While watching the Bruins game...

A couple thoughts really stick out. No, not the opening fights, or hard hitting game, or Brooks Laich's continued (surprising) offensive push.

First, the Caps should never show this commerical again. Ever. I am as big an Ovie fan as you can find, but even I think this is a ridiculously bad...and not in a good way:



Two: Was GMGM wearing a mock turtleneck during the Nicklas Backstrom special with Lisa Hillary? I think he was, which completely cancels out any points he got for his superior wrangling skills in getting Cristobal Huet for a second round pick. And not just a mock turtleneck, but a pinstriped suit on top of that. I think someone's closet it still stuck in 1988, when Michael Keaton, mock turtlenecks, and men drinking red wine was hot.

PS: Matt Cooke...I'm not sure I believe that knee on knee hit to Allen was an accident.

PPS: Ouch. Chara just hurt his shoulder and went to the lockeroom. If I'm a Bruins fan, I'm flipping off the game and hurrying to Church for some Hail Marys.

PPPS: No, I didnt mean to live blog the game. Sort of happening by accident, inspired by that bad commercial and the mock turtleneck.

PPPPS: A triple minor on Brash, a penalty for Erskine, and a penalty for Poti. $%&^!!!!!!

Not a hockey town?

Monday night game
I meant to post this on Monday, but I was detained...by beer.

I hear a lot of crap about DC not being a hockey town, about DC not being able to support a hockey team, about DC only being a football town...blah blah blah.

I hope some of those naysayers watched the Bruins/Caps game on Monday night. A Monday weeknight, gorgeous weather, the Caps playing a team that doesnt necessarily have the draw as teams like Toronto, Buffalo and Pittsburgh. The factors werent exactly ideal for a rousing crowd, in most cities. My seatmate and I both thought that there would be usual crowd of about 12K in the Phone Booth.

We were pleasantly surprised shocked.

The place was packed, and not with a bunch of yellow sweaters either. It was packed with Capitals fans. Yes, on a Monday night, with gorgeous weather, playing the Bruins. And not only was it packed, it was electric. I dare those naysayers to speak up now. The crowd was on its feet with every call, oohing and aahing with every swish of blades, hard slap shot, and curving wrister. They were passionate and involved and everything that you could ask a sports fan to be.

Bandwagoners? Maybe. The Caps are certainly providing the most exciting run in DC sports right now. And what individual is more exciting in DC sports then Alex Ovechkin? So I dont want to hear any BS on DC not supporting a hockey team. Those fans on Monday will have somthing to say about that.

Wilson High Update
THANK you to everyone who came out for Friday's fundraiser. Nearly 100 people raised over 2K for the Wilson High team...the ONLY varsity team in the District. Some of the Wilson players came with their parents, and they were terrific. One exclaimed to me that he couldnt believe that all these people cared enough to help support his team. Heck yeah, we really care. So thanks again for your generousity and you can still donate to the team here.

A busy Gainey and the return of Milbury?

The hockey world has been very busy and very productive this weekend. First, Bob Gainey managed to pull off another coup ( a la Jose Theodore) and dump Sergei Samsonov. Samsonov has been dealt to the Blackhawks, who I guess are desperate enough for some help that they are willing to take a whiny and under-achieving winger.

"We feel he has a lot left in the tank and playing under Denis Savard will bring out the offensive creativity that he has shown in the past," Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon said Saturday.

Translation: Our owner sucks and wont let us spend any money on bringing in talent while he has simultaneously ruined a once awesome hockey town. Nobody will sign with us because of aforementioned owner. We are desperate.

On paper, Gainey might not have gotten a whole lot in return but peace in the locker room is not to be under-rated. Do svidaniya Sergei.

Bob Gainey concluded his weekend by re-signing two players who have been an important part of the foundation in Habs-land, F Christopher Higgins and D Mike Komisarek. These guys are solid players who show up every night. And its pretty cool that both are American players.

Higgins, a former Yale star from Smithtown, N.Y., recently completed his second NHL season. He had 22 goals and 38 points in 61 games, missing significant time with an ankle injury.
Komisarek, who is from Islip Terrace, N.Y., is coming off his fourth year in the league. He had personal bests in games (82), goals (four), assists (15) and points (19).

Their signing is also an early test of what players will be commanding on the market come July 1st. Both were signed to 3.4 million dollar deals -- 1.5 mil the first season and 1.9 the next. So the question is this: what will free agents (Gomez, Drury, Briere, Giguere) be asking for? Enough to buy Long Island, most likely.

Its safe to say Dave Lewis had a craptastic weekend. After just one season as bench boss for the Bruins, he was sacked on Friday. I didnt follow the Bruins enough to comment on Lewis, but Heather does. Lewis is getting "reassigned" to another post in the organization. Lewis sounds just a wee bit pissed:

"As a coach, you go into a new organization not really sure what you have and not sure what you need. By the end of the year, I knew what we had and I knew what we needed and then you just don't get a chance to start on with the next season," Lewis said Friday in an interview with Boston's WHDH-TV.

But Boston has got bigger problems -- Mike Milbury is apparently being considered for the coaching job.