I'm tired. Really tired. That's what I get for going to our home group from church, which ran late as usual, then getting home to grab a quick hour and a half of sleep before getting up a 0030 for game 6 between the Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers. Then, of course, the game ended at roughly 0330, but as usual, I have to watch the post game show as well. So I didn't get back to sleep until 0345 or so.
And it was well worth it.
The Capitals needed to win this game to force a game 7. They lost a rough game 5 in New York when in the waning seconds of the game, the Rangers tied it up, and then scored in the OT period to win the game, putting them up 3-2 in the series. Game 5 is one of the reasons these playoff series are a best of 7 rather than single elimination.
The Capitals played a great game, winning it 2 - 1. Now off to New York for Game 7 at Madison Square Gardens. Can't get any better than a Game 7. These tight games are exciting to watch. With the exception of the first game (in which the Rangers won 3 - 1) each game has been a one goal game. Yet again the Capitals are up against a top seed (Bruins were the number 2 seed in the east, and the Rangers were the number 1 seed) and put the pressure all on them.
Whatever Dale Hunter, as the head coach, is telling his players, he needs to continue doing it. Last night, Alexander Ovechkin played just over 15 minutes, well below his average prior to this season. In that 15 minutes he had a goal, 3 shots on goal, 4 hits and two blocked shots. He also hit the crossbar once, and had multiple chances to score, including this one while spinning around on his ass on the ice. As Mike Milbury said in response to Keith Jones' "classic Ovechkin" comment. This is more than classic Ovechkin. This is a man who has bought into the team concept that Dale Hunter is telling his team. Classic Ovechkin would have had 2 goals, 5 shots on goal, 6 hits and be on the ice for 3 goals against. This Ovechkin is the Ovechkin who deserves to wear that 'C' on his chest. This Ovechkin will lead this team to greatness.
Back to Dale Hunter for a second. What a coach. Everyone in the media had hung Joel Ward out to dry for his high sticking double minor that was the catalyst for the heartbreaking comeback by the Rangers in game 5. Hunter mentioned in his press conference after the game that it was an "accidental high stick." That it was just a hockey play. Instead of throwing him under the bus, he defended his player. What was even more great was that he started Ward in game 6. As a coach he knew that Ward needed to get the high stick penalty behind him and what a better way to do that than to have confidence in the guy by starting him in the very next game. That is what makes a coach great.
So, as I mentioned, the Capitals and the Rangers close out this series on Saturday in New York City, the same place they started it. This series is the perfect example of what playoff hockey is all about.
Capitals win 4-2 (finally getting the EN) to close out the series 4 games to 3.
LET'S GO CAPS!
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