Hockey In BlondeSpeak - Countdown to the Playoffs

On March 22, when the Washington Capitals beat the Philadelphia Flyers, they also clinched a spot for the 2010-2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. This is the 4th time in the last 4 years this has happened for our Caps. As of this writing; (Sunday 3/27/11 at 6 pm EST); the Caps are second seed in the Eastern Conference. Why give you that date and time information? These standings can change at a moment’s notice, depending on another team’s win or loss. You really have to stay on top of all the team’s stats at this time of year to keep up with the playoff standings!

Clinching a playoff spot is great news, but what if you don’t understand what all this means? Well, I’m going to break it down into my “BlondeSpeak” for you.

Each conference, East and West, have 8 teams in the playoffs. Their position in the standings is called a “seed” and is based on their points throughout the entire season of 82 games. When the playoffs begin, the 1st round games are determined by that seed; #1 plays #8, #2 plays #7, #3 plays #6, and #4 plays #5 in each conference. Each of the playoff games are the best of 7. As the playoffs progress, the rounds continue as teams are eliminated, eventually resulting in the final East team versus the final West team for the Stanley Cup.

As Caps fans, we are all happy and proud that our boys have clinched another spot in the playoffs, but being #2 could be a really tough spot to be in, based on the standings at this moment. IF the playoffs were to begin right now, our Caps would face the current #7 seed; the New York Rangers; in the first round. This could be a challenging series of games for the Caps. We have faced the New York Rangers 4 times this season; twice at Madison Square Garden and twice at Verizon Center. Of those 4 games, the Caps won only one game; on 11/9/2010. Twice, the Rangers have shut our team out. Personally, I would rather face the Montreal Canadiens in the first round. After all, the Caps have beaten the Habs in 3 out of 4 of their games this season. But for this to happen, we would have to rely on teams like the Penguins or the Bruins to take over the 2nd seed and move us down to #3 or the Rangers to move up to #6. As long as the Habs stay at #7, then we could face them in the first round. See why each team’s playoff seed position is so important?

I’m sure you remember last season when the Caps won the President’s trophy and began the playoffs in the #1 seed. Many fans expected the Caps to glide right through to the final round. After all, we were #1! But now I’d like to give you a little hockey history lesson, some of which was already covered previously in my 2010-2011 Caps Season Second Half post.

In the last 10 NHL seasons, only 4 teams who started the playoffs as #1 seed have gone all the way to the end and raised the Stanley Cup for their fans. The 2nd seed team has won 4 times and the 4th seed team has won twice. And, the only team to go in as #1 and win the Stanley Cup round in less than 7 games was the Detroit Red Wings - twice (2002 & 2008). I’m not a statistician. As a matter of fact; math hurts my brain so I am gonna whip out my simple little chart to illustrate this:

 

Now considering the “jinx” of the President’s Trophy, as well as the fact that 1st seed teams have the biggest target on their backs, I’m not really upset that the Caps are not #1 this season. (Yeah, I know, #1 faces the lowly #8 team. You need to keep in mind, that #8 team has a lot to prove and are undoubtedly going be pretty scrappy in the 1st round. But looking at that chart, #8 hasn’t won the Stanley Cup in the last 10 seasons, so it isn’t statistically the best position to be in going into the playoffs. Glad we aren’t there!) But, the 2nd seed team has won the Stanley Cup 4 times in the last 10 years, so ours hopes have not been dashed yet!

Ours Caps will always be #1 in our hearts, but being #2 isn’t such a bad thing. Be proud Caps fans! Let’s just hope when the final game of the season is finished, our Caps will all be healthy and strong and ready to go all the way to the end. Like I said back in January, now that we have; once again; clinched a spot in the playoffs, we still have the chance to see our boys raise that cup over their heads and finally put the naysayers to rest. And wouldn’t it be great to see Ovi lift it time after time on replays and in commercials, instead of Sid? Yeah, I think so too.

