Orpik Suspended 3 Games

So, we just received word that Caps defenseman Brooks Orpik has been suspended three games for his hit to the head of Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta in Game 2. To me, this is a ridiculous decision by the NHL. Sure, it was a hard hit and he should have been suspended. But, three games basically takes him out of the series and swings the momentum of the series in the Penguins favor. There have been hits already in the postseason that have been worse than Orpik's, and the most I have seen is a one game suspension (Yes, I'm speaking about Bellemare). I think it's a little much...

Caps/Pens Stuff

Before the game tonight, check out these two articles to get you prepped. Enjoy!

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11335/1193774-61.stm

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_769822.html

Boudreau in Anaheim

So, Bruce Boudreau is the head man in Anaheim. Good for him! The talent on that team is out of sight, so he'll have a lot of tools to work....Wait a minute! He was just fired from a team that had all the talent in the world because he couldn't motivate the players. What makes the Anaheim brass think that Boudreau is the answer? While we're on the subject, how about the exit of Randy Carlyle? He says that he was completely blindsided with the move, considering they just won a game over the Canadians. However, when you've just lost 13 out of the last 15 games, how can you claim your firing was unforeseen? It'll be interesting to see what becomes of the Mighty Ducks with Boudreau at the helm. That being said, I don't see a miraculous run in their future, especially not the kind of run the Caps had when Boudreau started.

50 Wins for the Caps!!!

I know it's not as big of a milestone as clinching first in the Eastern Conference, but winning 50 games in a season is a milestone not many teams can brag about. Now, the Caps are one of those teams, defeating the Atlanta Thrashers 2-1 tonight. Matt Bradley scored a third period goal that proved to be the game winner, a nifty backhander that may have also closed the door on the Thrashers' playoff chances. Mike Green had another solid game (including an assist) and Semyon Varlamov stopped 19 of 20 shots. However, the Caps still need to work on defensive posturing, as opponents continue to get behind our defenders at a high rate. Tonight was better in the sense that Varley didn't have to face a shooting gallery for the majority of his 60 minutes of work. But, the Caps need to focus on defensive intensity if they hope to contend for the Stanley Cup. The offense is clearly there, so here's hoping that the defense strengthens soon.

Yesterday was a Quality TV Sports Day

Wow, what a Sunday for the Washington Sports Guy! With the wife working and the weather nasty, I knew that I was in for a long day of sports on the telly. 2 NCAA tournament games, Caps/Flames, and spring training action on MLB Network. Oh, and I also had to listen to the out of town radio broadcasts for the Nats and O's.

Well, the O's game was cancelled, so I could concentrate solely on the Nats, though I knew I'd have to stop listening when the Michigan St/Tennessee started. Not a problem, as the Nats raced to a 9-2 lead before the game started, so I turned on CBS with a clean conscience. And what a game it turned out to be! I walked over to my neighborhood watering hole (Lucky's, right in the heart of the Franconia/Kingstowne area) and watched both the tournament and the Caps game on super huge screens. Fortunately for us, the audio was tuned to the basketball game, as the Caps were horrid to start the game. The Flames were a step faster in every aspect of the first period, and that's what ultimately did the Caps in. Still, the Devils loss clinched 1st in the East. Yes! Anyway, gotta go...Talk to you later!

Goalkeeping...

I just learned that Semyon Varlamov will be in goal tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes. Also, Coach Boudreau wants a '60 minute effort' from the netminder. Yeah, like he's going to give less, Coach... I really hope Varlamov puts together a couple of fine efforts before the playoffs. Knowing that the Caps have the best offense in the NHL is not enough...To also know that we have two quality goaltenders in tow as well would cement my belief that Washington will win it's first Stanley Cup this year. As for tonight's game, Varly will be facing off against Manny Legace, who left a game last Saturday with a lower body injury. I'm predicting some offensive fireworks tonight! I only hope Varley can stop the shots that make it through to him. Talk to you later...

Washington Sports Guy Succumbs to Temptation

As most of you know, last night was a biggie in Washington sports. Anytime the Caps and Penguins face off, it's a big deal, but this game was particularly huge since the Caps had the chance to sweep the season series with the defending Stanley Cup champs. So, I was leaving work around 6:00 with the intention of watching the game in glorious HD. However, my Twitter obsession lead me to check my list one more time before I left. Lo and behold, BDK from the Junkies and Fox 5 had an extra pass for an advanced screening of Hot Tub Time Machine, which was screening at 7:30 at Mazza Gallerie. I debated for a minute, but my love of freebies and goofy movies overpowered my desire for pizza, beer, and pucks. I headed down to Mazza, met BDK (really cool guy, by the way) and saw the movie for free. As expected, Hot Tub Time Machine had lots of hilarious moments, but my favorite was the running arm joke with Crispin Glover (Trust me: you'll love it!). Immediately after the screening, I raced out of the theater and headed to Chadwick's to watch the remainder of the game. I got there just as the Penguins tied the score at 3. However, to watch the overtime period and the shootout winner by Knuble made me feel like a winner at fitting everything in. Great night last night! Talk to you all later...

By the way, for those looking for a low level shock, Jake Arrieta was sent to minor league camp this morning by the O's... Oh, and there's no broadcast for the Nats game tonight against the Tigers. Sucks!

Big Sports Day in D.C.

Wow, what a day for sports in the D.C. area! Right now, Maryland is up on Duke by 2 at halftime (after leading my double digits earlier in the half), but that's not the half of what's been going on. The Caps addressed their depth needs with a number of trades, including Joe Corvo, Scott Walker, and Eric Belanger (Oh, and an injured Milan Jurcina). The Orioles played their first spring training game of the season and it became the Josh Bell show, who homered from both sides of the plate. Finally, the Hokies beat the Wolfpack, hopefully improving their resume for a tournament berth. Oh, and the Wiz are losing to the Bucks right now, but...Look over here! Anyway, I'll be back with more after the Terps game...