It's a TWO point night -- Caps vs. Thrashers

If you’re going to start the year, that’s the way to do it. Come out smartly, get a lead, play intelligently, skate off with a workmanlike win that lacked flash but was very efficient.

The Caps did all of that in their 3-1 opening night win in Atlanta. The Peerless was duly impressed, recognizing that it is but one game of 82. But there were some things to note...

– The puck was not so much on Alexander Ovechkin’s stick as it has been usual. Yet, he was credited with six shots and, when attempts blocked and missed shots are factored in, had a total of 11. If he’s working less to get his shots, he just might find more of them going in, although he did not dent the twine tonight.

– Who led the club in shots?...Well, Viktor Kozlov had seven, but so did Matt Pettinger (see?...we told you he’d make noise).

– Nicklas Backstrom registered his first NHL point, getting the primary assist on Michael Nylander’s goal, the first of the season for the Caps. While he might have admitted to nerves, as was reported on the Comcast broadcast, you wouldn’t have known it from his play tonight.

– Only one Cap lost more draws than he won tonight...Alex Ovechkin, who lost a draw when Kozlov was tossed from the circle.

– No offense to Tobias Enstrom, who played a pretty good game, but the third star? I’ve have given it to Brent Johnson, who stopped 28 of 29 shots.

– Last year, Brian Pothier averaged almost 24 minutes of ice time a night. Tonight...12:18. Part of that was taking two minors, but still, he was last in ice time among the six defensemen.

– David Steckel had a solid game. His 4:34 in penalty killing ice time was more than any other forward, except Boyd Gordon.

– It is said that the most dangerous lead in hockey is a two-goal cushion. Teams often take their foot off the pedal and let teams back into it. The Caps did allow a flukish goal by Bryan Little, who had a nice game for the Thrashers, but the Caps did not panic. Last year, on the road with a loud crowd, that might not have been the case too often. It’s one game, but that was a nice test.

– Four power plays allowed (no goals allowed)...being able to keep the number under five, in this power-play driven league, will be something to watch.

– Think the Caps are playing “puck possession?” If you add up shots, attempts blocked, and missed shots, the Caps “out-attempted” Atlanta in shots, 66-43.

– If you wear a letter, you’d better do the little things well. Tonight, Alex Ovechkin (wearing the “A”) foiled a Thrasher scoring chance that might have put the home team right back in it, with a diving backcheck. It might have escaped notice to most, but it might have been the biggest play of the night.

– Brent Johnson came into this game with a 6-2-1, 2.53, .910 record against Atlanta...looks like it was a good move to start him.

The Peerless Prognosticator is ON THE AIR!!! -- Opening Night, Caps vs. Thrashers

Hello boys and girls and welcome to another year of peerless prognostications from your peerless progonosticator, The Peerless. We’ve been invited to the set of Pardon the Incohererence to screech about tonight’s opening night contest between the Caps and their esteemed and highly-regarded pond scum of an opponent, the Atlanta Thrashers. We’re thrilled to join Tony Wilheisbon on the set…

“Pardon the incoherence…but I’m Tony Wilheisbon. Peerless, welcome to the show. How does it feel to have hockey back on the front page of the sports landscape?”

Well, Tony, I couldn’t be happier than if I’d been pronounced ‘clean as a whistle’ after my colonscopy.

“I know that feeling…Peerless, the Caps are the ‘It Girl’ of the preseason, the team a lot of people think can make a breakthrough this year. You’ve been prognosticating about them for a while, what’s your take?”

Tony, for all the talk that “the rebuild is over,” we see this more as “the parts are now in place.” It’s up to Glen Hanlon to be the foreman on the construction site, so to speak, to make sure that all the pieces get put in the right places, and its up to those pieces – the players – to own up to their responsibilities to give a full effort every night. They do that?...and they’re going to be playing after April 5^th.

“Let’s go to our ‘toss up’…”

KOVALCHOOK OR KOVALCHUCK?

“Peerless it’s Kovalchook…chook…chook. ‘Kovalchuck’ is a critter that scurries around in the forest.”

Tony, who cares?! He’s been a pain in the backside for the Caps! He’s 17-19-36 in 30 games against ‘em! He’s a plus-13, for heaven’s sake. He minus-74 against the rest of the National Hockey League of Bettman, already. I call him ‘Koval-knock-him-the-hell-on-his-ass-already…chook.”

ALEXANDER OVECHKIN…HART TROPHY WINNER

“Peerless, Ovechkin is going to be the ‘Phil Mikkelson’ to Sidney Crosby’s ‘Tiger Woods’ for the next fifteen years. If he’d come into the league ten years ago, he’d own the award, but your boy is always going to be looking up at the voting results at Super Lips.”

Like I care. How many Hart trophies did Rocket Richard win?....one…ONE! How many of his teams won Stanley Cups? Eight…EIGHT!!! You tell me, which would you rather have?

WASHINGTON CAPITALS – SOUTHEAST DIVISION CHAMPION

“Peerless, I read your prognostication for the Eastern Conference, and the only thing I have to say is, ‘are you NUTS?’ The Caps were 14^th last year…70 points…their power play couldn’t score on Barry Melrose…they couldn’t kill a penalty with a gun. And you have them winning the division?”

You bet. It’s a clean sheet of ice right now – cleaner than your bald head, and the Caps are not last year’s jalopy. They are a Ferrari just waiting to be broken in. They might get 100 goals out of the Alexes. They’ve got support for Ovechkin that looks a lot like the support that Super Lips got last year when Pittsburgh improved 47 points. And it’s not like they’ve got the 1977 Canadiens in their division this year, either. Last year, 27 points separated top and bottom in the division, the narrowest top-to-bottom spread of any of the six divisions. This year, it might be less than 20 points.

KOLZIG OR JOHNSON

“Peerless, it looks like Brent Johnson is getting the nod tonight against the Thrashers. Good idea?”

Why not?...it’s one game out of 82, and Johnson should be getting about 20 games or so of work this year. This is the front end of a back-to-back, and the Caps play on Monday afternoon, too. Kolzig will get those starts, including the home opener tomorrow night. Besides, it’s a good message to send to Johnson – you’re not just “the backup goalie,” we need your help.

OVECHKIN-KOZLOV-FLEISCHMANN

“Peerless, the Caps are rolling the dice with putting what amounts to a rookie on the top line. Will he stick?”

