Sittin' at the end of the bar -- Thoughts about the Caps on a Snowy Morning

Warm and toasty on a snowy day…let’s see what’s going on with the Caps…

-- A tale of two seasons... 1st 8 games: 0-0-0, -4... last 10 games: 5-6-11, +11... Ladies and gentlemen, Eric Fehr

-- Caps have 18 power play goals...Mke Ribeiro, Alex Ovechkin, and Troy Brouwer combine for 14 of them ...no defenseman has one.

-- The Caps are one of four teams (Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and the Islanders being the others) with two players in the top 16 in power play goals (Ribeiro and Ovechkin with five apiece).

-- Speaking of defensemen, Tomas Kundratek is tied for the team lead in power play assists (3)

-- It is not news that Alex Ovechkin leads Caps in SOG...would you have said "John Carlson" when asked about second?

-- Shhh...the sound you hear is Nicklas Backstrom moving up the charts in assists... he is now tied for eighth (17) and tied with Ribeiro for the team lead.

-- Even with last night’s thrilling win, the Caps are not a good even strength team.  Their top point getter at even strength – Mike Ribeiro – is tied for 45^th in the league.  Only four Caps are in double-digits in even strength points, and among them are Joel Ward and Eric Fehr, neither of whom has been tasked with being scoring line forwards.

-- The Caps are one of three teams (Anaheim and Pittsburgh being the others) with three players in the top 30 in shooting percentage – Mike Ribeiro (2^nd/26.7 percent), Troy Brouwer (T-19^th/19.6 percent), Eric Fehr (27^th/18.5 percent).

-- Who leads the Caps in minor penalties taken?  Matt Hendricks?  Nope (seven).  John Erskine?  Nope (five).  Troy Bouwer?  Nope (six).  Alex Ovechkin?  Yup… he has taken 11 minor penalties and is tied for 13^th in the league in most minor penalties taken.

-- Troy Brouwer has not ranked lower than 15^th among forwards in hits in any of the past three seasons entering this one.  He currently is a tie for 39^th.

-- The Caps have only two wins this season when leading after one period.  Only Columbus has fewer (one).  Of course, holding a first intermission lead only five times in 21 games does not help.

-- The Caps are one of only three teams in the league not yet having gone to the bonus trick shot round (Carolina and Toronto are the others).

-- John Carlson does not seem to like Verizon Center much… he is minus-3 at home, but a plus-4 on the road.  Maybe it’s the white jerseys.  Carlson also happens to lead the team in plus-minus in division games (plus-8, tied with Eric Fehr).

-- Joel Ward has played in 21 games and has been on ice for only five goals against.  Only four forwards in the league have played in that many or more games and have been on the ice for fewer goals.

…ok, time for another cup o’ coffee.  Yeah…coffee.  Right.