"Goaltender Olie Kolzig removed his name plate from his locker here at Verizon Center after tonight's 3-2 overtime loss to Philly. Kolzig declined to speak to reporters, but that gesture seems to say it all about his future with the organization."
The Caps stared down elimination three times and wouldn't succumb until after the regulation time ended in the series. The Flyers to their credit did the little things right in the end by beating us along the boards and into a penalty situation. The Caps battled one last time all the way until less than a few ticks remained in the short handed situation, the puck escaped from Huet's sight and it was tapped behind him.
This team has earned my respect beyond any group of players who ever donned a Capitals' sweater. No shame. No anger. No regrets. They fought 'til the last.
"Goaltender Olie Kolzig removed his name plate from his locker here at Verizon Center after tonight's 3-2 overtime loss to Philly. Kolzig declined to speak to reporters, but that gesture seems to say it all about his future with the organization."
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK.
Go ahead and just ice this fucking cake of misery and tell me my mother just got shot or something. Good god.
That pretty much says it all. I wish the Caps had won of course, but I'm far too young to be losing my hair or developing heart conditions or ulcers because of this team.
Well, like I said in the game 7 open thread, see you guys around.
Thanks for putting up with my rantings, I know I can be annoying.
But fret not, because unless some serious changes happen with the referees/referee system by next season, I won't watch the NHL anymore. I hate to say it, because I've been a huge fan since I was 4, but this is the final straw. I'm sick of tuning in and finding not sport, but some fat fucking gambling addict determining the game's outcome. I watch hockey for the sport. And that's all but fucking gone anymore. It's no longer who's the better team. It's who's the ref's favorite? I can't watch that shit. I can't watch shitty people get away with being shitty. Infuriating isn't a strong enough word to convey this idea.
Y'know, Haz, buddy, nobody is putting a gun to your head to watch the NHL. Chill the hell out. Switch to decaf, go for a walk, pick up a hobby. Cuz you just sound like the Caps fans trying to pick a fight after tonight's game.
JP - great season. I learn more about hockey reading this site than I'd ever imagine.
"Explanation on Philadelphia’s second goal at 9:47 of the second period – Washington's Shaone Morrisonn plays the puck and Philadelphia's Patrick Thoresen lays a legal body check on Morrisonn. No Philadelphia player makes contact with Washington goaltender Cristobal Huet (Rule 69). This play is not reviewable."
Y'know, Haz, buddy, nobody is putting a gun to your head to watch the NHL. Chill the hell out. Switch to decaf, go for a walk, pick up a hobby. Cuz you just sound like the Caps fans trying to pick a fight after tonight's game.
No one's forcing me to watch the NHL? Well son of a bitch, WHO'D HAVE THUNK IT. No shit no one's forcing me to watch, that doesn't mean I have to like what I see. That doesn't mean I have to be silent about it. That also doesn't mean I can't declare I'm done with it and list the reasons why. How am I attempting to pick a fight, here? How does it even SOUND like I'm attempting to pick a fight with anyone? All it sounds like is that I'm fed up with watching bullshit happen and watching bad people get away with ruining a league that ought to be better than that.
I'm a life-long fan that's sick of having a black-and-white-striped-dick rammed up my sport's ass. Nothing more, nothing less.
Of course I'm far more vocal about things that involve the caps, because they're my home team. However, if you want me to give some time to other teams who got boned, then I can do that too. I believe it was dallas that had one washed out simply because gigeuire (I know I butchered that one) didn't see it. Bullshit. I saw a bunch of crap happen against nashville in their series with detroit. Detroit is always fucking cheated for, anyone saying otherwise may as well wear tin foil.
There's a ton of bullshit happening all around that needs to be stopped. This particular game, however, is the single biggest crock of shit I've witnessed in my lifetime. And this is why I'm done with the NHL unless some serious turnarounds are made. I want to believe they're going to fix it SOMEWHERE along the line. But it gets harder and harder to believe.
JP, I guess you meant that you would be inside a bar outside the movie entrance? I went into the arena looking for a bar inside, and couldn't find one. Sorry.
After the hand shake and the capitals left the ice...scott hartnell skated down the length of the ice waving good-bye to our fans...so here's hoping when the canadiens beat the flyers...he gets a ride home in a montreal police car.
Before I sign out. Please tell me where is the difference between the Caps goal that was disallowed in Apr 4 game with Tampa and the goal 2 that was scored tonight by the Flyers, allowed and not even reviewed?
I have to defend my man Haz and say to chill on the 'chill'. People need to vent their anger in different ways. Plus things are emotional right now. If anyone is going to stop watching hockey then they probably won't be on this blog anymore, so, problem solved.
If some ass clown like Hartnell decided to represent the classless city he plays for by being classless himself, that's fine. The Flyers can rev up for another decade of mediocrity, winning a round here and there and pining for 1975. They'll be an afterthought while the Caps are playing deep into next Spring. Pretty much everyone loses their first go around. Gretzky, Lemieux, Jordan....Ovechkin.
"Goaltender Olie Kolzig removed his name plate from his locker here at Verizon Center after tonight's 3-2 overtime loss to Philly. Kolzig declined to speak to reporters, but that gesture seems to say it all about his future with the organization."
Whatever. It sucks to get old, to lose the limelight, to accept the end of your career. Blow off steam, but the team didn't slight you. Without Huet, there would have been no playoffs, no game 7, no sellouts. Don't make us take sides Olie, because we are Capitals fans first.
Hartnell was in fact waving to Flyers fans, and one in particular to whom he pointed, at least that's the way it looked to me.
If any of those calls had gone against the Flyers and for the Caps, and we won the game because of it I'd take it with heaping helpings of gratitude, so I'm not going to be too upset.I just wish we had been given equal and consistent calls. That's what pains me. One thing is a penalty against the Caps but not against our opposition. And since when do two refs and two linesmen miss a puck hitting the meshing? That was a disgrace.
If Ollie wishes to leave the team I'd hate that, if he's going to leave hockey I hope he goes into a studio or booth because the NHL Network needs him.
Well, for what's it's worth, since I've found this blog it is the first thing I read the three times I check my computer. And I read every single comment. It's been great going through this run, Ovie's mvp chase, and the race for the playoffs with JP and the rest of you. Even Ben. Haz, come on back.
I am covered by the slimy putrid residue of crushed hope and it's smothering me, so I'll close with, Let's go Rangers, and Let's go Habs!
One last bit before I go to bed, I thought this was rather interesting.
The NHL claims the second goal was legal due to Mo playing the puck and then getting hit?
He never touched the puck (unless you count it bouncing off him as he goes flying into Huet). He was hit before he ever got close to having possession.
http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule67.html
specifically: A minor penalty shall be imposed on an attacking player who deliberately checks a defensive player, including the goalkeeper, who is not in possession of the puck.
Good game, NHL, but you can't just change your mind on a whim.
Morrison was contending for possession of the puck, which makes it not interference, just like when people check each other when going to tag for icing before they actually touch the puck.
OK I realize I'm not gonna get any sympathy here, but this Thursday start for the Flyers second round is absolutely brutal. Three games in four days in the playoffs (in two different series) is pretty unheard of.
Anyone know any bars in DC that would have Center Ice? Friggin Versus isn't showing Game 1.
BTW: Hockey this Morning stated the game was sold to 98% capacity...really? If I had known I could've shown up and bought a ticket at face value...I would've
1) The Olie Kolzig chapter may not quite be over. If the caps don't quickly (before July 1) come to terms with Huet the team may have little choice but to resign him. Just have a feeling Huet, despite the late season heroics isn't going to stay. 2) Can really see him going back to where he (and his wife) feel more comfortable, Canada. Specifically Ottawa who will probably be in need of a starting goalie once Ray Emory is bought out 3) Speaking of bought out, it might not be a bad idea to either trade or buy out the last year of Kozlov's contract. If he wasn't hurt he sure played like it in the playoffs. Showing no emotion/drive etc. That money would be better spent on Fedorov. 4) As for the playoff disappointment. Have to loom at the last month and especially the last 2-3 weeks as the caps first and second rounds. They had game 7's every night. Its hard to stay at that level and not pay for it. Job well done guys!
Way to take the high road, JP. I was at last night's game, and although I was pissed about some of the officiating, it's hard not to look back now and see what a great season it ended up being.
I'm with a lot of you here. I'm just wiped out. In all the years of rooting for the Caps, I don't remember a season like this.
The run in the playoffs of '98 was amazing, but hell, just the regular season alone this year was crazy!
Can't wait for October!
As for Kolzig, I can understand him feeling left on the curb. I hope it doesn't develop into some long and painful period of dislike.
It was a tough year - some people turned on Olie,which was disappointing to see. There were so many times this year when a puck would go in and I'd think "Damn, he'd have stopped that one last year". I felt bad for HIM, because winning & losing is one thing. I also WANTED Olie to do well.
