Belanger Inks Deal with Phoenix, Gives Exclamation Point to Awful Offseason for the Caps

Heading into the trade deadline last season, Washington saw two weaknesses: defense and penalty killing. They needed defensemen and a center. They brought in defenseman Joe Corvo and center Eric Belanger (along with Scott Walker and Milan Jurcina, but neither made much of a contribution) to try and fix the problem. Yet, these two failed to completely fix the problem and as a result the Capitals were sent home in the first round in one of the biggest upsets in the history of the NHL. Rather than continue to address these needs in the offseason, the Capitals have sat back and now appear to be no closer to winning the Stanley Cup.

In the playoffs last season, the Caps dressed Joe Corvo, Mike Green, Jeff Schultz, Jon Carlson, Shaone Morrisonn, and Tom Poti. They also had Tyler Sloan, Karl Alzner, and Jon Erskine as backups. Joe Corvo went back to Carolina. Hard to fault the Caps for that one, there was no question he was leaving. Green, Schultz, and Poti are back. Carlson established himself as ready for a full time slot and he will be back. Despite being one of the best true defensive players on the team, for some reason the Caps let Morrisonn sign with the Islanders. Alzner will be brought onto the roster this season. This means that the Caps defense will be Green, Schultz, Carlson, Poti, Alzner, and Sloan and Erskine will battle for the last spot. I think Sloan has potential if he continues developing, but any system that promises Erskine extended playing time does not work. He is useless. As a fighter, he has become popular among some fans, but ask yourself if he would have a spot on this team if he could not fight. The answer is no. He either commits a penalty or gives up a big play every game. It is unacceptable. So compare the two lineups. Which one is better? Granted a lot of the players are young and will continue to develop, but the Caps are in desperate need of a DEFENSIVE star. Not a Mike Green, a Carlson, or a Corvo, but a DEFENSIVE defenseman. Instead of fixing that, the Caps have a lineup that will give Erskine playing time. Fail.

While the team has an abundance of offensive talent, they have few true centers. Centers are not only important in the offensive game, but they are VITAL on the penalty kill. For the playoffs the team had Nicklas Backstrom, Eric Belanger, Brendan Morrison, and David Steckle. Morrison is old and expensive. It is not surprise he was on his way out. Steckle is great on the faceoff, but he has fourth line talent at best. Now Belanger is gone. So the team has Backstrom and Steckle. They also have this fantasy of putting Marcus Johansson, a bright young prospect, on the second line. I've seen him play. He would be great on the third line, but he doesn't fit on the second line and this is simply way more playing than he's ready for.

Now the team is talking about how it shows the organization has faith in the team. Absolutely false. There have been rumors about trade talks throughout the offseason. The reason why Belanger is contemplating legal action against the team is because they agreed to a deal weeks ago, but the team said it was contingent on a trade the team was working out. The Capitals could not convince players to come to DC despite the incentives of playing for a contender AND playing with the best player in the world. When it comes to trades, George McPhee is like the cautious poker player. He can win a few chips here and there, but he will never win the pot without pushing more chips into the center. Unless he is willing to put real value on the table, the team will never be able to pick up the players they really need.

So here's the timeline. The team says they need defensemen and centers and bring in players at the deadline. The team enters into the offseason far too soon and lose all the players they brought in at the deadline. They also lose defenseman Shaone Morrisonn and center Brendan Morrison. They try to make deals to fix these problems, cannot make any, and then tell the team that it is because they have faith in them all. Now they are left with holes to fill and only prospects to fill them with. Oops.

Caps Agree to Terms with Center Eric Belanger

The Capitals have signed Eric Belanger to a one year deal for next season filling the void at second line center. The team was originally hoping to bring up prospect center Marcus Johansson, who will most likely still receive a full time roster spot this season, but who failed to impress (me anyway) during the team's development camp. Belanger played tremendously after he was acquired by the team from Minnesota at the trade deadline last season and I for one am greatly relieved by this move. Johansson will be a significant addition to the third and fourth lines this season, but frankly he was not a good fit or ready for the second line.

There also could be more moves in the mix. The team has not officially announced the signing and general manager George McPhee refused to comment. It is believed the team is waiting to announce the signing because they are working out other "roster changes" and will make the announcement once those are completed. The offseason may not yet be over for the Capitals.

Marcus Shows Potential at Development Camp, But Not Enough

The Capitals just wrapped up their development camp this weekend with their final red vs. white scrimmage on Saturday. I was there and had my eyes fixed on Marcus Johansson. General manager George McPhee talked at the beginning of free agency about how his biggest target in the offseason was a second line center. Now, however, he has hinted that Johansson may be ready not only for a spot on the roster, but to move all the way up to the second line. As I watched him on Saturday the only conclusion I could make was that he was not ready for such a big NHL role.

Selected 24th overall by Washington in the 2009 draft, Johansson spent the 2009-10 season playing in the Swedish Elite League where he posted 10 goals and 15 assists in 49 games. He has not yet suited up for the Capitals, so development camps is really the first place I've gotten a chance to see what he can do. The first thing I noticed about his play was that he needs work on his faceoff. He either loses it out right or wins it too hard, meaning the puck shoots all the way down the ice. Any offensive zone faceoffs were useless because even on the rare occasion he did win, he would ice it for the defense. He does have tremendous stick handling capabilities. He was very good at avoiding the first one or two defenders that approached him. His major problem, however, was not being able to distribute. He held onto the puck for far too long. While he may have been able to skate around the first guys that came after him, he constantly skated himself into a hole he could not get out of. All of a sudden, when surrounded by three players, he would lose the puck because there was no where else for him to go. It was clear he was not looking for someone to pass too. He really needs help developing his hockey sense. He may have been avoiding defensemen, but he was not creating anything with his moves.