Fun with "Cap"tions

Ok, it's St Patrick's Day and I've had a few non-green beers. While I was editing my pics from the Caps-Hawks game, I came across this one and felt it could use a little further editing.

So with a stick tap to our pals over at RocktheRed.net (who are always inspiring when it comes to caption contests), I give you this....



And, of course, I couldn't let you get away without seeing the product of my shananigans:

While we're at it, here's a couple more of our guys (in green) if you feel really creative (the rest will be on Flickr soon):

Well, I did say I have been drinking.

Bidding Adieu to Ohio State

Ah, Stecks, we’ve had you on our team for so long, it’s gonna be weird not seein’ you in Caps red. Now you’re going to be in Devils’ red, at least the color will be familiar! And now you are in the same division as Sidney Crosby, how fortuitous is that, Danger Dave?

Many people don’t realize Dave Steckel is a mountain of a man, but I think Sidney Crosby can attest to this fact. You may well remember the 2011 Winter Classic game on 1/1/2011, where Stecks’ 6’5” 217 lb. body unintentionally collided with Sid and, according to Mr. Crosby, is a factor in his current concussion condition. (Say that 3 times fast). Many NHL players, including current Penguins, came to Stecks’ defense, acknowledging that Mr. Steckel is not a dirty player and it was obvious to them and the NHL; when the collision was reviewed after the game; that the hit was indeed deemed unintentional and not a punishable offense. But, Danger Dave is probably still on the Pens Most Wanted list. And it may be debatable as to what Dave would consider his crowning achievement; the hit to Crosby or his game winning OT goal in the playoffs in May of 2009 against the same Penguins, but neither probably endears him to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Low and behold, he’ll be facing the Penguins this coming Friday, March 4th, and again on March 25th and April 5th. And he probably thought he was done with them for the regular season, eh?

In case you don’t know, Stecks was originally a 1st round draft pick by LA, but after 4 years at Ohio State, he never signed with them. He joined the Caps in 2005 as a free agent and except for his first two seasons played in both Washington and Hershey; his whole NHL career to date has been as a Washington Capital. This season, Stecks has 11 points in 57 games (5 goals, 6 assists). His career as a Cap has resulted in 23 goals and 53 assists in 291 games, but we know his talent as a center is his best asset. In his four full NHL seasons, Stecks ranked among the top seven on draws, last year being his best with a 59.2% overall.

One thing I’ll always remember Dave for as a Capital was his interaction with the kids who came to watch him play. Warm ups at Verizon, Dave always tossed pucks over the glass to the kids in the crowd. Every time. Gotta love that about him.

We’ll miss you Stecks, and I know we all wish you well, but we’ll be seeing you again on March 18th. Good luck with the Devils.

A Play Date with Dmitri Orlov

It seems like it’s been forever since I’ve been to Kettler for a practice. Actually, it’s been since the fall, so I was a happy girl this morning when I drove up that spiral ramp to the top of Ballston Mall. Imagine my surprise when I arrived to find Dmitri Orlov on the ice with our boys. (I must say I seem to have some kind of sixth sense for going to watch practices. As infrequently as I go, I just happened to be there for Chris Clark’s last day, and I was also there the day the investigators were there when that doctor debacle hit the proverbial fan. Anybody want advice for stocks or lottery numbers?)

After the win in Pittsburgh and a day off, the guys seemed to be in great spirits. I don’t think I’ve seen so many smiles, playful joshing, and all around fun at a practice in a very long time. Yeah, they worked hard, as always; but the energy was high and it was a fun practice to watch. Ovi and Sasha both seemed to enjoy having Dima out there with them and I noticed several times where both of them seemed to be either giving him advice or interpreting for him. Nicky seemed no worse for having a broken thumb and Hendy had the biggest grin of all of them.

The coaches worked the boys hard and Dima got a good taste of the NHL, albeit in friendly surroundings. Hershey should be very happy when Dmitri gets on the ice at Giant Center; he’s looking pretty good. But, when he gets a chance to practice with the Caps again, he needs to learn how to play and win at Juice Boy. That was probably not what he was expecting after his first NHL practice with the team he hopes to join as soon as he can. Welcome to DC, Dmitri!

