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05Nov

without ovechkin, caps no match for semin

In blog, hockey by b murf / November 5, 2009 / 4 Comments

(photo by Bruce Bennett)

Well then.

The Washington Capitals took the ice last night without superstar Alex Ovechkin and it went about as poorly as possible, as the Caps lost to the New Jersey Devils 3-2.

It’s one thing to lose to a streaking Devils team that features one of the league’s top offensive threats (forward Zach Parise) and one of the best goaltenders of our generation (Martin Broudeur). But it’s a lot less tolerable when your own players basically end up costing you the game. Just ask coach Bruce Boudreau, who was so red in the face by the end of the third period that he looked as if he’d chugged a bottle of Texas Pete hot sauce for fun.

“Not only did some of them not stand out, but they cost us the game,” Boudreau said of his team’s uninspired play. “It’s a tough one to swallow.”

Boudreau wasn’t done unloading on his players yet.

“Guys didn’t come to play,” he said. “Whether they are feeling sorry for themselves because Alex is not in, I don’t know. Same thing happened last year when we went into Buffalo and got smoked 5-0 when he wasn’t there.

“This isn’t a one-man team, but those guys have got to understand that. People can get hurt at any moment,” Boudreau said.

What on earth was Boudreau so fired up against? The same poor decision making and selfish penalties that have plagued this talented, but, at times, immature squad.

For example, the Capitals last three penalties in the third period all came in their offensive zone. Two of the three boneheaded penalties came from serial offender Alexander Semin, who added a second period slashing infraction in for good measure.

Devils winger Niclas Bergfors scored a powerplay goal just 19 seconds after Semin’s second penalty of the evening (a hooking call, for those scoring at home) and scored the game-winning powerplay goal less than a minute into forward Brendan Morrison’s hooking penalty.

The Caps were tied with New Jersey 1-1 heading into the final frame. Two dumb penalties later, the Capitals were basically forced to finish the game knowing that they’d cost themselves any real chance of victory.

For those looking for any possible positives to take away from this game, there were two on this otherwise disappointing evening. The first was the second-career goal by defenseman/temporarily converted forward Tyler Sloan, while the second is the continued hot play of forward Tomas Fleischmann, who beat Brodeur with a beautiful top-shelf goal in the final two minutes to give him points in three-straight games since returning from injury.

Before the Caps hit the road for New Jersey, we had the chance to chat with Sloan to see what it’s been like jumping from the blueline to wing.

“I’m having fun with it,” Sloan said. “It’s great. I obviously haven’t been able to get into the lineup defensively too much, so I’m happy to get in and contribute. I’ve played it before and I’m feeling a little more comfortable up there every game.”

We then compared Sloan to a utility infielder that Boudreau knows he can basically throw into any situation and get the 28-year-old’s best effort.

“Yeah, exactly,” he said with a laugh. “I’ll strap the [goalie] pads on if I need to.”

In happier times (i.e. – before last night’s self-inflicted loss), we then caught up with the Caps coach to get his take on Sloan.

“He’s done really good,” Boudreau said. “He takes direction really well, he can skate and he finished his checks. We’ve had him out there [at forward] and haven’t missed a beat. I’ve had him out there in the last 10 minutes in checking situations, and it’s because I have a lot of confidence in him.”

When informed that Sloan said he’d do anything to help the Caps win, even if it meant strapping on goalie pads, Boudreau couldn’t help but smile.

“You know what, that’s one of the reasons he’s here,” he said. “He’s such a great person and you can’t get enough of those guys who are willing to do whatever it takes to win. He’s one of them, and we’re fortunate to have him.”

Read that quote again. Guys who are willing to do whatever it takes to win. That quote, while directed at Sloan, says just as much about Semin as it does the Caps’ utility infielder.

While Sloan is more than happy to do anything Boudreau asks, Semin is seemingly always content to do whatever the hell he feels like doing – regardless of what his coaches have asked of him.

