Capitals' rampaging offense has been unstoppable

[Forkboy]

Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau has to feel like he's driving a tank these days with the amount of firepower he has right under his nose every time he stands behind the bench.

"It's nice from my standpoint when you have those kinds of weapons at your disposal," Boudreau said after the Capitals' latest surge, a 5-1 win over Anaheim on Wednesday night.

The Capitals' offense has gone from strong to scary to ridiculous this season.

They have 62 goals in 13 games this month, an average of 4.8 per game. They have 40 goals in their current eight game winning streak. They have 22 goals in the last four games. They have at least one power-play goal in seven-straight games.

Washington is the only team in the League that has scored more than 200 goals this season. Nobody else has 180.

No team has scored at this pace (3.83 goals per game) since 1995-96.

It's insane.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=515352&navid=DL|NHL|home

[Kingofalldems]

1. They are great for the city

A Stanley Cup is certainly possible.

[Forkboy]

2. It sure is.

Can they get through Pittsburgh, Chicago or Vancouver will be the question though, because those are the teams I think will be there at the end. But with an offense that's coming close to the Oilers of old, the Caps look damn good.

[KamaAina]

20. Vancouver?!

Oh, right, you're assuming the Sharks will choke again. :eyes:

[Onceuponalife]

21. The team I fear the most is Chicago.

They have proven they can handle the Sharks. No one else has, imo.

[Upton]

23. That was a great comeback the other night

and even though the Sharks eventually lost in OT, it had to do more for their confidence (except for Nabby, who's now third in the league in SV%) than winning and getting outshot 47-14 like last month. Boyle was almost apologizing for that victory..

Actually, while the Blackhawks finished 3-1 against the Sharks, 2 of those wins were in OT. That 7-2 loss looked bad though..

[Captain Hilts]

6. Not if the League wants Crosby as the face of the game. Pitts. got protected in the playoffs.

And, the regular season is almost irrelevant.

[rep the dems]

7. The Caps get their collective dick sucked by the NHL just as much as the Pens.

Ovechkin finally getting suspended in late November was a long time in the making.

[TZ]

9. Bitter much?

That's funny coming from a fan of a hockey team with a well known history of thuggery!

[rep the dems]

16. I can acknowledge which Flyers are or have been dirty players and which are physical but clean.

Mike Richards knows how to be physical. Alex Ovechkin does not know the difference between a clean hit and a dirty one (leaves his feet practically every time, constantly leading with his knee) nor is he particularly smart about how he tries to hit (going out of control trying to hit a certain player and ending up crashing into the boards or trucking his own teammate). But we never hear those sorts of things about him.

[Captain Hilts]

11. The Caps have no on-ice thugs to protect him as Gretsky, Crosby, etc. have, but, yes

he should have been suspended and the Caps should have someone doing that dirty work for him.

But, really, the Flyers are in their own league on this issue...'Pronger' says it all...

[many a good man]

3. Maybe I should become a hockey fan again

Only if they promise not to lose in the playoffs to the Penguins again!

[Forkboy]

4. That's a tough promise.

As good as the Caps are the Pens are equally as good. I think the Pens are a more well rounded team....but that Caps offense is a beast. It's the best current rivalry in hockey. The Caps play some real exciting, high quality hockey. If you're not a fan you should be. :)

[Captain Hilts]

5. Semin and Backstrom have done well, but others - other than Green - are too. nt

[Onceuponalife]

8. "Nobody else has 180"

The Sharks have 182 goals. Or do you only pay attention to the Eastern conference? The Sharks have also allowed 15 fewer goals than Washington. I'll give props to the Caps; they have awesome offensive talent. But the Sharks defense is better, they have a better goalie and they play in a tougher conference. They have played each other twice, each winning on their home ice. The Caps have won 9 straight. That's great but six of the nine games were on their home ice and only two were against good teams, Phoenix and Pittsburgh. Late in December the Sharks had an eight game win streak including wins against Chicago, Washington and Phoenix twice. Lets have a little perspective here, shall we?

[TZ]

10. Win a playoff series

And people will take them seriously. Caps lost to the Stanley Cup champs . Sharks lost to the eight seed.

[Captain Hilts]

13. Ouch! That's gotta hurt!

[Upton]

14. YOU win a playoff series..

neither the Caps nor the Sharks have won a Stanley Cup, both teams have seen their share of playoff disappointments. Washington even has it's own special curse put on them by the Pens. Difference is, the Caps have been around since 1974, SJ only since 1991...Advantage Sharks.

[Captain Hilts]

12. Their goalie is the Big Diff. Especially come playoff time. nt

[Onceuponalife]

19. Whose goalie?

Are you talking about Jose Theodore? He's a good goalie but in no way is he in Nabokov's league.

[Forkboy]

15. I didn't write the article, asshat.

And according to NHL.com the Sharks have 177 goals not 182. You sound like a total homer, and an Upton wannabe (but I repeat myself). God fucking forbid someone doesn't kiss your team's ass while talking about another. Inferiority complex much? :eyes:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/app

Go to Stats>Teams> and under Report choose "Goals For" and you'll see the Sharks at 177. Last I checked that's less than 180.

The Sharks have a great team. It's too bad you're so insecure about it that you can't handle any story that doesn't wedge their tongue firmly in their asses.

[Upton]

17. I noticed something interesting

looking over the stats. The Sharks lead the NHL in PK% at 88%..that's not too surprising, they've been at or near the top all year. However, the Caps PK is a rather mediocre 80.8%...18th in the league.

Washington's GAA isn't too bad at 2.68, and they are a scoring machine, but it seems to me that if they want to win a Stanley Cup, they are going to have to shore up not just the PK but the defense overall.

[Forkboy]

24. Couldn't agree more.

It's why I'm not sold on the Caps coming out of the East yet. Look out for New Jersey or even Buffalo escaping the East.

I see the Cup winner being from the West this year though. Chicago and Vancouver have both been my top 2 picks all along, but the Sharks are as good as either team (and arguably better than Vancouver at present).

[Onceuponalife]

18. Touchy, much?

Try this. YOU go to NHL.com and hit the standings tab. Then look up the GF for San Jose. Golly jeepers whaddaya know? It says 182. The fact that they have SJ at 177 goals on the stats page just means they had a typo there or it's not up to date. Just to be sure I added up the Sharks goals game by game. Yup, 182. Next time get off your lazy ass and do some independent fact checking.

Damn. I try to put up a respectful post comparing the two teams and I get treated like inthebrain or something. Don't take it out on me just becuase you didn't get laid last night. That ain't my fault! :spank:

I did compliment the Caps and said they had a great offense so I don't know where you get off calling me an upton wannabe.

Stay classy, cforkboy!

EDIT for NHL.com-style typo.

[Forkboy]

22. Getting laid last night would have killed the girl.

As I was given enough radiation yesterday morning to keep me away from humans for a week, the first blessing I've had in months. I should get radiation every damn Friday.

That story was filed at 9 AM Friday morning, meaning it was written the night before, before the Sharks/Hawks game was even done. At that time they didn't have 180. I'm sorry I got the total wrong, but the article didn't.