Compare this to a Nicklas Backstrom. What makes Backstrom so great at the center position is that he can see plays developing. Not only does he make just the right pass at just the right time, but he also gets himself in a position to score just because he knows how a play is going to develop. That was not evident with Johansson who was not looking to distribute the puck at all. Ok, so maybe he is destined more for the Ovechkin role of play making. Stick handle around everyone and either take your shot or draw everyone to you leaving a teammate open. The problem was that Johansson was not creating plays with his stick handling, he was merely boxing himself in. More importantly, this is not what we need for our second line anyway. The Capitals' second line is going to have Alexander Semin on the left and either Eric Fehr or Brooks Laich on the right. Semin is a playmaker, like Ovechkin. He can draw defensemen to him with his abilities and still score or leave open another player. Eric Fehr is really developing into this sort of style as well. Brooks Laich is more of a grind it out player. You will always see him in the crease ready to tap in rebounds and screen the goalie. This line does not need another stickhandling play maker. It needs a Backstrom type distributor. Johansson's game as of right now is simply not where it needs to be for him to move all the way up to the second line.

This of course brings me back to the major criticism I have had of McPhee this entire offseason. We have holes to fill at center and defense and I do not think prospects are the answer...yet. Eric Belanger, a trade deadline acquisition last season played tremendously for Washington. He needs to be re-signed. Johansson may be able to develop his game more during training camp with the help of fellow Swede Backstrom, but moving him to second line just seems to me like throwing him to the wolves. He might be NHL ready, but if he is then put him on the third line. Re-signing Belanger would give you Backstrom on first, Belanger second, Johansson third, and Steckel fourth. I think Belanger would be the right move, but if McPhee is determined to have his prospects there are other choices as well. I have been thoroughly impressed by Matthieu Perrault every time he was called up last season. Jay Beagle was also just re-signed by the team. Both of these players have NHL experience. Perrault especially seems like a much better fit for the second line than Johansson.

If the Capitals do not have the money for an expensive second line forward, there are other options other than just Johansson. I am not opposed to bringing him up this season, or even giving him a roster spot so he can cycle with Beagle and Perrault. Believing you can put him on the second line, however, is wishful thinking. The Capitals need to allow Johansson to develop his game without putting too much responsibility on his shoulders. They also need to find a lineup that will suit him better than Semin and Fehr/Laich. He can be a good player if he gets the right players around him. Second line? That just doesn't make sense.

NHL Free Agency Under Way, Are Capitals Looking in the Right Direction?

With NHL free agency now underway, Caps fans everywhere are keeping their fingers crossed for that missing piece of the puzzle. While no one can say for certain what that missing piece may be, I have had my theory for the last 2 years. Defense. This team needs defense.

Last season, the Capitals finished the season ranked 1st in offense and 16th in defense. Their powerplay was ranked 1st and their penalty kill was ranked 25th. Now take a wild guess as to what this team may be missing? When it comes to offense or defense, it seems to make a certain amount of sense for this team to focus on defense. This team is overflowing with offensive talent, but there is a serious lack of defensive talent. I have felt for 2 years that this team still needed a strong defensive player. NHL experts have said since the offseason began that this team should focus on defense. Yet an article from the Washington Post this morning wrote that general manager George McPhee was going to be very cautious heading into free agency. Granted, team projections show that the Capitals might not be working with a lot of money and this is a pretty weak free agent class, but when your team exits the playoffs in the first round, you would like to see some changes made to help the team go forward. But wait, the article was not finished. McPhee went on to talk about how his top priority was a second line center, not a defenseman. He believed our defense would be better with the additions of prospects Karl Alzner and Jon Carlson who now appear ready to take on full time roles with the team and hinted that the team would not re-sign free agent defenseman Shaone Morrisonn. This was a hard pill to swallow.

At the trade deadline last season, it was clear the Capitals were seeking a natural and productive center. Brendan Morison will not be re-signed and I am unclear as to what will happen to Eric Belanger, so this team will be in need of a center. Centers are important for offensive set ups, but also contribute a lot on the penalty kill. Still, you know what would help our defensive game more than a center? A DEFENSEman. I cannot understand why when we are the best offensive team in the league and at best a middle of the pack defensive team we refuse to address the issue. Even when we do seek defensemen, we only take offensive minded ones. Mike Green is a fantastic talent, but the reason why he has never made an Olympic squad, all-star team, or won the Norris Trophy despite being nominated two years in a row and leading all defensemen in goals, assists, and points, is because he is terrible defensively. He was the worst player on the ice for the Capitals in the playoffs last season. At the trade deadline, the Capitals added Joe Corvo which failed the address the problem because he is another offensive minded defenseman. Now, the Capitals are talking about letting Shaone Morrisonn walk, despite the fact that he is one of the few defensive minded players on the team.

And what is their solution? Prospects of course. McPhee's answer to everything. To be fair, Carlson looked fantastic when he was called up last season and really gave the Capitals a spark in the post season, but, of course, he is an offensive minded player. Alzner is more of a defensive, grind it out player, which is good, but I have a hard time believing he is the solution to our defensive woes. I look at the starting six for the Capitals and see Green, Jeff Schultz (if he re-signs with the Capitals), Tom Poti, Tyler Sloan, Alzner, and Carlson. That is just not enough.

Of course there is currently no reason for DC fans to hit the panic button. Goalie Semyon Varlamov continues to develop and the team will not have to deal with the post season problems that have plagued Jose Theodore the past two seasons. A strong goalie obviously helps bring the goal totals down. Plus, this team has shown they are more than capable of handling the regular season and perhaps they could make a deal at the trade deadline to bring in a great defenseman who can help contribute to a long playoff run. And of course, free agency is not over yet. Defenseman Anton Volchenkov is still available and still a perfect fit for this team.

And yet, I am still nervous because of McPhee's sense of patience. I will give him all the credit in the world for building this team. He preached patience for years when he brought in many of today's stalwarts as prospects and the team is now a major playoff contender. He brought in Ovechkin and Varlamov and worked deadline magic in 2008 to help the team win the Southeast Division for the first time in 7 years. But I have also seen the Capitals exit the playoffs far too early the last three years. I heard him preach "patience" in 2009 when the team made no moves at the trade deadline despite being second place in the conference because we needed to "think about the future." I watched the urgent need for a defenseman go ignored in the offseason last summer and at the trade deadline last March and I see it happening again. While he has all the confidence in the world in his prospects, I have to ask, are Alzner and Carlson enough to help this team improve one of the worst penalty kills in the league? Are Alzner and Carlson really going to give the team the bump they needed to get deep into the playoffs? They are good players to be sure and may one day be great, but I would feel a lot more confidant about Washington's Stanley Cup chances in 2010-11 with a Volchenkov rather than two unproven prospects.