The highlight was the long shootout we had where Olie stopped ALL of them. I was glad we won, but I felt better for HIM.
Congrats on a great season from a Flyers fan. Caps have a great team, and I have nothing but respect for them, and dread playing against Ovie for the next decade.
Also, great job on the blog, which I really enjoyed reading all series. Keep it up.
Congrats Caps fans on a good year....You guys don't want to hear it now, but in time you'll realize the organization took a lot of huge steps this season and should be better off for it very soon.
You want to talk about a bright future? 18 of the 20 goals the Caps got in this series were scored by players 24 or younger. Someone name me a team that has a better core of young players? And, yes, I'm including Pittsburgh. Is it October yet?
i sit in 216 row A, and i had a flawless view of the waves and maybe it was to the flyers fans, (i saw a group of four woman (one might have been a man) in that section)....but it was absolutely a $&#^ you to the caps fans also...for one thing the waves were in a back and forth "shooing" or "bye-bye" manner and secondly he pointed to particular caps fans like Eliot
My overwhelming sentiment moments after the winning goal, and even more so today, is that I've never been more excited and proud after a crushing loss as I am right now. I personally feel Olie making that statement is good news for this team. No ambiguity, or awkwardness to address going forward. We're done with him (as a No. 1) and he's done with us. Let's all be big hockey fans and move on. With the $$ we should get back from the Olie contract and Jagr being off the payroll, we will have some nice leverage with Huet, or whoever we are after.
Again, what more could you ask for from a team of kids mostly in their early 20s?
You want to talk about a bright future? 18 of the 20 goals the Caps got in this series were scored by players 24 or younger. Someone name me a team that has a better core of young players? And, yes, I'm including Pittsburgh. Is it October yet?
Richards, Carter, and Coburn are all 23. Lupol, Upshall, and Thoresen are 24. Umberger is 25. Randy Jones and Kukkonen are 26. This rivalry should be very good for a long time.
Not to defend Hartnell but he was definitely waving to a group of four Flyers fans. I was sitting directly behind them. It was kind of funny because they were wearing orange A&F shirts instead of Flyer garb, but they were definitely rooting for Philly. And it was three girls and one guy, and two of the women were absolute knockouts. In fact one of them may have been his wife. He's sill a dick for that phony dive.
youre way off base on this one jp, no congratulations are in order the the dirty flyers or their scumbag fans. they didnt earn anything they got, and i hope montreal sweeps them, even though im done watching the playoffs. fuck this.
Second, like many others, I am emotionally crushed from this loss. Not because of the result, but because this team worked so hard and deserved better. The refs flat out stole two games from the Caps in this series, and the officiating has simply been the worst I have ever seen. I am not going to turn this into a diatribe against the refs, but the NHL needs to teach people the rules. It's a joke. It's NBA-bad. I completely understand where guys like Hazardous are coming from. How is it not diving to pretend like you are paralyzed until you realize there is no call coming? Is this Italian soccer (no offense to Italians...)? When official explanations are 100% contrary to the facts such as the no-goal (and the Caps have had the exact same play result in a no goal this season), the stink is unbearable. I'm not going to say "cheated but not defeated," but goddamn.
Third, this team has a bright future. This has been the best season for me as a Caps fan, including '98. That line about this being the end of the beginning is true. I knew they weren't winning the Cup this year, but they deserved the chance to determine their own fate. This team is going to be a force in the league for a decade as a result of their young talent and the strides they've taken this year. Hopefully they learn something from this (like, you can't spot the other team a 3-1 lead). I could not be more proud of the team or the fans.
As for the Flyers, I hope that Montreal dispatches these diving, gutless, cheating babies in haste. They have maybe eclipsed the Pens as my most hated team after last night. Let's go Habs.
Richards, Carter, and Coburn are all 23. Lupol, Upshall, and Thoresen are 24. Umberger is 25. Randy Jones and Kukkonen are 26. This rivalry should be very good for a long time.
It's gonna be hard to establish a rivalry if they keep playing each other only four times a regular season. They might meet again in the playoffs, but this is their first meeting in 20 years, so who knows. Hopefully the scheduling changes, or even more better, the division alignment.
I don't want to be babysitting you guys all day. Play nice or don't play.
For Flyer fans trolling, do you guys go to funerals and taunt with, "Ha ha - that's your dad in the casket!" or go to hospitals and jeer patients in the radiology ward with "CAAAAAAN-CERRRRR, CAAAAAN-CERRRR"? Show class and let us mourn/vent/whatever in peace, can't you?
And for Caps fans, celebrate the season, vent about the refs or the opponent, talk about what the Caps need to change... but lay off the other team's fans. If the aftermath of last night's game showed anything, it's that a few morons aren't representative of a whole fan base, so don't generalize.
Btw, b.orr4 - Sec. 112? That Flyer girl closest to the aisle was smokin' hot.
I didn't delete any of your comments, Deuce. It was an anonymous one. Maybe Blogger ate your comment.
As for that last anonymous one that I deleted - you don't seem to get it. This is MY blog. It is a CAPS blog. If you're looking for parity between how Caps fans act when any given shoe is on the other foot, you've clearly come to the wrong place.
Oh god, the anonymous Canes fan is back. I know it's you because the "dude" gave you away. I'm flattered you're so fascinated with the Caps, but both our seasons are over. You really need to let it go.
i'm going to be spending the day in bed/on my couch wallowing, but the fact of the matter is i am SO proud of our boys. they did amazing this season. i can't wait for next season to begin. i hate summer!!!
It's been a good season. Shame it ended how it did. However, as far as Haz is concerned, he'll yell and scream, but he'll be(likely) back for the start of next year. If I had a penny for every time I heard him yell "I'm never watching this shit again" and then came back to watch it, I wouldn't be fretting finding money for my 5th year of college.
Well, it's good to hear I didn't get deleted. It went something like this: Nastyemu -- ask any NHL GM which roster they would rather have for the next 5 years: Richards, Carter, Coburn, Lupol, Upshall, Thoresen, Umberger, Randy Jones, Kukkonen, and VanReimswhaver OR Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom, Laich (did I really say Brooks freakin' Laich???!), Green, Alzner, Morrisson (I think Morrisson's good, right?) I know which roster I'm taking. In a heartbeat.
About Hartnell waving being classless...how does that compare to Ovechkin egging on the boos in Buffalo after scoring a goal? Just sayin'....
It was a bitter loss...not because we lost to the Flyers, but because of the amount of influence bad officiating had in the outcome of the game. Bad calls will happen, but this game (and Games 4 and 5, for that matter) featured some mind-numbingly, inexplixable calls and non-calls that lead to goals. It sucks. If the Flyers had beaten the Caps cleanly, I would have been all right with that, but that didn't happen last night. The refs put Philly ahead on a goal that should have been disallowed, and then called a ticky-tack penalty in OT after not calling a thing for more than a period. Insane. Let the teams determine it.
The Capitals have nothing to be ashamed about. It was a great ride.
JP-thanks for your efforts; it's been a great ride and a lot of fun.
Despite last night's tough luck, this franchise is ready to move up in the eastern conference. Assuming we sign Huet and Feds, I feel that we are perhaps one power forward RW and one shut down D man away from being a force next year and beyond. We have more kids in the pipeline too, which bodes well for us. Here's an excellent place to start shopping:
http://www.nhlnumbers.com/freeagents.php
I found going to the overview for each team very interesting as well
And much as it pains me to say it, hats off to the Flyers...they deserved the win last night. To come into our building and win 24 hours after getting knocked off their pegs at home says a lot about their hockey team. I don't think too many rational people, either fans or just interested onlookers, gave them much of a chance
So congrats. And I hope they get smoked by the Habs.
Um, exwhaler, Ovechkin was being booed mercilessly and we were down by like 4 goals when he did that. He was frustrated. And it was a regulation game. Hartnell was essentially flicking of 20,000 people who had just been punched in the stomach, and who were trying to applaud the Caps' effort this year. Don't compare apples to oranges. Hartnell is a chump and a punk, and everybody around the league knows it. OV is a class act. Just listen to his comments after last night's loss. You'll never hear anything that humble, eloquent, and classy out of Hartnell's mouth. Ever.
Deuce, Ovie is one hell of a competitor no two ways about it. But in his short career he has definitely made it a point to stick it to opposing fans given a chance. It's in his nature. I remember way back when he was playing in the World Juniors in N. Dakota and he riled up the US crowd by doing a mocking mile high salute whenever he scored. Personally, I wouldn't want him any other way. I'm just glad he plays for a team I support.
A little light to alleviate the darkness, the Calder candidates were announced today. Kane, Backstrom, Toews.
No surprises really. Except perhaps Toews. I was kind of expecting Price to be named. As a Hawks fan primarily I can say that if Backis won, he deserved it richly. It was a blast to see the level of his game rise against the Flyers. He is as close to Forsberg as I've seen.
