Andddd…if you notice while playing. All AHL teams play in a generic arena except…..Norfolk. The Scope is actually replecated pretty well in the game. It’s the only real AHL arena in the game.

EA Sports is continually killing me with this aspect of the NHL series. The scoreboard in Verizon Center is still the blue piece of junk that’s been long removed from the Phone Booth. A new arena this year in Pittsburgh? Hardly. It’s the same arena as last year (their replicated Mellon Arena) with some new Console Energy Center logos slapped at center ice.

Can we get some graphic enhancements to the arenas next year, please? And if we could get the NHL ones down to a T (since they don’t change THAT much from year to year), then let’s start moving onto the AHL ones, instead of having them all play in a generic arena. I mean if they can throw hundreds of college stadiums into the NCAA Football series, I believe they can handle 60 for the two major North American pro leagues.

One minor thing that bugged me last season seems to be somewhat fixed. That was the goal horn. Whatever Washington’s was last year, it was nowhere close to the real horn/siren in DC. This year, it’s at least close to the real thing, despite only one turn of the siren.

Backstrom doesn’t have a generic face anymore (Yay!), but it would be a stretch to say that his game model bares a likeliness to him. At least he doesn’t have a shaved head anymore. His blond (sorta) curly hair stops halfway down his neck and his face could be just about anyone with a baby face.

On the plus side, Backis has some awesome velocity behind his wrist shot now.

I’ve only played a handful of games, but I have noticed that more time is spent in the neutral zone and it’s a bit harder to maintain possession. The AI is more adept to intercept a pass or knock a player off the puck, causing many more small battles for the puck. With first line guys like Backstrom and Ovi, who possess fantastic “puck grabbing” abilities, I found that I was able to keep the puck in the offensive zone for extended periods of time even if my initial scoring chance or chances failed.

When playing a season with the Caps before every game they show the Presidents Trophy banner being raised. Was kinda nice for the home opener but it does it before all the home games.
The announcers are still talking about the 08-09 Capitals home game attendence. Backstrom still has short hair. B Mo,S Mo,Walker and Theo are still on the team. Alzner is still on Hershey. On xbox if you score with Ovie and hold the left analog towards the boards and press A he jumps into the boards

Laich 82
Knuble 82
Schultz 82
Flash 81
Chimera 81

The Top five Capitals:
Ovi 94
Baskstrom 89
Mike Green 85
Semin 85
Varly 84

Overall I’m pretty pleased with the ratings this year. Backstrom is rated where he belongs – among the other elite players. Green and Semin are both solid 85s. Finally Ovechkin is the highest rated player in the game as the only 94. Crosby is the only 93. Malkin, Datsyuk, and Iginla are 92s.