There is always a limited window of opportunity in sports. I sincerely hope that McPhee is making the right move now or that he will realize we need a big defenseman before that window has closed completely.

Capitals Ready to Offer Defenseman Volchenkov Deal

Five weeks before free agency starts and the Capitals may already have their first target. Ottawa defenseman Anton Volchenkov is set to become a free agent this off season. Though both Volchenkov and the Ottawa Senators have expressed interest in working out a deal, the talks seem to have stalled. "I'd like to re-sign him," said Senators GM Bryan Murray, "but the dollars don't work at the present asking price." With sources saying that Volchenkov has put his house in Ottawa up for sale, it looks like he will be moving on and Washington will be the most likely destination.

Washington is definitely interested in the tough defensemen and is reportedly willing to offer him $5 million a year in a multi year contract. The team hopes to sell him with a large offer, the chance to play with a contender, and the chance to play with numerous star countrymen such as Alexander Ovechkin and Semyon Varlamov. Reports also say that the Capitals will ask Ovechkin to talk to Volchenkov to sell the deal.

While we are still five weeks away from free agency and Volchenkov is a long way off from donning the red, white, and blue jersey, this is an encouraging step from the Capitals. Volchenkov is the tough, gritty, defensive minded type of player this team so desperately needs on their back line. He was one of Ottawa's top defensemen and is consistently one of the best shot blockers in the league every year. Volchenkov's style of play is a "stay at home defenseman" who lines players up for big hits, but is reluctant offensively. This contrasts very well with the rest of the team's very aggressive style. It shows that the team has recognized the need for that defensive stalwart.

The only problem is the price tag. $5 million a year is a very steep price. The Capitals tend to outbid other teams for free agents and they do not always get their money's worth, Michael Nylander being the most obvious (and one of the most expensive) examples. It is also unlikely that the Capitals will sign only Volchenkov and wait for the season to begin, so with more players to sign, the team will need to free up some cap space. Jose Theodore's departure cannot be far off. The team will also have to decide on Alexander Semin's future sooner rather than later. Fans would hate to seem him leave and the team would hate to let him go without getting equal value in return, but such a high priced deal may force an early exit to one of the team's superstars.

Caps Take First Step, Sign Backstrom to 10 Year Deal

The Washington Capitals took the first step towards remaining a Stanley Cup contending team on Monday with a deal to keep their superstar center. The team announced this morning that they have signed Nicklas Backstrom to a 10 year, $67 million deal. Backstrom's entry level contract expired at the end of this season and he was scheduled to become a free agent in July.

Most general managers are reluctant to sign such long term deals, but the Capitals now have two with Ovechkin's 13 year deal. George McPhee seemed unconcerned. "The risks are that the player doesn't meet expectation with the contract, but I never for one minute with Alex Ovechkin or Nicklas Backstrom think that they won't compete all the way through," he said. "It sends the right message to our fans and to this franchise that we have outstanding young players who are ready to commit for the rest of their career." Backstrom has yet to miss a single game in his three year career and his points continue to improve. Singing a player of Backstrom's caliber does not seem to be much of a risk even if it is for such a high price. With the probable departure of other expensive players such as Jose Theodore, the team can afford to sign this much needed deal.

As soon as the Capitals finished their disappointing playoff series against Montreal, signing Backstrom became the top priority. He has become one of the best centers in the league and has developed a report with Ovechkin. The two teamed up for 210 points in the regular season, the highest scoring duo in the NHL.

The Capitals also announced that they had signed their first round draft pick from 2009, Marcus Johansson to a three-year entry level contract. The team hopes Backstrom can help him develop enough in the offseason to earn a roster spot next season. With the probable departure of Brendan Morrison, developing another center will be important.

Offseason Questions for the Capitals

The Washington Capitals find themselves cleaning out their lockers and heading into the offseason much earlier than they would have hoped this year. Now they face the numerous questions regarding coaches, free agents, and how they expect to go farther in the playoffs next season. Here are the most important questions facing this team in the offseason.

Coach: In the wake of their improbable first round upset, management hinted that changes would be coming this offseason. Immediately, people assumed this meant head coach Bruce Boudreau. Owner Ted Leonsis and general manager George McPhee have already put those rumors to rest. "He's a really good coach," McPhee said, "He's going to be here a really long time. No need to raise those issues because he's not going anywhere." Talking about coaching changes are certainly premature at this point, but if the Caps have an early exit next season it will be an option that is at least discussed.

Nicklas Backstrom: The biggest priority for the Caps heading into the offseason is Nicklas Backstrom. Backstrom's entry level contract expired at the end of this season and he is now a restricted free agent. Backstrom seems happy in Washington and has never indicated he is considering going elsewhere, and as the Caps have the right to make him an offer I expect they will do whatever it takes to keep him. I would be surprised if signing him is a major issue, but what the Caps have to pay him will be. Make no mistake, they will pay him what he wants. The problem is that his previous contract was entry level and since then he has established himself as a superstar. Signing him now is going to cost a significant amount of money and this could impact who the Caps try to sign when free agency begins. Listed below are the other restricted and unrestricted free agents on the Caps' roster:

Restricted- Eric Fehr, Boyd Gordon, Tomas Fleischmann, Jay Beagle, Andrew Gordon, Chris Bourque, Jeff Schultz, Michal Neuvirth
Unrestricted- Brendan Morrison, Scott Walker, Quintin Laing, Eric Belanger, Alexandre Giroux, Boyd Kane, Kyle Wilson, Shaone Morrisonn, Milan Jurcina, Joe Corvo, Jose Theodore

Goalies: The big name here of course is Jose Theodore, who I am not expecting the Caps to sign. While he has been a tremendous asset to the team and has put together two impressive regular seasons, he has not been a reliable playoff goalie. Twice he has gone in as the starter and failed both times to last two full games. Boudreau told reporters prior to the series against Montreal that Theodore would not have a short leash this season and he was still pulled early in game two. While confidence in him is not high, Boudreau has shown a lot of confidence in young Michal Neuvirth. When Varlamov went down with injury in the regular season, it was expected that Theodore would take over as the primary goalie. Boudreau, however, started Neuvirth in 16 games. He will be a major priority for the team to sign this summer. Theodore will walk and the money the team will save from his contract will go to Backstrom.

