Brooks...if you ever get another 2-1 with Ovechkin again...YOU PASS THE ****ING PUCK. If the d-man leaves you completely the **** alone, YOU PASS THE ****ING PUCK. If Ovechkin falls down and his pants end up on his head...YOU PASS THE ****ING PUCK.
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mrwarden is in ur threads, deleting ur posts
Wouldn't mind a different opponent, just for variety's sake.
That said, I do think the Rangers are a much better team than any NYR team the Caps have faced in the postseason in recent years.
None of the Devils, Bruins or Rangers is a particularly favorable matchup if you go by the full season. Better to reset the clock, I guess. Hopefully that is what they are doing now. Game 81 should be a relief in that sense. None of the last four months matters anymore. All it does it get you in.
Assuming the Capitals go on to win this one (a big assumption--yes I know, I know), Caps will finish 2-2 vs. the Rangers (all games decided in regulation), with one of those losses to the Rangers at the end of November, so, 2-1 in the most recent three. Caps have gone 3-1 vs. Boston this year with all games happening in this calendar year but with the most recent "win" coming in a shootout, so, really, it's kind of like 2-1-1. Caps were 1-3 vs. the Devils this year, but two of the "losses" were in shootouts, so it's really more like 1-1-2, but the only win in regulation happened in November, and the loss in regulation was a 5-0 spanking about a month ago.
My feeling is that the Rangers are a better team than the Devils for sure, but Caps seem to have an insight into how to beat the Rangers' goalie. With Backstrom back, I would like the Caps v. the Rangers were it not for the Caps' road record, which as of this moment is fifth-worst in the entire league, i.e. 26th. But since the Rangers would have the home ice advantage, I would give the Rangers the slight edge, probably. I feel like Boston is actually a better team than the Rangers, despite their relative records, but the Caps have fared better against the Bruins than the Rangers so far. But, again, because Caps would not have the home ice advantage v. the Bruins, in light of their road record so far, I would give the Bruins a slight edge. The Devils are a weird team, but the Caps didn't do well against them this season, they lost 5-0 in their most recent game, and I have a really bad feeling about them, and I would honestly prefer to play either of the other two were it not for the fact that vs. the Devils the Caps would have home ice advantage. Still, I'd give the Devils the slight edge.
I think the road record is so atrocious and the records against all three teams are not so different that you have to just root for the matchup with the Devils just because of the home ice advantage. But I think the other team would have a slight edge in the first round no matter who it is.
However, I think the edge in all three cases is only a slight one, and there is a lot of reason for some cautioned optimism right now.
Chimera should have swung the stick at his face or just punched him. Make your penalties count.
I get that, but I mean, nobody was going to call that? All eyes on the faceoff and not one referee thought "Hey, that's pretty illegal". I'm cool with 2+2, but there was equal fault there and in such quick succession that it has to be called.