Here’s a few shots of today’s practice. More can be found here.

Should the Winter Classic Jerseys become 3rds?

Tonight's first period of the Caps/Habs game got eveyone tweeting that we should keep playing in the Winter Classic jerseys because they seem to have inspired the team. After all, they really did seem to come out with a fury we haven't seen in a while. I know we didn't win against the Habs, so I'm not ready to declare them "lucky", only inspiring. But win or lose, would you like to see them more?

Lets get a show of hands and let Ted Leonsis, George McPhee, and whoever else needs to know that we would like to see the Winter Classic jerseys in the rotation for game jerseys. Even Brett Leonhardt thinks this is a good idea, so who are we to argue?

 

So, get your votes on Caps fans, what could it hurt?

Should the Caps keep using the Winter Classic jerseys this season?

Hockey in BlondeSpeak - The Trap Defense

Ah, the thrill of a Caps game. What? You don’t think it’s been very exciting lately? What has happened to that thrill-a-minute Caps run and gun game? Why hasn’t Nicky scored in eons? What the hell has happened to Ovi? Yeah, yeah, I know. But, do not despair, fellow Caps fans. These guys are holding back that wiz-bang style of play for a very good reason; Bruce & Co. are having these young guns playing the “Neutral Zone Trap”.

You know you’ve heard that phrase tossed around, but what does it mean, why does it cause such low-scoring yawn-fests, and lastly, why are they doing it? Well, because I feel it is my life’s mission to make understanding hockey easy enough for anyone, I’m gonna tell ya.

First of all, the Neutral Zone Trap (or just “trap” as I am going to call it from this point forward) really can stop breakaways from becoming goals, and here’s why. When you play trap defense, the majority of the team stays in the neutral zone instead of rushing your forwards into the offensive zone.

The most basic trap positioning has one forechecker in the offensive zone (usually the center), the wingers in the neutral zone, and the defense in the defensive zone. As the opposing team starts skating up the ice, the forechecker’s job is to cut off the passing lanes to other offensive players by staying in the middle of the ice. This hopefully results in forcing the puck carrier to either sideboard. Then the “defensive” wingers; typically placed on or near the red line, can challenge the puck carrier along the boards to prevent passing or even keep opponents from moving through. Finally, the two defensemen who are positioned on or near the blue lines are the last line of defense. Their job, obviously, is to prevent a goal from being scored, or at least to stall the opposition long enough for the wingers to reset themselves and continue the trap.

So, when the offense tries to get into your defensive zone, you can have as many as 4 guys already there waiting to stop them. Have you ever noticed when watching a game on TV, you sometimes see 4 players from one team around their net (in their zone) and only 1 or maybe 2 players from the other team? Yes, it is possible that the other team is changing shifts right then, but it could also be that the rest of that team is in the neutral zone or even back beyond their blue line waiting. Watch when the camera pans out and you’ll see it.

The trap is a very defensive style of play; there aren’t many chances for the opposing team to get past them and score a goal. So when you have the lead, it’s an effective way to shut the other team down, but it also makes for boring play. When you are used to seeing the Caps flying all over the ice and shooting at the net from everywhere (up to and including the blue line), watching this defensive style is a big change. The thrill is gone.

Which brings me to the last part of the question; why are they doing it? Here’s how I see it: lately, it seems like everybody and their Mother have figured out the Caps system. They have probably studied every millimeter of game film they have on the Caps. As long as the team continued to play the same old same old style of hockey that they have for the last few years, other teams can pretty accurately predict what Semin is going to do, when Ovi is going to shoot, when Nicky is going to pass and who he’s is going to pass to, where Green or Schultz are going to be at any given moment. Think about it, as fans, WE know it, so why shouldn’t other teams be figuring this out? They are!! Secondly, in order to get into and through the playoffs, the Caps need more ammo in their holsters. Run and gun is great and the team is really excellent at it, but it cannot be the only style of play in our arsenal of weapons.

