Game 4 Caps @ Flyers 4-17-2008 Post-Mortem

Got 'em right where we want 'em... Onto the Battle Damage Assessment...

We work for a living and have to get up early tomorrow so this will be quick:

1. Better effort overall tonight but still not enough. You can see that the Flyers confidence wasn't shaken at all (but the Caps did get the Boo Birds to come out) though if the Caps can find a way to extend this series, you will continue to see their maturity level rising.
2. Cristobal 'WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE" Huet had his best game of the playoffs so far yet came up with a loss. Such is life.
3. Alexander Semin continues to show what an enigma he is even when he's playing well. He's been the best forward for the Caps so far in the playoffs yet he finally scored his first goal tonight. He also took an absolute beating but missed maybe one shift. You have to be impressed with his play but at the same time wonder why he doesn't do this more consistently. Some thought he could and would be intimidated by the Flyers but he hasn't been.
4. The Power Play showed some needed improvement and could be heading into another hot streak. We'll need it if we're going to get out of this jam.
5. More than anything else that went on, yielding a goal one minute in tonight did us in. As well as UA played tonight, we need him to play like that for the entire game.
6. Once again, too many penalties. It's one thing to take a couple of penalties to "establish" yourself and push back against your opponent, but two Too Many Men on the ice penalties in one playoff game is inexcusable.

Well, the Caps once again have no margin for error which they've been used to. If they want to advance to Second Round, they'll have to win three straight games which they've done before. However, they have to win those three games in four nights. We can't remember the last time that happened.