Happy Birthday Nick Backstrom

Today is Nicklas Backstrom's 22nd birthday. (Man, I'm old.)

In honor of one of my favorite hockey player's birthday, here's a photo of me and Nick at last year's Hockey n' Heels.

Happy birthday Nick!

I waited in a long line of women to meet Backstrom and have my photo taken with him. It was worth the wait. He was very friendly and he was wearing this cute Swedish sweater.

I hope the Caps make a turnaround tonight and win in Ottawa. My husband, Neil will be guest blogging about tonight's game because I'm going to go indulge another of my obsessions and see New Moon tonight. (Don't worry, I will check the score on my phone.) I hope my interest in Twilight does not take away any of my hockey blogging cred. I won't mention it again, promise.

November 1 - Washington Capitals vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

Ovie is hurt. :(

The good things about this overtime loss:
1.) The way the team rallied after Ovechkin left the ice and scored three goals to take the lead.
2.) Two goals from Brooks Laich.
3.) A goal from Quintin Laing who just returned from having H1N1
4.) An awesome penalty kill where Knuble kept it near their goal for almost a minute and the crowd went wild.

The bad things about the overtime loss:
1.) The penalties, one in overtime which cost the Caps the game.
2.) The referees who missed several calls against Columbus and made a few questionable calls on the Capitals.
3.) The scary hit when Jurcina seemed hurt (fortunately he returned later in the game)
4.) Ovie got injured.
5.) Caps lost.

This may have been the most frustrating game this season. But it could also just be the proximity that is making me feel that way. I hope Ovie is better as soon as possible. I also hope he doesn't play injured. It really was great to see the rest of the team pick up the slack and keep us in the game, even if the outcome wasn't ideal.

Neil and I went to the arena early and caught warm ups tonight where I noticed some fascinating fans:

This woman had a whole bunch of yarn on her head.

This group of girls was my favorite. They were wearing t-shirts painted with their favorite players' numbers and they said things like "Katie is Varly's girl" on the back. They each had a strange little black back pack on, sweat bands on their heads, ponytails in their hair, paint on their bodies, black spandex pants with red socks taped up  like hockey players and, inexplicably, they all had black paint below their eyes like football players. Maybe they're new to hockey fandom? It looked like they were having a lot of fun and I hope they weren't too disappointed by the loss.

Here's a look at the whole ensemble from behind so you can see the socks.

Fascinating fans aside, I hope the view from 419 improves this week.

October 30 - Washington Capitals vs. New York Islanders

Ugh. So, we got a point... that's good, but losing to the Islanders - less good.

It's not as if the Caps weren't playing hard and relatively well. But they just made some sloppy mistakes and missed too many opportunities.


And one thing can be said for the Islanders, they are playing hard. They're really fighting for their lives out there. The Caps seemed to lack the same sense of urgency last night.

They did take 40 shots on goal - which is pretty outstanding. If only a couple more had gone in.

It was Halloween at Verizon Center last night. Complete with some spooky graphics on the big screen. I attempted to capture them with my camera phone with limited success:

There is a jack-o-lantern in the bottom right corner and a witch flying on her broom in the upper left corner.

There were also a number of fans dressed in costumes - and not just little kids. There were a good number of referees, both male and female. The super-fan who has the horn and prompts all the "Let's Go Caps" cheers (I think he is actually known as Horn Guy) had a hockey puck coming out of his forehead, complete with blood. Other than him, I think my favorite was the woman I saw on the way out in a full pink ball gown and a blue jean jacket.

At least Caps fans were having fun, even if we didn't get the win. The Caps have today off and I hope they're all hunkering down and resting. Tomorrow it's time to crush the Blue Jackets.

The Flyers Come to Town

Tonight's game against the Flyers promises to be entertaining. Since I loathe Philadelphia (particularly their sports teams), I really hope the Caps can come up with a convincing win.

Ovie has had a tough couple of games. If you go by the Jasper's Rink assessment, it's been almost dire: "The six shots on goal AO was credited with last week were as many or fewer than in any of his previous half-dozen games. Two hits in two games, a fine, and a team 0-for-11 on the power play (including two shorties against) also speak to a rough week for the best player in the world."

Yeesh!

So, in the hopes of boosting his karma, here is my photo with the Great 8! Yes, I paid $20 for this at the Capitals Convention and waited in two long lines. No, it's not the most awesome photo of me ever taken, but it's still one of the coolest things ever. It took the team a while to get it to me. The photo was taken on Sept. 26th and the team emailed it to me in mid-October. Now I am unveiling it to the blog-reading public:

Several things went through my mind while waiting in line and having my photo taken with Ovie.

• I watched everyone walk up onto the platform and shake his hand and I began to worry intensely about H1N1 and other infectious diseases. This is a common worry of mine. I do not want my Capitals getting sick.
  