Stop with the freelancing. Don’t try to be too cute with the puck. If everyone else on the powerplay is in their respective positions, then maybe you should try it too. And most importantly, stop with the avoidable penalties.

Yes, he’s young and immature. But that only gets you so far when you’re making $5 million a year and are asking for a hefty raise when you become a free agent after this season.

Ovechkin is the league’s top goal scorer. Nicklas Backstrom is among the league’s elite setup men. Mike Green scores more than any other defenseman in the NHL. And then there’s Semin. The enigma who showed once again last night that he’s just as likely to lose a game for the Caps as he is to win one.

You can’t help but think that one of two things is going to have to happen for this team to achieve any of the lofty goals they’ve set out for themselves.

Either he’s going to have to buy into the program and become a team player or general manager George McPhee is going to have to make the tough decision to cut the cord on Semin and trade him to some other city, where he can become their problem. Only time will tell how this plays out.

04Nov

playoff time for the caps

In blog, hockey by b murf / November 4, 2009 / No Comments

(photo by Greg Fiume)

The Washington Capitals (a.k.a. – the one bright spot in town) are facing their toughest task of the season – finding a way to win without the best player in hockey.

Talented winger Alex Ovechkin, who led the NHL in goals (14), points (23) and shots (86) at the time of his injury, is out of the lineup with what the team is describing as an “upper-body strain” and is listed as week to week. Ovechkin was injured during the team’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets Sunday.

“Hopefully it’s no more than two weeks,” said coach Bruce Boudreau.

Moments later, Boudreau was informed that Ovechkin was already talking about the possibility of being back in the lineup by week’s end.

“It’s Ovi. He does things no one else can do,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s a viable option or not, but we’ll make sure he’s healthy when he plays. I just know that he’s very tolerant to pain. He wants to play so badly. Given those two equations, if anybody can be back sooner, it’s him.”

Since Ovechkin joined the league in 2005, the two-time NHL MVP has missed just two games due to injury. He’s not someone who is content to sit out and collect a free paycheck. If a game is going on, it’s safe to say he’s going to do anything and everything he can to be a part of it. So much so that he’s already told team reporters that he’s planning on making the trip to Florida this weekend, even if he can’t play.

“I want to be around team,” Ovechkin said. “I don’t want to stay at home and watch the game at home. I want to travel and I want to be a part of the team, too.”

While it’s great for Ovechkin to want to be with his teammates, realistically, Boudreau has to go into the next few games with the mindset that he’ll be without Ovi. And let’s not underestimate the challenge ahead for the Caps – proving that this team is capable of winning games without No. 8.

“As much as he gets all the press, I’ve gotta believe we’re not a one-man team and there’s still a lot of good players there,” Boudreau said.

While that is definitely true, Boudreau has done his best to put all his proverbial eggs in one basket. For most of the season, Ovechkin has been paired on the Caps’ top line with center Nicklas Backstrom and wing Alexander Semin.

In related news, the team’s success this season has largely depended on the output of that top line. When they’re on their game, few teams can match their production. When they’re off, goals are typically hard to come by for the Capitals.

No team could replace Ovechkin’s production over night. With him out of the lineup, the Caps would be wise to focus on playing smarter hockey at both end of the ice and shoring up their play on defense.

Not only that, but the team needs to avoid taking what Boudreau refers to as “lazy penalties.” They need to eliminate the freelancing and cutesy plays. They need to do a better job in their own zone and cut back on the number of breakaways goalies Jose Theodore and Semyon Varlamov must face each game.

Honestly, the team would be wise to enter the next few games as if it were the playoffs. Last season the Caps almost found themselves eliminated in the first round for the second-consecutive year because of sloppy, uninspired play against the New York Rangers.

But when they were down three games to one and their season was on the line, suddenly the Capitals transformed into the type of team that we all hope they can be. They took fewer chances. They played smarter on both ends of the ice. They didn’t try to make the highlight reel every time they passed the puck. In short, they played playoff hockey.

The Capitals are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference and hold a six-point lead in the Southeast Division. If they’d like to remain there, even without Ovechkin in the lineup, the Caps would be wise to stop playing like its November and start playing like its March.

