Posts
After watching the first episode of "Capitals and Penguins 24/7: Road to the Winter Classic" three times--yes, three times--I feel able to comment. I just watched it twice back-to-back, and of course once last night when it originally premiered (although an hour late since I was at the Preds game...I recorded it).
Let me start by saying that this is one of the coolest things I've ever seen on TV...EVER. Probably because I'm already a hockey fan, and a Caps fan, and am going to the Winter Classic, but HBO gives it the typical HBO Sports treatment and it's just plain awesome. Anyone who's not a fan of the game should watch at least one episode and then revisit their feelings.
Mainly I'm pleased to find out that the coaches pretty much feel exactly like I do. I'm pretty sure Coach B and I said the exact same thing at the end of the 2nd period in the rangers game on Sunday, which was: "Are you fucking kidding?"
It was also super cool to have the players miked before a fight. I've always wondered what the exchanges were between two players before they dropped the gloves, and it was pretty much as you'd imagine. And comically simple.
Pittsburgh Player: Fuck you!
Toronto Player: You wanna fucking go?
Pittsburgh Player: Let's fucking go!
As you can tell, there are alot of f-bombs in this show. Again, kudos to HBO for giving it to us raw and uncensored!
I also get the impression that the majority of the Penguins are gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But one wore what can only be described as a woman's Christmas sweater to the team party, Crosby looked like he was wearing lipstick the whole time, another player talked happily about getting to "sleep next to each other" on the road, and Crosby and Fleury seem to have a more than platonic bond. Just sayin'.
They didn't show much of the Caps that's really worth discussing. They've been having a rough go of it, so most of the parts about them sucked by default. I am glad to be vindicated in my previous assessment of the team's woes, however. It makes me feel smart, and like I might actually know something about hockey! I stated that I believed the team was moving toward a more defensive posture, which is not their typical M.O., but was the strongest criticism of them after the last two playoff exits. This was stated explicitly as what they are trying to do, so I feel really cool for noticing that. And also glad that I'm not just pulling things out of my ass.
It was also super cool to hear one of the Caps assistant coaches use the phrase "grab some sack" since Kirby uses that pn a regular basis, often when referring to hockey.
Can't wait for the next episode on Wednesday, and the first matchup between the teams the following night. Should be tons of fun...for me anyway!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Hockey Thoughts: Rock the Red
When the Caps were inexplicably eliminated from the playoffs last year I comforted myself by saying, "Well, despite all signs to the contrary, this year wasn't the year. But next year..."
And here we are in "next year," and it looks like last year quite possibly was the year (that never was). Confused yet? I certainly am. Same team, different results. With the exception of the goalie, nothing is different in Washington except the production of Alexander Ovechkin and the team in general. They sit in 2nd place in the Conference, but only by virtue of being 1st in their Division...a whopping five points behind PITtsburgh (gag) and only one point ahead of the sorry-ass Canadiens. The 4th place team (Flyers) have more points, and the 5th place team is only one point behind them.
Let's start with that goalie. I'm not Neuvirth's biggest fan. He's clumsy and inconsistent and I'm a much bigger fan of Varly. Always have been, always will be. I understand why Varly's not the starter, but I think it is possibly time to rethink that decision now that he's back and seems to be healthy. The last couple years Washington's goaltending has been weak, on the whole, but the stellar offense (average of 4+ goals per game) has more than compensated for any weakness between the pipes. Now that the offense has stalled that weakness is glaring.
Now onto that lack of offensive production. When you have a team where more than five players are major scoring threats it's no surprise when you do score 4+ goals per game. When you are struggling to score two you need to start looking for answers. The first finger is being pointed at Ovechkin, as the team's scoring leader and Captain, because he isn't producing on par with any of his previous seasons. Despite his lack of goal scoring (20th in the league) he's 4th in overall points as he's hit an assist groove, most often helping out Semin who has replaced Ovi as the team's scoring tour-de-force. He's had 3 (I think?) hat tricks so far this season alone and is ranked 3rd in the league in goals, and 8th in overall points. But Ovi is doing what Ovi is supposed to do, and doing it well. He's never been the type of player that lets his star power eclipse his on-ice play. the fact that he's getting so many assists proves he's committed to his teammates' scoring as much as his own, and he's still dishing out the big hits and making amazing plays that elevate the play of the entire team. And his lack of goals isn't for a lack of trying--he again leads the league in shots. Say what you will about the man but he's not afraid to take a shot when he has it.
