Rangers Vs Capitals 01/03/2009 Review

Alexander Semin heads off after fight with Marc Staal.
Photo from NewYorkRangers.com

Rangers 1 - Capitals 2

The Washington Capitals won their sixth straight game for the first time this season, in this mostly defensive match. The New York Rangers were their latest victim last night, in a game that started off uneventful, but built up momentum as it went along.

There's wasn't much to gloat about as far as the first period was concerned. You could've waited to tune in until the second period, and you wouldn't have missed much. The stats were very even, except in the hits department. The Capitals apparently temporarily forgot that hockey is a contact sport.

Mike Green scores goal on Steve Valiquette.
Photo by Luis M. Alvarez / Associated Press.

Washington's memory cleared up in the second period, and they started forechecking and putting some energy into the game at both ends. It was the Rangers who scored first however, as Petr Prucha deflected a shot past goalie Jose Theodore half way through the period. Theodore was in good form once again though, and didn't allow another puck to find it's way into the net from then on. Less than a minute and a half later, the Capitals answered back while on a power play. From the point, Viktor Kozlov sent the puck to Alexander Semin (just back from injury) at the goal line to the left of the net. Mike Green mosied in toward the net guarded by netminder Steve Valiquette on the right side and banged in a quick pass from Semin.

The physicality of the game increased throughout the second period. But as time was running out, it became clear that Alex Ovechkin couldn't be stopped. He was determined to score and put Washington ahead. With just 31.4 seconds left and the Caps down a man, he did just that. David Steckel hit Ovechkin in the neutral zone with a short outlet pass. Alex turned on the jets and sped his way into the Rangers' end. His only obstacle, Wade Redden was frozen by a pump fake. Ovie got his shot off as he passed Redden, and the puck sailed by Valiquette for the shorthanded game winning goal.

Kettle Drum played in USAF European Band.
April 4, 2005 Photo by USAF.

Neither team scored in the third period, but the entertainment level did not wane by any means. Washington's gritty forward Chis Clark had gotten into a fight with Wade Redden in the first half of the second period. Later in the second, Scott Gomez had sucker punched Michael Nylander. But the fight we'll be talking about (and laughing about) until the end of time, happened early in the third. Marc Staal was probably trying to fire up his team, when he picked a fight with Alexander Semin. Staal was probably very surprised when Semin easily got the best of him. More than 18,000 fans cheered as Staal went down on the ice, and then roared with laughter as Semin beat him like a girl kettle drum. Many others have described the instrument of Semin's pugilistic music as bongos, but clearly it was the kettle drum. The Capitals were able to hold their composure and hang on to their lead for the win.

The game was played in front of yet another sold out crowd, which I've heard gives Washington more sellouts for this season than in the entire previous season. More importantly, the Caps have gone 12-1-2 in their last 15 games. In fact, their record for the season so far is 26-11-3, which is the best ever after the first 40 games in the team's entire history. Now, that should keep the smile on Caps' fans faces for a while.