Caps 4 Thrashers 2

It was a little ragged a times (what else is new?) but the Washington Capitals are now a win or a New Jersey loss from locking up the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference after a 4-2 win over the Atlanta Thrashers.

The Caps looked like they were going to turn this one into a laugher early on, as they picked up right where they left off in the 3rd period of Sunday's game against the Thrash. But in the 2nd period, they reverted back to the inconsistent group they were in March before turning up the defensive intensity again in the 3rd. Thanks to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who beat New Jersey 4-1 tonight, the Caps are 4 points up on the Devils with 2 games to play.

The importance of that 2nd seed cannot be overstated. It makes the difference between facing a team like Montreal, who just lost their two top defenceman, or facing a red-hot team like Carolina or Pittsburgh. As a Caps fan, getting that #2 seed would work out beautifully. Not only would they get to face a weaker opponent like Montreal, New York Rangers or Florida (although Pittsburgh could concievably fall to the 7 seed) but it would mean two of the following four tough rivals would be out in a 2nd round matchup: Pittsbugh, Philly, Carolina and New Jersey. Personally, I'd love to see Pittsburgh and Philly knock each other out and then New Jersey and Carolina play a tough, seven game series.

Hangar Observations:

- Simeon Varlamov was the player of the game tonight. He kept the Caps in this game in the 2nd period when it looked like the Thrash had the Caps on their heels. The kid may not be there yet, but its clear to see he has a very bright future in this league. His athleticism and rebound control are better than Jose Theodore's. He made a great save on Atlanta sniper Ilya Kovalchuk on a 2 on 1 look easy. The only thing Varly lacks Theo's experience and puck-handling ability. I'm sure many Caps fans will see an effort like tonight and want to give the kid the nod over Theo. But unless Theo bombs, there's no reason to risk the kid's confidence and turning Varly into a basket case like Carey Price in Montreal.

- After Varly, I'd say Nicklas Backstrom was the next best player on the ice. The pass that led to Viktor Kozlov's goal was a thing of beauty and splitting him up from Alex Ovechkin helps open up the secondary scoring opportunities for others. Backstrom is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. You can always rely on him and his game is so understated, you don't notice that he's a top-10 scorer in this league. Plus, the weakest part of his game, faceoffs, is rapidly improving.

- Craig Laughlin said it best on Tomas Fleischmann's goal: "Just put it on the net and anything can happen." Flash did that and the puck went in off Atlanta's Marty Reasoner for the Caps first goal. With goals in two straight games, let's hope Flash is finally back on track. Somebody else is going to need to score in the playoffs.

- I'm glad to not have to see Kovalchuk until next year. He put a move on Jeff Schultz that just undressed the Sarge. Kovalchuk is like Ovechkin-lite, anytime he touches the puck, something can happen. If Kovy played in New York, Toronto, Chicago or L.A., he'd be doing silly car commercials, just like Ovie. If Gary Bettman had any sense, he'd get this guy out of the hockey wasteland that is Atlanta.

- For once, it was nice to see the Caps make a quick response to another team's goal. After Rich Peverley scored to tie the game for Atlanta, Kozzy and Backstrom teamed up 30 seconds later to take the lead back.

- As a hockey player myself, I'm often very jealous of the pros. These guys can do some things that are just unbelievable. And if I were to want one thing that a pro hockey player has, I would give my right arm to have Alex Semin's stickhandling ability. That curl-and-drag move of his is lethal.

- Dirty Al Koken was filling in for Joe B. on the play-by-play and it was nice to see Dirty Al with an homage to his old broadcast partner Mike Fornes with his "Shot...and a GOAL!" call. Not quite as emphatic as Mike used to do but I'll applaud the effort.

- Mike Green's penalty for playing the puck with a broken stick might be one of the dumbest plays I've seen a pro hockey player make.

- The Caps really took command of this game after getting an insurance goal by Sergei Fedorov in the 3rd. The defense clearly stepped things up and suffocated the Thrashers offense. That killer instinct is also going to be needed in the playoffs.

With that, here's the highlights from NHL.com


So, only two more games left in the regular season before the most wonderful time of the year: playoff time. But for now, let's call this one more...for the good guys.

Caps 6 Thrashers 4

Someone needs to make a tape of the 3rd period of today's game and play it before every Caps game from here on in. Whoever shows that tape needs to tell the team, "THAT is what you guys can do if you consistently bring it."

The Thrashers had no answer for the Caps in the 3rd period, as the boys in red seemed to come in waves, one right after another. They made Atlanta's defense look foolish, forcing a myriad of bad turnovers. Of course, the next question is, "Why can't they do that for 60 minutes?"