Defense: Defense really needs to be a focus for the Caps this offseason. They were ranked 1st offensively and 16th defensively. More importantly they were ranked 25th on the penalty kill. As good as they were, the Caps had to play from behind constantly this season. While they were able to overcome numerous deficits in the regular season, it really hurt them in the playoffs. The first thing the team needs to do is talk to Mike Green. Last year he was widely criticized for his lack of conditioning in the playoffs and he spent the entire offseason trying to get in better shape. Now he needs to work on his defensive game. It is the only thing holding him back, but it is a serious problem since he is a DEFENSEman. His offensive skill does not excuse his poor defensive play. Regarding the team's free agents, they will not allow Jeff Schultz, who won the plus-minus award this season and seems to be finally coming into his own, to leave. They will also attempt to re-sign Shaone Morrisonn, one of the few defensive minded defensemenon the team. Milan Jurcina will not be back. As the team already traded him once, I do not think there will be much urgency to sign him again, especially with the emergence of Jon Carlson. Joe Corvo looked tremendous in the postseason, but signing him will be expensive and my guess would be that the team let's him go. My biggest fear regarding defense will be that the team decides to rely solely on the emergence of Carlson, Tyler Sloan, and Karl Alzner and do not attempt to sign a more defensive player. If they cannot sign Shaone Morrisonn, then they MUST sign a defensive minded defenseman to help the Caps keep the puck out of the net.

Forwards: The biggest question besides Nicklas Backstrom is not actually a free agent, but is Alexander Semin. Semin's contract was set to expire at the end of this season, but he signed a one year extension. Semin has the talent to be a top line left winger on most NHL teams, but happens to be on the same team as the best left winger in the world. Being that talented, he will expect a large contract. With the other superstars on the team, he might be just too expensive. Now that the team is fully focused on building for the playoffs, Semin's failure to produce in the postseason makes him expendable. The fact that he only signed for an extra year tells me the writing is on the wall and he will part ways with the Caps after the 2010-11 season. The Caps will not allow a player of Semin's calibur to leave without getting something in return and I will expect an offseason or a deadline trade. If the team acquires a notable left wing this summer, then Semin's tenure in DC will end sometime soon. More likely, however, is that the team will wait until the trade deadline to deal Semin when teams are more desperate for scoring talent. I felt Brendan Morrison was a fantastic free agent signing last summer and will be sorry to see him leave, but the Caps will not pursue him this offseason. Morrison is a second line caliber forward, but was a healthy scratch frequently in the regular season and twice in the team's seven playoff games. This tells me that the team will not sign him and signing Eric Belanger will become very important. He seems to enjoy playing in DC, saying after the team's improbable comeback against Chicago "We didn't do that in Minnesota" so my guess would be that he will be back in DC.

The Caps will try desperately to trade Michael Nylander again, but I doubt any team will be willing to pick up his large contract. Lending him out so that he does not contribute to the salary cap as they did this year is the most likely scenario for 2010-11 which is the last year of his contract. Boyd Kane is 31 and unlikely to make an impact at the NHL level, so unless the team wants to sign him for Hershey, he will be gone. The team is likely to sign Eric Fehr, Boyd Gordon, and Tomas Fleischmann, especially Fehr after his breakout season this year and these players seem unlikely to go anywhere else. Scott Walker was a deadline deal and I expect the Caps will not pursue him unless they want him to replace Jon Erskine (fingers crossed) as the team's fighter. As for the rest, the Caps will definitely want to sign Jay Beagle, Andrew Gordon, Chris Bourque, Alexandre Giroux, and Kyle Wilson. The only one I think could leave would be Giroux who has become an AHL superstar. Signing a big contract to 28 year old minor league player who rarely gets called up to Washington is not the direction the team will want to go in. Either he accepts a minor league, low contract, or he'll have to find himself another team.

Likely Lineup: I expect most of the free agents on the Caps' current roster that they pursue will sign with Washington again. A championship contender offering a chance to play with the best player in the world makes recruiting a lot easier, especially when most of these players developed in Hershey and Washington together. As for bringing in players, my best guess is that the team will pursue a center to replace Brendan Morrison and to help on the penalty kill, a left wing to replace Semin and provide an offensive threat both in the regular season and the playoffs, and a defenseman because even the Caps cannot ignore their defensive woes this season (I hope). If they are about to hand the reins over to Varlamov and Neuvirth, they will need will more help on the blue line. Unless the team expects Karl Alzner to turn into Chris Pronger this offseason, a defensive minded defenseman is a must. So here is my projected lineup for October without specific guesses as to what free agents the Caps bring in:

1st line: Ovechkin, Backstrom, Knuble
2nd line: Semin (gone by trade deadline), Morrison's replacement, Laich
3rd line: Semin's replacement, Belanger, Fehr
4th line: Chimera, Steckle, Fleischmann

Defense Pairings: Green and Schultz, Carlson and Poti, Morrisonn and Sloan or Corvo's replacement (hopefully)

Goalies: Varlamov, Neuvirth

Other Roster Players: Bradley, Gordon, Laing, Erskine, Alzner

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.

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.

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!

Questions for the Capitals for the Playoffs

With the regular season set to wrap up in a month, the Washington Capitals have already clinched their 3rd straight Southeast Division title. Their 14 point lead in the conference also is likely to hold barring a massive collapse from the team, but there are still a lot of questions surrounding this team going forward that coach Bruce Boudreau will have to figure out in the remaining month. The acquisition of four players at the trade deadline has given this team a lot of depth. An NHL team is allowed to dress 18 players ( 12 forwards and 6 defenseman usually) and 2 goalies. The Caps now have 15 forwards and 9 defensemen for a total of 24 players. Should injuries creep up on some players the Caps won't have to rely on call ups from minor league affiliate Hershey, but it also means good players won't be getting jerseys. Boudreau has been switching lines up a lot to see what matchups he likes the best and no doubt will continue to do so to prepare for playoffs.

