NHL Notes

Most of the NHL has begun its 2008-09 schedule. Here's a quick look at early storylines around the league:

• There were questions whether or not relatively inexperienced goaltender Dan Ellis could carry the Nashville Predators. Friday's 5-2 loss to St. Louis was not a good start.

• The Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Dallas Stars for just the second time in the last 19 meetings on Friday, with an OT goal by Rick Nash.

• The Rangers are off to a 3-0 start after besting the Blackhawks Friday.

• The Caps look to rebound from their loss in Atlanta when they open the season against the Blackhawks, pitting young stars Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom against Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Oh yeah, and it marks the return of goalie Cristobal Huet, whose departure to Chicago via free agency forced the Caps to sign Jose Theodore instead. ESPN's Scott Burnside previews the contest here.

Caps Thrashed In Opener

As I wrote in my FCNP article previewing the Capitals, the key to success for this year's team lies squarely on their defensive play and the ability of goaltending import Jose Theodore. That Theodore allowed 4 goals on 17 shots in Friday's 7-4 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers, a team picked to finish last in the Southeast Division, is not a good omen.

The first goal, scored on the power play by Atlanta's Ron Hainsey, was the fault of the penalty kill unit, who had their backs turned and didn't pick him up crashing the low slot. The second goal (off a uncontrolled rebound), and the third and fourth (off ordinary wrist shots that should have been easy saves) were squarely on Theodore.

It's safe to say he had a bad night. But if this is the start of a trend, the Caps have serious problems. Brent Johnson was a capable backup last year and looked good before the team's meltdown late in the third Friday, but can he carry the load all year long?

It's one game. There's a good possibility this is just a blip on the radar due to first-game jitters and the pressure that every publication has said the Caps' Stanley Cup hopes ride on his shoulders. But what are the Caps options if it isn't?

The Caps can either go with Johnson, call up 20-year-old prospect Simeon Varlamov or trade someone (perhaps Michael Nylander) for another NHL caliber netminder. I don't think any of those scenarios involve hoisting the Cup this spring.

Other points of interest:

• Mike Green scored his first two goals of the season after leading all defensemen with 18 last year. Green only had three goals through Nov. 21 last year and still put up that mark. During training camp, Head Coach Bruce Boudreau said he believed Green hadn't even touched upon how good he can be. There is a very real possibility that he could score 30 goals this season.

• Boudreau's long-time friend, John Anderson, picked up the win behind the bench in Atlanta, his first as an NHL coach. Boudreau's success has paved the way for a number of AHL coaches to get a shot at the big leagues. Anderson and Scott Gordon (Islanders) emerged from the minor league to head up teams, with a number more rising to assistant positions in the NHL.

• The refs Friday night were a little over ambitious, whistling 14 penalties before a rash of fights at the end. In fact, none of the four goals in the second period were scored at even strength.

One thing this did was showcase two new members of the Caps penalty killing units — Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin. Semin looked brilliant in the role, setting up a shorthanded goal by Dave Steckel and, on another shift, drawing a penalty to negate the Atlanta advantage.

The theory, inspired by Team Russia's use of Semin on the penalty kill during this summer's World Championships, is to give the PK units a quick threat at the top of the box capable of breaking up passes at the point and occasionally picking them off for a shorthanded scoring opportunity. The drawback is the absurd amount of ice time Ovechkin now accounts for.

Friday he was on the ice for 23:02 (2:55 on the penalty kill), bettered only by Mike Green and Atlanta's Ron Hainsey, both defenseman. Boudreau said he was looking for ways to get Ovie more ice time. But can he sustain an entire season of this? Probably. He averaged 23:07 on the ice last year and the only side effects he showed came in the form of league-leading goals and points totals.

• Thrashers first-round draft pick Zach Bagosian's "welcome to the NHL" moment? Squaring off with Caps enforcer Donald Brashear late in the third period. One uppercut. Two uppercut. Down goes the 18-year-old rookie.

I'm not sure why Brash squared off against the baby-faced kid, but it's an event that will likely set a harsh tone for this season series.

FCNP Posts

Three articles in this week's Falls Church News-Press — the FCNP Splinters, Press Pass and a preview article on the Washington Capitals after I spent a few days in their training camp two weeks back.

The hype surrounding the Caps is focused primarily on uber-wing Alex Ovechkin, and rightly so. There have been few years like the one he had last year. But the beauty of the Capitals' upcoming season is that the scoring won't depend solely on No. 8. Each of the Caps' top three lines feature a past 30-goal scorer. With Chris Clark and Michael Nylander skating with prospect Tomas Fleischmann on Washington's third line, generating goals will not be a problem for the Caps. What will be? Read the article and find out.

Splinters focuses on the surprising Redskins and exactly how they've been able to be so good this year.

Press Pass will be a hit for prime time TV fans, as I interview Val Emmich, better known as Jesse, the new love interest on ABC's "Ugly Betty." If you think the guy sounds great as a musician, it's probably because he is one. Has been since high school actually. Inside we chat about his music, his acting and exactly why he was skeptical to sign on to play the current role alongside Betty. Hint: It's not because she's "ugly."