02Nov

redskins midseason review

In blog, football by b murf / November 2, 2009 / 11 Comments

(photo by Brian Murphy)

After the bye week, the Washington Redskins are now back to work and preparing to take on the Atlanta Falcons. During the break, many players had the chance to take some time off and heal up while the coaching staff was charged with figuring out ways to rectify a 2-5 season. We thought it would be wise to take a cold, hard look at the situation from top to bottom out at Redskins Park and offer our take on the current state of the franchise.

Without further delay, here’s how we see things at the midpoint of the 2009 season:

The front office is delusional.

Vinny Cerrato, the team’s executive vice president of football operations, truly believes when Jim Zorn was named the head coach, he was given a roster fully capable of reaching the postseason. After all, they did so in 2007, when Joe Gibbs led the team to the playoffs. So, as far as Cerrato is concerned, Zorn had all the tools necessary to guide this team back to the postseason.

There’s just one problem – that’s crazy talk.

First, let’s address Cerrato’s line of thinking. Yes, the Redskins did make the playoffs in 2007. But that was clearly due to special circumstances.

Just in case he forgot, we’ll remind Cerrato that the 2007 Redskins were 5-7 and showing little sign of competent football before the team rallied together in honor of Sean Taylor’s death to steal four-straight victories and back into the postseason.

And let’s not forget that it took everything that team had – both physically and emotionally – just to qualify for the playoffs, which is why the team had nothing left in the tank once they got to Seattle for the opening round of the playoffs. So yes, that team did make the playoffs. But you and I both know that the 2007 Redskins had zero chance of actually winning the Super Bowl.

What Cerrato seemingly fails to grasp is there’s a difference between a playoff team and a team that can make the playoffs. The Colts, Steelers and Patriots are playoff teams. Meanwhile, teams like the Bengals, Cardinals and Redskins need to have everything fall into place, in terms of remaining healthy and lucky, just to play football in January.

Here’s the other issue: in 2007, when this team made the playoffs, they did so with a run-first, smash-mouth offense. They gave the ball to running back Clinton Portis 30 times a game and dared opponents to stop them. Now, even though the personnel remains largely unchanged, the team uses a finesse-oriented West Coast offense.

So basically you have a running back and offensive line that were tailor-made for running the ball and a quarterback who thrives out of the shotgun all being asked to run an offense that, from the outside, seemingly plays to none of their strengths. And that’s before we point out that the Redskins came into the 2009 season with the oldest offensive line in football.

This is the point where we’d happily give Cerrato a chance to clarify his stance and explain exactly what he sees that constitutes a playoff team.

The defensive coaches are clearly bipolar.

We’ve heard it all before: “We feel [Player A] and [Player B] are interchangeable.” Or: “[Player A] was struggling a little bit, so we put [Player B] into the game to see if he could make some plays for us.” Or the old Gregg Williams line: “We feel like we have 25 starters on defense.”

And to all of that, we call shenanigans.

We’ve noticed a troubling trend this season – the coaches, specifically on the defensive side, continue to swap players out with reckless abandon. Take, for example, safeties Chris “The Predator” Horton and Reed Doughty.

With a major thank you to our buddy Ryan O’Halloran of the Washington Times, here are how many defensive plays each has been on the field for during the first seven games:

Horton: 40, 45, 49, 21, 58, 1, 49
Doughty: 30, 10, 30, 49, 20, 60, 9

So to recap: Horton played just 21 snaps against Tampa Bay. A week later in Carolina, he was on the field for 58 plays. Against Kansas City, he logged just one snap. And then against Philadelphia, he was back in action for 49 plays. How can any reasonable human being expect a player to get into any sort of rhythm if his playing time is so sporadic?

Now, before anyone asks the question, let us assure you, both Horton and Doughty have remained healthy this season. These numbers are purely a product of the coaches. Instead of naming one guy the starter and letting both players mentally prepare for clearly defined roles, these two players essentially show up on game day without a clue as to who will play and who will sit.

