CAPS WIN! And No, MSG, We Can No Longer Hear You

I know, I haven't blogged at all this month. You know what? You write a thesis on the Free Soil Party and find time to discuss why the Nats have no offense or how disappointing the NBA playoffs have been so far! That's right, you can't. But I will take some time out today, having finished a draft of my first 20 pages, to comment on the glory that happened at F and 7th this afternoon. Our Washington Capitals closed out their series with the New York Rangers in wonderful fashion in front of a sea of RED.



The Caps won 3-1, and won the series 4-1. The big controversy of this series was Caps coach Bruce Boudreau calling out Ranger fans and Madison Square Garden. He called it a dump, and he said their fans were quieter than those in DC. While I cannot speak to the second charge, everything I have heard or read about MSG backs up Boudreau's claim. They are even going through a huuuuuuuge renovation as you read this. Clearly, the owners think the building is run down. So Bruce wasn't wrong there.

Now, as for the fans being quiet: They were very loud for the first 2 periods of game 4. Chanting "Can you hear us?" at the Caps coach. And he could, as could the team, who trailed 3-0 at the end of the 2nd Period. However, the Caps came out and scored 4 unanswered goals in the 3rd period and OT, ending with Jason Chimera's tip in after a stunningly bad display of defense by the Rangers. The Caps won, and the Rangers heart was gone. You know what else was? So did the chanting. It was as if Rangers fans knew. They realized what was happening. A team that hadn't lost a single game when entering the 3rd period with a lead was giving it up. And they gave it up. Caps win. Brought it back to DC and shut it down. Defense and goal-tending, coupled with the same explosive star power that has been there the past 3 seasons. Now it is on to the 2nd round. Feels good.

Oh, and New York? We can't hear you. Sorry.