Mike Gartner #11 jersey retired by the Capitals.

After the "Hershey Screw Job" on Saturday night, we headed down to DC on Sunday hoping that the Capitals could take the bitter taste of an awful defeat out of our mouths (see previous post for recap). Sunday night would be a special evening at the Verizon Center, with many Caps alumni in the building to help celebrate Mike Gartner's jersey retirement.

As the teams took to the ice for the warm-ups, it seemed odd seeing the visiting Maple Leafs wearing their dark blue jerseys. A quick glance across at the Capitals though, and all was revealed. The Caps were donned in their retro white jerseys and all skaters on the ice wore the number 11 in respect of Gartner's celebration.

The jersey retirement was done in good taste, and Gartner was joined by both Rod Langway and Yvon Labre at center ice. Current Capitals captain Chris Clark would also honor Gartner before the banner raising ceremony took place. And as nicely designed banner rose to the ceiling, Mike Gartner became the fourth Washington Capitals to be enshrined forever in the rafters of the Verizon Center.

The contest between the Capitals and Maple Leafs would remain pretty tight until the final minute of the second period. Tied at one goal a piece, Milan Jurcina would feed the puck to a well positioned Alexander Ovechkin, who promptly sent the puck home to record his 24th goal of the season. If Toronto had held defensively, going into the locker room with a tied game would have given them much more confidence. But to exit the ice down by one after a defensive breakdown, the Leafs knew that the uphill climb was not going to be easy.


The Leafs did stay in the game for the first three quarters of the final period, but were deflated once Brooks Laich found the net for his second score of the night. It was nice to see Laich playing the kind of hockey at which he excels - one where he goes to the net and cleans up the mess. Ovechkin would bag an empty-netter to secure the game, and the Caps would once again remain almost untouchable on home ice. With one more game at Buffalo to close out 2008, the Capitals start 2009 on New Years Day in DC against the Lightning. Should be a blast!

Binghamton 4, Hershey 1: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (well, 2 days late)!

With the Christmas break behind them, the Hershey Bears took to the ice last night at the Giant Center against the Binghamton Senators. What Hershey did not know, however, was that the Grinch would also be at the Giant Center. The Grinch in question was a referee by the name of David Banfield - a referee who seemed bent on ruining any post Christmas celebrations for the Bears.

I am not taking anything away from a Senators team who played a strong sixty minutes of hockey, but the Bears were royally screwed last night! With a remarkable effort between the pipes, Brian Elliot stopped all but one of the 44 shots on goal (the lone score coming from Keith Aucoin in the first period) and left Chocolatetown with a comfortable 4-1 victory. Unfortunately for the Senators, however, their almost-perfect performance was both overshadowed and undermined by some terrible officiating from the Grinch.

Banfield would assess nine penalties against Hershey, while the Senators were called for five. Alas, for the Bears, it would be a string of missed blatant infractions that would prevent any opportunity to come back down the stretch. With this fine display of terrible officiating, it was clear that Banfield never received his copy of "Hockey for Dummies" in his Christmas stocking this year. He most likely failed to get his eyes tested too, missing the tripping call from the stick that was literally thrown at the feet of Chris Bourque on a breakaway. I had never seen a crowd this hostile at the Giant Center, but it was completely justified. One man was ruining the game for everybody, and 10,000 plus were letting him know about it.

Behind the Bears bench, the normally mellow Bob Woods reached his boiling point after the aforementioned non-call. Tossing water bottles across the ice at Banfield in protest, Woods was ejected from the game, and faces a hefty fine and possible suspension for his actions. While I do not condone the way in which Woods vented his frustration, I felt that his complaint was more than justified. The Senators had capitalized on the non-call against Bourque, and put the game out of reach for the Bears. Woods, as the coach and leader of the team, stood tall and made sure that the officiating crew were informed of just how terrible they were. Worth every cent of his imminent fine and suspension, in my opinion.

So Binghamton left the Giant Center with the win, and thanks to the Wilkes-Barre Penguins taking a win over Bridgeport, no damage was done at the top of the division. The Bears and the Sound Tigers remain tied for first place, albeit in a division that has become tightly contested right now as we head towards the New Year.

Refs 4, Hershey 1

Every ref misses some calls in any game but when one misses a series of calls that drastically alter the course of a game, there is a problem.

We'll post more tomorrow when we've cooled down a bit.

Hershey Down 2-1 After 2 Periods

So far Hershey has been unable to solve Binghamton's goalie Brian Elliott, despite 35 shots on goal. Hershey will start the third period with a two-player deficit, with Andrew Joudrey and Dean Arsene earning penalties at the end of the second period. The good news is that Neuvirth made some stellar stops this period.

First Period Thoughts From Hershey

Kip Brennan is in the lineup for Hershey; Bryan Helmer is not. Michal Neuvirth gets his first start in goal for Hershey.

Neuvirth looked a bit shaky early on, allowing a Senator goal he should have easily stopped, but has settled down with some good stops here in the last half of the first period.

Hershey Tidbits

* According to the Capitals Insider, Bryan Helmer has been sent back down to Hershey. (What a way to treat a #1 star of the game, LOL!) Hopefully he will suit up for tonight's game against the Binghamton Senators, who defeated the Syracuse Crunch last night in overtime.

* Don't forget to vote for your favorite AHL all-stars!

* The Hershey Bears website reports that Kip Brennan might join the lineup this weekend. We'll let you know if he plays tonight...

* Team Canada, including Hershey goalie Daren Machesney, won its Spengler Cup matchup against Energie Karlovy Vary, 3-1. As of this writing, Team Canada is losing to HC Davos, 3-0.

Bryan Helmer continues to impress.....a tribute.

Veteran defenseman Bryan Helmer was signed by the Capitals organization during the summer of 2008, and has already established an impressive list of accomplishments in his short lived tenure. Assigned to the Hershey Bears prior to the 2008-09 season, the players in the locker room voted him as their team captain in recognition of his experience, leadership skills, and confidence. At the time, Alexandre Giroux joked that he wanted to vote for himself, but that he would have been unanimously outvoted in that election race. As a stay-at-home defenseman, Helmer was never going to make too many highlight reels at Hershey, but his play remained consistent and solid enough not only to be voted to the forthcoming AHL All-Star game, but also to be entrusted with the captaincy of the Canadian team. Good things continued to happen for Helmer; a call from Bruce Boudreau saw Bryan dress in a Capitals jersey and play on several occassions at the NHL level during December - a league in which he had not returned to since his playing days with the Phoenix Coyotes. And then just one day after the Christmas holiday, Helmer would not only play defense for the Caps once again, but would also be awarded the number one star for his outstanding performance during the 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Bryan Helmer, we salute you!

The Caps did not have it too easy against the Sabres. Buffalo always plays strong against Washington, and historically has taken more victories over the Caps than many would care to remember. Earlier this season in the HSBC Arena, the Sabres pounded the Capitals by a score of 5-0. The Sabres wanted to carry on where they had left off, but would be hard pressed against a Capitals team that had rallied from a four-goal deficit in their previous game to beat the New York Rangers in overtime. Jose Theodore was harassed by the Sabres during that previous encounter, and was given the start once again with the chance to silence his critics after his dismal first period performance on Broadway.

Both teams played a 60-minute game, but the game was not as close as the 3-2 score led you to believe. The Capitals played solid defense, and looked good on special teams when called to do so. Boudreau went with five offensive players on the power play - a risky move if the opponents had broken free, but with confidence in his team, Boudreau rested the d-men on several occasions to keep them fresh later in the game. Shaone Morrissonn and Milan Jurcina had solid performances. Karl Alzner continues to shine, and Tyler Sloan showed some renewed confidence after his recent slump. It was Bryan Helmer once again, however, that would excel in the defense. The amazing game-winning goal in which Alexander Ovechkin skated the length of the ice, weaving though defenders as if they were traffic cones, was made possible by the perfect pass from Bryan Helmer outside of his own zone. Sure, Ovechkin made every sports highlight reel for the goal, but he was the first to congratulate Helmer before celebrating the score that would ultimately lead to the Caps victory. When a veteran defenseman can get the puck to possibly the best hockey player of this generation, good things will continue to happen for the Capitals. And while I don't want to see the likes of Mike Green and Tom Poti out of action too long, the Hershey Bears fan in me hopes that Bryan continues to get the recognition he deserves and the chance to shine in the NHL.

Bears edge Monsters 3-2 in a shootout.

We returned to the Giant Center last night to see the Lake Erie Monsters take on the Bears. With Daren Machesney heading out to Switzerland, Simeon Varlamov was given the responsibility of tending between the pipes for Hershey. After their great chemistry on Saturday night, the line of Quintin Laing, Andrew Gordon and Kyle Wilson were named as the starters on offense.