He may be an asshole, he may be classless, but I think pretty much every team in the NHL would want him on their powerplay. Think how much he would have helped us.
I've followed the Caps since about '94 and have been lurking here for a while now. Want to say Thanks! to the Caps for one hell of an entertaining last couple of months, and to JP for great blog.
While I never stopped following the caps, my involvement went way down. I've enjoyed following the team again the last few months however and look forward to next season.
Also, this series really highlights for me one of the reasons why my level of hockey interest went way down - and that would be the officiating.
I love Hockey (it's the only sport I follow really), but I really got tired of some games being totally thrown off by poor refs. And it's not because big games can be (or seem to be) won/lost due to them, it's simply the lack of consistency.
The NHL needs to embrace some sort of oversight on all calls, not just the few the rules allow for now. Allow the coach to call for a challenge, similar to how the NHL does it. Or let someone in the review booth call down. *Something* because right now, as a fan of the game, I'm put off by the current (lack of) system/rules, and find myself turning to other forms of entertainment.
The current state simply makes hockey less enjoyable for me. Am I alone in this thinking?
Morrison was contending for possession of the puck, which makes it not interference, just like when people check each other when going to tag for icing before they actually touch the puck.
The refs know the rules.
The puck wasn't near him, so no he wasn't, douchebag. Fuck off and enjoy your ass-raping Montreal is going to give you.
Hey Haz,
Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Hey anonymous,
Choke and die.
However, as far as Haz is concerned, he'll yell and scream, but he'll be(likely) back for the start of next year. If I had a penny for every time I heard him yell "I'm never watching this shit again" and then came back to watch it, I wouldn't be fretting finding money for my 5th year of college.
@Ben: Not in the District but Bugsy's in Alexandria (100 block of King Street) has Center Ice. The place is small but has a ton of TVs.
JP- I've really enjoyed reading your blog since the start of the series- found it from a link at the700.level.com- and the insightful analysis. I particularly enjoyed the pre-series post highlighting some of the battles the Caps and Flyers have waged over the years.
As a lifelong Flyers fan- and former season ticket holder- my hat is off to the Caps: they made huge strides in the last two weeks. I think DC is going to have a lot to look forward to with regard to the Caps for the next 10 years.
Great work as always guys. Last night was a stomach punch, and i'll be consise in rehashing what has already been said by saying I too wish the game was decided without multiple questionable calls that went against us.
I am officially adopting the Montreal Canadiens for the rest of the playoffs.
Thank you to the flyers fans who have shown some class. I honestly didn't think that type of Flyers fan existed.
Ovechkin vs. Harnell? If Hartnell was waving off the Caps fans it was at the end of a seven game ELIMINATION series that his team won. Ovechkin's actions come in the heat of battle while the outcome is still in doubt. Ovechkin, as I remember, once gave his stick to a young Flyers fan IN Philly after a game. Ovechkin, in the handshake line after last night's game hugged 70% of the Flyers, at least.
That said, I'm still not convinced Hartnell meant his gesture to the Caps fans as a whole.
"Next year" is a phrase I've used to say good-bye to the FAMILY members of 416 every year. I've never said it with as much hope and genuine enthusiasm as last night, and I was in the grips of utter pain. I'm even more excited as my wife has agreed to get a parking pass for the games so we can avoid the over-priced over-crammed, under-reliable Metro for the last third of our two hour trip to games.
Signing a goalie is more important now than signing Green, and Ollie should not be the top priority. If Huet walks, so be it. But we need a backstopper with the quickness and lateral movement Ollie no longer posses. Atlanta is not going to continue to suck, Carolina is going to still be fast, Tampa Bay will get better (how could they not?) and Florida moved up on speed alone. We will remain a better team than all of them, but only if we can keep them from scoring.
As for Green, he consistently made comments about how boring he found D.C. And his "Caps Cribs" segment showed a rather small sparse apartment that didn't look long-term. We do have his favorite coach, and I know he'd stay for the money, but will we out-bid other teams like Rangers, Islanders or Habs? I can see Penguins wanting him. Imagine Gonch and Greeny on one team...
Is there any room here for a sympathetic Flyers fan who knows a little about heartbreaking playoff exits?
Started reading this and other Caps blogs at the beginning of the series. I don't like Leonsis much, but if he got one thing right, it's this--the Capitals' blogosphere trumps the Flyers' and then some.
Two quick notes: -I think Lupul knocked down Timonen's shot in an attempt to deflect it. It would explain Huet's reaction: The puck never hit him, so he assumed it went behind him. Unfortunate for Huet, who came on strong at the end of the series. -Shaone Morrisonn (who can't spell either of his names correctly) did play the puck (contrary to what some have said on here; I've watched it several times on DVR, slow-mo'd), so I think Thoreson's hit was clean. However, there might still be an argument for the interference call in Thoreson's use of a hockey stick as a lap bar, restraining both Shaone Jaone and Huet to the ice. Briefly, but there's certain more cause for complaint there; the contact in front of the net was a pure hockey play.
Great series, shame the reffing played a role. I want more of these in the future.
I guess your idea of played the puck is "it was sort of near him for a second." It's a fucking interference call. Plain and simple. It's especially an interference call if half the calls against the caps were "legit."
I've fucking seen it all. It's not a coincidence that there's been a million and a half "What the fuck, can you do that to a goalie??!" moments coming from caps fans. Thank your lucky stars you're weasely enough to get away with them against us, because you sure as shit won't get that same leeway with Price.
Thanks for everything. Your blog became essential reading for me, especially down the stretch, so please keep it up. Kudos to you also for deleting some of the vitriol being spewed around. Hockey is a tough game but that doesn't mean the level of discourse has to sink to some new low.
I've been a somewhat uninvolved STH for a few years but if the sick feeling in my stomach and sleepless night are any indication, those days are long gone. Last night totally sucked but there's lots of hope for the future which is what I'm choosing to focus on, as opposed to major angst over the officiating.
It was a great season. Already looking forward to October.
Your right, JP. That's her. She was in the seat closest to the aisle. And yes, she was definitely hotter last night. I hope this puts all the "Hartnell is low-life dick for taunting the fans" comments to rest.
It hurts, that's for sure, but I have the philosophy that, no matter what happens from today on, no fans in the NHL this year had more fun that we did. Even before the playoffs started, I was excited about next season and seeing a whole season of the kind of hockey we have enjoyed here recently. I gave up my season tickets when the Caps moved downtown, but I'm coming back next year.
The Cup will come to Washington, I know it now, and I want to be there when it happens!
Tarik's explanation of the injuries is eye opening. Muffins with the hammy. Shaone with the jaw. Green (as we all knew) had a couple injuries before Game 7. AO had something undisclosed wrong as well.
Kudos to those guys for playing through.
Scary to hear that Potsie is probably done and there is still "concern" over Clark's groin injury.
Correction...Gordo played through a torn hammy. This is the same guy who earlier this year finished a game with a broken hand...and scored the winning goal in the shootout.
I think I know who's number is going on my jersey....
I think re-signing Green has to be the top priority. He is one of the 3-4 best players on the team and is our best defenseman by a country mile overall (not necessarily in the "defense" department). However, I doubt he'll go anywhere.
As for goalie, I'd be happy to bring back Huet. Not sure what our other options are. I think Theodore is also a FA but I'm not sure it's an upgrade and he'd certainly expect more money.
And Hartnell's wife: she's hot but can someone get that woman a sandwich? Yikes.
I haven't seen the replay several times like some, but I didn't see the puck near Morrisson when he got hit. And even if it was, that's still goaltender interference. The Caps had a very similar goal disallowed in a game near the end of the season. It's a blown call, period, but it counted and there's nothing that can be done about that now.
And by the way, the penalty in OT wasn't the wrong call. But I'm not sure it was the right call, either, after the way the refs called the 3rd period.
I think the problem for the Caps was that a minute or so earlier there was a very similar trip that wasn't called. I think the ref may have given them the pass for the first one, but couldn't let two go by...
JP, thanks for the great blog. I'm a Flyers fan, but have frequented your blog throughout the last few weeks of the season and the first round of the playoffs. What a story the Caps were this year.
You guys should be proud of your team. They matched the Flyers physical play and dominated most of yesterday's game. It'll be fun watching Flyers/Caps games next season for sure.
Two things Flyers fans and Capitals fans can agree on:
boodgiesdad, I think you're right as to the thought process (if there was one). But it really just emphasizes how moronic the decision is. Exact same thing happens twice in a row, and the result is different. I wish the NHL refs as a whole weren't so gutless; there is no reason that rules should not be enforced in the playoffs (and there are many reasons why they should be), other than that the refs don't have the courage to do it. This has always been a huge problem, but the regular season crackdowns have made it all the more ridiculous in comparison. And the two-ref system just makes it worse, I would suggest, since there are two brains deciding how inconsistently they want to call the game.
