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Category Archives: The D and C DC Sports Podcast
Erat-ic Behavior
On a trade deadline that offered crickets for the first half of the day, the Washington Capitals made sure to cement its exit with a loud boom. The noise was so big, in fact, that the Capitals requested that all local T.V. and news networks attend a press conference to hear it. An hour-and-a-half delay after the initial deadline, Capitals General Manager George McPhee announced that the Capitals had traded away prized Center/Winger prospect Filip Forsberg for veteran Right Winger Martin Erat and minor leaguer Michael Latta. BOOM! That was the sound of Caps’ fans jaws hitting the floor. It was the sound of the Verizon Center’s roof collapsing from within, and the sound of the rapturous cheers in Nashville for the prized possession they seemingly just received for a bucket of used hockey pucks. In one half-an-hour’s time, McPhee managed to enrage one fan-base, while elating another.
Filed under Crashing The Net, The D and C DC Sports Podcast
Comeback Caps
The Washington Capitals secured their first winning streak of the 2012-2013 season in dramatic fashion, defeating the Florida Panthers 6-5 in overtime on Tuesday night. The win gives the Caps two wins in a row for the first time in the 2012-2013 season and was also the first road win of the season for the team, stretching their record to 4-8-1. Washington did not make it easy on themselves however, as the game took on many aspects that have resulted in losses. It followed a formula that offered the Capitals scoring the first goal, early in the first period, only to suffer defensive lapses in the second. However, one key cog that proved to be a difference in the game was the goaltending by Braden Holtby, something that has often been a letdown for this particular hockey club. Despite the score, and the game’s identity that resembled a Caps game from 2009, Holtby proved to battle through bad bounces and tough breaks to come up strong in the games most critical moments. He stood tall on a Panther 2-on-0 breakaway, making a dazzling save that saw him going into the full splits. He also fought back after a controversial fifth goal by Florida that was scored after an inadvertent whistle blew simultaneously as the puck crossed the goal line. But the key story from this game was not Holtby. It was instead the morale and comradery of a team that has folded like a house of cards earlier in the season when it found itself in similar situations this year. It was the notion that this team, down two goals with five minutes to play in the third, battled back for their coach, for each other, and for their dwindling hopes of a successful season.
Filed under Crashing The Net, The D and C DC Sports Podcast
March of the Penguins
The Capitals came into Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh hoping to end a two game skid. From the looks of the first period, they appeared to be on their way. The second period, however, was a completely different story and it proved to be their nemesis once again as the Washington Capitals dropped their third straight, losing 5-2. It was an encouraging start for the Capitals. They forced countless turnovers in the Pittsburgh defensive zone, while playing stifling defense themselves. They limited the Penguins to only five shots on goal while capitalizing on one of their first. A good screen by Wojtek Wolski caused Marc-Andre Fluery to struggle seeing a Tomas Kundratek slap shot and, after losing his mask, was unable to corral the rebound. Instead, Mike Ribiero, a lone bright spot for the Caps this season, was able to bang home the rebound into the empty net. Alex Ovechkin also seemed to find himself in a groove early on. He was able to get multiple shots on goal, and was also seen throwing his body around.
Filed under Crashing The Net, The D and C DC Sports Podcast
Crashing The Net- 1/27/13
Segment 1- Tom, Mike and Adam talk about the 1st week of the shortened NHL season and who could win the Vezina Trophy this year.
Crashing The Net 1-27-13 Seg 01
Segment 2- The guys talk about how to fix the Washington Capitals.
Crashing The Net 1-27-13 Seg 02
Follow us on Twitter: @TomDaly2 @DCSportsFTW @NoCredentialsPN
Filed under Crashing The Net, The D and C DC Sports Podcast
Oh So Close
If a regulation hockey game was forty minutes long, the Capitals would own a 2-3-1 record. Such is not the case however, as the Washington Capitals blew a two goal lead that they held for over half of their game with the Ottawa Senators on a frigid Tuesday night. It was a game in which it seemed as though the Caps had finally gained some form of a comfort level with Adam Oates’ new system, and for the majority of the first two periods, Washington looked like a very dominant, and efficient hockey club. Troy Brouwer opened up the scoring in bitterly cold Ottawa just passed the thirteen minute mark of the first period when Wojtek Wolski turned a loose puck over at center ice and created a two-on-one opportunity with Brouwer. Wolski snuck down the left wing and fed a saucer pass to the forehand of Troy Brouwer in the low slot, who then passed up the quick shot, and opted to deke Craig Anderson. Brouwer finished the play by tucking the puck on his backhand passed a sprawling Anderson, who actually caught a piece of it before he saw it roll across the goal line.