Probably. There will be growing pains. Flesichmann has dominated the AHL, but has not yet shown that kind of performance at this level. Playing with Ovechkin can be a blessing and a curse. Ovechkin can finish most anything Fleischmann can set him up with; the curse is that line will get a lot of attention – on the ice, and from fans and the press. The biggest problem here might be defense. He – and the rest of that line – can’t just play in one end. Tonight should be a good gauge of that. The Thrashers can make a team pay for lackadaisical defense.

"It’s time for 'A Good Five Sentences'...

“...Peerless, tonight’s game...what is the key?”

The Caps – on the road, with Johnson in goal, and with the test drive of all the new parts over – have to resist getting carried away with their new-found skill, and play responsibly.

“Responsibly?”

Teams that play on the road often appear to feel no responsibility to earn style points, and if the Caps can play that kind of game – resist going for the stylish play in favor of the solid one – their chances of getting two points are better.

“Is Atlanta looking to send a message tonight? That their playoff collapse was a fluke?...that they are the top dog in the Southeast?”

One would expect them to come out firing away, which makes it more important for the Caps to play a solid game in all three zones.

“What do the Caps have to worry about most about the Thrashers tonight?”

Kovalchuk – he seems to use these games as personal battles with Ovechkin, which might explain his being 9-10-19, +10 in 14 games against the Caps the last two seasons.

“Who is going to be the star of the game tonight?”

Brent Johnson has had a good camp and has looked pretty solid in games in the preseason, and if we had to go with a star for tonight, it’s his that will shine.

“OK, it’s time for the big finish…Peerless, what is the prognostication for tonight?”

Tony, the division wars start right from the opening drop of the puck. There are 32 division games at stake, and if the Caps can win the intra-division standings, they’re likely to win the division in April. So…opening night, a division contest, against a team the Caps plainly don’t like...even for a division that lacks deep rivalries, this should be a good one. If Kovalchuk makes these contests battles with Ovechkin, Ovechkin might be looking to make this a statement game to start the year – Sidney Crosby isn’t the only player worth paying attention to in 2007-2008.

But The Peerless thinks another skater to watch will be Matt Pettinger. He’s starting the year healthy, whereas he did not last year – he missed the first seven games of the year with a shoulder injury. He’s shown a knack for scoring goals that one might not have expected, and he could be a key tonight.

We’ve got Ovechkin on the score sheet, and Pettinger making some noise, and Thrasher tears staining those nancy-blue jerseys…

Caps 4 – Thrashers 2...same time next time, knuckleheads.

The Peerless' Peerless Rankings -- The Eastern Conference

1. Ottawa Senators

Why they will be better – Dany Heatley’s contract status is settled, Martin Gerber found his game (must have been lost in baggage last year after moving from Carolina), and they still have the most dominant top line in the NHL.

Why they won’t – No Stanley Cup final loser has made an appearance in the following year’s final since Edmonton won the Cup in 1984 after falling to the Islanders in 1983.

Key Player: Wade Redden. He is in the walk year of his contract, and there will be whispers of his being traded so long as that issue is unresolved. If it is a distraction, the Senators will suffer.

On paper…this is the best team in the East. It is deep, balanced, and experienced. But they will not reach the final.

2. Pittsburgh Penguins

Why they will be better – Experience. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and the rest of the kids are a year older. They added some needed support on the wing (Petr Sykora) and on the back line (Darryl Sydor).

Why they wont – 24. No, not the TV show, the number of points they earned from Philadelphia and Washington last year. That was almost 23 percent of their 105 point total. Both of those clubs are much better this year, and so are the Rangers, against whom the Penguins were 5-1-2.

Key Player – Marc-Andre Fleury. He simply has not established a reputation as a big-game player. He might win 40 games again for the Penguins, but that might be a product of the prolific offense more than Fleury’s play. Here is something to consider – Fleury has not won a playoff series in his last six tries, going 4-17, with a GAA of 3.77 and a save percentage of .878.

On paper…this is the best offense in the NHL, and they will test the proposition that this is the next go-go version of the NHL. But their defense is not of similar talent, and if Fleury goes down to injury, what is the backup plan?

3. Washington Capitals

Why they will be better – The Capitals found the timing right to add talent to the developing home-grown mix. Michael Nylander, Viktor Kozlov, and Tom Poti address specific shortcomings on the club – a bona-fide playmaking center, a partner (either as a center or wing) for Alexander Ovechkin, and someone to eat minutes from the blue line and quarterback the top power play unit. Then there are the kids – Steve Eminger, Shaone Morrisonn, Boyd Gordon, Alexander Semin, for instance – who are a year older.

Why they won’t – The defense is still very green. Only Poti and Brian Pothier are as old as 30. And, the club is trying to integrate a lot of new parts; Nylander, Kozlov, and Poti come from different organizations, and the Caps have several additions who were in Hershey last year.

Key Player – Olaf Kolzig. He is the straw that stirs the drink in terms of the team’s personality. And he’s hinted that he will not be as accommodating regarding what he sees in front of him this year. He has to play around 60 games for this team to have a chance, but he’s seen his minutes decline in each year since his Vezina year on 1999-2000.

On paper…this team suffers the same problem as every other team in its division – serious flaws among some considerable talent. But this team has perhaps more upside in the talent it’s bringing in, and it has the second best player in the league, perhaps looking to demonstrate that last year’s 46-46-92 “disappointment” won’t be repeated.

4. Buffalo Sabres

Why they will be better – It is hard to see how they will be. You don’t remove your top two centers, not to mention Teppo Numminen to a medical condition and expect things to get better, despite the Sabres’ depth.

Why they won’t – The aforementioned losses, and perhaps the hangover of being expected last year to reach the final. And, despite Ryan Miller’s gaudy statistics going back to his college days, he’s been good enough to fall just short of the big dance.

Key Player – Miller. The Sabres are still very deep at forward and have a capable defense, but more pressure will fall on Miller to be the rock that backstops the whole affair.

On paper…Buffalo will slip a notch or two, but they are still a formidable club that is engineered for the new NHL.

5. New York Rangers

Why they will be better – As much attention as has been lavished on the two centers – Scott Gomez and Chris Drury – in free agency, Henrik Lundqvist is a bona fide stud in goal who can carry this talented, but flawed team on his back.

Why they won’t – The Rangers can’t help themselves. Not content with signing a top free agent center, they had to have two. It looks real pretty, but they might spend the first month figuring out which one (if either of them) can play with Jaromir Jagr. It’s as close to “management-by-checkbook” as you can come in the CBA-era, and the Rangers did really well with that strategy before the lockout, didn’t they?

