Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Game 7 Open Thread

Photo via Flickr

85 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
JP said...

Sorry - no Pens troll is going to have the first comment on an Open Thread.

Anonymous said...

Let's Go Flyers! We could handle Montreal and I would love to see the Pens crush the Rangers!

Abhinav said...

Enough. The Caps will win tonight by a hefty margin befitting a man of Leonsis' girth!

Anonymous said...

UNLEASH THE FURY!!!

Sect 419, Row D, seat 13. Stop by and say howdy, y'all.

Anonymous said...

I'll be rockin' the red in section 407! If anyone needs a defribullator (sp?), I'm bringing one with me!

Anonymous said...

Put 'em away Caps!! My heart swells with the love I have for you guys. Plus, I stand to pocket $20 from a co-worker Flyers fan. Baby girl needs a new pair of shoes!!

Dan, Jr. said...

It's "Balls To The Wall" time for both teams tonight.

Chemmy said...

Continuing to spam: Cristobal save us all.

GO CAPS GO

Anonymous said...

Go Caps! Try to keep out of the penalty box, and let's get the PP in gear! Caps in 7 - wear 'em down.

Anonymous said...

It's easy:
- Ovie delivers
- Caps face the Pens (NBC/Bettman happy)
- Ovechkin beats Crosby (we're all happy)
- Habs face the Rangers (Bettman happy)
- Rangers decimate the Habs (Leaf fans happy)
- Capitals v. Rangers (NBC and Bettman happy again

Now, let's see who the refs are...Koharski and Devorski?

We're screwed-ski...

Brian said...

@dan

While I appreciate your choice for tunes tonight (always loved that video), I have to go with Megadeth's "Crush Em".

Anonymous said...

It would be impossible for me to be more excited about this game or more proud of this team.

To keep it going:
I BELIEVE. CAPS IN 7. OVECHKIN GWG.

LET'S GO CAPS!

Salmon said...

Let's Go Flyers.

clap clap clapclap clap.

Hoping for a miracle...

Dan, Jr. said...

PPP: Somehow I've never thought of Bettman as a Cap's fan.

Oly For Olie: "Crush Em" will do just fine.

Lets Go Cap's!

Anonymous said...

I think Optimus Prime said it best: "One shall stand, one shall fall."

If I'm not mistaken, Prime's torso was a red truck and his head was blue.

LET'S GO CAPS!!!

Anonymous said...

LETS GO CAPS! On my way home...I bet the VC is crazy right now! Wish I was there...

Anonymous said...

Nice dive, Lupul. hint: a stick placed firmly on your midsection doesn't cause you to fall down forward. Douche. Call it for what it is, fine, but wow.

Anonymous said...

Wow. GOALTENDER INTERFERENCE CALL IS WHERE? INCIDENTAL CONTACT MY FUCKING ASS.

Bullshit. Holy. Fucking. Shit. Worst non-call ever.

Just because you push a defender into the goalie doesn't mean you didn't fucking interfere with the goalie. I'm fucking livid, this is so fucking blatant.

HAVE ANOTHER DONUT, YOU FAT PIG.

Ryan said...

Well that was a joke.

Anonymous said...

To be fair hazardous, it wasn't galie interference per se. But it was interference committed on Morrisonn.

The NHL should be red in the face. The Caps are the feel good story of the season, Ovechkin is the league's most exciting player and every game in this series the refs find a new way to embarrass themselves and the league

Anonymous said...

okay, fair enough, not necessarily goalie interference, but interference that resulted directly in the goalie being knocked out of the play.

It's still a damn penalty.

Anonymous said...

Ovie > refs. Suck it.

Anonymous said...

Agree 100%.

With Ovie's goal, the Caps have momentum.

Maybe dressing Downie wasn't such a good call on Stevens' part...

Anonymous said...

Am on ventrilo with someone who's apparently a philly fan in my group on an MMO. His reply to the travesty that was philly's second goal was "goalie was out of the crease!"

So? Interference is interference.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, where the goalie is doesn't matter...but even if it did it would still be a penalty since the Flyers player interfered with Morrisonn.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, it should really be 2-1.

Anonymous said...

A lot of things in this series should be entirely different. But these refs are just.... the worst. Win or lose, I don't care, that doesn't change the fact that they have sucked hard.

Anonymous said...

So how about that 2-1 win by the caps?! Christ.

Anonymous said...

Versus sucks. Hard. You hear 'em call 2 more penalties on the Caps? There's already two bozos on the ice with orange arms bands. We don't need any more in the booth. And Engblom can suck it too.

Incredible no call on goalie interference. Absolutely incredible no call. Two referees on the ice and neither calls it. TWO VETERAN REFEREES.

