Now this is an odd one. The focus of this game will not be Ovechkin, Semin, Oshie, and Backes, but the men behind them: Dale Hunter and Ken Hitchcock. Hitchcock (formerly of the Stars, Flyers, and Blue Jackets) was recently appointed head coach of the St. Louis Blues, while Hunter (formerly of the London Knights, number retired, 19 years in the NHL) has taken over behind the bench of the Washington Capitals. The Blues have since had time to adjust to a new system; the Caps have had 2 practices and probably the legends of Hunter’s discipline. Hopefully John Carlson is related tales of Hunter’s temper and capacity for violence.
» Continue reading “Blues @ Capitals – Eyes On The Bench Bosses”

Just a few days ago, I remarked casually to my father, “You know who a great coach for the Caps would be? Dale Hunter. I think he’s coaching the London Knights right now.” We both rolled our eyes (even as I remembered GMGM not giving Boudreau his full confidence a week ago) and went back to watch the horrible shellacking we were currently witnessing (pick any of the last few games, except Winnipeg). You can’t catapult a coach straight from the OHL to the NHL, right? Although he would instill a level of toughness missing on the ice, and he’s coach quite a few young superstars, as well as John Carlson and Dennis Wideman back in the day, and he’s beloved by Caps fans…

Then last night I dreamed I blindsided someone and they disappeared. If that’s not portentous, I don’t know what is.
» Continue reading “BOUDREAU FIRED, HUNTER HIRED”

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for:

-The first goal last night, which looked like those goals Ovie and Semin were scoring three years ago, when we first thought, “Maybe these Caps really can do it”
-The win last night, hopefully putting us on the upward slope again
-Any play that ends with Ovie, Semin, and Backstrom hugging each other, because they’re the three best friends that anybody could have
-The undefeated start to the season, allowing me to taunt my Red Wings fan friends
-Jason Chimera, for being a mythical beast (and leading the Caps in goals)
-Kyle Wellwood, for getting two points and therefore hopefully playing enough to offset some of the Thanksgiving calories he will be taking in today (I can be generous!)
-Semyon Varlamov, for breaking down so entirely in Colorado that we will almost definitely get lottery picks for him
-[bursts into hysterical sobbing]
-Tomas Vokoun, for taking such an outrageously low salary in order to be on a team that could go all the way
-Ted Leonsis, for being basically the opposite of Dan Snyder
-The NBA lockout, which is converting fans left and right
-Finally, I’m thankful for those students at McGill University who got on the ice with this new-fangled puck and a bunch of sticks, and invented this sport

I praise you 24/7, Hockey Gods, and this is how you do me? With a 7-1 loss against the Make Beliefs? The Make Me Laffs? I waded through approximately 600 articles this weekend, each advocating a solution from “fire Boudreau” to “trade Ovechkin.”
» Continue reading “Capitals v. Coyotes – Doing The Biznasty”

It’s the first match-up between the Washington Capitals and the Toronto Maple Leafs, which gives me an opportunity to use my favourite tag on this blog. Okay, third favourite, after “goalie blather” and “joe b and locker.” But “my uncomfortable relationship with toronto” is definitely in the top 5.
» Continue reading “Capitals @ Maple Leafs – The Leading NHL Scorer Is On One Of These Teams”

I was on the road during the last game, so I listened to it on the radio rather than watch it. As you may remember, the Caps had a power play chance early in the first. We listened intently to John Walton’s excited if poorly pronounced call, right up until someone took an offensive zone penalty.

My friend and I looked each other in the eye and said simply: “Sasha.”

Then he swerved back into his lane because he was driving.
» Continue reading “Capitals @ Predators – Goalie Going Home”

There are many reasons for why the Capitals pulled this game out:

-Boudreau’s bag skate
-Knuble’s yapping to the press about clowns and losers
-Knuble’s subsequent backpedalling to the press
-Boudreau and Knuble giving motivational speeches (NSFW language)
-Ovechkin giving a motivational speech
-Semin giving a motivational sulk
-Alzner playing a motivational country song
-The combined moustache glory of all our Movember mos
-Johnny Erskine fighting someone somewhere
-Semin getting benched halfway through the second
-The presence of a very cute redhead cheering vociferously during warmups

All of these factors undoubtedly influenced the Caps enough to get us win number 10. Now it’s time to prove that Marty Brodeur really IS overrated, that the Devils really HAVEN’T been relevant since the lockout, and that I will NOT suffer any kind of shame and humiliation for the trash talk I delivered.

Fine. I admit Mike Green is good and great and beautiful and should be revered like the Christ Child or Justin Bieber. Now can we have him back? On the other hand, his absence means John Erskine will play his 400th game tonight, and I harbor an inexplicable yet long-abiding love for him. Congratulations Johnny! Be sure to check out his sweet Movember stache.

(Tom Poti: still MIA.)
» Continue reading “Capitals Vs. Stars – Gonna Be A Swede Game”

EDIT: JOHN ERSKINE IN TONIGHT!

Okay, so maybe I spoke too soon when it came to Mike Green. Maybe we really do need him out on the ice. Unfortunately, he’s still out. Also out is Jay Beagle, recently placed on LTIR, and DJ King, who has cleared waivers. And no one dares breathe a word about John Erskine or Tom Poti, which makes it seem like I’m the only person who cares about them at all! Surely that can’t be true!

[crickets]
» Continue reading “Capitals vs Ducks – Mo’ Money, Mo’ Staches”