Filed under Crashing The Net, The D and C DC Sports Podcast
Finally On the Board
All is well again in Washington D.C., at least for one night, as the Washington Capitals earned their first victory of the 2013 campaign in a 3-2 thriller against the Buffalo Sabres. The Caps were coming off of an overtime defeat at the hands of the New Jersey Devils on Friday night, a game that saw the DC hockey team overcome a two goal deficit to force overtime. They seemed to have gained confidence from that game, as it spilled over into this afternoon’s contest.
Filed under Crashing The Net, The D and C DC Sports Podcast
Capitals Woes Continue
For the third game in a row, the Capitals had a strong push in the first period. And for the third game in a row, they were unable to sustain that momentum for much longer than that as they dropped what was arguably their worst defeat of the season, getting crushed 4-1 against Montreal on Thursday night. The loss snaps a six game win streak against Montreal and dropped the Caps to 0-3 to start the season, the worst start since the 1993-1994 season when they lost six straight. In a night that felt as though things were finally starting to swing in the Capitals’ favor, ended in anything but. As they had in their first two games, the Capitals looked solid early on in the first period. In fact, if not for potential Vezina Trophy candidate Carey Price, this game had the looks of a very favorable outcome for the Capitals’ early on. There were signs that some of Adam Oates’ new system had begun to stick, especially with players like Jay Beagle and Matt Hendricks, both of whom have had very strong outings through the first three games.
Filed under Crashing The Net, The D and C DC Sports Podcast
Capitals Skate to Slow Start
Going into the lockout shortened season, many speculated that players’ endurance levels would be somewhat of a factor in the first few games. The Washington Capitals have proven this to be the case as, for the second time in as many games, they were unable to maintain the high energy level of play they sustained for the first half of a period or so. Tuesday night, the Caps were back at it on the ice, trying to erase a sloppy and disorganized 6-3 loss in Tampa Bay on Saturday night. The game, this time against a visiting Winnipeg Jets team on the second leg of a back-to-back, bore a similar storyline to the game this past Saturday. The Caps started off on a good note. They seemed to have a better understanding of the new offensive forechecking system that Adam Oates has installed, creating turnovers deep in Winnipeg’s zone, resulting in a couple of scoring chances. Ultimately, it was Matt Hendricks who cashed in on a beautiful tick-tack-toe play that started with a cross ice pass from Alex Ovechkin to Nicklas Backstrom. Backstrom majestically threw a slap-pass down to the goal mouth where Hendricks was able to redirect the puck into the net with his skate. Washington also seemed to have a nice flow to their power play, and although they did not score on it until a meaningless goal late in the third period, they seemed to have good puck movement and were able to generate chances.
Filed under Crashing The Net, The D and C DC Sports Podcast
Growing Pains for Caps
Well, at times it wasn’t pretty, but hockey was back in full-fledged action on Saturday. Mistakes are still to be made, and rust still to be shed, but for now, it will do. The Washington Capitals and Adam Oates made their long anticipated debut Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but ultimately fell short in a 6-3 loss. The Caps looked to be in control, even dominant at times, early on in the first. Much of that had to do with an early interference penalty drawn by Alex Ovechkin followed almost immediately by another penalty by Tampa which ultimately led to the Capitals being on the power play for four of the game’s first five minutes. The Caps had plenty of chances, but Tampa’s newly acquired goaltender Anders Lindback proved that he was up for the challenge of being a starting goaltender for the first time in his career.
Filed under Crashing The Net, The D and C DC Sports Podcast
No Credentials Podcast Network 