Like I said at the start, do not despair, Caps fans. I know it seems like they’ve been trying this for months. I feel your pain. This is not something that is learned overnight. Lots of these guys have very little experience playing the trap, but they will get there. All these line changes help the coaches figure out who does well in what situation or position when it comes to playing the trap. It’s obvious that the guys really want to break out and fly down the rink, but the trap takes discipline. You know you’ve seen Ovi apparently skating in circles, not moving to positions you’re used to seeing him in. You know you’ve seen Nicky not successfully passing to a winger with his usual accuracy. You scream at the TV for the guys to “CRASH THE NET!!!” (I know you have, I have too). But, once they become even more familiar and comfortable with it, it will be a benefit to our game. And rest easy, the exciting and thrilling style of play we’ve seen for years is still there and will be implemented when it’s either necessary or at least not a detriment to the final score. At least, that's what I think...Any questions?

Editors Note: To read a great post on the Caps players reaction to playing the trap, check out Capitals News Network here.

2010 -2011 Caps Season 2nd half

Tonight’s game against the Panthers is game #42 of the 2010-2011 NHL regular season. Time to start the 2nd half of this rollercoaster ride. But, is it time to start worrying about the Caps position at the end of it? I’m gonna put in my $0.02 here and say no.

But, what I will say is this; for anyone who thinks the Caps need to go into the playoffs as #1 seed again, please put those wishes on hold for a minute. In the last 10 years, only 4 teams who started the playoffs as #1 seed have gone all the way to the end and raised the cup for their fans. The 2nd seed team has won 4 times and the 4th seed team has won twice. And, the only team to go in as #1 and win the Stanley Cup round in less than 7 games was the Detroit Red Wings, twice (2002 & 2008). I’m not a statistician. As a matter of fact; math hurts my brain so I made a simple little chart to illustrate this:

Now, considering the “jinx” of the President’s Trophy, as well as the fact that 1st seed teams have the biggest target on their backs, do you really want the Caps to be #1 this season? Ok, I know pride makes us all want to say yes, but lets be logical. As of this morning, the Washington Capitals are #5 in the East conference. With 41 games left to go before tonight, there has to be a lot of winning on our part and a lot of losing by Pittsburgh, Tampa, Boston, and Philly; not to mention all the other East conference teams currently behind us. Not that we can’t have a big winning streak. Let’s not forget the 2007-2008 season, when Coach Boudreau joined our team and we won 11 of 12 games in March and April to get into the 1st round of the playoffs. I know, that technically isn’t a winning streak, but it is a time for the Caps that I am most proud of our guys. Talk about the underdog coming out ahead, it was awesome. The Capitals were the first team in NHL history to make the playoffs after being ranked 14th or lower in their conference standings at the season's midpoint. So, yes, it can be done, but do you really want to go through that nail-biting agony again? I sure don’t, that’s when I got the majority of the grey hairs I sport to this day. (No, blonde dye does not cover grey hair, in case you were wondering).

So, the likelihood of going in as #1 seems kinda faint, sorry to say. I’ve always felt the 2nd, 3rd and 4th seeded teams have faired better when it comes to the Stanly Cup playoffs. Lowered expectations of them winning from other teams kinda lets them be a little sneaky. After all, the onus to win is on the #1 seed. And let’s not forget, being #1 seed does not actually mean you are the very best hockey team in the world. In reality, it means you have the most points at the end of the season. At the turn of a dime, any one thing could have changed that standing, so unless you started the season at #1 and stayed there the whole 82 games, I’m gonna say being #1 seed does not make you the best in the world. Just the toughest and luckiest.

All in all, I have to say, its ok Caps fans. The team will always be #1 in our hearts. If they aren’t #1 at the end of the regular season, all is still good. As long as we get to the playoffs, we will still have the chance to see our boys raise that cup over their heads and finally put the naysayers to rest. And wouldn’t it be great to see Ovi lift it time after time on replays and in commercials? Yeah, I think so too.