Both teams seemed tired, and the game was a drawn out affair which ultimately saw Hershey drop a goal, only to recover, on two occassions. Laing and Wilson would score the only two goals in regulation for Hershey. Lake Erie came within a whisker of stealing a victory when Bryan Marshall found the puck on his stick in the Bears crease; Varlamov came up trumps, however, and denied the shot to ensure that the game would continue after three periods were over.



Both teams stood their grounds during the five minute overtime period, and as the horn sounded, the shootout loomed for both goaltenders. Up until this point, Monsters goaltender Jason Bacashihua had brushed away 42 of the 44 shots faced. Chris Bourque took to the ice first in the shootout and found the back of the net to give Hershey some renewed confidence and momentum. Bacashihua stood tall once again though, denying the following attempts from Wilson, Keith Aucoin and Matthieu Perreault. At the other end of the ice, Varlamov almost mirrored the opposing goalie, giving up one of four attempts. Stepping onto the ice to take the Bears final regular shot, Andrew Gordon could not have envisioned the good fortune he would have. Putting the puck between the pads with such velocity, Bacashihua made the save, only to fall prey to his own backwards reeling momentum that laid him, puck and all, on his back in the goal. The official awarded the goal, Varlamov denied the final Monsters shot, and Hershey came out with another victory at home. The game wasn't pretty! The game wasn't particularly exciting! Referee Jeff Smith called only four minor penalties. But the Bears took the critical two points to help keep the surging Bridgeport Sound Tigers at bay in the divisional standings.

No Christmas Candy for the Little Devils: Hershey Bears Win 4-2

With a disappointing Texas road trip behind them, the Hershey Bears returned to the Giant Center last night to host the Lowell Devils. Prior to the puck drop, Oskar Osala was applauded for his AHL rookie of the month honors. Osala is developing quickly in his first professional season, and with one NHL game already on his resume this season, he could be on pace to make the transition to the Capitals roster a lot sooner than originally expected. Good luck to you Oskar!

While a handful of Bears remain on the Capitals roster, those that dressed in the chocolate and white last night put in a solid effort against a team that played a lot harder than their win-loss record indicated. Hershey fans would celebrate early after Graham Mink received a nifty pass from Keith Aucoin and slipped the puck into a wide open net just eleven seconds into the game. Kyle Wilson would extend the lead to 2-0 with just under four minutes left in the first period, with assists credited to Darren Reid and Bryan Helmer. Bears fans, in all their "ugly holiday sweater" glory, were in great spirits as the first period ended.

The second period seemed a little less energetic, although things did not start out that way with Andrew Gordon adding another Hershey goal just 1:34 into the period. Daren Machesney would be denied the shutout opportunity midway through the period as Lowell finally found the back of the net, and the score remained 3-1 as both teams went into the locker rooms.

The third period saw referee Nygel Pelletier become very trigger happy with his whistle. Ten penalties would be issued over the course of the twenty minute period, six of which were assessed after an all-out brawl in the dying seconds of the game. The Devils narrowed the deficit to one goal with four minutes remaining, but an outstanding pickpocket play behind the crease from Kyle Wilson led to his second goal of the night and the Bears victory. With a great offensive effort from the Laing-Wilson-Gordon line, Kyle was the recipient of the first star.

Thursday Night Recap:
We traveled to the Verizon Center last Thursday to watch the Capitals take on the St Louis Blues in a battle of the injury-ridden rosters. It was great to see rookie netminder Simeon Varlamov in action for the Capitals, and he looked sharp as the Caps registered a 4-2 victory after goals from Viktor Kozlov (2), Tomas Fleischmann and Alexander Ovechkin. A price was paid for the victory, however, as both Mike Green and Alexander Semin sustained injuries and were once again listed a day-to-day in terms of when they would likely play again. The missed cross-checking call on Semin was a terrible lack of judgment from the officials, with the feisty retaliation from the Great Eight being more than justified. The following bench minor assessed against Bruce Boudreau served only to make the officiating crew look dumber than they were - which was not really difficult on their parts. Coming away with the two points kept the Capitals in a healthy position, but these injuries to key players serve only to challenge that pace and consistency.

Royals Win 6-5 in a Shoot Out on Sunday evening.

We headed to Reading on Sunday evening to see the Royals take on the Elmira Jackals. The Royals were on a nine game losing skid, but somehow they seem to shine when we visit the Sovereign Center. Maybe the Royals organization could offer us some free tickets in order to help turn their fortunes around. Probably not, but we had a great time last night witnessing a fantastic see-saw battle between two bitter rivals that was ultimately decided with a shoot out.

Reading would take a 3-0 lead into the first intermission, with Dan Rudisuela, Matt Curley and Kirk MacDonald all beating Jackals goaltender Mitch O'Keefe. Elmira would dominate the second period and even up the score during a painful twenty minutes of hockey for the hosts. The crowd were silenced when Elmira added to that lead with a power play goal early in the third period. Ever resilient, the Royals responded quickly with the second goal of the night from Rudisuela, and then the go-ahead score from Chris Stevens. The lead was short-lived once again, however, as the Jackals' Chris Korchinski would tie the game (and record a hat-trick) with under ten minutes remaining in regulation.

Neither team would score again through the third, nor through the overtime period, and so the penalty shoot out commenced. Reading would connect on 4 of their 6 attempts, and James Reimer would deny 3 attempts to seal the victory. The crowd were ecstatic, and rightly so. Their team had prevailed when most had given up on them. The Royals kept fighting to the end, and edged out the victory in spectacular fashion. The heckling of Bruce Watson only added fuel to a fire that is the Royals and Jackals rivalry (and was thoroughly entertaining - Watson! Watson! Sit down in the box Watson!). Way to go Royals! Look forward to seeing you take it to the Jackals again this Friday evening.

6000 Bears Invade the Ice at the Giant Center

Hershey hosted the Hartford Wolfpack last night, and the guys wearing the chocolate and white were not the only Bears that would take to the ice during this game. In support of a local charity, the fans were asked to toss teddy bears onto the ice when the Bears scored their first goal. Looking to extend their current winning streak, Hershey would initiate the teddy bear toss just after six minutes of play with a goal from Maxime Lacroix. The 8000 plus in attendance would propel an invasion of stuffed bears into an airshow and onto the ice, and would give both teams an additional ten minute period of rest whilst being removed from the playing surface.

The Bears would liven the crowd five minutes into the second period when Mathieu Perreault broke away with the puck and passed it off at the last moment to leave a wide-open net for Francois Bouchard. The line of Perreault, Bouchard, and Oskar Osala are currently riding a plus 17 rating for the season. No wonder many refer to these guys as the 'energy line'! The Bears would take a 2-1 lead into the second intermission.

The Bears controlled most of the first period. The Wolfpack pretty much took claim to owning the second. The third, however, was a solid 20 minutes of pure hockey from the Bears. Defenseman Patrick McNeill would score his first goal of the season in a short-handed effort after a feed from Kyle Wilson. Hartford would win one back just 80 seconds later when Simeon Varlamov was caught out of position and with little defensive help. Yet in true Bears fashion, Alexandre Giroux found a way to steal the puck as the Wolfpack exited their zone, and would revel in the delight of putting the puck in the back of the net against a team whose jersey he once wore. With this unassisted score, the Wolfpack were deflated and the Bears would go on to secure their tenth straight victory.

Other notes from the game:
1. It was great to have the wonderfully talented and competent Terry Koharski officiate the game last night. He is much loved and respected at the Giant Center - oh, who am I trying to fool here... Terry could not preside over a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. Koharski has no consistency, exhibits terrible judgment, and clearly needs to brush up on the rules and regulations of the game.

2. Defenseman Sean Collins was missing in action, having been recalled to the Capitals due to an ankle injury to Tyler Sloan. Sean made his NHL debut last night against the Maple Leafs, and from all accounts, put in a solid effort. Well done Sean, you deserve the opportunity.

3. Steve Pinizzotto stepped up his game last night, and demonstrated that he has enough talent to remain at Hershey this season. Not only does he play the enforcer role well, but his sprawling effort to get a shot off on goal whilst being laid out horizontally on the ice shows a lot of determination and grit. Kudos to you Steve - here's hoping that you continue to shine.

4. Karl Alzner. Need I say more? Congratulations on your first NHL goal. Extra props for the assist on the goal from Milan Jurcina. And furthermore, to achieve both milestones with your father in attendance at the Air Canada Center just adds icing to the cake. I am most likely not alone in thinking that Alzner may not don the chocolate and white jersey again this season.

Panthers Defeat Capitals 5-3 on Tuesday - Islanders Feel Caps' Wrath on Thursday

We attended both of the home games at Verizon Center this week, and while we were more than disappointed with the lack of effort on Tuesday, we were happy to see the Caps turn things up several notches last night.

