How bizarre, How bizarre...
I still cannot believe it, I think I said it like 100 times tonight... Caps win after being behind 0-3. It would be a tough pill to swallow for Rangers, leading 3-0 and losing 3-4.
Alex Ovechkin, by his own standards, had one of the sub-par games tonight. He was still very present and did make a big impact on the game, but not like he used to be... He could've been a hero tonight scoring on a breakaway, did not happen... Again he looked like a fish out of the water, it shows his conditioning is the worst ever since he joined the NHL.
Ovechkin's stats:
-2, 1 pen (2min), total ice time 30:07, 32 shifts, average 00:56, PP 06:37, even 23:30, 4 shots on goal, 6 attempts blocked, 4 missed, 3 hits, 2 giveaways, 1 blocked shot.
Eventually he ended up not seeing much of the ice time in the final overtime period, Bruce Boudreau decided to put money on other players who looked fresher and it worked.
What is good about it that now the team can carry Ovi like he used to carry the team. Like I said before, Ovi's conditioning will improve, he'll get in a better shape. He was very good in game 1, not so in game 2, good in game 3, not so in game 4... Watch him in game 5, he will bury Rangers! :-)
My favorite Caps forward of the last 3-4 months Marcus Johansson. a.k.a. MoJo, was terrific tonight, to me he is the most creative Caps forward and now definitely is the number one Caps center-forward no matter what line he plays.
Katie Carrera, Capitals Insider:
...late in the second period, after Dubinsky’s tally, Boudreau had altered the lines from those that started the game. He put Chimera on the third unit with Eric Fehr, who made his playoff debut, and Johansson and created a unit with plenty of speed. As the game wore on from the third period into the two overtime frames, that unit appeared to be the one with the most jump.
Johansson scored Washington’s second and third goals, while Fehr was on the ice for both and those two players were both on for Chimera’s game winner in the 93rd minute of the contest.
And the cucumber? That guy who is "as cool as a cucumber", how could he be so calm even after Rags scored 3 goals? Unbelievable... Neuvy is a goalie to go, he now has deserved numero uno status!
MoJo starts it... Chimera finishes it... OT Game Winner by Jason Chimera
Bruce "Can you hear me now?" Boudreau finally agrees:
"I probably made a mistake by saying what I said" (@ 2:00)
From Tweeter...
AGrossRecord:
Alex Ovechkin: "It was an exciting game. It changes our mentality right away."
TGfireandice:
Ovechkin: " If we play the same way, no one can stop us -- the way we played in the third period and overtime."
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11 comments:
out of all the centers this series, brooksie has been the most consistent. he might not show up on the stat sheet but his faceoff wins, his grinding and his work on the PP have been phenominal.
I used to really like this site. Not so much anymore.
I guess Don Cherry was right when he sent Ovi this message.
"When you're scoring, they're at your feet but when you're not, they're at your throat."
Hope he doesn't visit this site anymore.
Well I have to say the tone has taken a down-turn on this site, so I can see bg's point. But reporters also love to write negative stuff, no one wants to write good and happy bunny fluff ;-)
How come no one is asking what's wrong with Nicky? He looks pretty bad in my book too, even though stat-wise he is second behind Ovi on the team. What did he do last summer :-)
Love that my homeboy Mojo is doing great and he deserves every accolade he gets. Keep it going baby Swede :-)
I hope to see a great win on Saturday as I will be there in person as a lucky charm of sorts (oh boy, that will backfire if they loose). Go Caps!
what do you expect TJ to do...lie and say Ovie looked great, he was getting the chances but the bounces weren't going his way? Ovie all series has been tag teamed by both Giardi and Staal and they have done a great job limiting his space and entry into the zone. but greta players find ways to still make a difference and Ovie certainly has this series, but yes he's done nothing spectacular or jaw dropping. and this time around he doesn't have to!
I mean when the Caps fail as a team everyone always says "Ovie choked, he busted, didn't play like a star" but when the Caps succeeds like a team Ovie says "SO SICK!!!" like TJ said Ovie doesn't have to carry his team, he can make mistakes, not show up on the stat sheet, be a -2 and his team in turn can reward their Captain, their leader, their #1 player and win!
Ovie is still an all-star player don't get it twisted, and this blog is still one of the BEST out there, don't get that twisted either!
I agree with Marge and TJ..
Ovie is always going to have his ups and downs, this season hasnt been the best for him, but it's not over yet! Maybe he is saving the best for last!?
Still, Ovie isnt perfect and I dont think he would take it personal if he came on here and read everything. I think TJ is being very fair!
GO CAPS!!!! im caps fan, but i was in NYC to see games, and also i saw Mr Ovechkin going out and about!!!!(((
I think, instead going for drinks and diner with his SOOOO many boys and ... girls, he should of concentrate how to be a number 1 !!!!! i think diners could of wait for little bit..... But dont get me wrong... he is amazing player, but ....(
I'm not saying that anyone should sugarcoat anything, especially not TJ. That was not my point. The articles quoted will always be negative unless Ovi comes out swinging like a mofo and beats last years record, so it is what it is.
But Ovi is still on top as far as points and +/- rating goes on the team, so whatever happened, impacted the entire team, no?
and Marge you should know my twisted is in a whole different direction ;-)
@bg,
Sorry to hear that. I am not gonna shy away from what I said, but since I don't spend that much time with this blog like I used to be and the quality probably went down. At some point I was very close shut it down.
@bwitch16,
Not just Backstrom, but Green is also not the same like we knew him. HE is like #3 now behind Alzner and Carlson. All 'young guns', except Semin, have dropped the level of play. Only Semin is consistent with his inconsistency. :-)
I believe Marge was actually replying to bg, not to you.
@Marge,
Thanks for kind words and I like your note about Ovi's -2 and team still winning, should've put it in my post! :-)
my comments were more directed at bg not you bwitch :) i know exactly what your words were and i agree
I agree with TJ, Marge and Martha.
TJ, don't change a thing, don't sugarcoat your opinions. I come here because I want meaningful dialogue and discussion, no BS. Please continue this blog, there are Ovie/Caps fans who appreciate all your hard work.
I said on another thread I've had issues with Ovie early in the season. If he and the Caps make it to the EC finals, it won't matter what he did or didn't do in the past. But if the Caps fail, then and only then will I call him out. Yes, other players haven't played well (Backstrom, Green) but Ovie takes the heat because he's the face of the franchise and team Captain. He knows it, we all know it, and IMO he himself would assume most of the responsibility if the team fails.
As Marge and Martha said, Ovie has had ups and downs and hasn't been spectacular so far but he hasn't had to be. In prior playoffs where Caps got ousted early, he tried to do it all himself and it didn't work. Now he doesn't have to carry the team and they are winning. The proof will be if they end the series with the Rangers early. I say who cares who scores or how the goals get scored? Winning is what counts.
i thought this game would give me an heartattack
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