Sometimes I Hate Being Right, Game 7 and Series Reaction

I may not have been right about game 7, which I thought the Caps would win, but I was definitely right about the importance of game 1 and 2. Before the series began I said that if Washington lost either game 1 or 2 they would not challenge for the Cup this year. I was not expecting to be that right, but I was right. The reason I said that is because the Capitals were the best team in the league and Montreal was the worst team in the playoffs in either conference. Sometimes top seeds lose at home to bottom seeds, but in a series with a team that has been so dominant this could not be the case. If the Caps could not win their first two games at home against such an outmatched opponent, then I felt they were not mentally prepared for a deep playoff run. They lost game 1 and now find themselves out in the first round. I'm not trying to take anything away from what Montreal accomplished, it was a tremendous upset, but if the Capitals were firing on all cylinders and playing to their full potential then this never would have happened. Montreal just doesn't stack up.

What this series also showed was the importance of finishing a team off when you have the chance. Montreal had their backs against the ropes in game 5 and neither team played particularly well. The third period was especially terrible as the Caps played with zero sense of urgency, knowing they still had a game 6 and 7 to close it out. Game 5 should have been an easy win. Had they stepped up, we would be talking about game 1 against Philadelphia right now instead of wondering what if.

Jaroslav Halak, of course, played incredible...for two games. People should study this series as an example of why you win when you have the chance. The Caps didn't seem to have any trouble with Halak in the beginning of the series as he was pulled in game 3 and did not even play in game 4. He only got hot in game 6 and 7. When goalies gain confidence, they can go on these kind of streaks even if the goalie himself is not a superstar talent. I'm not saying Halak is not a great goalie, I'm just merely pointing out that sometimes goalies can overachieve in the playoffs and then fall off next season (anybody remember JS Gigeure?). Whether Halak can continue playing at this level remains to be seen.

Game 7 itself got off to a great start. Again, as in game 6, the Caps came out and dominated the play. Alexander Semin had a great opportunity in the first period to take the lead and end his scoreless streak. In a 3 on 1 opportunity Brooks Laich skated on the left and chipped it over to Semin passed a helpless Halak. Semin had an empty net and tried to deflect the pass in, but it hit the post. Frustrating, but it still semmed as if the Caps were in control until late in the period when Mike Green stepped in. Now I like Green, he has superstar talent. This postseason, however, he has been the worst player on the team. Some will argue that Semin was worse, but Semin was not detracting from the team in his frustration. He led the league in shots in the postseason and it really seemed like it was only a matter of time before he put one in. The bounces just were not going his way. Green was clearly frustrated with his inability to score and it really affected his play. He was widely criticized after game 2 when he was directly responsible for 2 of Montreal's 5 goals. His poor defensive play really affected the team. His frustration also put him into penalty trouble as he had 6 penalties in the series including 2 in game 7.

Towards the end of the first period during 4 on 4 play, Green had the puck and skated into the offensive zone. He lost the puck and it trickled to his right. Standing in front of him away from the puck was defenseman Andrei Markov. Instead of going directly for the puck Green skated forward, cross checked Markov, then turned and got the puck. It was an obvious penalty and a big time mistake. Montreal's offense is at its best when its on the powerplay and a 4 on 3 penalty gave them a lot of room to work with. Marc-Andre Bergeron made the Caps pay and Washington went into the locker room down 0-1 after dominating the period. In the third period Montreal dumped the puck into the Caps' zone. Green was the closest man to it, but did not seem to be in much of a hurry to grab the puck. Seeing that Green was taking his time, Hal Gill sprinted after it, beat him there, and chipped it behind Green to a waiting Dominic Moore who beat a helpless Semyon Varlamov to give Montreal a 2-0 lead. This was an easy mistake to avoid and one the Caps could not afford.

While Green remains one of the best offensive defensemen in the league, his defensive play constantly comes into question. It has kept him out of the all star game, off the Canadian Olympic team, and has cost him a Norris trophy. The fact that he puts so many points on the board shows me he has great offensive instincts. He knows where the puck is going and where he needs to be. He has yet to translate those instincts to his defensive play. If he knows where he needs to be to score, he should know where the opposing forwards are going to go. Being a defenseman, he needs to be thinking defense first, offense second. It was clear, however, that his lack of offense was weighing heavily on his mind and it really took away from his defensive play.

The most frustrating moment, perhaps of the series, came early into the third period. About 30 seconds in, Ovechkin finally managed to put one past Halak and tie the game. The goal, however, was immediately waved off by the referee who determined that Mike Knuble had interfered with Halak. Later on in the period, Montreal also had a goal waved off so it balanced out, right? Wrong. While I may be a die hard Caps fan, let me try to explain this as objectively as possible. The official rule on goalie interference according to nhl.com is "Goals should be disallowed only if: (1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper's ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal; or (2) an attacking player initiates intentional or deliberate contact with a goaltender, inside or outside of his goal crease." So to be clear, players are allowed in the crease and contact itself does not necessarily constitute a goal being disallowed. In the Caps' goal, Knuble was in the crease next to Halak. He stood shoulder to shoulder with him (contact), Ovechkin shot, Halak went down in his stance in an attempt to block the shot, and it got passed him. Knuble's contact in no way impaired Halaks ability to defend the goal. It may have looked like Knuble's contact knocked him down, but he went down in an attempt to save the shot. Even if you felt Knuble's contact was illegal, which it was not, at best it was a 50/50 call. This is the third period in game 7 of a playoff series. You do not make game changing calls off of a 50/50 call that late in a game 7. There is no call for the "Bush Push" and there's no push off foul on Michael Jordan. Likewise, you do not disallow a goal in the third period of a game 7 because of a 50/50 call.