Mourning the embarrassing loss at home against the Panthers, I decided to postpone sharing my thoughts until the bitter taste of defeat had left my mouth. I don't expect the Capitals to win every game, and it was inevitable at some point that they would take a regulation defeat on home ice. However, the full 60-minute performance from every player wearing a red jersey that evening was lackluster, unenergetic, and totally unacceptable. The Caps have most likely been through the wringer enough over this performance, so I shall close this chapter with one comment. Home ice does not guarantee a victory - the will to play hard and work as a team is the recipe. Stick to it, guys, and you'll be okay.

You have to respect a coach like Bruce Boudreau. To be humiliated on Tuesday night, he dished out the punishment to his team and moved on to focus on the next opponent. The Islanders had not played since the weekend, and arrived at the Verizon Center looking to add to their recent success on the road. Joey MacDonald was awarded the NHL third star of the month for November, and having seen him perform during our trip to Montreal, we knew that he was an incredibly talented backup netminder.

The Capitals, however, wanted to redeem themselves in front of their home crowd, and came out with a renewed sense of energy and willingness to play hard. With goals from Alex Ovechkin and Viktor Kozlov, the Caps dominated the first 20 minutes and took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. New York would turn on the heat during the second period, shutting down the Caps offense, and taking advantage of an ill-timed line change which left Sami Lepisto out to dry behind the net as the tying goal was sent home. The third period remained close until Donald Brashear crashed the net after a Karl Alzner ricochet from the backboard found his stick and was pushed home. While the puck crossed the line almost in slow motion, the signal from the official had the fans out of their seats and a renewed energy burst through the arena. Eric Fehr would seal the victory with a goal for added insurance, and Nicklas Backstrom would send home an empty netter to close out the game and secure the two points.

Our boys from Hershey once again played well in their supporting role. Congratulations are in order for Keith Aucoin, who made his Caps debut and displayed great chemistry with Kozlov and Tomas Fleischmann. Bryan Helmer had a strong outing too, setting up the Kozlov goal with his bullet from the blue line. Sami Lepisto looked a little better, but needs to find the rhythm that he has displayed consistently at Hershey if he is to win the Caps fans over. Tyler Sloan seems to have regressed as of late. His confidence seems to be lacking, with frequent breakdowns in the defensive zone and poor positioning at times against the opponent breakaway. Hopefully Tyler can once again find his game, lest he be the first d-man heading back up to Chocolatetown. A good effort overall though from the boys from the farm, and hopefully further opportunities to play will remain open for them as the season progresses.

Hershey Sinks the Admirals 3-2 and Keeps Streak Alive

We were back at the Giant Center yesterday evening to see the visiting Norfolk Admirals take on our Hershey Bears. Chris Bourque was back in the lineup, having being reassigned by the Capitals to Hershey. Simeon Varlamov would be responsible for tending the pipes, with Machesney having the much deserved night off after his dazzling performance against the Phantoms. Although both teams were tired, we knew that this game was not going to be another lopsided battle; the Admirals were a better team than their win-loss record indicated, and it was evident that this game would be won defensively.


The first period did not have too many highlights. Oskar Osala opened up the scoring just three minutes into the game and gave Hershey a 1-0 advantage after the first twenty minutes of play. We found it amusing that just as John Walton was pondering over how Osala failed to score on the previous evening in the radio coverage, wham - the big 'O' found the net and beat McKenna to put Hershey on the board. Here's hoping that Walton displays more telepathic insights as the season progresses, with many references to the words 'Calder Cup.'



The second period saw former Bear Grant Potulny even the score after just four minutes, and much to the disapproval of the 6000 in attendance. While I always find it difficult to root against former Bears, I am happy to see that Potulny has escaped from the basement-dwelling Rampage and can at least make a potential run to the postseason with his new club.


The crowd would be silenced just 40 seconds into the third period when Norfolk managed to sneak a puck into Hershey's net. Varlamov did react well to the shot, but failed to scoop the puck from underneath him before it crossed the line. However, with a man advantage halfway through the period, Keith Aucoin sent the puck to the net and Alexandre Giroux sent it home. As the fans cheered for a team that was running low on gas, the Bears somehow tapped into their energy reserves, and were rewarded once again when Chris Bourque sent a beautiful backhand pass to Andrew Joudrey, who found the back of the Admirals' net. Two minutes later, the horn would sound, and the Bears would congratulate Simeon Varlamov for his strong performance down the stretch that kept them in the game. With a 10-3-1 record during November, the Bears look to continue their success and hopefully keep their winning streak alive when Hartford comes to town on Saturday night.

Plenty of left over turkey last night.....

and it was all donated by our wonderful divisional rivals from the city of brotherly love. Riding along on a seven game winning streak, the Bears hosted the Phantoms once again last night at the Giant Center. With a 7-3 victory for Hershey over Philly just two weeks ago, the Bears were looking to continue their winning ways, but would have to do it minus several key players that were recalled to the Capitals earlier this week. While Bourque, Alzner, Lepisto, Sloan and Helmer were skating in Columbus, the Bears knew that they would have to step up against a Phantoms team that likes to play physical.

The first period was one of the most impressive periods of Bears hockey I have had the pleasure of watching this season. Reminiscent of the previous encounter between these clubs, Hershey once again exploited the weaknesses of the normally talented Scott Munroe with four quick scores through the first 20 minutes of play. Graham Mink would strike first, just a little over 4 minutes into the contest. Alexandre Giroux would add two in succession, and defenceman Greg Amadio would send one home from the blue line before the first intermission. The offensive firepower was fully complemented by a red hot defense that allowed only three shots on goal, the first of which did not arrive until 16 minutes had been taken off the clock. Machesney could have taken a nap during this period and none of the 10300 in attendance would have known.

Hershey did not ease off the gas in the second period, playing strong once again in the defensive zone while adding three more scores at the opposite end of the ice. Darren Reid and Andrew Joudrey contributed two of those goals, but the highlight reel moment has to be reserved for Greg Amadio. Not only did he score his second of the night (and the season), but it was done short-handed after a perfect pass from Quintin Laing. After seven successful strikes, John Paddock had no choice but to pull Munroe from the contest.

The intensity remained high during the third period. Quintin Laing would put his own rebound into the net, and Kyle Wilson would round out the score and give the Bears a 9-0 victory. With a strong feeling of frustration, the Phantoms would embarrass themselves with a pathetic fighting penalty from Garrett Klotz. When Darren Reid politely declined to go toe to toe with Klotz, he was sucker-punched after the puck dropped and ejected from the game. The seven minute powerplay that followed allowed the Bears to score the two goals during this period. The Phantoms were simply turkeys in this contest, and the Bears provided more than enough stuffing to send them on their way back down the turnpike to Philadelphia.

Domestic disagreement - 1-0 to Hubs

It happens four times a year for our household. When the Caps and the Habs cross paths, a hockey war ensues during each individual game and a truce is not called until the final horn sounds after 60 minutes of hockey. With my passion for Caps hockey, and wifey's patriotism to the Habs, we both sat at the Verizon Center on Friday evening in opposing jerseys and with different views on who was the stronger team and who would prevail.

With the Caps sending out their half and half mix of Caps and Bears, I was excited at the thought of getting to see Bourque et al from Hershey having a chance to mix it up with a Canadiens team stacked with talent. But for this night, while the talent made it to DC, another vital necessity called chemistry must have been officially declared to US customs and not admitted into the country. The Habs are a strong team, but while they continue to ride a fine line between team play and individual effort, they are not going to turn things around against a potent scoring machine like the Caps.

It was a bittersweet evening for Jose Theodore, who was clearly motivated to take it to a team whose jersey he donned for many seasons. Posting his first career shutout in a Caps jersey, Jose earned both the first star and the hard hat, and showed a sell-out crowd at the Verizon Center a flash of brilliance that the fans have been longing to see all season. If this version of Theodore can come out to play more often, the Capitals could be almost unstoppable. And once again, with the infusion of Hershey talent on the roster, it was a pleasure to see two Bears alumni light the lamp behind Halak. Fleischmann and Steckel both played well, and deserved their goals. Ovie rounded out the scoring with the second goal of the contest, and added to his points streak through November. The Caps may be in dire straits on the injury front right now, but can remain confident that with the depth of the talent pool in their farm system, they do not have to be overly worried for the short term while the big guns are nursing their injuries.

Hey Habs - There's No "I" in Team...

For the third time this week, I proudly donned my bleu/blanc/rouge to support the Habs, this time at the Phone Booth in Washington. Also for the third time this week, the Habs fell in a disappointing effort. The Caps season holder in me was totally pleased that they finally delivered 60 minutes of solid, near-perfect hockey and that José Theodore looked like a $4 million goalie for the first time this season; the Habs fan in me was utterly crushed.

