Editor’s Note: Alaina will be live blogging the Pens v Philly game on Tuesday. If you liked this make sure you come back tomorrow and check out her commentary.
-Alaina Scarano-Isbouts
Let’s GO. Once again, all times are Eastern as that’s where the game is being played.
9:41 – Ok, calling it a night. There’s more hockey to be had tomorrow though, so I’ll see you all tomorrow night at 5pm Mountain time for the Penguins live blog! Night!
9:37 – What happened, Rangers? Were you a little too cocky going into game 3 at the Garden? Or were the Caps just more calm, staying steady and not giving up? This is going to make for a very interesting game 4.
9:35 – Game OVER. Actually it was over at the end of the 2nd period… but now it’s officially over. What a depressing game for NY fans. Varlamov gets a shutout in his 2nd career playoff game.
9:34 – NY fans chanting “Ovie sucks.” Yeah, that’s right, Alexander Ovechkin sucks. The Rangers defensemen didn’t even play the game tonight, Ovie has an assist, but he sucks. They are now throwing stuff on to the ice for the last minute of the game.
9:33 – Boston/Montreal update – Boston just scored an empty netter to win the game 4-2 in Montreal. Montreal is going to get swept on their home ice.
9:32 – News flash: apparently the defensemen for the Rangers decided to take tonight off. Can’t blame this loss on Lundqvist, that’s for sure.
9:31 – Score for Washington. Poti gets his first ever career goal. Rangers now down by 4. Backstrom got his 3rd assist of the game.
9:31 – Varlamov is 1:40 away from having a shut out.
9:29 – Avery is out for the rest of the game with a 10-minute misconduct and a 2-minute minor. ”Only in NY would fans cheer that guy as he walks off the ice,” says my husband.
9:28 – Avery is starting shit with Varlamov. Let’s just put it out there — he’s a bitch. He just punched the goaltender in the face for no good reason. He could have just started shit with Erskine, but no… he’s Avery.
9:27 – Penalty again. Holding on Kozlov for another NY power play.
9:26 – Interesting, NY won both games in NJ last season in the first round, lost game 3 in the Garden to the Devils, but then took game 4 at home. Trend, anyone?
9:25 – Vampire Weekend being played in the Garden. Weird to anyone else?
9:20 – Semin is putting up fantastic numbers so far; 2 goals, an assist and 3 hits. If he hadn’t gotten injured, I wonder if he wouldn’t be in the top 5 scorers?
9:17 – Another thought. Are the Rangers sucking or is Varlamov just that good? 36 shots for the Caps and 30 for NY.
9:16 – Fantastic shot by Dubinsky blocked. I don’t know if there is any more momentum left for NY.
9:15 – Starting to wonder if it’s possible for the Rangers to come back from this 3 goal deficit… it certainly isn’t looking good.
9:14 – Ovechkin and Staal on yet another shift together. Can’t anyone else handle him?
9:10 – Tortorella is looking pretty pissed on the bench, as he should be.
9:08 – This is almost getting boring. I should have blogged the Pens-Philly game!
9:05 – Caps kill the penalty and NY is now 0-5 on the power play.
9:03 – Yeah… Avery does WAY more harm than good. I don’t know why he was on that power play shift.
9:02 – Slashing penalty on Pothier for a NY power play. They HAVE to do something here (hmmm, haven’t I typed that before)?
9:01 – After a performance like this by Varlamov, I wonder if we’ll see Theodore again this series?
8:59 – Naslund has only played 9 minutes through 2 periods so far because of how many penalties the Rangers have taken and he doesn’t kill penalties usually. That’s pretty stupid on NY’s part – they can’t afford to take any more penalties this period.
8:58 – And we are back. Nothing to report yet.
8:52 – I wonder what Tortorella is saying right now… is he still afraid of Ovechkin?
8:45 – Heads up on the Boston-Montreal game, Boston has now taken the lead 3-2.
8:43 – Well the Rangers have caught up a bit. They are now only 9 shots behind Washington’s 30 shots on goal, with 21.
8:40 – Once again, it’s Ovechkin and Staal. He went after Ovie three times and then once Ovechkin hit Staal back — Staal looks to the referee. Hey, don’t dish it out if you can’t take it. Period over.
8:39 – Huge hit by Staal on Ovechkin. Kind of surprised there wasn’t anything called.
8:38 – That was kind of a bullshit call. The stands are cheering “We want the cup.”
