Washington Capitals

Ken Campbell wrote an interesting yet laughable article for The Hockey News about Washington Capitals' star Alexander Ovechkin's 'evolving superstar status' in which he compares Ovie to Red Wings legend Steve Yzerman.

Here is an excerpt from Campbell's article:

When Steve Yzerman reached the crossroad of his career, he had the option of going one of two ways. He could either continue as a one-way offensive dynamo or he could reinvent himself as a two-way player.

Had he taken the first option, there’s a good chance Yzerman would have never won a single Stanley Cup. Either he would have been dealt from the Detroit Red Wings or he wouldn’t have been able to provide them with the type of play they needed for him to lead them to three championships. Because he chose the latter, not only was he an integral part of three championship teams, but he also cemented his Hall of Fame credentials and his status as one of the greatest leaders and players of all-time.

At the end of the season in 2006 or 07, Jeremy Colliton cleaned out his locker and headed home. He had a long drive ahead going from Bridgeport, CT to Blackie, AB. Twitter was not created until March of ’06 and didn’t launch until that July but Facebook was available and Jeremy used it to chronicle his long drive home. His periodic status updates about which George Strait song he was listening to, or how he could not wait for the taste of Canadian beef, eased the pain that I and other hockey fans experience when the season ends. Today it’s Twitter that provides that catharsis.

Several of this years’ Sound Tigers club use twitter and most posted something about their journey. It was obvious from reading each of them that, though sad to leave, they were happy to be home. Kevin Poulin said he was glad to have some ‘home cooking’ and wished teammates Rhett Rakhshani (driving solo to California) and David Ullstrom (flying home to Sweden) well. Ullstrom was in touch with both Casey Cizikas and Trevor Frischmon about having them come to visit him over the summer. John Persson (remember this kids’ name) also from Sweden did not return home. He instead returned to his Canadian billet family in Red Deer, Alberta where he has the most adorable five(?) year-old blonde alarm clock.

One of the most entertaining first-round series has been the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals, who will meet in Game 7 tonight to decide who moves on to the second round and who goes golfing. 

Talk about drama. This is the moment those guys in both rooms have been waiting for all season. After six games, there aren't any surprises, there aren't and secret weapons. 

If the Caps win, they'll have done so by winning on the defending Cup champs home-ice three times in four chances. If the Bruins win, they'll live to defend their Cup yet another day. 

It's Holtby in the cage for the Caps and Thomas in the net...

Coming into the series, nobody thought that 22-year-old Braden Holtby, with zero playoff experience, could match Tim Thomas save-for-save. 

But the Caps' young netminder has done just that, even slightly out-dueling Boston's former Vezina Trophy winner. 

Holtby carries a .83 GAA into game three in D.C. and a sparkling .973 save percentage. Not to mention that he's stopped 72 of 74 shots in those two games, answering some of the questions surrounding the Caps' ominous goaltending situation entering the playoffs. Thomas hasn't been all that bad either, tending the cage to the tune of the same .83 GAA and a .9...