lead·er·ship [lee-der-ship]1. the position or function of a leader: He managed to maintain his leadership of the party despite heavy opposition.
2. ability to lead: She displayed leadership potential.
3. an act or instance of leading; guidance; direction: They prospered under his leadership.
4. not taking a friggin' triple minor with under seven minutes left in a 1-0 game: Donald Brashear displayed a stunning lack of leadership on Saturday afternoon.
Brash should've had the "A" ripped off his sweater before he even made it to the locker room after the game.
Pens tomorrow.
Update: "Brash's penalties were dumb," Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said. "A guy that's been in the league that long should know that."
Update: H/t to DMG for pointing out an interesting fact - see if you can pick it out from the bio of one of today's referees:
42 comments:
like the Redskins/Giants game, this is the kind of thing that could boost Boston to a hot streak.
Getting a gift can turn a team the right direction.
WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK FUUUUUUUUUUUCH IVE NEVER BEEN SO FUCKING MAD
let's not forget Poti's blatant slashing penalty as well.
What a f***ing game!
Yes, Brashear made a bonehead play, but the refs made a real BS call on Erskine. That was not a penalty, never! Even those damn Bruins announcer got that. You just don't make a call like that to put a team down 2 men for 2 minutes with five minutes to go. Without that call the Caps get at least a point.
Man I hate it.
Comment by wendel on Tarik's blog:
"why is brash playing with a 1 goal lead and 5 minutes left"
Right on the money imo. Boudreau is giving this guy way too much ice, especially in critical situations.
If they do, they won't miss the playoffs by much...
Beautiful no call on Chara's broken stick play.
And I love that Erskine got called for hooking even though there was no hook.
That was fair.
Brashear deserves to get benched for a week for that shit.
Comment by wendel on Tarik's blog:
"why is brash playing with a 1 goal lead and 5 minutes left"
I disagree. It was 7 minutes left and they were down a forward. Three minutes left and I wouldn't want him out there, but I don't think this is a valid complaint (not that Boudreau doesn't use Brash way too late in games) - you trust a player with a letter not to be the dumbest guy on the ice.
Oh, and I deleted a couple of comments - not for language, but for content (with a six-week old, the "infant" remarks hits a little close to home right now).
I agree with you JP, I think Brashear is fine to have out there until it gets down to the last couple minutes and you make a good point about the team missing Cooke.
Brashear and Poti screwed up, no doubt, but I think the referees look like they were intimidated all game long.
Whoa, did you just see that, flying out the window? Oh yeah, that was our playoff hopes.
But seriously, that is the worst end to a Caps game I have ever seen. Why, why why? Some penalties were completely deserved and Bruce should take some action on said unnamed persons but some I just don't get. And how about those not-called penalties? Absolutely disgraceful. No matter what anyone did, it should not have ended like that. Period. Please murder some penguin tomorrow!!!!!
-- Ratgurl
My apologies JP. I get where you're coming from. An honest mistake.
That was just a frustrating implosion of a game that could not have been more avoidable.
Brutal.
I'm so pissed right now that I can barely see straight. Brash, the refs- where do I begin? Way to take a regulation win on the road against a similarly desperate conference contender and throw it out the f*cking window thanks to stupid penalties and nit-picky officiating. I don't remember the last time that I was this mad about a Caps game (probably Nedved's 4OT game winner).
On the bright side, we can start thinking about our vacations now.
I wouldn't even call the officiating nit-picky, I'd call it plain shitty and dictated by the referees' fear of upsetting the wrong people. I mean they missed four or five pretty clear ones in the game's opening minutes and then that call on Erskine? Absurd. If I were GMGM or Leonsis I would be putting in a call to the league offices.
This team definitely does not DESERVE to make the playoffs. f'itty f, that sure sucked.
Are you guys kidding me? Brutal loss, yes but it hardly kills the playoffs. Jesus, show at least a tiny bit of perspective. Did you think they were going to go undefeated for the rest of the season?
I disagree there - since Boudreau took over the team is 26-13-7, I believe. That's 59 points in 46 games, a 105 point pace. The Caps are a playoff caliber team.