Third period aside, it was yet another listless effort through two. If my old coach Marc Felizzi was coaching this team he would be freaking out behind the bench telling the players "NO BLIND PASSES UP THE MIDDLE!!!!" Sergei Fedorov did it against Buffalo on Friday and it cost the Caps an extra point. Alex Ovechkin did it today and it cost them a goal. Just inexcusable stuff. These guys have been taught since Mites not to throw blind passes up the middle and they've done it two games in a row. As much heat as Jose Theodore takes in the clueless mainstream media, without Theo in the first period, the Caps might have been on their way to another stinkbomb against Atlanta.

But, oh that 3rd period. It truly is a pleasure to watch this team when they play like that. When they work and forecheck the crap out of the opposition, they are impossible to stop. The team that skated the 3rd period could win the Stanley Cup. The team that skated the first 40 minutes could get swept in the first round. That's the freakin' tightrope this Caps team walks and until they figure out a way to bring that 3rd period for 60 minutes, it's going to be a turbulent ride through the playoffs.

The Hangar's observations:

- Keith Aucoin was the best player on the ice today. He had a goal and an assist and you could see coach Bruce Boudreau get more confidence in him as this game rolled along. If Aucoin isn't taking a regular shift in the playoffs, well, somebody's got to lay off the peyote. Along with Brooks Laich and Dave Steckel, Aucoin is just the sort of guy who the Caps are going to need.

- Finally, Tomas Fleischmann scored a goal, temporarily ending his own personal nightmare of a 2009.

- The goal Colby Armstrong scored, Atlanta's first, is all on Tom Poti. He's got to step up and meet Armstrong a lot higher than the top of the slot. By that point, you're at the mercy of the shooter at the NHL level.

- I don't like that Milan Jurcina-Jeff Schultz defense pairing. They would get murdered in a 7-game series, especially against a speedy team like Montreal or Carolina. I know Brian Pothier was scratched to make room for Juice, but I'd rather see Pothier, Mike Green and Poti as at least half the defense in the playoffs. then have some combination of Schultz, John Erskine, Jurcina and Shaone Morrisonn.

- How did the Caps not score on that first period power play when TWO Thrashers broke their sticks?

- Speaking of the PP, it wasn't the best of days for the NHL's 2nd ranked unit. They gave up a shorthanded goal in the 2nd after Ovie's turnover (Repeat: NO BLIND PASSES OVER THE MIDDLE!) Too much Danglefest 2009 for the first few chances. But things did turn around when Aucoin was put out there. He slammed home a great feed from Ovie for his PP marker and in the 3rd, the Caps put on a puck possession clinic, even though they didn't score.

- Since the Caps are playing the Thrash again on Tuesday night, here's a tip: Do NOT let Ilya Kovalchuk have room. If he gets any space, he's deadly.

- I liked the combination of Eric Fehr, Michael Nylander and Brooks Laich. Nylander played a strong game, and got that 3rd period barrage rolling with his knucklepuck that eluded ATL goaltender Johan Hedberg. Fehr put the Caps ahead for good by going relentless towards the net. Fehr needs to take a page from my old teammate Derek Russ and don't venture more than 5 feet from the goal. Good things happen for him there.

- The Thrashers defense was brutal on Fehr's goal but they were worse on the next goal, a brilliant piece of tic-tac-toe passing between Aucoin, Fleischmann and Alex Semin. That goal was gorgeousness and gorgeousity made real (bet you won't find a "Clockwork Orange" reference like that on any other blog.) The passing and puck handling was great but the Thrash just looked clueless out there defensively. To the Caps credit, they FORCED Atlanta into that with hard work, quick puck movement and heavy forechecking. If they do that all the time they're going places (are you sensing a theme with this wrapup?)

- The Caps scored 6 goals today, none of them by guys named Ovechkin, Green or Backstrom. They're going to need that secondary scoring in the playoffs. Let's hope this game was just the beginning of more balance in the Caps lineup.

- Ovie did get two points today, drawing him closer to Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin for the league scoring title but this wasn't one of his better games. He had that bad giveaway on Jim Slater's shorthanded goal and seemed to give up a lot of good looks instead of trying to score goals. That's more like Nylander than Ovechkin.

- I praised Jose Theodore earlier this post, now I come to bury him. Jose- What the fuck were you thinking? He looked like he was trying to score a goal in Atlanta's empty net but whiffed and gave it right to Slava Kozlov. It was the best pass Kozlov's probably had all year.

Anyway, enough of my rambling, here's the highlights from NHL.com.


With this win, the Caps go back up two points on idle New Jersey for the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. As mentioned before, the team will make one more stop in Atlanta before closing out in Florida against Tampa Bay and the Panthers. So until then, let's call this one more...for the good guys.