Kukla's Korner Hockey
Category: Washington-Capitals
Video- It’s Up To The Stars
by Paul on 05/12/12 at 09:28 AM ET
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Sportsnet’s Brad May breaks down Game 7, Capitals/Rangers.
Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
The Last Of Semin?
by Paul on 05/12/12 at 09:13 AM ET
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from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,
There is no way of knowing what’s inside Alex Semin as this monumental night of his professional career approaches.
But in many ways, this is an historic confrontation for the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers and a probable farewell for one of hockey’s most confusing and confounding players.
The Capitals were built around a supposed fabulous four, Alexander Ovechkin, Semin, Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom, and this will season will end the run of that group, no matter what happens Saturday at Madison Square Garden. Game 7 may be an entrance on to a new stage or the last game Semin plays for the Caps.
Maybe the last game he plays in the NHL.
His contract is up at the end of June and Washington won’t re-sign him. Others around the NHL, wondering whether the 28-year-old forward is worth the bother or the money, will debate what to do with him. No doubt, the Kontinental Hockey League in his homeland will come calling, overrating and overpricing his considerable talent.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Semin,
What To Watch For During Caps/Rangers Game 7
by Paul on 05/11/12 at 08:46 PM ET
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from Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun,
Perhaps we shouldn’t tell the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals that since the NHL adopted the best-of-seven format for all four playoff rounds in 1987, no team has won the Stanley Cup after playing in seven games in each of the first two rounds.
The Rangers and Capitals will meet in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinal Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers needed seven games to oust the Ottawa Senators in the first round, while the Capitals went the distance with the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.
Here are five things to watch for as the Rangers and Caps contest the right to face the New Jersey Devils in the conference final:
1. The Capitals’ insistence on patiently watching for the Rangers to cough up the puck so they can get a scoring chance. Taking advantage of mistakes has become magnified in this series. “They have been playing a lot in their own end, just waiting for mistakes, and then they go, and they are a pretty fast team,” Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist said. “The Capitals sit back a little bit more and they are fine with not having the puck as much. Then they come and a lot of times it is odd-man rushes.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
A Defining Moment For Ovechkin
by Paul on 05/11/12 at 07:09 PM ET
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from Bruce Arthur of the National Post,
Before Game 7 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals in 2009, one of Sidney Crosby’s teammates walked up to Crosby and told him, “You were born for this.” After Crosby had scored two goals in a 4-1 win, Mario Lemieux waited until the reporters were gone and said to Crosby, “Kid, très bon.” Ovechkin, Crosby’s foil and rival, scored Washington’s only goal, but he was stopped on an early breakaway when the game was still scoreless, and walked away with regrets.
Now Ovechkin is back on the brink of what is, to him, an undiscovered country — the conference final, which Washington could reach with a Game 7 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday night. He has become the league’s greatest puzzle since the duel in 2009, and his team has drifted: a seven-game loss to eighth-seeded Montreal in 2010, a second-round sweep by Tampa Bay last season, the seventh seed this season. And now, another chance, on Broadway.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alex+Ovechkin,
Want To Go To Game 7, Caps/Rangers?
by Paul on 05/11/12 at 02:59 PM ET
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from Ken Belson of Slap Shot,
Fans love these all-or-nothing showdowns and willing to pay through the nose to see them live. Saturday’s game seven between the Rangers and Capitals at Madison Square Garden is a case in point.
The average ticket price for final game of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals is $581.44, according to TiqIQ.com, which scans ticket resellers. The lowest priced ticket offered for resale is $230 while the most expensive ticket is $4,999 for a V.I.P. seat near the ice.
Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
First Two Conference Finals Games Announced
by Paul on 05/10/12 at 03:03 PM ET
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NEW YORK—The National Hockey League announced today the dates, start times and national television coverage for Games 1 and 2 of the Conference Final round of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Western Conference Final opens Sunday, May 13 in Glendale, Arizona, where the Phoenix Coyotes will host the Los Angeles Kings at Jobing.com Arena (8 p.m., ET, NBC Sports Network, TSN, RDS). Game 2 of the series will be played in Glendale on Tuesday, May 15, beginning at 9 p.m., ET.
Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference Final will be played on Monday, May 14 and Wednesday, May 16, respectively, and pit the New Jersey Devils against the winner of the Conference Semifinal series between the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals. That series currently is deadlocked at 3-3, with Game 7 set for Saturday night in New York (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, CBC, RDS).
Should the Rangers advance, they would host the Devils in Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference Final at Madison Square Garden in New York. Should the Capitals win, the Devils would host Washington in Games 1 and 2 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Additional Conference Final schedule information will be released soon.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Los Angeles Kings, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, Phoenix Coyotes, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
The Better Ovechkin
by Paul on 05/10/12 at 02:31 PM ET
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from Mike Brophy of Sportsnet,
The Great 8? More like The Okay 8.
There was nothing great about Alex Ovechkin’s performance in Game 6 of the Washington Capitals performance against the New York Rangers Wednesday night.
He was certainly better than in Game 5 when he failed to register a shot on goal, but great? Nope.
Ovechkin scored his fifth goal of the playoffs, had three shots on goal and delivered a team-high five hits as the Capitals beat the Rangers 2-1 to force a Game 7 at New York’s Madison Square Garden Saturday night.
A good night for a good player. The problem is, Ovechkin used to be a great player—arguably the best player in the world. The 2006 Calder Memorial Trophy winner as the NHL’s top rookie has led the league in goals twice and points once, averaging 54 goals a season in his first five years in the league.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alex+Ovechkin,
Dale Hunter Type Hockey
by Paul on 05/10/12 at 09:32 AM ET
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from David Shoalts of the Globe and Mail,
It took a while, but the Capitals are all aboard with Hunter’s game plan, as shown by Wednesday’s 2-1 win over the Rangers that tied the best-of-seven series 3-3. The Capitals head coach has them playing classic pre-lockout Devils hockey - get on the opposition early, get a lead, then clamp down on defence, clear rebounds, block shots and get the big save from your goaltender when necessary. And kill penalties, as the Caps did when centre Jeff Halpern took a double-minor penalty late in the second period just after Jason Chimera gave them a 2-0 lead.
Starring in the role of Devils legend Martin Brodeur is rookie goaltender Braden Holtby. In 29 starts, the late-season call-up has yet to lose back-to-back games, avoiding it yet again Wednesday by stopping 30 shots with lots of help from his teammates. They blocked another 24.
Want to know how much the Capitals are buying in to Hunter’s way? Alexander Ovechkin, who in his heart of hearts must still be unhappy with his drop in ice time, has three of those blocked shots. He also made the most of his relatively modest 15 minutes on the ice, scoring a power-play goal that gave the Capitals the lead they needed less than two minutes into the game.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Capitals Defeat Rangers 2-1, Game 7 Here We Come
by Paul on 05/09/12 at 10:07 PM ET
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Game 7 will be played on Saturday night in New York and it should be must watch TV.
Capitals continue to play the game Dale Hunter taught them and it is paying off.
Can the Rangers find their offense or will the Caps get over the hump and move on to the ECF? We will find out soon.
Here is the game winning goal from Jason Chimera…
added 10:33pm, Watch the game hightlights below…
Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Jason+Chimera,
Open Post- Rangers vs. Capitals
by Paul on 05/09/12 at 06:45 PM ET
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Game time is just after 7:30pm ET and can be viewed on NBCSN, CBC and RDS.
We all know the story, if New York wins they will move on tothe ECF and face the New Jersey Devils.
If Washington wins, a game 7 is forced and will be played on Saturday with a starting time of 7:30pm at MSG.
My bones say game 7, my hockey brain says Rangers win tonight. How’s that for sitting on the fence?
Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
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