Amid Downturn, Turnstiles Unaffected?

Not a lot of big news today, which makes tonight a great time to check out a little long-form journalism. Remember that? We bloggers tend to shun it — probably because large numbers of readers also shun it — but it doesn't make the feature-length articles any less worthwhile or intriguing.

So grab an energy drink if you have to, but take a look at SI.com's interesting inspection of the economic downturn and its affect on pro sports teams. It may not be having the effect you think it might.

I'm also trying to find footage from last night's "E:60," ESPN's version of "60 Minutes." For some reason, it's the only segment not posted online. In it, NHL pest and Stars forward Sean Avery expresses his enthusiasm for women's hand bags and fashion. Not exactly the sentiments you'd expect from a hockey player who doesn't hesitate to mix it up on the ice. Is Sean Avery hockey's Dennis Rodman? Does this mean the Prada lover will ask for a trade to the Devils?

This isn't totally an out of the blue development. In April it was announced that Avery would be working as an intern at Vogue. During New York's Fashion Week he watched a runway show sitting between Martha Stewart and Winona Ryder. And for anyone thinking he might be a little light in the skates, you should cut that talk right now, seeing as how he dated Elisha Cuthbert.

How Much Did You Pay for that Haircut?

$14 if you're Alex Ovechkin getting it styled at the Hair Cuttery at the Ballston Commons Mall.

The web site for Ovechkin's latest endorsement deal went live recently, meaning you too can see how the best hockey player in the world gets his hair styled ... and even download wallpaper ... at oviestyle.com.

The site is a little weird. On one slide it features his musings on his hair cut philosophy, while also discussing how he watches other teams from the penalty box. What, you don't see the connection?

For those unfamiliar with the story, the link between the Russian-born star of the Washington Capitals and Hair Cuttery dates back to Ovechkin's monster contract. After slapping his John Hancock on that 13-year $124 million deal, Ovie was asked what he'd do with all the money. Caps owner Ted Leonsis jumped in, recommending the scruffy Ovechkin get a hair cut.

The next day, Ovie did. For $14, just like he usually does, at the Hair Cuttery in the Ballston Mall that houses the Caps' practice facilities. The ad wizards took care of the rest.

Suicide? Check. Squeeze? Not So Much.

The Red Sox eliminated the Angels last night, thanks in large part to the Angels.

After a leadoff double and a sacrifice bunt, the Angles had a runner on third with just one out with the score tied at two in the top of the ninth. All Erick Aybar (pictured) had to do was hit a mildly-deep fly ball to the outfield ... or of any depth to Jacoby Ellsbury ... and speedster Reggie Willits would have scored easily. So what do the Angels do? They put on the squeeze play.

Aybar misses the inside pitch by Sox reliever Manny Delcarmen entirely and Willits is caught halfway down the third base line and tagged out. In the bottom of the inning, Willits goes for the gusto, diving for a looping Jason Bay fly ball that kicks into the stands for a ground rule double and Jed Lowrie drives him home with a two-out single for the win.

This game was lost for one fundamental reason: Aybar flat out didn't do his job at the plate. When the squeeze play is on, you have to make contact. In fact, I find it close to unfathomable that a major league middle infielder can't make contact with a fastball while attempting a bunt. Contact on a hit and run, that's one thing. But you have the bat in front of you and all you have to do is touch the ball. That's it. There are corpses that can bunt. Ted Williams could do it too, even if you didn't thaw him out first. But Aybar? Not so much.

Enjoy the offseason Angels. No curse to blame here. Just bad fundamental baseball.

NFL Roundup and Ozzie Consoles the Cubs

How good are the New York Giants? The recent result (a 44-6 win over early NFC West title pick Seattle, without All-Pro WR Plaxico Burress) would indicate that they are hands down the best team in the league. Along with the Titans, the Giants are the only remaining undefeated team, but before fans of the G-men get too excited, consider also that they escaped against a sad Cincinnati team and nearly let the Redskins come back on them in Week One.

Against the Skins, the Giants left a ton of points on the board in the first half. By settling for field goals, New York nearly let Washington snatch a victory in the fourth quarter ... that is if the Washington 2 minute drill didn't look like QB Jason Campbell was trying to interpret instructions for molecular experiments in Latin.

Champions convert those opportunities. The Giants did that on Sunday against Seattle. If they keep doing it, they'll easily make the playoffs.

They can't sleep on the 1-3 Browns though, next week's opponent. Cleveland QB Derek Anderson will come out hungry, trying to keep his job safe from Brady Quinn. It's definitely a potential trap game for the Boys in Blue.

How good are the Redskins? I don't think anyone thought they'd be this good. Wins over Dallas and Philadelphia in back to back weeks? Who saw that coming? Campbell continues to develop, but RB Clinton Portis carried the day yesterday. CP is second in the NFL in rushing (514 yards) and put up 145 yards against the Eagles.

