Saturday, April 05, 2008

Saturday Open Thread

One game.

One point.

One Southeast Division title.

Make it happen. Unleash the fury.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

All Carolina needed was one win and it went like this...HA!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yhE0KTtZnc

Abhinav said...

I bought my tickets a week ago, and I can not wait to get to the game tonight.

JP said...

I bought my tickets to this a month ago. Good pregame fuel, I should say.

NS said...

can't wait to get to the game tonight. thinking Fado's or RFD's for pregame hydration. (is there a better place?)

i want to see an ass whooping tonight. hopefully Vokoun still has those back spasms.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure Craig Anderson will be in goal, but he scares the hell out of me. If the Caps just keep the pressure up, the Cats should start wearing out by the second. They played their asses of last night thanks to the refs. Nine powerplays for the Canes and not one for the Panthers? Are you kidding me?

Anonymous said...

What is RFD's?

Anonymous said...

I couldn't sleep last night. I can't eat today. I couldn't be happier!!
GO CAPS!!!!!!

Billy D said...

Regional Food and Drink.

Not only is the crowd going to be CRAZY... they are also going to be drunk. Its the last Caps on Tap. Verizon Center is going to be NUTS!!!

Lets not look ahead and make sure we take care of business tonight!

Anonymous said...

Awesomest pic, JP!

Huet, Huet, Huet, Huet...
AO, AO...

http://alexovetjkin.blogspot.com/2008/04/soccer-chant-to-caps-chant-huet-huet.html

Go Caps!

Abhinav said...

Hmm, I was not aware of a beer and bourbon event prior to hockey. I should have done my homework.

I'm not totally familiar with how the re/seeding works in the playoffs. Does it matter at all for the Caps whether they get 93 or 94 points?

Abhinav said...

Also, is anyone aware of a tribute or anything for Olie after the game? Who knows if he'll play another one in this uniform...

Anonymous said...

"As for the most valuable player debate, one that in some circles hinges on the Capitals making the playoffs, there's no controversy in Washington. "I certainly recognize the value of having a player lead his team to the playoffs," one team staffer said last week. "I'm just not sure what else Alex himself could have done - it shouldn't be held against him that we didn't let him coach the team for the first six weeks."[from the G&M article in the What We're Reading list]

I wonder who that "one team staffer" is. Probably Brooks Laich.

Anonymous said...

I hope the Boys can stay loose. I sure ain't. Argggghhhhhh.

Anonymous said...

Rage,

with either 93 or 94 the Caps are first in the SE and third in the conference

Anonymous said...

Here come the Panthers!

http://carolinaonice.blogspot.com/

NS said...

T minus 6hrs43min

@JP - don't get too sauced that you can't drive to DC

Dave said...

Good luck with Craig Anderson tonight. Since there aren't Caps cheerleaders, you don't have to worry about him doing his drool/stare thing. That cat was unbelievable last night.

Anonymous said...

Game 7 of our playoff run is tonight. Do or die. Incredible.

Anonymous said...

For the love of god Caps, win this game.

And if we have the good fortune to win this game, hopefully there will be a nice Olie chant during the celebration for old times' sake.

Anonymous said...

You know what? I'm not worried.

If they can't manage a point, at home, biggest game in years, the way they've been playing, against a non-playoff team, on the second night of a back-to-back, then they don't--

Wait a sec--John Erskine just took another penalty--okay, I'm back.

--then they don't deserve to go to the playoffs. Simple as that.

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised no one's mentioned (or maybe I missed it) the suspension on cooke for his clean hit. Go figure!

Abhinav said...

DMG: Sorry, what I meant was would having 94 vs. 93 have any impact on any future seeding? I thought the NHL seeded by points after every round.

Hazardous: No one has mentioned it because there was no suspension. Just a $2500 fine.

Anonymous said...

rage,
Unless a rule has changed since the last time we made the playoffs, there is no re-seeding. We'd be the #3 throughout. If #1 and #2 lost in the first round and we didn't, we'd be the top seed for round 2 (which is what happened in the 98 cup run).

Anonymous said...

I meant fine, sorry~ XD

Joe said...

@ BIL
Erskine is 1 penalty minute shy of 500 for his career. Who'd a thunk it?

Anonymous said...

Rage,

sorry, I didn't read it as closely as I should have. I do think grapejoos is right, the seeding stays the same throughout.

Also, you're right re the Cooke fine but no suspension.

Mark Bonatucci said...

The Cooke fine is stupid - what did they fine him for - it was a clean hit, no penalty assessed and Lecavalier went into his own player, in proximity of the puck and play. How about the fact there was no fine on TB for the end of the game antics. Oh well Cooke will play tonight and his attitude is right on - from Tarik's Blog:

On another subject, forward Matt Cooke made his first comments since being fined $2,500 for his hit on Lightning star Vincent Lecavalier. Lecavalier suffered a right shoulder injury.

"Anytime a superstar gets hurt," Cooke said, "there's going to be some ramifications. Fortunately it came down to a fine and not a suspension."

"Ouellet had the puck and I had my lane to pinch him off," he added. "Vinny came in behind me and it was incidental contact. Unfortunately he got hurt. It's no different than when [defenseman Shaone Morrisonn] got hurt. He didn't touch the puck; he just turned to go get it and Jeff Hamilton was right there. It was a hockey play."

Cooke's just glad be able to play tonight.

"This is some of the most fun I've had in the National Hockey League," Cooke said. "Obviously, being in the playoffs is a whole other level. I've experienced that; a lot guys here haven't. The way we've come together in such a short time, to go on a run like we have, and get in the playoffs and have home ice. It comes at the right time for this organization and it comes at the right time for the league to have the best player continue playing."

Mark Bonatucci said...

Oh Forgot this - LETS GO CAPS!!!!!

Red Rover said...

sweet pic, I AM PUMPED

Mark Bonatucci said...

Could some please explain to me why Cooke gets fined but Jossi Jokinen and that horses A - Tortorella get nothing? I really felt Cookes hit was a clean, good hit. Check this out:

By Damian Cristodero, TampaBay.com, Apr. 3, 2008
Goalie Karri Ramo was outstanding with 36 saves as Washington outshot Tampa Bay 40-19; the 20 first-period shots were the most the Lightning allowed in a period this season.

"I don't know what he ate before the game," said Washington's Alex Ovechkin, "but he stopped everything."

...Cooke did not speak to reporters, but Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said, "Cooke was just trying to get to the other guy."

"Vinny," Boudreau added, "stepped in front of him."

And then Lightning players stepped up for their teammate.

In an eye-for-an-eye moment 40 seconds after Lecavalier was hurt, Jussi Jokinen repeatedly crossed-checked Ovechkin to the ice. Ovechkin's subsequent power-play goal at 7:50 broke a 1-1 tie. But Jokinen said a message had to be sent.

Temujin said...

The Alex Ovechkin Bobbleheads are getting a workout tonight.

Sounds like the Caps are all over them tonight, and drawing penalties!