The Habs' defense is holding steady and did an adequate job, by and large, last night; they blocked a number of shots and probably kept the game from being a total blowout. This is no slam on Jaroslav Halak, by the way; he made some excellent saves but, while defense may win championships, it can't win without some kind of offense, and that, my friends, is where the Habs are sorely lacking. To go 9 minutes into the game before registering the first shot on goal is scary, to say the least.

Since I saw them lose two games with Tanguay in the lineup, I'm not willing to attribute the complete lack of scoring last night to his absence. As I've written previously this week, Kovalev is there in body only (5 goals so far this year); neither of the Kostitsyns have done much yet this year (7 pts total for Andrei; 9 pts total for Sergei); and Chris Higgins doesn't seem to be fully back from his injury, just to cite a few problems. To me, though, the biggest worry by far is the power play, or absence thereof. I know others have said it before me, but I think that letting Mark Streit go was a big mistake on the part of the Canadiens; no one else has stepped up to take the kind of leadership role on the power play that he provided last year in particular.

Finally, in the great old Habs tradition many people have been throwing Guy Carbonneau under the bus for the current slump. Perhaps he has some responsibility; perhaps not. Not being in the locker room, I'm not willing to venture a guess one way or the other. I will say, however, that the Canadiens I saw this week against the Bruins, Islanders, and Capitals were not playing as a team. I recognize that slumps happen, but unless these guys come together as a team and start playing consistently (say, like they did on Wednesday against the Red Wings), the Habs might be in for a disappointment at the end of this 100th season.

BTW, from the Caps part of me, snaps to the Hershey guys once again, particularly Sami Lepisto for his second assist in two games, Karl Alzner for some great defense, and Chris Bourque for some fiery play. This is the great thing about being a season ticket holder for both the Caps and the Hershey Bears - we don't miss out on these great guys regardless of where they play. :-)

And a final note to the Habs - go out tonight, play like you did Wednesday, and show the Sabres how it's done, please.

Additional Thanksgiving Day thoughts...

Congratulations are in order for the Hershey Bears, who beat the Binghamton Senators 4-1 on Wednesday evening at the Giant Center. It is always encouraging to see the Bears play with the same level of intensity, even when they lose four key players to the 'big' club with such short notice. Luckily, the depth of the Caps organization means that those promoted temporarily from the Stingrays have the talent to fill the roster and help maintain the winning streak that the Bears are riding right now. Much was said about how banged up Binghamton were on their previous visit to the Giant Center, and that the embarrasing defeat they suffered was a result of a lengthy road trip and last minute call ups. Well, the Bears proved last night that in this league, you have to adapt quickly to the sudden line up changes and keep your game simple and conservative in order to win. Of course, two more goals by the big 'O' are always welcomed - way to go Oskar.

Congratulations also to Ben Boudreau, who has been assigned to the Stingrays. You can't have too many Boudreau's in the Caps system. As for Bruce, a big pat on the back for his induction into the AHL Hall of Fame. Way to go Bruce - we will keep believing! While I'm handing out accolades, kudos too for John Carlson and his entry level contract. Hopefully he develops and spends some time here at Hershey in preparation for his rise to the NHL. Carlson impressed me at the rookie camp earlier this year, and I am glad to see that the Caps rewarded this talented defenseman.

Thanksgiving recipe: Just add chocolate.

Returning home from our vacation in Montreal, we headed to the Phone Booth last night to see the Caps seek some revenge for their season opening loss to the Atlanta Thrashers. Since that initial defeat, the Caps had not dropped a game to other Southeast Division rivals, and were looking to not only extend that streak, but to snap a three game losing skid from their previous west coast road trip. Listening to XM on the way to the game, we were surprised to learn that Chris Bourque, Karl Alzner, Sami Lepisto and Graham Mink had all been recalled from Hershey to fill an injury depleted Caps roster. With Chris Clark and Jeff Schultz out on LTIR, an opportunity was presented for these four athletes to show the NHL what they have to offer - especially Alzner, who would be making his NHL debut.

With a 5-3 victory, the Caps took the much deserved two points, and continued to be dominant on home ice. Alex Ovechkin shifted gears and notched his first hat trick of the season, whilst adding an assist on a goal by Viktor Kozlov. The prettiest goal of the evening, however, came from Eric Fehr, who scored on a sensational tic-tac-toe play from Tomas Fleischmann and Michael Nylander. Kudos to Fehr for his performance this season - I was a tad worried about his future with the organization when he was consistently scratched from the line-up throughout October.

Other players worthy of recognition from last nights performance include Graham Mink, Matt Bradley and Tom Poti. All three worked hard out on the ice, and helped the team to secure the victory. Props also to #60, who looked much more comfortable last night, and could only really be criticized for the third Thrasher goal, which I am sure he would have liked to have had back. Overall, a good performance from the Caps who were clearly feeling the effects of both jet lag and a lack of chemistry between the Caps regulars and the Chocolatetown boys who were called up with such little notice.

Caught some hockey up north of the border....

As previously posted by wifey, we ventured to the great city of Montreal for two games at the Bell Centre. We had purchased our tickets several months ago, and it was pure luck that our vacation plans coincided with the retiring of the #33 jersey that belonged to the legendary Patrick Roy.

The ceremony itself was phenomenal! Patrick Roy entered the building through the main entrance, and was followed by a camera crew as he marched through the concourse (much to the shock and delight of fans grabbing their hot dogs and beers), before entering the arena to the cheers of 20000+ fans. Stopping to chat briefly with Jean Beliveau, Roy made his way onto the ice and acknowledged those who made him welcome (and given the history, he probably did not know what the overall reaction would be). After the obligatory speeches, the banner raising took place and #33 was forever enshrined amongst the other legends that represented the bleu blanc et rouge.

The Canadiens were unable to put the icing on Roy's cake, however, as they fell to the Boston Bruins in a shootout. To really rub salt in the wound, one of the Bruins goals came from Milan Lucic, who was booed consistently for his actions in the previous meeting between these two original six rivals. The anticipated on-ice attack for Lucic never materialized, and many left the game feeling the effects of both a loss and unfinished business with Boston's agitator.

It All Started in 1985...

Nearly twenty-four years ago, I fell in love with a game called hockey and especially a team called the Montréal Canadiens courtesy of CBC's Hockey Night in Canada, which I was able to watch via a huge satellite dish in our Kansas backyard. My parents thought I was absolutely insane but gave up a lot of Saturday night television for my addiction, even buying me a Habs jersey as a Christmas present.

This past weekend, I finally saw my beloved Habs play at home in the Bell Centre and was able to scream "Go Habs Go!" along with 21,000+ similarly addicted people. Even better, the weekend we chose for our hockey excursion was the one during which Patrick Roy's jersey was retired, in an emotional (and beautifully done) pre-game ceremony. The fact that this was a player that I had actually watched and followed made it especially meaningful for me, and I was grateful that Patrick read the French portions of his speech slowly enough that I could pick up quite a bit of what he was saying. :-)

The game itself, an Original Six matchup against the Bruins, was a bit of a disappointment in that the Habs simply did not look sharp. Granted, the Bruins have been on a streak of late, but the sheer numbers of missed passes and botched defensive matchups cannot be attributed solely to the Bruins' skill. As much as I enjoyed the play of Alex Kovalev last year, his play so far this year leaves much to be desired. It's as if he is simply a shell of himself, or simply marking time, I'm not sure which.

We also attended Monday's game against the Islanders, and since so many have already harped on poor Ryan O'Byrne, I won't follow suit. The fact is that the Habs had plenty of chances to win that game and failed to capitalize on the majority of them. As big a mistake as O'Byrne made, it's equally foolish to pin the loss on him.

On our way out of Montréal Tuesday, we caught some of the morning discussion on the Team 990, and I have to agree with the commentators, most of whom agree that the Habs are not playing as a team but as a group of individuals. What is the reason for this? Ego? Poor guidance from their coach? Believing too much of their own press?

Since we were at the Capitals/Thrashers game last night (and I'll let Hubs tell you about that one - it was a goody), we didn't catch most of the Habs' win over the Red Wings last night, but I'm very pleased that they were able to take that kind of a win on the road. Tomorrow night we will be a divided household as I represent Habs Nation at the Phone Booth and Hubs supports the Caps - hopefully it will be a happy ending for le Canadien!

And I thought Ottawa were bad this year...

Hershey hosted the Binghamton Senators on Sunday evening, and what an evening it turned out to be. After a quick offensive effort by the baby Senators in the first, it was the Bears who took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission after a goal from Alexandre Giroux. Given that this was the third consecutive game in as many nights for both teams, nobody could have envisioned the utter thrashing that Hershey were about to dish out in the second period.

