2009 Washington Capitals thread

[hockeysc23 0]

Well I wish I went to pickup instead of tonights game. Worst Caps game I have seen in about a year 1/2 since Hanlon was fired.

Caps had zero effort. Ovie couldnt control the puck, Greenie looked hungover and a step behind. Theo came to play but his teammates left him high and dry.

[interpathway 9]

The loss was just the team’s fifth in regulation at the Phone Booth in 2009, but four of those five have come in calendar 2009 and all of those four have come at the hands of Western Conference teams who were on the outside of the playoff chase and looking in at the time of their visit to the District.

Avs, Kings, Columbus (cough Mason cough), Oilers. Sheesh.

[HattrickSwayze 3]

How many odd-man rushes did the Caps give up in this game? Pretty terrible game.

[hockeysc23 0]

How many odd-man rushes did the Caps give up in this game? Pretty terrible game.

Not to mention the reffing left a lot to be desired. Avs ran picks all night, you would think it was a basketball game. I believe the Caps didn't have a full PP until the 3rd period.

Not the reason they lost, cuz they flat out didn't try but it made the viewing experience that much more painful.

[Cheesehead 0]

Yesterday i went to the morning skate and the game. The caps and avs are my two favorite teams so i was a win-win. It was good to see Pothier skating again at the morning skate and he and Erskine kept practiving with Jay Leach (assistan coach) for an extra 30-60 minutes after the morning skate was over. I got to get Jose Theodores, Mike Greens, and Brooks Laichs autograph :D. Ovechkin walked outside and started to sign a few things, but he said it was too cold and had to leave. His car is amazing haha. I had great seats for the game, second row in section 112. They were the "vip" seats and they gave us free program and between each period they printed off a stat sheet that had full roster stats, shots on net, penalty summary and scoring summary. It was a shame to see the caps play terribly, but like i said im also an avs fan so it worked out.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Anyone going to the game tomorrow? I'm in DC since last night for and leaving wednesday morning..

[hockeysc23 0]

Anyone going to the game tomorrow? I'm in DC since last night for and leaving wednesday morning..

Passed up tickets to tomorrow's game so I could see Caps v. Flyers on Tuesday. Should be a good game though.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

NBC giving Ovechkin all the love. Its weird to see them not bowing down to crosby for once.

[RadioGaGa 162]

You think he's better than Gretzky?

No one is better than Gretzky.

"Better" is a bad word...he's different than Gretz. Gretzky would out think, out play and out smart everyone else on the ice. Ovechkin adds the dimension that if none of those things work he just goes THROUGH you.

I was young when Wayne was in his prime....but I don't recall him having that ability.

But, by virtue of the fact that a player would have to average 100 points for over 20 consecutive seasons to be NEAR Gretzky...Yes, you are right...no one will be better....EVER!

[interpathway 9]

Goodness what a game!

[hockeysc23 0]

Great game. And its probably my Caps bias but does Crosby try to cheap shot people after every play. He would get so much more respect if he didn't try to throw a shot in after almost every play today.

He should know the camera is going to be on him.

Anyways. Great games by the Caps. PK was great, and Theo was solid save for Gonchar's goal.

I hope the Caps bring the same intensity on Tuesday v. Philly.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

The gonchar goal looked like the Caps Dman screened him JUST as he got the shot off.

[Ovie17 0]

You think he's better than Gretzky?

No one is better than Gretzky.

"Better" is a bad word...he's different than Gretz. Gretzky would out think, out play and out smart everyone else on the ice. Ovechkin adds the dimension that if none of those things work he just goes THROUGH you.

I was young when Wayne was in his prime....but I don't recall him having that ability.

But, by virtue of the fact that a player would have to average 100 points for over 20 consecutive seasons to be NEAR Gretzky...Yes, you are right...no one will be better....EVER!

True.. If Gretzky was Part of the 93-94 Champions WOw that would've been one hell of a Roster- Messier, Leetch, Graves, etc

[Fedorov91 0]

You think he's better than Gretzky?

No one is better than Gretzky.

"Better" is a bad word...he's different than Gretz. Gretzky would out think, out play and out smart everyone else on the ice. Ovechkin adds the dimension that if none of those things work he just goes THROUGH you.

I was young when Wayne was in his prime....but I don't recall him having that ability.

