Everybody all at once now, exhale.
Two great lines from Tim Leone of the Patriot-News while we were waiting for the elevator. Down three games to one and 2-0 in the game, the Caps had them right where they wanted them. He also pointed out that Alex Ovechkin didn't miss on the 4-2 goal this time.
Organizing thoughts for a game story was not easy after watching that game take a hard left turn. Cristobal Huet was shaky early, but pretty great after that. He got some help from the right post on the shot by Braydon Coburn, but his stop on R.J. Umberger during the 2-on-1 in the second period might be the Big One from this series should the Caps win tomorrow night. Washington was clearly on the verge with some heavy pressure, but a goal there by Philly might have crushed the Caps.
The 5-on-3 penalty kill was also huge. Tom Poti, who said he has a headache but expects to play tomorrow night after taking a stick in the back of the head, was on the ice for the entire kill.
Obviously Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin are enjoying their time together. Backstrom said after the game he thought it was one pass too many on his goal, but that was a frightening display of talent.
And what more is there to say about No. 8? He was like a shark smelling blood in the water. After that first goal everyone on press row could sense that he could sense there was another one in that stick of his. If someone told me that one-timer for the second goal was clocked at 127 mph, I would believe them. I thought he was going to put it through the net.
Well, time to pack up now and head back to DC, grab a few hours of sleep and do this all over again tomorrow night. Finally, the line of the night, courtesy of one Alex Ovechkin.
"We never find easy way."
Rarely have truer words been spoken.