The Bears came out on fire in the second, with a six goal tally from Andrew Gordon, Francois Bouchard, Keith Aucoin, Kyle Wilson, and Graham Mink (2). The Wilson goal in particular was a result of the powerhouse shooting skill of Josh Godfrey. I get very excited when the Bears are in the offensive zone, and Godfrey is set up at the point - his 100mph slapshot has to be seen to be believed. The shot from Godfrey was deflected at the goal by Wilson, but Josh proved that he is more than an ECHL caliber player with his overall effort last night. I was also impressed with the overall ability of Andrew Joudrey during the game. What he lacks in points, he makes up for in effort on the ice. Several times last night I saw him break up plays on defense, set up playmaking opportunities on offense, and play consistently all evening with his great positioning and ability to know where the puck would be.

With Giroux and Perrault adding bonus goals in the third period, Daren Machesney earned the shut-out with a 9-0 drubbing of the boys from Binghamton. Jeff Smith was a welcome relief as a competent referee, letting the guys just play the game (please ban Nygel from the Giant Center). A great game overall, and the Bears claimed all 6 of the available points from the 3 consecutive games this weekend.

Congratulations also to the Reading Royals, who eeked out a much needed victory over the Cyclones on Sunday. I am sorry to see Jeff Corey leave town, but given that he has been traded to the Stingrays, there remains the chance that he could be a call-up at Hershey if his play continues to improve.

Fine Finn Finishes Fantoms (Phantoms)

Hockey returned to the Giant Center on Saturday for the second half of a home & home series against the divisional rival Philadelphia Phantoms. After leaving Philadelphia with the much needed 2 points on Friday night, the Bears were looking to add two more on home ice.

Prior to the puck drop, AHL President Dave Andrews was on hand to congratulate Bears center Keith Aucoin for his October player of the month award. As the game progressed, we were impressed to see Dave Andrews watching the game amongst 'the fans' in the upper section, rather than opt for the 'private suite'. Hopefully Dave enjoyed his time at Hershey, and had a hands on experience of Bears hockey and the lively 9000 fans in attendance.

The game was the typical fare when these two teams compete. We knew it would be physical. We knew that it would most likely be close. What we didn't know, however, was that a rookie by the name of Oskar Osala would light the lamp on three occassions to earn his first AHL hat trick and the number one star.

With some very controversial officiating during 'most' of the second period, the Phantoms had the upperhand going into the second intermission. However, the Bears came out in the third both focused and hungry, and showed no malice towards the official that had put them in a bind early. Philadelphia lost their lead early, and the Bears never looked back as they cruised to a 7-3 victory. Adding to the three goal tally from Osala were scores from Chris Bourque, Keith Aucoin, Sami Lepisto and Quintin Laing. A good night for Bob Woods, a good victory for Hershey, and good entertainment for all but the Phantoms and their silenced fans in the crowd.

With no time to rest on their laurels, the Bears are in preparation now for the visiting Binghamton Senators tonight, who trail the Bears in the divisional standings by only a few points. We are looking forward to hopefully another victory for the chocolate and white.

Here's Johnny!!!

We took in two hockey games over this past weekend, and while one was hot, the other was not. Saturday night was spent down in DC as the New York Rangers came to town. Due to another obligation called employment, we were a little late getting to the game. Fortunately, XM radio allowed us to listen in to the first period, and wow, what a period. With Brooks Laich and Tom Poti both beating Lundqvist, we were in great spirits before we even took to our seats during the first intermission. The second period was a great defensive battle, with neither side conceding any scores, and both goaltenders looking more than comfortable between the pipes. The true highlight reel of this period was the penalty shot awarded to Chris Drury, which Brent Johnson poked checked away much to the delight of the delirious fans in the stands. The Rangers would light the lamp in the third, and came close to making it a tied game within the last two minutes after a hooking penalty sent Alexander Semin to the box. Semin may have felt some heat from such a dumb penalty at the most crucial point of the game, but after serving his two minute minor, returned and fired an end to end empty netter to seal the victory. With a 0.966 save percentage throughout the game, Brent Johnson more than earned his first star rating for the evening.

Sunday evening we ventured to Reading to catch the Royals and the Bombers. The Royals came out strong, and quickly took the lead when Ned Lukacevic found the back of the net. The lead was short-lived, however, when a Joe Van Culin shot from the blue line beat Danny Taylor just two minutes later. With two consecutive penalties, the Royals found themselves in a tough 5-3 predicament defensively, but once again looked extra sharp on their penalty kill. During this 2 man disadvantage, Brock Hooton stole the puck and made the dash up the ice, only to be hauled down whilst attempting his shot on net. The penalty shot was awarded, and Hooton made a fantastic highlight reel worthy shot into the back of the net. The Bombers would make the score 2-2 as the second period came to an end. The third period was a different game. The Royals looked tired - they were outhustled and outplayed by Dayton. Frustration led to penalty trouble, and the Bombers capitalized on the man advantages handed to them. Some of the calls were justified, but the goaltender interference penalty on Matt Herneisen was a terrible lack of judgement from the officiating crew. Conceding another goal to Dayton as a result of this call, Herneisen vented his frustration and 'earned' his ejection from the game - as the captain, he HAD to voice his objections to the dubious penalty that ultimately cost Reading the game. Hopefully the Royals can turn things around and move on as the season progresses.

With the Monday night match-up between the Caps and the Bolts, it was strange seeing number 37 wearing the opposing jersey. While Olie will always command my respect, it was bittersweet to see him surrender 4 goals and allow the Caps winning streak to continue. Once again, Brent Johnson delivered for the Capitals in goal, and hopefully will remain the goaltender of choice for Bruce Boudreau for the upcoming road game in Carolina.

Picked the right game last night...

When the season schedules were released for the NHL, AHL, and ECHL just a few months ago, I spent more than a fair amount of time constructing my own schedule of games that wifey and I would like to attend. With our commitment to the Capitals and the Bears, there were always going to be 'fill-in' weeks where these teams would be either away or idle. There were also going to be conflicting schedules, where decisions had to be made over which games we would rather attend. Spaces were filled out on this schedule with a handful of Reading Royals games, and last night we were certainly glad that we opted to see the Royals play the Steelheads over the Hershey-Philadelphia game at the Giant Center. The Royals' new affiliation with the Toronto Maple Leafs meant lots of new faces and talent on the roster, and we were keen to see what they had to offer for the 08-09 season. Of course, we wanted to see Slapshot also - one of the most entertaining mascots out there in this part of the country.

We arrived a little late at the Sovereign Center in downtown Reading, with the game half way through the first period and scoreless as we took to our seats. There was a pretty decent turnout of just under 6000 people, and the night was set for a good match-up. Listening to NHL Home Ice on XM as we drove to Reading, we heard part of an interview with Habs GM Bob Gainey, and were surprised to learn that his son plays for the Idaho team that we'd be seeing that same evening. Although we root for the Royals, we were keen to see if Gainey had the skill-set that his father possessed "back in the day".

Less than two minutes after taking our seats, the Royals lit the lamp as Jeff Corey deflected a flying puck into the back of the net. The crowd of just under 6000 in attendance were ecstatic, and celebrated once again just 43 seconds later when Shawn Snider increased the lead to 2-0. A great start, and a glimmer of hope for this team that had only one victory so far this season.

The second period saw plenty of mis-matches, as both teams struggled to keep out of the penalty box. Good (or not good) to see that Reading have a Power Play that is on par with that of the Capitals and the Bears - none of my teams can seem to capitalize on the man advantage. What did impress me about the Royals, however, was their PK unit. The guys showed great chemistry when outnumbered, and looked very cool and collected when facing a 5 on 3 disadvantage later in the game. It was good to see Danny Taylor looking very composed in goal, with the two strikes against him being pretty irrelevant as he collected the second star for the evening. Good to see a fellow wayfaring Englishman having success here in North America.

With a 6-2 victory, Reading collected the much needed two points, and we left the Sovereign Center with a strong desire to return for more Royals hockey. So glad that I added six of their games this season to our season schedule. As things turned out, the Capitals ended the evening blown out by the Sabres, and the Bears took a hammering from the Phantoms. Whilst we were not happy about that, we smiled knowing that the one obscure game we chose turned out to be the most enjoyable of all. Go Royals!

Halloween came early at the Verizon Center

October 31st may be a few days away, but the contest between the Capitals and the Predators certainly scared me at times, and left me with a few tricks and treats to post about here today - more on that in a moment.


