If you know me at all (and if you're reading this blog I'm sure you do) the inclusion of hockey in my countdown comes as no surprise. My favorite sport's first appearance on this list comes from the first of what I hope will be many outstanding postseason series between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins.Even if you aren't a hockey fan, chances are you've at least heard of Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Washington's Alexander Ovechkin. They are both former #1 overall draft picks and arguably the two best and most exciting players in the NHL. Since they each entered the league in 2005 the hockey world has essentially made them into intense rivals. Games between the Capitals and Penguins often are carried on national TV, complete with statistical comparisions of the pair and how they have fared against each other. Clearly a playoff series between the two would give the rivalry a tremendous boost of intensity. The 2007-08 season marked the first time both players reached the postseason in the same year, but Ovechkin and the Caps were bounced in the first round while Crosby and the Pens reached the Stanley Cup Finals. Last season, though, both teams reached the second round, setting up what turned out to be one of the most exciting playoff series I ever witnessed.
Everyone likes to boil games between Washington and Pittsburgh down to Ovechkin v. Crosby. However, I hadn't been waiting to see a playoff series between these two teams solely for a one-on-one matchup between players who are rarely on the ice at the same time...sure it was part of the draw, but both these teams are about more than one player. If Ovechkin and Crosby are the league's top two players, Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin might be number three. In fact, the man who was drafted immediately after Ovechkin in 2004 led the NHL in scoring last season and finished with an incredible 36 points in 24 postseason games. Add in goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (another #1 overall draft pick), Jordan Staal and Sergei Gonchar and you have a team with top-tier talent everywhere on the ice. The Capitals have a very comparable depth of offensive talent. Along with Ovechkin (56-54-110) the team boasts young guns Nicklas Backstrom (22-66-88), Alexander Semin (34-45-79) and Mike Green (31-42-73), who led all defensemen in scoring and was nominated for the Norris Trophy. As a tremendous hockey fan I enjoy all aspect of the game when they are well-executed, but seeing a collection of players with this much offensive talent on the ice for an entire playoff series is the best kind of hockey I could hope for.
I remember the Saturday that game 1 of the series was played and being on the edge of my seat the entire time. The first game completely lived up to the hype created both by the media and in my own mind. While Crosby and Ovechkin both scored and played outstanding games, the most memorable moment of the game was easily a save by Washington goalie Simeon Varlamov on Crosby. There's no point in trying to describe it, just watch the clip below (be sure to watch the whole clip to see the replay angles).
After that save was made I texted my friend and fellow hockey lover Nick Petrello because I knew he would be watching the game. He responded, "What a save. Ovechkin and Crosby playing out of their minds..." I can't publish the next part of his text, but I can safely say that he definitely shared my excitement for the game and the series as a whole. For the rest of the series, the excitement continued to grow. Five of the games were decided by a single goal and three needed overtime to find a winner (including game 6, which the Caps won in Pittsburgh to force a game 7). Game 2 deserves a special mention as both Crosby and Ovechkin scored hat-tricks in Washington's 4-3 win, a feat that might not be seen again in some time (or it might happen the next time these teams play...that's why it's such a great match).
As much as I loved watching this series, it probably would have been even higher on my countdown if not for how it ended. A game 7 is typically one of the most exciting spectacles in all of sport, no matter the playing field. So naturally, I expected big things out of game 7 between the Caps and Pens, especially after Washington's dramatic OT win in game 6. Unfortunately, the game was never in doubt. The Penguins dominated the Capitals and led 5-0 in the 2nd period, coasting to a 6-2 win. This was still one of the best playoff match-ups I had the pleasure of seeing, but the final game almost ruined it.
In the end, the better team won this series. Pittsburgh is a more complete team than Washington (which is obviously why the Pens went on to win the Stanley Cup). They have better goaltending, a deeper defensive corps and play a more structured and complete game, while the Capitals aren't the most responsible team on defense and often enter the offensive zone with little or no planning. This works sometimes because of their tremendous talent, but it caught up with them against the hard-nosed Pittsburgh defense. Still, I'm convinced these will be two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference and the NHL for years to come and look forward to seeing them meet in the playoffs again.
Now that I've gotten to rant a bit about hockey for the first time, be sure to watch for my next update, involving the gridiron in Southeast Ohio.
GO PENGUINS!!
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