me like Don Cherry. It does not belong on the game of Hockey. I hope OV does not turn out to be a moron.

Hello Everyone,
Is there a link for the game online? Thanks.

I didn't know about that Savard story. That makes the celebration seem like a direct response to Grapes when you think about it.

What exactly did he do for the celebration?

http://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2009/3/16/799013/the-bizarre-bench-behavior

great backcheck by Koz, his game is on these days

comcast's cameras suck! i didnt even see that!

TIM POTI

That celebration makes me like Don Cherry. It does not belong on the game of Hockey. I hope OV does not turn out to be a moron.

Posted by: tELb | March 19, 2009 7:59 PM

complain about it.

@phil

you got that right

@mauree

Ok, I go with that

WWPhil

he put the stick on the ice and did a worhip-ish kind of move. Or like, warming up his gloves on a fire )the stick being the fire)

Both Ovie and Semin pass up shots to set up...Mo. BB needs to tell them to shoot the puck.

Laing is a machine.

Methinks Semin thought that pass was going to Ovi, not Mo.

Bruins up 2-0, Fla up 1-0. Was hoping we could pick up the win and get Fla to lose to drop our magic # to 6.

Pothier looks tentative out there, blind pass aruond the boards gets picked off. He had time to make a better pass, looks like he's treating that puck like a hot tater

QL: I hope he stays up the 2-3 weeks Gordon is out. He's hustling, forechecking, blocking shots already. He's bringing something good to this team.

Thanks. Hopefully he is just "sticking" it to Cherry. Unfortunately, that goof has some sway in this league and I hope someone doesn't take him up on his call to "cut him in half."

Laing doesn't look a bit out of place after being out for so long.

I don't know why everyone is hating on OVIE for that celebration. Its OVie he is always going to make everyone know when he has done something great. Please lets talk about the rest of the game

I don't think that move had anything to do with Cherry.

Stick-checking is now a penalty. Need a replay

BS call, unbelievably great shift by Semin. Outhustled and outmuscled 2 or 3 players. Great shift, BS call

me??!?!?!?!

Semin said "on me?!" he speaks english!

Good call or BS?

If anyone cares, American is up ten at halftime vs. Villanova. Would be quite an uoset if they win. (Sorry to bring up the wrong sport)

man if Semin played every shift like that last one he'd be unstoppable

that really wasn't a hook thanks Frasher. and they score GREAT!

Ha, it goes from 2-0 to 1-1.

Varly looked a little lost there. I think that is a really soft call in my opinion. You watch Ovie take 2 handed whacks to the glove all game long with no call.

one of the worst calls I've seen in recent memory.

Get off your knees ref, your blowing the game!

that was a BS call on Semin.

And Schultz really need to stop screening the goalie, Varly could have stopped that and avoided the goal.

Schultz takes a legit hook/trip.

are you kidding me with these penalties?

Varly got tied up by Poti and Schultz.

goskins1982: I'm switching to AU during breaks.

schultz you idiot, good call

no comment.

both penalties to Semin were BS.

I favor being stricter on the actual hooks and holds but to eliminate lift checks to that degree is just ridiculous. LOL Poti goes down SO easy hahahaha

Fraser. that's all you had to say.

Fraser....let them play. jesus.

ok time to get the 4on4 goal

i like the way malone plays. Poti went down like a sack o taters

Schultz is our goalie's worst nightmare.

That was the weakest tap ever...although why Malone is even trying to give Poti shots there I have no idea.

Sick shot

retribution.

MIKEY LIKES it

Not complaining about the penalties but... are our D really that easy to be pushed to fall on ice?

GREEN!

goal caps

solid 1st pd so far, tampa's a better team today than they were pre-tocchet

yes, huge goal by green...i wish i could have seen it

Greenerrrrrr

GREENIE ;)

Malone always cracks me up. Pens fan love to say "malkin made him rich", yet he has 24 goals in tampa and him leaving Pittsburg was an obvious blow to the Pens this season.

So, I must have missed the reason Erskine was scratched instead of Schultz. Can anyone enlighten me?

Yeah Pens haven't had that net presence all year until they brought Kunitz over.

cheapshot by Vinny as he levels Backstrom from behind. Thats ok though, our Euros play a lot better when other teams try to rough them up. Case in point Semin. He hasn't thrown a legitimate hit in like 5 games. Then tonight he gets belted on his 3rd shift and then responds with much better play. I think Backstrom will come out fired up in the 2nd.

compromising photos

Toronto tied it up...Bruins still up 2-0

Folks watching the game: could you please comment on the first period? What a crap all streams are virtually dead today...

Yeah Pens haven't had that net presence all year until they brought Kunitz over.

Posted by: Davethecapsfan | March 19, 2009 8:16 PM

tru

Caps need a Malone type. I cannot remember the last time a Caps forward leveled another defenseman in front of the net the way Malone does (even tho Poti did go down like a featherweight). I'm glad it negated their PP but no way should our D get manhandled in front of our own net. That's a mentality that has to change. You try doing that to most other teams and you'll get a major fracas.

Lots of bad calls

@cs

I don't know why Malone would be taking shots on Poti though when he already had position in our zone on the PP. Seems like a stupid thing to do.

Semin scored a good clean goal and recieved 2 mins penalty?!

that is going to be called 100% of the time. poti went down easily, but you are supposed to just nudge em, not flat out cross check them like it was your own net.

1st period obs

Schultz had a very weak 1st period after playing well in the past 3 games. Too bad Erskine was a scratch because he'd be a better choice in this game over either Pothier or Schultz. Poti continues his inconsistent play. Jurcina looks better paired with someone besides Schultz, he looks "off" as well. Almost scored into his own net on a backwards blind clear. Bright spots were Morrisonn-Green, the Brads-Steck-Laing line who got the momentum going with some great forechecking and cycling, and Semin's individual effort where he scored but was given a penalty was stellar

in fact, hasnt two goals been washed out recently for/against us for cross-checks/interference in front of the net?