Disappointed in the play for OT by both teams. Last five minutes of zero effort but they were obviously tired. I think the benches are father away in this 1OT.

Anonymous said...

Caps young legs gotta will this victory.

Anonymous said...

Kapanen can bitch all he wants, they're lucky they're even in overtime. As far as I'm concerned, this whole game was decided with that second philly goal and the atrocious non-call.

Anonymous said...

Game 7 OT is the greatest thing in hockey. Unless it's your team playing in which case it's about as pleasurable as prison rape.

Anonymous said...

Fuck this league and their officiating.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on going to round 2, referees.

Wait, what, philly was playing? could've fooled me.

Anonymous said...

NO! F THIS!

Anonymous said...

Why anyone shook hands or let this go so easily is beyond me. SOMEONE CALL THIS SHIT FOR WHAT IT IS.

I wonder what the odds on philly were.

Anonymous said...

NO SHAME. HELLUVA SEASON. GO CAPS IN 08-09!!!

Anonymous said...

I ain't no physics major, but how does downward contact with a stick on skates cause the recipient to jump in the air and fall forward?

Abhinav said...

Terrific season. Tough call on Poti, but one you had to make. Richards made a nice play. Huet did everything right up to that point.

Really tough way to end the season, but still a great one. Man...

Anonymous said...

Of course there's no shame in losing to referees betting against you. Doesn't mean you should fucking lay down and take it.

I'm so sick of them getting away with it every single time. This league needs to fucking investigate their officials or something.

CONSPIRACY sounds pretty fucking legit right about now, DOESN'T IT?

I knew that interference non-call was going to be the dealbreaker. I fucking knew it.

Anonymous said...

Officiating was shit for everyone for the whole season...I agree. I don't give a damn about the Poti call, there's just so much inconsistency within and between games that you can't call the ref's reliable. If they were tests for illness they would be worthless and thrown out.

But i won't bitch all summer. It was a hell of a season. Much better than the past 3 years.

Anonymous said...

I want to die.

Anonymous said...

Who gives a fuck about the poti call? Second period. Second philly goal. NOT A GOAL.

Not a goal. No overtime. Caps win in regulation. Caps go on to round 2.

Anonymous said...

And while we're on it, good season JP. Thanks for blogging along for us.

Anonymous said...

Great season. Good finish. Refs will always suck. Bitchin' here won't change anything. This is a league that changes things from period to period.

Good foundation for next season, regardless. Guess we'll be holding the "Vengeance" signs next season, eh? Caps had a great season with so many firsts and the unexpected.

Disappointing, yes, but I'm looking forward to next season.

Let's go Pens!

Debcapsfan said...

Thanks JP.
I'm a little sad, but mostly so proud of this team....the future is tremendously bright.
Kudos to GMGM and may he continue to work his magic in the off season.

Anonymous said...

Good finish.

What game did you watch? How are you people not livid right now? I guess you enjoy anal rape.

Anonymous said...

One of the best things about this season has been this and a few other blogs. I look forward to much more, Japers.

Whiter Mage said...

Go Habs Go - Maybe an original 6 team is more preferable to a shitty team from Philly.

The Caps won this game in regulation. They have nothing to be ashamed of.

Anonymous said...

Chill, hazardous.

"Good finish" as in an amazing turnaround to what started as a really bad season. So many amazing things from guys on the team.

Yes, the finish to game 7 sucked. I'm still upset with the refs with their calls/non-calls this game, as well as all their BS throughout the season and playoffs.

BUT, I'm not going to set fire to police cruisers or complain about NHL officiating to fellow Caps fans on JP's blog. I agree the officiating is f***ed up, but I'm going to attempt to take it up the proper channels, not just a blog.

So, chill. Next time I'm in DC we'll cheer the Caps over some beers. All it not lost. We've got a good team here. Any team that willingly chooses to include Briere in its lineup is destined to fail.

Anonymous said...

I honestly can't even be angry at the point. Just deflated, maybe a little resigned. Seems like this kind of crap always happens to us, and it's not even worth getting worked up about anymore. Friggin refs.

At leats they left it all on the ice. The Caps played their hearts out and did absolutly everything they could to try and salvage a win. The quality of the officiating (or lack thereof) is completely out of our hands and nothing we could have done could have changed that.

Here's to next year. Conference Champions, anyone?

Anonymous said...

hazardous is right. That was some horribly crooked refereeing. I can't even begin to imagine what you guys are feeling...(expletive deleted)

Anonymous said...

Someone let me know how the playoffs turn out. I have no desire to watch another period of hockey until October.

Take this team, add Nylander, Clark and Alzner and we're winning the Eastern Conference next season.

JP said...