8:37 – And another penalty on NY, this time it’s Avery YET AGAIN. Goaltender interference. You can imagine how loud the Garden is right now.
8:35 – Another shot for Zherdev and nothing. It’s unbelievable how clumsy the Rangers are playing.
8:33 – Rangers are still unbelievably scoreless — Zherdev just had the most spectacular shot, but Varlamov made an even more spectacular save. NY has to do something here but they are being out played in every way.
8:32 – Power play over for Washington. They now have 28 shots on goal to NY’s 19.
8:30 – Ovechkin, as it turns out, is a fantastic defenseman. Just blocked a huge breakaway on NY.
8:29 – Yet another penalty on NY, Callahan for high sticking. That’s not a good one to take right now – way too many penalties for NY.
8:25 – Shot by Dubinsky, save by Varlamov. This isn’t looking so good for NY.
8:24 – Goal for the Caps, Laich on a beautiful wrist shot. Lundqvist had the first save, but what do you know, Washington was there for the rebounds.
8:23 – Update from Montreal – the game is now tied at 2 halfway through the 2nd.
8:22 – Does Avery do more harm than good? I’m thinking so. NY had a huge chance before he took that high sticking call and now the momentum has shifted once again.
8:21- And that’s it – yet another penalty for the Rangers. Drury will be going to be box for hooking.
8:20 – Rangers now have the man advantage for 40 seconds.
8:19 – Rangers are not even trying to get the rebounds and it’s so frustrating to watch!
8:18 – Lundqvist just had the $$$ save on Fleischmann — and another penalty! Hooking call to Federov and the Rangers will get another chance. Don’t f-ck it up, Avery!
8:17 – Avery slid in to the net (tried to sell it), skated offside and then had a penalty called on him for high sticking. Rangers fans are pissed. Way to go Avery.
8:16 – NY has some great players on their team this year. Dubinsky, Antropov, Naslund.
8:15 – Rangers HAVE to score here. This is a great chance for them right now.
8:13 – Another penalty coming up on the Caps. Slashing call on Jurcina and it’s a TV timeout.
8:12 – Despite the score, momentum seems to have shifted to NY’s side with that huge penalty kill. Everyone is on their feet as they should be, chanting “Henrik”!
8:11 – Sjostrom was without a stick and there was still a few huge chances in front of the ney and power play over. Lundqvist can’t cover. Hit the post. CRAZY!
8:10 – Nearly a shorthanded goal for NY! Ovechkin smothered it in a fantastic defensive move.
8:08 – Lundqvist is the only reason the Rangers are up 2 games in this series. Incredible. Just had to big saves on Ovechkin and Semin respectively.
8:07 – Avery with a HUGE hit on Erskine right after the whistle. Everyone boos as Avery gets a penalty — well of course he is! 2nd power play for Washington.
8:07 – I know it’s early to say this, but please don’t get the Rangers shut out at home…
8:06 – NY killed the first Washington power play of the game although Ovie was only out for the last 15 seconds.
8:05 – Caps goalie Varlamov is playing fantastically. He doesn’t seem shaken at all…
8:04 – Here we go, 4-on-4 to start the 2nd!
8:01 – So I don’t think anyone is reading this live blog. It’s quiet out there.
7:54 – So my Dad can’t read this because he is in London and it’s 1am there but he told me to give him a shout out. Hi Dad! You were right about the Rangers!!!
7:49 – Update from around the league: Boston and Montreal are tied at 1 at the end of the 1st. It would be nice for Montreal to win this one at home for their fans.
7:47 – 1st is over. Naslund took a holding penalty right as the period ended, which will end the power play for NY.
7:45 – HUGE save despite Avery standing right in front of the net. Huge save on Antropov one again.
7:45 – Interesting lines here for the power play. Gomez, Callahan and Avery out for the 1st power play shift.
7:44 – Penalty on the Caps once again. Holding on Steckel for NY’s 2nd power play. 1:30 to go in the 1st.
7:43 – Icing on Washington, but NY just had 2 pretty decent shifts… let’s hope they can keep up the pressure.
7:42 – NY’s 3rd line just got some fantastic shots on goal – nada.
7:41 – Ordered Thai food. Mmmmmm.
7:40 – Ovie has had 5 shot attempts so far (some of them blocked).
7:38 – The Rangers look AWFUL right now. Exhausted. They are in the Garden, come on guys get ENERGIZED!