Besides goaltending, the Caps have suffered from a defense that's weaker than their record would indicate in the last few seasons. Again, their ability to outscore almost any opponent is what allowed them to continually win games even after being scored on 3, 4 and 5 times a game. Most teams are in deep doo-doo if they've taken 3 goals in a game, let alone 4 or 5 but the Caps have always managed to score at least one more than the opposing team and eek out a win. It appears that their defensive play has improved somewhat, but their offensive production is another consequence of the improved defensive play. Their defense hasn't been strong because it was very offense-forward, and their D-Core is a scoring threat almost equal to the offense. Since the D has been taking a more active roll doing what they are intended to do, the scoring has suffered as a result. It's too early to tell if that's going to be a good thing or a bad thing. When you have a formula that works you probably should stick with it, but it does get hard to drown out the chorus from the critics when what you were doing gets blamed for your playoff exit.
Last night constituted loss #5 in a row for the Caps, the longest losing streak under Coach B. Will they turn it around tonight? All I can say is they better...we're just two weeks from the first meeting with the Pens (December 23), who have now won 12 in a row. And we all know what game is the week after THAT...and I really don't want to be embarrassed after making the trek to PITtsburgh and sitting outside in the freezing ass cold!
Overall, they just need to find a style of play that works for them and stick to it. Consistency is going to be the key, like always, coming down the stretch. I'd really like for the Caps to have another good shot at The Cup this season, but maybe a difficult season will be just the onus they need to be pushed a little harder. Sometimes it is all too easy to get cocky, and that is possibly what happened last season. In hockey, more so than other sports, your play in the regular season doesn't make you deserving of anything in the playoffs. It's a whole new season at that point. The best teams in the regular season are rarely the ones who hoist Lord Stanley's Cup in June. Having all the pressure of being the ones who "should" win never helps, either. So, hopefully, the Pens and the Wings crack under that pressure and the Caps will fly under the radar into the Finals. One can always hope, right? Besides, who really wants to see the Pens play the Wings in the Finals again...3rd time in 4 years? BO-ring!!!
So...rock the red? I think it's time to!!!
And here we are in "next year," and it looks like last year quite possibly was the year (that never was). Confused yet? I certainly am. Same team, different results. With the exception of the goalie, nothing is different in Washington except the production of Alexander Ovechkin and the team in general. They sit in 2nd place in the Conference, but only by virtue of being 1st in their Division...a whopping five points behind PITtsburgh (gag) and only one point ahead of the sorry-ass Canadiens. The 4th place team (Flyers) have more points, and the 5th place team is only one point behind them.
Let's start with that goalie. I'm not Neuvirth's biggest fan. He's clumsy and inconsistent and I'm a much bigger fan of Varly. Always have been, always will be. I understand why Varly's not the starter, but I think it is possibly time to rethink that decision now that he's back and seems to be healthy. The last couple years Washington's goaltending has been weak, on the whole, but the stellar offense (average of 4+ goals per game) has more than compensated for any weakness between the pipes. Now that the offense has stalled that weakness is glaring.
Now onto that lack of offensive production. When you have a team where more than five players are major scoring threats it's no surprise when you do score 4+ goals per game. When you are struggling to score two you need to start looking for answers. The first finger is being pointed at Ovechkin, as the team's scoring leader and Captain, because he isn't producing on par with any of his previous seasons. Despite his lack of goal scoring (20th in the league) he's 4th in overall points as he's hit an assist groove, most often helping out Semin who has replaced Ovi as the team's scoring tour-de-force. He's had 3 (I think?) hat tricks so far this season alone and is ranked 3rd in the league in goals, and 8th in overall points. But Ovi is doing what Ovi is supposed to do, and doing it well. He's never been the type of player that lets his star power eclipse his on-ice play. the fact that he's getting so many assists proves he's committed to his teammates' scoring as much as his own, and he's still dishing out the big hits and making amazing plays that elevate the play of the entire team. And his lack of goals isn't for a lack of trying--he again leads the league in shots. Say what you will about the man but he's not afraid to take a shot when he has it.
