This is it, after about two weeks of play there are only two teams left undefeated. Home team Washington (6-0-0) and visitors Detroit (5-0-0). The Red Wings are fresh off of a 5-2 defeat of the Blue Jackets at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit on Friday night while the Capitals had a day of practice after a thorough rout of the Flyers in Philadelphia. The Caps would love to extend their winning streak to a franchise record 7 games to open the season, especially by beating a team that is arguably one of the best franchises in the sport while Detroit would love to honor their captain's 1500th game with a win. The goal-tending is going to be the story of the night. After a dismal debut in what he referred to as his "worst game", Tomas Vokoun has been outstanding for Washington, stopping 137 of the last 142 shots that he has faced. Detroit is coming off of five great games where they have let in a total of four goals in a 5 on 5 situation.
Pregame Prediction: Washington wins 3-2 OT. Detroit is a powerhouse of a team, that is well matched with Washington. I think Washington has a slight edge simply because Detroit played last night, and the stats favor the home team in this one. Either way, I'm ready for one hell of a game.
In net tonight it looks like Washington will be sticking with Tomas Vokoun (5W, .939 SV%, 1.95GAA) with Sabourin backing up. Detroit will have Ty Conklin (1W, 1.000 SV%, 0 GAA). Conklin has played all of one game, but it was a shutout in Colorado. This will be the fifth backup netminder Washington has faced this season, the exceptions being Dwayne Roloson and Ilya Bryzgalaov.
Game-Time!
Lines for the evening:
Washington:
Ovi-Backstrom-Brouwer Hamrlik-Green Vokoun
Semin-Johansson-Knuble Alzner-Carlson
Chimera-Laich-Ward Schultz-Wideman
Hendricks-Perrault-Halpern
Detroit:
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Cleary Lidstrom-White Conklin
Filppula-Franzen-Hudler Kronwall-Stuart
Abdelkader-Helm-Bertuzzi Ericsson-Kindl
Brunnstrom-Emmerton-Eaves
1st
20:00-Puck drop is taken back by washington, but washington fumbles it in the neutral zone.
19:49-White takes a shot that goes wide and the wings pick it up behind the net for another shot. Vokoun with a beautiful save.
19:06-Icing against Detroit
18:45-Caps are putting a good number of shots on goal, but they are all headed straight to Conklin, need better scoring chances if we hope to have any chance here.
18:10-An intense scrum, that looks like a good chance for Detroit, but it is covered by Vokoun and after some falling over the netminder play is whistled dead.
17:35-Semin knocks the puck away from the wings, but sort of stands there as it runs to the side of the net. Schultz moves in to take it, but I don't like the way he stood there. He's already come under fire for not "caring" enough. He is going to need to keep playing more like early season and less like this if he wants to re-sign.
16:00-Detroit has put several excellent shots on net. Washington needs to step up the pressure if they want to win this, especially on Defense.
15:00-Again, Caps have had some good chances, but Detroit is playing great defense. This game is looking good.
14:25-Datsyuk tries to deke out Vokoun, but Vokoun literally spins around to make an amazing save. So far, Vokoun is keeping the Caps in this game.
13:30-Knuble has a beautiful opportunity blocked by traffic in front of the net.
While we are on commercial here I just saw that the Canucks and Panthers made a trade. Canucks acquire David Booth, Steven Reinprecht and a 3rd rounder in 2013 from the Panthers for Samuelsson and Sturm.
12:20-Battle against the boards, brought away by the Wings. Skated in and a snapshot to Vokoun. he covers. Detroit is getting more opportunities off. Washington really needs to step it up here. That being said, the pace of this game is absolutely outstanding both teams are pushing quite hard, but Detroit really seems to have a much better defensive pressure.
11:29-Laich goes offsides. Faceoff is won by Washington and taken in by Chimera, who makes a weak pass to Ward that is intercepted.
10:42-Johansson skates in and makes a beautiful pass to Semin who shoots it wide. This pair is really clicking this year and it is great to see MJ90 score and score.
Carlson makes a great move to keep it in the zone, but the Wings knock it away and take it down to the Washington defensive end. Caps are having trouble both getting into the O-zone and staying there.
6:38-Offsides against Detroit
6:21-First penalty of the night. Bertuzzi takes a Contact after the icing penalty. Watching the replay I'm not sure he even heard the whistle. I think he thought it would be waved off. I guess that's a problem with playing in the loudest arena in the NHL.
6:00-Mike green makes a beautiful shot to the corner from the point! Washington scores! 0-1
5:45-Vokoun comes up big with a great save to keep Detroit from answering.
4:59-MJ90 has a beautiful close angle shot off a pass from Alexander Semin! Another Washington Goal! Score: 0-2
Caps are doing great getting multiple goals in short time periods.
