Rangers at Capitals - First Period Thoughts

There is a play I want to highlight in that period that the NHL should use to persuade people more people to watch. Nickalas Backstrom goes in semi-one-on-one against Marc Staal. Staal makes a great defensive stand up play to take Backstrom off the puck. Alex Ovechkin comes in a lays a hit on Staal. As a result, Sean Avery comes in and tries to pick a fight with Ovechkin. Good stuff from 3 of the NHL's best young stars and arguably the leagues most controversial player.

To the game. There are few words to describe how angry I am at the officiating in this game. A delay of game on the goalie??? Are you kidding! The non call on the Avery mini-break and then a call ON Avery 30 seconds later. An absolute joke. And honestly, if the refs kick one more Ranger player out of the faceoff circle Tom Renney should get himself thrown out of this game (do NHL coaches do that? they should).

As to the goals, not very representative of the first period play. Ovechkin, who is simply fantastic btw and should be the face of the NHL, gets a goal of a BS penalty and Avery gets a lucky bounce and a nice shot. The story of this game is a Rangers team that isn't playing their best and a Washington team that is not that good. They are very vulnerable defensively and if the Rangers can capitalize on some opportunities they should be able to take this game.

Man, Marty Straka has certainly showed up to play today. One of the best periods we've seen from him in a long time.

Powerplays can be so much fun when your team shoots the puck. No PPG that period but the powerplay work was certainly improved with all 4 pointmen letting it go from the point. Traffic in front, hard low shots, the goals will come.