As for Montreal's disallowed goal, Varlamov had the puck, it was not visible, and the Montreal forward raised both arms and literally pushed Varlamov into the net. Sounds like "deliberate contact with the goaltender" to me. Watch the replay, no one could argue that it was not a deliberate push into the net. Had Ovechkin's goal been allowed, 30 seconds into the third period the score would have been tied at 1. This was a huge game changing decision, it was incorrect, and disallowing a Montreal goal that was clearly illegal does not compensate for such a terrible call.

Now, in the aftermath of a terrible upset, it's not time get drastic. Of course we are going to hear all sorts of criticism against Ovechkin and negative comparisons to Crosby and the Penguins, but let's keep things in perspective. I've already heard several criticisms against Ovechkin and the fact that he's a terrible leader and that's why the team is out. This is completely unfair. First, off, do not site the Olympics. From what I saw from team Russia, they were completely mismanaged by their coach. Just a quick example, Ovechkin played cleanup during powerplays, meaning he played in the center to screen the goalie and catch rebounds. This is a complete waste of his talent as he has the best shot in the world and you have him chipping in rebounds which any player can do. That's just a quick example, I could go on for days about why Russia's coach was laughably awful so the fact that Russia did not win a medal is more a result of their coach's terrilbe management more than it is a reflection of Ovechkin's leadership. The fact is that Ovechkin was named captain midseason and now people are using this as an excuse for the team's early exit. No one seemed to be question him in the regular season when he led the Caps to the best record in franchise history. While I will be the first one to say the Caps should have made it farther in the playoffs, to blame it on Ovechkin's leadership is unfair, especially when he was thrust the captaincy mid season with the unexpected trade of Chris Clark.

Also, to characterize Ovechkin as a Tracy McGrady or the Capitals as the next San Jose Sharks is a bit premature. While the last three postseason performances have been underwhelming, people are forgetting just how young this team is. Backstrom is 22, Eric Fehr is 24, Tomas Fleischmann is 25, Ovechkin is 24, Green is 24, Jeff Schultz is 24, and Varlamov just turned 22. Two years ago, I felt that while the Caps had home ice, Philadelphia was actually the favorite. Last season, we saw a huge rebound to defeat New York and make it to round 2. Yes with each year the expectations are raised as they should be and the Caps did not live up to those expectations this year, but this is a young team and this will be an experience that will help them in the future.

What does this series mean for the future? It really shows why the Caps need a defensive star. Granted, at the trade deadline they picked up Joe Corvo, who was fantastic in the playoffs, and Milan Jurcina, who had a sports hernia and has yet to play a game with the Caps since his return. Jon Carlson was one of the best players for the Caps in the series and looks to be a regular next season and Mike Green will undoubtedly rebound. The problem is that Corvo, Carlson, and Green are all offensive minded defensemen. The Caps' philosophy this season has been to outscore the opponent, not keep them off the board. As a result the team found themselves playing from behind a lot more often than they should have. Perhaps the game of the year was the 3 goal comeback against Pittsburgh on Super Bowl Sunday in which the Caps scored 4 straight to beat their hated rivals in OT 5-4. This kind of thing seemed to happen a lot to the Caps this season and as they kept winning, they began to develop bad habits. The Caps were either tied or losing at the end of the first period in EVERY game in the Montreal series. Coming from behind is MUCH harder in the playoffs as we all saw. The Caps also allowed a powerplay goal in 6 of the 7 games. Allowing a powerplay goal every game is not acceptable. Carlson and Karl Alzner do not provide a reasonable excuse to ignore the blue line this summer.

Finally, this series has given the Caps an important lesson in playoff hockey. The past two season have taught the Caps why it's important to start strong and this season is a lesson in finishing strong. It also is a blatant reminder of how much different playoff hockey is than regular season hockey. All important lessons for this team to keep in mind for next season's playoff push.

Capitals Forced Into Yet Another Game 7

For the fourth time in three years, the Washington Capitals will need a game 7 to finish off their playoff series. Two years ago the Capitals saw their season end with a game 7 loss to Philadelphia. Last season, the Capitals fought back from a 3-1 series deficit to force game 7 and beat the New York Rangers before losing to Pittsburgh in another game 7 in the conference semifinals. Now, despite being the most dominate NHL team in recent memory, the Capitals were not able to end their series against Montreal in games 5 or 6 and will face a winner-take-all situation tonight at the Verizon Center.

The series has been up and down throughout with Washington dropping game 1 and needing a miraculous comeback to win game 2. They then dominated games 3 and 4 to take a 3-1 series lead, but failed to close out with a lackluster performance in game 5. Despite what people may think about game 6, it was one of the best games played by the Caps so far this postseason. The Capitals completely dominated the game shooting a franchise postseason record 53 shots. There were just 3 big problems. One, goalie Semyon Varlamov did not look great, letting in two soft goals; two, the Caps powerplay continued to fizzle going 0 for 6 on the powerplay, including a 2 man advantage in the first period when the score was only 0-2; and third and most importantly, goalie Jaroslav Halak had a performance that would make Patrick Roy gasp. Despite such a great team effort, Washington found themselves on the wrong side of a 1-4 loss and now head home for game 7 wondering what happened and how they are going to beat Halak.

