2007 Washington Capitals Season Thread

[sportsfan882]

The Caps beat the first place Senators for the 4th time this year.. Huge win.  Brent Johnson was great in net and the two Alexes took care of the scoring. 

[Dave B]

Nice game by felischmann tonight. Even without the two assists.  Made some neat little plays in traffic.  Dug some pucks out along the boards. Normally not his strongpoint.  It looks like he could fill a Nylander type role on the PP.

Nice to see Semin cash in. He's been just an inch away from making spectacular plays lately. Maybe as he gets back into the flow of things he'll get hot.

Backstrom has been more aggressive lately. Did some things I didnt really know he could do.  Thought he was just a passer, but he's been splitting the D lately

[Dave B]

What's your take, is it excusable or not?

He should be more the plus side. He is supposed to take part in goal scoring. Not a checking line player.  However he's had various linemates not named Ovechkin and who are defensively challenged which might contribute to his negativity

Nice to see you lurking in the Caps thread though.  Youll be buying season tickets in no time

[Dave B]

5 points out with two games in hand in the SE. ATL is now tied with CAR with one less game played

[UMDNats]

You guys do know the Caps have a board of their own (most active I've ever seen, actually)...surprised to see this thread 15 pgs long..

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

The Caps board is as often as not a troll-infested bog of wankerdom.  The handful of baseball fans who pop into this thread would probably agree (though we probably all visit those boards as well...I do as often as I can tolerate it...though I would agree that it is both more active and more interesting than it has been in years). 

Ha ha, lovely outcome tonight...I would love to see a healthy capital city rivalry develop between Washington and Ottawa...maybe we'll sneak into the 8th spot and meet 'em in the first round of the playoffs 

I actually like the Sens...rooted for them in the Finals last year.  But this is much more fun!

[Dave B]

You guys do know the Caps have a board of their own (most active I've ever seen, actually)...surprised to see this thread 15 pgs long..

The Caps board is too active and it sucks.  There are only so many valid opinions/thoughts to go around.  The more people on a board the more crap you have to sift through to get to those valid opinions.

Ali, was there a "wanker" in the area when you sat in my seats?  Specifically, the row behind mine and 5 or 6 seats over.  Some jackass with a kazoo that tries to play with the horn guy.  He also says "nice" after EVERYTHING.  I estimated twice a minute at least for ~150 total in the game.

He also has cute names for some players:

Brashear = "Waste of Space" even though he wants everybody to try and fight him, thus rendering him useful and not a waste of space

Bradley = "Milton"

He also yells "cheater" every time the other team takes a penalty.

None of this gets old to him and he is loud as hell and frmo what I can tell nobody is (or at least should be) encouraging him.

I noticed him first last week. But thought it was his night out for the year. Now he is back again.  It upsets me very much.

I fear his presence will discourage you from buying my tickets ever again.

I'm hoping it is just winter break from college or something, although he doesnt seem too bright

[sportsfan882]

You guys do know the Caps have a board of their own (most active I've ever seen, actually)...surprised to see this thread 15 pgs long..

That board sucks.  Nothing but a bunch of pricks who think they are comedians. 

[Dave B]

maybe we'll sneak into the 8th spot and meet 'em in the first round of the playoffs 

I'd rather get the 3rd spot.

I dont think Spezza or Volchenkov played in the 2nd and 3rd game.  Heatley was out tonight and Spezza might no have been 100%.  I dont want to face them fully loaded.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

A wanker (though no kazoo) was there on New Years Day, and I tried to kill him with an invisible Vulcan death grip, but it failed.  Better luck next time.  We'll be going with the soccer section on Saturday, but am considering Thursday as well, since the Oilers aren't here very often (of course, with Smyth gone, they just aren't the same).  BTW, nice seats...end of a row is certainly the way to go.

The Caps board is too active and it sucks.  There are only so many valid opinions/thoughts to go around.  The more people on a board the more crap you have to sift through to get to those valid opinions.

Ali, was there a "wanker" in the area when you sat in my seats?  Specifically, the row behind mine and 5 or 6 seats over.  Some jackass with a kazoo that tries to play with the horn guy.  He also says "nice" after EVERYTHING.  I estimated twice a minute at least for ~150 total in the game.

He also has cute names for some players:

Brashear = "Waste of Space" even though he wants everybody to try and fight him, thus rendering him useful and not a waste of space

Bradley = "Milton"

He also yells "cheater" every time the other team takes a penalty.

None of this gets old to him and he is loud as hell and frmo what I can tell nobody is (or at least should be) encouraging him.

I noticed him first last week. But thought it was his night out for the year. Now he is back again.  It upsets me very much.

I fear his presence will discourage you from buying my tickets ever again.

I'm hoping it is just winter break from college or something, although he doesnt seem too bright

[sportsfan882]

I'd rather get the 3rd spot.

I dont think Spezza or Volchenkov played in the 2nd and 3rd game.  Heatley was out tonight and Spezza might no have been 100%.  I dont want to face them fully loaded.

I agree, I think our best chance of getting into the playoffs would be to win the SE.  It's not like Atlanta and Carolina are playing well plus I'm sure we get to face both of them a couple more times this season. 