All that said, the refs owed the Caps a goal (and a penalty from the same play), and all they did was put the whistles away time and again in the 3rd when Philly was scrambling. I'd like to say it wasn't malicious or a result of donut don's inexplicable bias against the Caps, but I don't have a lot of other explanations.
Flyers fan here... and regular reader (not just because we met in rd 1).
I wasn't going to chime in about it, but I have to say it. The non-call on goalie interference sucked for the Caps, but it happens. I live in Buffalo. Don't get me started about "no goal" by Brett Hull in the finals in '99, or about the forward lateral in the Titans/Bills playoff game in 2000, and even John LeClair's goal through the side of the net against the Sabres in 2000. "Questionable" calls are a part of sports. Sucks, but we have to deal with it.
That said, the Caps played a great series, had an amazing season and have an incredibly bright future. Had Ovie played the whole series the way he played the last two games... Well, you know. Now he's broken his playoff cherry. I hope my Flyers don't meet the up with him in the first round next season.
Kudos, JP and Ken. Great writing. Keep it up.
(Oh, and let's go, Flyers! Come on, does anyone really want to see the stupid Canadiens advance any further? Can the city of Montreal handle a riot every round?)
Watching french-canadians tear up their Montreal is EXACTLY why I want the Habs to win the Cup. Knowing the Canadians, they'll follow that with a law forbidding the Habs from winning, or at least mandate that all rioting must include half-french speaking rioters and half-english speaking rioters, and any damage must be done to buisnesses that are at least 10% Canadian.
I enjoyed your views on the series. I love Philly sports, and love getting the full picture of each game, what's behind it at home for our team and our opponents.
I was going to kudo you on your blog management, but you went off and insulted philadelphia. I didn't even get upset your fans threw junk ALL over the ice. It was disappointing, but so was that loss. Everyone made excuses about it, saying it was provoked, but you know that's not true. Explain the pizza box in the celebration hug in the corner.
You and your fans can't seem to just shrug, it's a game, and admit that the better team won. The team with more regular season points, with a better season series record against the caps, who just beat the caps in a best of 7 (taking 2 on the road), was the better team.
At least I haven't seen the word "officiating" on this story. Get over it. The whole series was terrible, but you know the Caps got away with a blatant trip before getting called for the 2nd blatant trip. And Goalie interference? Baloney. A Flyer playing a puck handler, who skates backwards into his own goalie. Goalie stupidy. Don't think the officiating was fair? A Flyer with a near ruptered testicle agonizing on the ice, and play continues, Caps score. Or the blatant cross check into the goal not called that knocks a Flyer out of the game. Or the numerous occasions your OWN players pushed Flyers into Huet, while you wanted interference called for something you did to yourselves.
Dude, I don't even know what you're talking about.
but you went off and insulted philadelphia.
Where? I went as far as to delete Caps fans' comments that insulted the Philly fan base and the city, but ok.
I didn't even get upset your fans threw junk ALL over the ice. It was disappointing, but so was that loss. Everyone made excuses about it, saying it was provoked, but you know that's not true.
Which is why I said in the Game 7 thread that "as questionable as the officiating was, there is never EVER any excuse for throwing your garbage on/towards the ice. Embarrassing."
You and your fans can't seem to just shrug, it's a game, and admit that the better team won.
Again, huh? I congratulated the Flyers and their fans IN THIS POST. I can't control how others are going to react, though.
The whole series was terrible, but you know the Caps got away with a blatant trip before getting called for the 2nd blatant trip.
Agreed, which made the second call inconsistent which is what is so frustrating to any athlete, coach or fan - not knowing what is or isn't a penalty.
But thanks for the kind words you led with, I guess.
I don't think the play leading to the second Flyers goal was goalie interference, but I do think that Thoresen checked Morrisonn when Morrisonn didn't have the puck, causing him to make contact with Huet. The penalty wasn't Thoresen on Huet, it was Thoresen on Morrisonn.
And re the play where the Capitals scored while Thoresen was hurt, the way hockey games are called the play doesn't stop until the team with the injured player touches the puck unless it's a situation that requires immediate medical attention. The Flyers players and management said several times that it was the right call.
I do agree though that the officiating was terrible all series...who knows how things would have played out if it had been called well?
Don't know if you were questioning my thought process, (suspect as that always is), or the ref's. I actually began to get truly irritated at the officiating in the NHL after the all star break. Perhaps that was parallel with the increase in my expectations for the Caps this season, but every game I attended in February and March left me fuming over the inconsistency of the calls.
I have been a multi-game ticket holder since the '80-81 season, and I have never felt this way before. The sad thing for me is that the Caps and Flyers played so close in this series that the stripes decided the series. It should never, never be that way.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Missed it the first time through the comments but I believe the NFL Network did some analysis on the Music City Miracle and determined the right call was made.
This video might be that (I dont know, I'm having trouble playing videos on the computer right now).
boodgiesdad, I was agreeing with you and then got on a rambling tirade (happens with me a lot, unfortunately). I'm in total agreement.
This has become a really pathetic trend. Every year, the league says we're going to enforce the rules and crack down. Every year things get off to a decent start. Every year, the refs lose their nerve or will at some point and it becomes just like the previous season. And every year, they throw the rule book away in the playoffs. It's a joke, and now not only do you have refs who can't even keep it consistent within the same game because they call penalties differently throughout the year, but there are two refs on the ice with the same problem.
Grapejoos said: "Every year, the refs lose their nerve or will at some point and it becomes just like the previous season. And every year, they throw the rule book away in the playoffs."
Which is, of course, a consistency. This is exactly why I'm not going to get too worked up over bad officiating. First it evens out over a season, second it is always there, a part of every sport, and third, we get the benefit of replay, angles and commentary after the fact that raises the level of a single event in a large series of events to undue importance. I could list twenty things I find frustrating about being a hockey fan and the refs would be in the middle of the list.
And if anyone that threw things on the ice Tuesday night is here, thanks for making our fans unfairly labelled stupid slobs. I keep meaning to voice my displeasure at that shit. It was classless.
118 comments:
I'm friggin' spent.
JP,
You said it.
A series of "what ifs". I'm damn excited about next year though.
Wow, what a ride! Thanks Caps! See ya next season.
FYI:
"Goaltender Olie Kolzig removed his name plate from his locker here at Verizon Center after tonight's 3-2 overtime loss to Philly. Kolzig declined to speak to reporters, but that gesture seems to say it all about his future with the organization."
It's been an amazing run, Caps are the best and we have a great team here in Washington !
P.S. I am a wreck though. And it's not the flyers, its not their fans. Its those animals called zebras. Damn them!
It's been a helluva ride.
The Caps stared down elimination three times and wouldn't succumb until after the regulation time ended in the series. The Flyers to their credit did the little things right in the end by beating us along the boards and into a penalty situation. The Caps battled one last time all the way until less than a few ticks remained in the short handed situation, the puck escaped from Huet's sight and it was tapped behind him.
This team has earned my respect beyond any group of players who ever donned a Capitals' sweater.
No shame. No anger. No regrets. They fought 'til the last.
It's been a helluva ride!
Oh and the refs suck too!
At least I won't be stressed out anymore. This has been a great year.
BTW, now with the Rags, the Pens and Philly in the next round, I am jumping on board the Canadiens bandwagon.
Olie must have planned that in March.
"Goaltender Olie Kolzig removed his name plate from his locker here at Verizon Center after tonight's 3-2 overtime loss to Philly. Kolzig declined to speak to reporters, but that gesture seems to say it all about his future with the organization."
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK.
Go ahead and just ice this fucking cake of misery and tell me my mother just got shot or something. Good god.
I should've just gone to bed.
Quite a ride... guess I dont have to renew that anti-anxiety scrip in the morning.
Thanks for a great year boys and I'll miss ya Olie.
JP, Thank you for the great captions. LMAO more than once, great blogging!
On to the late spring tradition of pulling for whatever Canadian teams are left!
Hell of a ride caps, this is a special team and I can't wait for what's to come!
I'm friggin' spent..
That pretty much says it all. I wish the Caps had won of course, but I'm far too young to be losing my hair or developing heart conditions or ulcers because of this team.
Well, like I said in the game 7 open thread, see you guys around.
Thanks for putting up with my rantings, I know I can be annoying.
But fret not, because unless some serious changes happen with the referees/referee system by next season, I won't watch the NHL anymore. I hate to say it, because I've been a huge fan since I was 4, but this is the final straw. I'm sick of tuning in and finding not sport, but some fat fucking gambling addict determining the game's outcome. I watch hockey for the sport. And that's all but fucking gone anymore. It's no longer who's the better team. It's who's the ref's favorite? I can't watch that shit. I can't watch shitty people get away with being shitty. Infuriating isn't a strong enough word to convey this idea.
See you later, Japers' Rink.
