[AP Recap - Game Summary - Event Summary - WashingtonCaps.com Recap]Whether or not Sergei Fedorov's move to the blueline is permanent or semi-permanent, one thing is clear - he was awesome back there, and raised partner Milan Jurcina's game considerably (though he did take two penalties). The obvious manifestations of that latter point was Jurcina's goal, four shots on goal and plus-two rating. A little less obvious was Juice's huge +20 Corsi rating for the game.
So perhaps Jurcina's got his groove back thanks to Fedorov. And perhaps the Caps gave up the fewest shots on goal in a game in team history thanks to Fedorov. And perhaps he's actually worth $4 million for the year.
[Due to a post-game commitment, that's all you're getting in terms of a recap. But feel free to discuss anything about the game (line combos, Alex Semin and Mike Green continuing their early dominant play, Nicklas Backstrom snagging the red hard hat, etc.), the season so far or whatever you like in the comments.]
Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:
Mike Chen weighs in on Ovechkin and/vs. Crosby for Versus.... The Caps move up a spot (from 8 to 7) in CBS's power rankings.... Caps prospect Dmitri Kugryshev is hot. In fact, the "hot teams" in the three major Canadian Junior Leagues are all lead by 2008 Caps draftees - Kugryshev's Quebec Remparts, Stefan Della Rovere's Barrie Colts and Braden Holtby's Saskatoon Blades.
24 comments:
Thought Semin should have received the red hard hat. Backstrom was very underwhelming...
sick game to watch. was smiling the entire time.
Any news on Kozlov?
I was surprised that Semin did not get the hard hat too. However, I think Nick did start to get in his groove as the game went on.
The best was Semin circling before the penalty shot. I actually felt sorry for Luongo (not really). Here he is preparing for Semin's quick shot all the while watching Semin circle back and forth and then the ref tells him he has to actually face Nylander. Too bad we can't do that before every shootout!
Oh, and I know that I am biased towards Matt Bradley, but that Bradley, Steckel, Brash line is fun to watch.
What actually happened on the Kozlov injury? Was looking another direction and just saw Viktor push someone. Did he get hit?
This has to be the end for John Erskine...I love the guy, but its obvious the team is much much better off with a Fedorov or a Sami Lepisto back there
I had to miss the actual game, but attended the FanHouse liveblog. A few thoughts ....
- Maybe Backstrom got the hard hat as an encouragement to keep going. Someone mentioned that he started slow last year too. Also, who says the hardest workers are the most productive?
- I think that Mitchell being all over AO freed Semin to be the monster he was out there. Even if Ovi doesn't score, he has one huge upside every time he's on the ice -- he draws the other team's D, and has to because he will cause trouble if they don't watch him like a hawk.
- Re: Kozlov - Tarik says he was favoring his left knee and that the Caps say he's day-to-day but didn't disclose the injury.
- Agree with ryan. This is probably Erskine's death knell as far as him being a Cap goes. There are other teams who will be more than happy to have him, but ....
Very physical game last night. Would love to have Willie Mitchell as a Cap.
In the four years Rabbit's been here, I've never seen him as visibly elated as he was last night. No fall down, no go boom.
Vancouver played poorly last night and the Caps defense looked good because our offense had the puck most of the night. I think teams are still getting in behind the defense too easily. Any team that's on the ball can make stretch passes work against WSH.
I disagree with the general anti-Erskine tone here. If there's anywhere this team is thin it's in veteran defensive depth - a healthy Pothier would fix that. Maybe BB has SF on D for that reason. I hope Erskine stays with the team for the season. I love the physical edge he give the D corps.
Jurcina really took some bad penalties, one in plain sight of the referee. He's seems to be just coasting along, not improving his play, but he's still young.
I'm a little concerned about AO being overused and burned out given the length of the season,and using him on the PK won't help. Having him out there on the PK bothers me. Maybe BB won't use him for that the entire year.
I took three things from that game: One, the caps can really shut down a team. Two, they have much firepower. Three, not to get too excited about #1-2 because the 'Nucks clearly didn't play well last night.
