Devils/Capitals – Winners & Losers
December 26th, 2009 | by mattleighton |Winners:
Nicklas Backstrom. On pace for 32 goals. The way things are going, he’s going to be flirting with 40. Playing on a line with Ovechkin and Sasha, Backstrom is going to get wide open opportunities to put the puck in the net (see: 2nd period goal).
Alex Ovechkin. If Alex had not missed eight games to injury, we would be talking about how the league-leader in goals and points goes about defending his MVP title. He’s at the top of his game, and so are the Capitals. He fires so many innocent shots on net that one of them -like his goal tonight- is bound to find its way to the back of the net.
Chris Clark. Had Cap’n not swiped away Ilkka Pikkarainen’s breakaway chance with 10 minutes left in the 3rd, the Devils could have mounted a comeback (they’ve done it before, right?). Great hustle to catch the slow-skating Finn.
Mike Green. Goals in three straight home games. Taking a closer look, the only home game Game Over has not picked up a point in was against the Rangers on October 8th. T-minus four days for Green and the Team Canada decision.
Matt Bradley. They don’t ask how, they ask how many. And for Bradley, it’s seven. Which is one more than Mike Knuble. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Michal Neuvirth. I want to like Neuvy. From his quizzical mugshots to allowing only the softest of soft goals, I still adore young Michal. He backstopped the Caps to victory against New Jersey, something the other two net-minders ahead of him could not do this year, yet I’m torn. He just looks shaky. It’s got to be nerves. Varly (get healthy) has got ice in his blood so he’s usually alright in the blue paint. Neuvy is flopping around, losing his stick…but he’s also winning. Something that should not be ignored. Tonight makes it three-in-a-row for the young Czech. We’ll talk about this topic more next week.
Medium:
Alexander Semin. New contract, nice. I am just baffled by everything about it. I guess it makes sense, only one year, make sure he proves his worth, blah blah blah pay Backstrom. The timing is weird. One can only assume McPhee was waiting to get rid of Nyles before he signed Semin.
Goalie blunders. Marty’s gaffe put the Caps in a comfortable 2-0 lead in the first. Albeit was for only four minutes before one squeaked by Neuvirth. But had the Devils tied up the game in the first, me thinks Uncle Mo would have swung over to the Devils’ side.
Losers:
Penalties. And it’s the usual suspects. Three different D-men whistled for not moving their feet and #28 was just a goal away from the Alexander Semin Hat Trick.
Eric Fehr. Right now, we’re back to the 11-minute Fehr that whiffs on shots and gets negative plus/minus ratings. Fehr needs a Bradley-like bounce to get going again like we know he can.
The Astronaut. Next time they show this camera-whore, look at the person sitting next to him. Or maybe the lack of a person sitting next to him. He goes to the games by himself. It was cute the first time. He won Fan of the Game, and now he needs to step down. Our fan base does not need to be known as band-wagoners and astronauts.