While both players have done the best they can in this unenviable position, they would both benefit from the coaching staff either a.) being put on medication or b.) naming a starter.

Danny Smith is either stubborn or oblivious.

Antwaan Randle El is currently tied for 31st in the league in punt return yards and 25th in yards per return. While 10 players average at least nine yards per return, Randle El is good for just 5.2. And here’s the most sobering stat out there – no player has more fair catches since the beginning of the 2008 season than Randle El’s 32.

Still not convinced? Dallas’s Patrick Crayton (16.6), Cleveland’s Josh Cribbs (16.4) and Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson (15.6) all average at least three times as many yards per punt return as Randle El.

At this point do we even need to mention Randle El’s untimely turnover against Philly? The Redskins had just scored a touchdown to cut the Eagles’ lead to 17-7 early in the second quarter. Philadelphia gets the ball and goes three-and-out. The Redskins have momentum for the first time in the game and Randle El lets the football bounce off of his facemask. The Eagles get the ball and never look back.

Football 101 says if you get two hands on the ball, you’ve got to make the catch. But what do they say when the football is so close, it hits you in the face?

Here’s what Randle El did in the return game against Philly: fair catch, fair catch, muffed punt, fair catch and an 11-yard return.

It should be pointed out that the last punt came when Randle El fielded a punt on the 5-yard line, so he basically had no choice but to return it or risk the Redskins offense being in a position to give up a safety for the third-straight game. This is what the Redskins’ special-teams unit has become.

The time is now for young receivers.

The Redskins offense is in shambles. Tight end Chris Cooley, the one consistent playmaker, is out for at least a month with a broken ankle. Receiver Santana Moss and running back Clinton Portis go games without having any impact. Quarterback Jason Campbell looks like a battered spouse as his eyes dart around looking for someone – anyone – to get the ball to behind the team’s horrid offensive line. Jim Zorn, the offensive coordinator-turned-head coach has been stripped of playing calling duties, meaning we’re not even sure if his headset is on anymore during games. But other than that, everything is fine for the Redskins offense.

At 2-5 with the hardest part of the schedule yet to come, the Redskins need to fully grasp what the rest of the NFL already knows – the season is over. Instead of trying to slap a band-aid on the myriad problems surrounding the offense, everyone involved needs to admit that 2009 is a lost cause.

Once that happens, the only smart move is to give the youngsters a baptism by fire. Second year players like receiver Devin Thomas, receiver Malcolm Kelly and tight end Fred Davis should play extensively down the stretch. Ditto for rookie wide out Marko Mitchell. If that means deactivating Randle El or someone else to free up enough roster spots, then so be it.

You’ll never know what you’ve got with these four players unless you throw them out there and allow them to either sink or swim. Since the offensive line is incapable of blocking for any length of time, why not use four receiver sets in an effort to spread the opposing defense out?

Campbell or Todd Collins can rely on a three-step drop and unload the ball to whoever is open and everyone involved just prays defenders can’t get to the quarterback in time to disrupt the most basic of gameplans. We all know this offense has no big-play capabilities, so why not embrace what you have and make the most out of the situation? What’s the worst that can happen – your offense struggles to score points? Hmmm … we wonder what that’s like.

Well, that’s where we see things at the midpoint. Sorry to be a buzzkill, but what can we say – things are bleak these days. This is the point of the conversation when you, the loyal reader, are welcome to share your take. Make us proud.

02Nov

time for davis to step up

In blog, football by b murf / November 2, 2009 / 1 Comment

(photo by Brian Murphy)

A season that started with cautious optimism has quickly turned into a nightmare for the Washington Redskins.

Not only has the team managed to lose to bottom dwellers like Detroit, Carolina and Kansas City, but they’ve also been devastated by injuries to key players, such as Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels and, most recently, Pro Bowl tight end Chris Cooley.

Cooley, who has been the most consistent performer this season on an otherwise struggling offense, will be sidelined for at least a month after suffering a broken right ankle against the Philadelphia Eagles last week.

