The Confluence

Entries with the tag: Washington+Capitals

Penguins/Capitals Game Seven shatters ratings records again

by Tony on 05/14/09 at 02:19 PM ET
Comments (11)

Last night’s Game Seven between the Penguins and Capitals registered a 24.97 rating on FSN Pittsburgh, according to Nielsen Media Research, marking the third straight game that the station broke it’s own record.

Game 5 drew a rating of 21.2, while Game 6 drew a 24.2.

Those three games were the highest-rated events ever carried by the local network and were the most viewed hockey games ever on any FSN regional sports network throughout the country.

Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Penguins pummel Varlamov, Capitals for series win, 6-2

by Tony on 05/13/09 at 10:32 PM ET
Comments (8)

This game may have been decided in the first couple of minutes.

Marc-Andre Fleury, who had been simply average the entire series, stoned Alex Ovechkin on a breakaway in the opening minutes of the game.  If Ovechkin scores, who the hell knows how this game turns out.

But he didn’t, and the Penguins took advantage of 19 Capitals giveaways en route to a 6-2 blowout at the Verizon Center to eliminate the Caps.  The Penguins finally chased Simeon Varlamov, who was pulled from the game early in the second period after the Pens’ fourth goal.

Sidney Crosby scored twice for the Penguins, who advance for the 2nd consecutive year to the Eastern Conference Finals against the winner of tomorrow night’s Game Seven in Boston between the Hurricanes and Bruins.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Gonchar game-time decision for tonight’s Game Seven

by Tony on 05/13/09 at 01:05 PM ET
Comments (3)

For the second day in a row, Penguins’ defenseman Sergei Gonchar practiced with the team and is considered a game-time decision.  Gonchar skated with Brooks Orpik and took his place on the No. 1 powerplay unit.

Gut feeling:  He’s playing.  I would also expect HCDB to dress 7 defensemen just in case he’s can’t go 100%.  At a bare minimum, he should be out there for powerplays.

Six hours to go.

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Gonchar practices with Penguins today

by Tony on 05/12/09 at 11:55 AM ET
Comments (6)

Lookout Willis Reed....

Banged-up defenseman Sergei Gonchar practiced with the team this morning.

While it’s still unknown whether Gonchar will dress in tomorrow night’s Game Seven, Stan Savran stated on ESPN Radio 1250 this morning that Gonchar was seen last night in the locker room with no brace and no noticeable limp, just a discolored knee.

Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Capitals force Game Seven:  Don’t count out the Penguins just yet

by Tony on 05/12/09 at 11:27 AM ET
Comments (5)

I imagine that it’s appropriate that the Penguins and Capitals will now head back to Washington for Game Seven Wednesday night.  This series has been so close, you can easily imagine yet another close one tomorrow night to determine the series winner.

Conventional thinking gives the Capitals, with their home-ice and home crowd, a distinct advantage over the Penguins.  It certainly may turn out that way, considering how high-strung the Caps’ offense is.  If the Penguins’ defense aren’t disciplined, I could see the Caps running and gunning their way to an uncharacteristic blowout.

But I’ve always liked the visitors’ chances in games like these.  Let me explain;

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

FSN Pittsburgh earns its highest ratings ever during Game Five victory

by Tony on 05/11/09 at 02:19 PM ET
Comments (1)

From the Penguins:

FSN Pittsburgh, the exclusive rights-holder for Pittsburgh Penguins regional telecasts, recorded a 21.38 rating on Sat., May 9, 2009 when the Penguins defeated the Washington Capitals, 4-3 in overtime for Round Two Game Five of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  It marked the highest rated game ever on FSN Pittsburgh and the highest rated NHL game on any FSN regional sports network.

The Pens 5-3 win over the Caps on Fri., May 8 recorded a 19.26 as the third highest rated game on FSN Pittsburgh.

FSN Pittsburgh led all FSN regional sports networks in NHL game ratings for the 2008-09 regular season and playoffs.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Off Day Notes:  Scuderi performance on Ovechkin driving his UFA price up

by Tony on 05/10/09 at 06:35 PM ET
Comments (11)

- It wasn’t but a few years ago that Rob Scuderi, often paired with the one and only Joe Melichar, was being unmercifully blasted by the Pittsburgh press and fans.  How quickly things change.  Hopefully I’m getting way ahead of myself, because the Pens hopefully have much more hockey left to play, but UFA-to-be Scuderi’s fabulous defensive performance against Alex Ovechkin is quietly driving his asking price up quite a bit.  Ovechkin has seven goals so far in the five games of this series.  Scuderi has actually been on the ice for four of those goals, but Ovechkin has not scored when Scuderi has actually been defending him.  The Pens will have 10 UFA’s when this season ends, including 3 on defense, but Scuderi is quickly becoming the primary target for GM Ray Shero.

