What's Up, Ya Sieve

As you many remember, I fought the Caps love for a long time before finally caving in.  In just three years as a Capitals’ fan, our relationship has gotten very serious (obsessed, codependent – semantics).

As such, I’ve allowed myself until Noon today to wallow in last night’s Capitals. With actual shock I admit that I might not need that long.

Look, Caps.

Get beaten.  Lose, even.  That’s hockey.  But don’t you give up.

Last night, it felt like you threw in the towel after the Rangers’ third goal.   That’s when I got mad.  I’d get mad at myself, my friends or my non-existent kids if we acted that way and you are not exempt.  This is a family, damn it.  Calling you out doesn’t make me a fairweather fan.  I wouldn’t get mad if I didn’t f&!%ing love you.  I’m not saying sink the whole team in the Potomac and start again.  I’m saying COME TO PLAY and we will COME TO SEE.  You have to hold up your end of this bargain.  I don’t expect wins every night but I expect heart, and  I’ve seen yours before.  I know it’s in there.

*sigh*

Still, they lost.  No one feels worse about it than the Caps (which is saying something, considering how bad I feel).  You can watch the post-mortem locker room interviews if you’re a glutton for punishment.  Me, I’m trying to move on.

Here’s the post I wrote last season when the Caps lost to the Rangers.  While this is a trend I could certainly do without, it reveals a calmer, more admirable side of my pain that I’d pretty much forgotten I had.

Mikey Monday: Love & Memories (Caps Lose 2012)

Things I said last year that are still true now:

• I won’t get down on the Caps for their game seven performance because it’s not what I want to remember all summer.  (Okay, I did a little but it was very cathartic.)

• Thanks, Caps, for a season that was better for me than it was on the score sheet: more fun, more memorable, possibly more frustrating than any game recap could recall.

• Now “there’s always next year,” and the year after that.  But what I’ll really miss is what can never quite be repeated – the ecstatic, hilarious, infuriating magic that is a single season, with a single team, and almost always ends too soon.

Let me add two things for this year:

• I appreciate Ovechkin.  That’s new for me, but he earned it.
• Plus something I hope I don’t have to refer back to it in 2014:  LET’S NOT PLAY THE RANGERS, OKAY?

And so, I forgive the Caps for last night’s game.  I put my anger at the bottom of a bucket and drown it with all the Capitals-related fun I had this year.  To the players, I offer hugs and help packing suitcases.  Have a great summer, get tan, go to Stampede and waterfronts and post many ridiculous photos.

We will miss you and when you come back, we’ll do it all over again.  Because that’s love – and we’re family.

It’s Game 7 time.  Heart in mouth, prayer in mind, lucky clothes on body time.  Every superstition, every trick, every measure of defiance will be in use tonight like it’s the Battle for Hogwarts all over again.

Whether you’re watching Rangers/Caps or Leafs/Bruins, I defy you to make it through the post with your blood pressure intact.

Play this song:

Then play this song:

Then play them again.  I can hardly sit still.

Mr. Pants is gonna have to hold me down.

Before the Caps Game 5 win, Mike posted this photo.  Are you still standing?  LIAR.  Here’s hoping it works again.

Pets and cuddling and selfies?  Lookout, Landeskog.

See you tonight, hockey fans.

Caps/Rangers Game 3 was incredible.  The kind of game that makes new hockey fans.  The kind of game that nearly kills the rest of us.

Is there anything to say or think or even feel that that isn’t breathlessly captured in these photos by clydeorama from Jasper’s Rink?

Anything else you want to hug?  How about a giant adorable dog?

from Mike’s Instagram

How about Mike’s NHL Network CISCO Arena Cam interview?

Or perhaps the most exuberant Tweet of my entire life (so far)?

It was Mike’s 18th career GWG, including 8 in OT.  That’s why he’s GAME OVER Green.

Somebody make sure I’m okay before tonight’s game.

Don’t tell me the season is almost over.  Don’t tell me there are 3 games left, you have a 3 point lead and I have to spend the next week trying not to throw up over whether or not you can hold onto a playoff spot.

And don’t tell me this just happens when you take off your helmet….

Post-Game Video – April 18

I have 108% faith in the Capitals right now.  This hot streak, this hair and even that captain are going to make it happen.  Now, how to get out of visiting family dinner tomorrow night to go to the game vs. Winnipeg?

We’ve been razzing a lot of “part-time models” around here lately.  Maybe I could be a Part Time Reporter?