Just out of curiousity, how was the Kapanen goal different from the one against Tampa a couple weeks back where Flash pushed Smaby into Ramo that got washed out?

And I've gotta say that as questionable as the officiating was, there is never EVER any excuse for throwing your garbage on/towards the ice. Embarrassing.

Paul said...

The officiating was terrible all series, but we have to bury some of those chances. If you don't convert your chances and you let a team hang around, you're asking for trouble. That's what we got. We were clearly the better team 5 on 5, but just couldn't put the puck in the net. this one hurts.

Anonymous said...

The Kapanen goal was an absolute joke, even worse the Kozlov call. But to assume the game ends 2-1 if the right call is made is a fool's errand.

Who knows, if the goal is waved off, perhaps Danielle gets that not-so-fresh-feeling and goes back to the dressing room for some Massengill treatment and ends up scoring the winning goal?

Actually, that's almost a better way to lose.

Anonymous said...

The NHL's explanation for why the Kapanen goal was allowed is that Thoresen legally checked Morrisonn into Huet and no Flyer made contact with Huet. The difference between that and Fleischmann hitting that D into Ramo? Morrisonn had the puck, and so Thoresen could legally hit him. The TB D didn't have the puck, and so I guess Flash technically interfered with him, rather than Ramo. But then, I would think a penalty would have been called.

Sigh. Who the hell knows why the NHL does anything? Do rules even exist anymore, or is it just whatever the Zebras feel like calling?

Take it for what it's worth. I still think we got screwed.

Anonymous said...

Mike Richards is a real gutless puke, isn't he. Skating to the glass to wave goodbye to the Caps fans. Fuck you, buddy.

Anonymous said...

And I've gotta say that as questionable as the officiating was, there is never EVER any excuse for throwing your garbage on/towards the ice. Embarrassing.

There is 1 instance where it's fine...

If you're attempting to hit a referee that deserves it.

but just couldn't put the puck in the net.

We could, and we did. Twice, in fact, which was enough to win a 5 on 5 game, but not a 5 on 9.

And yeah, we're not dumb enough to think the game would be the exact same if that goal were washed out, but I would bet money (good thing I'm not refereeing!) that the caps win that game anyway. They were the better team all night.

Anonymous said...

Morrisonn had the puck, and so Thoresen could legally hit him.

Bullshit. he did not have the puck.

Anonymous said...

http://stanleycupplayoffs2008.com/latestNews.aspx

April 22, 2008 08:53 PM ET

Explanation on Philadelphia’s second goal at 9:47 of the second period

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.

Anonymous said...

Actually, watching the replay again, I think you're right. At first glance it looked like Mo got a stick on the first shot and deflected it out, but now I'm pretty sure that can off Huet.

yeah, we just got royally screwed.

Anonymous said...

Yes. We got royally screwed. You don't even need to see a replay to know that. THIS is all the proof you need.

This play is not reviewable.

This is a clause that allows a referee to make whatever call he wants and get away with it.

The NHL died tonight. I'm not watching any NHL game anymore.

Someone call me when a REAL league pops up and replaces this huge fucking joke of a league.

Sonia said...

did richards really wave at the fans like that?

Anonymous said...

At least it was close, I bet a lot of other teams wouldn't have been able to take the refs to 7 games.

Anonymous said...

I think it was Hartnell that waved, and someone missed him with a plastic bottle by about a foot.

Richards was stuck in an Ovechkin bear hug. Dude loves the game so much he's not satisfied with a simple handshake. Even Briere got one.

Anonymous said...

Consensus around the league seems to be that the Kapanen goal was legit. I tend to agree. I'd rather see it called differently, but most of the times they let that play go.
Still the reffing of this game was very inconsistent (Milbury pointed that out on TSN, he didn't like the Poti call one bit) but I don't think it was the deciding factor.
To me goaltending decided this game. The 3rd period (shots 16-5 Caps) and OT (till the penalty) the Caps peppered Biron. There were numerous occassions where he could have given up a big rebound, could have lost his positioning, could have lost sight of the puck. But he did not. Huet, on the other side, did. I know Huet played very well down the stretch and for parts of this series, but when it mattered most he let in a questionable goal (the first one, that gave a very tired team life) and in OT didn't know where his rebound was. I've been watching Huet in Europe, in Montreal, now with the Caps: he is not a good playoff goalie.

Anonymous said...

Morrison did indeed play the puck. But even if it had been called off, that changes the whole game. No reason to then believe Ovie's goal happens as it does. So call it 1-1 into OT.

Let's not forget, the Poti tripping penalty was the second trip. The first happened 3 minutes earlier and wasn't called, so the Caps got called for every other penalty.

And the Flyers have gotten suspended for lesser hits than the uncalled charge on Hartnell.