Key Player – Jaromir Jagr. Naturally…if he’s happy, the world is Mary Richards tossing her beret into the crisp winter sky. If he’s not, he’s the Diva from Hell.

On paper…this team is, for the moment, all on paper. History – their own, as a matter of fact – suggests that the strategy they are employing will not be nearly as successful as they might hope.

6. New Jersey Devils

Why they will be better – Refreshment. Scott Gomez and Brian Rafalski are gone, but in their place is the new blood of Dainius Zubrus and Vitali Vishnevski, as well as greater roles for Andy Greene, Zach Parise, and Travis Zajac to complement a solid veteran core. Besides, there is that Brodeur guy in the back, and they’re in new digs. Things just might be, well…”fresh.”

Why they won’t – All good things must end. The Devils have been a playoff staple since before Washington crossed the Delaware into Trenton in 1776. And, here is your Devils number to ponder – 4,100. Martin Brodeur has played at least 4,100 minutes in nine of the last 10 seasons, including almost 4,700 minutes last year, the most of his career. Last year, it started to show late.

Key Player – Kevin Weekes. No, really. If Weekes can’t spell Brodeur effectively, this club could slip all the way out of the playoffs.

On paper...as steady as the Devils have been, they are teetering on the brink of a fall. It isn't likely to be this year, but they can see it from here.

7. Carolina Hurricanes

Why they will be better – The hangover from the Stanley Cup win has worn off. Some key guys slipped last year (Cam Ward, Eric Staal), and a rebound might be in order. Freak of Nature Rod Brind’Amour will probably get 80 points, win a gazillion faceoffs, and bench press Raleigh.

Why they won’t – Everything came together in the Stanley Cup year, supplemented by such as Mark Recchi and Doug Weight, who are elsewhere. And there is the matter of Ward…was he a one-note wonder? Is he the guy who won the Conn Smythe in 2006, or is he the 2.93, .897 decent-if-not-special goalie of last year?

Key Player – Brind’Amour. Since the retirement of Ron Francis, Brind’Amour has been the heart and soul of the club. He does everything right, including get under the skin of opponents. He has to maintain his level of play demonstrated the last couple of years for everything else to fall into place.

On paper…this club is somewhere between the Cup winner of 2006 and the 11^th-place finisher of last year. They can probably sustain injuries better than any other team in the Southeast. That will be a consideration in a division as tight as that one is.

8. Toronto Maple Leafs

Why they’ll be better – they are deeper at goaltender with the addition of Vesa Toskala and more potent on offense with the addition of Jason Blake.

Why they won’t – Pressure is always going to be an issue for a team that plays before fans who think a Stanley Cup an entitlement of residence. And, the defense isn’t really any better than the one that was 12^th in the East in goals allowed last year.

Key Player – Mats Sundin. Sundin is one of the most reliably consistent players in the history of the sport. 1,232 games, 1,245 points. It isn’t much different looking at his numbers year-by-year. Wind him up, watch him get a point a game. And only once in a full season has he played less than 75 games. Does he have another in him, considering he will be 37 in February?

On paper…the Leafs are marginally better than last year, and given how close they were last year, they should get over the hump this year. But if they start slow, and the fans get annoyed…

9. Tampa Bay Lightning

Why they will be better – We got nothing here. They seem to have marked time with the players swapped in and out. Marc Denis can play at the level expected when he joined the club, they could squeak in.

Why they won’t – Goaltending and an unbalanced lineup. Denis and Johan Holmqvist don’t, at the moment, scare many shooters. And after you get past the big three of Vincent Lecavalier, Brad Richards, and Martin St. Louis, the skaters aren’t particularly fearsome, either, especially since losing Dan Boyle for several weeks to a freakish skate injury in his locker room. Last, the club might just finally tune out John “Genghis” Tortorella.

Key Player – Chris Gratton. He is one of the more underachieving players of the last decade. He has the physical tools, but has never really ever put together the kind of year that justified his third-overall pick in 1993 by...the Lightning. He has to provide some support to the big-three.

On paper…this club looks too much like last year’s club, and another year of Tortorella’s rants and Tom Coughlin-esque discipline isn’t a plus.

10. Philadelphia Flyers

Why they will be better – They retooled a ghastly lineup with players such as: Daniel Briere, Scottie Upshall, Martin Biron, and Joffrey Lupul. Besides, they can’t possible be worse than last year’s franchise low 56 points. They would be better by accident.

Why they won’t – Martin Biron. The loser of the Sabres Sweepstakes for starting goalie, he was moved to Philadelphia. The thing is, is he a bona fide number one goaltender for a playoff contender? And, there are so many new parts for coach John Stevens to try to integrate.

Key Player – Simon Gagne. He’s pretty much the grand old man of the Flyers in terms of service, not to mention their most accomplished winger. He has to be the glue that binds the new parts and keeps the notoriously cranky Philadelphia fans off the Flyers’ backs.

On paper…they are better, by a lot. But it just isn’t possible to tell how all the new parts will fit. If this team makes the playoffs, Stevens deserves Adams Trophy consideration.

11. Florida Panthers

Why they will be better – They will have (they hope) stability in goal with Tomas Vokoun. He faced a ton of shots in Nashville, but still ranked high on the usual statistical lists. They also have another year of experience under the belts of Jay Bouwmeester and Nathan Horton, both of whom had fine years last year, and have Olli Jokinen, who has 180 points in two seasons since the lockout.

Why they won’t – Depth. It is not an especially deep team, especially at forward. The Caps tried Richard Zednik as a top winger. It didn’t work here; it won’t work there.

Key Player – Vokoun. Any consideration of this as a playoff team is largely predicated on his playing, playing a lot (he’s missed a major chunk of last season to injury and suffered a blood clots late in the previous season), and playing well.

On paper…this is a team that can win the Southeast, just like any of the other four could. But this team seems to lack the upside Washington has in terms of talent and emerging youngsters, and is not a deep as Carolina. They’ll need help to win this division.

12. Montreal Canadiens

Why they will be better – they won’t. They won’t be much worse, but this might be a year of pause for the Canadiens. Then again, if Carey Price does this year what he did last year as a late arrival in goal in Hamilton…

Why they won’t – Whatever one thinks of that -28 Sheldon Souray put up, he was a monster on the power play. This might be a year to work some of those Calder Cup winning Bulldogs into the lineup…growing pains will ensue.