• I wondered what I could do or say to let him know that I am cooler than your regular fan, that he should, in fact, be friends with me... I simultaneously realized that there was nothing I could say and that I am not actually cooler than other fans. 
• I watched a woman a few people ahead of me give Ovie a hand-crocheted doll of himself complete with a #8 stitched to the back of the red jersey. I then watched Ovie look at it in a slightly puzzled way and hand it to a team staff member which is when I thought about how glad I was that I didn't do something like that to distinguish myself. That doll must have taken her hours.
• I saw a girl, probably a teenager but she may have been in her 20's, begin to have a panic attack in line. She was so excited to meet Ovechkin that she was having trouble breathing and eventually began sobbing. This made me feel a little better about my fluttering heart.
• I was relieved to see that crying girl pulled it together in time for her photo.
• The marketing professional in me noted the fact that the background was kind of terrible for pictures. It was way too busy and too shiny for the flash. I think the team should hire me, I really do.

 I hope to meet Ovie again someday in a less insane environment. This means I will probably have to turn into a stalker at practice or get lucky and wind up in the same place as him by chance. Hopefully, I'll have a camera when it happens.

Side note: I have done a small amount of shameless promotion of my little blog and it is starting to work. Caps owner Ted Leonsis added The View from 419 to his blogroll under Favorite Sports Blogs! Thanks Ted!

And with that, let's go Caps!

Varly Gets The Start

It's another hockey day! Since Varly is getting the start in goal tonight, I thought it would be a good time to debut the T-Shirt that Neil and I designed during last year's playoffs. Drumroll please....

Yes, that llama is wearing ice skates. Every time we wear them around Caps fans, we get lots of laughs and compliments, so we're making them available to anyone who wants to own one. Just click here to go to The View From 419 store on Cafe Press.

In case it's not obvious, the idea for the shirt came last spring when Varly finally corrected the media on the pronunciation of his name. Neil and I remembered how to pronounce it because there is a llama in the middle. Then I designed the shirt. It's almost impossible for a non-Caps fan to figure out what the shirt means, but it makes a good conversation starter. And so far, Caps fans tend to figure the shirt out pretty quickly. Maybe if more of us wear them around the arena, Varly will start to feel a little more confident about his glove hand? (Or, perhaps that will just come with more practice.)

October 15 - Washington Capitals vs. San Jose Sharks

This was an amazing night with one sad part.

First the bummer: Neil had a hockey game of his own and had to skip the game (which was sad on several levels - especially since it ended with a trip to the hospital - don't worry, he's ok, just a cut up finger - stupid puck).

The upside to Neil missing the game is that I invited my friend Mikah to join me. It was her first Caps game and you never know how someone's first game will go. She could have hated it, but, lucky for both of us, she got into the game fast and had a really good time. And what a great game for her to come to for her first game!

The intensity level was high all night and the Caps played fantastic. Ovie scored two goals in 28 seconds against the only team he hadn't scored on in the NHL. Matt Bradley had a goal (yay). The Sharks couldn't stop taking penalties in the first period which resulted in the longest string of power plays I can remember seeing (A low point in the Caps' performance is that they only scored one power play goal). Our goalies were fantastic. (Hopefully Jose Theodore will be ok after leaving before the second period with an injury). Most importantly, perhaps, is that the Caps beat a really good team and seem to have a bit of their confidence back.

Up in section 419, it was nice to have some girl talk mixed in with my hockey game.

After the game, on our way out of the arena, I saw some really cool dudes in matching all-red suits with red wing-tip shoes, red bowler hats and Capitals lapel pins. First I took a covert photo which captures the entire ensemble:

And then they noticed me. I tried to ask if they come to all the Caps games dressed in awesome red suits, but they seemed a tad too intoxicated to pay attention to my question, or maybe they were sober and couldn't hear me over the hum of the happy crowd? They did agree to pose for a photo, but then one of them moved:

And then (and here's where I think I embarrassed Mikah) one of the red-suited ones suggested I get in a photo. How could I refuse?

Clearly, I need to step up my red to compete with these guys (and perhaps I also need to step up my alcohol consumption?) I must say, I prefer this kind of all-red suit to the one I saw during preseason.

Walking out with the crowd was exhilarating. People were cheering, cars were honking three honks for "Let's Go Caps." The sidewalks were alive with Caps fans in spite of what has been a wet and dreary day in DC. When I got home, I learned from the post game show on Comcast that Ovie had never scored two goals so close together before. It's a great night to be a Caps fan!

Take that Baskman! ;)  (The aforementioned Baskman is an old friend of my father's and a San Jose Sharks season ticket holder)

How to Display Caps Spirit Even While In New Mexico

1. Talk about hockey frequently. (I am not sure I've been doing this on purpose, I just can't help myself)

2. Wear red on game days. Preferably, wear Caps gear on game days.

Me in front of Sun Mountain on a morning walk. (Note the Ovechkin hat)

3. Convince Red Wings fans to wear Caps gear on game days.

My mom, who says she routes for the Caps when the Red Wings aren't playing.

Here's hoping all my Caps spirit helps against New Jersey tonight. My friend Ben Harper is going to the game and with any luck, he'll submit a guest post with the actual view from 419.

