Hidden in the abject poopiness of my sporting weekend (1 Redskins loss + 2 Red Sox playoff losses = temper tantrums aplenty) was the beginning of the Washington Capitals 08-09 hockey season. You may recall last season's run to the playoffs, including winning something like 13 out of 14 of their final games to capture the coveted Southeastern Division title, ended in a game 7 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Palins. ("BOOOO!!!") As if we didn't have enough reasons to root against the Flyers, now we know they're run by a self serving right wing neocon. Anyway.
Despite the way it ended, last season qualified as highly successful for a franchise that hasn't exactly cornered the market on promise since about 1982. With a bunch of excellent young players in the fold for the foreseeable future, the Caps looked like they were poised to take the proverbial next step. Unfortunately that next step proved to be into the center of a massive cow pie when they gave up 7 goals on opening night new, 4 by new goalie Jose Theodore. I was busy weighing cast iron frying pans in preparation for some serious nut smacking courtesy of an excruciating 12 inning Red Sox loss in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, so I didn't see Theodore get pulled for backup Brent Johnson. This was good as I also missed Johnson give up three goals of his own in route to a 7-4 loss to Hot-lanta.
Since that pooping of the bed, the Caps have broken out the bleach and rubber sheets, winning the next two by a combined score of 9-3, including giving up a team record ten shots to Vancouver in a 5-1 win last night. The D has stepped up, helped by the odd addition (to me at least) of supposed second line center Sergei Fedorov to the blue line, while Mike Green and Alex Semin have repeatedly put the biscuit in the basket with their twigs. (Is it just me or does that somehow sound vaguely sexual?)
The Caps are off until Thursday night when they meet the much hated Penguins in Pittsburgh, by which time the Red Sox season may be on more ice than the Caps. As much as losing to Tampa would suck, at least I'd have what looks like a promising Caps season to enjoy. And hopefully a few months off from the frying pan for my nards.
Despite the way it ended, last season qualified as highly successful for a franchise that hasn't exactly cornered the market on promise since about 1982. With a bunch of excellent young players in the fold for the foreseeable future, the Caps looked like they were poised to take the proverbial next step. Unfortunately that next step proved to be into the center of a massive cow pie when they gave up 7 goals on opening night new, 4 by new goalie Jose Theodore. I was busy weighing cast iron frying pans in preparation for some serious nut smacking courtesy of an excruciating 12 inning Red Sox loss in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, so I didn't see Theodore get pulled for backup Brent Johnson. This was good as I also missed Johnson give up three goals of his own in route to a 7-4 loss to Hot-lanta.
Since that pooping of the bed, the Caps have broken out the bleach and rubber sheets, winning the next two by a combined score of 9-3, including giving up a team record ten shots to Vancouver in a 5-1 win last night. The D has stepped up, helped by the odd addition (to me at least) of supposed second line center Sergei Fedorov to the blue line, while Mike Green and Alex Semin have repeatedly put the biscuit in the basket with their twigs. (Is it just me or does that somehow sound vaguely sexual?)
The Caps are off until Thursday night when they meet the much hated Penguins in Pittsburgh, by which time the Red Sox season may be on more ice than the Caps. As much as losing to Tampa would suck, at least I'd have what looks like a promising Caps season to enjoy. And hopefully a few months off from the frying pan for my nards.
2 comments:
Looks like most Caps games will be shootouts, which is fun.
You've still got the Skins (if the Sox get dumped in the next coupla days).
Hopefully the Sox can keep the series going. I'm not nearly as confident as I was last season, even down 3-1. This feels different. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't have much in the way of optimism.
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