Tag Archives: Japers’ Rink

Tough game tonight

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7

Come on out – Monday night – against the San Jose Sharks. 

We need to feed off of the home crowd enthusiasm and energy.We will soon embark on a long road trip. Against several competitors right above us or right below us in the standings. But we can’t look past tonight’s tilt with a very good team. 

I thought yesterday’s game was a tough one – a little better luck burying our chances and we get a point -we hit the post twice – we need to be resilient – we need to focus on capitalizing on our games at home – and obviously we must improve our performance on the road to at least the 500 mark. 

No use crying over spilled milk as my Yia Yia used to say – wish us well; wish us speedy recovery to some of our players – and hope we can add some jump via the trade markets during the next few weeks. Go Caps!

 

 

Yep

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Let us recount.

Capital’s power play is inefficient – and on the road is ranked 27th. An 11 percent conversion rate; do you remember when we were ranked 1st in the NHL with a 24 percent conversion rate on the power play a few seasons ago? I do. Fondly.

Our 4 core players get incomplete or red down arrows as grades. See “The Noon Number” here.

Time for all to step up and be counted now.

Win as a team; lose as a team.

But as the power play goes – so goes our team, and its skilled core players.

Score on the power play – win games as we are playing a much better defensive scheme and system.

If we get good goal tending; and we fix the power play – we will be much more productive as the season wears on.

See you all tonight as we play a very tough Nashville squad. Go Caps!

Big Caps Game Tonight

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Against a very good team from Toronto.

We are starting to play better – with more enthusiasm; and character and grit – we are in most games now – and we are starting to see our skill players gain some traction and confidence.

Slow steps to adaptation to a new system. More aggression and more focus on defensive schemes.

We are starting to heal up and I am hopeful we will get back into the lineup soon some of our injured players – that could provide us with a nice boost. Stay tuned.

It is quite ironic though – it really doesn’t matter what system we play – if we get good to great goal tending; and we have good to great special teams play – we are well served and one of the best teams in the league.

We are focused on playing a new system; gaining in productivity and winning some hockey games.

We need the points. Every shift is important now to us – every period – every game.

Come on out and Rock the Red this evening; see you then and there. Go Caps and thank you.

What Have We Learned

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We have struggled twice this season against very energetic young teams with high levels of team speed.

When we come into town; as a visitor; a young team really “gets up” to play us.Beating us is an important milestone – we should empathize as we were once a young team; and an up and coming team with team speed; and a young roster. Beating good teams is how you earn respect in the NHL; and gain confidence.

We have to play a full 60 minutes; and stay out of the box – against these young, up and coming teams; with team speed.

Live and learn.

We split a back to back weekend road trip. One good win – one not so good loss.

Onward to Tuesday’s game at home. Thank you.

Yep – It Is Their Time To Lead

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It is prime time now.

We have rebuilt quickly a roster.

A good mix of vets and youth.

We have kept the core together.

They are all coming into their prime.

We can not spend any more money.

We do not have a ticket left to sell.

We want a serious and focused group now.

Leadership comes from within. Torch has been passed.

A good insightful article. Thank you for caring and sharing.

And happy anniversary Japers’ Rink. 6 years old! A survivor and winner in the blogosphere. Maybe next year you will grow big enough to gain an assistant yourself :-) . And in ten years…who knows maybe even a second assistant? Go Caps!

Tonight

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All in Red. See you tonight at Verizon Center.

Home game number #3 against the Islanders.

We have a lot of depth and we shall need it. We are already dinged up playing our 4th game in six nights.

Here is a nice little group of links prepared by Japers’ Rink. They do it so you don’t have to and I enjoy reading these sub headings very much.

Thanks for the ongoing support fans and thanks for the emails. Go Caps!

Taking Wins Any Way We Can

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By shut out. By efficiently smothering a team. By getting our fans free chicken wings. 3 games post Olympics. 3 different games. 3 wins.

Has anyone noticed our home record with different flow and different heroes cast in each game?

But 3 wins in a row.

This year? 25-3-3.

Our consecutive home wins this year? 13.

Our consecutive sellout streak? 46 games in a row.

Home ice advantage in the playoffs should be a good thing for us this season.

We now have 96 points and a 75 goal differential. Best in NHL by a wide margin. And most goals scored by a wide margin.

Thanks to our fans we were loud and proud again last night.

Enjoy the ride.