I got rhythm

The Caps play Atlanta tomorrow. Hopefully the outcome will be much better than the past couple of games, because Atlanta isn't doing so well these days either. Check out the Ice Man's blog:

One goalie looks like he believes everything we said about him and has been waiting around for his Hall of Fame induction. The other goalie draws an unsportsmanlike penalty for showing up the ref.

Dude, seriously. Lehtonen needs to rethink his status, especially since Hedberg is getting his second straight start tomorrow night. In fact, Bob Hartley said that Lehtonen lost his rhythm. I guess he won't be out at the clubs any time soon.

More complaints from the Ice Man:

In fact, let’s look at the penalties in the first period: Holik for tripping just 1:45 in. After failing to score on a 5-on-3 PP, Rucchin — our veteran import — makes contact with the goalie one second after the second penalty expires. Then the goalie taunts the ref and Montreal scores on the ensuing PP. About 30 seconds later, our best offensive threat gets into a stick-swinging contest and goes off on coincidental minors. Not a minute later, our OTHER best offensive threat and one of our top defensemen BOTH get whistled for high-sticking and hooking, respectively.
That could be one of the most undisciplined periods of hockey this franchise has ever seen. And we’ve had teams with Marc Savard, Frank Kaberle and Steve Staios.

The Caps can easily take advantage of this situation, as long as they keep their cool. One of the best games vs. Atlanta I ever saw was last season when they tormented Kozlov during the whole game. Late in the third, he finally snapped and came out swinging- which amounted basically to where you've got your hand on the dude's forehead while he's trying (and failing) to hit you. It led to a chain reaction of fights on the part of the Thrashers (because they were losing at the time) and the Caps won in the shootout. (Remember when the Caps used to win in the shootout)? Anyway, it was great- very smart strategy.

Thanks to my dad for alerting me to this article, which appeared in the Houston Chronicle on Sunday:

[Mark Adickes] might be best remembered as an offensive lineman who played for Baylor University before going on to the pros, capped by a Super Bowl victory with the Washington Redskins. But Adickes now has joined the ranks of surgeons who kept him playing through career-threatening injuries and seven operations. Adickes spent the final three seasons of his career as one of the Hogs, the Redskins' offensive squad, known for practical jokes off the field as well as for their success on it.

Adickes said it helped that he hadn't been a superstar. "Offensive linemen are totally anonymous," he said. "You work very hard for no recognition, and medical school and residency are like that. You are the lowest of the low on the totem pole."

Funny to think that someone in medical school, or a football player, would be "the lowest of the low," but then again, I suppose every profession has a pecking order. The best part of the article described how he let the kids hold his Super Bowl ring:

"He tells us to believe in the ring," reported Hayden Manias, 10, a fifth-grader at the Kinkaid School. "I think it means to go out and do your best."

Isn't that cute? I'd love to try on a Super Bowl ring myself. Lucky kids.