"What's So Special About Crosby?"

I am officially emotionally spent. What else can be said about this Pens/Caps series that hasn't been said already? One for the ages, an epic war of attrition, with the better team coming out on top. The way the Pens handled the Capitals in Game Seven was surprising enough...what really floored me was the fact that the series finale was the opening topic on the 11pm Sportscenter.

"You're getting stabbed Van Pelt. Hockey before NBA?"

Thanks to Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and the rest of the stars in this series, hockey is starting to reemerge in the United States, which can only make one hope that Gary Bettman realizes this and continues to make the game more readily available on a regular basis. For a perfect example of this, one only needs to look at two main contributors to this blog, Biggamekilla and PWHallstrom. Only last year both were casual hockey fans, but now both live and die with the Penguins. In my opinion, hockey is the best spectator sport in the world. In our fast-paced, give-it-to-me-now society, a game like hockey, with it's constant motion and exciting action, should thrive. Hopefully this series opened the eyes of more casual fans and helps the game overtake the garbage that is the NBA in popularity. Time to step off the soapbox. A few closing thoughts before we bury the Caps...

-Sidney Crosby proved that he is the best all-around player in the world, period. He may not have the offensive skill of Ovechkin or the physical abilities of Malkin, but he does everything, and he does it all exceptionally. Everyone has known about his skill set, but many have questioned his ability to be a leader. Last night should end all those questions permanently. The Kid was on a mission, to seek and destroy without taking any prisoners. He didn't want to merely defeat the Capitals last night, he wanted to crush any ounce of hope in that building. And he did. Repeatedly. He outclassed, outplayed and outhearted (I just made that word up) Alex Ovechkin last night. Nobody in the NHL faces more hostility and hatred than Sidney Crosby, and he handles it all with a class and dignity that most 21-year olds don't have, and probably never will.

-Speaking of Crosby bashing...Alexander Semin is a joke of a hockey player. Everyone remembers what he said about Sid earlier this year. I would love to hear what he has to say now. Semin was absolute garbage this series, and Paul Steigerwald's comments last night about cleaning the black marks from his numerous shots off the glass was priceless. Semin had more dives this series than shots on goal, every time he was touched he fell over. Complete failure.

-Another joke of a hockey player is Mike Green. Much was made of Green running out of sticks because Easton discontinued the model he used. You would think that a Norris-trophy contender would have some pull at Easton and make sure that his model would be in surplus, especially when the playoffs roll around. The stick being used is no excuse for a lack of physicality and no defensive presence at all. Mike Green is a glorified Ryan Whitney, and it's save to say that right now I think Whitney is superior defensively than Green.

-Speaking of excuses, Bruce Boudreau has plenty of them, including the fact that the Caps were playing with numerous injuries. Waaahhhh. It's the playoffs, everyone is banged up. I guarantee there are plenty of injured Pens as well, but since they're still alive in the playoffs, they're not gonna announce it to the world and give their next opponent some inside information. Boudreau was outcoached and outclassed this series. He made zero defensive adjustments, even after his team was continuously outshot and outplayed. He whined and cried about penalties called against his team and not called on the Pens. I was not impressed at all by a guy who many have deemed to be one of the up-and-coming coaches in the NHL.

-Sure, Marc-Andre Fleury was outplayed by Simeon Varlamov this series, but when it came down to it, he made the save(s) he needed to make for his team to win, while Varlamov finally crumbled under the pressure. People keep calling him out for his puckhandling woes, but I don't want him to change his game now by staying put in the net. Fleury's aggressive plays behind the net prevent the forecheckers from getting easy hits on the Pens' defensemen, which saves a ton of wear and tear. For a perfect example of this, look to the other end of the ice. Varlamov never strayed from the net, which forced the Caps' d-men to constantly retrieve the puck knowing that a vicious hit was coming. The Caps' defense definitely wore down over the duration of the series, which was pivotal to the Pens' victory.

-Even more Capital punishment...the Capitals really are shaping up to be the red-sweatered stepchild to the Penguins, and even the Flyers to an extent. People like to criticize the Caps' supporters as being "fairweather" fans. I tend to take offense to that. Each sports team has its core group of supporters who are there through thick and thin. When the team has a run of success, it's human nature for outsiders to take notice and jump on the bandwagon. Like I said earlier, the NHL needs all the attention it can get, and any new fans are good fans for the game. On the other hand, these new fans need their own identity. They ripped off the "Rock the Red" theme from the Calgary Flames (which is known by the much more creative monicker "The C of Red.") And the Caps faithful have taken a page out of the Flyers fans' guidebook, resorting to taunting Sidney Crosby with signs and mock chants. You would think by witnessing Sid's great success in such environments that it doesn't work. And just like the Flyers' faithful, when things go bad, instead of supporting their struggling stars, they jump off the bandwagon just as fast as they got on. When Evgeni Malkin returned to Pittsburgh for Game Three after struggling mightily in the first two games of the series, the Pens fans cheered his every move, and Malkin acknowledged that it definitely gave him life and helped him turn things around. When Mike Green continued his series-long struggles in Game Seven, the Caps fans turned their frustration towards him, booing him every time he touched the puck. It's this lack of support and understanding that drove former stud blueliners like Larry Murphy, Kevin Hatcher and Sergei Gonchar out of town. The Caps have a bright future filled with young stars. Unless their fans shape up and appreciate what they have, and eliminate their inferiority complex (blocking outside ticket sales Mr. Leonsis?) these future stars will look at Washington as a just a stepping stone to greener pastures.

-To close the book on the Capitals 2008-09 season, we present to you the best (and worst) of Alexander Oveckin last night...

In my opinion, it was his best goal celebration to date.

LET'S GO PENS