Category Archives: Michal Neuvirth

A Bad Matchup Indeed — for New York

This Rangers club was supposed to be a bad matchup for these Capitals. Big up front, racsally around the net, opportunistic offensively, a good defensive club backstopped by a premiere netminder. Turns out, the Capitals are a very bad matchup … Continue reading

Posted in Dennis Wideman, Eastern Conference, Jason Arnott, Jason Chimera, John Carlson, John Erskine, Karl Alzner, Marcus Johansson, Michal Neuvirth, Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, New York Rangers, NHL playoffs, Washington Capitals | 11 Comments

I’m Naming My Next Dog Lou Lamoriello

Seldom are overtime triumphs in the NHL postseason secured with slick, tick-tack-toe playmaking and virtuoso conversion. Most often, it’s a turnover in a lethal part of the ice, a bizarre deflection off a skate, maybe a bad line change leading … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Semin, Bruce Boudreau, George McPhee, Jason Arnott, Michal Neuvirth, Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, NHL playoffs, Sudden death hockey, Washington Capitals | 9 Comments

Another Rematch with Another Old Rival

For the second time in three years the Washington Capitals open the NHL postseason against the New York Rangers, an old Patrick division rival. Of the first five playoff series Alexander Ovechkin and the rebuilt Caps since first qualifying for the postseason together in 2008, four have come against old Patrick foes.

Correspondingly, those bitter rivalries have been freshly renewed by the showdowns. That’s how hockey hatred is developed. In the sorta old days, you first had to best your Patrick foes in divisional play before advancing toward Eastern conference supremacy. There is a bit of that feeling to all these Patrick division springtime reunions, albeit spread out over a couple of seasons. Continue reading

Posted in Michal Neuvirth, National Hockey League, New York Rangers, NHL playoffs, Semyon Varlamov, Washington Capitals | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

OFB TV: A Talk With Royalty

We get a chance to talk with Jack and Adam from Kings of Leonsis after the Caps 5-4 OT victory against the Buffalo Sabers. We talk about the ongoing goalie battle, Ovi and Arnott and the play of John Carlson. Continue reading

Posted in Buffalo Sabres, Jason Arnott, John Carlson, Kings of Leonsis, Media, Michal Neuvirth, National Hockey League, NHL, Video Clips, Washington Capitals | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Washington’s Biggest Mistake

Capitals General Manager George McPhee has made some absolutely gorgeous decision this season. Whether it be the trade for Scott Hannan, picking up Marco Sturm off waivers or acquiring what appears to be the team’s new locker room leader, Jason Arnott, for almost nothing, GMGM should be in the running for GM of the year. To bad his most recent decision, to send Braden Holtby back to Hershey, is his worst of the year and one that could really hurt the Caps in just a few weeks. Continue reading

Posted in American Hockey League, Braden Holtby, Hershey Bears, Michal Neuvirth, National Hockey League, NHL, Semyon Varlamov, Washington Capitals | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

That Would Make Some Sweet Playoff Hockey, But…

If it ends up being a Philly-Washington conference final, the Eastern Conference champion might as well start digging a grave now to bury the battered bodies. That was a grueling 65-plus minutes of hockey last night between the two teams, and the Caps definitely got the worst of the physical play in the 3rd. The fact that Jason Chimera isn’t seeing stars right now and Scott Hannan is still walking (at least, we think both those things are true) is a testament to superhuman toughness. Continue reading

Posted in Matt Hendricks, Michal Neuvirth, Mike Knuble, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals | 1 Comment

An Exchange with the Red Wings Blogosphere

In the interest of hockey, making fun of ourselves, and just promoting good diplomatic relations up north, OFB was pretty stoked when one of Detroit’s hockey blogs, The Production Line, reached out last week and suggested doing a Q&A between … Continue reading

Posted in Braden Holtby, Bruce Boudreau, detroit red wings, Michal Neuvirth, Semyon Varlamov, Ted Leonsis, Washington Capitals, Winter Classic, Winter Classic 2011 | 4 Comments

The Heart Transplant Patient Is Doing Just Fine

No. 1 defensman already out. No. 1 netminder knocked out early from a laser to the ‘noggin. No. 1 center shelved early on as well. No problem. There were about 30 compelling reasons to expect the Tampa Bay Lightning to … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Semin, Braden Holtby, Eastern Conference, George McPhee, Hockey hearts, Michal Neuvirth, Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, Nicklas Backstrom, Semyon Varlamov, Shootouts, Southeast Division, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | 17 Comments

The Caps and Christmas Past

I wanted to know what Christmas mornings meant to the Caps in their youth, and specifically how much of a role their respective enthusiasm for hockey played in their requests of Santa, so I went around the locker room at … Continue reading

Posted in Christmas shinny, D. J. King, Jay Beagle, Michal Neuvirth, National Hockey League, Shinny, Washington Capitals | 1 Comment

Holiday Hockey Talk on the 106.7 Fan

We began our holidays with a visit back on 106.7 the Fan, with studio Santas Danny Rouhier, Grant Paulson, and Bill Rohland, to chat the Caps’ return to winning ways, our big gig on New Years Day, and the play … Continue reading

Posted in 106.7 the Fan, Alexander Ovechkin, hockey blogging, John Carlson, Karl Alzner, Media, Michal Neuvirth, National Hockey League, Radio, Washington Capitals, Winter Classic 2011 | Leave a comment