To add to the Caps' problems, one of their best defensemen so far this postseason will not be playing. Tom Poti suffered an eye injury in game 6 and will be out not only for tonight, but for most of the second round should the Caps advance. Tyler Sloan will likely take his place as he stepped up in the two games Shaone Morrisonn sat out with an injury, but the Caps did recall Karl Alzner from Hershey and head coach Bruce Boudreau hinted that he would not be afraid to play him despite tonight's high stakes. There is also some question over whether Boudreau will dress Brendan Morrisonn after sitting him out for game 6, but Boudreau has always been impressed with David Steckle's ability to step up in key situations such as when he scored the overtime winner against Pittsburgh last season to force a game 7. Otherwise Washington's lineup seems set. Some may be asking about a possible goalie change, but this is unlikely. While Varlamov did not look particularly good in game 6, the Caps have had more postseason consistency from him than from Jose Theodore and it is unlikely Boudreau would take such a huge gamble.

So is it time to panic in DC? Not just yet. For one, the Caps are used to game 7s and the added pressure most likely won't affect them. Game 7s are a time superstars step forward and the Caps have plenty to choose from between the best player in the world in Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Mike Knuble. Montreal also can't ignore Mike Green and Alex Semin, even though both have yet to score in the series.

The key to winning tonight for Washington is solving Halak. The last two games, Montreal has ridden on his back and if the Caps can shake him up, they'll shake the entire Canadiens' team. The Caps came in ready to go on Monday and I would expect a similar performance tonight with a barrage of shots against Halak. While he has allowed only 2 goals in the past 2 games, I really doubt he can do it again. The Caps showed on Monday what kind of a performance it would take to beat them and Halak was up to the task then, but it would be difficult for any goalie in the league to follow it up with an equally spectacular performance. Yet, this may be the only way Montreal can win. The Caps will have to come out of the gate swinging and will hopefully put one or two into the net early in the game. For this to happen, the powerplay MUST be better. The Caps will get their chances, but they have to capitalize. So far what wasthe best powerplay team in the league has scored once this series. Once. Even with all the talent they have they have only managed one powerplay goal. This is really unacceptable. Montreal has not been able to stay out of the box this series and the Capitals have yet to make them pay. They will really need the powerplay to be working tonight.

Varlamov will also have to be solid. While I believe most of Montreal's chances rest on Halak, even when the Caps have managed to solve the goalies this series, Montreal seems to respond with its own offense. Since Halak has played so well the past 2 games, Montreal will have to be careful not to rely only on their goaltender and will have to make their own offensive push. Varlamov cannot allow any easy goals that will pressure his team. Still tonight I think the Caps will need Varlamov to not lose the game more than they will need him to win it.

The biggest key for the Caps is not to get frustrated. Towards the end of game 6, Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin, and Green, were missing the net altogether, even from very close. What this means is that they were thinking too hard about shooting the perfect shot. When a goalie gets hot, players begin to think too much about how and where to shoot. The Caps can beat Halak if they screen him, deflect shots, and get to rebounds. They were not doing this at all in game 5 and abandoned this early in game 6 after Halak frustrated their efforts. Get back to the basics and they will get the puck past him.

It is certainly not time to panic for the Washington Capitals, but the problem with a game 7 is that it is winner take all. If Halak has another spectacular game, the bounces don't go the Caps' way, Varlamov has a bad game, or the referees call a bad game, the Caps are out. If the Caps had played a full game 5, they would not be looking at a hot goalie while facing elimination. One thing to watch for tonight is how the referees call the game. Montreal has a weak offense and a strong powerplay and have tried to agitate and draw penalties all series long. Apparently they tried a little too hard on Monday and were called for an unprecedented 3 unsportsmanlike penalties for diving. Maybe this was something discussed with the referees before hand, maybe it was just a bad game for Montreal. Either way it will be interesting to see if the referees call the Caps a little tighter tonight or if they put away the whistles for such a crucial game. You can expect Montreal coach Jacques Martin will be in both referees' ears tonight even before the game starts. The Caps will have to be careful to stay out of the box.

Tonight should be a good one, especially if the Caps win and move on to the semifinals. I know I'd rather be watching Caps and Flyers this weekend instead of the Nationals and the Marlins.

Not Enough for the Redskins

After wrapping up the draft last weekend, the Redskins appear to have achieved a complete transformation from their 2009 team. They now head into the summer with a new general manager, head coach, offensive and defensive coordinators, new quarterback, and many new players as they attempt to rebound from a dismal 4-12 season. The Redskins, however, have barley addressed their offensive line. This was by far their biggest weakness from last season and, while they have made some changes, it will take more to fix a line that allowed their quarterback to be hit 97 times and sacked 46 times.

Heading into the offseason, the Redskins seemed committed to changing their ways and developing a team rather than just bringing in big name players. They then proceeded to bring in big name players and ignore the offensive line. To add depth on offense, the Redskins signed running backs Larry Johnson and Willie Parker. This will allow some rushing flexibility for a team that seemed lost whenever Clinton Portis went out with an injury. Ladell Betts, Rock Cartwright, and Quinton Ganther performed admirably in relief, but just did not provide much of a threat.

Of course the biggest moves came at quarterback. The Redskins looked ready to give Jason Campbell a short leash this season replacing backup Todd Collins with Rex Grossman, but then shocked the NFL with a trade for Donovan McNabb. While many questioned this move, I felt it was a welcome change. Yes, I have always been vocal in my criticism of Campbell, but the move allowed for the Redskins to focus squarely on the offensive line during the draft. Without trading for McNabb, the Redskins most likely would have had to take quarterback Jimmy Clausen with their first round pick. While we know now that Clausen fell considerably in the draft going midway in the second round, it is unlikely the Redskins would have risked losing him. This would mean not getting an lineman until the beginning of the second round, the best of which available was Zane Beadles from Utah, who in his four years at Utah played primarily from a two point stance. This was not a player you could guarantee would be ready to start in the NFL right away. With McNabb, the Redskins were free to draft Trent Williams who will be a starter come week 1 against the Cowboys.

