Tuesday's Blogging Roundup

Well today is all about the Caps' visit to Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets. It's the first time the two teams have met since Ovechkin's first game on Opening Night, 2005. Notes JP;

Much has changed in the D.C. hockey world in the twenty-eight months since then - that night the bronze and black-clad Caps got points from Ovechkin, Dainius Zubrus, Jeff Halpern, Mathieu Biron and Steve Eminger before an MCI Center crowd - but at least one thing has remained the same: Alexander Ovechkin is still the best player on the ice almost every time he laces up his skates.

And oh yeah, he's the most clutch player in the league.

Tonight's game is horrible timing for the Caps. They have been shut out in 2 of their last 3, and stare across the ice at shutout king Pascal Leclaire. Hopefully the addition of Eric Fehr and shuffling of the lines can get something going tonight. While some people are concerned breaking up that productive first line will hurt them, The Peerless has once again broken down the numbers, and finds that there's no need to panic.

But look a little closer…that’s 13 different players providing at least one assist on an Ovechkin goal (he is an equal opportunity finisher). Kozlov has the lion’s share of primary assists, but defensemen have seven of those primary assists, too.

Then there are power play goals. Ovechkin has five power play goals in this group. Neither Kozlov nor Backstrom has a primary assist on any of them (Backstrom has two secondary assists).

It hardly seems to matter who gets the puck to Ovechkin; he’s finding a way to deposit it in the back of the net, regardless.

So it doesn't look like Ovie will slow down, and the 2nd line and hopefully 3rd and 4th will start putting some pucks into the net.

Steckel will be returning to his roots tonight, as he spent 4 years at Ohio State University. According to Tarik, Dave will have a couple dozen friends in the stands, and is hoping for a big game. Also, it looks like Johnson will get the start between the pipes.

And lastly, it sounds like the VC ice-quality debate is far from over. On Frozen Blog has brought for some good reasons, well 124 million of them, for why the Caps can't settle for having the 12th-best ice in January. They need to have better quality ice all the time. And yes I know being a multi-use facility the Verizon will have poor ice from time to time. And I'm sure things would be better if Leonsis owned the building. But even with all those setbacks the organization needs to do whatever they can to ensure the highest quality ice surface for their players.

Joe Dumas 04:10 PM

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