Just as a note, the ref (Rooney) who made the horrible call on Erskine is a Boston native...conspiracy theories commence!
No worries, Moby - I certainly understand and share your frustration.
Forget the refs. The Caps need to accept responsibility for only scoring 1 goal. Brashear, to me, has always equaled stupidity. I'll never know why he is even on our team. Truly, I would not play Brashear again this entire year, and yes, I'm serious. Folks, we set the tone wrong for this game on enemy ice by coming out fighting. That just set the refs up for calling a much closer game. I'd also permanently bench Flash in favor of Fehr.
Regards,
Doug
Those are the kind of games that end seasons for teams. I don't see how the Caps come back to make the playoffs after that. And Brashear should sit out the next couple of games and think about showing a lot more leadership out there on the ice.
can what Hnidy did after getting punched in the face by Brash be considered diving? come on...that would not have dropped him.
terrible ending. would love to hear what Boudreau had to say in the locker room.
We've still got a shot at the playoffs. As long as the math supports it, then we have a chance. Everyone knows it was the first 20 games of the season that doomed us. Had we won even four more games of those first 20, we would be right there.
Am I disappointed? Yep. Despondent? Nope.
That said, beating the Pens tomorrow is mandatory.
Tonight's loss definitely hurt but if the Caps come out tomorrow and beat the Pens things will be looking up again. Winning 3 out of 4 would make this a good week. Depending on the team's reaction the playoffs are still within reach.
Hard to score goals when Boudreau has them playing a 1-4 to match the Bruins after the 1st.
Also hard to score when you're PK'ing so damn much.
Brash and Poti made some selfish retaliatory choices, but the major on Cooke was questionable and Erskine's phantom hook was exactly that.
Anyone else think the Bruins committed no penalties in the third? Boyd Gordon might argue that they did.
The Caps PK unit was amazing today.
How you call phantom penalties on top of a triple minor while overlooking shady play by the other club is just ludicrous.
Yes, the Caps earned some costly penalties, but they battled back and still had a chance to win.
However, the refs shut the door on this one.
"Those are the kind of games that end seasons for teams. I don't see how the Caps come back to make the playoffs after that."
They do it by doing what most fans can't ever seem to do: put the game behind them and move forward by winning. If you think that this implosion is going to destroy this team's spirit, you haven't been watching the same team I have these last few months.
There is good in this...The Bruins never would have won that game if not for the penalties and the virtually 6 minute 5 on 3. Whether or not the officiating was fair (it wasn't at all), when it comes down to it we are a better team than them and probably many teams in the East. Stupid penalties + bad officiating = hard to win games. There is some great motivation from this game for the Caps and I think how the team handles it and responds will determine whether or not we make the playoffs.
Based on past performances, we'll probably blow a gasket and go 2-11 in the next 13 but this is a Caps team unlike many I've seen before. That said, I can't see us winning tomorrow. Too worn out, too many emotions, and guys like OV are going to try too hard and do too many things by themselves.
I have a rare picture of Refs Chris Rooney and Rob Martell. Check it out.
http://dconetimer.blogspot.com/
Revenge is only 8 days away...
I do believe the Caps can make the playoffs if they beat the Pens tomorrow and then then win 9 of their last 12. Tall order? You bet. Impossible? Nope.
Oh and what is more maddening than the game was the insult of having to listen to NESN. I hate those bastards...
With a little cooling off time, I'll say this:
Anyone who thinks the refs are entirely to blame for this loss is a blind homer.
Anyone who thinks the refs are completely blameless for this loss is a blind idiot.
Anyone who thinks this loss means that the Caps have no chance at the playoffs is just plain silly.
First, I don't know how Brashear looks the younger kids in the eyes in the locker room after that stupid punch. I agree that he should be a healthy scratch for a game or two, but I think that those punishment methods are a little more sensible for young players, not 35 year olds. Having said that, the double minor for high-sticking (with blood) was going to be called anyway. The call on Erskine was ridiculous, especially when already down a man for 6:00 straight.
