Welcome to the best 40 minute team in hockey.
Under most conditions a team would be very pleased to be 8-2-2 at this point in the season. But this team, this year, is not "most conditions". This team has designs on a Stanley Cup and just maybe has the talent to get there - but not if they continue to serve up turkeys like this game.
You make it to the post season by winning games and collecting points and the Caps have done plenty of both. But you win championships by relentlessly pursuing perfection all the time - every game, every period, every shift, every practice session. Nothing about this team suggests that they are willing to make that commitment.
The glass half-full types say "its only October" but I'll defer to Coach BB's favorite analogy: It ain't a faucet - you can't turn it on and off. They will make the playoffs - maybe even win the Conference - but when you're deep into the post-season playing your 102nd game of an absurdly long season it isn't all those wins that get you through the next period, game, or series - it’s the habits you developed and perfected over those 102 games.
The 8-2-2 Caps just wasted an entire month playing 40 minute hockey which will do nothing for their post-season aspirations except help collect enough points to make the playoffs.
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I know Mike Green is on a bit of a point scoring streak but he's been on the wrong end of way too many break-aways lately including one that led to a penalty shot last game and one that brought Atlanta to within a goal with just three minutes left in this game.
Surprisingly enough, goaltending has emerged as the team's strong suit. Varly was fabulous last night as was Theo last game. The goalies have made a habit of bailing out the rest of the team for the 20 minutes that they don't play each night.
Up to last night the Thrashers had not managed more than 28 shots for any one game - playing without their top man, Kolvachuk, for the first time since he injured the peppered the 40 minute Caps with more than 40.
Eight of the Caps twelve games have been decided by one goal (when adjusted for empty nets).
OV has 6 multi-goal games in the first month of the season - so far.
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