Watching Caps hockey - a big meh

The Caps are surprisingly up 2-0 on the Montreal Canadiens as I type this, but I still can't stir up any excitement for Caps hockey right now. They even netted a pretty power play goal on a pretty move and pass by Mike Green to Mike Knuble. However, the 19th ranked power play comes away empty handed way too often.

I probably can't stir up any excitement for Caps hockey because they are now returning to form and sucking it up in the second period after ending the first period up 2-0, an unusual occurrence of late. In typical fashion though, the Caps are easing back on the gas since they have a lead. They start gliding around, playing lazily, overpassing and not finishing their checks. Sigh. I'm tired of the lack of effort from this team. It does not bode well for the rest of this season.

The recent NHL Players Association Players Poll called the Caps the most overrated team in the NHL by a enormous margin. 35% of the players voted the Caps for first place and the 2nd place Vancouver Canucks only got 14% of the players. I have to agree, right now, they do not have what it takes to win a Cup.

The other two questions with interesting results from that players poll are that Bruce Boudreau is the easiest coach to play for with 21% of the vote and yet he doesn't appear on the top 5 coaches players want to play for list. What that confirms for me is that Boudreau doesn't hold this team accountable enough and, even worse, doesn't know how to get this team to the next level. I say that because I believe that players want to win and they want to play for a coach that knows how to win.

This team will go nowhere until they learn to live by the words of Herb Brooks, "You can't win on talent alone." This team is way more talented than that Miracle on Ice team, but that quote still applies to any team with aspirations to win the Stanley Cup. It takes heart, grit, effort and also talent. I don't see heart, grit or effort from this Caps team on most nights this season.

Montreal has now tied the game. Like I said, a big meh.

Update: the Caps managed to lose yet another game after having a lead and yet another game in overtime - they lead the league in that statistic. Clearly, there are not enough players on that team that give a damn anymore.

Let's go Caps!