“He was probably our best offensive weapon,” said backup tight end Todd Yoder. “When you’re struggling offensively and you lose that guy, it’s going to be tough to replace him. We’re going to have to have guys step up.”

While Yoder didn’t mention him by name, it’s clear that Yoder was referring to second-year tight end Fred Davis. After Cooley was injured early in the second quarter, Davis played extensively, finishing with a career-high eight catches for 78 yards and his first NFL touchdown.

“I thought he played well,” Yoder said of Davis’ performance against the Eagles. “Obviously he’s got big shoes to fill.”

But all wasn’t perfect for Davis. While he was targeted early and often in the passing game, he did miss several blocking assignments and dropped a touchdown pass.

“Man, I had one hand on it and I’m thinking ‘I’ve got to catch this,’” he said. “But I took my eyes off it at the last minute. Luckily, I got a second chance.”

One play later, Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell went right back to Davis, who this time was able to secure the pass for his first touchdown catch.

“I was still thinking about that last one,” Davis admitted.

But was he excited to finally catch his first touchdown at the pro level?

“I was like, ‘Okay good. At least I got it,’” he said. “Those opportunities don’t come a lot in this league.”

With Cooley out of the lineup, we asked Davis what he has to do to step up and help fill the void.

“For me, I just want to do everything right,” Davis said. “The pass blocking, I gave up a sack. That’s definitely something I have to be ready for next game. I don’t have any excuses. The other thing they brought me in for was the catch passes and doing everything right. That should come naturally because that’s what they brought me in for. There can’t be any mistakes. All of us can’t be making the same mistakes all the time. Jason just hasn’t had time back there and stuff isn’t happening for us right now.

“Hopefully Chris will give me some tips and I’ll try to fill his shoes the best I can, but that’s a hard job,” Davis continued. “With him hurt, we lose a lot. People make gameplans around him. Without him, it creates an opportunity for me. I’m just going to have to put in a lot of hard work. He’s a Pro Bowler who has been doing this for a minute now. Without him, it’s definitely going to be different.”

It was easy to sense the frustration in Davis’ voice. While he understands the opportunity he has to show the team they made a wise move selecting him in the second round of the 2008 draft, losing wears on everyone.

“Yeah, it’s really frustrating,” he said. “I hate losing. I hate losing. And when I play a part in the losing … people might say, ‘Well, it was just one play and you had just been thrown in there.’ But I don’t like being the cause of any of it.”

That’s when you remember that Davis came from college football’s elite program – USC. That means he’s already lost more games this season than he did his entire college career. So this rocky start has been somewhat of a culture shock to him.

“Yeah, it is. This league, it’s definitely harder than it was at USC,” Davis said. “You really have to bring it every week.”

The Redskins have struggled to score points all season long. Add in a below average offensive line, the Cooley injury and a nonexistent running game, and it’s difficult to imagine things getting better anytime soon.

Campbell looks so shell shocked behind that suspect offensive line that’s he rarely looks downfield anymore, preferring check down and dump off passes to short-range targets in hopes of getting the ball out before the inevitable crushing blow is landed by opposing defenses.

For that reason alone, Davis really should be the one offensive player who looks forward to taking the field. If he gets in the right position and does what he’s asked by the coaching staff, this really can be a coming out party, of sorts.

The Redskins front office has been routinely criticized for selecting three pass catchers – Davis, Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly – in the second round of the 2008 draft. Fans question the decision-making process involved in picking three straight players who essentially do the same thing. But also, they see players from the same draft like DeSean Jackson in Philadelphia and Eddie Royal in Denver continually making plays, while the Redskins’ trio has yet to make their impact.

When the Redskins take the field in Atlanta this weekend, it would be great for everyone involved if Davis took the next step forward. Last week he showed a glimpse of his abilities, but after a season and a half, it’s time to make it happen.

If he’s ever going to be a consistent producer in this league, the time is now. Thankfully, Davis is fully aware of the situation. So the only question remaining is simply – will he be able to make the most out of this opportunity?