By now, no doubt, you've heard the questions surrounding the decision to take Williams over Russell Okung, who many thought was the safer pick, but Williams made a lot more sense for the scheme Mike Shanahan wants to run. This is not the problem I have. In a recent interview, Chris Foerster, new offensive line coach for the team, gave his projected starting line: LT Trent Williams, LG Derrick Dockery, C Casey Rabach, RG Mike Williams, and RT Artis Hicks. Looking at this lineup have the Redskins really done enough to fix the problems on the offensive line? Trent Williams replaces the now retired Chris Samuels, the best lineman the Redskins had. Artis Hicks comes from Minnesota to take over the right tackle position and Mike Williams is switching over to right guard. Otherwise, we see a very similar offensive line. The Redskins have a rookie playing in place of their best player, a solid lineman from Minnesota, and three starters from last season. Is that really enough?

The offensive line was a huge factor last season, but with McNabb it could prove disastrous. The constant pressure on the quarterback really hurt Campbell's performance. Granted, McNabb is a much better quarterback, but he is also injury prone. Injuries have plagued him his entire career. I may not have liked Campbell, but the man could take a beating. McNabb is more mobile, but he can't take nearly the same pounding Campbell took last season or he'll be out really quickly. Isn't bringing in one seasoned veteran and one rookie starter to replace your best player and to fix the offensive line like trying to fix the Titanic with duct tape? What good is a new offense if you can't protect it? I sure hope Shanahan has a few tricks up his sleeve.

NCAA Approves New Taunting Rule for 2011, Brace Yourselves for Controversy

The NCAA recently announced its new rule changes to college football. Starting in 2011, taunting penalties will actually result in the loss of points if the penalty occurred before the points were scored. What the NCAA is hoping to prevent with this rule are incidents in which players high step into the endzone or dive with no one around them, or any other obvious shots at the opposing team. Once again, the NCAA is ignoring the basic human nature of the game of football and is poised for some major controversies when the rule is put into place.

It seems that every year there is some controversy when it comes to taunting. The reason for this is because there is no set standard for what constitutes as taunting. Referees have to try to interpret what the intent of certain celebrations is in order to determine whether it is deliberately aimed at the other team. It is the dumbest rule in the rule book, but it really only has been a minor annoyance thus far since points were rarely taken off the board. One taunting penalty in particular, however, cost Washington its game-tying drive against BYU. In 2008, Washington quarterback Jake Locker ran into the endzone with 2 seconds left to go in the game. Thinking he had just tied the game Locker threw the ball up and celebrated the dramatic comeback with his teammates. Locker was called for an unsportsmanlike penalty, the extra point was moved 15 yards back, and was then blocked by BYU who walked away with a 28-27 victory. To say the penalty had no affect on the outcome is absurd. It took away some of the momentum of Washington, it changed the extra point from a 20 yard kick to a 35 yard kick which changes the whole dynamic of the play, and it allowed BYU more time to prepare to block. If that penalty is not called I do not think BYU blocks that kick.

What's even more infuriating about that play is that Locker did nothing wrong. He was not intending to mock or taunt the other team, he was excited because he just capped an 18 play drive with a game tying touchdown! What are players expected to do in that situation? I completely understand the desire to take away taunting other teams, but when you score a big play and are excited, your first thought is not, I better place the ball gently on the ground to avoid a penalty. Players aren't thinking at all! Anyone who has ever played sports or anyone that is a fan of sports knows that feeling. When a big play happens and you just won the game, you jump around and yell and scream and half the time you don't even remember what you're saying or doing because you're not thinking about it! Ok, so Terrell Owens was thinking when he took the pen out of his sock and signed a football. Chad Ochocinco is thinking when he does everyone of his celebrations, and I understand the NCAA's desire to not let that happen in college football, but you can't watch the replay of the Washington/BYU game and tell me what Locker did was unsportsmanlike. Football is an emotional game and to try to take the emotion out of it is stupid.

The point to this rant is that now, by allowing referees to take points off the board, this will be much worse. What constitutes taunting? What I think is taunting is different than what someone else thinks is taunting. Every year there is controversy over a number of taunting penalties because the guidelines for what constitutes taunting are so vague that even celebrations that aren't aimed at the other team are flagged. Yet, we now want points taken off the board for a completely subjective rule? If a player is all alone running the ball into the endzone to win the game for his team and he lifts his free hand up in celebration, boom, penalty. You might not think this is taunting, but another referee might. If a player is so far away from everyone else that he starts to jog into the endzone, penalty. One ref may think he was slowing down as a jab to the other team. You may be telling yourself that refs aren't going to be making these calls in big situations, but that sure didn't seem to stop them from ruining the game for Washington. What this rule will do is eliminate obvious high stepping and taunting from show boaters, but it will also ruin the amazing plays of genuinely excited players. When you're about to score a touchdown to win the game at the end of regulation or in overtime, you're excited! It's only natural and its not unsportsmanlike or wrong at all. What's wrong is telling him that it's not ok to be excited. It's not ok to celebrate your amazing play because one referee may decide to ruin your game. That's what this rule does. It gives the referees the ability to ruin the game. Points are never guaranteed, ever. By allowing referees to take them off the board for such an objective call is perhaps one of the dumbest ideas in college football since the BCS.

Football is not a game that can be played without emotion. When you see players listening to music before a game, they aren't listening to "Puff the Magic Dragon" or "If You're Happy and You Know it Clap Your Hands." They are listening to music to get themselves pumped up. Let these players celebrate their amazing accomplishments and plays. They shouldn't have to worry about how they look while they are running the ball into the endzone. What if a referee determined that when Cal returned the epic kickoff against Stanford in the most exciting play in college football history, that by jumping into the endzone they were actually taunting Stanford? What if a referee saw a Boise State player celebrating just before they took the ball into the endzone for the two point conversion that beat Okalhoma in one of the greatest games every played? In 2011 we will see far too many games ruined by referees and that truly will be nothing to celebrate.

