[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]I hope the Caps can get fired up to play the Panthers more easily than I can to write about 'em.
Here's the quick rundown on the Kitties - they have the fewest home wins in hockey, are in the bottom half of the League in goals scored and allowed, have a good power play and a bad penalty kill, give up the most shots per game in the League, have lost two in a row and, well, you know the story on Richard Zednik.
On the Caps side of things, you know that Tom Poti is questionable (a line that's sure to get a grin from Ranger fans) for tonight's game, which means he's not playing, and while the goaltending has been very good (tonight is Brent Johnson's turn to keep it going, and he has very strong season and career numbers against Florida), the offense has run and hid against Southeast Division opponents since the All-Star break, scoring just three goals in three games, all losses.
So there it is. Another game that, on paper, the Caps should be able to win. Then again, intra-divisional road games when you're missing two top-four defensemen, your number one center and a 30-goal-scoring winger are never, ever easy and I wouldn't expect this one to be. Then again, have any of them been easy?
Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:
I'll take the under on Sidney Crosby being able to take 20 five-year-olds in a fight (and I base this on Donald Brashear, by my math, being able to take 23)... Finally, one year ago today we discussed a potential trade rumor, a surprise demotion and a roster shuffle and previewed the evening's Caps/Bolts game, and two years ago today we recapped Day One for Caps Olympians and passed along a very special birthday wish.
Daily Awards
- Hart: Jonathan Toews (2G, including the game-winner, A, +3, 3 SOG)
- Ross: 8 players tied with 3 points each
- Norris: Alex Edler (2G, A, +3, 4 SOG)
- Vezina: Manny Legace (W, 39 saves on 40 shots against)
- Richard: Ruslan Fedotenko, Jonathan Toews, Alex Edler, Stephane Veilleux (2G each)
- Calder: Jonathan Toews (2G, including the game-winner, A, +3, 3 SOG)
- Aiken: Chris Mason (L, 3 goals allowed on 7 shots against in just 12:42 of work)
12 comments:
Please consider putting the "one year ago" stuff in a separate paragraph. I was temporarily freaked out by the Green demotion and had to re-read everything. Second day in a row. Me a slow learnder.
Thankee.
Please excuse me for having a laugh at that. It's a good call though.
I don't care for the Panthers much at all. I know there's a lot of Pothier and Poti bashers out there - but Poti is a top two defenseman, and Pothier is a top four (I hate these new "Top Number" notations).
It stinks that they might have to be missing both - meaning, Lepisto needs to come up, Boomer needs to come up, or there needs to be a trade of some sorts, if indeed poti will miss significant time.
Can I just say, that of all the Caps stuff I read, I look forward to yours the most each day. You always have good facts, something (or multiple things) humorous, and you get to the point where some other blogs... just like their own prose a little too much.
Keep up the good work!
I dont know if anyone else has noticed but the poll question on TSN's front page is 'Who will win the Southeast Division?' When I looked, 69% of people had picked the Caps. Carolina was next with 14%
@ ~Mark: Your check is in the mail. :)
@ DMG: I'm surprised they didn't phrase it "Who will not lose the Southeast Division?"
Haha - Brashear taking on 23. Can't you just see a group of punks wetting their pants?
Hi-lar-ious
As for tonight, I'm looking for 4 goals.
I think we will outplay the Panthers tonight, but Vokoun might very well do a Lehtonen impression to stymie the Caps. hope not.
Random: what do you guys think of picking up Vinny Prospal before the deadline? short term i think he would be a good fit. depends on what we give up, of course.
I don't recall where, but Boudreau said something to the effect of "why even call someone up if you're going to bench them? That doesn't help their development. You don't put a scoring winger on a checking line."
So what's the deal with young Mr. Fehr?
Me also hoping I can hear Comcast's boradcast on NHL Center Ice. Denis Potvin's version of the game really tries my patience.
I don't think the game is on Center Ice b/c it's being broadcast on the NHL network
The game is -not- on Center Ice, so I will have to pirate a signal when I get home.
Hate the NHL so much right now.
-d
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