I expect us to play hard and to play with desperation from here on out. We are still in the race. We have been playing terrific hockey. We had a tough weekend of back to back painful losses but we have a bunch of games still to play. I think our team has heart and character and I expect us to keep playing offensive and gritty hockey and to play with passion and to keep trying to meet our goals. Life goes on and we are still in the hunt.
Ted's Take
See what this team is made of, indeed.
We’ve been written off for dead once already this season, back in November. We’ve come back from the abyss before, and we can do it again. If there’s one thing this team has done this year, it’s been proving a lot of naysayers wrong.
Not once have I backed away from my preseason prediction of a first-round playoff victory. I’ve also predicted some success as the final outcome of the month as a whole. I stand by both of those. This season is by no means over, and the players have been fighting their way back since before the Christmas roster freeze. I believe the Caps will still make the playoffs.
And I will be there Wednesday, Friday, AND Sunday, to watch the Caps close out this homestand with three consecutive victories.
Yes but you need to look at what type and when the penalties came. It seems and Im just saying this from the tv vantage point our penalties are tick tack nothing penalties in the 3rd when the game is close and Pitt or Boston doesnt seem to get them unless it’s over the top.
Box score from yesterday’s game says 7 penalties were called on Pittsburgh vs. 5 on the caps.
I can think of a recent time a Caps defenseman laid someone out with a body-check:
9:48 into the 1st period Sunday when Morrissonn crushed Crosby in front of the net and Crosby ended up under Poti.
I will be there Wednesday and Friday.
Let me just say, twelve games left do leave a glimmer of hope. The way the boys have been playing (a full Sixty) is inspiring. Pitt didn’t win it as much as we lost it. I feel for Nick and the boys.
I do believe we have the makings of something wonderful! The heavy hitting and goal scoring is awesome!
Keep up the good work. We are on the cusp of something GREAT! Can’t wait till Wednesday! BOOYAH!
You’re right, it was very, very tough weekend. We’re behind Carolina by 7 points, but we still have a game in hand and two remaining games head-to-head. Carolina’s patsy home schedule is over, so let’s see what they can do on the road against tougher opponents. I’m more interested than ever to see what this team is made of and I think it will start Wednesday. If the team doesn’t give up they can still make this interesting.
This team is strong and has improved greatly! I am very proud of each member and their contributions. We are in it and we will win it on the home stretch, keep the faith. Great plays come from great men and we have many greats on our team, not to mention great looking:) We are made of greatness….
Actually, I was surprised to see that the CAPS are penalized third most in the east behind Boston and Montreal. The Caps have 857 PIM for 12.2 PIM/GM.
It does seem like they are being penalized more unfairly than other teams. Not whinning, just saying.
One question I have is, have we played a game this season in which the referees have called more penalties on our opponents than us? It seems that every game we get the short end of called penalties, I know DC isnt hockey central(yet) but do we really commit that many more fouls than our opponents? We are always short handed when the game is tight at the end, its like the refs want it to be close at the end and are willing to do what it takes to make it so. This could just be a PO-d fan but I really think we get hosed with alot of nothing call’s.
I will be at the game on Wed, and expect it to be a hard hitting affair. As much as I’d suggest you leave Brashear out of the line-up, you probably need him in there as Phaneuf hits EVERYTHING.
That’s honestly what the Caps could use, and hopefully Matt Cooke will be that guy, but I can’t think of the last time a Caps defenseman actually laid someone out with a body-check – it’s mostly just clutch & grab with our guys and they’re tall, lanky vs. POWERFUL!
Ted, Does it bother you that the Caps’ message board is loitered with whiney posts? At least you are doing some forward thinking.
Ted,
We lost but I’m excited as are the other folks who sit around me in Sec 121. We kicked their butts yesterday but we ran out of gas. Mr. Bettman owes us one for that scheduling. I don’t like loosing but we have an awesome hockey team and time will only tell. The future looks bright. Remember last October and November….
While I don’t expect the CAPS to make the playoffs, I do expect them to still keep trying. That is what it’s all about. And I expect us fans to be there rooting and supporting them.
I think Bill Simmons would call this game a Stomach Punch. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/071001
Big Game Home Ice Advantage –
Here is a Financial Engineer’s Solution
Embedded CALL OPTIONS
For those tickets the were originally purchased by CAPS Fans, include an embedded CALL OPTION to the attending ticket holder whose value exceeds the difference between the mark-up received from the resale. (Examples include, the chances to win prizes or an hour of ice time with the caps during a pre-season workout)
For those tickets purchased directly by opposing team’s fans, you could offer game day discounted CAPS merchandise, giving CAPS fans more incentive to purchase these same seats and more caps jerseys in the arena
The Caps can still move into the playoffs, and still win the division. They do need to win the 2 games with the ‘Canes and win them in regulation. That said, the Caps aren’t worse than the Canes, they’re about the same level. Ditto for the Caps with Chicago and Nashville. Calgary is probably a better team, but they’re the only team that is demonstrably better than the Caps. Of the remaining 7 games one is with Boston, who really aren’t that good, and six are with the rest of the division, and all of those teams are in a tailspin looking for a draft choice.
My bet is we get 19 points, going to 91 total points…which should be enough to make the playoffs.
Maybe having a “Killer Instant” is a little old School. Why not try “Creative Visualization”. Every thing is energy! We need to create the energy of winning the big game. The following may sound off the wall, but here me out.
Lets track the flow of the puck of a big CAPS win and see what it looks like on canvas. Call it PuckArt. Get it in the hands of players and fans, via T-shirts or electronically (puckart.com).
The difference of winning (or not blowing) the big game may just as simple as focusing on the art, the puckart.