29Oct

why you should love keith aucoin

In blog, hockey by b murf / October 29, 2009 / 3 Comments

(photo by Brian Murphy)

In the interest of full disclosure, we’re just going to come right out and say it – we’re big fans of Keith Aucoin.

There’s something intriguing about the Washington Capitals scrappy forward that makes it impossible not to root for him.

When he got called up two weeks ago, we refused to get our hopes up. The Caps were dealing with a handful of injuries and there was little reason to believe Aucoin would be in town after everyone got healthy again.

But a funny thing has happened recently – Aucoin has points in three-straight games and he keeps finding subtle ways to impact games, even when playing limited minutes.

We caught up with the 30-year-old minor-league standout yesterday to chat about his mindset, both on and off the ice, these days.

Alright Keith, you’ve got a little point-streak going on these last couple days and seem to really be making the most out of this opportunity. How comfortable are you feeling this time around?

“I’ve felt a lot more comfortable out there this year,” he said. “Coming to the team last year was kind of tough. It was the first time I’d done that in a long time. But knowing the locker room, the guys and the system and knowing that the coaching staff knows what to expect from me, I think all of that is making it easier for me to go out there and make plays. They’re giving me a lot of great chances – like playing on the powerplay – and they’re giving me a lot of ice time, so it’s been a lot of fun.”

How much of it is feeling comfortable off the ice first and then having that translate into success on the ice?

“It’s a lot,” Aucoin said. “It comes from playing a lot. When you’re playing well, you’re going to play with a lot of confidence. Once the second and third games came around, I started playing with a lot more confidence and I started playing a lot better. It just takes a little bit to get your legs back under you when you get called up. You get to a point where you’re playing with so much confidence that you’re going to go out there and produce every shift and help the team win.”

And you’re not the only one with confidence. Like you said, coach Bruce Boudreau has thrown you out there with the big guns on the powerplay lately. How great has that been?

(Laughs). “Yeah, it’s fun,” he said. “Every time I get to go out there with those guys – you know, some of the top guys in the league – you get a little nervous because you want to make sure you get them the puck and you don’t screw up. But it’s a lot of fun when I go out there, even if a lot of time I don’t know where to go. It’s kind of a split decision, where to go. But they help me out a lot and make it easier on me because they all know how to make plays. It’s a lot of fun and something I look forward to.”

Boudreau recently said something along the line of, “you’ve got everything except for the NHL body.” Obviously that’s been the knock on you and it’s something beyond your control …

“Exactly,” Aucoin said. “You just have to use the stuff you have to your advantage. With the new rules that have been put into place, they’ve really helped me a lot. I’m able to use my speed more because they can’t use their stick or hold you in the corner anymore. That’s been a big reason why I’ve been successful at this level. I try not to use my size as a disadvantage. I try to be physical and have never shied away from that stuff.

“I wish I was 6-2 or 6-3,” he said. “It’d be a lot easier. But I’m not. So I don’t worry about it. I just go out there and enjoy it.”

Off the ice, how tough is the uncertainty when you’re called up like this – knowing that some roster spots are going to have to open up once guys get healthy?

“It’s tough, but you kind of get used to it,” Aucoin said. “The last few years it’s something I’ve gone through. The best thing you can do is go out there every night and give it 110 percent and make it hard for them to send you down. That’s the best thing you can do, and I feel like I’m doing that. I try not to worry about it, because I think if you get caught up in it, then it affects your game and you don’t play as well. I just take it day-by-day and go from there.”

Okay, so if you’re living one day at a time, then how much fun are you having this time around?

“I’m having a great time,” he said. “It’s a great team and a great locker room. They make it a lot easier on me and this is a fun locker room to be a part of. They’ve got some of the best players in the world here, so it’s a lot of fun. I’m going to enjoy it as long as I’m here.”