Question from John-Was there a Screen on the goal?]
On the Mike Green goal, definitely. As for the Johansson goal, I really don't think Conklin expected Sasha to pass there. The Mike Green goal came off a beautiful backdoor pass from Backstrom and the MJ goal was a Knuble takeaway to Semin who tied everyone up as Marcus just came right in and dumped it in.
2:57-A dump in by Helm went high and took Green in the face. He is headed to the locker room.
2:01-Icing against Washington. Detroit is getting some beautiful chances here, but Vokoun is looking outstanding.
1:51-Wideman flattened by Hudler, a boarding call against Detroit.
38.3-Kronwall clears it after some beautiful chances by Washington.
9.5-Ty Conklin makes a beautiful diving save to cover up the puck. Passes it away.
2-Hamrlik fires wide and it rebounds of the backboards. Knuble picks up the rebound and takes a great shot that bounces off the post.
And that's the end of the first. After 20 minutes of play the score is 0-2 Washington. Detroit has dominated the play, but Washington has capitalized on several great chances.
While waiting for the second to start I wanted to look at the good and the bad so far.
The good-Washington is up 2-0 with some beautiful positioning. They are skating it in well, but just not quite getting the chances. Vokoun is looking stunning especially against datsyuk who has such a way with the puck.
The bad- Washington is being outshot 10-8, and the Red Wings seem to be out skating the younger Washington team. However, this game could still go either way.
We shall see.
On a related note, I still think that fact that Vokoun is making 1.5 mil this year was the biggest steal of the off-season. John also has no idea how Washington got him for so cheap.
Comment From John
I don't know how he went so cheaply. He was elite on a terrible Florida team. With a good team in front of him he has a great chance at the Vezina.
I actually think, based on his play so far (save for the Tampa game), that Vokoun has a great chance at the Vezina. It would be quite exciting if he got it as goal-tending has been a major problem for Washington in the past few years.
Comment From John
It'll be good for the younger goalies as well. Under his tutelage (spelling?) they could be full time starters in two years. I wouldn't be surprised to see Neuvy traded like Varly was, especially if they re-sign Vokoun. Holtby would make for a strong back up as he would take longer to develop.
I honestly don't know if that would happen. This fan base loves Neuvy. Though to be fair, they loved Varly and when they announced that he had earned a shutout while we were playing Tampa there were a lot of people booing in the stands.
Comment From John
It really all depends on the playoffs. Nuevy might get 30 games this season and Washington will do well no matter who is in goal. If Vokoun shines in the playoffs they'll want to win rather than keep fan favorites. But it's hard to hold onto goalies ready to be starters. Look at Vancouver... Schneider is clearly ready but he is stuck behind Luongo. With Washington having three goalies one will have to go.
And here we go! Second Period is under way!
18:35 Detroit is out-skating Washington, but I guess when it comes down to it the scoreboard is all that really matters. Schultz blows a beautiful one-timer. Datsyuk takes it and Vokoun makes another save on Datsyuk.
16:19 Dropback pass from Cleary to Datsyuk with a powerful wrister straight to the gut of Vokoun. You could hear the thwump on TV. And Beninati announced that Green is back on the bench looking good and ready to go.
15:51-High Sticking against Emmerton
15:01-Ovechkin has had several great opportunites this power play and he passes it to Green who puts it in top shelf! Washington Goal! Score: 0-3. Think Mike Green can get a hat trick? I mean he may need it to cover his new bruise from that puck.
13:00-Hamrlik with a great block.
12:35-The momentum of this game is so far in Washington's favor. Detroit is still playing great, but they need to pick it up again if they hope to come back.
12:00-Ovechkin vs Kronwall towards the goal. Ovi shoots wide.
Just a little factoid here, Wideman's assist on Green's second goal there ties his longest ever point streak. He has a point in every Washington game this season.
10:50-Hendricks takes a holding call and Detroit will go on their first power play of the night.
10:37-Less than 15 seconds into this PP and Vokoun has already come up huge twice.
10:00-Datsyuk pass was intercepted and cleared by Carlson. Much needed line changes for both teams.
9:21-31 Sec left in this power play and the net is knocked off the moorings. Hamrlik is called for delay of game. So we go to 31 seconds of 5-on-3 for Detroit.
8:55-Datsyuk to Kronwall, powers it right by Vokoun! Detroit Goal! Detroit is back on the Power Play. Score 1-3
8:15-Halpern with a breakaway chance. Caught glove side by Conklin.
7:18-Back to full strength, great work on the PK there by Washington.
6:45-Back to the power play for Detroit after Semin takes a dumb high-sticking penalty. Washington looks like they are getting sloppy.
6:40-5 Seconds into the power play and Ian White rips off a rocket. Vokoun makes the save.