Key Player – Saku Koivu. He’s been inspirational once with his comeback from medical problems; now he has to be inspirational in another way. The Canadiens are in the midst of swapping out some parts and working youth into the roster. He is the guy who has to lead and inspire on the ice and in the locker room.

On paper...the Canadiens had their power play ripped apart, and there isn't enough elsewhere on the roster to make up for that. It wasn't a very good 5-on-5 team last year, and it won't be this year.

13. Atlanta Thrashers

Why they will be better – a year’s experience for Kari Lehtonen, who is among the best young goalies in the league. Ilya Kovalchuk, who seems to have been lost in the wash of the Crosby-Ovechkin tidal wave, should have a better year than the 42-34-76, -2 year he had last year.

Why they won’t – Fo’ and no mo’. That obliteration by the Rangers in the first round of last year’s playoffs can have the effect of stunting the growth of a young team, especially with respect to a young goaltender. And, since Atlanta had a long history of frustration before last year’s first-ever playoff appearance, a step back – and a big one – might be in the offing.

Key Player – Lehtonen. If last year’s spring swoon put some steel in his spine, he has more than enough talent to be a force to carry this team through rough patches. If it plays in his head, this team is headed for a big fall.

On paper…this club is explosive enough on offense with Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa, and sturdy enough (on paper) with Lehtonen in goal to reach the 97 points they earned last year. But this is a club that didn’t finish all that well in the regular season last year, either (14-12-3 from February 1 on). As much as, perhaps, Washington, this club could be very, very good…or very, very bad.

14. Boston Bruins

Why they will be better – A healthy Phil Kessel and Manny Fernandez in goal. That Kessel had 29 point in 70 games after undergoing treatment for cancer had to rank among the best stories in the NHL last year. Fernandez was pretty much “Wally Pipped” out of the lineup in Minnesota by Niklas Backstrom, playing one game after January 30^th after suffering a knee injury. If he’s healthy, he helps upgrade the position.

Why they won’t – Boston’s defense, once you get past Zdeno Chara, simply isn’t very good (they weren’t much with him…14^th in the East in goals allowed). This just isn’t a talent-rich team, the big signings of Chara and Marc Savard last year, notwithstanding.

Key Player – Fernandez. He’s the only real addition on the defensive side of the ledger. If the Bruins are go make any move, he’s got to play very well, despite what will be in front of him.

On paper…the Bruins aren’t awful, but it is hard to find an upside or a spot where a breakthrough could really come out of their roster.

15. New York Islanders

Why they will be better – The only way this happens is…well, no…there isn’t any way this happens.

Why they won’t -- Gee, where to start…they lost Jason Blake, rental Ryan Smyth, Viktor Kozlov, Tom Poti, Alexei Yashin (ok, we’ll give you that one), another rental Richard Zednik, Sean Hill, and cab fare to Uniondale. And that was from a roster (less the rentals) we thought was a mortal lock to be dead last, last season. Plus, their front office is still bats.

Key Player – Rick DiPietro. One has to feel for the kid. He’s matured into a fine, not to mention entertaining goaltender. But he’s got so little in front of him, there will be a lot of long nights. If he survives to April, he should get some Vezina consideration.

On paper...this is the worst team in the East. But for DiPietro, this is a club that would be a mortal lock for worst record in the league. As it is, they'll have to settle for "just about the worst."

The Peerless Prognosticator is ON THE AIR!!! -- The Player Breakdown

The Peerless Prognosticator is ON THE AIR!!!

Yes, friends, we’re back with another year or prognosticatory fun, and we start it with a look at where our boys in red are coming from and where they’ll end up. It is the last prognostication you’ll ever need, and no doubt want. So, let’s get to the players…

Nicklas Backstrom

Career Composite (82-game average): 0-0-0, even
Last year: 42 games, 12-28-40, -1 (Brynas IF, SEL)

If this was another era – one without helmets -- he’d be The Swedish Duguay. For now, he’s “not the Minnesota goalie.” Expectations aside, The Peerless thinks he’s not going to start fast. But it’s not where you start, it’s where you end up. And Backstrom is going to be turning heads by April.

Projected: 18-46-64, -2

Matt Bradley

Career composite: 7-12-19, -5
Last year: 57 games, 4-9-13, -5

Ponder this…Bradley was once the William Hanley Trophy winner in the OHL. For those of you unfamiliar with this esteemed prize, it is roughly equivalent to the Lady Byng. We are not making this up.

Projected: 3-10-13, even

Donald Brashear

Career composite: 8-11-19, -7
Last year: 77 games, 4-9-13, -1

As Dan Steinberg notes, Brashear builds houses. He even participates in building at home site, driving nails and cutting boards. We’re betting he doesn’t need a tool for either.

Projected: 3-7-10, +1

Chris Clark

Career composite: 16-15-31, -6
Last year: 74 games, 30-24-54, -10

If you were to order up a hard-nosed hockey player out of Central Casting, chances are you’d find Clark showing up for work, right down to the gaps in his dental architecture.

Projected: 23-24-47, +3

Eric Fehr

Career composite: 2-1-3, +3 (25 games)
Last year: 14 games, 2-1-3, +3

Fehr will start the year on injured reserve. That the Caps actually reported this fact should be brought to the attention of national security authorities.

Projected: upright by the end of the season

Tomas Fleischmann

Career composite: 4-6-10, -13 (43 games)
Last year: 29 games, 4-4-8, -6

One man’s misfortune is another’s opportunity. Fehr’s injury provided an opening for Fleischmann…he skated through it smartly. He was reported to have signed a contract days ago, and it was just reported as a fact on Tuesday. Maybe the contract was injured.

Projected: 14-38-52, even

Boyd Gordon

Career composite: 5-17-22, -2
Last year: 71 games, 7-22-29, +10

“Muffin” might not be the most hockeyesque of nicknames, but really…would you rather his baked-goods nickname be “turnover?”

Projected: 14-24-38, +8

Viktor Kozlov

Career composite: 19-30-49, -2
Last year: 81 games, 25-26-51, +12

Politics has “The Daily Kos”…the Caps would like to have “The Daily Koz,” as in a point a game. Matched with Alexander Ovechkin, that is a possibility.

Projected: 31-43-74, +3

Brooks Laich

Career composite: 8-14-22, -7
Last year: 73 games, 8-10-18, -2

“Brooks Laich” is an anagram for “Silk Coho Bra”. No word on if he has the thing for fish lingerie. In the meantime, he’ll have to make a name on the “CAB” Line (“crash-and-bang”).

