Islanders (Sound Tigers) @ Capitals (Bears) [game thread]

So my wireless acted up until about 10 minutes in, just in time to see that the “power play stats are packaged by the [parcel carrier] store.” (I have the Capitals’ feed tonight.) I guess I’ll trade DVR commercial-free for in-game silly promos.

This goal brought to you by Alex Ovechkin, allowed a wide open shot at the end of the powerplay. Now that was a freaking wrist shot. I could handle having a weapon like that.

But I cannot tell why. Not sure if the Caps’ feed caught it … they’re not describing it, anyway.

“Johnny” or “Big,” as they called him in St. Louis (Roman Turek was, heh, "Large") had the world in his hands at one point with the Blues. But then he started to act like it and his play (and, reportedly, practice habits) suffered. I guess it’s nice to see he’s kind of found a place and a role.

Another PP goal. 2-for-3 so far. Pock, I don’t know what you did to det in da box, but I hope you feel shame.

Goal was a point shot, deflected off something or other in front. They’re calling it Kozlov’s at the moment.

As they cut to commercial, he’s seen saying something roughly like “Forget golf” — hey, I’m lip-reading — to Fehr. 14:18, we definitely need some kind of spark.

…shows something like three deflections. I’m gonna go ahead and absolve MacDonald of blame on that one.

I was gonna mention this in my preview, but I didn’t feel I had enough data yet, but the Caps announcers just suggested as much: When the Isles have a layoff like they did this week, it seems like they have trouble getting ignited with Gordon’s system.

It’s like they don’t get off the ground, don’t get their legs firing, don’t realize they’ve gotta Move, MOVE, MOVE to make up for the lack of someone with an Ovechkin-like wrist shot.

They showed him walking off to the locker room. If he’s walking, I think he’s coming back. The one contact they showed on a replay just showed him sort of being spun on a fly-by non-check. Must’ve tweaked his nitro tank.

Caps trivia question: Which two NHLers scored 20 goals with 6 diff. teams?

I’m guessing Gerin and Ciccarelli.

Streit fires from the point on the PP. Just straight up, not sure if it deflected anywhere; simply missed Johnson’s trapper.

Just watching the Caps pregame now. They interviewed Backstrom at ice level: “You guys weren’t ready to play against the Panthers. How do you change that tonight?”

Backstrom: “I mean we came, we go to practice, we practice hard, we play hard, and then we ready to go.”

Straight-forward enough. No one’s taught him the “it’s a new game” phrase yet, but he’s there.

What do arenas do with hat trick hats thrown on the ice?
In Washington, they go to Guest Services, where fans can reclaim them. I’ve heard this to be the case at other arenas, but I’m not sure if it’s league-wide.

Second period, here we go. Skate, boys, skate.

Streit takes a Morrison slapshot to the skate. Play’s whistled, he limps off. Not good.

Is there anyone the Isles can less afford to lose? Maybe MacDonald?

Soon after MacD dodged a bullet, as a shot from the slot rang the post.

Blast from the point gloved by Johnson.

Ovechkin’s back (naturally), too.

My first 30-40 game threads had only my comments :) Keep up the hard work though and it’ll come!

I do hope I jinxed Johnson with the ol flaky-in-St. Louis talk. Campoli just beat him from center ice — no, strike that, it was an earnest dump-in attempt from center, it just deflected in off a player on the boards. (Johnson left the net to pick up the expected dump-in).

We almost had another O’Byrne. (Well, not quite). Delayed penalty, Sutton passes at the point and it deflects off a Capitals’ foot back toward (but just missing) the Isles goal.

I’ll be picking my heart up out of my intestines now.

Just let Laich breeze on by for a partial breakaway. That’s not cool. Don’t give forwards-at-the-point a (deserved) bad name, Dougie.

Jackman draws Ovechkin into a penalty. Exchanged weak slashes, then Ovie cross-checked him in the back … he may have “embellished,” but the call on Ovie is clear.

Come on, boys!

Isles just survive the 4-on-3 to 5-on-4, then Sutton comes out of the box, gets a shot, wins the rebound, then feeds like Trottier to Hunter for the bang home. Excellent hustle play.

They draw a slashing penalty on Helmer, though I’m not sure if it was legit. We’ll take it!

Ovechkin hit Sutton from behind. But it was a fly-by bump…and the ref didn’t call it until he saw Sutton stayed down and the Caps got the puck. Those are tough ones: if the Caps score off that and Sutton is really hurt, it looks really bad. But to me Ovechkin let up enough to not kill Sutton (he didn’t follow through on him into the boards). That’s what we want hitters to do when the puckholder turns his back.

Anyway, period ends with the Isles on another PP.

And we have a game! This should be good. Caps are vulnerable, with this decimated D corps. Need big stops from Joey Mac, sustained pressure — don’t sit back if you get the lead! — and a little luck.

…gonna have to catch the third on DVR.

… and recording just for posterity’s and notes’ sake.

So Brashear gives the Caps the lead when MacDonald couldn’t cover a goalmouth scramble. MacD’s had a tough night. He’s made a lot of nice saves, but he’s had some non-inspiring moments. Been a little under siege though.

I always get a kick out of seeing athletes’ responses to watching hockey for the first time. I’m sure seats down at the glass help sell the deal.

Sigh. So this one, the Isles lose the faceoff (Park), Ovie-8 has it at the point and shoots, couple rebounds and Fehr knocks it in. I think that’s the problem with Joey Mac tonight: it’s not his fault there were rebounds (it was through traffic), he’s just been a step behind in covering or boggling up loose pucks. That said, this one isn’t on him.

… and that’s a wrap.