Preseason Flashback

I saw something deeply disturbing at one of the preseason games this year and thought I should post it here for the viewing public. The looks on peoples' faces when this character high fived them were priceless. Nobody could refuse the high five, but once he'd continued on his way, everyone had a look of puzzlement mixed with disgust. I couldn't help noticing that he has a hole at the bottom of the zipper on the back of his suit. Yikes.

Personally, I think preseason was way too early for a full red bodysuit. Regular season is too early for a full red bodysuit and playoffs may still be too early for a full red bodysuit. But this guy doesn't seem to agree. I hope I don't run into him too many more times this season, he makes me a tad uncomfortable.

October 3 - Washington Capitals vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

The home opener was a blast. Neil and I arrived earlier than necessary because we wanted to make sure we got Mike Green bobbleheads. (We got them and they're great, but they make his eyes look very asymmetrical... strange. Perhaps equally strange is the entire bobblehead phenomenon. Who decided they were cool and then how on earth did they convince me and thousands of other fans that they were right and bobbleheads are cool?)

The majority of the 18,000+ people at the game were wearing red and the Caps had face paint stations and sign-making materials available before the game to help make the arena even more spirited.

It was nice to see our friends in section 419 - many of whom weren't around the last couple weeks at preseason games.

My main takeaway from the game last night is that Brooks Laich and Ovie are still tied for goals this season at 3! After the game, a reporter asked Coach Boudreau if Laich will keep up all season and Bruce quickly said "No." I thought his answer was both hilarious and also a little mean. Who knows, maybe Brooksie is on fire and this is his season? ;)

After the second period when the score was 6-1, the whole building seemed to be high on success. And then the third period happened. To me, it didn't seem like a complete and total collapse, but they did seem tired and they all made a few mistakes. I'm not sure what Varly could have done to stop the goals that went in that period, but he seemed to be blaming himself in his post-game interview. I do think he gives up a lot of juicy rebounds and if he froze the puck a little more often, he may have more success. But I am most definitely not a hockey coach. As a fan, I was happy with the game. We won! I got an eagle spray painted on my face! We ate some gross fried food! I screamed my voice away! And, only 80 more games to win in the regular season!

It was great to have the neighborhood filled with happy Caps fans post-game. On our walk home from the stadium as the red-clad masses streamed around us on on the sidewalks and car horns honked three times... "Let's. Go. Caps." I asked myself how we survived all summer without hockey. Let the season begin!

October 1 - Washington Capitals vs. Boston Bruins

Neil (my husband) had a hockey game at Kettler Capitals Iceplex at 9:30 so we went to Ballston to watch the opening night game from the Front Page. At first, it seemed like a great decision. They had a whole Capitals watching area set up in the back of the bar on the indoor patio with a big screen TV. There were several tables and about 30 Caps fans were sitting around, eating dinner and waiting for the game to begin.

When the game started, we'd already eaten some bar food and were excited to be watching the first game of the season that actually counted, but soon we realized that the picture was very pixelated and sometimes the players froze for a few seconds. Then, about halfway through the first period the TV completely froze and it became apparent that the bar was streaming the game from the internet through SlingBox. Apparently, like most sports bars, The Front Page has Direct TV and therefore no Versus network. Suddenly, the placement on the back patio began to make sense. All 30 of us asked for our checks simultaneously which thrilled the waitstaff. Meanwhile, a manager was behind the TV trying to unfreeze the laptop that was connected to it. Fans were calling nearby bars asking if they had the game and then the TV started working again.

This happened a few more times, but magically, we did not miss any of the Caps' goals. After the second period we went over to Kettler and watched the last period from there. It made me think that they could host some watch parties for away games. They seem to have Versus, because the game came in very clear.  They'd probably sell a ton of Caps gear from the pro shop during the intermissions and the rink would get more exposure.

The game itself was thrilling. It was everything I'd hoped game 7 against Pittsburgh would have been last year. Other than the one defensive slip up that led to the Bruins' only goal, it was a perfect game. Jose Theodore was outstanding, Ovie got the goal scoring off to a fantastic start, Brooks Laich surprised everyone by matching Ovie's goals with his own, and the Caps trounced the Bruins making a strong opening night statement. This made me happy for several reasons, including the fact that it gave me an upper hand in trash talking with my friend Ben who loves the Bruins. :)

Another positive result of the game was one of the most outstanding sentences in sports Journalism appeared in the Boston Globe. Behold:

"for the 17,565 fans at TD Garden and the thousands more who tuned in on Versus - albeit not via DirecTV, given the dust-up between the network and the satellite provider - the sight of the Bruins getting rolled like a barrel over Niagara Falls didn't serve as a pleasant entrance to the 2009-10 season after a summer of hibernation."

Amazing.

And then, I got to watch the Buffalo Wild Wings play the Wombats! Unfortunately the Wombats won 2-1. Neil had a great shot on goal in the 2nd period, though. :)

Neil makes a nice move during warm ups. (captured by my less-than-awesome cell phone camera)