What a Difference Two Games Make...

Two games into Washington's playoff matchup and you can already throw out all of the analysis and predictions regarding what would happen in this series. Montreal came into the playoffs with the 23rd ranked offense but has managed 8 goals in two games against the Capitals and only two have come from their 2nd ranked power play. Many Washington sports analysts expected the Capitals to advance in five games while many Motnreal sports analysts expected the Capitals in advance in four. Yet Montreal stunned the best team in the NHL in game one in overtime and looked in control for most of game two. Things have gotten off to a weird start.

Montreal goaltender Jaroslav Halak looked fantastic in his first playoff start stopping 45 of 47 shots and leading the Canadiens to an improbable game one win. In game two, however, he seemed to struggle allowing 5 goals on just 37 shots. Alexander Ovechkin even stated he saw Halak's arm shaking late in the game. With Washington's potent offense, Halak has to be better. If we see another 6 goal game for the Capitals, I wouldn't be surprised to see Carey Price in for game four.

The biggest surprise for Montreal has to be their offense. They averaged 2.65 goals per game during the regular season but have managed 8 so far in just two games. Heading into the playoffs, I thought the Canadiens' strategy would be to try the weather the storm, agitate and try to force penalties, and win through powerplays and counter attacks. Now, however, Montreal is proving that their offense can win on its own. That could spell trouble for the Capitals who are having some troubles in goal and on defense.

Game one had to be absolutely baffling for the Washington Capitals. Looking at this series it was believed their two biggest weaknesses were their goaltending and 25th ranked penalty kill matching against the second best power play. If you had told me that the Capitals would get great goaltending and allow 1 power play goal in 4 opportunities in game one, I would have thought "mission accomplished." Not so. Despite Theodore's heroics, the Capitals dropped game one in overtime. Then, the Capitals found themselves down 0-2 twelve minutes into game two after allowing only 2 shots. To allow only 2 shots in 8 minutes of play is impressive, but it is meaningless if the other team scores on those 2 shots. Now Boudreau has a choice to make for game 3. Theodore may have had a bad game, but he has played great since January going 20-0-3. Would starting Semyon Varlamov, who had an average game after replacing Theodore, really be the right move? Short answer, yes. You have to go with the goalie that wins and Varlamov won the game. It may not have been pretty, but he got the job done. Putting Theodore back in for game three in a city he has not played well in would be a disaster. What would happen if Theodore started and played terribly? Boudreau would be lambasted over the decision and the team would find itself in a 2-1 playoff deficit with their confidence shaken. Varlamov's first NHL start was at Montreal and he allowed only 1 goal. Starting Theodore would have long term playoff implications as well. Whether Boudreau will confess to it or not, I believe he came into these playoffs expecting to use both goalies. Analysts may not like it, but he has done it for years in the AHL with success. If Theodore starts tonight and does not play well, that ship has sailed. He can't play Theodore again in Montreal period, even if Varlamov doesn't play well either. If Varlamov plays, Boudreau at least has the option of playing Theodore again. I expect Boudreau will play Varlamov until he has a bad game and then go back to Theodore as he did for most of the regular season. It's a risk, but with this system the Capitals managed the best record in the league and the most dominant regular season in recent memory.

Defense for the Capitals is also a major issue. Remember when I said maybe Jon Carlson should sit? Scratch that. He's been one of, if not the best, defenseman for the Capitals so far in the playoffs. The worst? Mike Green. It's not because he has 0 points so far, it's because defensively Green has downright stunk. You can blame Green for at least 2 of Montreal's 5 goals in game two. If Green isn't producing offensively it really doesn't hurt the team that much. They can score without him. When a defenseman plays poorly defensively, however, it always hurts the team. What we've seen from Green so far has been unacceptable. Boudreau already took him off the powerplay as a message, but Boudreau has to make sure Green is thinking defense first, offense second.

Tonight another major factor will be introduced into the series. Montreal's stadium, the Bell Centre, provides probably the biggest home ice advantage in the NHL. Hockey is king and Montreal has won more Stanley Cups than any other team in the NHL and as a result the Canadiens have developed quite a following. It will be interesting to see how both teams react to the crowd tonight especially in such a critical game.

The Capitals were the better team in game one for the first 40 minutes and in game two for the last 20 minutes and 30 seconds. This team knows they can be the better team for 60 minutes so let's hope we start to see that tonight.

Capitals Set to Play Montreal in First Round of the Playoffs

The Washington Capitals found out yesterday that they would face eighth seeded Montreal in the first round of the playoffs. The series will start in DC on Thursday at 7. With a final sigh of relief, the Capitals can now put the regular season behind them, a season in which they achieved every goal possible weeks ago, and look forward to the ultimate goal, the Stanley Cup.

The Bad News:

Montreal has played the Caps tough this season with a split season series. The teams met for the first time on Nov. 20 at the Verizon Center and the Caps lost in regulation 2-3. They met again in Montreal on Nov. 28 this time with a 4-3 shootout win for the Caps. The Caps won the third match in DC on January 5, 4-2 and Montreal took the final game in Montreal on February 10 in a 5-6 overtime game. The Canadiens have the second ranked power play in the league scoring 5 power play goals in those 4 games. Montreal found themselves in the number eight seed last season as well and forced seven games against Boston. Such a long series is not what the Caps will be hoping for this year. For the last two seasons, the Caps have opened the playoffs with a seven game series, losing one and winning the other. Both years the Caps had very slow starts and had to come from a 3 game to 1 deficit in order to force that game seven. After such a dominant season, a seven game series may hurt the confidence of a Capitals team that is ready for a long post season run. It may also fatigue the team as we saw last season against Pittsburgh. After opening the series with two wins, the Caps lost 3 of the next 4 games, 3 of which went to overtime. The team then collapsed in game 7 with a 2-6 loss. The Capitals will certainly be hoping for a very dominant and quick series against the Canadiens to start.

