Game 7 Caps vs. Rangers 4-28-2009 Post-Mortem

Come on over, whole lotta shakin' goin' on... Onto the Battle Damage Assessment...

We can't get ourselves organized enough to do this the usual way so in no particular order:

• For the first time in the series, the Rangers got to feel what the Caps felt for much of the series and that is dominating the game but coming out on the short end of the stick. The fact that the game was tied at 1 after two period was a borderline miracle for the Caps considering how poorly we played. We did not deserve to win this game tonight.
• However, the Caps for the first time in the series pulled out the gutty, gritty win. Over a seven game series, odds are pretty good you'll play poorly in at least one of them. The good teams find a way to win when they don't deserve to and that's exactly what the Caps did tonight.
• Talk about redemption for Sergei (#3) Fedorov. He is really showing his age but as the saying goes "old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill every time." We were about to say "the next goal will win this game" when he took the shot.
• Hats off to the Rangers though, they played a hard and gusty game themselves. We know all too well what it is like to play a team that simply has more talent than you in the playoffs. The Rangers did well enough to build a 3-1 lead and after two dismal performances led them into Game 7, they came out and played as well as they possibly could play for the first two periods.
• Though speaking of that third period, the Caps outshot New York 13 to 1. This after the Caps were outshot 8-2 in the first period. This game was almost a microcosm of the series itself.
• For all of those who think Washington is a bandwagon town really need to pay attention to the crowd not only tonight, but for the entire series. It may be an overstatement to say that the crowd refused to let the Caps lose this Game 7, but not much of one. There were some boos after the second period but the fans stood behind this team tonight and were just as much behind the them in Games 1 and 2 when they lost and Game 5 when they were on the brink of elimination.

Now for the bad news kids. There are three more rounds to go before the Stanley Cup is handed out. Thanks to New Jersey's implosion/choke job at home tonight, here come the Penguin Scum for Round 2. But for one night, we can enjoy getting beyond the first round for the first time in 11 years and winning a Game 7 after being down 3-1 for only the second time history. See ya New York!

Credit given where credit is due...