The Last Stand

The Caps-Pens series has so far been one for the ages. Hat-tricks by both Ovechkin and Crosby in Game 2, OT wins by Pittsburgh in both game 3 and 5, and plenty of refereeing issues and claims of runs being taken at Russian players. Wow this series sure has lived up to the hype.

For the Capitals though, advancing to the next round would mean more to the city of DC than anything else right now. In a sports down void of any real winner over the past decade-and-a-half, the Capitals have been the closest thing to a champion since the Redskins won the Super Bowl back in January 1992.

What has plagued the Caps in this series is a defense that too easily gets sucked in throughout the neutral zone and gives up an odd-man rush leading to shots on goal and rebound chances for a Pens team that thrives on that. The speed of Pittsburgh seems to be overwhelming at times and to make up for getting beat the Caps tend to hook, slash, or trip the Pens on their way to the goal.

The absence of two of the Caps leading scorers, Alexander Semin and Mike Green, also doesn't bode well for their chances. The fact that these two have been non-factors throughout these games leaves on Alexander Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom as the only real threats to Pittsburgh. For being the NHL's highest scoring teams in the league during the regular season, the absence of the two drops point production dramatically.

It may be time for the Washington area to reload and hope that in the fall the Redskins can make a miraculous run to get to the Super Bowl but the chances of that are very slim. Looks like DC may be in for another summer of boring baseball and may once again have to pin their hopes on the Caps next year. Barring a change in play I'll most likely be hanging up my jersey's and getting ready for football season. It hurts me to say this but I wish our big name players could step up and give us hope. Game 6 hangs over us and so does our hopes of championship coming to town.

Dream Matchup

The Game 7 win by the Washington Capitlas volted them in to the Second Round of Stanley Cup Playoffs. This was followed up by a late, improbable win by the Carolina Hurricanes in which they scored 2 goals in the final 80 seconds to come from behind to win. What this leads to is a "Dream Matchup" of arguably the two best players in hockey, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin.



The series matchup between the Penguins and Caps will be the start of one of the most riveting stories in hockey this year and maybe in sports. What makes this series even more interesting is the fact that Crosby and Ovechkin has publicly voiced their dislike for eachother throughout this year.

Remember when Ovechkin and Malkin were having their little spat earlier in the year, (aparently Ovechkin punched Malkin's agent in a nightclub in Russia), and Ovechkin was going for a big hit on Malkin during one of the early matchups. Well, Crosby didn't like how Ovechkin played so physical with the other stars on the ice. He also doesn't like Ovechkin's antics when he scores goals either.

This will be the most anticipated series of these playoffs and the team that wins here could possibly win it all. I think the smaller games within the games could prove to be more interesting and as Caps coach Bruce Boudreau said, "Welcome to the circus."

A New Hope is all but lost

A drought dating back to 1992 when the Redskins won the Super Bowl, the Washington, D.C. area has got to be the last remaining big city to win a championship. With the Phillies World Series win last fall D.C. has jumped to the front of the pack as the loneliest sports town in America. With all the big sports in town, and a frenzy of fans who will ride bus when hot and and cliff jump when cold, this area is desperate for a championship.

This year the Washington Capitals were that "New Hope." The team with the games most iconic player and an offense that is sure to dazzle, the Caps were the love of the town. Recording a franchise-record 108 pts in the standings, winning the Southeast Division for a second year in a row, and securing the #2 in the Eastern Conference it was destined that this team make a run at the Stanley Cup.

While the Wizards fizzled to a franchise low and the Nationals off to an MLB worst start, it was up to the Caps to provide the fury for the sports-loving area. Though the Redskins are this town's darling, hockey has provided a mistress for people as we wait for the Dark Lord in Dan Snyder to find his way in operating a sports franchise.

Games are the talk of the town and red can be blinding within "The Phonebooth." The deafening cheers along with the boat horn that accompanies every Caps goal were raving downtown and you couldn't turn on a TV without seeing Alex Ovechkin acting goofy in an Easterns Automotive commercial.