Offesive Lineup: You won't see a change in the Caps top line of Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Knuble. They have played well together all year and they have been the one consistent so far during Boudreau's recent mixing and matching. The questions begin with the three big right wingers Brooks Laich, Tomas Fleischmann, and Eric Fehr. All three are good enough to play on the second line, but are really too good to be delegated to the fourth line. The Caps have had an abundance of right wings who they previously managed by playing some at center and left wing. As a result the Caps really struggled at times without natural left wings and centers. This is something McPhee tried to address all season with acquisitions of center Brendan Morrison in the offseason and then left wing Jason Chimera and center Eric Belanger during the season.

So how do the second, third, and fourth line stack up? Of course the Alexander Semin will play left on the second line. He has super star talent and could start for most NHL teams, but plays behind the best left wing and best hockey player in the world. Although Morrison has slumped as of late, he will most likely remain the center for the second line. He has shown he still has talent and scoring capabilities and the second line needs a natural center as an achor and playmaker. Chimera and Belanger were brought into the team to be positional players for that third line so I have a hard time believing either of them will be put back on the fourth line so a right wing can take their position. Where do the right wingers go? I think Laich is still seen as the best of the three and the best crease-crasher and will be put on the second line. Despite a great season, Fehr will be put on the third line. Since Fleischmann has some experience at center he will be put on the fourth line with Scott Walker and Matt Bradley on either side. This leaves Dave Steckle, Boyd Gordon, and Quintin Laing on the outside looking in. On the one hand, you hate to sit any of these players, especially since all 3 are good penalty killers and the Caps really seem to struggle with that. On the other hand, to have a fourth line as good as Walker, Fleischmann, and Bradley is impressive. Putting a 20 goal scorer on the back line makes every line dangerous. It will really stretch opponents defenses very thin.

Defensive Lineup: The top pair on defense, like the top offensive line, is unlikely to change. Boudreau really likes Mike Green and Jeff Schultz playing together. Schultz provides a very good defensive anchor for the always offensive Green. Joe Corvo is just too good to not receive a spot and they wouldn't have given up Brian Potheir, Oskar Osala, and a draft pick if they didn't think he was a key player come playoff time. The same goes for Milan Jurcian who, despite a hernia that will keep him out for a few weeks, the Caps would not have traded for at the deadline without the intention of playing him. One thing the Caps are clearly concerned with is keeping the shot hands relatively equal. This is the key going forward. John Carlson was unexpectedly recalled from Hershey to provide the Caps with another right handed shooter to call on if they need him and he has played well so far.

Like the offense, it is impossible to look at these defensemen and single out six players who are head and shoulders above the rest, so they'll have to work backwards. The obvious first scratch for me is John Erskine. He can fight and that's it. With the acquisition of Walker, I really don't think the Caps can justify playing Erskine who just is not good enough. Tyler Sloan is also, unfortunately, on the outside looking in. Despite an impressive offseason tryout that earned him a regular spot on the team, he doesn't yet have the talent to take a slot away from any of the others. This leaves 7 players for 6 slots. As the Caps have made clear they are concerned with keeping an even number of left and right handed shooters. Of the seven left Shaone Morrisonn, Tom Poti, and Jeff Schultz are left handed shots. As these three are also very good I think it's a safe bet that they will be playing. Corvo and Green will definitely have spots and this leaves one spot left. I think if Jurcina is healthy he'll play despite how well Carlson has done. Most likely he was called up because the other two scratches, Sloan and Erskine, are left handed shots.

Goalies: With how well Jose Theodore has played so far this season, Budreau can't really justify playing Simeon Varlamov. To start the season both were playing exceptionally well which gave the edge to Varlamov who played so well in the playoffs last year. His groin injury, however, has really taken a lot out of him. Since he came back he has let in a lot of soft goals. What he still had going for him was the fact that he still never loses with only one career regulation loss in the regular season, but he can't even hide behind that anymore with a loss last night to Tampa Bay. Playing Theodore has its risks of course. Theodore's history is to do well in the regular season and taper off in the playoffs. Remember last season? Game one against the Rangers Theodore looked awful and a much better Washington team went down 1 game to 0. If Boudreau's history in the AHL is any indication, he's not above a two goalie system in the playoffs. While Theodore may start, Boudreau would be quick to put in Varlamov if Theodore were to play poorly.

All of this of course is my speculation. A lot can change in the next month as Boudreau tweaks the lines. With one month left the Caps can really make sure they have the best lineup possible for a run at the Stanley Cup.

Caps Make Deadline Move for Stanley Cup Push

The trade deadline has come and gone and the Washington Capitals have four new players from four different teams to use for their run at the Stanley Cup. The Capitals traded four draft picks, prospect Oskar Osala, and defenseman Brian Pothier, for winger Scott Walker, center Eric Belanger, and defenseman Milan Jurcina and Joe Corvo. Despite General Manger George McPhee expressing caution before the deadline he showed he was committed to making this team better. How'd he do?

Well, the first plus is that the Caps really didn't give up anything. This Washington team is young and affiliate Hershey is packed with top prospects. Draft picks are definitely valuable, but it's not really what they need right now and neither is Osala. Brian Pothier has been a great player for the Caps since he was brought in, but this was a good move. He really hasn't been the same since a concussion kept him out for over a year and he really has been in and out of the line up this season with injury problems. Durability was a major concern and this Washington team wants to make a long run this spring.

Despite having the best record in the league, there were some areas of concern for this team heading into the deadline and the post season. The major concern was goaltending. No moves were made there, but that's understandable. The Capitals already have three, all of whom are capable of great play, but can they keep it up? Can Varlamov stay healthy or Theodore keep up the pace? The Caps are poised to have a strong goalie situation in years to come with Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth. With all three playing well, it makes no sense to muddy the water further with another goalie. It would really undermine the confidence of Varlamov and Theodore and no one would get the playing time they needed or deserved.