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

The SE Division is terrible for the Caps.  It has killed attendance.  Put Nashville in it...it's the least they deserve. 

[sportsfan882]

The SE Division is terrible for the Caps.  It has killed attendance.  Put Nashville in it...it's the least they deserve. 

I agree, no one wants to watch those boring ass teams over and over.  The NHL needs to adopt an NBA-like schedule where you get to face every team in the league every year.

[Dave B]

I'm thinking Gordon on the second line instead of Nylander does have its positives.  Sure he is not as offensively gifted, but his defense could almost allow Semin to goal hang

[tomterp]

Nice to see you lurking in the Caps thread though. 

I've been a fan since inception, in varying degrees of enthusiasm.  Tommy Williams, Yvon Labre, Dennis Maruk, Michelle Bellhemeur, Ron Low, Jack Lynch, Greg Joly (ugh), those are some of the players when the team was first around.  I'm probably the only one on this board who ever had Nelson Pyatt as their favorite player.  (great skater, fun to watch)

[ronnynat]

I missed the game last night. Why has no one mentioned that sick ass goal of Semin's? 

I wasn't expecting THAT when I watched the highlights at all. I need to get that gif asap.

[Dave B]

I missed the game last night. Why has no one mentioned that sick ass goal of Semin's? 

Maybe it was just understood by all that it was sweet.  Stuff like that is pretty common from Semin when he is playing well

[sportsfan882]

INSANE game tonight.  I cannot believe we held the best shootout team in the NHL scoreless for 12 frames.  KOLZIG WAS AMAZINGGGGGGGGGGGG

[ronnynat]

That was an awesome game! We needed those 2 points and you could tell they were fighting for em. Great overall game after the 1st period.

[nospinzone1]

AMEN! KOLZIG CAME BACK WITH A  CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER AFGTER THE MELTDOWN IN THE PAPER

[tomterp]

Kolzig was complaining about Boudreau not understanding goaltenders.  Hah.

[Dave B]

INSANE game tonight.  I cannot believe we held the best shootout team in the NHL scoreless for 12 frames.  KOLZIG WAS AMAZINGGGGGGGGGGGG

Kolzig was there when we needed him. His first 58 minutes left a little to be desired, but way to come up big, especially considering he was undressed badly in his last 5 or 6 shoot out/penalty shot opportunites/breakaways.

ANother good game by fleischmann. He just needs to finish his chances. At least he is getting/creating them

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

That was the most exciting game I've attended in a while...not a huge crowd, but certainly an engaged one.  I guess a midweek game against a small-market Canadian team in shiyte weather really tells you how big the serious fanbase is, and judging from tonight's turnout, I'd say things look pretty good.  One interesting little touch was being seated in a section (random seats from Craig's List) where we were surrounded by in-uniform Canadian soldiers who were in town for some sort of joint training mission, and who the Canadian Embassy sent en masse to the game.  Friendliest, most polite visiting fans ever.  They may have just come from stomping on Taliban balls, but they certainly stood in stark contrast to the beer-throwing neanderthals who accompany the Sabres and Flyers.     

[El Kabong]

That was the most exciting game I've attended in a while...not a huge crowd, but certainly an engaged one.  I guess a midweek game against a small-market Canadian team in shiyte weather really tells you how big the serious fanbase is, and judging from tonight's turnout, I'd say things look pretty good.  One interesting little touch was being seated in a section (random seats from Craig's List) where we were surrounded by in-uniform Canadian soldiers who were in town for some sort of joint training mission, and who the Canadian Embassy sent en masse to the game.  Friendliest, most polite visiting fans ever.  They may have just come from stomping on Taliban balls, but they certainly stood in stark contrast to the beer-throwing neanderthals who accompany the Sabres and Flyers.    

I was at the game last night as well.  Not bad attendance for a Thursday night.  Hopefully the team continues to have success, especially in the playoffs if/when we make it.  That's going to be the only real way they can fill the seats to decent numbers.

Not Kolzig's best performance, but enough to eventually win.  The way I see it with the recent controversy (if you can call it that) of the Mike Wise column, a little tension isn't necessarily a bad thing.  I mean, there were many years when the Redskins did well especially when they had a QB controversy.  If this is how Coach Boudreau lights a fire under Olie's butt, then I'm all for it.  I'd rather have that, then someone who was too comfortable under a coach who coddled him because he was a former goalie and "understood" him.  We're not here to play shuffleboard with the elderly in the hot Miami sun.

[Dave B]

From Tarik's article

Matt Bradley turned to Bruce Boudreau twice on the Washington Capitals' bench last night and implored the coach to put him on the ice for an attempt in the shootout. Two times Boudreau resisted, choosing more skilled players instead.

But in the 12th round, with his options dwindling, Boudreau finally relented. Bradley skated to center ice, then with the calm of a first-line forward scored the decisive goal, flipping a backhander past Edmonton Oilers goaltender Dwayne Roloson and lifting the Capitals to a wild 5-4 victory at Verizon Center.

"I told him, 'I'll score, I'll score' ", said Bradley, whose goal was the only tally in the shootout. "Finally he let me go and I got lucky and scored. I just blacked out for a second."

I dont know how that went in. it looked like a mess from the start.  he lost control at about the circle. only to regain it and ungracefully get it to his backhand