Y'know, Haz, buddy, nobody is putting a gun to your head to watch the NHL. Chill the hell out. Switch to decaf, go for a walk, pick up a hobby. Cuz you just sound like the Caps fans trying to pick a fight after tonight's game.
JP - great season. I learn more about hockey reading this site than I'd ever imagine.
What's the official ruling on the Thoresen-shoving-Morrisonn-into-Huet play?
"Explanation on Philadelphia’s second goal at 9:47 of the second period – Washington's Shaone Morrisonn plays the puck and Philadelphia's Patrick Thoresen lays a legal body check on Morrisonn. No Philadelphia player makes contact with Washington goaltender Cristobal Huet (Rule 69). This play is not reviewable."
http://stanleycupplayoffs2008.com/latestNews.aspx
Y'know, Haz, buddy, nobody is putting a gun to your head to watch the NHL. Chill the hell out. Switch to decaf, go for a walk, pick up a hobby. Cuz you just sound like the Caps fans trying to pick a fight after tonight's game.
No one's forcing me to watch the NHL? Well son of a bitch, WHO'D HAVE THUNK IT. No shit no one's forcing me to watch, that doesn't mean I have to like what I see. That doesn't mean I have to be silent about it. That also doesn't mean I can't declare I'm done with it and list the reasons why. How am I attempting to pick a fight, here? How does it even SOUND like I'm attempting to pick a fight with anyone? All it sounds like is that I'm fed up with watching bullshit happen and watching bad people get away with ruining a league that ought to be better than that.
I'm a life-long fan that's sick of having a black-and-white-striped-dick rammed up my sport's ass. Nothing more, nothing less.
Of course I'm far more vocal about things that involve the caps, because they're my home team. However, if you want me to give some time to other teams who got boned, then I can do that too. I believe it was dallas that had one washed out simply because gigeuire (I know I butchered that one) didn't see it. Bullshit. I saw a bunch of crap happen against nashville in their series with detroit. Detroit is always fucking cheated for, anyone saying otherwise may as well wear tin foil.
There's a ton of bullshit happening all around that needs to be stopped. This particular game, however, is the single biggest crock of shit I've witnessed in my lifetime. And this is why I'm done with the NHL unless some serious turnarounds are made. I want to believe they're going to fix it SOMEWHERE along the line. But it gets harder and harder to believe.
Oh, you posted that ruling here too.
Heh, yeah, this little phrase sums up exactly why I refuse to watch anymore games.
"This play is not reviewable."
Everything should be reviewable. Every. Single. Thing. Why is anything unreviewable? To let referees do what they do best(worst).
As for me...I'm tuning out of hockey until June 10.
Good series, Caps fans.
Thanks for having me.
JP, I guess you meant that you would be inside a bar outside the movie entrance? I went into the arena looking for a bar inside, and couldn't find one. Sorry.
After the hand shake and the capitals left the ice...scott hartnell skated down the length of the ice waving good-bye to our fans...so here's hoping when the canadiens beat the flyers...he gets a ride home in a montreal police car.
Fuck Scott Hartnell, and his waving goodbye. I was okay with everything, I had accepted our hard fought loss, but that DICK.
Before I sign out. Please tell me where is the difference between the Caps goal that was disallowed in Apr 4 game with Tampa and the goal 2 that was scored tonight by the Flyers, allowed and not even reviewed?
I have to defend my man Haz and say to chill on the 'chill'. People need to vent their anger in different ways. Plus things are emotional right now. If anyone is going to stop watching hockey then they probably won't be on this blog anymore, so, problem solved.
If some ass clown like Hartnell decided to represent the classless city he plays for by being classless himself, that's fine. The Flyers can rev up for another decade of mediocrity, winning a round here and there and pining for 1975. They'll be an afterthought while the Caps are playing deep into next Spring. Pretty much everyone loses their first go around. Gretzky, Lemieux, Jordan....Ovechkin.
The biggest cluster of Flyers fans was in the section Hartnell was waving to. It's possible it was to them.
Unlikely, but possible.
Although, the fans were throwing garbage at him. He doesn't need to be classy in that situation.
I can't believe people were throwing stuff on the ice. That was a disgrace.
"Goaltender Olie Kolzig removed his name plate from his locker here at Verizon Center after tonight's 3-2 overtime loss to Philly. Kolzig declined to speak to reporters, but that gesture seems to say it all about his future with the organization."
Whatever. It sucks to get old, to lose the limelight, to accept the end of your career. Blow off steam, but the team didn't slight you. Without Huet, there would have been no playoffs, no game 7, no sellouts. Don't make us take sides Olie, because we are Capitals fans first.
At least I am.
Hartnell was in fact waving to Flyers fans, and one in particular to whom he pointed, at least that's the way it looked to me.
If any of those calls had gone against the Flyers and for the Caps, and we won the game because of it I'd take it with heaping helpings of gratitude, so I'm not going to be too upset.I just wish we had been given equal and consistent calls. That's what pains me. One thing is a penalty against the Caps but not against our opposition. And since when do two refs and two linesmen miss a puck hitting the meshing? That was a disgrace.
If Ollie wishes to leave the team I'd hate that, if he's going to leave hockey I hope he goes into a studio or booth because the NHL Network needs him.
Well, for what's it's worth, since I've found this blog it is the first thing I read the three times I check my computer. And I read every single comment. It's been great going through this run, Ovie's mvp chase, and the race for the playoffs with JP and the rest of you. Even Ben. Haz, come on back.
I am covered by the slimy putrid residue of crushed hope and it's smothering me, so I'll close with, Let's go Rangers, and Let's go Habs!
One last bit before I go to bed, I thought this was rather interesting.
The NHL claims the second goal was legal due to Mo playing the puck and then getting hit?
He never touched the puck (unless you count it bouncing off him as he goes flying into Huet). He was hit before he ever got close to having possession.
http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule67.html
specifically:
A minor penalty shall be imposed on an attacking player who deliberately checks a defensive player, including the goalkeeper, who is not in possession of the puck.
Good game, NHL, but you can't just change your mind on a whim.
Morrison was contending for possession of the puck, which makes it not interference, just like when people check each other when going to tag for icing before they actually touch the puck.
The refs know the rules.
OK I realize I'm not gonna get any sympathy here, but this Thursday start for the Flyers second round is absolutely brutal. Three games in four days in the playoffs (in two different series) is pretty unheard of.
Anyone know any bars in DC that would have Center Ice? Friggin Versus isn't showing Game 1.
Still happy to be a Caps fan!!! now lets spend the next week discussing who to re-sign first, green or Huet?
P.S. Thanks JP for the great posts this past season!
BTW: Hockey this Morning stated the game was sold to 98% capacity...really? If I had known I could've shown up and bought a ticket at face value...I would've
Not true, Chuck. 18,277 is a sellout.
Hey Haz,
Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
1) The Olie Kolzig chapter may not quite be over. If the caps don't quickly (before July 1) come to terms with Huet the team may have little choice but to resign him. Just have a feeling Huet, despite the late season heroics isn't going to stay.
2) Can really see him going back to where he (and his wife) feel more comfortable, Canada. Specifically Ottawa who will probably be in need of a starting goalie once Ray Emory is bought out
3) Speaking of bought out, it might not be a bad idea to either trade or buy out the last year of Kozlov's contract. If he wasn't hurt he sure played like it in the playoffs. Showing no emotion/drive etc. That money would be better spent on Fedorov.
4) As for the playoff disappointment. Have to loom at the last month and especially the last 2-3 weeks as the caps first and second rounds. They had game 7's every night. Its hard to stay at that level and not pay for it. Job well done guys!
Way to take the high road, JP. I was at last night's game, and although I was pissed about some of the officiating, it's hard not to look back now and see what a great season it ended up being.
F*** the high road.
at least i have my life back now...
I'm with a lot of you here. I'm just wiped out. In all the years of rooting for the Caps, I don't remember a season like this.
The run in the playoffs of '98 was amazing, but hell, just the regular season alone this year was crazy!
Can't wait for October!
As for Kolzig, I can understand him feeling left on the curb. I hope it doesn't develop into some long and painful period of dislike.
It was a tough year - some people turned on Olie,which was disappointing to see. There were so many times this year when a puck would go in and I'd think "Damn, he'd have stopped that one last year". I felt bad for HIM, because winning & losing is one thing. I also WANTED Olie to do well.
The highlight was the long shootout we had where Olie stopped ALL of them. I was glad we won, but I felt better for HIM.
:(
let the goalie dilemma begin...
Congrats on a great season from a Flyers fan. Caps have a great team, and I have nothing but respect for them, and dread playing against Ovie for the next decade.
Also, great job on the blog, which I really enjoyed reading all series. Keep it up.
Caps Fans you have a bright future thats for sure. What a series. See you around!
Some of the Caps already had plans to shoot golf with some of the Canes in Pinehurst this week anyways.