Projected: 8-11-19, -2

Michael Nylander

Career composite: 19-43-62, +10
Last year: 79 games, 26-57-83, +12

He set career highs in goals, assists, points, and loop-de-loops last year. It says here that without having to wait for Jagr to give someone else a chance to play with the puck, he will set new career highs in all of those categories this year.

Projected: 28-62-90, +7

Alexander Ovechkin

Career composite: 49-50-99, -9
Last year: 82 games, 46-46-92, -19

Here is your Ovechkin number to ponder. In 163 career games, he scored a goal in 78 of them. That’s a 47.9 percent chance that on any given night he’s going to get at least one goal. Even money? For goal scoring? Without a top-end playmaker? Note to NHL…be afraid, be very afraid.

Projected: 58-52-110, +5

Matt Pettinger

Career composite: 15-12-27, -10
Last year: 64 games, 16-16-32, -13

“Princess Die, You Gravy Sucking Dog” has developed into a mini-goal scorer, and he was third on the team in shooting percentage. But he’s going to be on a checking line. He’s going to have to defend, too.

Projected: 22-20-42, even

Alexander Semin

Career composite: 31-30-61, -6
Last year: 77 games, 38-35-73, -7

His name is an anagram for “relaxed means in.” Words to live by. With a couple of Russians on the team and a couple of guys who can get him the puck, he should be plenty relaxed.

Projected: 41-36-77, even

David Steckel

Career composite: 0-0-0, -1 (12 games)
Last year: 5 games, 0-0-0, -2

Is it me, or does tsn.ca have Matt Bradley where Steckel’s photo should be? Where’s the love? Where’s the respect? Where are we going with this?

Projected: 2-3-5, -4

Brian Sutherby

Career composite: 8-11-19, -9
Last year: 7-10-17, -9

He was making nice progress there with a 14-goal season in 2005-2006. Then…seven last year. His name is an anagram for “babysit her urn.” Hey, forget the urn. Score more, and stop others from scoring more.

Projected: 9-16-25, -2

Steve Eminger

Career composite: 3-15-18, -17
Last year: 68 games, 1-16-17, -14

Ever since he injured a foot in January 2006, his performance has been in free-fall, although he didn’t play badly after New Years last year. He’ll start the year on injured-reserve. Rumor is that it’s the same injury Al Czervik suffered at Bushwood.

Projected: 3-14-17, -2

John Erskine

Career composite: 2-4-6, -21
Last year: 29 games, 1-6-7, -13

A plus-minus in his career composite (that’s “per-82 games”) of three touchdowns is not a comforting number. The Caps are likely to have to pick their spots in terms of what teams he dresses against.

Projected: 1-4-5, -6

Mike Green

Career composite: 3-11-14, -16
Last year: 70 games, 2-10-12, -10

And that two touchdowns and a safety aren’t a whole lot more comforting, but Green is on a different career arc. We expect that number to improve. Maybe he needs more mohawkishness.

Projected: 5-15-20, even

Milan Jurcina

Career composite: 7-9-16, +2
Last year: 70 games, 4-8-12, even

He might have been the Caps’ best defenseman at the end of last year. If he’s the best defenseman this year, that’s probably not a good thing. Let’s just say, “he’ll be better.”

Projected: 6-13-19, +4

Shaone Morrisonn

Career composite: 2-12-14, +8
Last year: 78 games, 3-10-13, +3

Besides being a real Wheel of Fortune payday (can I have an “N,” Pat?), he emerged as the closest thing to a stopper the Caps have had the last couple of years.

Projected: 4-12-16, +8

Brian Pothier

Career composite: 5-23-28, +6
Last Year: 72 games, 3-25-28, -11

Wasn’t exactly Ottawa, was it? Well, you won’t be asked to do everything on every shift on the blue line, either. And maybe folks will learn to pronounce your name right this year, too.

Projected: 5-24-29, +1

Tom Poti

Career composite: 8-27-35, +2
Last year: 78 games, 6-38-44, -1

After spending five-plus seasons in New York (for two different teams), he’s likely to be glad to be in a city that’s, well…sane. We’ll see what that does for his game.

Projected: 8-40-48, +2

Jeff Schultz

Career composite: 0-3-3, +5 (38 games)
Last year: 38 games, 0-3-3, +5

Sarge played pretty good hockey in a few dozen games. He gets grief for not being physical enough, but The Peerless doesn't see a column, "H" (for "hits") next to the "W" and "L" columns, either. If he keeps guys from scoring?...fine by me. I don't really care how.

Projected: 0-7-7, even

Brent Johnson

Career record: 92-80-21, 2.61, .902
Last year: 6-15-7, 3.61, .889

Last year was a step backward from a year that was decent year (despite the won-loss record of 9-12-1). The Caps need quality minutes from Johnson. That description of him at tsn.ca as “settling into backup role nicely” is perhaps not quite the kind of thing one wants to hear in the world of wins and losses.

Projected: 9-8-3, 2.88, .903

Olaf Kolzig

Career totals: 276-272-80, 2.69, .907
Last year: 22-24-6, 3.00, .910

Please…please… just a couple more years, and there might be a Cup at the end of it. This year, Kolzig if the key to the season. More than Ovechkin, more than Semin, more than Nylankozpoti…Kolzig.

Projected: 33-24-5, 2.52, .912

So...that's it. And, as always, if you use these for any cash wagers, seek professional help.

The Peerless' Preview -- Part V

This is the last of the installments of the Caps preview, so let's take a look at five more of the red-white-and-blue...

"Do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe?"

-- Hamlet (III, ii)

Last year, Mike Green played 70 games as a green (naturally), 21-year old novice who got next to no penalty killing time and at times could be pushed around. He showed signs of having offensive skills from the blue line, but his spots were picked, and he looked at times like the kid he was.

Well, no more. Green has added some weight, not to mention experience gained in a deep playoff run in Hershey last spring, and he looks different – sturdier on his skates, grittier in the corners, and carrying himself with the confidence as if he’d aged three years instead of one.

Good thing, too. Much is expected of him, both this year and in the years to come. One would think it likely that his responsibilities will be expanded this year, even with Tom Poti taking up a lot of the slack on the offensive end of the blue line. But if he’s going to contribute more on offense, It has to be scoring at least one goal after October 25^th….he didn’t last year. And, he was -11 in 16 games after the all-star break.

