The Morning After . . . Too Much Egg Nog, Boys? Caps vs. Sabres

Team record…most goals allowed, first period

League record…third fastest six goals allowed to start a game

And still, in spite of Brent Johnson allowing four goals on six shots, in spite of Olaf Kolzig allowing goals on two of the first three shots he faced, the club did not yield.

There is much to complain about in the Caps’ 6-3 loss to Buffalo last night, and that will be chronicled elsewhere. But for the last 49 minutes of the game, the Caps gave at least as well as they got. Alex Ovechkin dealt with perhaps the first sustained angry booing of his career – not the garden variety opposing player sort – and came out of things with a goal, a couple of hits, and a more manly response to his being speared by Daniel Briere than the latter’s incessant whining about the hit he took almost four weeks ago at the hands of Ovechkin. The Peerless wouldn’t be surprised if Briere finds his wallet a bit lighter for his effort, although no suspension is merited (remember, Ryan Whitney got $1,500 and no suspension for a spear that netted him five(spearing)-five(fighting, when Brian Willsie jumped in)-game).

Clearly, the Caps weren’t ready from the drop of the puck, but there were some decent efforts in the game . . .

- Lawrence Nycholat assisted on Ovechkin’s goal and was a +1 for the night in 18+ minutes of ice time.

- Alexander Semin continued to skate as if on a mission – he had seven shots and was a +1 himself.

- Chris Clark making it interesting with 17 minutes still left in the third with a shorthanded goal

If there is a problem here, it is in the goaltender rotation being messed up. That Brent Johnson lasted less than eight minutes meant that Kolzig got more than two periods last night when he otherwise would have been rested for a contest against the wholly underappreciated (third in points in the East) Montreal Canadiesn this evening. There is merit, perhaps, in putting Johnson right back on the horse, but if Kolzig gets the nod, then one would have to think Johnson gets the start against the Devils on Friday with Kolzig starting on Saturday in Madison Square Garden against the Rangers. It isn’t bad enough that the skating lineup is a patchwork, but the goalie situation isn’t exactly where the coaching staff might have liked it.

But again, that’s not a problem, it’s an opportunity. Lawrence Nycholat and Jeff Schultz are getting valuable ice time that could pay dividends in Hershey later in the year (or in Washington, for that matter). Schultz, in fact, logged more than six shorthanded minutes last night. He was on the ice for four Sabre goals, but that’s part of the learning process, too.

As bad as the Caps played (and as unlucky as they were), it’s only one loss. They don’t get negative points for allowing six goals in a period. The key is how they respond tonight. They just need to remember that the puck drops at 7:35 (note the unusual time), not 8:30.