Faster, Penalty! Kill! Kill!

Braden Holtby clearing NYI rubbish from the crease: Kathy Kmonicek-AP

Hot B Holtby:  If Braden was a little spooked from his two previous games in Caps gear, it didn’t show.

Holtby was shelled in those last two games for us, but he shook off those bad memories and tallied 24 saves for the night, some of them downright heart stopping and jaw-dropping.

He insured we clung to our narrow lead and ultimately prevailing over NY, 2-1.  Too close for comfort, much too close, but we’ll take the win.

Coach Boudreau talked about the differences this time around and said last night’s game was a confidence builder for the young and handsome netminder:

“He really showed mental toughness… It was a great moment for him.”

Let’s Do Some Lines: Is Boudreau now considered a whole lot smarter because he may have finally hit upon the right combination for his star line? “I think Chimera was looking pretty good on that line,” he said after the game.

Fly Aeroflot: Ray Stubblebine: Reuters

That may easily have been the understatement of the night.  Backstrom > Alex > Chimera rang up the first goal last night. That was comforting for the fans; comforting too, for Jason no doubt – his 7th of the season and his first road score since an October Bruins game, eons ago.

The night’s second goal (The NB19 Vigil is officially over after 20 games) was due in part to the top flight as well; Alex with another assist. Nicky’s 12th for the season was one of 9 road goals for him. Verizon is nice but maybe we travel more often?  Say Toronto?  Sure, book a flight.

Missing In Action: Maybe a look at the game charts will show otherwise, but from Joe B.’s call last night, we didn’t seem to hear much about Greenie or Carlson. 

Kicking up dust in the NY crease: Kathy Kmonicek-AP

Maybe that’s cool when your top line gets all the attention and your goalie is performing near flawlessly under some very heavy pressure, especially in the third when it really counted, and especially under the weight of six penalties. 

Another usual suspect in strong Caps efforts, MoJo racked up only 23 seconds in the third.  

Boudreau attributed the absence to the sweet Swede’s relative youth and inexperience – Marcus played only 45 games last season and we’re at the 46 game mark now.  Boudreau said it wasn’t MoJo’s night and that his legs just weren’t there.

Pussy Galore: I still don’t understand how people can tweet or live blog during a game,  but I’m glad they can.  That takes multi-tasking to a completely different level. 

Is Backstrom Back? Lou Capozzola-Getty

Shit – we can’t skate and spit at the same time.  (Actually, we can’t even skate.  But spit we can do, we just choose not to). Nonetheless, we’re glad the Insta-Caps community does it.

Right after the game, a link was shared supposedly showing Backstrom telling some Isletwit where to get off. 

The lip reader tweeters thought Nicky said, “Fucking Pussy.”  Maybe so, but overnight forensic analysis at Quantico was inconclusive.  Another reason we don’t think he said that – At any given time during the game, there were six Islander pussies on the ice.  Nicky called out just one of them?  The math just doesn’t work.

Pay For Play?  Near the end of the second, you could almost sense a wave of jealousy sweep over everyone in Caps Blogistan who is not the Russian Machine. 

From Russia with love

Nice mention from Joe B., guys. Bastards.

What’s it take to get into their rotation?  Bullion?

Or being smart on hockey or more Beefcake/Icecake?  We’ll try some of each.

Don’t ask us how far we’re prepared to go to get some CSN love. 

Too cute for words:

Hendy Holty Hockey Hug

Hold Down The Fort: Coach Boudreau’s post-game comments:

“People will complain that we only got two goals and didn’t go for offense… 

It was a great shutdown in the third period.  When you kill six penalties and you do the right things of getting it deep, getting it deep and all of those things, you end up successful. 

You get one, two good saves and you’re gonna be good.  I’m really proud of the way they held the fort.”