I like the way that the inimitable Jack Edwards calls a spade a spade. The NESN play by play man said it best when he called the first 47 minutes of the Bruins-Caps game "mind numbing". Edwards was right. What a ghastly display of mediocrity! The Caps could only muster 9 shots on Tim Thomas after 40 minutes. It looked to me like both teams were plagued by heavy legs. No skating. No jump. Just gliding.
Huge disappointment considering each team had a ton of skin in this game. A win would have punched Boston's ticket to the postseason. A Caps win would draw them even with Buffalo.
No amount of lipstick could pretty up that pig. Both teams were content to fore check one man while dropping four. There was zero flow. No chances. No scoring opportunities. Were the game not so important to the Sabres and their grip on eighth place, I'd have gone and watched American Idol. Dude, this game was THAT bad!
Tomas Vokoun pulled the chute early and ejected himself from the game with an injury, leaving Neuvirth the mop up duty in a money game.
What made matters worse was the five and a game that Jason Chimera was assessed for this dangerous hit from behind on Adam McQuaid.
I fully expect that Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli was on the phone to Brendan Shanahan, pleading for a suspension, just mere seconds after his player was injured by Chimera's lapse in common sense. I'm calling my shot now: three game suspension for Chimera. If Tyler Myers got three for his hit on Gomez,then Chimera desreves the same suspension for his jackassery. Such a suspension would really hurt the Caps as Chimera has been their best 200 foot player this season.
The Caps scored twice in a 1:55 span to take a commanding 2-0 lead in a game that they desperately needed to win in order to keep pace with eighth place Buffalo, who had punked them in their barn on Tuesday night. Buffalo entered the night in eighth place with 86 points
Trailing 2-0 with less than five minutes to play in regulation, the bruins found their giddyup and go. They scored twice in a 1:54 span to tie the game at 2-2.
Overtime was almost ended when Boychuk and Marchand crushed Neuvirth and were dogging the loose puck in the crease. No dice.
Brooks Laich wins the extra point for the caps in the Shootout.
Tim Thomas looked like an 80 year old man as he was caught guessing on the Bruins shooters in the shootout.
Bottomline:
Bruins could have helped the Sabres immensely by beating the reeling Caps, but instead, left Buffalo at the alter. So, instead of leading the Caps by two with a game in hand against the Pens on Friday night, we now have a another tie.
Sabres and Caps each have 86 points heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
Lots of sweating bullets of relief in the Caps room and the 3-2 shootout win in Bean town.
thanks, capitals.com
No time to whine about it. Sabres have to beat the Penguins on Friday night.
This is a monumental game-in-hand opportunity for the Sabres, who have won five straight, tocreate time and space between thmselvesand the Caps. Should Buffalo win both points tonight, and then win the home and home with the Leaf (very possible), Then we're talking about an eight game win straek and and owning 92 points by 10pm on Tuesday 4/3. The Sabres then finish against Philly and Boston. If feel like all five games are winnable opportunities.
The Sabres have to hold serve on home ice and win on Friday night to apply more pressure to the Capitals.
****
Huge scare for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Sidney Crosby's nose gushed blood after he was popped in the moosh by a puck shot by Islanders D, Dylan Reese, who was trying to clear the puck out of the lower left corner in the New York end when he hit Crosby, who was standing a few feet away from him.
The collective heart of Pittsburgh stopped for the 60 seconds segment that Crosby laid face-down on the ice.
Crosby was playing in only his ninth game of his second comeback of the season after recovering from concussion symptoms.
87 picked himself up off the ice and then dusted himself off. Then, he skated off to the tunnel leading to the dressing room. Crosby later returned to the bench with 10:13 left in the second period. All told, he missed 10 minutes of clock time.
The Pens play in Buffalo on Friday night.
****
Marcus Foligno is mature beyond his years. Not just physically, but mentally too.
Lost in all of the hoopla and mania around the NHL for King Marcus, is the fact that he's just 20 years old. Thats it. he won't turn 21 until August. Talk about being ahead of the curve. Jeez. This kid gets it. He really does. I've known Marcus for two years and change, and the thing that always impresses me about him is his maturity level and his humility. Dad Mike, Bro Nick, and Uncle Larry Playfair have done a great job of preparing Marcus for the pro game. Not just on the ice, but off the ice, too. His coaches in Rochester, Ron Rolston and Chris Taylor are in constant contact with Foligno. He keeps his big feet planted on the ground and he doesn't get too far ahead of himself. Persoanlly, I like his self-effacing humor. He doesn't take himself too seriously. You'd never know the difference between whether he just scored a hat trick or if he was -3 in a tough loss. Marcus keeps and even keel. That'll happen when you have NHL pedigree coursing through your veins. NHL hockey is in Foligno's DNA.
At 6'2 220 he's just learning the play a big man's role in the rough and tumble NHL. He's passing that test with flying colours. He's playing bar bouncer on the hottest line in the NHL right now. He's making melodic music with Ennis and Stafford. In his last nine games since his March 9 recall, Foligno has scored 6 goals and has added 4 assists. He's +8 in this recent streak. Thats impressive command of his on-ice game.
On the other side of the proverbial puck, Marcus spends a lot of time thinking about the game away from the rink. Whether its in the room, on the bike or at the grocery store, Foligno is aleways thinking about the game of hockey. He's a team-first guy who is never satisfied with his performance. His goal is to improve his game every time he is on the ice.
So far, so good.
I want you to listen to his responses to the questions asked of him in today's scrum. He's honest, direct, thoughtful and relaxed.
These days he's as relaxed off the rink and he is on.
thanks, sabres.com
***
@Roy9Ner skated at Thursday's optional event at First Niagara Center.
He and his mates are feeling a helluva lot better about their collective game these days.
There's a lot more fun in the air as a result of the 19-5-5 win streak.
Join the Discussion:
»