Abhinav said...

I'm not sure what the rule on tripping is. Erskine never hit the boot of whoever he "tripped". The guy stepped on his stick as he was racing past him and fell. That's not a trip (but is obviously hard for the referees to see).

And the "charge" on Hartnell is called a check and hit him square in the back. The Flyers hit people in the head. Big difference.

Anonymous said...

As a Caps fan or player you know you're going to get jobbed by the referees. If this franchise has any history or legacy at all, that's it. So the Kapanen goal counting was no real surprise. "Tripping" a player by leaving your stick in a position where they can step on it, likewise.

Caps could have been up 5-0 in the first period had they not been so remarkably adept at hitting Biron right in the middle of the P or firing it right into his glove. Hopefully, with a touch more experience, Semin will remember that on a two-on-one you'd probably rather take a low, stick-side shot (thinking rebound) or attempt a pass than try to beat a goalie to the glove side when he's practically in the faceoff circle already to cut down the angle.

Not to pick on Semin too much but maybe next year he'll also remember that after you keep a team pinned in its zone for three shifts and they finally manage to break out, rubber-legged, across their blue line, the one thing you can't do is put your stick on them and take a cheap hooking call that got the Flyers back in the game.

Still, all told, it was about as close as a series can be, and you know when that happens that the zebras, deliberately or otherwise, are going to end up being part of the story. Sad, but true. Great season by the Caps, and for the first time in a long time I'm looking forward to the next one.

Anonymous said...

Rage,

It's fine to hit someone in the back. But it's not fine when his back is to the play and he's facing the wall and you leave your feet. That's called a charge.

Don't worry, you all will learn the rules eventually. If you keep coming to games anyway.

Salmon said...

I'm watching the game on Tivo, and I just wanna smack Jill Sorenson.

I agree that Biron was the difference.

Abhinav said...

You don't think people have been leaving their feet to check during every one of the 7 games?

It's called playoff hockey. Get the sand out.

Anonymous said...

Morrison did indeed play the puck.

No, he didn't. Watch a fucking replay before you post something.

And while we have no reason to believe ovie's goal happens as it does, why would you then say it's a 1-1 game into OT if the whole complexion of the game changes? It's just that: a different game. Douche.

Anonymous,

Stop being a douche or stop posting. Either is fine with me.

Abhinav said...

I really like this Hazardous guy.

Anonymous said...

You guys are funny. Are you really going to blame it on the refs? Listen, you guys had a highly skilled young group, most of which had never tasted playoff hockey. You just got the wrong end of the sword when you were matched against us, Philly. Playoff hockey is a whole different animal from Ovechkin going to town on NHL goalies during the season night-in and night-out. To be honest, had you guys squeaked out the series win, you actually might have had a chance to beat Pittsburgh only because they also are young with little playoff experience. Past that, there's just no way the caps should have, or could have represented the East in a Stanley Cup Final. Can you see it now? Any team still alive in the west right now would take these caps to playoff hockey academy and you would be in even more heartbreak than you are now. One thing is for sure. I'd sure like to stay away from you guys in the playoffs next year. Go Flyers! I'll be rockin' my Richards jersey for you fellas when I go to game 4 of round two. Enjoy the hockey boys!

Anonymous said...

Must... resist... obvious Blade joke.

Get bent, troll.

Anonymous said...

If by bent, you mean drunk, then yes, I will get drunk. Thanks for the encouragement. Yo, $50 says your fanbase just shrunk down 90%....back where it was with 20 games left in the season.

Anonymous said...

With 20 games left in the season, the Caps sold out the Verizon Center against the Devils, dipshit.

Now take that $50 and give it back to your mom - she had to work three guys at once for it... The Blade.

JP said...

Enough. We get it. The Flyers won the series, we're all bandwagon fans and whining, diving babies.

Go troll Habs blogs, for cryin' out loud.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

anonymous at 9:49:
Maybe YOU're the one who should learn the rules. Hitting someone from behind into the boards is called "boarding." "Charging" is when a player takes more than 3 strides before delivering a check, thereby hitting them with a dangerous amount of speed.


I can't believe any Flyers fans think they have the right to complain about the officiating at any point in this series. If the Flyers had won fair and square I'd be sad, but the way we lost is just hard to take. I'm still furious. The Flyers couldn't score even strength without taking out our goaltender first, they got away with it all series long. I do NOT think the better team won, I have no congratulations to dole out to cheaters, and if Hartnell really was waving at the Caps fans he deserved to get hit with trash.

I'm proud of the Caps. They played their hearts out, but I'm done with hockey for now. Hopefully piss-poor officiating won't ruin the sport for me permanently.

Anonymous said...
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