Thursday Roundup/Gamenight: 'Canes @ Caps

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

Ah, the Southeast Division.

If the Caps were in the Atlantic and facing the division leader tonight, a loss would drop them to eleven points out of first place. In the Pacific, a similar hypothetical would find them an even dozen points out of the top spot. In the Northeast, another loss would have the Caps sitting in the division's basement.

But not in the Southeast, baby. With a loss tonight, the Caps would be a half-dozen points out of first place, and with a win? Second place, just one win out of first.

For all the mediocrity we're seen out of the Caps so far this year - an MVP scoring champ who can't score, a high-priced goalie who can't stop pucks, a Calder Trophy finalist who couldn't find the net with a map and a compass, a defense that has collectively regressed since last Spring's run to the playoffs, and so on and so on - the Caps are still right there, regardless of tonight's result.

That is, of course, not to say that this evening's match-up with the 'Canes at the VC is meaningless, because it is anything but. It is, after all, the Hurricanes, and a four-point swing in October could be the difference between the playoffs and the links in early April - just ask them.

Carolina comes into the game scoring in bunches, but also allowing plenty of goals (especially lately, allowing four goals to Toronto in each of their last two games). They're 5-1-1 against the Eastern Conference, 5-1-2 on the road (let's hope they leave the bandwagon down in Raleigh), and 2-0-0 within our beloved Southeast Division. They've been good five-on-five, but in the lower-middle of the pack with a man (or two) advantage or disadvantage. Bottom line: these are the Carolina Hurricanes. You know them - always injured, always diving, always a tough out (and for more from their side of things, head over to CanesCountry).

The Caps will turn to their number two netminder (yes, he's still number two) tonight, and hope he can replicate his 42-save effort of Tuesday night. But if he doesn't, he doesn't - as Bruce Boudreau said yesterday, "If Brent goes in and is crappy tomorrow, then obviously I am going to use [Theodore] Saturday against the Rangers."

See? No drama. No "must-win" vibe. No real sense of urgency (whether one is needed yet or need be projected in any case is debatable).

And therein, perhaps, lies the problem. Because while everyone knows that Alex Ovechkin will score more than the 14 goals for which he's currently on pace, many of this team's issues are looming larger every day... and time's a-wastin'.

Quick Rehashed Notes on Tonight's Game:

When Rod Brind'Amour and Sergei Fedorov first played against one another in an NHL game, Bruce Boudreau was en route to a 40-goal/120-point season in the IHL, Glen Hanlon was one of Fedorov's teammates and Karl Alzner (remember him?) had just turned two-years-old. Chris Chelios, mind you, was in his eighth season in the League.... The Caps have more hat tricks (8) against Carolina/Hartford than against any other team in the League other than Philly (9), but Alex Semin (who has scored more goals against the 'Canes (13) than he has against any other team in the League) is the only current Cap to turn the trick against the 'Canes as a Cap (did somebody say Russian hat trick?).

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

The boys at The PensBlog will no doubt love to hear about Semin and Alex Ovechkin being "young and passionate" pillow fighters.... This is what passes for journalism in certain Russian circles.... In case you're wondering where the Caps stayed while in Buffalo last weekend, here's a picture.... Puck Daddy looks at the brawler bargains around the League. Colton Orr? The Donald is not impressed.... The dude whose nut Mike Green nearly exploded in the playoffs last season is doing well for himself over in Switzerland.... An old timey Cap is going to be erased from the record books this weekend. Thanks for sucking, Olli Jokinen!... Caps prospect Eric Mestery has been traded (but is still Caps property).... Finally, you've gotta love HFBoards when it hooks you up with something like this (only 0:38 for me).

Sunday Roundup/Blues 4, Caps 3

[AP Recap - Game Summary - Super Stats - WashingtonCaps.com Postgame]

Since starting the season 3-0, the Caps have dropped six of seven. Maybe that's why it's hard to feel like this year's edition of the Caps is much better than last year's.