Congrats Caps fans on a good year....You guys don't want to hear it now, but in time you'll realize the organization took a lot of huge steps this season and should be better off for it very soon.
are you really asking us where you can wacth your next flyers game? try the Go Fuck Yourself Bar and grill on third. i hopr you die
You want to talk about a bright future? 18 of the 20 goals the Caps got in this series were scored by players 24 or younger. Someone name me a team that has a better core of young players? And, yes, I'm including Pittsburgh. Is it October yet?
regards to Hartnell
i sit in 216 row A, and i had a flawless view of the waves and maybe it was to the flyers fans, (i saw a group of four woman (one might have been a man) in that section)....but it was absolutely a $&#^ you to the caps fans also...for one thing the waves were in a back and forth "shooing" or "bye-bye" manner and secondly he pointed to particular caps fans like Eliot
Thanks for your fantastic Caps coverage all season, JP. What a ride.
My overwhelming sentiment moments after the winning goal, and even more so today, is that I've never been more excited and proud after a crushing loss as I am right now. I personally feel Olie making that statement is good news for this team. No ambiguity, or awkwardness to address going forward. We're done with him (as a No. 1) and he's done with us. Let's all be big hockey fans and move on. With the $$ we should get back from the Olie contract and Jagr being off the payroll, we will have some nice leverage with Huet, or whoever we are after.
Again, what more could you ask for from a team of kids mostly in their early 20s?
Yeah I wouldn't worry about Kolzig. He was a great goalie and loyal to the franchise, but it's business.
Toronto loved Cujo, and Toronto loved Belfour, but the Leafs said goodbye to both of them when their time was up.
You want to talk about a bright future? 18 of the 20 goals the Caps got in this series were scored by players 24 or younger. Someone name me a team that has a better core of young players? And, yes, I'm including Pittsburgh. Is it October yet?
Richards, Carter, and Coburn are all 23. Lupol, Upshall, and Thoresen are 24. Umberger is 25. Randy Jones and Kukkonen are 26. This rivalry should be very good for a long time.
Not to defend Hartnell but he was definitely waving to a group of four Flyers fans. I was sitting directly behind them. It was kind of funny because they were wearing orange A&F shirts instead of Flyer garb, but they were definitely rooting for Philly. And it was three girls and one guy, and two of the women were absolute knockouts. In fact one of them may have been his wife. He's sill a dick for that phony dive.
youre way off base on this one jp, no congratulations are in order the the dirty flyers or their scumbag fans. they didnt earn anything they got, and i hope montreal sweeps them, even though im done watching the playoffs. fuck this.
First, thanks to jp for running this blog.
Second, like many others, I am emotionally crushed from this loss. Not because of the result, but because this team worked so hard and deserved better. The refs flat out stole two games from the Caps in this series, and the officiating has simply been the worst I have ever seen. I am not going to turn this into a diatribe against the refs, but the NHL needs to teach people the rules. It's a joke. It's NBA-bad. I completely understand where guys like Hazardous are coming from. How is it not diving to pretend like you are paralyzed until you realize there is no call coming? Is this Italian soccer (no offense to Italians...)? When official explanations are 100% contrary to the facts such as the no-goal (and the Caps have had the exact same play result in a no goal this season), the stink is unbearable. I'm not going to say "cheated but not defeated," but goddamn.
Third, this team has a bright future. This has been the best season for me as a Caps fan, including '98. That line about this being the end of the beginning is true. I knew they weren't winning the Cup this year, but they deserved the chance to determine their own fate. This team is going to be a force in the league for a decade as a result of their young talent and the strides they've taken this year. Hopefully they learn something from this (like, you can't spot the other team a 3-1 lead). I could not be more proud of the team or the fans.
As for the Flyers, I hope that Montreal dispatches these diving, gutless, cheating babies in haste. They have maybe eclipsed the Pens as my most hated team after last night. Let's go Habs.
"Richards, Carter, and Coburn are all 23. Lupol, Upshall, and Thoresen are 24. Umberger is 25. Randy Jones and Kukkonen are 26."
EXACTLY, douche bag
Richards, Carter, and Coburn are all 23. Lupol, Upshall, and Thoresen are 24. Umberger is 25. Randy Jones and Kukkonen are 26. This rivalry should be very good for a long time.
It's gonna be hard to establish a rivalry if they keep playing each other only four times a regular season. They might meet again in the playoffs, but this is their first meeting in 20 years, so who knows. Hopefully the scheduling changes, or even more better, the division alignment.
Enough.
Hey its not just Philly.....
http://www.the700level.com/2008/04/caps-fans-litte.html#more
Great series we'll be seeing you for the next 10 years with these young guns for both teams.
JP....what was wrong with the last post thatw as up there?
I don't want to be babysitting you guys all day. Play nice or don't play.
For Flyer fans trolling, do you guys go to funerals and taunt with, "Ha ha - that's your dad in the casket!" or go to hospitals and jeer patients in the radiology ward with "CAAAAAAN-CERRRRR, CAAAAAN-CERRRR"? Show class and let us mourn/vent/whatever in peace, can't you?
And for Caps fans, celebrate the season, vent about the refs or the opponent, talk about what the Caps need to change... but lay off the other team's fans. If the aftermath of last night's game showed anything, it's that a few morons aren't representative of a whole fan base, so don't generalize.
Btw, b.orr4 - Sec. 112? That Flyer girl closest to the aisle was smokin' hot.
Oh, and thanks to everyone for the kind words sent in my direction - you guys are why I waste, err, spend so much time on this.
You got it right, JP. Jesus, she was gorgeous. I think I spent more time watching her than the game.
Yeah. Her friend on the other end looked a little more stripper-y, but this one was an absolute peach.
The Caps have never won a big game like that in in the phone booth. I can't take it anymore. See you next year.
What did I say? What did I say? I don't even remember what I said, but apparently it got deleted...
I didn't delete any of your comments, Deuce. It was an anonymous one. Maybe Blogger ate your comment.
As for that last anonymous one that I deleted - you don't seem to get it. This is MY blog. It is a CAPS blog. If you're looking for parity between how Caps fans act when any given shoe is on the other foot, you've clearly come to the wrong place.
Oh god, the anonymous Canes fan is back. I know it's you because the "dude" gave you away. I'm flattered you're so fascinated with the Caps, but both our seasons are over. You really need to let it go.
Thanks, JP. Like family at a funeral, we need to mourn in private.
Congrats on a great season. The Caps really picked it up and made things exciting, and it was a fun series as well.
Also, great work by JP on this fine blog, and big-ups to the commenters for being more classy than the few bad apples who threw trash last night.
We'll see ya next year.
well, it was a fun ride. Thanks for letting all the Leafs fans aboard. I second the spent feeling
i'm going to be spending the day in bed/on my couch wallowing, but the fact of the matter is i am SO proud of our boys. they did amazing this season. i can't wait for next season to begin. i hate summer!!!
It's been a good season. Shame it ended how it did. However, as far as Haz is concerned, he'll yell and scream, but he'll be(likely) back for the start of next year. If I had a penny for every time I heard him yell "I'm never watching this shit again" and then came back to watch it, I wouldn't be fretting finding money for my 5th year of college.
Well, it's good to hear I didn't get deleted. It went something like this:
Nastyemu -- ask any NHL GM which roster they would rather have for the next 5 years:
Richards, Carter, Coburn, Lupol, Upshall, Thoresen, Umberger, Randy Jones, Kukkonen, and VanReimswhaver
OR
Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom, Laich (did I really say Brooks freakin' Laich???!), Green, Alzner, Morrisson (I think Morrisson's good, right?)
I know which roster I'm taking. In a heartbeat.
About Hartnell waving being classless...how does that compare to Ovechkin egging on the boos in Buffalo after scoring a goal? Just sayin'....
It was a bitter loss...not because we lost to the Flyers, but because of the amount of influence bad officiating had in the outcome of the game. Bad calls will happen, but this game (and Games 4 and 5, for that matter) featured some mind-numbingly, inexplixable calls and non-calls that lead to goals. It sucks. If the Flyers had beaten the Caps cleanly, I would have been all right with that, but that didn't happen last night. The refs put Philly ahead on a goal that should have been disallowed, and then called a ticky-tack penalty in OT after not calling a thing for more than a period. Insane. Let the teams determine it.
The Capitals have nothing to be ashamed about. It was a great ride.
JP-thanks for your efforts; it's been a great ride and a lot of fun.
Despite last night's tough luck, this franchise is ready to move up in the eastern conference. Assuming we sign Huet and Feds, I feel that we are perhaps one power forward RW and one shut down D man away from being a force next year and beyond. We have more kids in the pipeline too, which bodes well for us. Here's an excellent place to start shopping:
http://www.nhlnumbers.com/freeagents.php
I found going to the overview for each team very interesting as well
And much as it pains me to say it, hats off to the Flyers...they deserved the win last night. To come into our building and win 24 hours after getting knocked off their pegs at home says a lot about their hockey team. I don't think too many rational people, either fans or just interested onlookers, gave them much of a chance
So congrats. And I hope they get smoked by the Habs.