I stopped by at the Kettler complex for the morning skate, and was surprised to see Eric Fehr being singled out and put through his paces. Fehr has not seen much ice time this season, and I'm curious to know what the underlying issues are here. Obviously he cannot be sent down to the AHL without clearing waivers, and the Caps would certainly not want to lose him for nothing in return. Fehr took a beating yesterday morning, and although he participated in pre-game warm-ups, he was scratched from the line-up against the Predators.


I would like to say thank you to Tyler Sloan for sharing a little of his time with me yesterday. As a Hershey Bears fan, I am always happy to see one of the boys get his opportunity with the Caps, and I'm sure that Tyler is happy to blend in easily with the crowd.


But what about those tricks and treats from last nights game? Here are some observations made from the stands:


Tricks:

A 2 point night, but a game that should have been won in regulation. The first Predators goal was soft, and Theodore should have made the save. Many commentators state that Theodore will calm down and improve as the game goes on, but those early goals against are killing us.


I am not entirely sold on the ability of Jeff Schultz. His playmaking in the defensive zone is often hit and miss, with some soft puck clearances that never leave the zone, and some questionable positioning at times. With his huge frame, and increased muscular bulk, he has the tools to be an effective hard-hitting defender; yet fails to capitalize on that opportunity. Play harder Jeff - please!!!!! Prove my observations wrong, I beg you!!!


I won't visit the school of bad officiating today, as the crowd at the Verizon Center pretty much voiced my concerns last night. Ref, indeed you sucked with some of those plays that deserved a whistle and a two minute minor.



Treats:

The most notable treat was that Ovechkin's absence did not affect the outcome. I would imagine that the late Nashville goal to tie the game in the third period led to several journalists already preparing their "Cannot win without the Great 8" headlines. It was good to see others take the lead.


David Steckel played a stellar game last night. The obvious highlight was his short-handed goal, but every minute of his ice time was productive and well played. While the 3 stars are often awarded on a points and goal-count basis, Steckel deserved to be the number one star last night in my opinion.


We have great talent in the shoot-out pool - especially as the likes of Federov, Gordon and Steckel did not have to come out and take a shot at Ellis. While Theodore was a little shaky in regulation, he got the job done in the shoot-out, and I thank him for that. Let's just hope that he can provide some consistency and not have the crowds at the Verizon Center trembling in fear when the puck is bouncing around the net.




Overall, a win is a win, and I'll take it - but the Caps have a lot of work to do. Chemistry, timing, and improvements to the PP need lots of work at times. Fortunately, some of the breaks went our way, and we came out victorious. But I'll be happier still when this team can find that rhythm and truly unleash the fury.

Pretty in pink....

Hockey fights Cancer as the Bears fought the Rochester Americans at the Giant Center last night. Looking impressive in pink was Chris Bourque, who looked better still when he flipped a penalty shot past Tyler Plante within the first two minutes of the contest to take a 1-0 lead. Rochester kept things close in the first period, and went into the first intermission tied at 1 goal a piece. And that was a close as they came to keeping pace with Hershey. The remaining periods were pure Bears hockey, with Bourque adding 3 assists to take 4 points and be awarded the first star for his stellar performance. Goals came thick and fast in this 8-3 victory, with Quintin Laing and Oskar Osala both finding the back of the net twice. Andrew Gordon, Karl Alzner and Alex Giroux rounded out the scoring in front of a lively 10000+ crowd.

Greg Amadio and Michael Duco entertained the crowd in the first period with an all-out brawl, but the biggest surprise of the evening had to be witnessing Kyle Wilson drop the gloves and duke it out with Duco in the third. Wilson and fisticuffs are seldom categorized together, so it was nice to see that our talented center can look after himself when pushed into a corner. And talking of courage and grit, kudos to Keith Aucoin for stepping up and taking on Keaton Ellerby. When it comes to watching out for his team-mates, what Aucoin lacks in size, he more than makes up for in heart. Well done Keith - four mintues for roughing are a compliment rather than a penalty for your actions. All in all, a great night of hockey once again from the Giant Center.

On a brief note, congratulations are in order for Tyler Sloan, who made the headlines twice this week in his NHL debut. First, THE hit against the Flames was the biggest crunch of the week. I still cannot fathom why Rene Bourque decided he had to pummel Tyler for a legal hit, but Sloan sure looked competent in his Capitals jersey. And then, on Saturday night against the Stars, Tyler scored his first NHL goal. I wonder which highlight he cherishes more - the big hit in Calgary, or lighting the lamp in Dallas? Good luck Tyler - hopefully Bruce keeps you in DC a little longer while Poti recovers from his injury.

Not quite sure what to think about the contract extension for John Erskine. I am kind of on the fence about this guy, whose performance is often simply mediocre. Why take Erskine over the likes of Shaone Morrisson or Milan Jurcina, who are likely candidates to be salary cap casualties next season? Are the Caps ready to have the likes of Sloan, Lepisto and Alzner playing defence at the phone booth next season? Erskine brings experience, and can play the enforcer role when needed, but I'm not sure the extension was necessary at this moment in time in a league where there is no shortage of good defencemen.

Over in the ECHL, the Reading Royals came up short in back to back games this weekend against Johnstown and Augusta. We shall be in Reading this coming Saturday to see them face off against the Idaho Steelheads. Can't wait to see that.

Bears streak punctured by those pesky baby Pens.

Playing their third consecutive game in as many nights, Hershey fell to Wilkes-Barre last night by a score of 5-4. I find it amazing that several other Bears bloggers are already seeing this one loss as the end of the world - that our goaltending is not good enough, that Bob Woods should be fired, and that we cannot possibly make the playoffs. Why are people quick to assume that one regular season loss means that the end is nigh? If the Bears had played last night sporting an 0-5 record going in, would those fans have even turned up to support their team, or would they have already hung themselves from the bleachers at that point? The point I am making is that one loss does not shift momentum. No team can be expected to have a perfect season. Winning 3 out of every 5 should realistically put you in the playoff picture - so why are the pessimists already fearing the worst? Yes, Hershey played with less intensity last night, but that was acceptable to some extent given the physical demands placed upon them from the previous two outings. The Baby Pens were rested on Saturday, and were seeking a victory after losing to Hershey on their home opening night. The Bears will win more than their fair share of games this season with the talented roster that they possess. The occassional loss here and there is simply par for the course - and the Bears will look to bounce back next week against the Senators.

Congratulations are in order for Tyler Sloan, who was recalled to the Capitals in preparation for their upcoming road trip. I wish Tyler well in his NHL debut - providing he is not scratched from the line-up. Go Bears! Go Caps!

From the Girl's Point of View...

First of all, I agree with everyone Hubs said below - I think Hershey played a fabulous game last night and coming away with a 7-1 win was a terrific feeling. I think, though, what most impressed me was the grit, perseverance, and quickness the Bears displayed - all qualities that were only occasionally present last year. I've written before of how frustrated I occasionally got last year when the Bears would play 1-1/2 to 2 great periods of hockey and be mediocre the rest of the game. Not so last night. We saw 60 minutes of intense, high-energy, never-say-die hockey from the Bears, even when they had a significant lead and could have slacked off a bit. That is what I've been waiting to see from them, and I think this year is going to be a fabulous year.

On a side note, here's hoping Andrei Kostitsyn of the Habs doesn't miss significant ice time following his injuries last night against Phoenix. I haven't yet watched the recording of the game but from the picture in the Montreal Gazette, he looked pretty shaken up. Still, I was pleased to see the Habs win again. Latendresse continues to surprise, earning another assist last night, and if he keeps this up I may have to eat my words about his place on the line with Koivu and Tanguay...

Hershey Bears Home Opener.

After taking 4 straight road victories to start their 2008-09 campaign, the Bears were given a huge ovation when taking the ice at the Giant Center last night. With a mixture of familiar faces, former players returning to Chocolatetown, and a handful of Capitals prospects, the 8000+ fans in attendance were ready to see this highly touted team strut their stuff. Entering this contest, both Hershey and their opponents from Syracuse had not dropped a game yet this season. This was the first time I'd seen the Crunch in action, but had learned through many blogs and forums that they played a smash-mouth hockey game and liked to get physical. A fitting name - the Crunch - I thought to myself.



Sure enough, within the opening five minutes, the first on-ice altercation occurred. Many had predicted this would take place, as some trash talking had been going on prior to the puck drop. Before the final roster was announced prior to the season, I had some concerns over who would step up as enforcers for the Bears, especially as Robitaille and Flinn has moved on to pastures new. Keeping Grant McNeil in Hershey was a good move, but I'm happy to see that new guys Darren Reid and Greg Amadio are not afraid to back down when needed. Dean Arsene is another who will always throw himself to the wolves in order to protect his team mates. Three of these four guys all rumbled with the Crunch last night, and all three came out pretty strong with their offerings. We were not intimidated - we did not crumble. Syracuse Crunch = more like "The Brady Bunch", I thought to myself.