5:58-Alzner makes a great clear to get the line change.
5:30-Capitals back to the 5-on-3. Not too sure on this one, MJ90 takes a tripping call.
After seeing the replay, it's a legit call, but still a sloppy play.
4:45-HUGE save by Vokoun! Followed up by another big save to end the 5-on-3. That was great work on the PK by Washington there
4:30-1 Min left on the power play and Detroit comes charging in. Halpern knocks it away and clears it out of the zone.
3:30-Another sizzler from the point and Vokoun knocks it away with a stick save. Caps kill another penalty. At commercial now, so I'll make a quick rant, The caps need to stop taking stupid penaltys, especially when on the penalty kill already. This Detroit squad is extremely powerful and the last thing they need is excuses to score.
2:20-Caps get tangled up and Wideman dives out to make a great block.
1:30-Zetterberg takes it the length and Vokoun makes a nice kick out save. Vokoun, with the way he is playing, should have a shutout. However, thanks to the penalties he will not be getting one.
Comment From john
If you need an example of how penalties hurt a team you can look at the Rangers. They lost their first four games mostly due to bad penalties.
0:37-Washington is just passing it around to kill some time.
7.6-Hendricks pumps one on net and Conklin closes his legs to block the 5-hole. It slides through and Perrault puts it in! Washington Goal! Score: 1-4
And that's the end of the Second. Detroit once again dominated the play, but the Caps keep finding the back of the net.
Some stats: Shots on Goal 26 v 14. Scoring Chances 16 v 11. Detroit is LEADING in both those Categories.
and we are underway here in the third
Ovechkin had a good pass attempt that was intercepted. He seems to have picked up some of his old speed. Good to see. Johansson tried to stuff it through the wraparound...again...conklin was beyond ready for it.
16:02-Scrum behind the detroit goal. recovered by detroit, knocked straight to carlson
15:52-Zetterberg spins and looks to stuff, goes right across the crease.
15:00-Ovechkin has a great shot blocked by Lidstrom and it goes out of play
13:00-Detroit skates it in and Zetterberg puts a weak wrister into Vokoun's glove
I would still love to see green get a hat trick tonight, but either way, Detroit is still playing a powerful game. Lidstrom lost his helment
11:43-Great intercept by laich, rushes in dekes conklin passes to Ward who dumps it in! Washington Goal! Score 1-5
11:20-White takes a tripping penalty should have been conflicting minors or, at the worst, a Washington pp. White was definitely tripped...
10:50-Washington, not really crusing in on the power play, but green passes to backstrom as ovi heads offsides...
8:41-Hendricks takes the draw, Perrault picks it up, takes a shot, and puts it pass Conklin for his second of the night! Washington Goal! Score 1-6
I think Detroit may be done, but stranger things have happened....
Every line of Washington has at least one point tonight. The only downside to going 7-0 is that only one team that has done that has ever won the cup....
3:00-Detroit has slowed the pace again, but they are still fighting hard. This is a great team that has just been floored by a great goaltender.
2:35-And a deflection from carlson goes right in the back of the net as backstrom pops it in! Washington goal! Score 1-7
Red wings total goals against in their 6 games has now been doubled. They had let in a total of 7 goals before this game. I still don't understand the "All Your Fault" cheer that washington does after a goal. Not to say I don't do it.
0:0-And that's all she wrote. Vokoun with an outstanding performance in net for a 7-1 win over a strong Detroit squad.
Postgame
Well my prediction was off...by just a little more than a bit. This game was decided by the end of the first. Of all the things, I never expected a blowout. Green was the first star of the night. with his personal record tying four points. I would have loved to have seen him get a hat trick, but oh well. There were enough scorers anyways. Second Star tonight was Vokoun. He faced 33 shots and had a .97 save percentage. This win makes the Caps the 10th team to win 7 straight to start the season. The record still stands as a tie between the 93-94 Maple Leafs and the 06-07 Sabres with 10 games a piece. The only team to win the cup after starting 7-0 was the 83-84 Oilers.
The Caps played well, finding the back of the net 7 times. They took some weak penalties, but they managed to pull out a great PK unit and recover. I felt that the defensive pressure was lacking at times, but the forecheck looked pretty good tonight. I still think that the shutdown grouping that is Washington's third line is going to be the big thing to help Washington win this season.
It's a testament to how deep Washington's lineup is this year when the ice time is so similar per line. This is also probably why every line and defensive pair recorded a point tonight. They play well together, and they are having a great run. Hopefully this carries over as we get into November and is still going well as we reach April.
The Caps now start hitting the road, playing four out of the next five games on the road. Starting with the game Thursday in Edmonton. followed by Saturday's game in Vancouver. The Caps have a great start to the season, but as Green said tonight, it's only October. April is a long way off.
No comments:
Post a Comment