I agree Semin deserved the hard hat, now I see how much we missed him early last season with the ankle injury. I'm also impressed how he's really stepped up his physical game this year. He's turning into a monster and has such sick shooting ability.
Ryan, I agree with you about Erskine. I like his toughness, but when he's out there I'm nervous.
I don't know what happened to Koz..I saw him get checked into the boards at one point but it didn't look like anything unusual.
in addition to all the fancy stuff, semin was dominant along the boards. unlike last year, he and nylander looked very good together. hopefully they'll continue to play together.
AO played 23 minutes last night, 6 on PP, 2 SH. I think that's quite reasonable, especially with so much PP TOI.
Erskine is the prototypical 7th D under this CBA: Cheap. And the sandpaper is a bonus.
Reason not get too excited about the Caps' D last night: The home team possessed the puck something silly.
I also prefer Nyls with Semin. Nyls had only 14 minutes TOI last night, but it sure seemed like more. Three points and +2 will do that I guess.
Ooops. That last comment was from Tyler.
I doubt Erskine is going anywhere. For starters, you need more than six defensemen. Secondly, Fedorov is going to be 39 in a couple of months. He played great last night, but is his body going to stand up the pounding you get on defense game after game? Finally, who says his move to defense is permanent? Erskine makes me cringe half the time he's out there, but in today's salary capped world every team has a defenseman like that.
Erskine's probably not the type of DMan for this system...I don't think he's very athletic and he doesn't move the puck, and there's enough grit on D between Sarge and Mo. Plus, as bad as LA and StL needs defencemen, lets say we deal him there for like a 6th/7th round pick, since they stink that's going to be a REALLY high pick where we'll get a good player
I think its very similar to the Kolzig/Ramo situation in TB where you've got a veteran guy holding up a spot where a young guy should be...there's enough depth here to hide a young guy like a Lepisto or an Alzner, if I have to hide a guy i'd rather hide a young guy with big upside than an older guy who's not going to get much better than he is now
JR, how about the corsi ratings for the nucks? it has to be hard to have all the individuals in the negative with one exception the back-up goalie! That is tough to do!
Can somebody explain what a corsi rating is?
@ Bob: Check out this post. It should answer your question.
91 on D is a placeholder until the Caps' cap can take Alzner's salary. Or until they decide Lepisto is ready. (If ever.)
--Tyler
Thanks JP, perfect, now I can drop this on someone at the watercooler!
"Taking nothing away from any of the guys Milan has played with, but there is a sense of calmness when you've got Fedorov on the [other] point," Boudreau said. "He's like a general. If I was out there and looking at a future Hall of Famer on my left side, it gives you that bit of ease." [from Cory's story]
Jurcina the Stampeding Bull! What a nice change in the nature of his game. Gramps the General! Gadzooks but how I wish I had the elixir of life. Gramps would get full dose of my second batch. (The first going to Moi...) How ever so handy he will be to have around for the next five years or so. [SIGH]
@b.orr4
was thinking the same thing about Fedorov last night. i cringed every time he took a hit on D.
as much as i loved seeing him there, we need him healthy which means minimal D-line play.
I have been a Semin hater, but I give credit where credit is due. He looked great last night. If he continues to put in efforts like that, I may just have to start enjoying his play.
Semin-Nyls is looking every bit as deadly as Ovie-Backs, and that spells trouble for the rest of the league. Nice to see some Sasha love flowing on the board.
I think the Fedorov move to D is going to stick for a while, until an injury shakes things up. It does get Gordon on the ice more where his defense/faceoff ability is excellent. The versatility Feds brings is worth a lot to BB; his willingness to be a team player in the twilight of a career--in which he was the featured C for so many years--is tremendous: a great example to set for a young team.
Did somebody just actually suggest that Sarge and Mo play a gritty style. Surely you jest. If those guys actually put a body on somebody it's a miracle. They're decent defensemen, but gritty they are not. At all.
Re: 26 and grittiness (defined: "resolute and courageous"), kindly inform yourself about the injuries with which 26 played at the end of last year.
--Tyler
Semin is really coming on. I gotta say, I don't know a lot of forwards in the NHL that have his kind of skill with the puck and wrist shot. Now that he is putting it all together, the league better look out.
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