With this in mind, what they desperately needed was defensive help. When the Caps announced that they had acquired Belanger and Walker, my initial reaction was why? They have the best offense in the league, there is no need for more players up front to ruin the lines that have worked so well and still leave the defense in question. But these two may actually boost the Capitals defense. Walker was not playing up to his potential in Carolina anymore. He adds a strong locker room presence and is also known for being a real tough, gritty player. He will best serve the caps if he replaces Erskine. Erskine has been a staple for the Capitals this season because he is the biggest fighter they have. Without an enforcer teams really go after Ovechkin. Erskine had to stay in the lineup, but he really doesn't have the talent to keep a regular spot on the team. If they don't need him, it opens up a spot for a better player.

Belanger is really needed to help on the penalty kill. Washington currently ranks 25th in penalty kill, which is awful. It is a real area of concern. A center is a big part of the penalty kill because faceoffs can kill a lot of time. The problem the Caps have is that their centers really aren't the gritty penalty kill type. Belanger adds another body on the penalty kill and a faceoff that can help the Caps clear the zone.

For the defensemen they did pick up, they might be a great fit, but it may not be far enough. The idea of trading for a defenseman we already traded away bothers me. Jurcina was splitting time with Erskine, Sloan, and Alzner. I think he is a good fit for the Caps, but what made them realize that now? If they brought him in to be a regular presence on the blue line, great. If they brought him in to split time again, then I really don't see the point. Corvo will be a great fit if he can recognize what he is being brought in for. The Caps can score. Everyone and their mother knows that. What they need is defense. Corvo is more of an offensive minded defenseman, like Mike Green. The problem is that he wasn't (or should not have been) brought in to score and so I have to wonder whether he was the right pick up for this team.

My initial reaction to the moves the Caps made today was 'eh,' but what you really have to realize is that this team did get better. That much is clear. As they were already the best team in the league, that means a lot. What also makes me feel good is how pumped Barry Melrose is. Watch the trade deadline video on ESPN.com. While I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about hockey, Melrose is one of the few people I will freely admit is miles ahead of me. When asked who got better today, the first thing he said was Washington. He clearly believes today's moves were the right moves. Let's hope it is enough to get us our first Stanley Cup.

Moves in New Jersey Force Move by Capitals

As the Olympics come to a close, its back to business for the NHL. The trade deadline is quickly approaching (March 3), and George McPhee no longer can afford to watch it pass by. A few weeks ago I wrote about McPhee's reluctance to make any trade deadline moves. "I really don't know why we'd change anything. The team is performing about as well as it can. Why change the mix?" He has always been cautious when it comes to making big trades because he worries about the future of the team. The problem is that now the team is a major competitor for the Stanley Cup. For McPhee to intentionally handicap the team is inexcusable and if last season is any indication, making no moves does in fact handicap the team.

What McPhee needs to ask himself is whether winning one Stanley Cup is more important than being a competitive team for 5-10 years. It is a tough question because trade deadline moves never guarantee a Stanley Cup, but neither does trying to hold the team together. While a big trade could potentially hurt the Caps' future, some players may get impatient if they feel McPhee is not willing to do what it takes to bring the Cup to Washington. What would be the point if Washington missed out on this opportunity and in three years we looked back and realized this was our best chance?

Last season, every team around the Caps got better at the trade deadline, including the eventual Stanley Cup Champions (who will not be named). Now, McPhee needs to take a long hard look at New Jersey. The Devils picked up superstar winger Ilya Kovalchuk from the Atlanta Thrashers before the Olympic break. So far, the result have not been anything to write home about, in six games the Devils have won twice and Kovalchuk has only one goal and four assists. The problem is that the Devils have beaten the Capitals three out of four times this season, have one of the best goalies in the NHL, and have allowed 33 fewer goals than the Capitals with the lowest goals against in the league. Of course you can counter that the Capitals are currently 13 points ahead of them in the standings (a huge margin for the number one and two teams in a conference) and have scored a whopping 85 more goals. This is why the Devils traded for Kovalchuk, they need that offensive boost. I am a firm believer, however, in the saying offense wins games, defense wins championships. Playoff hockey is very different from regular season hockey in that defense becomes the deciding factor for most series. When the playoffs start, I would have picked the Devils as the favorite in a coin toss over the Caps, but now with Kovalchuk I think they have really pulled ahead. The strength of New Jersey's defense and goaltending mixed with the new offensive threat the Devils present puts them ahead of the Capitals.

Washington can't just be worried with New Jersey alone. If there is one thing you can take away from the Olympic tournament, it's that Ryan Miller is a top goaltender and his ability can really vault Buffalo into the conference conversation. Pittsburgh has proven they can compete come playoff time and that they are willing to make deadline trades to do so. You can expect many more trades come March 3 as teams look to counter the offensive strength of the Caps.

The bottom line is that the Capitals must bring in a big name defenseman. While Jose Theodore, Semyon Varlamov, and Michal Neuvirth have all played well, each has their problems. Theodore is known for his inconsistency (see game one against the Rangers in the 09 playoffs), Varlamov has been troubled by a groin injury for two months, and Neuvirth's strong play is frequently mixed with rookie mistakes. The Capitals currently rank 17th in the league in goals against, behind probable playoff competitors New Jersey, Buffalo, Boston, Philadelphia, and Montreal.

The Capitals need to look at the teams that have no hope of making the playoffs and have thrown in the towel: Florida, NY Islanders, Carolina, Toronto, Edmonton, Columbus, and maybe Minnesota and St. Louis. Of those teams, you can throw out Carolina and Florida since division opponents are not likely to make trades with one another. Look at the blue lines of the teams left. McPhee is going to have a problem making a trade since he is reluctant to give up any prospects and that's mostly what these teams will ask for, but if he's willing to trade captain Chris Clark, he can find someone else he's willing to let go. Don't forget, two years ago the Caps managed to pick up goalie Cristobal Huet with only a second round draft pick. If McPhee wants to make a trade, I guarantee he can find someone that will listen.

Even with a 14 game winning streak, the Capitals really seemed to struggle as they frequently played from behind. In the six games prior to the Olympic break the Capitals allowed an average of 4.5 goals per game. That's just not good enough. In the past two post seasons, the Caps weren't able to change their style for playoff hockey and they were sent home because of it. If the Caps can't make it deep into this postseason because McPhee won't make a deadline trade, they will have missed a golden opportunity.

