THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS MOVE TO 6-0 - THESE CUP CONTENDERS ARE ON FIRE

The Washington Capitals and the Philadelphia Flyers met on Thursday in what was easily the premier NHL matchup of the night.  The Flyers which are being led by the likes of Claude Giroux were to be Washington's first true test of 2011-2012.  We expected a tight game but to our surprise the Capitals  ran over Philadelphia by a final score of 5-2.  Washington's offence was on fire and everyone chipped in including Ovechkin who is the team's Mr.Hockey. As Ovie goes so do the Capitals and right now it looks like both number 8 and the entire Capitals' squad are out to prove that they can dominate the league in 2011-2012.

The Washington Capitals are our favourite to take the Stanley Cup for this new NHL season.  The team is seasoned and they have made valuable additions to the defensive core with Roman Hamrlik and a newly healthy Dennis Wideman.  These two veterans are playing on the blue line alongside the likes of Mike Green; a superstar in the making. This new defensive focus could prove to be a decisive factor in Washington's race to the top.  The young snipers on the Capitals squad can attack almost at will without having to worry much about back checking.  This was an issue last year for coach Boudreau.  The Caps coach has always had issues getting some of his European players to play two way hockey.     

Whatever happens from week to week with Washington; we feel confident in telling you that you need to get your Caps jersey now and get on the band wagon.  These guys are headed to the Stanley Cup final and we are convinced they will take the whole shooting match.  Go Caps Go !!

CAPITALS AND FLYERS TO FACE OFF ON THURSDAY

The Washington Capitals will be up against their toughest opponent on Thursday when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers.  The Capitals are off to a solid start this year and we think this could be the year that the Stanley Cup finds a home in the US national capital.  The Capitals are a highly skilled team that is loaded with snipers and has a rear guard anchored by the likes of Mike Green.  Bruce Boudreau should be able to manage this talented group to the finish line barring any serious injuries.  Their recent experiences in the playoffs (in the last two year) should have given the veterans on the team the proper perspective to allow them to keep their eye on the prize. 

Philadelphia has destroyed opponents this year.  New players like Read and Jagr make Philly a threat every time they touch the puck.  Goal tending is not the achilles heel that it used to be for the Flyers.  The strong presence between the pipes gives the  Flyer forwards the confidence to be more aggressive in the offensive zone which results in more chances and goals.  This team is like a cross between last year's Bruins and Capitals. 

Although we like Washington for the Cup; this match up could go either way.  A season series between these two clubs will be a hard test for both teams and we think Washington would go a long way to establishing dominance by beating the Flyers in this initial match up.  Either way; it is going to e a great game.

BAND WAGON 101 - BRUINS, CAPITALS, KINGS AND MORE

The new NHL season is under way and fans on both sides of the border are cheering on their favourite squads.  The band wagons are not in effect as of yet so it is a good time to try and guess who might surprise and who might disappoint. Think of it kind of like band wagon 101.

The obvious favourite this year are the Bruins.  The bad boys from Bean Town crushed their way through last year's final and took home the top prize.  Boston which had seen many up and down seasons is now the humpty dumpty of the NHL.  These guys have become the love to hate team but thankfully so for Bruins fans that won't last too long.  We suspect the Bruins will stumble this year and they will be playing gold by the time the Cup final rolls around.  The grit and attitude from the Bruins last year will be matched by teams like Philly and Washington.  Chara is the reigning bully of the NHL but the new emphasis on hitting by the NHL will limit is effectiveness.  Hab fans remember how Max Pacioretty was sent to the hospital last year in the playoffs.  This kind of stuff is a no-no in this year's version of the NHL season and post season. So bye-bye Bruins !!

The Capitals are our favourite for the finals.  They may have serious competition from Pittsburgh and Vancouver but they are seasoned and now is their time to shine.  The young snipers who play for Boudreau will be led by number 8 and we should see Washington bounce everyone out in the race to the Cup.  Now is the time for true hockey fans to get a deal on Cap jerseys.  They may be hard to find at a good price when these guys knock heads on their way to a Stanley Cup Championship.

