I am disappointed in our loss as I am sure all of our fans are as well. The game was great – high speed and filled with great talent. I thought we played well. We dictated the pace of play. We out shot the Pens and also out-muscled them. The game was filled with speed, hitting and drama.
I am disappointed in our loss as I am sure all of our fans are as well. The game was great – high speed and filled with great talent. I thought we played well. We dictated the pace of play. We out shot the Pens and also out-muscled them. The game was filled with speed, hitting and drama.
We took five penalties in the second period and that was essentially the game. I also thought that we had a great turnout of our own local fans. We have sold more than 1,000 Rivals Six Pack packages now and that surely helped out our crowd. The game was our largest generator of revenues since our last playoff game. It is amazing that the Pens fans all live in our area. I had a young women come up to me in her Pens jersey at the font lobby; tell me she moved here with her boyfriend to find work; and would I mind if she sent me her resume? I had people in Pens tee shirts come up to me and thank me for a contribution I had just made to a local charity. Kurt Kehl and I walked around the 400 level and then the 100 level talking to people in Pens jerseys and they all lived in Maryland and DC. Worse is that they only buy tickets to Caps games twice per year
From section 421 I can tell you a couple of things about the game:
1) The Caps were the better team in the game. Far and away, a couple of bounces and/or a couple of calls that aren’t missed, and the Caps win the game 4-2. The non-call on Staal when he hit Matt Pettinger was inexcusable by the officials.
The Caps did take some dumb penalties in the second, but those didn’t really seal the deal for the Pens. The effort was there, and the only thing missing was the result. This sort of makes up for the Islander game on Columbus day when the Caps hung a 2-1 loss on team despite being outplayed.
The turnaround and win last night (10/24) confirms they’re headed in the right direction.
Mr.Leonsis,
I went on saturday night. I am a Pens fan. I will root for the Caps whenever the Opponent is not the Pens. That was an entertaining game to watch. But there was one huge problem.
We sat infront of 6 rude men from France who screamed throughout the entire 60 minutes of gameplay. We asked them to stop for the last 5 minutes of the game and one of the men screamed in my sisters face. We had talked to security they told well they understand why, but nothing was ever taken care of. So Monday afternoon I called Guest Serivices to tell them all about it. The man on the other side told me that I should not have gone to security but to guest services. Then later on that day someone from the tickets department called, after I was told sorry but you should have done more. That particular Man asked if I wanted to buy a 6 pack. I told him about my night and he still persisted to tell me about why I should buy the 6 pack of tickets. After all this I really have lost faith with the Capitals. I tried to pull for you guys, but this whole debacle your franchise should be ashamed of.
Ted, the biggest glitch is that goal song. Lose it, and the game will be better.
Tons of people in this area are transplants, myself included, and we’ll always root for our home teams first, that’s not going to change. I’ve got season tickets to the Caps (lower bowl), and I’ll root them on as loud as anyone else, but when the Islanders come to town, they get my support.
Mr. Leonis when will the media guides be out I’ve tried to get one at both games I attended. It seems a little late in the year to not have them.
The Pens are a very good team so losing them is nothing to be ashamed of, particularly since the Caps outplayed them for most of the game. It’s going to take a while for all the new players to mesh together but when they do (and when Semin returns) this team will roll. All that aside, this year’s Caps are light years ahead of last year’s team. Keep the faith. It will happen.
Well, I for one know that Pens fans can be converted to Caps fans, as my wife won the Caps conversion contest you held several years ago (you gave her a jersey on TV that night). Pens fans are hockey fans and if you can get them to more games, they will change sides. Even though my 5yo son wore a Jordan Staal shirt all day, he changed to his Caps jersey to go the game. Keep up the good work, get the locals in for more games and they will be yours!!
ps, I really think you should link to the Washington Times they’re Caps coverage is much better than Posts….
I have a simple solution Ted. Next Pens, Flyers, Bruins game, please come on the PA system Thanking the opposing teams fans for buying tickets to the Capitals.
Then announce that your staff is going around counting all the opposing teams jerseys, and that you are going to set aside $10,000 per Jersey to fund new free agents for the Capitals….
See how much that fuels their enthusiasm for coming to our games… I spoke with Pens fans also coming in on the Vienna line, they weren’t all local…
Reason # 29 why Ted Leonsis is the Man:
Timely Robert Frost references.
Backstrom should get some time in the minors. While he’s very talented, he needs to get tougher as Colby Armstrong was trying to intimidate him all night – and it was working. A few months in the AHL would be a good learning experience for him.
The game was fantastic. I would however say that the officiating was abyssmal. With the whole Tim Donaghy mess this summer and the NHL’s penchant to bend over backwards for all things Mario & Sidney, it just makes a fan wonder. How could they miss the high stick in the first? How many times did Johnson get run and no call, especially after the goalie interference call in the first minute? Honsestly, if I see any more games with officiating that poor – I’m probably going to quit watching the sport. I thought that was the reason they added the second ref, to catch those high sticks….
I thought our PP was supposed to be stellar this season with the new additions we got over the summer. It is abominable. I wish all the Caps players had the intensity, drive and commitment of Ovie.
Game in, game out he gives 120% up and down the ice. Too bad it doesn’t seem to rub off on a lot of the rest of the team. Or if it does, it surely doesn’t last long.
What’s the deal?
Not a great idea to allow the Pens to wear their home jerseys in their “home away from home” areana in DC….unless we are truly going back to our roots and will now wear white at all of our home games – as we should.
And what’s up with the the freeby? A terrible knock off of a Pittsburgh idea – why didn’t we serve Iron City beer and have Pramantis Brother Sandwiches to make our friends from Western PA feel at home.
I agree with your take on the game. If the Caps play this well every game, we will be in the playoffs. Nick Backstom almost got his first NHL goal twice. I like his energy and guts. The fights were definitely worth it.
Hi Ted,
I was at the game as a six-pack rival purchaser. Still too many Pens fans though. I didn’t notice any glitches with the in game presentation – I love the new scoreboard and sound system. My only issue is with the opening video – very boring. Keep up the good work.
I watched the game from the close in seats. We MUST team Nylander with Ovechkin. The two would be great together. Nylander is incredible at holding tha puck and making great passes. Kozlov is not doing well at center. Move Kozlov to right wing and Nylander and Ovechkin will make things happen. Backstromn is ready to play center on the 2nd line. He is ready to feed Semin who can put the puck in the net.
This lack of scoring CANNOT continue! We have too much talent.