- What some couldn’t previously think was possible, but Capitals owner Ted Leonsis’ level of whine is reaching Flyers proportions.  There hasn’t been too much during this series that he hasn’t complained about.  He’s moaned about the penalties getting not getting called against the Penguins, the penalties getting called against his Caps, he’s even complained about Yanni.  Seriously, Yanni Ted ??  As if in months past, the promoters and the Mellon Arena folks got together and got out a crystal ball and conspired to force back-to-back games in the 2nd round of the playoffs.  Perhaps Mr. Leonsis, rather than constantly complaining about just about everything related to this series, you should take a step back and just enjoy the hockey.  While your team is still alive, that is.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Penguins 4, Capitals 3 (OT): Malkin’s goal puts Caps on the brink

by Tony on 05/09/09 at 11:04 PM ET
Comments (5)

The Penguins knew that in order to even have a chance to win this series, eventually they’d have to win a game at the Verizon Center.

Well, they put a check in that box tonight, as Evgeni Malkin’s backhanded centering pass on the powerplay deflected off the stick of Caps’ defenseman Tom Poti and past Simeon Varlamov at the 3:28 mark of overtime to give the Penguins a 4-3 win over the Caps and a 3-2 advantage in their best of seven series.  The Penguins can now close out the Caps at home with a win on Monday night.

Alex Ovechkin scored two more goals for the Caps, including the tying goal with only 4:08 left in regulation, but it wasn’t enough.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, PIttsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

UPDATE:  Goligoski recalled and in Penguins’ lineup tonight:  Gonchar “game-time decision”

by Tony on 05/09/09 at 12:35 PM ET
Comments (1)

As expected, Sergei Gonchar is out of the lineup for tonight’s crucial Game Five at the Verizon Center in D.C. with the banged-up knee.  The Penguins have still not made any announcement regarding Gonchar’s condition, but according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Gonchar was seen at the Washington hotel with a large knee brace.

Replacing Gonchar in the lineup will be Alex Goligoski, who will be recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.  It’s a bit surprising that it will be Goligoski, and not Philippe Boucher, in the lineup.  However, it appears that the Penguins would like to retain a left-handed shot on the right point of the powerplay, rather than insert another right-handed shot.  Just my opinion.

UPDATE 12:33PM:  Per Sam Kasan on the Pens’ official playoff blog;

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Penguins 5, Capitals 3:  Varlamov comes back down to Earth

by Tony on 05/08/09 at 11:19 PM ET
Comments (4)

It was bound to happen sooner or later.

The Penguins constant barrage on Capitals’ rookie Simeon Varlamov finally started to expose some chinks in his armor tonight.  While the Penguins had their lowest shot total of the series with 28 tonight, Varlamov could only stop 23 of them, propelling the Penguins to a 5-3 win over the Capitals in Game Four to knot the series up at two games apiece.

The big win for the Pens came at a cost, however.  A knee-on-knee collision early in the game between Alex Ovechkin and Sergei Gonchar sent Gonchar to the locker room for the remainder of the game.  While no news has come from the Penguins as of yet, it’s not looking good for Gonchar to play in Game Five.

The league will no doubt be looking at the play before the drop of the puck tomorrow night.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Off Day Notes:  Penguins must continue chipping away at Varlamov

by Tony on 05/07/09 at 09:49 PM ET
Comments (3)

Things are certainly looking a bit brighter for the Penguins now that they’ve sliced the Caps’ series lead to 2-1.  However, for all the euphoria of last night’s 3-2 overtime win, that will quickly go down the crapper if the Penguins don’t complete the two-game sweep tomorrow night at the Igloo.  The Pens don’t want to go back to Washington needing a three-game sweep to win the series.  If the Pens can win Game 4, though, and tie the series at two, all the momentum goes over to the Penguins, even with the series going back to Washington.

Some of the other things going on today:

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Don’t touch that dial:  Penguins 3, Capitals 2 (OT)

by Tony on 05/06/09 at 11:05 PM ET
Comments (8)

What’s that expression; It’s better to be lucky than good ??

Well, I won’t go that far, but “luck” was certainly the word of the night, for both teams, at the Igloo tonight.

