As a Caps fan now, I grew up in Boston with Orr, Espo, Bucyk and the like. Been in DC for twenty years following the Caps. So I know both sides. Caps are a defensive team NOW. Took them about four months to figure it out once Hunter took over. Remember, they were the Pres. Cup winner the year before. Would score goals by the bunches. give them up by the bunches too. every game was a track meet for them. Not anymore. Same guys, same team, but defense NOW. Did you know Ovie played but TWO MINUTES in game 6, 3rd period due to his defensive lapses???. Big, rugged guys Caps have. Put Bruins shirts on them and you wouldn't know the difference. Bruins lost to guys just like themselves. Very good, solid team you Bruins have, but a tough matchup v. the Caps. Anyone but the Caps, you would've won. But you didn't. Now we play on. Bring on the Rangers.

Yesterday, after the loss, I was speaking to my brother and commiserating about the loss. My brother played goalie during his youth and he mentioned to me that the Caps' overtime goal was a clear-cut case of goaltender interference. I went back to the video to review and I was pretty shocked to see what appears to be a textbook case of goaltender interference on the play. Knuble rushes toward to Bruins' net and takes his backhand shot that Tim Thomas kicks out with his left pad. All in the same motion, Knuble then crashed into Thomas and knocked him on his keester, rendering him completely helpless to stop the rebound that Joel Ward quickly knocks into the net through a space only large enough to fit a hockey puck through. Talk about threading the needle! The thing is, last year I would not have made this statement and I would have just said "that's hockey". But in the new NHL, a penalty call for goaltender interfernce was begging to be made on this play. Last night in the Florida-New Jersey game, an almost identical play was made and the Panthers were whistled for a penalty and their goal was denied. Go figure.