Montreal is one of the original six hockey teams. In the city, hockey is king. The Caps can expect a fiery fan base when they visit Montreal in games 3, 4, and possibly 6 if the series goes that long. This is goaltender Jose Theodore's former team and is one that he traditionally does not play well against. His record against them is 2-1-0, but his GAA is 4.05 and save percentage is .877. Head coach Bruce Boudreau seems to be aware of this as Theodore did not start any of the 4 games against Montreal this season. There is also some question as to who the number 6 defensive player will be. Milan Jurcina was picked up at the trade deadline for this role, but he has been out with a sport's hernia and will most likely be out for a few weeks. The Caps brought up prospect Jon Carlson who has played well, but lately his game has looked off especially yesterday against Boston. Tyler Sloan sat out with a minor injury and Jon Erskine is not as good as either player and takes far too many unnecessary penalties, something the Capitals cannot afford against such a potent power play.

The Good News:

The Capitals have just completed one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory. With the experience of the last two seasons and the the added motivation of having to watch Pittsburgh hoist the Cup last season, their big rivals and a team the Caps feel they should have beaten, the Caps feel driven more than ever to go all the way. While the Caps have gotten off to slow starts in the playoffs, they have been looking ahead to the playoffs for quite some time, feeling relieved after yesterday's game ended just so they could start. Two years ago the Caps had to go on an incredible winning streak just to make the playoffs. It took a lot out of the team and they came into the series flat. Last season the Caps coasted into the post season finishing the regular season with a string of games against teams that had nothing to play for. This season with games against Boston, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta, and with the division, conference, and President's trophy locked up, the Caps could cruise the last few weeks while still playing important games against tough teams. It was a great combination that should help the Caps. Montreal meanwhile is limping into the playoffs losing 8 of their last 11. They looked to have the 6th spot locked up weeks ago but instead fell all the way to 8th.

Montreal may have the second best power play in the league, but the Capitals have the top powerplay and set a franchise record this season for fewest penalty minutes, and that includes those big penalties Alex Ovechkin took. While all eyes, including those of the referees, will be on the great 8 during the playoffs, especially in Montreal, it is unlikely Montreal will find themselves in a position in which their powerplay can keep up with Washington's high powered offense.

Jose Theodore has had one of the best seasons of his career. He hasn't lost in regulation since January going 20-0-3. After the death of his infant son this summer, Theodore rebounded with a great season. Since he is such a mental goaltender, two opening games at home should build up his confidence enough to face his old team. If not, Boudreau's playoff history both in the AHL and NHL last season show that he's not afraid to switch goaltenders. Semyon Varlamov's first start in the NHL was at Montreal and he came away with a 2-1 victory. While he has struggled at times this season, he has proven he is not easy to intimidate. This will be the first playoff start for Montreal's probable goaltender Jaroslav Halak. Defending against the Capitals may be a tall order and the Caps may see a lot of Carey Price if Halak falters.

The Capitals' defense also has a major size advantage over Montreal's offense. Not one of Montreal's forwards are over 6 ft. tall while none of the Capitals' defense men are less than six ft. tall. Montreal will have to rely on speed more than strength to score meaning that Montreal will struggle to get goals from their third and fourth lines, lines supposed to be for more physical players. This also means the Caps defensemen should be able to keep screeners away from in front of Theodore giving him a much easier job protecting the net.

Ultimately, most analysts do not give Montreal much of a chance saying that fans should be happy that they were able to make the playoffs in the first place. If the Capitals are firing on all cylinders then they will be tough to beat. I believe the key to the series and the entire playoffs for Washington will be games 1 and 2. The Capitals have the best team in the league, the best offense in the league, the best goal differential in the league, and the best player in the world. If they cannot win both of their opening home games against probably the weakest team in the playoffs in either conference, I don't think this team is ready for the Cup just yet. If, however, they win both, then it shows how focused they are and how much they have matured from last season. Their confidence will grow and they will be tough to beat. If they win their first two games, it is going to be a long and deep playoff run for the Caps which might just end with them hoisting the Cup.

Three Games in, How's that Pitching Working?

The Washington Nationals are three games into the 2010 season and managed to pull off one win in a three game series against Philadelphia. In the offseason, the team really focused on pitching as it was their clear weakness. How'd they do? Take a look at the pitching stats through the first three games:

9.00 ERA (15th in NL)
.324 BAA (15th in NL)
2.28 WHIP (16th in NL)

They have one save, but most importantly they have 0 quality starts (six innings pitched in a game by a starter). Those new pitchers? Well starter Jason Marquis after his first game has an ERA of 13.50 and 2 strike outs in 4 innings. He allowed 4 runs off of 8 hits and has a WHIP of 2.75. Matt Capps has the only save but also has a WHIP of 2.50. Tyler Walker has 3 strike outs in two innings pitched which is respectable. Brian Bruney has 3 walks and a WHIP of 2.50 with 2 innings pitched.

