What began as an evening of anticipation... a GAME SEVEN... a chance to reach the NHL's conference finals for the first time in over a decade... an opportunity to vanquish Ghosts of Capitals Past (Matthew Mcconaughey in discussions to drop first puck in Eastern Finals)... ended with a torrent of Pittsburgh shots... an early exit for Simeon Varlamov and the eventual elimination of the Capitals...with an offseason to think back and look ahead.
Pens pepper the pipes...sixteen shots in the first period led to a pair of early goals-- and then Pittsburgh added two more in the first three minutes of the second period...effectively burying a Caps team that had tallied five goals just twice in the posteason. Varlamov's goals against average for games 1 through 6: 3.33...game 7: 10.91.
Taking the Penguins to seven games was an achievement in an of itself-- over the series Pittsburgh outshot the Capitals by an average of 37-26 and had 16 more power play opportunities...over a game or two a grittier team can make up those differences with drop-dead penalty killing and timely shots--but over seven games water and more opportunities find their own level.
Sid the Kid takes round one--the highly anticipated first playoff meeting between two of the NHL's top players went Mr. Crosby's way...although he and Alex Ovechkin both scored eight goals and Ovechkin tallied one more assist (4 to 3) during the series. It seemed as though a lot of Crosby's shots were from right in front of the net while Ovie had to work for more angled shots through traffic. Perhaps this becomes hockey's version of Bird-Magic; no matter what--this year's meeting was well worth the wait...and one can only hope the two draw each other next May.
Ownership...like perception...is everything. Teams are corporations owned by individuals, groups or limited partners. Throughout the postseason Caps Owner Ted Leonsis was often captured on the Verizon Center camera--to the applause of the Red Faithful. Can you imagine the reaction towards other area owners? Regardless of whether or not his team turns a profit (he says they won't this year) or how far they advance towards a Stanley Cup title (the Rangers series was the first one they won since he bought the team) he currently has cornered most-favored owner status in the District.
Can you imagine Dan Snyder wearing a Skins jersey in the stands? Would you ever envision Abe Pollin blogging about the Wizards' rotation? Could you comprehend Ted Lerner paying his rent and scouts during the same month? Perception is reality...and Leonsis despite his millions has cultivated a "man of the people" image...(perhaps its the goatee) he's the owner who lives and dies with the team's fortunes but lets the experts he's hired do their jobs.
A sports franchise is more than simply an entertainment entity. Leonsis recognizes the Caps are a public trust: he technically owns the franchise but acts like more of a steward...providing the capital financing while allowing the fans to "finance the Capitals" with their dreams. Don't get me wrong: a man with his means did not get where he was by not caring about revenue streams and profit margins, but he's not perceived as an intruding owner who's primary goal is pocket change over championships--and perception is a huge part of the public relations battle.
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