Best way to keep the ball away from the NFC East's array of All-Pro QBs? Run the football and control the clock. With new coach Jim Zorn's ball-control West Coast offense, they're doing exactly that. The Skins average time of possession this season is 32:54, the fourth best TOP in the league. Oh yeah, and they only have one turnover all season.

Did someone let a Born Again Christian into the Dallas Cowboys locker room yesterday? That's the only explanation I can think of for TO's about face, praising God and his infinite glory for his two catch, one TD game. This is a week after TO ripped QB Tony Romo for not throwing him the ball more.

As was recounted in the Shreveport Times:

"I just have been dealing with a lot of stuff and this was a great team win," Owens said in a brief postgame news conference. "I am more than No. 81. It's more about a star being on my helmet.

"I am standing here today to confess my faith in God and the ability he gave me to go out there and show that on this football field today.

"God used me today for his glory and that's all I have to say."

Maybe it's just a phase that will pass when the Cowboys move stadiums and God can't watch through that hole in the roof anymore.

Sage Rosenfels must feel like the biggest goat in the pasture today. That's after coughing up a sure-fire victory by his Houston Texans against the Indianapolis Colts. Rosenfels filled in admirably for sick starting QB Matt Schaub, giving the Texans a 27-10 lead with just over four minutes remaining. Then after the Colts scored seven more, and the Texans recovered an onside kick he fumbled. Twice. Both resulted in touchdowns for Indianapolis. Final Score: Colts - 31, Texans - 27.

***

On the diamond, the Phillies sent the Brewers home for the season, eliminating them in the division series after a 6-2 win in Game Four. Brewers pitcher Jeff Suppan was lit up like Times Square — allowing 5 earned runs, including 3 homers in three innings — to earn the loss.

The difference maker in this one? Ben Sheets. Sure, he didn't play in the series after being shut down with injuries (again), but had he still been healthy it's doubtful Suppan would have ever toed the rubber. It's a big difference between a top-two of CC Sabathia and Sheets (3.09 ERA this season) and Sabathia and a 50-percent Yovani Gallardo (only six appearances all year due to a torn ACL).

The Brew Crew should get used to it though, as it looks like Sheets is unlikely to return as he enters free agency this season attempting to become Carl Pavano 2.0, inking a big deal and missing the majority of the contract years due to injury.

The Brewers might not be done with Sabathia however, according to SI's Jon Heyman. He says the team will attempt to keep the most coveted pitcher on the free agent market. They'll face stiff competition from the Yankees, Mets, Giants and Dodgers who will all be offering Johan Santana-like cash ($137.5 million over six years).

The White Sox continued to carry the Windy City's postseason hopes, winning 5-3 over the Rays to force Game Four this afternoon. White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen offered his sympathy to the North Siders in traditional Ozzie fashion, saying "F*ck the Cubs," before adding that Cubs manager Lou Piniella is one of his idols and that he called pitcher Carlos Zambrano to tell him to keep his head up. What a guy.

Break Out the Brooms

Remember all of those articles saying that this was definitely the season the Cubs ended their World Series drought of 100 years? Remember how Kosuke Fukudome was supposed to bring them that title? Remember how both of those stories were on the cover of Sports Illustrated?

But yeah, there's no such thing as a curse ...

For the second year in a row the Cubs flamed out in spectacular fashion in the first round of the playoffs, swept by the Dodgers in three games. Despite the great regular season pitching of Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster and Rich Harden, it didn't translate into the postseason. The offense couldn't produce and the defense made uncharacteristic, but crucial, errors.

One thing Yankees fans already knew was how Alfonso Soriano struggles in the postseason. Soriano is a great natural athlete, but I don't think anyone would accuse him of being intellectual. He's a mistake hitter and, over the course of 162 games, those mistakes can accumulate to some gawdy stats. In the playoffs though, when you're facing teams' top pitchers who are dialed in on every hitters' weakness, those mistakes are fewer and farther between. The lasting image of this series in my mind will be Soriano chasing pitches in the dirt.

Hmm ... Soriano doesn't produce in the postseason and neither does Alex Rodriguez. Fitting that they were once traded for each other.

***

ESPN.com proclaimed today that No. 14 Ohio State's narrow win over No. 18 Wisconsin restores Ohio State's national title hopes. (The ESPN lead-in reads: "Terrelle Pryor's 11-yard TD run with 1:08 remaining gave Ohio State a 20-17 victory over Wisconsin. With his first road win, the freshman QB put the Buckeyes right back in the race.")

I respectfully disagree. Wisconsin lost to a woeful Michigan team. OSU narrowly beating Wisconsin — even with the Badgers overrated ranking — in my mind isn't going to put the Buckeyes ahead of an undefeated team from the Mountain West.

That conference is too strong to ignore this year and if BYU finishes undefeated, I think they will play the SEC winner in the title game. That's not based on any math, but there's a very real possibility that BYU could reach the Top 5 by the end of the year if not higher. You can't have a team ranked in the Top 5 and ignored by the BCS. If Ohio State sneaks ahead of an unbeaten BYU team, you can't possibly argue that the BCS isn't broken.