Granted, the Nationals are only 3 games into the season so it's not entirely fair to scrutinize these stats, but is this the start you think the team was hoping for? Clearly not. With stats like these there is going to be a lot of pressure to call up pitching prospect Stephen Strasburg who played exceptionally well in spring training. This is going to follow the team all season long. If the team cannot be competitive without consistent pitching, then by not calling him up you risk the entire season. By calling him up too early, you risk his development. Many people thought the Nationals should pass on Strasburg because top draft pitchers always seem to fizzle in the major leagues. While this is certainly no reason to pass on major prospects, what it does show is that teams have to be very careful when developing these players. If the pitching does not get better for the Nationals, they will be faced with a choice: should they write off the 2010 season very early and save Strasburg for 2011 or risk Strasburg's development to try and save a season in which they won't really compete anyway?

Many were very optimistic about the Nationals coming into this season, and while I certainly think they will finish better than they did the last two years, did anyone think they were going to challenge for the division or a wild card spot? The decision to me seems easy. Keep Strasburg in the minors and let him develop into an MLB pitcher. There's no point in bringing him up so the Nationals can still finish with a sub .500 record. The Nationals have certainly improved from last season, but if these first 3 games are any indication, they still don't have the tools to become competitive for a playoff spot. Don't risk the best thing you have just to stop the whining of some impatient fans!

More of the Same for the Nationals

The baseball season got off to a roaring start yesterday for the Washington Nationals as they lost at home to the Philadelphia Phillies 11-1. This game was especially embarrassing considering that the Nationals headed into the fourth inning with a 1-0 lead. Ok, so the Nationals faced the two-time defending National League champions and newly acquired pitcher Roy Halladay, widely considered to be the best pitcher in the MLB, but this is really no excuse. The Nationals are not a minor league team, they are in the same league and division as the Phillies and they should have done better than an 11-1 blowout on opening day in their own stadium.

To add to the misery of opening day was all the fans who packed the stadium clad in red and blue not for the Nationals, but for the Phillies. With a strong fan presence their team did not disappoint. Despite all their moves in the offseason to become more competitive, the Nationals had only three starters from last season's lineup, the team failed to produce on opening day. Ace John Lannan was pulled in the fourth inning having pitched zero strikeouts and allowing seven hits and five runs. New shortstop Ian Desmond made an error off of the first ball hit to him. It just looked like the same disorganized and dispassionate team from last season.

Now granted, it was the first day of the season and teams will have their bad games. There is no reason to write the Natinals off yet, oops I mean Nationals, where did I get Natinals from? (I would buy a Natinals jersey if they sold them) What worries me is that this game didn't happen in June or July, when teams hit that wall and players struggle to stay motivated for every game. This happened on opening day. Early season jitters? Stage fright at playing in front of President Obama even if he did only stay for a short time? A testament to the strength of Halladay and the Phillies? Let's hope something like that did happen or it's going to be a long season again for the Nationals.

The good news? The Nationals are only one game below .500 and one game back in the division. It's good to think positive while you still can.

McNabb Traded To Redskins in Curious Move, Could it FINALLY Be the End of Campbell?

On the day of Tiger Woods' press conference and baseball's opening day (Nationals already coming out swinging with an 11-1 loss to Philadelphia) the big story in Washington is...football. Last night the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins reached a deal sending quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Redskins for a second round draft pick and a fourth round pick in 2011 which could turn into a third round pick.

This trade caught many completely offguard. Last week Oakland and Buffalo emerged as the front runners and even if they couldn't close the deal, who would have expected that Philadelphia would trade McNabb to a division opponent? The Eagles will now have to face the best quarterback in franchise history twice in 2010 as both teams are in the NFC East. Usually teams will not make big trades within their division. Take for example, Green Bay, who refused to trade Brett Favre to a team within the NFC Conference in an attempt to avoid playing against him at all. But Philadelphia decided to take the plunge after McNabb's agent made it clear that he did not want to go to Oakland or Buffalo. Still, you have to wonder. Ok, so it was clear Philadelphia wanted to move forward with Kevin Kolb so McNabb needed to go. That's understandable. But even with McNabb making objections and encouraging talks with Washington, Philadelphia still needs to look after its best interests. I'm sure that Philadelphia could have found someone outside of the division willing to make a deal other than Oakland and Buffalo so why help make a division opponent better with a major trade? If Philadelphia really made this deal strictly because of McNabb's wishes, that's honorable I guess, but it's pretty foolish.

Another possibility is that they know something that the rest of the NFL doesn't. I'm not into conspiracy theories, what I'm saying is that Andy Reid and the Eagles' organization know McNabb better than anyone in the NFL. They may be expecting a dramatic drop off in play, which would explain setting up a Kolb/McNabb matchup and putting together a trade package that included a 2011 draft pick. Just a thought.

What also made this deal surprising was the fact that this did not seem to be the route the Redskins were taking this offseason. With quarterbacks Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen, Colt McCoy, and Tim Tebow all available in the draft and the Redskins in full rebuilding mode, most expected the team to bring in a young quarterback to replace Jason Campbell or at least force him to perform. Instead they brought in a veteran quarterback who most likely has already peaked.

This trade will certainly change their tactics come draft day. Both Bradford and Clausen have met with the Redskins, so perhaps head coach Mike Shanahan didn't see what he wanted to out of the pair. In any case, the Redskins now have to take an offensive lineman with their number one pick. There can be no debate here. Their offensive line was absolutely atrocious last season. McNabb is 33 years old, which is advanced for most NFL players, and has been plagued with injuries throughout his career. Without building that offensive line up then the Redskins are playing with fire. They need to start taking a look at Russell Okung from Oklahoma State, Trent Williams from Oklahoma, and Bryan Bulaga from Iowa. Any of the three would provide a major boost to that weak offensive line.