Caps Top Penguins in a Game for the Ages

The stage was set Sunday for another typical Capitals/Penguins matchup. The Caps always seem to play real well when nothing important is on the line, but the Penguins always win the important matchups. The Caps won three straight games against Pittsburgh last season and with the season sweep on the line, the Caps lost. They opened the playoff series with two wins before losing the next four out of five to lose the series. This season, the Caps won the first matchup, but with a 13 game streak on the line, they came into the game flat. Nothing went their way. The Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin rivalry wasn't going well as Crosby scored the first two goals of the game. Penalties were not going their way and late in the second the Caps saw themselves down 4-1. Everyone in the stadium dressed in red gave a collective groan as yet again, the Caps could not get over the hump. How far can we go in the playoffs if we can't win the big ones?

And then, things began to turn. Eric Fehr got the Caps within two before the period ended and that was all Ovechkin needed. He refused to lose and gave the intrepid Caps' fans something to cheer about as he netted two goals to tie the game. Then, a blistering shot off the post led to the Mike Knuble overtime winner. It has already been declared the best game of the season and I believe it was the greatest game I have ever personally been to.

Improbable comeback aside, this game was great because of the history and the way it was played. Long time Caps fans love to hate the Penguins because of the disastrous playoff history between the two. The Caps have faced the Penguins eight times in the post season and have won the series only once. More recently the rivalry has been reignited by the Crosby, Ovechkin rivalry. All of that was on display, but there was something else that just really taunted the Washington faithful, and that was Pittsburgh's style of play. Crosby has faced criticism since he entered the league for his lack of physical play and his constant complaining to the refs. An example was last season when he complained to the refs about how many hats were being thrown onto the ice after an Ovechkin hat trick. Unbelievable. It's why Ovechkin is the better player. I have never seen Crosby score a goal that I thought Ovechkin couldn't score. Forget about the insane behind the back and over the head goal against Phoenix and there are still numerous goals and performances by Ovechkin that Crosby couldn't match because he won't play phyical. If Crosby breaks his nose, can you see him scoring four goals including the overtime winner like Ovechkin did against Montreal? Nope. How about the dozens of Ovechkin goals that he scores while pushing the defender away with one arm including the spin around goal last season? Couldn't happen.

Both players are models for their team's style. What we saw on Sunday was a Capital's team with great offensive talent that plays a quick, physical game and that isn't afraid to fight. What we saw from Pittsburgh is a team with great offesnive talent that will complain every time they get hit, but then will throw cheap shots at you. It is an infuriating style of play because that is not how hockey should be played and yet they win with it. It's like that guy in college who never studies or does work, but gets straight As. You hate him because that's not the way it should be done, but he is still doing just as well if not better than you are. Early in the first period Ovechkin drove to the net and after the whistle blew the Penguins' defensmen slashed his knee and then pushed him up high. No call. Pittsburgh drove the net and Chris Kunitz skated up to Jose Theodore and checked him as if he were a regular skater. Theodore did a little flip in the air and went down hard. He was given a minor penalty. Later on Ovechkin was pushed by Craig Adams from behind onto the ice and driven into the boards hard. Mike Knuble came to his defense and was given a minor penaly for instigating, a major penalty for fighting, and a 10 minute misconduct. Adams? Just a fighting major. This all happened just in the first period. There was more of the same in the second. After Jordan Staal gave the Penguins a 3-1 lead, Caps defenseman Brian Pothier was pushed into the celebrating Penguins who, all five of them, proceeded to beat on Pothier. The Caps came to his defense. What team would have done any different? The Caps and Penguins were given matching minors and misconducts despite the fact that it was all started by Pittsburgh and Washington was just trying to defend their teammates. Sometimes the calls just don't go your way, but how can a team play the way the Penguins do and get no calls? By the end of the second period the Caps were down 4-2 and had been called for six minor penalties, one major, and two misconducts. In that second period, each Capitals' penalty was preceded by a worse Penguins' infraction that was not called, and that is not an exaggeration or biased take. I talked to a Pittsburgh fan who agreed with me. Frustration in the building was felt everywhere not just because of the rivalry, not just because it was Crosby, or because the streak was on the line. We were frustrated because there was no justice. A hockey team was playing a non physical, dirty game and they were winning while we were getting thrown into the penalty box.

After the Caps roared back to tie it, the refs made their presence known yet again when with 4:08 left to go in regulation, Matt Cooke's stick broke and Jeff Schultz was called for slashing. No one, regardless of whether they were wearing black and gold or red and blue, could argue that the right call was made. Cooke's stick simply broke. But, at a pivotal point in the game, the Caps were going shorthanded. In overtime, Brooks Orpik was called for a high stick on Alexander Semin. What did he do? He argued with the ref so profusely that he was given a misconduct penalty. Afterwards he complained about how Semin took a dive and about how he always takes a dive. Are you kidding me? YOU PLAY FOR THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS!!! Not only was it the right call, but no one from Pittsburgh can ever complain about diving. That's half the Penguins game plan. This is why we hate the Penguins. This is why it was important to win. Not only is it good for DC, but it's good for the game of hockey. When one player can complain about the refs even after they gave the other team seven minor penalties, two majors, and two misconducts, then you're an idiot and a cry baby. His team had their chance to win when the Caps went shorthanded with four minutes left. They didn't take advantage. The Caps did. Learn the game of hockey and deal with it.

The Caps went down 4-1, Crosby had two goals, the refs were terrible, and Pittsburgh was playing dirty. What happened? The Caps won 5-4, Ovechkin had a hat trick, they won off a power play goal, and they did it playing the game the way it should be played. Playoff success may not be guaranteed, but the Caps took one major step forward by getting over the Pittsburgh hump and doing it by playing real hockey. Well done.

George Mcphee's Short Memory

Ok, I know the trade deadline has been a pretty frequent topic of mine in this blog, but Capitals' general manager George McPhee is not putting my mind at ease. ESPN analyst Pierre LeBrun asked McPhee about the trade deadline and he responded saying "Well, at this point, I really don't know why we'd change anything. The team is performing about as well as it can. Why change the mix? Certainly if there's something there that would make us better, we would consider it. But there's a lot to be said about chemistry and the intangibles, and we certainly have all that right now. Why give away good young players or picks...we want to be a good team for a long time, not just one season."