For my real job, I do entertainment PR and was lucky enough to work with Joel Ward and the Caps on a special screening of the new movie 42.  Joel wears number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson, and hosted our event on Wednesday.

A handful of other Caps also attended: Erskine, Fehr, Laich, Wolski and my new favorite, Steve Olesky.  All the players and staff were great!  The event was a huge success that generated tons of publicity and made me look really, really good on paper.

Additional Skills: Proficient in Microsoft Word.

I mean this kind of paper::

And I did okay on TV too.

Here’s the video, feature starts at 1:04

Turns out it’s much more weird to hear myself than see myself.  We’d rather see Guerin, she is stunnnnnnning.

This feature played on the Jumbotron during the game vs. Tampa Bay on Saturday.  Thank goodness I wasn’t there – that’s too much!  Also the Caps blew a 5-1 lead and I having a meltdown.  But Mike saved the day – he scored the OT game winner because he wasn’t about to let my game go out like that.

Thanks Fidget, this now doubles as Mikey Monday!

Hugs for everyone!

More thanks to @raedanda for seeing this video first, and @jlrpuck for catching it in the arena.  It was great to meet @rockinredbirdie and see @chelskiDC too!

Polish Connection: Wolski, @raedanda and Olesky

Things I love, in order:

1) Mike Green scoring goals.

.gif by nhl-highlights.tumblr.com

2) Mike Green’s hair like this.

Watch it: Post-Game 4/11 video

3) Mike Green taking himself SO SERIOUSLY.

Read it: Russian Machine Never Breaks

Of course it’s stupid to say your bad long hair affected your play, Mike!  It’s also dumb to say that I haven’t worn any Caps gear to the last four games and you’ve won them all, but I’ll keep doing it because it’s working!  It doesn’t hurt that it’s foxy as all get out too.  You need to sell tickets – warm up without your helmet.

Mike played a great game last night – the latest in a row of great games for him.  He had a goal and some stellar chances, plus strong defensive play and legs under him all night.  He’s got 9 G in 28 games.  Last year he had just 3 G in 32 games, and the year before scored 8 in 49.

More of this and you can be as serious as you want.  I’ve got sugar and Twitter and not a single Caps logo visible anywhere.  Play on!

There was a moment in last night’s Caps’ game when Mike Green scored and I yelled, “I love you, you crazy looking hipster!”

Now I see this and it’s all OneRepublic in here, “Is it too late to apologiiiiiiiiiize?”

Deb (@DLF1021), what would I do without you sending me things?

Mike is featured in this month’s DC Modern Luxury Magazine (Page 81) as one of DC’s Men of Style.  Based on this, I’m buying it.  Do not adjust my vision. Do not make me wait for Monday!

We called him a Part-Time Model… THIS IS NOW VALID EMPLOYMENT.

It’s still not my favorite Mike Green look, but I can evolve.  There’s a lot going on here – stripes in every direction, 50 shades of pink, is that the Avengers logo on his pocket square? – and it ALL works.  As long as he’s combed and clean, it’s a far cry from the caveman roster head shot!

“We usually have blood all over us after the games.”  Stop it, Mike.

As for the aforementioned screaming, Mike had two goals in the Caps’ win over Carolina.  The first was assisted by Nicky B, giving Piglet his 400th NHL point.  IT TIED THE GAME.

The second was, of course, also assisted by Nicky.  That’s how bromances work.  IT ALSO TIED THE GAME.

Henceforth, goals scored by your OTP (or just OTP for that team) shall be known as: THE ADORAGOAL.

Robin (@rockinredbirdie) is like Shakespeare, coining her own terms.

The Young Guns were all firing – Ovi had 2 G, Mike had 2, Nicky had 4 As.  Just to stick it to us, Sasha Fierce stopped Ovi’s shot toward the empty Canes net with under a minute to go, looking for that hat trick.  Hahahaha, JERK.

GAME TIED.  Somebody hug me.

This weekend, the artist formerly known as GAME OVER changed his name to GAME TIED.  And that’s okay with us.

How I looked Saturday night, only with a scream of joy.

On Saturday, after hitting the post earlier in the game, Mike banked one in behind Jhonas Enroth to tie the game with 42 seconds left in the third period.

The Caps later won the game on a shootout goal from Ovi that caused Matty Perreault to have the greatest celebration in history:

Closer?

close up .gifs by cadetsandkings.tumblr.com

 More?