The Bears looked awesome last night. I've not seen them play at this intensity for quite a while. Sure, they were plagued with injuries last season and had different line-ups every game going into the last month of the regular season. However, with the depth the organization has now, every line is strong. The Mink-Aucoin-Giroux line in particular is positively sick - I'm sure that there are several NHL teams that would kill for this line-up, let alone others at the AHL level. Goals came thick and fast in this one, and the 7-1 victory for the Bears must have echoed throughout the AHL. A 5-0 start, with 29 goals scored is a phenomenal way to start the season. I certainly cannot wait to head back to Giant Center this evening for the next match-up against the Baby Pens. Once again, the Bears can roar.........they can live up to their name. As for the Crunch last night, they resembled more of a Nestle Bar, than collective bone-breakers. Let's see if we get some Penguins with attitude tonight, or just some baby flightless fowl that may be wishing they stayed home instead.

Procrastination Comes Back to Bite You Sooner or Later...

My thoughts about last night's Caps/Pens game are largely in line with those of my wise Hubs, but I do have a couple of additional thoughts. Last year, I was somewhat frustrated with Hershey's tendency to play 2 periods (or even 1-1/2) instead of 3. What has made me acutely nervous in the games against the Blackhawks and the Pens has been the necessity of coming back after digging oneself in a great, big, fat hole; I'm not sure I'm seeing three consecutive periods of consistent, full-out hockey from the Caps yet, and that does bug me a bit. Still, it's early in the season, and it does appear that Theodore has settled down a bit, so hopefully I'm just picking nits.

On the Habs, I'm thrilled at the possibility that Christopher Higgins might be back in the lineup tomorrow night - we desperately need him back. Latendresse has shown improvement, but I still don't think he's right for a line with Koivu and Tanguay; he's faster, but not fast enough.

And did anyone besides us think that Malkin should have been given a 5-minute major for his hit on Semin last night????

Time to shine....

After an impressive 2008 training camp, and some great on-ice productivity during the pre-season, it was incredibly depressing to see Chris Bourque sent back to Hershey prior to the regular season commencing. While I would never argue with Boudreaus' reasoning, the emotional aspect for a Hershey Bears fan to see one of his guys make the NHL will probably always outweigh conventional thought. With the injuries to Kozlov, Brashear and Poti, the Capitals just announced that Chris Bourque was being recalled, and will most likely play against the New Jersey Devils tomorrow night. I'm sure that Chris is ready to rise to the challenge, and like those before him (such as Fehr, Schultz and Fleischmann), is ready to show the world that he belongs there.



Good luck to you Chris. Your loyal fans at Hershey will be behind you all the way.

Road Warriors

Sitting down last night to watch the Caps play the Penguins, I finally managed to accept the early deficit knowing that when the Caps decide to come out flat early, they generally turn it around in the later periods. This was something that happened several times last year with the Hershey Bears, who'd look stale for 20 minutes, and then turn up for a game when the second period commenced. With the exception of the odd mild expletive when the Pens scored last night, I sensed that the goal by Flash was the spark this team needed to ignite - and ignite they did in that final period. It wasn't the prettiest game by far, but the end result is what matters the most. Boyd Gordon netted the winner, and deflated a Penguins team that saw a huge momentum shift result in an embarrassing loss at home.

With Donald sidelined, I admired Matt Bradleys courage and grit to go toe to toe with Paul Bissonette. This former baby Pen had a huge reputation in the AHL as a bruiser, and made pretty short work of Bradley. For those that followed the Bears/Pens games last season, they will remember when Bissonette duked it out with Bears enforcer Ryan Flinn back in February. Flinn dominated that confrontation, but we all became aware that the Pens had a guy who could clearly handle himself at not only the AHL level, but the NHL too. I'm sure right now that Donald Brashear will be looking out for Bissonette the next time these two powerhouse teams clash. As for Ryan Flinn - hopefully he's doing well up in Hamilton - we miss you Ryan.

Here's hoping that Hershey can also be road warriors tonight, as they face off against the Phantoms in Philadelphia. Varlamov is scheduled to be in goal tonight, and this will be a good test for him if Claude Giroux fires some pucks at him. Good luck Bears, and we look forward to seeing you tomorrow at the home opener in Hershey.

Kudos

to Keith Aucoin for being named the AHL player of the week. A 3-0 start to the AHL season for the Bears is a fantastic start, especially as all games were in the arenas of divisional rivals. I cannot wait to feel the atmosphere on Saturday at the Giant Center when the Bears kick off at home against Syracuse.

Here's hoping that the injury to Viktor Kozlov in DC is only minor, and that he'll be back on the ice soon. Eric Fehr is more than capable of filling that roster spot, but Kozlov has great chemistry on that line with Ovie and Backstrom. Good health to you Viktor.

The Reading Royals open their 08-09 campaign shortly. Good luck to the guys down there for the coming season.

Relegated to Online Radio...

While Hubs was basking in the glory of banner-raising in the Phone Booth, I was languishing in a hotel room, listening to the Caps game in its entirety and watching NHL's gametracker for the Habs game whilst simultaneously keeping an eye on the Hershey/Norfolk game. Some random thoughts from my scanning of the web today:

* I found this article interesting: http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2008/10/12/7060026-sun.html - the question I have is, when did Toronto ever have a bubble? Nearly everyone has picked them to finish low, low, low in the East... they get one win against Detroit and things suddenly look different?

* This blog posting from The Hockey News about the AHL and the current economic spiral: http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/18510-Dave-Andrews-Blog-The-AHL-and-the-spiraling-economy.html - maybe it's just that I'm tired, but is Dave really answering the question here? True, the AHL provides a great product at a very reasonable price, and true, marketing needs to continue, but if the economy continues to worsen and fans need to start making hard financial choices, what then? I'm not sure that the Pollyanna approach is what we're looking for - yes, we all hope things improve soon, but if they don't, how will the AHL and NHL prepare and sustain themselves?

* http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/18570-THNcom-Blog-Hockey-shouldnt-be-used-as-a-political-backdrop.html - yet another reason to dislike the Flyers. As if I needed one. :-)

Well worth the sore throat.....

cheering and hollering through the pre-game ceremonies and the revisiting of last seasons accomplishments for the Washington Capitals. The raising of the 2007-08 South East Division champion banner is permanently etched as a night Washington will not forget.

Rockin' the Red at the Home Opener

First of all, a big thankyou to my boss Jon for letting me skip the last two hours of work on Saturday afternoon so that I could head down to DC for the opening home game for the Caps at Verizon Center. And what a night it turned out to be. The metro ride down from Shady Grove was a red-filled vessel of thirsty hockey fans ready to root for their team. And upon exiting the metro, F Street was alive and well. The doors were open early and the excitement level was high. Washington was a city ready to continue to rock the red once more!!!!

So after a 7-4 thrashing (no pun intended) on the previous evening in Atlanta, how would the Caps respond against a team touted highly as the 'dark horse' for this coming year? What adjustments would Bruce be making? How would the crowd respond to Theodore after his poor performance in Game 1? Many questions were there to be answered, and after the initial warm-ups, we were about to find out.

Props to the Caps organization for the great opening ceremony and raising of the banner. It was done in very good taste, and hopefully we'll get to see that happening on an annual basis!!! The chants of "Bruuuuuuce" from the crowd paid homage to our general who brought out troops out to battle once again - this humble Toronto native has the utmost respect from the fans throughout the building.

As for the game, things didn't start too well for the Caps, giving up a Chicago strike within the opening minute. Fans drew breath, fearing the worst every time the puck was within 10 feet of Theodore throughout the game. Admittedly, he made some phenomenal saves during the contest, and did redeem himself to some extent after Fridays performance, but it will be a while before the fans can honestly put their trust in this individual between the pipes. You can have the best offensive weapons in the world, but you still need somebody at home to mind the fort. A casual observer in my section summed it up best, literally finding religion every time a shot was taken at the net......Father Ted could have taken notes from this guy for his Sunday sermon.

Hockey is a 60 minute game, and the final 40 minutes were almost dominated by the Caps. After going down 2-0 in the first, the final horn saw the Caps leave with a 4-2 victory. How did they turn things around? What was said in the locker room after the first period? Unbeknown to me at the time, Al Koken from Comcast Sports Net mentioned that Bruce Boudreau reverted back to his traditional defensive pairings, and upon reflection, I can now see why the chemistry in the Caps zone was vastly improved. It may sound like a minor tweak, and of little importance, but to these guys, it made all the difference. And as much as I love Mike Green - Mike, please play a little more defense....yes, you can shoot, but you don't need to be 'the' lone playmaker when bringing the puck into the zone. However, this is just small criticism. The first period aside, this was a solid performance and a Caps game played just the way we like it. Can't wait for the next outing.......

