Yup. The Devils looked like the Island of Mismatched Toys today. Their best skilled players are too old and too slow to match up with a fast team for 60 minutes while their younger and more energetic players make too many mistakes. A fast team playing with high energy exposes all that. We saw all the cracks today. What a mess.mikeford said:Completely embarrassing
WoburnDiaspora said:The Hurricanes score 3 goals in 3 minutes mid way through the 3rd period to come back from a 2-0 deficit against the super hot Columbus Blue Jackets and win.
ForceAtHome said:The Caps have lost 7 in a row. They've scored 1 or fewer goals in six of those games. Over the seven game losing streak, they have 8 total goals. They're only 4 points back of the current 56 point bar to make the playoffs, but fading quickly. (Come back soon, Ovechkin... hopefully tonight.)
ForceAtHome said:Martin Erat has been held off the goal sheet this year, and that giant goose egg is pretty glaring. I believe he has the most games played by a forward without a goal this year. In his 43 games (much of it spent with minimal minutes and on the 4th line), he has 0 goals and 16 assists. His assists are still fourth on the Caps among forwards and fifth overall on the team. I actually like his game, think he is a solid creator, and think he's played pretty well, but other Caps fans seem to disagree/hate him.
His assist on the game winner was terrific.ForceAtHome said:
Warts and all, there is simply no denying that Ovechkin creates offense. The Caps are 2-0 since he's returned, scoring 5 goals in each game. Ovechkin has put up 1+1=2 and 2+2=4, serving as a spark plug to awaken the offense. Ovechkin has had two nice assists on 2-on-1 players in the past two games where the defender (and goalie) were so committed to taking away his shot that Wellman and Green have had slam dunks. Ovechkin has also done a nice job selling the shot before passing.
Erat has 4 assists in the past two games with a +5 rating. He's been excellent. He could be Washington's x-factor in getting back into the playoff hunt.
cshea said:And she had at least 2 false starts before they introduced her.
Edit: On a hockey related note, I'm not sure the Islanders are making a wise decision in starting Nabokov tonight. First start back from injury, it may not be wist to play him on bad ice and in freeze cold temperatures. Seems like they're asking for trouble.
Yup, I totally agree. The only guy on the team that knows how to play in the offensive zone. Imagine what he could do if he had ANYONE to play with on the first line.mikeford said:The Devils absolutely blow goats but watching Jagr play hockey is a goddamn gift.
I'll pop champagne but it'll cost more than $5 a bottle. It'll be cause for celebration. I'm done with Deboer....and Lou as well, actually. The same limitations that got Deboer fired in Florida are manifesting again in Jersey. Players are not getting better. The team seems unable to progress beyond mediocrity, which, right now, still seems like a step up. Lines are constantly being shifted to try to catch lightning in a bottle but nothing is clicking. The young guys are not progressing but are being juggled between Newark and Albany. The old guys are just too old...period. They can't close out games because they have no extra gear to go to anymore. When the other team start pressuring, the puck always seems to be just out of reach of the Devils' old-timers. Just see what's happened in the last two games, losing regulation wins in the last minute because they simply can't get the puck out of their own end.mikeford said:Imagine what the entire team might do if we had a competent coach who played people based on merit instead of veteran status.
Def popping a $5 bottle of champagne when this clown finally files for unemployment.