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Tuesday night begins the best part of the entire year. Eight best-of-seven series start today– with all the rivalries and drama and bad blood that come along with ‘em. Expect big games every night and fresh fallout every morning. Playoffs, baby.
As RMNB’s creators, Ian and I thought we’d ramble on about our predictions for the first round and put our necks on the line. I do not recommend you take any of our guesses to #thebank.
Since 2010, RMNB has been keeping track of Caps fans’ playoff beards under the banner #beardpact. It’s been our way of keeping in touch regarding our ill-advised facial-hair enterprises, sending some traffic towards Beard-a-Thon, and having a few laughs.
Maybe that’s been fun for you, but it’s been hell for me.
When I can actually grow a beard, I look really bad. Like Nick Backstrom bad. And my so-called friends have this awful habit of getting married during the playoffs. Like every goddamn year. It’s as if their wives didn’t even care about Bruce Boudreau’s job. And have you ever tried to talk to a smart and sophisticated lady while you have the facial scruff of a pubescent seventh grader?
So, yeah. Not this year, guys. I am not growing a playoff beard.
Remember when we didn’t even think there’d be a season this year? Remember when we though the Caps would miss the playoffs? Silly us.
The NHL has finally released the schedule for the first round of the playoffs between the Caps and the New York Rangers. The series doesn’t start until Thursday.
Thursday, May 2 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington
Saturday, May 4 12:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington
Monday, May 6 7:30 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers
Wednesday, May 8 7:30 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers
*Friday, May 10 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington
*Sunday, May 12 TBD Washington at NY Rangers
*Monday, May 13 TBD NY Rangers at Washington
(* if needed)
Game on.
UPDATE: The Caps have provided broadcast info below.
Photo credit: Greg Fiume
Saturday night revealed the Capitals’ playoff foe, and that foe is really, really familiar.
The New York Rangers locked up the 6-seed and will be headed to Washington early this week to begin the quarterfinal round. This will be the seventh time the teams have met and the third time RMNB will have written about a WSH-NYR series. The John Tortorella Rangers are a shot-blocking, workaday-type crew– but this year they’ve added convincing possession to the mix (they’re ranked sixth in unblocked shot attempts at even strength when the score is close). The Rangers may be a better match-up for the Caps than the Senators (whose Craig Anderson posted the best goalie stats this year) and the Isles (whose John Tavares is a convincing young star), but the Rags are no slouch either.
If you’re already anxious, you’re not alone. But this is the playoffs, where the gentle hum of anxiety is your stalwart dance partner.
Photo credit: Patrick McDermott
Woohoo! Final game of the season. A month and a half ago, I thought this would be the last one I’d cover before the summer, but then Ovechkin happened. Now, the Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals game was just a meaningless little preamble to the real dance, which starts next week.
Let’s do a loose recap. Looch got a lucky one off Alzner’s skates, then he screened Holtby on Ference’s goal. Then, Mike Green 2009 warged into Mike Green 2013 and scored back-to-back power play goals. The Caps killed some late-game penalties and forced overtime, where Eric Fehr finished off the regular season with a little goal so greasy you could lubricate your engine with it if that’s a thing you knew how to do.
Caps beat Bruins 3-2 (Overtime).
[Ed. note: Jason Rogers offers his final pregamer of the year. Follow @PuckBuddys if you dare.]
As Boston’s Samuel Adams proclaimed to the city as he read the first draft of the Declaration of Independence from Independence Hall: “King George is a fah-kin’ bastahd, Go Sawx.” And thus from these auspicious beginnings bloomed the blue-collarest, working-classiest, chowdah-guzzlingest town in the country. Boston is a city that spurns academia in favor of arm wrestling, subtlety in favor of soup, and charisma in favor of crème pies. On Saturday, the Goon Squad known as the Bruins lurches into DC like a particularly undeveloped ape.
Last game of the season, folks; let’s go for one more ride.
The Capitals announced Saturday morning that they have re-signed goalie Michal Neuvirth to a two-year contract worth about $2.5 a year. Neuvirth has stopped 91% of all shots against this season, but has largely been shelved (just 13 games played) due to injury, illness, and Braden Holtby’s 91.9% save percentage.
Neuvirth will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the contract.
Check out the Hendyface! (Photo credit: Patrick McDermott)
I was expecting some kind of letdown after the Washington Capitals ensured themselves a playoff spot on Tuesday, but dude. Thursday’s game against the Ottawa Senators wasn’t bad by any stretch, but it didn’t carry the same gravitas now that the Caps are locked in third place. Erik Karlsson’s unlikely return to service was heartening for pure hockey fans, but it’s way too late in the season for us to muster up that kind of neighborliness. Besides, it’s totally possible this is the team the Caps will have to face in the playoffs, so we should probably get the enmity brewing now.
Karlsson got one, then Ovi got one. Then overtime, where ex-Cap Sergei Gonchar won it all because Mike Ribeiro is a liability.
Sens beat Caps 2-1. Ottawa makes the playoffs.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 24, 2013
Capitals Re-sign Aaron Volpatti
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have re-signed left wing Aaron Volpatti to a two-year contract, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today. Volpatti will earn $550,000 in 2013-14 and $600,000 in 2014-15.
Volpatti, 28, has recorded one goal, one assist and 33 penalty minutes in 31 games with Washington and Vancouver this season. The native of Revelstoke, British Columbia, has collected three goals, two assists and 86 penalty minutes in 69 career NHL games with the Capitals and Canucks.
The 6’0”, 215-pound forward tallied 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) and 91 penalty minutes in 61 career AHL games with Manitoba. He spent four seasons playing for Brown University in the NCAA and was named to the ECAC All-Academic team his first three seasons before being named team captain for his senior season.
Volpatti was claimed off of waivers by Washington on Feb. 28. He was originally signed as an un-drafted free agent by Vancouver on March 22, 2010.
Just take a look at Aaron on the usage charts we posted earlier today.
Photo credit: Bruce Bennett
Eric Fehr has been the Washington Capitals’ big comeback story. Fehr left Washington for Winnipeg in 2011 after a few injury-riddled seasons, but returned to DC this offseason and has since become one of the team’s most reliable forwards. Fehr drives play more decisively than any other forward and has put up 8 goals and 8 assists in a shortened season against tough competition.
Fehr’s new contract will keep him in Caps red through 2015 and will earn him an average of $1.5 million a year.
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