One more thing: Way to go Hershey!!! A 3-0 start on the road. A win for Varlamov in his North American debut. Bob Woods has already started to silence the doubters........go Bears. Can't wait to see you on Saturday for the home opener against the Crunch!

Habs Need to Step It Up Against the Leafs

Now that the Habs have their first-game jitters out of their system, they need to step it up against the Leafs, who have already played spoiler once this week by defeating the Red Wings on opening night. I listened to the first two periods and was more than a little disappointed in their performance against the Sabres, but I'm going to wait to make any substantive comments until I can actually watch a game (hopefully online tonight - I'm writing from Bruin-land today).

I was also bummed by Theodore's performance for the Caps on Friday night - I've never been sold on him and his performance in the preseason game against the Bruins was fairly abysmal, with one or two exceptions. Martin will be at the game tonight so he should have some thoughts to share tomorrow about the game.

On the bright side, a great start for Hershey! It was pure pleasure listening to them walk all over Wilkes-Barre - the roster is pretty stacked and I'm excited about their potential.

SOOOO glad it's hockey season again!

Pre-season thoughts

In the world of pro-hockey, it is amazing the difference a year makes. The
level of excitement and expectation surrounding the Caps heading into the
2008-09 season is all around us. Fans are flocking in droves to practices
and scrimmages, rooting for the team that defied the odds last season and
took the Southeast division title. The same fans are happy to see a
relatively intact core of talented hockey players from last year, along with
a mix of great talent from the various farm teams all willing to work hard
and be noticed by Bruce and his staff. Media interest has been elevated.
Washington is being heralded as a Hockeytown - quite a feat for a city whose
hockey roots do not run too deeply when compared to the likes of Montreal,
Detroit and Boston. Bloggers like OFB have in depth insights from within the
Caps organization posted on a daily basis, and have a huge legion of readers
and contributors. The town is a buzz with hungry fans who are counting down
the days, hours and minutes to the start of the season. Clearly, after such
a dismal start last season, the Capitals have turned it around. Call it
good coaching; call it a refinement of team chemistry and mutual desire to
be winners - the bottom line is that this organization have their sights set
very clearly to not only dominate and win the division this season, but to
proceed much further into the playoffs and shoot for the cup. From Hershey
to DC, Bruce Boudreau has proven to be an effective general, leading his
armies into battle. He has a fantastic rapport with all of his players, his
assistant coaches and the media. The Jack Adams trophy was a just reward for
this gentleman, and it will be very interesting to see what this coaching
staff can do with the fine crop of talent they have on the bench this year.

Pre-season never really excites me. The results are meaningless, and
nothing matters until that first official game. At least that was what I
thought. Watching a scrimmage last week, I was amazed just how pumped up
and ready these players are to "bring their game". To see the guys from
Hershey, South Carolina, and afar all playing with a level of intensity more
associated with the home stretch towards the playoffs. Several prospects
have remained at Caps camp after the initial cuts, and all are for the right
reasons. Chris Bourque has demonstrated that he is ready for the transition
to the NHL. Mathieu Perrault has a burst of speed and agility that will
leave many defenseman wondering if a tornado just hit the rink. Karl Alzner
is a natural defenseman, with unbelieveable instincts and awareness of where
he should be. And it goes without saying that Simeon Varlamov is a standout
amongst all goaltenders in the organization, with his lightning reflexes and
ability to react to both a Sergei Federov slap shot, and the crashing of the
net when the puck rebounds off his pads. Sami Lepisto can bring his
experience from Hershey and also compete for a roster spot on the Caps D. He
has proven to be consistent and has a great shot from the point in a PP
situation. All of these talented prospects have youth on their side, and
have already shown me that they are both ready to play, and hungry to
compete.

And here we are. 3 preseason games already played, and 3 victories to show
for it. And once again, while the results have little meaning or impact on
the season, for players like Bourque, Perrault and Lepisto, this is their
chance to shine and leave that lasting impression as players primed and
ready when the Caps come calling to fill roster spots. Injuries are
inevitable, and it feels good for this Caps fan to know that the guys in the
wings are ready and raring to go, and possess a high degree of talent and
intensity to stamp their claims upon the NHL. Can't wait for the puck to
drop at the Verizon Center, and can't wait for the puck to drop at the Giant
Center. This season is going to be a blast!!!!!

Preseason Thoughts

Kudos to Chris Bourque for getting the first star in the Caps' preseason game against the Panthers last night... as much as I'd like to see him back in Hershey this year, I have a suspicion that we might be seeing him more at the Verizon Center.

On the Josef Boumedienne watch (note to Caps: you shouldn't have let him go!), he earned an assist in the Leafs' loss to Pittsburgh. We have this game on the DVR and only saw bits and pieces; we'll definitely check the rest of the game out.

I'm still not completely sold on Jose Theodore. Martin, who attended a day of training camp on Tuesday, says the two younger goalies look tremendously sharp. About Theodore, I'm just concerned that he'll be the Theodore of old and not so much the Theodore who carried the Avs last year.

It's Only Been Forever Since We Posted...

Hey, it's the off-season for us as well! However, when Hubs brought home the master list of the games we'll be attending this year (Caps, Bears, and Royals), it became abundantly clear that hockey season approacheth. So, with that in mind, some random thoughts to kick off the 2008-2009 season:

* I remain unconvinced that Jose Theodore is the answer to the Caps' goaltending questions, even short term while the Caps' prospects are developing. Granted, the market was such that there weren't really any better choices available (I would have loved to keep Huet, but his manager screwed that up; and Ray Emery certainly was not a good choice), but I'm in the 'I'll believe it when I see it' line for liking Theodore.

* Come on, Caps/Bears, sign Josef Boumedienne already!!! We need a skilled, experienced defenseman on the Bears, and he's already proven 1) leadership skills and 2) a great chemistry on the ice with Sami Lepisto. Had Josef not been injured in 2007/2008, his numbers would have been exceptional, particularly in the assists category.

* I think Georges Laraque was a great pickup for Montréal... I've thought for a while that where the Habs were sorely lacking was in the muscled, strong, intimidating player department. Sure, Komisarek is fabulous, but we needed more muscle - and Laraque provides that.

* I'm disappointed to see Shawn Collymore leave the area... Shawn, if you're out there, we'll miss you here in central Pennsylvania!

* Is it October yet? :-)

One of Hershey's Own Makes Good!

Congrats to Sami Lepisto, who scored the winning goal for Finland in overtime against the US last night at the World Championships - way to go, kid! Bears and Caps fans are very proud of you! :-)

(For info, go here.)

Props to Boomer

Hershey fans should check out the latest issue of The Hockey News, which features a piece on Josef Boumedienne.

(Note to Bears and Caps management: you need to resign Boomer!)

Sore Loser

Even with a crazy schedule this week, it's been difficult to motivate myself to blog about hockey, with the Capitals losing at every turn and the Habs being blown out on Thursday night by the Bruins, not to mention the Hershey Bears losing to Wilkes-Barre in overtime on Wednesday night. BAD hockey week.

The Capitals are in a must-win situation now; if they come out flat today against the Flyers, they are done. They need to come out with physical and aggressive play and shoot the puck - stick to basic hockey and focus on shooting rather than attempts at fancy passes.

More later...

Afraid to Come to the Party

Yesterday the Caps delivered a thoroughly disappointing performance in their second playoff game... as the game progressed, I think everyone in our section (excluding, of course, the significant contingent of Flyers fans) grew increasingly frustrated with the missed passes, failed attempts at fancy plays, and most of all the seeming reluctance to shoot the puck at the net. It was as if a completely different team showed up, one intimidated and cowed by the big, bad Flyers. Where Friday's team came out hitting and playing assertively, Sunday's team looked afraid.

Props to the Flyers and especially Martin Biron for great play Sunday, of course; but the Caps also failed to play the way everyone there knew they could, and that was perhaps the biggest disappointment. I wouldn't have minded the loss nearly as much if the team had been on their game, but that wasn't the case. (This is why I'm disappointed in the Canadiens' loss to the Bruins, but not disheartened. A streak can only last so long, for one thing, and I thought the Habs looked fairly sharp. The Bruins were motivated by the lengthy string of losses to the Habs and they really wanted the monkey off their backs.)

The Caps statistically come back with a solid performance after a poor one, so I'm hopeful that Tuesday's game will be a much better showing. They will have to come out firing and hitting like they did Friday night, though, in order to regain the momentum, and they need to stick to basic hockey rather than trying to make the flashy plays. I'd rather have pucks hit plainly into the net than swishy moves that result in a turnover to the Flyers.