Thursday, January 31, 2008

A TWO point night...Caps 5 - Canadiens 4 (OT)


Two points…it doesn’t matter how you get them, just get them. And the Caps got two in a 5-4 overtime win after giving up a three-goal lead. Read the running commentary in the previous entry for the details. But let’s take a look at the final numbers…

- Alex Ovechkin: 4-1-5, +4, six shots, five hits, no giveaways...and a broken nose
- Nicklas Backstrom: 0-1-1, +4, and six takeaways…Montreal as a team had only seven
- Viktor Kozlov: 1-2-3, +3
- Matt Bradley: five hits in less than 13 minutes, and he created a few chances for himself
- Milan Jurcina: +2, four hits, three blocked shots
- Matt Pettinger did not take the ice for the last 11:33 of regulation and all of overtime
- Ditto for Steve Eminger…
- And Donald Brashear…

Other numbers of note…

Ovechkin is 29-18-47, +14 in his last 31 games
Backstrom is 8-25-33, +9 in his last 31 games
Kozlov is 7-9-16, +10 in his last 17 games

The guys who have to step it up in the absence of Nylander and Clark are doing just that...but the Caps need Shaone Morrisonn back to give Mike Green balance. The sooner, the better.
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4 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:31 PM

    Dear GMGM,

    Second-line RW. It's been a problem since day one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous10:06 AM

    I thought Steckel played well last night, too.

    "Matt Pettinger did not take the ice for the last 11:33 of regulation and all of overtime . . . Ditto for Donald Brashear." -- Praise the Lord! I knew that Donald had played for Montreal, but after the first period I was wondering if he *still* played for Montreal.

    Ovechkin is a hockey god. In addition to the broken nose, he had stiches on the inside of his cheek from the high stick. I was amazed that was only 2 minutes.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous10:07 AM

    GMGM did address it this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries have taken out both Nylander and Clark, guys who would be major contributors under Gabby. Kozlov--technically, the second line RW and back-up center--has been a floating forward all season, while pressed-into-service Fleichmann is still trying to find a scoring touch.

    However...important second line RWs in system:

    Andrew Gordon--in Hershey
    Eric Fehr--finally healthy and in Hershey
    Francios Bouchard--in QMJHL and ready to make the jump to pro hockey

    All three will probably get a shot at the spot next season. Plus, the two aforementioned injured veterans, especially Nylander, should be back. Despite the team's recent success, this is still a rebuilding team, with guys drafted a couple of years ago maturing in the system and working their way to the roster. Which is why this is now a competitive rebuilding team now--this is the second stage, when things begin to get fun again.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Peerless11:40 AM

    I would expect Fehr - if healthy - will be the only legitimate competitor for a top-six slot next year. Bouchard has lit up juniors, but it's a big leap to the NHL..I'd be thinking Hershey for him.

    I don't know enough about Gordon to know, but I would think he's got another year in the AHL to go.

    ReplyDelete