28Oct

theodore is the difference

In blog, hockey by b murf / October 28, 2009 / 2 Comments

(photo by Manuel Balce Ceneta)

When Semyon Varlamov first arrived in Washington and showed flashes of brilliance, Capitals fans quickly envisioned a lock-down goalie who could single-handedly take over games.

One season later, that’s exactly what the Caps have. The only surprise? It’s Jose Theodore who has become the indisputable number-one goalie in Washington. Not Varlamov.

After falling behind 2-0 deep into the second period Tuesday night, the Capitals battled back to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 at the Verizon Center, thanks to Theodore’s best outing since he joined the Caps.

“I felt pretty good,” Theodore said. “I’ve been feeling pretty much the same way since the first game. Sometimes you just have to do a bit more. It doesn’t mean that on a 20-save night I don’t feel as good. I think the guys played really well clearing the puck and I was able to challenge the shooters, which is a big part of my game. They did a great job of clearing away rebounds.”

The Capitals have won five-straight games after Theodore’s 41-save effort against the Flyers. And while Theo kept them in the game early, none of his saves were bigger than when he shut down Flyers forward Darroll Powe on a penalty shot in the third period.

“In training camp I said it was the best I felt since the lockout,” Theodore said. “Sooner or later, people are going to realize I didn’t say that just for fun.”

With Theodore frustrating the Philadelphia offense, the Capitals top line of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin handled the rest – combining for four goals and nine points on the evening.

The Capitals failed to convert on a lengthy five-on-three powerplay in which they had a two-man advantage for 1:41. Typically when that happens, it serves as a huge momentum boost for the opposition. In a related story, Flyers defenseman Braydon Coburn scored just one minute after the powerplay to give Philadelphia the two-goal lead.

But that’s when something clicked for the Caps offense, who responded with an Ovechkin goal, which was set up by a beautiful pass from Backstrom, just 99 seconds later.

So what happened?

“We got pissed off,” Backstrom said. “We were so angry that we couldn’t score.”

Well, okay then.

Pissed off or not, Backstrom evened the score at 2-2 with less than two minutes remaining in the second period with his third goal of the season. Not only was it huge because the goal tied the game, but it ended a streak in which the Caps had failed to score on 13-straight powerplays.

Semin gave the Caps the lead for good with a wicked wrist shot that froze Flyers goalie Ray Emery 5:24 into the final frame and Ovechkin added an empty netter to send the sellout crowd home happy. But the only reason the Caps had a chance Tuesday night was because of the superb play of Theodore.

“Absolutely,” said Capitals forward Keith Aucoin. “That’s one of the best games I’ve seen him play since I’ve been here. He’s been playing really good and he made some huge saves for us in every period tonight. It’s fun to watch him when he’s playing like that. He was definitely the key to the win tonight.”

Not to take anything away from fan-favorite Varlamov, but Theodore is definitely the undisputable number one goalie in town.

While his record is just 3-2-2, Theodore 2.47 goals against average and a .922 save percentage. And while Varlamov is prone to giving up goals in bunches, Theodore has only improved when the Caps fall behind an opponent this season.

No lead is safe against the Capitals these days. Not when they have one of the leagues most potent offenses and a rock-steady goalie anchoring their defense. Just ask the Flyers.

27Oct

eagles playlist

In blog, football by b murf / October 27, 2009 / 4 Comments

(photo by Brian Murphy)

1. “When the Sun Goes Down” by Arctic Monkeys

Why must networks continue to give the Washington Redskins primetime games? We ask this because, even before this season turned into an absolute nightmare, it’s difficult to remember the last time the ‘Skins actually had a strong showing when all eyes turned to D.C. for a marquee matchup.

Having lost four out of their first six games, with losses to some of the worst teams to actually qualify for “professional” football status, there was little reason to believe the Redskins would somehow get their collective act together and avoid embarrassment against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.

Of course, the game seemed a fitting ending to a week in which the team became a punchline on a national level after management decided it was a good idea to take away head coach’s Jim Zorn’s playcalling duties and hand them over to a 67-year-old man who, until three weeks ago, was happily serving meals on wheels to old folks in Detroit (see? You can still kick the team without beating the “bingo” jokes into the ground).