Awww they were supposed to do it with him but they didn't, lol, that's so funny.. "hot, hot hot!" I love this team!

When you listen to him talk about it, I can almost bet Green and Backstrom talked him into doing something towards Grapes. Certainly sounds malicious like he's attempting to show up the other team and stick it to them.

F line has had some good sustained forechecking going too.

Mo gave a great pass

@cs

I don't know why Malone would be taking shots on Poti though when he already had position in our zone on the PP. Seems like a stupid thing to do.

Posted by: Davethecapsfan | March 19, 2009 8:20 PM

Its the Tocchet mentality, he wants his players to firmly establish crease control. Thats the way he played. I don't think he was happy that Malone took it that far that early into the PP but the Lightning have been accused this year of not driving the net hard enough or battling in front. I remember when we got Simon and he would intimidate the other team's defense in front of their own net what a huge boost it was for the guys on the bench. Same kinda thing. In front of your home crowd against the division leaders you want to establish some emphatic crease presence.

Yeah Phil, I think one that Philthy scored, Schultz got hit from behind

Was that hit from behind by Lecavalier on Backstrom legal or did the refs just miss it?

green and ovie's shot were same place.

is it "known" that mckenna's glove is weak? or is he just weak? haha

@cs

I understand the mentality it just seemed needlessly stupid Poti wasn't even really engaged with him in any way. I understand you want to set a tone but when you've just tied the game up on a huge momentum shift having it go from 2-0 to 1-1...then negating your next PP it just comes off as very foolish.

@tmac

After the whistle, I guess we'll see when they come back

I SOOOO want to play Montreal in the first round... they are struggling so badly.

Montreal is doing worse than before Carbonneau was fired.

what position do you play rachel?? ;P

Not to start the whole Shultz debate because everyone on here hates him but... I guess I am a Shultz apologist. The reason he is in there is because he has much more potential than Erskine. Erskine has maxed out. The only way to realize that potential is for him to play against NHL talent. He will be very solid one day, but there will be growing pains.

Laich-Nylander-Kozlov

Tarik,
I remember you said that Nyls was good with Jagr because they both did circles and then... boom, goal! got connected...

I suggested to put Kozlov and Nyls two circle guy and maybe they'll connect like Jagr and Nyls.

Did you relay it to Coach Boudreau?

....

Laich good effort.

Davethecapsfan

he didn't really "engage" Poti. He barely pushed him. Wasn't a bad ref call, but I wish Poti a. wasn't in front of Malone but pushing him out of the crease and b. didn't fall like a sack of potatoes.

good point on Erskine WVPhil, I just wish they groomed Schultz at the AHL level before bringing him up here. Hershey fans couldnt' stand watching him down there, I'd rather he made them happy first before making us happy :)

@cs

I understand the mentality it just seemed needlessly stupid Poti wasn't even really engaged with him in any way. I understand you want to set a tone but when you've just tied the game up on a huge momentum shift having it go from 2-0 to 1-1...then negating your next PP it just comes off as very foolish.

Posted by: Davethecapsfan | March 19, 2009 8:27 PM

Well you can't always do it perfectly every time, sometimes in order to make omelettes you're gonna break some eggs.

Yeah, good point.

Poti should have been pushing Malone like that. Not the other way around.

nylander = useless

great hit by laing to start an offensive chance and follow up hit by Brads. Laing fits into that line way better than Gordon

Yeah that was my point that you would expect it to be the other way around our D man actually attempting to clear the crease.

I like that "Gordon Chevrolet" shows up in the Ads because of Boyd Gordon.

I have a feeling that he did that on purpose. I think it was about a month ago when the same thing happened, and Poti got the unsportsmanlike. Why not do it? you get crosschecked from behind, go down.

Was that hit from behind by Lecavalier on Backstrom legal or did the refs just miss it?

Posted by: tmac2yao | March 19, 2009 8:25 PM

they jsut let it go, it was in plain view - backstrom passed the puck and a good second later Vinny decked him from behind at the whistle.

I'm just wondering, who is more hated more in the comment section here, Cindy Crosby, or Michael Nylander?

He had a clear shot in the first period, and waited to pass it to someone, and then it was too late.

That was a much better play from Pothier.

Varlamov looks good. He is such a scrambler.

Hasek-ish....

semin draws 3 on the wall...holds it to set up Ovie.

Tarik posted an entry for Ovi's 50th. Are we supposed to start commenting on that now? How does this work?

That was nice by Varly, look what I got!

Ovie stands up for his teamates. :)

scrum - green gets too cute with the puck and coughs it up right in front of Varly, leads to a chance and late slash by Arthukin and then everyone rubs everyone else the wrong way for a few seconds

Ovie stands up for his teamates. :)

Posted by: rachel216 | March 19, 2009 8:42 PM

russians gotta stand up to other russians :)

another stream popped up:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bsod

and the original one

http://skytalkertv.mine.nu/

phil, did you agree abt Poti or were you sarcastic?

after two dominating shifts by the tampa 4th line, Bruce tries to get his 4th line on the ice to match the physicality, and Tocchet promptly withdraws his 4th line to create a speed mismatch, gotta love the coaching

good hustle by Fehr to set up Ovy, Fehr looks motivated now after his near-goal (i.e ripoff)

new post

Nylander scored. He's on our team. I'd say the most hated is Cindy Crosby, the nad knocker, the ball slapper, the lint licker. =P