I could/will/have watch(ed) that a thousand times.

Here’s Mike on the post-game… if he were blond, I would be shipping a Dread Pirate Roberts Halloween costume so hard right now.

Mike even got a little sassy on Twitter post-game, calling out someone who called out his early-game play.  While I’m not generally a fan of revenge chirping, it had to feel SO good.  And it earned the rest of us this:

Love you too, Mikey.  But don’t scroll back through my Twitter feed, ‘kay?

Sunday the Caps played again, this time vs. the Flyers.  I might have driven up for the game, but I couldn’t behind my steering wheel after Easter lunch.  Just as well, I would’ve fainted when this happened:

As it was, I launched off the couch for the kicking equivalent of a Matty P Party. Mr. Pants was both alarmed and impressed by my sudden outburst of energy.  Alas, the Caps got back into the game just to let it get away.  They scored 2 more (In 26 seconds! Both on the PP!) early in the 3rd, then gave up 2 and went to OT.

Damn Flyers won it in extra innings.

Someone on Twitter called it an “unacceptable loss” and I have to agree.  With this state of the union, they can’t be letting leads get away and momentum die a terrible death.

The promising news is, the Caps are tied with Carolina.  The two teams play tomorrow in Raleigh.  Please, please, please let the Caps bring their A game.  They need to hopscotch over the Canes then worry about NYI and NYR for that 8th spot, all while setting their sights on the Jets for 1st in the Southeast. The only way in is to win, a lot, from here on out.

What do you think?  Here’s the Caps’ schedule for the rest of the season.  Can they pull it off?

Last night, Mike and the Caps really wanted you to tag your Tweets.

I don’t think “I miss hedgehog, fidgety, Jersey Shore-style Mike Green but at least this guy has a manicure. *P  #CapsNYR” is what they were after.

They could have gone with #CutYourHair or #DontYouMissWhenIWasHot or… I’ll stop.  Mike did have a goal in Friday’s rout of Winnipeg – an old fashioned slapshot from the point reminiscent of his “Game Over” days (at the 2:57 mark).  Remember those?  Aren’t they gorgeous enough?

More please and you can keep the hair!  Too late for this, though:

Sundays should be easy.  Could someone please inform my hockey teams?

Penguins 2, Flyers 1 – OT

The past two seasons, the Flyers have ended big win streaks for the Pens.  Not last night!!  It took a while, until Crosby PPGed so hard he almost fell over.  He is a little back-heavy, after all.

.gif by jordanstaals.tumblr.com

Not for nothing, Sid got all these points without even brushing his hair.

Then everyone including Tyler Kennedy couldn’t believe that Tyler Kennedy scored the OT game-winning goal.  Penguins win streak extended to 12 games!

Let’s love on Matt Niskanen for a minute.  First of all, his middle name is Norman.  It makes me think of the calf from City Slickers every time:

“Seat belts, Norman! Seat belts!”

Secondly, he’s been aces lately.  Check out last night’s highlights [video] –  the puck-drag  around the shot block at 1:34, then the behind-the-back to TK for the winner!  Nisky had the game-winner last week vs. Washington, giving him 4 goals in 25 games. Last year he scored 4 in 75.  He needs a haircut something awful, but look at that smile:

.gif by christkunitz.tumblr.com

Also, last night… Capitals 3, Rangers 2 – SO

WELCOME BACK, PIGLET!  At least we hope so.  Mid-last week, Nicky Backstrom had only 3 goals on the year.  THREE GOALS?

Yes. Horrifying.

But last night, NB19 scored the Caps’ first and last goals – the second being the 4th round shootout winner.

So while the bonus goal won’t count toward the season total, we know it happened.  That’s 3 goals and 3 assists in 3 games!  Give us the return of this face and the Caps could give the playoffs a run for their money after all.

I will also grudgingly point out that Ovechkin has 6 goals in 5 straight games.  The Caps have won 4 of those.  Maybe (maybe, maybe) he CAN lead this team, at least on the scoreboard.

There’s no way out for the Caps without Ovi and Backstrom and no more time to wait.  They jumped 3 spots in the standings this weekend, and are now 2 points out of 8th place.  They host the Islanders, Sabres and Flyers this week – all teams just below them in the East.

Please let this elevator keep going up.

Side note: If you’re not following Ovi’s fiancée Maria Kirilenko (@mkirilenko), you are missing the most excited Caps-related Tweets out there.  She might even be enough to make me like him.