Besides goaltending, the Caps have suffered from a defense that's weaker than their record would indicate in the last few seasons. Again, their ability to outscore almost any opponent is what allowed them to continually win games even after being scored on 3, 4 and 5 times a game. Most teams are in deep doo-doo if they've taken 3 goals in a game, let alone 4 or 5 but the Caps have always managed to score at least one more than the opposing team and eek out a win. It appears that their defensive play has improved somewhat, but their offensive production is another consequence of the improved defensive play. Their defense hasn't been strong because it was very offense-forward, and their D-Core is a scoring threat almost equal to the offense. Since the D has been taking a more active roll doing what they are intended to do, the scoring has suffered as a result. It's too early to tell if that's going to be a good thing or a bad thing. When you have a formula that works you probably should stick with it, but it does get hard to drown out the chorus from the critics when what you were doing gets blamed for your playoff exit.
Last night constituted loss #5 in a row for the Caps, the longest losing streak under Coach B. Will they turn it around tonight? All I can say is they better...we're just two weeks from the first meeting with the Pens (December 23), who have now won 12 in a row. And we all know what game is the week after THAT...and I really don't want to be embarrassed after making the trek to PITtsburgh and sitting outside in the freezing ass cold!
Overall, they just need to find a style of play that works for them and stick to it. Consistency is going to be the key, like always, coming down the stretch. I'd really like for the Caps to have another good shot at The Cup this season, but maybe a difficult season will be just the onus they need to be pushed a little harder. Sometimes it is all too easy to get cocky, and that is possibly what happened last season. In hockey, more so than other sports, your play in the regular season doesn't make you deserving of anything in the playoffs. It's a whole new season at that point. The best teams in the regular season are rarely the ones who hoist Lord Stanley's Cup in June. Having all the pressure of being the ones who "should" win never helps, either. So, hopefully, the Pens and the Wings crack under that pressure and the Caps will fly under the radar into the Finals. One can always hope, right? Besides, who really wants to see the Pens play the Wings in the Finals again...3rd time in 4 years? BO-ring!!!
So...rock the red? I think it's time to!!!
Hockey Talk: The Ups and Downs of November
Last time I wrote about hockey the Preds were still hot, but experiencing a cool down...the first leg of what proved to be a typically dismal November. I talked about how important the month of November seems to be in the context of the whole season and the lesson the Preds should have taken away is that their room for error is no more. Due to their lackluster play and seeming inability to score more than one goal per game they will be clawing their way back into the top eight and praying for a playoff spot once again. As of today they sit in the middle of their Division, just one or two measly points above St. Louis and Columbus--two teams that were also red hot and threatening to bury the Preds completely in the month of November. The Preds also find themselves in 6th place in the Conference by virtue of no points, with the 7th, 8th and 9th place teams tied in points, and the three below those tied with one fewer point. The Western Conference is notorious for tight races on the lower end of the points spectrum and this year is shaping up to be no different than before.
What is different is that the Preds are clearly not that great of a team this year, while some of the teams that currently surround them in the standings are stronger, and pose a serious threat down the stretch if they remain healthy. Everyone speaks of Detroit as the powerhouse yet again, but they lead the Division not by a wide margin, but a narrow one. One thing that has certainly helped keep the Preds out of the basement to this point is the ridiculous number of OT/Shootout games they have played, giving them 6 extra points for still losing. If they had even a couple fewer OT games they would still be in the points basement. The flip side of that is the fact that several of the OT wins have come at the hands of Divisional opponents, so they still gave a point to a team that they have to watch over their shoulders the remainder of the season.
The worst part is that I can't seem to accurately diagnose what exactly ails the Predators right now. They don't appear to be playing much different than the beginning of the season, but their ability to break out of the zone has gone to shit, they aren't completing the long passes that they seemingly mastered at the beginning of the year, and they are back to the pass-pass-pass mentality that has doomed them in every previous season. They are still getting a respectable number of shots on goal in most games, but the biscuit just isn't finding the basket. Strong goaltending from Lindback has been a Godsend this year since Rinne has been out with an injury twice already. Rinne's performance has been steady but not as good as I'd like to see from him. I've also noticed an astonishing lack of creativity with scoring, because when the team scores one goal they seem to try and score the exact same way the rest of the game. It's like they hadn't even been studying for the game at all, but when one thing works they decide to stick with it because they were ill prepared to face that team's defence and goalie to begin with. It's maddening!