Kris Letang, who was a game-time decision after a shoulder stinger in Game Two, scored the game-winning goal in overtime off the body of Capitals’ defenseman Shaone Morrisonn and past goalie Simeon Varlamov to give the Penguins a 3-2 overtime win and cut the Caps’ series lead to 2-1.  Game Four is Friday night back at the Igloo.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Penguins Gameday:  Sid/Geno paired up tonight to start - Letang to play ??

by Tony on 05/06/09 at 12:38 PM ET
Comments (6)

Ya gotta love technology:

According to HNIC’s Elliotte Friedman’s Twitter:

“1.Looks like Crosby and Malkin together tonight, at least to start.

2.Letang says he’ll play tonight. Guy’s got the healing power of Wolverine.”

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Off Day Notes:  Losses are frustrating, but it’s far from over

by Tony on 05/05/09 at 01:41 PM ET
Comments (8)

You can’t ask for much more in a playoff series than what’s you’ve gotten in the first two games between the Capitals and the Penguins.

I mean, geez, even ESPN is paying attention, now you KNOW it’s a big deal !!

In a Penguins’ fan perspective, naturally, these have been two very frustrating losses.

But if you think this series is over, you don’t know your hockey history very well, especially between these two teams.

Isn’t that right, Capitals fans.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Penguins can’t hold off Ovie, Capitals, 4-3

by Tony on 05/04/09 at 10:28 PM ET
Comments (9)

I mentioned that one of the main factors of this series in the Penguins’ point of view was containing Alex Ovechkin.

In Game One, yes he scored, but on a 5-on-3 with a virtual empty net in front of him.  Chances are, the Penguins repeat that defensively, they’ve got a good chance to tie the series up.

That didn’t happen.

Ovechkin’s second and third goals of the game came in a tied third period to give the Caps a comeback 4-3 win over the Penguins and a 2-0 series lead.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Cutesy Penguins hand Game One to Capitals, 3-2

by Tony on 05/02/09 at 04:53 PM ET
Comments (13)

Certainly not the way a supposedly experienced playoff team performs in the first game of a series.

The Penguins combined loads of extra passes, numerous turnovers, defensive lapses and questionable goaltending into a 3-2 dud of a Game One loss to the Capitals at the Verizon Center.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Round Two Penguins/Capitals article up at New York Times

by Tony on 05/01/09 at 09:51 PM ET
Comments (1)

Now that the Penguins have disposed of those pesky Flyers, the folks at the New York Times have once again graciously asked me to jot down some thoughts for the upcoming Capitals/Penguins series.

The article is now here.  Check it out !!

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, PIttsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Penguins must retaliate for Ovechkin’s runs

by Tony on 04/30/09 at 10:02 AM ET
Comments (24)

Retaliate perhaps isn’t the best word.  Nah, it is.

Alex Ovechkin is a big boy.  6’ 2”, 220 lbs.  Quite the fast skater.  Combine those two, and you’ve got the recipe for some hard hits, putting it politely.

Many have stated in the past that Ovechkin has gotten away with numerous hits over the course of his short career that should have been called charging, at a minimum.  Much like Milan Lucic and, yes, Chris Kunitz recently (how ya feelin’ Kimmo ??).

However, in the Penguins point of view, there’s a troubling problem when Ovechkin has taken those runs at Evgeni Malkin and others since the Penguins-Capitals rivalry got ramped back up in the last few years:

No one has retaliated against him.  Well, that needs to stop, and stop now.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

A look at the hated Washington Capitals

by Tony on 04/29/09 at 09:07 PM ET
Comments (9)

It’s been like a bad dream for the Washington Capitals and their fans.

The Petr Nedved goal in the 4th overtime in 1996.

The Jaromir Jagr overtime goal in 2000.

The Marty Straka overtime goal in 2001.

Six playoff series victories for the Penguins in seven matchups versus the Capitals.

Why even play this one ???  Of course, I jest.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Oh yeah, it’s the Capitals and the Penguins in Round Two

by Tony on 04/28/09 at 10:25 PM ET
Comments (6)

How great is this gonna be....

Thanks to the Carolina Hurricanes’ great comeback victory over the Devils tonight, it’ll be the Washington Capitals, after their 2-1 win over the Rangers tonight, who will be the Penguins’ second round opponent in the playoffs.

There will be much more for this series in the coming days.

Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Crosby’s SO goal makes Caps’ fans suck on their pacifiers, 4-3

by Tony on 03/08/09 at 06:59 PM ET
Comments (88)

Keep on sucking on those pacifiers, Caps fans, for all the Penguins care.  Keep on motivating Sidney Crosby, we really appreciate it.