Or maybe it's the fact that they have fewer points through 10 games (last year's team was 3-3-4 versus this year's 4-6 squad). Or maybe it's that the team's goals per game is down a whopping 22.5% (from 31 to 24). Or that the power play is actually worse, down from 16.67% to 14%. And while Alex Semin's limited availability has contributed to these stats, don't forget that there are four new "upgrades" in the lineup as well.

But progress has been made in other key areas. Penalties taken are down from 62 to 51. Shots on goal against are down from 36.6 to 29.3. Faceoff percentage is up from 48.13% to 54% (good enough for third in the League). Non- shootout goals against are down a bit (from 32 to 29).

So either it's just a matter of time before it all comes together, or it's more of the same here in D.C. I guess your take on that probably is influenced by the most recent game's result, and given that last night's wasn't great (and sure, the Caps were undermanned)... well, let's just say there's plenty of room for improvement.

As for Saturday night's 4-3 loss to St. Louis, some quick thoughts:

• Michael Nylander took an offensive-zone hooking penalty with 12:35 left and the Caps down two - not a very veteran move.
  
• In his first full NHL game as a center, Nicklas Backstrom finished with a minus-two rating, but did win five of his nine draws.
• Alex Ovechkin was credited with six hits last night, more than Shaone Morrisonn, Milan Jurcina, Brian Pothier, Mike Green and Jeff Schultz... combined.
• Another strong game for Greenie, with two goals (as many as he had all of last year), five shots on goal and a plus-one rating.
• Speaking of Ovechkin, he's got to change his shooting angles and/or release point - last night he had five shots blocked (most, if not all, by Barret Jackman).
  
• Schultz led the D with 20:35 of ice time and finished minus-two on the night.
• Viktor Kozlov has a team-high six shots on goal.
  
• The last minute of regulation - with Brent Johnson pulled - was as ugly as it gets. If the League awarded goals for simply getting the puck into the offensive zone under control, I'm not sure the Caps would have tied the game.
• Remind me again why the Bruins traded Brad Boyes to St. Louis for Dennis Wideman.
  
• On the injury front, Semin is day-to-day after re-injuring his troublesome ankle, Chris Clark may go tomorrow night and Tom Poti sounds less likely to play.

Next up, Toronto on Monday night. Are things going to continue to get worse before they get better, or are there signs that the ship has been righted?

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Kevin Paul Dupont discusses the Rangers woes and the Randy Jones/Patrice Bergeron hit.... Through five home dates, St. Louis's average attendance is up 5,995 per game, from 11,820 to 17,815. Not to take anything away from the team's resurgence, but it certainly helps that by the start of the season, the Cards and Rams were both done for the year.... It was a night of firsts in Newark, as the Devils opened their new building. "First boos: 7:13, when defenseman Karel Rachunek is introduced. The second boos follow immediately, when defenseman Johnny Oduya is announced." Nice.... Only 29.8% of NHL defensemen are right-handed shots (three of the eight on the Caps roster are).... Orland Kurtenblog interviewed Tarik the other day....Finally, our favorite (and John Tortorella's) hockey columnist, Larry Brooks, has some provocative things to say about this Capitals team. (Thanks for heads-up, Faux.)

Daily Awards

• Hart: Rod Brind'Amour (3G, A, +3)
  
• Ross: Rod Brind'Amour, Ray Whitney (4 points each)
  
• Norris: Nathan Paetsch (G, A, +2)
  
• Vezina: Martin Gerber (W, 31 saves on 32 shots against)
  
• Richard: Rod Brind'Amour (3G)
• Calder: Jack Johnson (+2, 3 SOG, 2 blocked shots, team-leading 23:36 of ice time)
  
• Aiken: Rick DiPietro (L, 6 goals allowed on 14 shots against in just 27:48 of work)
  

Happy Father's Day

A late "congrats and thanks" to all the fathers out there, and a fitting video clip to boot.

In case you missed it (and given the difficulties Versus had in simply televising the Awards Show, you probably did), here's Rod Brind'Amour's acceptance speech for winning the Selke Trophy - wait for the payoff at the very end.