Caps Take on the Big Man and Boys from Beantown

As the "tower of power", Zdeno Chara, and the rest of the boys from Beantown came to pay their first visit of the year, you could feel the tension in the air amongst the Capitals' faithful. With a bench depleted by injuries, the Caps were facing a Bruins team that has been on an offensive tirade which has earned them the number one spot in the Eastern Conference.

I know that my face broke out in a big, wide, stupid smile when I saw the return of Alex Semin and Tom Poti to the Cap's bench - welcome back boys, we've sure missed ya!!! Nick Backstrom lit the lamp first for the Caps with a tip in of an Ovechkin shot. And Brent Johnson had some absolutely spectacular saves including a beauty of a stop against a Chuck Kobasew breakaway! Another HM high five to Alexandre Giroux, who netted his first NHL goal this season to take a 2-0 lead in the second. And how much fun was it to watch Ovie fly around trying to annihilate big man Chara? He took him down good a couple of times - I swear Alex is a bull in a china shop when he hits that ice!

Alas, Bruins tough guy and current poster boy, Milan Lucic got away from the red defense men and netted an easy goal on Johnson. So at the second intermission, HM found this great NHL piece on Alex Ovechkin's passion for working with kids, specifically kids from D.C.'s Fort Dupont Ice Rink.

The third period started off with a flurry of action as Alexandre Giroux was awarded a penalty shot after being hooked on a breakaway. Unfortunately, his attempt looked like it pinged the goal post. Three minutes left in the third brought a scary moment as Alex Semin gave away the puck in mid-ice but once again, Brent Johnson denied the Bruins. And to put a fork in it, who else but the
Great 8, made it a one-goal game by racing to an empty net and scoring for the lead.

What a huge win for the Caps and kudos to Johnny for holding the league's scoring leaders to one, yes make that ONE, goal! Next up - the Ottawa Senators on Friday.

And for all of you single sports fans out there, don't forget Friday night is Capitals Singles Night. For $35, you get a game ticket, a shot at speed-dating and a coupon for a free Chipotle Burrito. On another note, I think I got an early Christmas present as I turned on the t.v. after work and all of the suddent I get the NHL Network! So now am watching the Flames-Red Wings game. Life is good!