An Ugly Game

The Caps were shutout for the first time this season with an ugly 4-0 loss at Edmonton. They looked tired out there on Saturday night having played 3 games in 4 days, but no, that doesn't excuse the lackluster effort. Mike Vogel in his postgame notebook on the Caps website mentions that the Caps were outshot by a wide margin, 10-3 in the first period, just like in their other games on this road trip. I hope the Caps come out with more enthusiasm in the first period against Calgary tonight.

Before I started writing this blog, I didn't spend much time on the message boards for Capital fans like I do now. Reading the boards has shown me that the Caps have a fanatical group of fans that analyze every game, every player, every line change and every move that management makes for the team. Some of the common themes on the boards - the Caps need a much stronger defense (no surprise there), the Caps need a play making center (Backstrom is on his way soon...thankfully!) and the Caps need to learn how to keep the puck out of their own zone.

What amuses me most about the fan boards is how emotional Caps fans are (yes, all sport teams have their fanatics, but the Caps have a much smaller fan base) and I count myself among the emotional. A friend of mine asked my boyfriend Jeff, "Is she always like this at Caps game?" at the Tampa Bay game. We were watching from a box suite and every time the Caps pulled some bone headed move, I went into the suite and watched football on the TV because I couldn't stand it. At least, I'm not the only fan that desperately wants the Caps to make the playoffs this year, even if it's a stretch goal for this rebuilding team, but I think that's the only way the Caps will get more fan support in this city.

So, Caps, let's finish up this road trip in Calgary on a high note!