Strangely nervous...

for tonights game. Well, not so strangely since the Caps dropped the Sens 4-1 back in November, which makes the Senators a team with something to prove during this game (did I mention that the Caps snapped an 8 game win streak for the Sens in November?). And AO is questionable for tonight's game. Definitely a little nervous.

There is nothing like a little rival bashing to take my mind off being nervous, so here is a bit of controversy from the Pens-Caps game:

Ovechkin went almost immediately to the visitors' locker room at Mellon Arena for medical treatment after suffering the cut. But he said he had to wait for the Penguins' medical staff to finish tending to a Pittsburgh player, and therefore ended up missing the rest of the game.

Coach Bruce Boudreau was not pleased by the delay.

"You make your assumptions on that," Boudreau said. "I don't know why. I'm just told that it took upwards of a half-hour."

Ovechkin added: "If he comes earlier, maybe I play. I don't know. It's over now."

Santa WAS listening!

Bruce Boudreau knocks off the "interim" tag, the Caps win over the Bolts, Brian Pothier is back on the ice, and Eric Fehr is skating (scroll to the bottom of the article). Plus, all you ever wanted to know about what it feels like to block a slap shot via Quintin Laing.

I wanted to throw up an open thread type post, as I am heading out for the holidays and I dont expect to be doing much blogging through next week. So eat, drink, be merry (and eat some more). Happy Holidays and thank you for reading Capital Addiction!

Disclaimer: There might be some sort of eggnog induced rant up here if the Caps lose on Sat. night versus the Islanders.

This makes me like him more

The video below of Cindy Crosby makes me like him more (hate him less?). Maybe because he looks less like a cleverly made robot, and more like a human.

Wow, that game sucked

Now something to cheer you up...the video of Ovie on a Segway.

Around the internets

Tarik gives us the word on Backstrom, and a brief update on Gordon:

Backstrom's offensive upturn has put him third among rookies with five goals and 21 points, behind Chicago's Patrick Kane (32 points) and Jonathan Toews (26). It also has resulted in more ice time under interim coach Bruce Boudreau, who has played the 20-year-old Swede a minimum of 19 minutes since putting him on the top line on Dec. 8, including a career-high 23 minutes 10 seconds against the NHL-leading Detroit Red Wings on Monday.

Anyone who has counted Backstrom out of the Calder race had better think again.

Corey looks at Bruce Boudreau, and how long the "interim" is going to be in front of his name (he also has perhaps the jolliest picture of BB, ever. If you gave him a beard, he could pass for Santa):

"Everyone says, 'Oh, he's an interim coach.' We're all interim coaches. Everyone in the National Hockey League is on an interim basis, and we all know it." - Jay Leach

Dan Steinberg's got Ovie, Backstrom, Green and Bradley on a Segway tour of DC. Good stuff (and apparently video is on the way).

In other hockey news:

Game day preview of Caps vs Habs, courtesy of USA Today.

The Cane's Craig Adams is suspended two games for hitting Alex Steen with his stick.

Kyle Okposo, a 2006 first round pick by the Islanders, joins the growing number of college players abandoning ship for the NHL (be sure to check out the quote from his coach).

Mike Keenan has re-discovered his joy for coaching. Ick.

goodbye, dear friend (yes, we mean the mohawk)

The Canadien Press has a feature on our very own Mike Green. They some kinda dumb stuff, like Green was "unheralded" (really? Weird, since he was a first round pick, was selected for the Young Stars game in his rookie year and has consistently been listed as a top prospect).

But the part that really bothered me (and this is a good measure of our values system here at Cap Addiction) is this:

Maybe it's that UFC vibe in him, but Green wore a Mohawk in the AHL. Not anymore.

"That was my two years in the minors when we went to the playoffs and I grew one for the playoffs," laughed Green. "But I guess you got to be a little more professional in this league."

Mike Green's mohawk is 99% of the reason I liked him last season, when he was playing bad- average hockey. The hawk made me like him, despite the poor defensive play and lack of initiative. It was a great do, among a team of men with Mom hair.

PS: All this should serve as a hint-hint to Jeff Schultz, who is still on my sh-t list, despite the goals.