Second, here's what the Caps need to do: go out tomorrow and take the anger that they must feel and use it to put a 10 spot on the Pens. This would suck much more if they/we had to wait 4 or 5 days to play again. I don't have that option (playing hockey), so I'm going to punch a few holes in my bedroom wall.
We have 14 games left to make up enough ground to get in the playoffs. What does Washington do in the first minute? THEY FIGHT. Nice meltdown at the end. Real nice.
JP not to be a little agressive here but you are nuts if you think this team makes the playoffs.
Completely and utterly nuts.
Our longest winning streak all year long is 4 games. That happened once. Just once. We have had 2 other 3 game winning streaks.
This team can not win consistently and they can not afford to finish the season below 90 points.
Below 90 points = no playoffs.
If the Hurricanes win tonight, they will be 7 points ahead with 2 games more than us.
Even if we win those two games in hand, we're still down by THREE.
Stop being a "blind homer" and realize the chances of this team making playoffs is beyond slim to none.
Just think about it and crunch the numbers why dont you. It's not that hard to see. Maybe you can do it as your next blog post. Our chances is for playoffs are well below 10%.
Well.
The fact that he wears an A makes me sick. If the Caps keep playing this guy, they do not deserve to make the playoffs. This is not the first game that he has cost us this year. Hate me for saying it if you want, that is just the way it is.
JP not to be a little agressive here but you are nuts if you think this team makes the playoffs.
Aggressive AND anonymous - a winning combination.
First of all, I never said they're making the playoffs. In fact, for weeks and weeks I've said I think they're going to come up just short. I still think so. Obviously I hope I'm wrong.
What I said above is "Anyone who thinks this loss means that the Caps have no chance at the playoffs is just plain silly." What I meant by that is that this loss wasn't a nail in the coffin mathematically or mentally or anything else - if you believed before today, you should believe after today.
I don't and haven't. For a while. I, anonymous, am not nuts.
JP, you are right, the math still works for the Caps to make it. That's the point. Hopefully, the Caps will show up tomorrow and play a great game. That's what it will take to beat the Pens. Then, we need to concentrate on making the number 8 seed. Carolina must be given credit. They have pulled ahead of us in the last 3 weeks and beaten us twice in a row. I am negative on catching them, but somewhat optimistic about taking the #8 slot. I think the Sabres/Flyers/Islanders/Rangers will beat up on each other and the Caps can slip in with a 10-3 run, or maybe 9-4. If they go 8-5, they don't make it. That's my prediction.
Regards,
Doug
JP:
My issue is, you're sugar coating a lot of these games and the remaining season.
Kind of in a way pulling a "Mike Vogel"...
My point was simple but I guess you didn't understand.
We need 20-22 points for a shot at the playoffs. There are 26 points left on the table.
You have to be clinically insane if you think that "chance" is in any way encouraging.
It is the definition of discouraging. Also, Sorry for not having a user name or something. I dont have a blogger account...
Meh, it's a technicality, but last time that Brash took a penalty quiete like that, iirc, was against the Rangers for his sucker punch on Colton Orr or Aaron Ward or some jerk who doesn't matter, and he got a 10 minute misconduct for it - not a 2 minute minor. As a ref, that's what I do. The team's already in trouble, but why on earth do you ruin the team for it. A four minute penalty was enough. Gordon was TACKLED when Poti's "Slash" occured. Erskine's penalty - not a penalty. And you have to let erskine out in that situation, or that rule needs rewording. What a crock.
Doug -
I feel similar to you, but don't forget we have two games in hand on Carolina. While we're 6 points behind Philly and 7 points behind Carolina, we've played the same amount of games as Philly. So, we have to win those two games in hand (i.e. play at Carolina's pace & win the 2 games in hand) and beat Carolina in our 2 games against them and we win the SE. Hard? Yeah. But it's still probably our best bet. I really think you're going to see this team fold under the pressure and bomb the rest of the season or play their asses off and get in or barely miss out.And I think it depends on how they respond tomorrow. GO CAPS!
Post a Comment