Capitals 8 - Senators 6 Prognosis

The facts:

• 14 goals total were scored. Neither starting goaltender got the hook last night. How in the world did that happen?
• On the Washington end, the absence of Brent Johnson was probably the reason. Boudreau said he wanted to play the backup a little more. Letting in 6 goals on 22 shots (a .727 save percentage) is more evidence for that move. Maybe Olie Kolzig should come on in relief a little more like he did in Pittsburgh?
• Somewhere Ray Emery is smiling. 7 goals on 29 shots (.758 save percentage) is more leverage for Martin Gerber to grab some pine. I'm guessing when the Sens come to DC on New Year's Day, Emery will get the nod.
• There were 14 goals scored and only 52 shots on goal total. That means the goalies combined for a ghastly .730 save percentage. Ouch.
  
• The Senators are good. They're very good. They're not as good at home for some reason (12-6-2 vs. 13-3-0 on the road). Last night, they didn't look like the best team in the East though.
• The Sens will probably end up as the #1 seed in the East. They'd better hope the Caps don't crawl into the playoffs as the #8 seed because right now Ottawa has no answer for DC.
  
• Alex Ovechkin had his first 4 goal game and his first 5 point game in his career. How did it take this long.
• Ovechkin is now just 4 points behind Cindy "the Kid" Crosby. He has more assists (18) than Crosby has goals (16) this year.
• Ovechkin is now just 2 goals behind Ilya Kovalchuk for the league lead. He has 30 goals in 39 games.
• Ovechkin is on pace to score 63 goals this year.
• Ovechkin is now the leading goal scorer over the last 3 years (since he entered the league).
• Alex Ovechkin is the man.
• If you had told me before the game a Senator would get a hat-trick, I'd have believed it. I didn't think it would be Mike Fisher.
  
• 14 goals scored, Dany Heatley didn't have one. Think that might have affected the outcome?
• Little note to Michael Nylander: that is why you shoot more. Scoring two goals is fun isn't it?
• 6 defensemen (3 from each team) had assists tonight. Think they'd trade them in if they could take a couple goals off the board?
• Welcome to the new NHL: 14 goals scored, 14 penalties taken.
  
• Donald Brashear had a fight in his second straight game. He's still the NHL's middleweight champion after knocking Chris Neil around.
  
• Alex Ovechkin is the man. Why doesn't the man have a new contract?
• Niklas Backstrom is just 7 points behind Patrick Kane for the rookie scoring title.
  
• Let's not forget Alexander Semin had a 3 point night (1 G, 2 A). So did Niklas Backstrom by the same token. Backis also took 2 penalties.
• Daniel Alfredsson was 1 goal away from the trick. He made Kolzig look silly on that short-handed penalty shot goal he scored. Probably watched the shootout game against Detroit.
• Alfredsson was the only man to score in the first two periods. Oh captain my captain...
• He also had a 3 point game.
• Did I mention Ovechkin is the man and should have a new contract?
• Mike Fisher was one empty net goal from getting the full basket of goals. He had a shortie, a PP goal and an even strength goal.
• Ovechkin was just one shortie from getting the basket as well.
• One last time: Ovechkin is the man.

Bottom line: When Gary Bettman envisioned the new NHL, this is probably the game he was dreaming of. Lots of goals, lots of excitement, not a blowout, and a down to the wire game. One of the league's great young players finished the year by scoring a ton of goals (any guesses as to who it is?) while an incredibly savvy team never stopped battling. The Caps offense should get full marks for putting up the kind of goals they did on Ottawa and even the D should get a nod for only allowing Ottawa 22 shots. This game could have been a 3-2 struggle, but instead it was probably one of the more exciting games of the year.

Prognosis: Positive
Game MVP: Alex Ovechkin (4 goals, 1 assist)