5 months after the start of the season, the real season began. Caps fans have waited all year for the playoffs, a time when last year they lost in a Game 7 overtime to Philly, the most hated city in this area. In walks New York, the second most hated city in this area, a team that the Caps went 3-1 against in the regular season and hands the Caps two straight losses at home. Game 3 provides an uplifting story with a rookie goalie recording a shutout for the Caps and a hope that this team can pull this out. Then comes Game 4. An effort lacking any emotion or flare and the Caps skate away 2-1 losers. The loss, probably the most disheartening loss since the Redskins playoff loss to the Seahawks after Sean Taylor died, will undoubtedly put this city into an early hibernation and a sleep that is has become accustomed to over the last 17 years.

With the Redskins looking to trade up in the draft to pick another QB, a certain FAIL in the fans eyes after watching the offensive line deteriorate last season, it almost a lock to see that team struggle once again with an ownership running around with its head cutoff. The summer will be all but dead with the Nationals providing loss after loss with a bullpen who cannot sustain a lead or get a side out in the 9th. The only possibility in terms of excitement is if the Wizards can somehow land the #1 pick and grab Blake Griffin. Should this not happen, this area will be the most depressing city in the country as another year of losing sports fills the docket until the Caps come around again.

Only a miracle can save this city now. A win in the first round would do wonders for this Capitals team and show them that they CAN win and could spark something special. Until that happens, this team too will provide disappointment and heartbreak to an area that needs a champion more than any other city in the country.

Loosen your Sphincter NHL

As you might have seen on ESPN, Alex Ovechkin scored his 50th goal of the season last night, which put him in special company as being one of only four players to have three 50-goal seasons in their first four as a pro. The scoring spree Ovechkin has been on this year has him in position to become the first back-to-back Hart Trophy (MVP) winner since Dominick Hasek did it back in 1996. Pretty impressive for a guy who is only 23.

But the real story was the celebration that followed his 50th tally of the season. After Ovechkin scored, he stopped just pased the goal and placed his stick on the ice. He then proceeded to place his hands overtop the stick pretending as if it was on fire and/or warm. FANTASTIC!!! I love watching celebrations and seeing players be excited after they've scored. In hockey you never see this and for a change you get to see a player who isn't straight-faced and stiff when he scores.

Other players, teams, and color-commentators feel differently about this. Recently we heard Don Cherry, CBC analyst, criticize Ovechkin for his celebrations like jumping into the boards or raising his hands like a soccer player. Even the "face" of the league Sidney Crosby criticized Ovechkin for his celebrations as being too excessive and stupid. After lastnight more criticizm came from not only the opposing coach Rick Tocchet, "he came down a notch in my book," but the Capitals coach as well Bruce Boudreau, "I personally don't like it that much."

Now I can understand the feelings from the coaches because they are older and hockey was different back when they played. But for players to come out and say something as well, I kinda find it interesting. I mean if you look at the NHL right now, you see that after the lockout there were rule chages made to promote scoring and get rid of ties because for the longest time goalies dominated the game and really pushed away the casual fan. Fans come to watch hockey to see goals be scored, fights breakout, and beautiful skating. When you watch a game that has a low score you can appreciate the great goaltending but don't tell me you wouldn't rather see a high scoring affair.

Anyways, while the NHL hasn't done anything yet, Ovechkin seems to be becoming the NHL version of Chad Johnson or T.O. Seemingly outcast by his peers and other team officials, but embraced by his fans and teammates. For a post-lockout NHL this is something they need. They need someone to bring flare to the game, show emotion, and evoke the temper of other players. Right now Ovechkin is doing that. And have you seen the Verizon Center on any given night? Have you seen opposing arenas when the Caps come into town? Have you seen a jump in ratings and fans since this guy has become the real "face" of the NHL?

Looks like the league may need to either turn a blind eye or have a chat with these unhappy coaches and players and tell them that without Ovechkin, this league could be just as gone as the XFL.