7:37 – Federov and Ovehckin just had a 2-on-1 and missed the net. You don’t see that happen too often.
7:37 – I keep forgetting that Derek Morris plays for NY now. I think he’s awesome, I loved him when he was on the Avs. Just a side note.
7:36 – This is a pretty pathetic power play. No shots on goal so far and it’s half over.
7:34 – Penalty on the Caps; high sticking on Laich. Rangers will have their first power play of the game with 7:35 to go in the first.
7:33 – Seriously that was soooo depressing for NY fans. I can’t believe the Caps are dominating like this in the Garden.
7:32 – UNBELIEVABLE. Wide open net opportunity for NY and it hit the freaking post – just for Semin to get the puck again and score his second goal of the game.
7:31 – Penalties over, back to 5-on-5 hockey.
7:28 – Huge save by Lundqvist on Ovechkin. Caps now have 11 shots on goal to NY’s 4. Gotta step it up, Blueshirts!
7:28 – Roszival is back on the ice and created a HUGE scoring opportunity – but no goal.
7:27 – Matching penalties to make it 4-on-4.
7:26 – Big fight at the net. Guess who’s in the middle of it .
7:25 – Don’t know what to have for dinner. I’m not cooking, once again.
7:23 – Ovechkin is playing some extremely long shifts. He was on the ice when Semin almost scored the first time and is still on the ice now.
7:23 – Semin scored… the announcers didn’t even see it. Assists to Ovechkin and Backstrom. Capitals 1, Rangers 0.
7:22 – OMG Semin just missed a WIDE OPEN NET. Lundqvist rocked his world. Still no score.
7:21 – Lots and lots of shots so far. Caps have 6 shots on goal already but the Rangers are stuck at 2.
7:20 – Federov and Ovechkin is a dangerous combination – but the Rangers are shutting them down as I type this.
7:18 – He’s up and with what is obviously a broken nose. He’s staying on the bench — not going to the locker room. True hockey player right there.
7:17 – INJURY. Ovechkin accidentally got Rozsival in the face with his stick on the follow-through of a shot. Yikes. Hasn’t gotten up and there is a LOT of blood on the ice.
7:17 – Why don’t people like Chris Drury? I’m a fan.
7:16 – Antropov is kind of amazing. Already had two shots in about 10 seconds.
7:14 – Rangers putting the pressure on early. Caps already have 4 shots on goal though…
7:13 – Well, Avery has already whined and Drury has already touched the puck. The game is definitely underway for NY. I don’t think the Caps can win in the Garden tonight.
7:12 – Just opened my beer – the seasonal Flying Dog that I’ve never had before, Garde Dog. I like it.
7:11 – Puck DROPPED and the crowd is already chanting “Henrik“.
7:10 – Theodore isn’t playing and didn’t play game two. Interesting.
7:08 – just now singing the National Anthem. For those of you who didn’t hear, Ovechkin showed up at the Rangers pre-game skate to observe. Rangers PR made him leave.
7:05pm – Game hasn’t started yet, of course. Playoff games always start late. Just wanted to tell you all that.
Torts better bust some ass during this intermission.
Not bad. You gotta understand one thing. The NHL has it out for Avery. At least half of those calls were questionable. He also gets abused by players out there and rarely ever gets rewarded.
Of course, I’m a Ranger fan. So I’m defending him. I went. I also blogged on the game.
They better come out with more focus and intensity tomorrow or they’re doomed.
As an Avs fan, I can afford to be indifferent about Avery. There’s something to be said about this love/hate relationship people seem to have with him… while he is a great agitator and what not, there’s no doubt that sometimes he doesn’t know when to just put a lid on it. He took too many penalties last night when NY just couldn’t afford to be a man down… and I don’t know if NY fans hate him for it or look past it.
Well, I can definitely agree with you Alaina. Sometimes, Sean loses it and forgets what he needs to do to be most effective.
For the most part, those kinda games have been rare under Tortorella. I had already left my seats to head down before the thing with Varlamov and the predictable game misconduct. So, I guess he acted silly.
I know Tort won’t put up with it. But right now, our forwards are really thin especially with it looking like Drury will not play tomorrow. They really should consider recalling Anisimov.
Ansismov wouldn’t be a bad option – but hopefully they can get even more from Dubinsky, Antropov and Gomez. There are some great power forwards in NY and they need to bring those guns out in the Garden tomorrow. I wish I were going!!!