I think the worst part is that we are only 11 days closer to next season than we would be otherwise. amazing while it lasted.
Yeah Maaan, but it was one hell of an 11 days.
Um, exwhaler, Ovechkin was being booed mercilessly and we were down by like 4 goals when he did that. He was frustrated. And it was a regulation game. Hartnell was essentially flicking of 20,000 people who had just been punched in the stomach, and who were trying to applaud the Caps' effort this year. Don't compare apples to oranges. Hartnell is a chump and a punk, and everybody around the league knows it. OV is a class act. Just listen to his comments after last night's loss. You'll never hear anything that humble, eloquent, and classy out of Hartnell's mouth. Ever.
Thanks for the fun ride. Too bad the bandwagon got de-railed by Donuts Koharski.
p.s. JP - great work all year and thanks for the welcome in the playoffs.
Deuce, Ovie is one hell of a competitor no two ways about it. But in his short career he has definitely made it a point to stick it to opposing fans given a chance. It's in his nature. I remember way back when he was playing in the World Juniors in N. Dakota and he riled up the US crowd by doing a mocking mile high salute whenever he scored. Personally, I wouldn't want him any other way. I'm just glad he plays for a team I support.
A little light to alleviate the darkness, the Calder candidates were announced today. Kane, Backstrom, Toews.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=235570&lid=sublink01&lpos=headlines_nhl
No surprises really. Except perhaps Toews. I was kind of expecting Price to be named. As a Hawks fan primarily I can say that if Backis won, he deserved it richly. It was a blast to see the level of his game rise against the Flyers. He is as close to Forsberg as I've seen.
Re: Hartnell
He may be an asshole, he may be classless, but I think pretty much every team in the NHL would want him on their powerplay. Think how much he would have helped us.
Nice work, JP and Ken. Here's to next season.
I've followed the Caps since about '94 and have been lurking here for a while now. Want to say Thanks! to the Caps for one hell of an entertaining last couple of months, and to JP for great blog.
While I never stopped following the caps, my involvement went way down. I've enjoyed following the team again the last few months however and look forward to next season.
Also, this series really highlights for me one of the reasons why my level of hockey interest went way down - and that would be the officiating.
I love Hockey (it's the only sport I follow really), but I really got tired of some games being totally thrown off by poor refs. And it's not because big games can be (or seem to be) won/lost due to them, it's simply the lack of consistency.
The NHL needs to embrace some sort of oversight on all calls, not just the few the rules allow for now. Allow the coach to call for a challenge, similar to how the NHL does it. Or let someone in the review booth call down. *Something* because right now, as a fan of the game, I'm put off by the current (lack of) system/rules, and find myself turning to other forms of entertainment.
The current state simply makes hockey less enjoyable for me. Am I alone in this thinking?
Morrison was contending for possession of the puck, which makes it not interference, just like when people check each other when going to tag for icing before they actually touch the puck.
The refs know the rules.
The puck wasn't near him, so no he wasn't, douchebag. Fuck off and enjoy your ass-raping Montreal is going to give you.
Hey Haz,
Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Hey anonymous,
Choke and die.
However, as far as Haz is concerned, he'll yell and scream, but he'll be(likely) back for the start of next year. If I had a penny for every time I heard him yell "I'm never watching this shit again" and then came back to watch it, I wouldn't be fretting finding money for my 5th year of college.
Goddamn you. sdkhfkashgkasdjhg.
they deserved the win last night.
Lol no.
@Ben: Not in the District but Bugsy's in Alexandria (100 block of King Street) has Center Ice. The place is small but has a ton of TVs.
JP- I've really enjoyed reading your blog since the start of the series- found it from a link at the700.level.com- and the insightful analysis. I particularly enjoyed the pre-series post highlighting some of the battles the Caps and Flyers have waged over the years.
As a lifelong Flyers fan- and former season ticket holder- my hat is off to the Caps: they made huge strides in the last two weeks. I think DC is going to have a lot to look forward to with regard to the Caps for the next 10 years.
Great work as always guys. Last night was a stomach punch, and i'll be consise in rehashing what has already been said by saying I too wish the game was decided without multiple questionable calls that went against us.
I am officially adopting the Montreal Canadiens for the rest of the playoffs.
Thank you to the flyers fans who have shown some class. I honestly didn't think that type of Flyers fan existed.
Ovechkin vs. Harnell? If Hartnell was waving off the Caps fans it was at the end of a seven game ELIMINATION series that his team won. Ovechkin's actions come in the heat of battle while the outcome is still in doubt. Ovechkin, as I remember, once gave his stick to a young Flyers fan IN Philly after a game. Ovechkin, in the handshake line after last night's game hugged 70% of the Flyers, at least.
That said, I'm still not convinced Hartnell meant his gesture to the Caps fans as a whole.
"Next year" is a phrase I've used to say good-bye to the FAMILY members of 416 every year. I've never said it with as much hope and genuine enthusiasm as last night, and I was in the grips of utter pain. I'm even more excited as my wife has agreed to get a parking pass for the games so we can avoid the over-priced over-crammed, under-reliable Metro for the last third of our two hour trip to games.
Signing a goalie is more important now than signing Green, and Ollie should not be the top priority. If Huet walks, so be it. But we need a backstopper with the quickness and lateral movement Ollie no longer posses. Atlanta is not going to continue to suck, Carolina is going to still be fast, Tampa Bay will get better (how could they not?) and Florida moved up on speed alone. We will remain a better team than all of them, but only if we can keep them from scoring.
As for Green, he consistently made comments about how boring he found D.C. And his "Caps Cribs" segment showed a rather small sparse apartment that didn't look long-term. We do have his favorite coach, and I know he'd stay for the money, but will we out-bid other teams like Rangers, Islanders or Habs? I can see Penguins wanting him. Imagine Gonch and Greeny on one team...
Is there any room here for a sympathetic Flyers fan who knows a little about heartbreaking playoff exits?
Started reading this and other Caps blogs at the beginning of the series. I don't like Leonsis much, but if he got one thing right, it's this--the Capitals' blogosphere trumps the Flyers' and then some.
Two quick notes:
-I think Lupul knocked down Timonen's shot in an attempt to deflect it. It would explain Huet's reaction: The puck never hit him, so he assumed it went behind him. Unfortunate for Huet, who came on strong at the end of the series.
-Shaone Morrisonn (who can't spell either of his names correctly) did play the puck (contrary to what some have said on here; I've watched it several times on DVR, slow-mo'd), so I think Thoreson's hit was clean. However, there might still be an argument for the interference call in Thoreson's use of a hockey stick as a lap bar, restraining both Shaone Jaone and Huet to the ice. Briefly, but there's certain more cause for complaint there; the contact in front of the net was a pure hockey play.
Great series, shame the reffing played a role. I want more of these in the future.
like I said before, Haz...decaf
I guess your idea of played the puck is "it was sort of near him for a second." It's a fucking interference call. Plain and simple. It's especially an interference call if half the calls against the caps were "legit."
I've fucking seen it all. It's not a coincidence that there's been a million and a half "What the fuck, can you do that to a goalie??!" moments coming from caps fans. Thank your lucky stars you're weasely enough to get away with them against us, because you sure as shit won't get that same leeway with Price.
Y'know, b.orr4, I think that was Hartnell's wife. Check out her pic in this slideshow. If that is her, she looked better last night.
JP-
Thanks for everything. Your blog became essential reading for me, especially down the stretch, so please keep it up. Kudos to you also for deleting some of the vitriol being spewed around. Hockey is a tough game but that doesn't mean the level of discourse has to sink to some new low.
I've been a somewhat uninvolved STH for a few years but if the sick feeling in my stomach and sleepless night are any indication, those days are long gone. Last night totally sucked but there's lots of hope for the future which is what I'm choosing to focus on, as opposed to major angst over the officiating.
It was a great season. Already looking forward to October.
Your right, JP. That's her. She was in the seat closest to the aisle. And yes, she was definitely hotter last night. I hope this puts all the "Hartnell is low-life dick for taunting the fans" comments to rest.
Yeah, that chick is strong.
Folks-
It hurts, that's for sure, but I have the philosophy that, no matter what happens from today on, no fans in the NHL this year had more fun that we did. Even before the playoffs started, I was excited about next season and seeing a whole season of the kind of hockey we have enjoyed here recently. I gave up my season tickets when the Caps moved downtown, but I'm coming back next year.
The Cup will come to Washington, I know it now, and I want to be there when it happens!
Tarik's explanation of the injuries is eye opening. Muffins with the hammy. Shaone with the jaw. Green (as we all knew) had a couple injuries before Game 7. AO had something undisclosed wrong as well.
Kudos to those guys for playing through.