This year, he shouldn’t be nearly as easy to play against.

"Thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges"

-- Taming of the Shrew (V, i)

Last year, Boston traded Milan Jurcina to Washington on February 1^st for an eighth-round draft. As if the writing on the wall that “we don’t want you here” wasn’t clear enough, Jurcina’s $500,000 salary didn’t even clear much cap room for the Bruins, which was part of the exercise in moving players.

Boy, that worked, didn’t it? In 40 games in Boston, Jurcina was 2-1-3, -5, while stuck with only 10:42 in ice time a night. In Washington, he was 2-7-9, +5, in 30 games, getting more than 23 minutes a night on the ice. And, Jurcina’s cap hit on his new contract ($881,250) pales in comparison to the big defenseman the Bruins are stuck with have for the next four years – Zdeno Chara – who will encumber $7.5 million a year.

Jurcina is a big rig, and when he plasters a skater along the boards, it conjures the image of a bug on a windshield. And, he’s got a heavy shot that he can get to the net (42 shots in 30 games). He could open on the top pairing for a club that has a decent chance at the playoffs. It’s a far cry from being stuck on the bench in Boston with the belief that he wasn’t mobile enough for the NHL. Time brings its revenges.

"These words are razors to my wounded heart"

-- Titus Andronicus

Brian Pothier signed a four-year, $10 million contract as a free agent. The problem after that was living up to it as the Capitals’ big free agent signing last year. That was a stiff challenge, and one that wasn’t suited to Pothier’s game. Of course, Caps fans wanted him to hit, score, check, run the power play, cure the sick, and heal the lame. Maybe divine a winning Powerball number or two on the way. Not a reasonable job description.

He did what he could, playing perhaps 6-8 minutes a game more than would have been an appropriate amount (24 minutes a game, more than seven minutes more than he logged the previous year). If he plays 16-18 minutes on, say, the second pair, he is likely to be fresher and more effective than he was with more minutes and more responsibilities.

And, he’s likely to hear less about his perceived shortcomings from fans.

"The better part of valour is discretion"

-- Henry IV, Part I (V, iv)

Two defenseman…one stand 6’6”, weighs 213 pounds. The other is 6’6, 215 pounds. The first one is Chris Pronger, the second one is not. It’s Jeff Schultz. And that seems to be the problem for some fans. Schultz is a big guy, and big guys are supposed to hit…a lot. Schultz doesn’t. Maybe he should be more physical than he has displayed so far, but it’s not as if his style hasn’t worked for him. He has solid numbers from junior, through the AHL, and into his brief (38 game) stint with the Caps last year. Plus-minus can be done to death, but he is +60 in 344 games in the regular season in three leagues, including +3 for the Caps last year. Better things seem to happen when he’s on the ice. Maybe it’s coincidence; we’re betting it’s not.

Schultz seemed to have the ability in the games he played for Washington last year to have a knack for slowing the game down and keeping things simple. Not a bad trait in one as young as Schultz. He’s going to be most effective, we think, by being one of those guys who plays an anonymous game. If you don’t notice him, he’s probably doing a fine job. Well, as much as you don’t notice a guy who’s 6’6”.

"Wisely and slow; they stumble who run fast"

-- Romeo and Juliet (II, iii)

There was the possibility this year that there would be a rookie on the right side of the top line. But it seemed more likely that the right wing would be Eric Fehr, not Tomas Fleischmann. However, Fehr sustained an injury last March. It might have been his back, it might have been his hip, it might have been the fifth metacarpal bone (pinky). Disclosure of injuries in the NHL is treated as a state secret.

It is particularly unfortunate for Fehr, because it would have been interesting to see how he – a guy with a knack for finding the back of the net – would have meshed with Michael Nylander, Viktor Kozlov, or Nicklas Backstrom. Here is a youngster who scored 193 goals in 389 games in junior and the AHL. That’s pretty much a 40-goal scorer. While projecting that kind of output to the NHL is never a certainty, what made (and still makes) Fehr so intriguing is his progression. In junior, he went 11-26-50-59 in goal scoring over four years. In the AHL he scored 25 goals in 70 games, then 22 in only 40 games.

He hasn’t yet made that kind of a mark with the Caps (two goals in 25 games over two seasons), but in his cup-o’-coffee with the club showed a willingness to do other things – forecheck, work hard in his own end, that could make him a more complete forward than just a goal scoring savant.

For now, we wait. There is no rushing these things, especially for a youngster with his potential. The club will take this slow, and hopefully wisely.

The Peerless' Preview, Part IV

Now that we’re down to the 300…oops, the 23…we can look at the next installment of the preview…

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

-- Romeo and Juliet (II, ii)

A backup goaltender is still a goaltender, and his is a difficult chore. If he gets 20 appearances over a season, that’s about three a month, less than one a week. And he’s got to come in and provide quality minutes. On good teams, he’s got to hold the fort and put up at least a .500 record. As we noted here, regarding backup goalies on playoff teams…

-- None of the ten goalies who played more than 20 games in this group (except for Marc Denis, who was demoted) had a below-.500 record.

-- None of the ten goalies who played more than 20 games (again, except Denis) had a goal-against of more than 3.00.

-- Only two of the ten goalies in this group who played more than 20 games had a save percentage below .900 (Denis and Johan Hedberg).

That is the benchmark that might apply to Brent Johnson this season. If he contributes at least a .500 record, a sub-3.00 GAA and a .900-plus save percentage, the Caps will have strong support toward snaring one of those eight playoff spots.

All games count, and being the “backup” goaltender is a distinction without a difference when it comes to the standings. When he’s in there, he’s got to provide quality performances. He’s had a good preseason, and he has considerable experience, so there is the legitimate potential that Johnson’s year would be sweet, regardless of what one calls him.


"The quality of mercy is not strain'd. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes."

-- Merchant of Venice (IV, i)

Caps fans hope that the tender mercies applied by defenseman John Erskine droppeth like a torrent. If the Caps and their fans have a wish, it would be that they blesseth him that gives, and God help him that takes.

Erskine was a surprisingly effective defensemen up to a December 16 game against Philadelphia when he fractured a foot blocking a shot. Coincidentally, perhaps, that game represented the high-water mark of the year for the Caps. Erskine came back to play 11 more games, at which time he missed the last 14 games with a thumb injury. It wasn’t the most fulfilling year.