2. “Takeover” by Jay-Z

While few rational people believed the Redskins would actually be victorious against the Eagles, it was still jarring to see the game basically over just two minutes into the game.

On Philly’s fourth offensive play of the night, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb handed the ball off to wide out DeSean Jackson on an end around that caught the Redskins so completely off guard, that fans witnessed what might have been the easiest 67-yard run in NFL history.

For his encore, Jackson then caught a 57-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter that gave the Eagles a 27-7 lead. Defensive back Carlos Rogers bit so hard on a double move by Jackson that by the time McNabb threw the ball, it honestly looked like the Redskins only had 10 men on the field – Jackson was that open.

So yeah, even on the night when Redskins receiver Devin Thomas and tight end Fred Davis both caught their first NFL touchdowns, Jackson completely upstaged them both. Here’s the kicker: all three players came from the second round of the 2008 draft. Thomas was the 34th pick, Davis was the 48th and Jackson went one spot later at 49 – meaning the ‘Skins passed up the chance to draft the game changer twice. We can’t help but wonder if that was part of his motivation as he ran circles around the burgundy and gold Monday night.

3. “This Place is a Prison” by The Postal Service

We can’t help but feel bad for Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell. Seriously, at this point, you almost wish that management’s offseason dreams would have come true and Campbell would have been traded away in favor of some other flavor of the month. Then, on nights like this, new guy would be pounded into the ground by aggressive defenses happily taking advantage of the worst offensive line in pro football.

Against the Eagles, Campbell was sacked six times. He fumbled twice, losing one, and had a pass intercepted and returned for a touchdown after it was batted down at the line of scrimmage. All while playing on an ankle he sprained on Washington’s third offensive play of the night.

It goes without saying that it’s difficult to run for your life when you’ve got a bum ankle. But the lowlight of this divisional matchup came when the Redskins couldn’t even execute the simplest of plays – snapping the ball.

In the closing moments of the final frame, center Casey Rabach managed to botch a snap on fourth-and-goal in one of the rare moments this season when the ‘Skins found themselves in the red zone.

Its one thing to blow a blocking assignment and let your guy get a free shot at your helpless quarterback from the blindside (cough … Stephon Heyer … cough), but it’s a whole other level of embarrassment to sabotage a rare scoring chance before the play evens starts.

4. “Reason to Mourn” by Ben Harper

The Redskins have had one consistent playmaker this season. His name is Chris Cooley. They will now, in all likelihood, be without their star tight end for the remainder of the season after Cooley was injured on the first play of the second quarter. Most fans missed it, mostly because everyone was too busy watching Campbell get stripped of the football.

After the game, Zorn confirmed the injury – which is a break is on the inner side of Cooley’s tibia. This means that the Redskins offense, which is already nonexistent, will now be without Cooley and tackle Chris Samuels for the rest of the season.

In a related note, if you were to ask which two players the Redskins offense could least afford to lose, the names Cooley and Samuels would be prominently involved.

5. “On My Own” by Lil Wayne

There was one bright spot on this evening. Sadly, it happened before kickoff.

But, at this point, we’ll take what we can get. On an otherwise forgettable evening, the team did one thing right, inducting returner Brian Mitchell into the Redskins’ Ring of Fame. The always outspoken Mitchell has never hesitated to speak his mind – good, bad or ugly – about the Redskins, which is probably why it took the team this long to honor him. But he’s still the NFL’s all-time leader in kickoff and punt return yardage and gave 10 highly-productive seasons to Washington.

While younger ‘Skins fans can only watch helplessly as Antwaan Randle El alternates between fair catches and fumbling punts, old timers can think fondly back to the days when Mitchell could actually do something once he got his hands on the football. Which basically sums up where this franchise is at. On a dreadful evening when the rest of the country once again got to laugh at our expense, the only saving grace came from honoring a player who hadn’t stepped onto the field for the Redskins in a decade.

This blows.