So was this the right move? One worrying aspect is that this trade reeks of Dan Snyder. Trading for a big name player already in his 30s as a quick fix? I certainly hope this is the work of Bruce Allen and Shanahan, but it really seems to have Snyder's finger prints all over it and we've seen how well those moves have worked. Even so I like this trade if the Redskins follow through and build that offensive line. If they don't then this trade was a waste of time, draft picks, and money. McNabb can't take the kind of beating Campell did last season. While McNabb may be a more mobile quarterback, this does not make up for the complete lack of consistent blocking up front. Sitting with that number four overall pick, the Redskins may well find themselves having to choose between an offensive lineman and the real popular Ndamukong Suh, but they MUST ignore the flashy pick and take what they need. I like this trade only if you get the line to protect McNabb, otherwise it's only a matter of time before Campbell is called in as McNabb is carted off the field.

A lot of curious thinking allowed for this big trade. With one trade the Redskins took a big step forward towards making themselves competitive again. I've been very vocal with my criticism of Campbell and I truly believe he was holding this team back. I will also admit, however, that the offensive line was an even bigger problem. Bringing in McNabb means nothing if they do not continue to improve on the line because McNabb cannot handle the pressure and the beating he will receive throughout the season without it.

Capitals Face Tough Questions on How to Prepare for Playoffs

With the regular season set to end for Washington on April 11 against Boston, the Capitals have already sealed the Southeast division and the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Now the Capitals have five games remaining and are facing the same questions that plagues the best teams in every sport every year regarding how to best prepare for the playoffs. Should they rest their best players, take these last few games seriously, show the playoff lineups...? Every situation has been tried and has worked or not worked at some time. The question really is what is the best policy for this team specifically?

When studying the Capitals, one realizes that when this team is firing on all cylinders, it's scary. This team has beaten Pittsburgh twice including a game in which they trailed 4-1 in the second period and Chicago in a game in which they trailed 3-0 and they did it without Alexander Ovechkin who had been ejected. In fact, this team is so deep that they still have a winning record in games without Ovechkin (7-2). They have an 18-3-2 record within the division. While it may be true that the Southeast division is one of the weakest in the NHL, this is still impressive because these are the teams that know the Capitals the best. Washington leads all teams in the NHL in points with 112. They have scored 31 more goals than any team in the league and have a leading goal differential of +78 which is 26 higher than second place. Of course every team has their weaknesses, and for the Capitals it's their defense. But Washington was the best team in the league before the trade deadline and they still managed to get better with the acquisition of Scott Walker, Eric Belanger, Joe Corvo, and Milan Jurcina.

The Capitals certainly look like the team to beat heading into the playoffs, but there are some problems surfacing. A problem the Capitals have had all year is letting in early goals. Even in the midst of their incredible 14 game winning streak the Capitals constantly had to play from behind. While they have proven repeatedly that they are never out of a game until the clock hits zero with numerous multi goal and last minute comebacks, they cannot continue this trend in the playoffs. Many may ask why it matters if the Capitals continue to win and the answer is that the playoffs are a completely different game. Of the last 23 Presidents' trophy winners (team with the best record in the regular season which the Capitals will most likely win this season) only 7 have won the Stanley Cup. The Capitals won't get points for forcing overtime anymore, they will still have to win the game. It was clear at the end of that 14 game winning streak the emotional toll was having an affect on the team, now imagine adding the intensity of playoff hockey. That kind of pressure will cripple most teams. One reason for the Capitals' collapse in game seven against the hated Penguins last season is that they could not sustain the pressure and intensity for two straight seven game series after beating the Rangers by the skin of their teeth. A team as good as the Capitals should not be playing from behind. The longer you allow a weaker team to remain competitive in a game and in a series, the harder it will be to take control. The Capitals just cannot rely on last minute comebacks in the playoffs, they need to put teams away early which they can easily do with their overwhelming offensive power.

One thing that head coach Bruce Boudreau has to keep in mind is this team's recent playoff history. In the last two seasons the Capitals lost three out of their first four games. They managed to force a game seven both times, but neither series should have come to that. Recent games, including their season trend of letting in early goals, show that this team sometimes has trouble turning on the switch. If this team takes the next few weeks off, then they could find themselves again dropping a few games to start the playoffs this year. This cannot happen. The Capitals really need to prove to themselves more than anyone else that they are good enough to win. A four or five game series will get that message across. A seven game series against the 8th team in the east would not. Resting the players really is not an option here.

Of course, if you don't rest you risk fatigue late in the playoffs and the Capitals want a deep playoff run. Since the trade deadline, Boudreau has not been shy about scratching every player on the team minus the stars Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Knuble, Alexander Semin, and Mike Green. This is a perfect situation. Boudreau needs to let every player know that playoff spots are at stake. If you want to play in the playoffs, you're going to have to show what you've got. Players will play hard when they get the chance, but you can still scratch players and rest them. A few injuries are making that a bit difficult, but the players sitting out now are the players that will need the most rest to be at 100% come the playoffs. As for the stars, you can't scratch them, but you can reduce their shifts. Give them less playing time and they will give you everything they've got during those shifts. Also, he needs to make winning the Presidents trophy a goal they need to strive for. This team struggles when they have nothing to play for.

This is also a time to start putting together the playoff lines. One problem of course is that the remaining five games include two against possible first round foe Boston, one against possible first round foe Atlanta, and one against Pittsburgh. You may not want to show your hand to teams you may be facing, but you may also want to feel out who works in what situations against teams.

Boudreau now has a unique situation in which he can scout first hand against his probable first round opponent. It's important that the Capitals do not sleep walk through the first few games of the first round and cannot hold back on the reins too much for the rest of the season. There are ways for Boudreau to continue pushing and keeping his team strong while still not pushing too hard. This could be the year for the Capitals if they do things right!