But Erskine’s presence on the roster in 2007-2008, even if he does not dress every night, provides something the Caps do not have elsewhere on the roster – a truly physical defenseman who can intimidate opponents. Although the Caps will likely see the shots against cut by virtue of the puck-possession strategy they have the talent to play, an ability to keep the crease free of the trash can help in that statistic, too, making life easier for Olaf Kolzig and Brent Johnson.

"How poor are they that have not patience!”

-- Othello (II, iii)

David Steckel has been nothing if not patient. Drafted at the end of the first round in 2001 by Los Angeles, he completed four years at Ohio State, then worked his way up from Reading of the ECHL to Manchester of the AHL. He became a free agent and hooked on with Washington in 2005. Spending most of his time in Hershey the next two seasons (with 11 games in DC mixed in), he became quite a force as a defensive specialist and then had his goal-scoring game come around with 30 last year.

In camp, he played himself onto a roster spot, the culmination of hard work and patience enough to learn his craft. He projects as a checking forward with faceoff skills and a good work ethic (amply demonstrated), but that 30-goal year in Hershey suggests maybe he can contribute the occasional offense as well. His frame doesn’t necessarily project well into the new NHL, where smaller, shiftier forwards can make like difficult for bigger men (Steckel is 6’5, 215), but his effort can go a long way to compensate for that. In a way, Steckel is a throwback to a time when “plumbers” meant more than guys with wrenches and butt-cracks (my apologies to plumbers…we couldn’t resist). Having been patient enough to work his way up the rungs of the organizational ladder, one would have to bet on Steckel….uh, sticking.

“The dragon wing of night o’erspreads the earth.”

-- Troilus and Cressida (V, viii)

Matt Bradley plays with a certain ferocity that fills the ice. He might not be the most gifted player in terms of skill, but Bradley can make his presence felt in other ways that can contribute to the Caps’ success. He is pretty much the skating embodiment of the term, “energy forward.” He will hit, check, agitate, or fight (if necessary) to make the most of his minutes. Playing with an edge is one of those rough corners that the NHL seems intent on sanding down. Well, Bradley is more sandpaper than something to be sanded.

The numbers and higher talent level put him in a numbers crunch, but his surviving the last roster decisions is a reflection of his survivability and tenacity. The Caps don’t have a lot of forwards who can bring that every night – at least so as to make opponents uncomfortable. He’s never had ten goals, has had only once had a 20-plus point season. But he was second on the team last year with 120 hits while getting less than 12 minutes a game (and surprisingly few PIMS – he was ninth on the club with 47 in 57 games).

Don’t skate with your head down…the dragon wing of night might be waiting.

“We know what we are, but know not what we may be.”

-- Hamlet (IV, v)

Brooks Laich has been all over the score sheet in terms of position. He’s been anywhere from the second to the fourth line, and he’s been at center and on the wing. So what is it? Resemblance aside (and really, it’s kind of creepy), Laich might be a “Chris Clark” in waiting. Not exactly heralded as a youngster (a 193^rd overall pick by Ottawa in 2001), he then had to suffer as the question – “who is Brooks Laich?” – to this Caps-ardy answer, “he was who the Caps got in return for all-time club leading goal scorer, Peter Bondra.” Yeah, the Caps also got a second round pick in that deal, but you get the point…”hey, no pressure, kid.”

Laich has put up workman-like 7-14-21 and 8-10-18 results in his two years in Washington, and that brings up another point. He’s still another guy who seems to have been here when Brooks Robinson was still in Baltimore playing with the Orioles. He has 151 games of NHL experience and is only 24 years old (last June). The Caps might not yet know what they have here – Chris Clark didn’t blossom into anything resembling a scorer until he was 29 (although Laich isn’t likely to find himself on a line with Alexander Ovechkin often). While Laich is likely to find himself with fourth, or perhaps some third line minutes, he might need some time for him – and the club – to find out what he may be.

An Unkind Cut

So…Ben Clymer was sent to Hershey. And…with Eric Fehr likely to go on injured reserve and Jakub Klepis likely to go, the Caps are down to 14 forwards. And eight defensemen. And two goalies. That’s 24. One person yet to be left standing in the game of musical roster spots.

Nine hours to go.

Why does The Peerless think, “trade?”

And why does The Peerless think Clymer really wasn’t 100 percent back from last year’s injuries? This is an unfortunate cut. Clymer came here as a Stanley Cup winner (with Tampa Bay in 2004) and did any job asked of him, including returning to the blue line where, despite being injured, sucked it up and applied himself to his job. He even found himself in the role of fashion model....

He’s the kind of pro you usually find on successful clubs, and if he can help Hershey, that will help the kids down there. If he is recalled, he seems likely to be lost to the club, the half-price provision on re-entry waivers making him something of a bargain.

Sometimes, there are men who come and go in the midst of what a team like the Caps are doing to rebuild. They end up being an “oh, yeah…I remember him” years down the road. But Clymer’s a real pro, and that kind of thing deserves respect. Whether it’s here, in Hershey, or another NHL stop, good luck to him.

Is something up?

If it was a fan, I'd say, "aw, just sayin'..." But when it's the big guy?

"...We have some depth now and we are ready for the season to start. I wouldn't rule out a last minute trade and the feeling in the air is one of growing confidence in the talent level of our team..."

The plot thickens....

Daring?...or Dopey?

OK, you be the judge on these five off-the-wall mini-prognostos…

1. Washington will score more goals than will the Pittsburgh Penguins this year.

Pittsburgh is the darling of those who would like to see a return to firewagon, balls-out offense in the NHL. Sidney Crosby!...Evgeni Malkin!...Petr Sykora (the good one)!...Jordan Staal!...Mark Recchi (he’s still here?)! There’s 200 goals, right there!! The Peerless doesn’t think that there are 200 goals there, but that’s only a part of the point. The Caps will be deep (certainly deeper than they have been in recent memory), and they’ll have a third line that can put up some points.

2. Washington will have more wins than the New Jersey Devils.

OK, part of that is that The Peerless thinks the Devils are in for a rude time of it this year, given the strength at the top of the Atlantic. However, the Caps will be a lot better than last year. Heck, improving their shootout record to .500 adds about half a dozen wins.

3. Washington will have four 30-goal scorers this year.

Last year, the Caps had three (Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Chris Clark). This year, Clark will not get 30, but Viktor Kozlov and Michael Nylander will. It will be the first 30-goal seasons for Kozlov and Nylander.