But seriously, do everyone a favor and start acting like an NHL crowd.  Save the bush league gimmicks to the minors.

In a bruising affair between the two rivals, the Penguins blew a third period lead for what seems like the 135th time this year, but got it to the shootout, where Marc-Andre Fleury shut the Capitals out for the 4-3 Penguins win.

Game-winning goal ??  Oh yeah, that was Crosby.  Suck on that.

The Penguins are now 8-1-1 under IHCDB, and swept the five-game road trip to right in the Eastern Conference playoff mix.  It was the first time the Penguins ever swept a road trip of this length.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Capitals fans expand the “No Penguins Fans” policy to Ebay

by Tony on 03/01/09 at 09:21 PM ET
Comments (30)

The seemingly neverending saga of the attempts to keep Penguins fans from purchasing tickets to Penguins/Capitals games at the Verizon Center has expanded to a new platform.

Ebay.

This has been going on and off now for at least eight years (could be longer, the earliest I’ve seen is 2001). 

Let’s do a quick history;

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Fleury, Penguins’ special teams lousy in 5-2 loss to Capitals

by Tony on 02/22/09 at 04:02 PM ET
Comments (9)

IHCDB had a decision to make prior to today’s game vs. the Caps, only about 21 hours after the Pens’ emotional 5-4 win in Philly on Saturday.  Does he start Marc-Andre Fleury again, who had started the previous 9 games and 16 of the past 17 games ??  Or does he get new Penguin Mathieu Garon back into the lineup for only the second time ??  Boy, did he make the wrong choice. 

Fleury was horrible, stopping only 15 of 20 shots on goal, while the Penguins’ special teams were especially lousy as well in a 5-2 loss to the Caps at the Verizon Center.

In addition, I believe that IHCDB now needs to make another decision going into Wednesday’s game at the Igloo vs. the Islanders.  Just as he’s made Kris Letang a healthy scratch for three straight games now, he needs to be consistent and now give Ryan Whitney a seat in the press box.  Whitney’s defensive lapses are becoming more and more commonplace.  That said, you’re not going to see Whitney scratched, because he’s going to be prime trade bait in about 10 days.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Penguins’ losing ways resume, downed by Capitals, 6-3; Crosby, Talbot, Scuderi injured

by Tony on 01/14/09 at 10:49 PM ET
Comments (6)

Well, that didn’t last long.

One night after what was thought at the time one of their biggest wins of the year and perhaps a turning point in their 4-2 win in Philadelphia over the Flyers, the Penguins went right back to their losing ways, collapsing in the third period and losing to the Capitals, 6-3.

The loss was compounded by injuries to Rob Scuderi, Max Talbot, and Sidney Crosby.  Scuderi took a slapshot in the forehead when he blocked a shot in the first period.  Talbot left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury.  Crosby seemed to suffer a lower-body injury when he got tangled with a Capitals defender late in the game.  While Crosby skated to the locker room gingerly, it didn’t appear that he was seriously hurt.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Penguins, Capitals fans unite to get Ovechkin into All-Star Game starting lineup

by Tony on 12/10/08 at 04:03 PM ET
Comments (5)

Courtesy of The Chief’s busom buddies at The Pensblog;

The Ovechkin Counter-Offensive

In the coming month, Penguins fans and Caps fans from around the world will form the most unholy alliance to date. And we will be launching the largest internet battle in the history of the NHL.

NHL—Those letters should have new meaning for all of us today. We can’t be consumed by our petty differences anymore, like the fact the Pens own the Caps in the postseason.

We will be united in our common interest of jobbing Montreal Canadien fans and getting Alex Ovechkin into the starting lineup for the All-Star Game. Perhaps it’s fate that bitter rivals have decided to join forces, not to fight tyranny, oppression, or persecution, but to cause humiliation to smug Canadien fans.  We are fighting for our right to see the best three players in the world play on the same line, to enjoy it.

Continue Reading;

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Penguins, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,

Capitals’ Semin:  “What’s so special about Crosby ??”

by Tony on 10/31/08 at 11:25 AM ET
Comments (11)

Aaaah yes, more fuel to the Capitals-Penguins rivalry fire.

Big tip of the hat to colleague Greg Wyshynski at Puck Daddy.  Greg posted a very interesting article concerning an interview with the Capitals’ Alexander Semin.

It’s a good interview with Semin, with several subjects discussed.  However, the section that Penguins fans will no doubt find intriguing (some others will use more harsh adjectives) concerns Sidney Crosby.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: | The Confluence | Permalink
 Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,