I can say without any doubt that the Preds defense has been sloppy, and Shea Weber is in some sort of funk that he can't seem to get out of. He's taken way to many penalties out of frustration, and the rest of the D-Core isn't helping. The team CANNOT clear the puck out of their zone to save their lives and I've witnessed way too many D-plays gone awry in front of our net. And in what looks like nothing more than a desperate attempt to do something fancy, the overuse of the drop pass has returned. Granted, there have been a few that connected and led to very pretty goals. But there have been more that led to pathetic turnovers and odd-man rushes to the other end of the ice. Trotz needs to move on from the drop pass because this is not a team that can handle the speed of opposing teams when the play fails, and this is putting unnecessary strain on the goalies.
One of the most noticeable changes at the start of the season, when the team was doing well, was that they played the full sixty minutes of the game. They came out strong and did not let off the gas. Welcome change, no question. Permanent change, not a chance. The Preds still need a reminder that the game has three periods, twenty minutes each, and if they aren't going to show up to play them all then they might as well not show up at all.
Simple, gritty hockey was what propelled the team to a strong start. I'm not sure if they became complacent because of their early success or if the slump started to get to them and they felt the need to try and change things up a bit to get out of it, which further exacerbated the slide, or what. But they just need to remember what they were doing in October and get back to that. They've warmed back up these first two weeks of December, but only marginally. Scoring is still somewhat of an issue, but the goaltending has kept them in the game despite the lack of offensive capability. We've gotten to the playoffs before on the strength of goaltending alone, so I know it can be done, but it's a hard road and no guarantee. It's also a first class ticket to go four and out in the first round.
What is different is that the Preds are clearly not that great of a team this year, while some of the teams that currently surround them in the standings are stronger, and pose a serious threat down the stretch if they remain healthy. Everyone speaks of Detroit as the powerhouse yet again, but they lead the Division not by a wide margin, but a narrow one. One thing that has certainly helped keep the Preds out of the basement to this point is the ridiculous number of OT/Shootout games they have played, giving them 6 extra points for still losing. If they had even a couple fewer OT games they would still be in the points basement. The flip side of that is the fact that several of the OT wins have come at the hands of Divisional opponents, so they still gave a point to a team that they have to watch over their shoulders the remainder of the season.
The worst part is that I can't seem to accurately diagnose what exactly ails the Predators right now. They don't appear to be playing much different than the beginning of the season, but their ability to break out of the zone has gone to shit, they aren't completing the long passes that they seemingly mastered at the beginning of the year, and they are back to the pass-pass-pass mentality that has doomed them in every previous season. They are still getting a respectable number of shots on goal in most games, but the biscuit just isn't finding the basket. Strong goaltending from Lindback has been a Godsend this year since Rinne has been out with an injury twice already. Rinne's performance has been steady but not as good as I'd like to see from him. I've also noticed an astonishing lack of creativity with scoring, because when the team scores one goal they seem to try and score the exact same way the rest of the game. It's like they hadn't even been studying for the game at all, but when one thing works they decide to stick with it because they were ill prepared to face that team's defence and goalie to begin with. It's maddening!
I can say without any doubt that the Preds defense has been sloppy, and Shea Weber is in some sort of funk that he can't seem to get out of. He's taken way to many penalties out of frustration, and the rest of the D-Core isn't helping. The team CANNOT clear the puck out of their zone to save their lives and I've witnessed way too many D-plays gone awry in front of our net. And in what looks like nothing more than a desperate attempt to do something fancy, the overuse of the drop pass has returned. Granted, there have been a few that connected and led to very pretty goals. But there have been more that led to pathetic turnovers and odd-man rushes to the other end of the ice. Trotz needs to move on from the drop pass because this is not a team that can handle the speed of opposing teams when the play fails, and this is putting unnecessary strain on the goalies.