4. Boyd Gordon will be a Selke finalist.

Well, why not? He was a mighty-fine defensive forward last year, and if the Caps end up being the surprise team in the East, he’s likely to get more exposure. Besides, if not this year, then not too long from now.

5. Alexander Ovechkin will join Bengt Gustafsson and Peter Bondra as the only Capitals with five-goal games.

You think this is far fetched? Thus far, Ovechkin’s hallmark has been consistency – he has 98 goals in 161 career games, but only two hat tricks (both on the road). But that’s also been without the benefit of talented playmakers. That won’t be a problem this year. Some nights, the puck just can’t help but go in, and for Ovechkin one of those nights is coming.

So, you be the judge…”daring?”…or “dopey?”

Sittin' at the End of the Bar

Just sittin' here, pondering some numbers...

40. No playoff team last year had fewer than 40 wins. Last year, the Caps had 28. Are there 12 more wins in the tank? The Peerless will take the over.

50. That seems to be the over-under on Alexander Ovechkin’s projected goal total for the year. Some folks are hinting at 60, or even…well, let’s just stick with 50 for now. Based on his preseason effort (look, he had no goals in the preseason last year and finished with 46), The Peerless will take the over.

100. Take your pick – the standings points the Caps will earn or the combined goal total of Ovechkin and Alexander Semin. The Peerless will take the under on both.

2.40. That was Olaf Kolzig’s GAA the last time the Caps made the playoffs (wasn’t that during the Harding administration?). It is 0.60 goals fewer than his GAA last year. Among goalies playing at least half their team’s schedule last year, that number would have been ninth. The Peerless will take the over…but not by much.

30. Viktor Kozlov has never had more than 25 goals in a season. That was last year with the Islanders. He is in a nice spot between a pure scorer and a rookie who can do things with the puck. This is his big opportunity. The Peerless will take the over.

75. Nicklas Backstrom is coming to the NHL with the title of “best player not in the NHL.” Well, now he’s in the NHL. No Calder winner (at least those not Russian skaters) has scored as many as 75 points in 15 years, going back to Teemu Selanne in 1992-1993. The last two Calder winners (those Russian skaters – Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin) both eclipsed that total. Backstrom faces stiff competition for the Calder from the Defensemen Johnson (Erik and Jack) and some others. But, as for the 75 points, The Peerless will take the under.

25. In both of his seasons in Washington, Brent Johnson has appeared in at least 25 games (26 in 2005-2006, 30 last year). 25 games is not a bad thing, if it is done right (i.e., if Kolzig is rested, not injured). However, in those games, Johnson has to play better (and the club has to play better in front of him) than in the past two seasons. It says here that he will, but as for the 25 games, The Peerless thinks this is a push.

20. Chris Clark has set career highs for goals scored in each of the past two years (20 in 2005-2006, 30 last year). The conventional wisdom says that this was a product of playing on a line with Alexander Ovechkin. Well, that’s probably true, but Clark has shown an ability to find a way to find the back of the net. It isn’t always a SportsCenter highlight goal, but they all count, and that skill will serve him well if he mans the right side of the third line. The Peerless is going with the over.

150. Last year, the trio of Chris Clark, Matt Pettinger, and Boyd Gordon scored 115 points. Clark scored his on the top line. Pettinger scored his while missing 18 games to injury. Gordon scored his in what amounted to his first full season. Can this trio score 150 points as a unit? Probably not. The Peerless will take the under on this, but it’ll be closer than some folks might think.

And then there were...

...well, we don't know yet, do we. This morning, Corey Masisak quotes Caps defenseman Jeff Schultz in the Washington Times as saying that:

"They told me to get a residence here, so I did that. That's a good sign for now, but I've just got to get better and better as the days go."

So that leaves, for the defense:

Steve Eminger
John Erskine
Mike Green
Milan Jurcina
Shaone Morrisonn
Brian Pothier
Tom Poti
...and Schultz

I count eight defensemen in there. The Caps could go with that to start the year. Which begs the question, will the Caps carry 13 forwards? At the moment, the forwards include:

Nicklas Backstrom
Matt Bradley
Donald Brashear
Chris Clark
Ben Clymer
Tomas Fleischmann
Boyd Gordon
Jakub Klepis
Viktor Kozlov
Brooks Laich
Michael Nylander
Alexander Ovechkin
Matt Pettinger
Alexander Semin
David Steckel
Brian Sutherby

That's 16. Jakub Klepis would appear not to have a spot at this point, and Eric Fehr (not on the list above) is likely to start the year on injured reserve, leaving two potential victims of hockey's equivalent of The Turk. If you're looking for hints, perhaps this quote from Glen Hanlon, reported in this morning's Post entry by Tarik El-Bashir, provides it...

"It really hurts when you see people leave the organization who have given their heart and soul to this group."

The next 30 hours or so (23-man rosters must be set by 3:00 pm, Tuesday) will be pretty hard on guys like David Steckel, Brooks Laich, Matt Bradley, Ben Clymer, and Brian Sutherby.

Ottawa 2 - Washington 1

OK, we'll leave the "what went wrongs" by the side of the road. Fact is, not much did, except the final score. True, the Caps fell tonight to a Alfredsson-Heatly-Spezza-Volchenkov-Fisher-Emery-less Senators club, but the Caps did everything but win the game. If there was a time-of-possession clock, the Caps probably held a 40-20 minute edge. And, given that Alex Ovechkin hit two posts (one in the waning moments) and Tomas Fleischmann another, the offense did enough win most games. They outshot the visitors 35-15 and won 38 of 53 draws (that's not a misprint, although one hesitates to trust the NHL stat sheet at the moment). Boyd Gordon, David Steckel, and Michael Nylander were a combined 29 wins and seven losses on draws.

The defense was not bad, although it wasn't much tested. Olaf Kolzig had a gruesome half dozen minutes in the first period, giving up two very iffy goals, but otherwise had a solid effort.

The Caps took only one penalty (perhaps as much a product of hanging on to the puck for such long stretches....they never had much chance to take the usual NHL-brand of obstruction penalties).

Even the crowd wasn't bad (by Caps preseason standards). But this was the first chance for The Peerless to see the new mother ship...


...oops, scoreboard...



These aren't artist's renditions...I took these pics (hence, the blurry images in the latter couple). Shoot, in that first one I can see the nose hairs in the Senator logo.

It's nice...really. And, for that matter, so was the Caps' play, except for that pesky final result.