[NHL.com Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]In case you haven't heard, the Caps and Pens will be facing off this afternoon on national television. The Pens enter the game with a 15-game point streak (13-0-2), while the Caps... well... not so much (though they have gotten at least one point out of four of their last five games). Washington's Alexes have gone cold, as Alex Ovechkin has only one goal in his last six games and Alex Semin has only one goal in his last eight outings, and the team is getting absolutely no offensive help from the blueline. Consider:
- Caps defensemen have combined for just 16 goals on the season in more than 377 man-games (Ben Clymer played several games on defense, but did not score a goal), four fewer than Habs' rearguard Sheldon Souray has in 59 games.
- Jamie Heward's two power-play goals and Brian Pothier's one tally with the extra man are the only special teams goals scored by the Caps defensemen so far this year. Thirty-eight NHL defensemen have three or more special teams goals individually.
- The Caps' entire d-corps has 28 power-play points. So does Sergei Zubov. Sheldon Souray, Sergei Gonchar and Dan Boyle all have more.
- Pothier leads the blueline in assists with 18, 41st among NHL defensemen, despite playing with two of the League's top-11 goal scorers.
As always, get all your previews from around the Cap-o-sphere over at Washington Hockey Daily. Enjoy the game, and Let's Go Caps!
Daily Awards
- Hart: Henrik Zetterberg (3G, including game-winner, A, 6 SOG)
- Ross: Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk (4 points each)
- Norris: Dion Phaneuf (G, 3 SOG, 5 hits)
- Vezina: Martin Brodeur (26-save shutout win)
- Richard: Henrik Zetterberg (3G)
- Calder: Daniel Girardi (2A, +1)
- Aiken: Steve Valiquette (L, 2 goals allowed on 8 shots against in 19:24 of relief work)
8 comments:
Well hopefully some of you at least made some money taking my advice and betting the under on the ridiculously high o/u of 7.
1) Could the NBC announcers been any more pro-Penguin?
You know, I think they actually did a good job of hyping the Caps to a certain point and criticizing the Pens' weaknesses both in that game and overall (faceoffs, for example).
At the end of the day, though, the Pens are the real story - they're in fourth place in the Conference, haven't lost since Christ was in diapers, etc. Yes, Pierre McGuire wants to open mouth kiss Sid. But he also pumped up Backstrom and Schultz, among others.
I still want to know the real Eminger story. I refuse to believe he's merely a healthy scratch. He's played too well the last 15 games or so.
My best guess is that they're trying to showcase Heward for a trade. Why else would he be getting #1 PP time over Pothier and a sweater over Emmy?
I guess that makes sense. After he sat out one game I thought maybe an Eminger trade was in the works/almost done, but Game No. 2 shot that theory to hell.
Craptails suck. Enjoy Crosby and the Pens hoisting the Stanley Cup in a few months ;)
- Jes the Troll
1) The Pens are an exciting team to watch, but unless/until they can add Chris Pronger like defenseman, or Fleury starts to emulate Martin Brodeur the pens are NOT a Cup contender.
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