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In 2008, the Caps let the good times roll. Can they keep it up in 09?
Words are powerful, but let’s let the numbers do the talking. The Capitals are 9-1 in their last 10 games, they are an absurd 16-1-1 at home and also 16-1-1 when Alexander Ovechkin scores at least one goal. In terms of the mountains the Capitals have had to climb, the team has had to call up 12 players due to injuries and up to eight starters have been injured at once. Individually, Alexander Semin has missed 18 games, Mike Green has missed 13 and Sergei Federov has missed 24.
Yet where many teams would find tragedy, the Capitals have found triumph, and through the injuries this team has been able to find out some things they might not have known. For one, who outside of Hershey knew that this team in Simeon Varlamov, may have a long-term answer at goaltender beyond Brent Johnson and Jose Theodore. Who knew that even at the age of 20, Karl Alzner and the older Sean Collins might be a better answer at defense than physical yet slow John Erskine. It is one thing to read about a system, but in the middle of the year, when this team essentially became the Hershey Capitals, did anyone really have the slightest clue that these guys would be instantly able to compete at an NHL level.
The results have all been surprisingly pleasant, and as of January 2nd, 2009, the Caps held a 25-11-3 good enough for 2nd place in the entire Eastern Conference. “That’ll do pig, that’ll do.”
Ironically, it is the number the Capitals don’t control that are the most outrageous. With 465,546 votes as of Jan 2nd, 5:07pm, Alexander Ovechkin is badly trailing secondary stars like Montreal forward Alex Tanguay who has a almost triple the votes of Ovechkin despite scoring a paltry 10 goals. Now it is hardly surprising that three Canadians are in the top five, what with the game being played in Montreal, but Alex Tanguay having almost 3 times as many goals as Ovechkin? Come on, you don’t need to be Homer McFanboy to call that out for being bullocks.
But outside the all-star voting, let’s just hope 2009 can just be a forward extension of 2008. (For everyone wondering at home, I wouldn’t say that about anything else in 2008) The numbers may be great now, but come playoff time, the only number that will matter will be 16, the amount of playoff wins needed to win the Stanley Cup. Let’s get it going!
For more info: Caps beat Tampa 7-4 & the Caps are getting healthier as Chris Bourque was sent back to Hershey
News from Hershey:
Opinion: Caps, Bears blessed with depth. A great article from Dan Sernoffsky on how Hershey has provided the Caps with some much needed depth.
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