GAME 67 REVIEW: Caps Fall to Crosby and the Pens

For my game story, Capitals Fall to Crosby, Penguins in Shootout, 4-3, please click on the link and visit DCSportsBox.com.

Sunday's game had all the spirit, action and passion of a playoff game, and thankfully, none of the drama that seems to surround these two teams. There were no runs, no cheap shots and little whining in the game, just some good old fashioned hockey the way the boys used to play it on the pond.

Ok, so maybe that was a little allegorical for you. But it was a pretty tough, tight checking game. I mean, Jurcina put Kennedy THROUGH the boards! Every whistle brought a scrum, and there were 10 (!) roughing penalties. THAT'S some tough hockey.

Props to David Steckel. I thought he did some fantastic defensive work and the home run pass to Laich was right on the tape.

I thought Poti looked slow and tentative in warm ups, and he proved me right on the first Penguins goal, as he was stuck in between the play, not having enough jump to get on Kunitz quick enough to break up the little flip he made to Guerin.

And how about that line for Pittsburgh? Crosby with Kunitz and Guerin. Does it strike anyone else strange that they would pair BOTH new guys with their captain? Stranger still, on Sunday it seemed like they'd been playing together all season long.

Once again though, the defense is proving that they still can't win the one-on-one battles. One the first goal, Schultz was backed up all the way right in front of Theo on the two-on-one. He's gotta step up and make Guerin make that pass MUCH earlier. Later, Guerin's toe drag in front of Morrisonn has Mo STILL looking for his jock on the ice.

Tomorrow night's trip to the central time zone is critically important for the Caps. They face a Predator team that's fighting for their playoff lives and the Caps need to come out and match their intensity. They did it for their mortal enemies on Sunday. Can they do it against the #8 team from the Western Conference?