McPhee is half right. We absolutely want the Caps to be a good team for a long time, but the top priority is winning the Stanley Cup. The lesson of last season must be learned. Last season the Caps went into March as the number two team in the conference. They looked good, a playoff berth was not in question, and everyone thought they were going to be one of the major competitors for the conference championship. McPhee decided to err on the side of caution and made no moves, presumably for the same reasons he listed above. It looked like sound reasoning, but EVERYONE around the Caps in the standings got better. The result? The Caps struggled in an opening round matchup against a much weaker team and were eventually beaten by the hated Penguins; a Pittsburgh team that DID make deadline moves and ended up winning the Stanley Cup.

This season it is even more important to make a move. Yes, the Caps are red hot, but eventually this streak will end and with it will most likely come the inevitable let down. A good way to relight the fire is with a trade to mix things up. This alone, however, isn't reason enough to make a move. The importance is that the Caps have the bullseye. They are the team to beat in the east. The road to the Stanley Cup in the east runs through Washington. When teams head into March, they will be thinking about the Caps. Teams will be building up for a matchup against the Capitals. Why yield the advantage? Why allow other teams to close the gap? Especially with question marks regarding the defense and goaltending. There is room for improvement despite how good they have been playing and there are moves to be made.

When it comes to winning there is always a limited window of opportunity. I'm not saying that the Caps won't be good for very long, but success like we have seen this season should be a sign that now is the time to make a run. McPhee has always been thinking about the future success of this team, but at some point he has to think about the present. If a winning streak of 11 games and counting plus a 10 point lead in the conference aren't enough to convince McPhee that it's time to start chasing Lord Stanley, what will?

Hey Refs, Where is the Consistency?

The Washington Capitals extended their win streak to 9 games last night with a 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers. But the Caps walk away with a sour taste in their mouths because of a hit on Mike Green that sent the star defenseman sprawling.

In the second period while pursuing the puck, Green was hit hard by Dmitry Kulikov in a knee on knee collision. Green looked up just in time to see Kulikov coming and tried to avoid him. Kulikov then reflexively extend his knee in an attempt to catch Green. The result was a scary hit that looked exactly like those that got Alexander Ovechkin into trouble. Green dropped onto the ice and had to be helped off by his teammates. He did not return. He says the injury is not serious and that he wanted to return, but he was kept out by the trainers who decided to err on the side of caution. His status for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay remains uncertain.

Knee on knee hits are considered very serious by the NHL because they can easily lead to very serious injuries. Ovechkin threw two similar hits earlier in the season and was ejected from both games. He was then given a two game suspension. The message was clear. You're not a dirty player, but you need to tone it down a bit. Since then, it has not been an issue. So what happened to Kulikov? Nothing. No suspension, as of yet, no ejection, not even a penalty. The result of the play was a minor penalty against the Capitals for retaliating. This was not a dirty hit, but it was serious one that deserved serious consequences. The most important part of officiating is consistency. Officials must make consistent calls. This no call was absurd.

Who doesn't remember the sudden outcry against Ovechkin? People all over the league questioned whether Ovechkin was a dirty player. Much of the criticism was completely unwarranted. Now there's no outcry at all. There's nothing. One reason of course is the fact that Ovechkin is the best player in the world, and Kulikov is not a big name. That fact is made irrelevant by the seriousness of the crime. Knee on knee hits are serious. That is the most troubling part of this. Inconsistency on minor penalties is annoying, but players are not in physical danger when another team is allowed to hold or trip at will. When a player can collide into another player's knee, especially against a player as prominent as Green, and there is no penalty at all, that's serious. Neither Ovechkin's or Kulikov's hits were dirty, but they were serious none the less. While Green's injury does not appear to be serious, it easily could have been. Will lesser known players be allowed these kind of hits until someone gets hurt? I am outraged that someone like Ovechkin can be called dirty, while Green can be sent flying without a penalty. If that's the way the officials will call the Caps then Ted Leonsis should give the trainers a raise and furnish the penalty box. We are going to see a lot of injuries and a lot of retaliation penalties as the refs continue to turn a blind eye.

Caps Dominate First Match with Penguins, What Next?

Last Thursday the Capitals marched into Pittsburgh and dominated in every aspect winning 6-3. The Capitals were clearly in control from start to finish. Despite a fluke goal let in early by Jose Theodore, he outplayed former Capital Brent Johnson in net, Alex Ovechkin outscored rival Sidney Crosby 2-1, the Caps killed all four of Pittsburgh's power plays and scored on both of their own. It was a great all around effort.

This was a huge win for the Caps coming not just against the defending Stanley Cup champions in their own home, but also against their rivals. What does this game mean? Well, it depends. After the embarrassing game 7 loss in the playoffs last season, the Caps really needed to respond against the hated Penguins the first chance they got. It's great for the team's confidence not just in the regular season, but going forward. The Eastern conference may well come down to another Washington/Pittsburgh matchup and the Caps will need games like this to help them forget last season.

It is also important to keep this game in perspective. Most teams look at matchups against defending champions as a benchmark for their own chances, so let's analyze this game. The Penguins were without top netminder Marc Andre Fleury who has a broken finger. Johnson played admirably and the Caps have put up big numbers against Fleury, but you have to believe his return to the lineup would give Pittsburgh a boost. While all three of the Caps goaltenders have have played really well this season, a rotating trio isn't a good playoff setup. Pittsburgh will have an advantage in net if someone doesn't establish himself as the top (and healthy) netminder. More importantly, the Penguins are a proven playoff team. The Caps won 3 out of 4 games against the Penguins last season in much the same fashion. Yet, after game 3 in the playoffs the Caps really struggled to put their rivals away. Including the post season the Caps started 5-1 against Pittsburgh and finished the season 1-4. The Caps struggled in the first round as well going down 1-3 to a much weaker New York team before storming back to a game 7 win. Playoff experience counts for a lot. The Penguins have more of it and it shows in April and May.

What this all means is that we don't know what it means. The Caps have the talent and skill to beat any team in the league which they showed on Thursday and almost every night in the regular season. With growing experience and maturity this team is building itself up for a playoff run, but the Caps need big wins over their rivals in May as well as January.