One of the most noticeable changes at the start of the season, when the team was doing well, was that they played the full sixty minutes of the game. They came out strong and did not let off the gas. Welcome change, no question. Permanent change, not a chance. The Preds still need a reminder that the game has three periods, twenty minutes each, and if they aren't going to show up to play them all then they might as well not show up at all.
Simple, gritty hockey was what propelled the team to a strong start. I'm not sure if they became complacent because of their early success or if the slump started to get to them and they felt the need to try and change things up a bit to get out of it, which further exacerbated the slide, or what. But they just need to remember what they were doing in October and get back to that. They've warmed back up these first two weeks of December, but only marginally. Scoring is still somewhat of an issue, but the goaltending has kept them in the game despite the lack of offensive capability. We've gotten to the playoffs before on the strength of goaltending alone, so I know it can be done, but it's a hard road and no guarantee. It's also a first class ticket to go four and out in the first round.
Epic
I just realized I haven't posted since we got back from Vegas, which was a little more than a month ago, so while I have alot to cover (hopefully in the next few days) the most important development is my decision to attend the 2011 Winter Classic.I had hoped to get tickets for Christmas, but my parents shop early. Tickets are sold first to season ticket holders for the two teams then the limited number of remaining tickets are sold and sell out quickly. The "black market" for tickets is fairly hot and early prices were just to high to justify purchasing...or requesting them as a gift. I didn't give up hope, though, and in anticipation of the "24/7" HBO series starting this week I decided to look again and prices had come way down from where they were before. I was afraid that the show would drum up additional interest and prevent ticket prices from dropping any lower, and might even drive them back up again. So I decided to spend what would have been my Christmas present from my parents (money) preemptively and buy tickets. I found two in a decent location within my price range, so earlier this week I pulled the trigger.
When the NHL announced last summer that the 2011 Classic would be the Capitals vs. the Penguins I immediately said, "we're going!" I wasn't 100% sure that we'd be able to make it happen, but I meant it when I said "we're going" and that I'd do anything and everything in my power to see it through. I was a little disappointed that it was planned for Pittsburgh instead of DC but I was still committed to going. I figured we'd have to fly because I thought Pittsburgh was a longer drive than it actually is.
So, the first thing I checked on this week was how far of a drive it will be, and 8 hours is reasonable when we can split the driving. The plan is to drive up on Friday, spend the night about an hour outside of Pittsburgh, this side of the city, drive in for the game on Saturday and then head back home after. We'll have all day Sunday to recover.
My tickets arrived in the mail today and I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself. I was a little worried before I bought the tickets that I'd regret it. I mean, it's still alot of money to spend on ONE event. It's alot of money that I could have spent on something else. but really, what would I have spent it on? More clothes and shoes? A bigger TV for the living room? Ultimately I don't really *need* any of those things, and they are things that will be available for purchase at any time in the future. This is a one time event, this matchup with these teams and players, that is the ultimate matchup as far as my preferences go, for this particular game.
From the first time Kirby and I watched the Winter Classic in the debut game three years ago we both agreed that we would go one day. It wasn't even up for debate. When, where and how was all open, but we knew we wanted to go. Badly. So when this year's Classic was announced I just knew it was the one. After I bought the tickets I felt relieved, not worried or regretful, about the purchase. The time to go is now. Sure, we may go to others in the future, but this one could not be missed. I had the overwhelming feeling this week that if I didn't go I'd be much more upset and regretful and would probably even have a hard time watching it on TV knowing I *could* have been there.
So...we're going! It's an item that I had put on my list of 101 things to do or accomplish earlier in the year. I've actually made excellent progress on my list so far this year, since compiling it in the spring. I'm excited that one of the "bigger ticket" items is getting checked off the list so soon. It's not something I realistically expected to get to any time soon.
I've also never seen the Caps play the Pens live, which in any circumstance would be awesome. But this setting is the ultimate setting and this is going to be an EPIC game. Not to mention the "24/7" series that I'll get to watch leading up to, and after, the game. It will just make the experience all the more exciting and involved. The game is three weeks from today. I can't wait! On the one hand three weeks seems so close, but I also can't believe I have to wait three weeks!!!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
