Poti torches former team to lead Caps in 5-3 win

Tom Poti torched his former team with 1 goal and 3 assists to lead the way in the Caps tying up this series.  The tape to tape pass play where David Steckel set Poti up for his goal was a thing of beauty.  Poti's holding his ear up for the fans on his way off the ice after his post game interview cracked me up, but the Caps need to win another game so it's no time for cockiness.  He played a great game.

Observations:

• I'm loving the line of Brooks Laich, Matt Bradley and David Steckel.  They are playing with high energy and fighting hard.  Steckel's been money in the bank on the penalty kill as he's clearing the puck regularly.
  
  
• Viktor Kozlov looked Ovie like with his dipsy do around the Rangers on that goal.  The 4th puck that went glove high.  Caps finally figured out how to successfully shoot on King Henrik.

• Nicklas Backstrom continues to hold onto the puck as if losing it would cost him his life. He gets playoff hockey.
  
  
• Alex Ovechkin deflected in a  beautiful Poti pass to net his 3rd goal in three games.
  
  
• John Erskine also gets playoff hockey.
  
  
• We like it when Milan Jurcina lets that rocket of a shot go.  
  
  
• Mike Green came alive today and potted his first playoff goal.  He apparently feels better which is certainly helpful.
  
  
• Simeon Varlamov stayed strong in net and got the 2nd star even though he ultimately let in 3 Rangers goals.

• But, why is it the Caps do the polar opposite of what their coach tells them to do sometimes?  They take stupid penalties (and, yes, the refs appeared to be hard on the Caps) and gave the Rangers not one, but two, 5 on 3s.  Ridiculous.
  

The Caps need to keep game 7 against Philadelphia last year in mind as they prepare for playing the Rangers Tuesday night.  It all ends in a second as Joffrey Lupul so painfully showed them and us fans.

Let's go Caps!