One of our spec teams this year is LA.  The Kings have been building steam for a couple of years now and they could come out of the West Coast in 2011-2012 and give some of their east Coast counterparts a run for their money.  They are solid on the D and these guys know how to find the back of the net.  This young team might not be Champions this year but they are one to watch both long and short term.  They will bring skill to the ice and leave some of their opponents skating in circles. LA's bandwagon will grow in time.  You wait and see.   

2011 - THE YEAR OF THE UNUSUAL IN THE RACE FOR LORD STANLEY'S CUP

This year's Stanley Cup race has seen some strange turn of events.  Some of the most interesting include the ups and downs of the Canucks and the Flyers goalie merry go round.  This weekend was no exception to the rule with some very unusual action all over the league.

Last night, I sat there and watched the Bruins and Habs locked in a titanic battle of wills.  Carey Price did everything he could to keep his team in the game and Tim Thomas did the same.  This was a hockey game for the ages. The Bruins which have never come back from two down to win a seven game series are now on the verge of creating history.  The Bruins squad is psyching out the Canadiens and their will to win has been too much for Montreal.  The tide favours Boston and Montreal is going to need the top guns to show their stuff if they expect to advance.

Gomez is nowhere to be found for Montreal and the defense is laughable at times.  Stalwarts like Gill are running all over the ice and look lost.  It is going to take some doing but Montreal will have to tighten up or they could be crushed in their next encounter with the Bees. 

Today, Nashville stunned Anaheim and entered the 2nd round of the playoff for the 1st time by kicking the Ducks to the curb.  The Preds are a solid team with obvious talent.  They look and smell a lot like the Hawks of last year.  They are a team to watch in round 2 and we expect that their next adversary will be in for a hard fought series.

This is going to continue to be an interesting race, no doubt.  We favour Washington to go all the way but hell, this is the year of the unsual so anything is possible.

Some Good Ol' Backstrom on Backstrom Action (not X-Rated)

Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom doesn't necessarily rob his brother from another mother in Washington Capital Nicklas Backstrom (note the extra "C" in his name) on this play from Thursday night, but he does make it look flashy enough. Something for him to write home about, I suppose. If only they even were born in the same country. Goalie Backstrom is Finnish and better Backstrom is Swedish.

Predictions, Predictions, and More Predictions

As the countdown to the start of the NHL season winds down, it seems only natural to want to make predictions. While it is the “in” thing to do right now and it makes you look cool and everything, the overwhelming need to be heard goes way beyond succumbing to mere peer pressure. It’s endemic. As such, I would be remiss to not make a few predictions of my own, namely the following:

     Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price will silence the naysayers by leading the Habs to playoff contention... by finally making his way to the bench for good by mid-December and allowing Alex Auld to become the team’s starter.

"I didn't do it."

     Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin will finally go too far in blindsiding an opponent, causing the start of his first-ever full-blown fight during the regular season. The problem? That opponent: 5’9”, 157-pound Tyler Ennis of the Buffalo Sabres. Ovechkin will win cleanly, learning nothing in the process. Ennis will get suspended by the NHL.

"Glen, give me your lunch money."

      New York Rangers general manager Glen Sather will try his darndest to get fired by signing defenseman Wade Redden to a six-year, $39-million contract, Scott Gomez to a seven-year, $51.5-million deal, Chris Drury to a five-year, $35.25-million deal, Derek Boogaard to a four-year, $6.5-million deal, and Bobby Holik to a five-year, $45-million deal. He won’t get fired though, turning instead to actually doing his job properly. He will get axed the next day, with Mark Messier taking over for him and continuing to run the team into the ground.

      

     With the weight of the team’s captaincy off his shoulders, Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo will regain his form of earlier years, causing this year’s Stanley Cup favourites to miss the playoffs altogether.

   

     The Chicago Blackhawks will put up a valiant fight in trying to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, but fall eight-to-10 players short.

"Wow... that's a lot of employee turnover."

     The Toronto Maple Leafs will... miss the playoffs... again.

And now for the actual predictions, although that last one is as accurate as they come.