Game 2 Caps vs. Flyers 4-13-2008 Post-Mortem

You didn't think it was going to be easy did you??? Onto the Battle Damage Assessment...

THE GOOD:

• Cristobal "WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE" Huet was fantastic today despite giving up two goals and taking the loss with 39 saves. It was some disinterested backchecking more than anything else that did him in today. How he did not earn one of the stars today is beyond me.
• The Penalty Killing was the lone bright spot. Despite some close calls, the unit went 5 for 5 today and kept a dangerous Power Play unit from putting the game out of reach.

THE BAD:

• The Caps were outshot in every period today except for the first period, when they gave up two goals on odd man rushes. Getting outshot 18-8 in the third period when you're trying to mount a comeback rarely, if ever, works.
• The first line of Viktor Kozlov, Nicklas Backstrom, and A.O. were a -2 each and combined for seven shots on goal, 5 by A.O. alone. Though Kozlov has once again gone MIA.

THE UGLY:

• The John "Coach's Pet" Erskine Bowles Bonehead Play of the Game does not go to its namesake as the slow-footed, dim-witted defenseman got beat on the Flyers first goal (it was a play that showed you just how slow he is) but to Mike "BEAM ME UP" Green for his ill-timed and ill-advised interference penalty in the third period that ended all hopes of a comeback with a special mention of Washington's favorite Boston based Referee, Chris Rooney, for making a call that was ignored all game long until it was called on Green with 3:09 left in the game.
• The Power Play showed why it is a "Special" Team today. Going 0 for 6.

First of all, let's give credit where credit it due, the Flyers picked up their game today and the Capitals simply didn't match it. The Caps were maybe too loose with A.O. interviewing Mike Green and telling NBC yesterday that the Flyers need to key on Mr. Donald Brashear to shutdown the Caps offense as the Caps were just off all day long. The Caps also didn't hit the Flyers defensemen very much on the forecheck mostly because the Philadelphia Defensmen were moving the puck a lot quicker today than they were on Friday. The good news that despite pitching a shutout, Martin Biron had another shaky game as the Caps rang posts, missed wide open nets, and kept shooting the puck straight into him after he dropped to his knees. Philadelphia cannot be all that confident in him as he continues to fight the puck early on in the game. You knew the 8 game winning streak was going to come to an end and yep, unlike last week the Caps can afford to lose a game now. But they need to step it up if they want to avoid losing any more games.