But, by virtue of the fact that a player would have to average 100 points for over 20 consecutive seasons to be NEAR Gretzky...Yes, you are right...no one will be better....EVER!

someone would also need 18 consecutive 50 goal seasons to beat his goal scoring record... crazy

[interpathway 9]

Not to mention that he has more assists than the the second place point getter has total points.

[HattrickSwayze 3]

Great game. And its probably my Caps bias but does Crosby try to cheap shot people after every play. He would get so much more respect if he didn't try to throw a shot in after almost every play today.

No I noticed the same thing. It seems like whenever someone touches him, he retaliates with a slash or a crosscheck. It gets old after a while.

[interpathway 9]

It's safe to say that I personally can understand where his frustration is coming from. Surely you wouldn't be as frustrated considering everything they did last year? I still don't like it but he is an athlete at heart, one whose team needs to start playing MUCH better.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

That plus everyone was chirping at crosby 5X more than usual. Even Pierre said it was getting excessive and over-the-top. That kid must get so much s**t on a daily basis.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

That plus everyone was chirping at crosby 5X more than usual. Even Pierre said it was getting excessive and over-the-top. That kid must get so much s**t on a daily basis.

The same way that everyone puts their biggest defender on Ovechkin every game. He has had to wear Chara like a coat for the past few seasons.

Crosby does plenty of chirping too. And I've noticed for a while, but have not said anything because it sounds like I'm just a bitter crosby hater, but he uses his stick to be really dirty and gets away with it.

Look at him the next few games. Yesterday for example, when he and Laich got tangled up in the corner, someone came in between crosby and Laich (think it might have been whitney, but not sure), and then you see crosby sticking his stick like a spear in at the side of laich, from behind the other pen.

Same with almost every time he got hit or nudged, he would spear, slash, or whack on the arm with his stick, he was just dirty.

And he does plenty of talking, granted it's mainly to the media or the refs, but he also gabs off at players.

He gets shit because he is an elite player. He gets shit because his first 2 seasons, he done a lot of whining to the refs, and had a name as a diver. But in his Hart/Pearson year, he seemed to be better. But it looks like he is going back to his old ways again now.

Again, I haven't said much about it because I've clearly got a bias, but the three games against the caps this season, he has made sure to say to the media after that Ovechkin is a dirty player. Ovechkin plays hard, but rarely dirty, and definately not spearing/slashing/punching in the nuts dirty

[hockeytim18 0]

I won't comment on Crosby specifically but any time that I've seen a player do something dirty I think what a jerk but then I think that's smart if they can get away with it. It simply gets under a guys skin and as long as it's not as crazy as a whack to the head, it's always going to be happening.

[hockeysc23 0]

I won't comment on Crosby specifically but any time that I've seen a player do something dirty I think what a jerk but then I think that's smart if they can get away with it. It simply gets under a guys skin and as long as it's not as crazy as a whack to the head, it's always going to be happening.

well I tend to disagree. Cheating or playing dirty is just that regardless of whether or not its called or caught.

Crosby should know by now the camera is always going to be on him. I know its going to be hard for the refs to start actually calling stuff but Crosby's talent would shine more if he could remove his "crown" of whining and giving cheap-shots.

[lee92 2]

I just don't think Crosby really knows how to lose. If you look back at his entire career, he's basically achieved success on every level. I don't think he knows how to deal with the frustrations of losing.

[interpathway 9]

Since we have had all this Crosby/AO talk, hopefully this will be an end to it and we can move back to the intention for this thread, the Capitals thread...

From www.dccheapseats.com

“What can I say about Crosby? He is a good player, but he talks too much. I play hard and if he wants to hit me, he can hit me, not talk to you guys about who plays cheap and who plays dirty. That’s my game… If he doesn’t like it, it’s his problem.”

“What, I can’t play hard against him? What is he going to do, cry?”

- Alex Ovechkin on Sidney Crosby’s most recent whining spell, further cementing his place in all our hearts

[hockeysc23 0]

Well to keep it on track. I'll be at the game on Tuesday.

I am hoping there are far less Flyers fans than usual and the Caps can come out of the gate strong. Flyers tend to win the majority of the game vs. the Caps when the Caps don't dictate the flow of the game from the start.

[Ovie17 0]

As long as Caps score first and they that Momentum they'll do fine