The game so far - Caps/Flyers Game 7

1-1 after 1.  Backstrom strikes early, Upshall strikes later.  Caps kill a 4-minute penalty (including a full 2-minute 5-on-3) to end the period.  

Huet gave up a softie to Upshall, but he came up huge in the Penalty Kill.  Onto the 2nd!

End of 2, tied at 2.  It should really be 2-1 Caps with a goal by Ovechkin, but for some reason if Thoresen takes a run at Shaone Morrisonn and then pins him down to the ice with his stick preventing Huet from getting back to the net, that does not yield an interference call.

3rd!

And we go to Overtime.  Not much of note here, except a few good chances each way.  Play looked a bit chaotic but even. 

 

And the Caps lose.   Earl Hebner?  

Thank you, Ric Flair.

The first time I saw Ric Flair was the first Clash of Champions on TBS back in 1988.  He and Sting wrestled to a 45-minute draw.  His career started years before I was born; it ended this past Sunday at WrestleMania XXIV.  

I enjoyed everything he did in the ring and on the mic.  The tribute that everyone in WWE paid him this past Monday Night on Raw (even the off-air stuff if you can find it) was the best retirement tribute I’ve witnessed in anything, and absolutely well-deserved.

There will never be another Ric Flair in the sport of professional wrestling (don’t ever tell him it’s fake), nor will anyone come close to match his legacy.  Hogan may have put more asses in seats; Flair would’ve kept them there longer for compelling marathon matches worth the price of admission alone.

Thank you, Ric Flair.  You truly are The Man. 

Random Recap - Penguins 3, Caps 2, Backstrom Own-Goal 1

THIS ONE HURTS.

Random Recap - Bruins 2, Caps 1

The last 6:41 of the third period decided this game, and Donald Brashear is the goat for his undisciplined reaction after getting a double minor for High Sticking.

If the Caps aren’t as pissed off as I am right now, and (worse) do nothing about it tomorrow against Pittsburgh, then they don’t deserve a playoff spot.   

Time is now running short.  Carolina won’t lose any time soon, nor will Philly or Buffalo.   

This team either gets its s#!t together now or makes offseason plans that start on April 6th. 

Random Recap - Caps 5, Canadiens 4 (OT)

Alex Ovechkin bailed out the atrocious defense tonight.  All 6 of them owe him dinner for the next six nights in the finest restaurants in D.C.

Random Recap - Caps 8, Senators 6

What a wild game, it had everything good, bad, and ugly.  

• Semin’s back in his groove
• Poti has to do more to stop Mike Fischer from scoring off deflections
• Ovie with a big game performance.  He had a cut leg?

This team has to play a lot better defensively and for a full 60 minutes.  But a win is a win.  Happy New Year, folks!  

New Nicklas Backstrom article

A wonderful piece by Corey Masisak in this morning’s Times.

For Tomorrow, from The Peerless

Always an entertaining read.