Scary to hear that Potsie is probably done and there is still "concern" over Clark's groin injury.
Correction...Gordo played through a torn hammy. This is the same guy who earlier this year finished a game with a broken hand...and scored the winning goal in the shootout.
I think I know who's number is going on my jersey....
i don't think any other team in the NHL could have "matured" the Caps in 7 games like the Flyers did.
All in all a good series, marred only by shaky officiating. the Caps will be a force next year.
I think re-signing Green has to be the top priority. He is one of the 3-4 best players on the team and is our best defenseman by a country mile overall (not necessarily in the "defense" department). However, I doubt he'll go anywhere.
As for goalie, I'd be happy to bring back Huet. Not sure what our other options are. I think Theodore is also a FA but I'm not sure it's an upgrade and he'd certainly expect more money.
And Hartnell's wife: she's hot but can someone get that woman a sandwich? Yikes.
I haven't seen the replay several times like some, but I didn't see the puck near Morrisson when he got hit. And even if it was, that's still goaltender interference. The Caps had a very similar goal disallowed in a game near the end of the season. It's a blown call, period, but it counted and there's nothing that can be done about that now.
And by the way, the penalty in OT wasn't the wrong call. But I'm not sure it was the right call, either, after the way the refs called the 3rd period.
Grapejoos nailed it. Was the penalty on Poti a trip? Absolutely. Was it a trip the way they were calling the game at that point? Absolutely not.
All anyone asks for is consistency. It's even more important than getting most of the calls right, really.
He also nailed it on Hartnell's old lady - she's way thin.
I think the problem for the Caps was that a minute or so earlier there was a very similar trip that wasn't called. I think the ref may have given them the pass for the first one, but couldn't let two go by...
JP, thanks for the great blog. I'm a Flyers fan, but have frequented your blog throughout the last few weeks of the season and the first round of the playoffs. What a story the Caps were this year.
You guys should be proud of your team. They matched the Flyers physical play and dominated most of yesterday's game. It'll be fun watching Flyers/Caps games next season for sure.
Two things Flyers fans and Capitals fans can agree on:
1. We all hate the Penguins
2. Ovechkin > Crosby
Thanks again, JP.
boodgiesdad,
I think you're right as to the thought process (if there was one). But it really just emphasizes how moronic the decision is. Exact same thing happens twice in a row, and the result is different. I wish the NHL refs as a whole weren't so gutless; there is no reason that rules should not be enforced in the playoffs (and there are many reasons why they should be), other than that the refs don't have the courage to do it. This has always been a huge problem, but the regular season crackdowns have made it all the more ridiculous in comparison. And the two-ref system just makes it worse, I would suggest, since there are two brains deciding how inconsistently they want to call the game.
All that said, the refs owed the Caps a goal (and a penalty from the same play), and all they did was put the whistles away time and again in the 3rd when Philly was scrambling. I'd like to say it wasn't malicious or a result of donut don's inexplicable bias against the Caps, but I don't have a lot of other explanations.
Flyers fan here... and regular reader (not just because we met in rd 1).
I wasn't going to chime in about it, but I have to say it. The non-call on goalie interference sucked for the Caps, but it happens. I live in Buffalo. Don't get me started about "no goal" by Brett Hull in the finals in '99, or about the forward lateral in the Titans/Bills playoff game in 2000, and even John LeClair's goal through the side of the net against the Sabres in 2000. "Questionable" calls are a part of sports. Sucks, but we have to deal with it.
That said, the Caps played a great series, had an amazing season and have an incredibly bright future. Had Ovie played the whole series the way he played the last two games... Well, you know. Now he's broken his playoff cherry. I hope my Flyers don't meet the up with him in the first round next season.
Kudos, JP and Ken. Great writing. Keep it up.
(Oh, and let's go, Flyers! Come on, does anyone really want to see the stupid Canadiens advance any further? Can the city of Montreal handle a riot every round?)
Watching french-canadians tear up their Montreal is EXACTLY why I want the Habs to win the Cup. Knowing the Canadians, they'll follow that with a law forbidding the Habs from winning, or at least mandate that all rioting must include half-french speaking rioters and half-english speaking rioters, and any damage must be done to buisnesses that are at least 10% Canadian.
@ JP -
I enjoyed your views on the series. I love Philly sports, and love getting the full picture of each game, what's behind it at home for our team and our opponents.
I was going to kudo you on your blog management, but you went off and insulted philadelphia. I didn't even get upset your fans threw junk ALL over the ice. It was disappointing, but so was that loss. Everyone made excuses about it, saying it was provoked, but you know that's not true. Explain the pizza box in the celebration hug in the corner.
You and your fans can't seem to just shrug, it's a game, and admit that the better team won. The team with more regular season points, with a better season series record against the caps, who just beat the caps in a best of 7 (taking 2 on the road), was the better team.
At least I haven't seen the word "officiating" on this story. Get over it. The whole series was terrible, but you know the Caps got away with a blatant trip before getting called for the 2nd blatant trip. And Goalie interference? Baloney. A Flyer playing a puck handler, who skates backwards into his own goalie. Goalie stupidy. Don't think the officiating was fair? A Flyer with a near ruptered testicle agonizing on the ice, and play continues, Caps score. Or the blatant cross check into the goal not called that knocks a Flyer out of the game. Or the numerous occasions your OWN players pushed Flyers into Huet, while you wanted interference called for something you did to yourselves.
...and diving. but whatever.
Dude, I don't even know what you're talking about.
but you went off and insulted philadelphia.
Where? I went as far as to delete Caps fans' comments that insulted the Philly fan base and the city, but ok.
I didn't even get upset your fans threw junk ALL over the ice. It was disappointing, but so was that loss. Everyone made excuses about it, saying it was provoked, but you know that's not true.
Which is why I said in the Game 7 thread that "as questionable as the officiating was, there is never EVER any excuse for throwing your garbage on/towards the ice. Embarrassing."
You and your fans can't seem to just shrug, it's a game, and admit that the better team won.
Again, huh? I congratulated the Flyers and their fans IN THIS POST. I can't control how others are going to react, though.
The whole series was terrible, but you know the Caps got away with a blatant trip before getting called for the 2nd blatant trip.
Agreed, which made the second call inconsistent which is what is so frustrating to any athlete, coach or fan - not knowing what is or isn't a penalty.
But thanks for the kind words you led with, I guess.
beren,
I don't think the play leading to the second Flyers goal was goalie interference, but I do think that Thoresen checked Morrisonn when Morrisonn didn't have the puck, causing him to make contact with Huet. The penalty wasn't Thoresen on Huet, it was Thoresen on Morrisonn.
And re the play where the Capitals scored while Thoresen was hurt, the way hockey games are called the play doesn't stop until the team with the injured player touches the puck unless it's a situation that requires immediate medical attention. The Flyers players and management said several times that it was the right call.
I do agree though that the officiating was terrible all series...who knows how things would have played out if it had been called well?
Grapejoos-
Don't know if you were questioning my thought process, (suspect as that always is), or the ref's. I actually began to get truly irritated at the officiating in the NHL after the all star break. Perhaps that was parallel with the increase in my expectations for the Caps this season, but every game I attended in February and March left me fuming over the inconsistency of the calls.
I have been a multi-game ticket holder since the '80-81 season, and I have never felt this way before. The sad thing for me is that the Caps and Flyers played so close in this series that the stripes decided the series. It should never, never be that way.
dunzy,
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Missed it the first time through the comments but I believe the NFL Network did some analysis on the Music City Miracle and determined the right call was made.
This video might be that (I dont know, I'm having trouble playing videos on the computer right now).
boodgiesdad,
I was agreeing with you and then got on a rambling tirade (happens with me a lot, unfortunately). I'm in total agreement.
This has become a really pathetic trend. Every year, the league says we're going to enforce the rules and crack down. Every year things get off to a decent start. Every year, the refs lose their nerve or will at some point and it becomes just like the previous season. And every year, they throw the rule book away in the playoffs. It's a joke, and now not only do you have refs who can't even keep it consistent within the same game because they call penalties differently throughout the year, but there are two refs on the ice with the same problem.
Grapejoos said: "Every year, the refs lose their nerve or will at some point and it becomes just like the previous season. And every year, they throw the rule book away in the playoffs."
Which is, of course, a consistency. This is exactly why I'm not going to get too worked up over bad officiating. First it evens out over a season, second it is always there, a part of every sport, and third, we get the benefit of replay, angles and commentary after the fact that raises the level of a single event in a large series of events to undue importance. I could list twenty things I find frustrating about being a hockey fan and the refs would be in the middle of the list.
And if anyone that threw things on the ice Tuesday night is here, thanks for making our fans unfairly labelled stupid slobs. I keep meaning to voice my displeasure at that shit. It was classless.
If I have to hear this phrase one more fucking time:
admit that the better team won.
I'm going to shoot something. That's just the problem: The better team lost. Shove off.
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