GAME ON! Caps @ Thrashers 10-5-2007 Post-Mortem

Well, how about that for openers? Onto the Battle Damage Assessment...

THE GOOD:

• I never would have have figured that Atlanta would come out as flat as they did tonight but it was great that the Caps jumped on them and built a two lead in first period.
• Oh how the once mighty have fallen... When Atlanta did show up in second period, the game became more interesting but the Caps were able to hold off the Thrashers for the most part, only yielding one goal and playing well with lead throughout.
• With 1:44 of 5-on-3 Power Play time tonight, the Caps actually controlled the puck in the offensive zone for a large majority of the time. While the Caps couldn't score, they did mount some pressure and the skill players were able to make a difference here.
• The Caps kept the pressure on in the third period and did not try to sit on their one goal lead. A killer instinct will be needed for success this season.

THE BAD:

• 1 for 7 overall on the Power Play. So much for the revamped units...
• 29 shots allowed for the entire game. The Caps need to cut down on their shots allowed, it will go a long way in helping them cut down on their goals allowed.
• Still a fair amount of confusion on the blueline. While it's nice to see a guy like A.O. backchecking, I don't like seeing John Erskine Bowles making desperation dives.
• And speaking of Erskine Bowles, what were his slow feet doing in the lineup against a team trying to increase their speed like Atlanta?

THE UGLY:

• Nice to see that despite the departure of Andy Sutton, Atlanta still like to throw cheapshots around.
• Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin tonight singing the praises of Canadian Diving Team Captain, Secondary Assist Cindy Crosby and the Penguin Scum claiming the Penguin Scum were running over Carolina 4-0 when in fact Carolina was laying a 4-1 beat down on the Penguin Scum. (During a TV timeout I flipped over to that game and saw Cindy get muscled off the puck and then she slashed the boards in frustration. Cindy then went to the bench and was standing in the door yelling at the ref. Nice to see she hasn't changed a bit.)
• The entire Comcast Sportsnet broadcast was choppy tonight with the on screen scoreboard having numerous snafus. Maybe they're rusty because they didn't have baseball to fill the summer months...

If there is anything that you can learn from a season opener it is that the Caps this season are a more talented team than Atlanta. This is good news because we have seven more games with them. But the caveat is that the Caps need to work hard against the Thrashers. Atlanta has lost a lot but they aren't a pushover hockey team. However, this is a good win and a good way to start the season. Let's hope the Caps can keep this up.

It has been.... A TWO POINT NIGHT!!!