Blogging Live From Verizon Center – Game 2

(Updated throughout the game)

1st Period:

– Simeon Varlamov gets the start over Jose Theodore.

– The Rangers struck early with their first goal on the 20-year old goalie just 7:34 into the game. The goal was scored by Ryan Callahan. It was his 1st goal in the Playoffs. He had 22 on the season.

– The Caps, however, are playing aggressively, as they usually do in the first period. They are playing physical and are keeping guys such as Sean Avery and Markus Naslund in check….

– The crowd has been loud and electric throughout the entire contest. They have been deafening throughout the game and the entire arena is Rockin’ the Red. It’s quite an amazing sight….

– The first period ended with a scuffle between Rangers LW Sean Avery and Capitals Defenseman John Erskine.

1st Period Overview:

– Despite the goal given up by Varlamov, the Caps are playing strong and are attacking the net aggressively. They are trying very hard to help out the young Varlamov on the defensvie end as well. The crowd has not lost any bit of energy from the time the puck dropped all the way through intermission.

2nd Period:

– So far it’s been fairly even for both teams halfway through the first period.

– Avery continues to involve himself in scuffles, the latest with Alex Ovechkin prior to the commercial break with 9:27 left.

– Penalty on the Rangers Michal Rzsival for hooking on Alex Ovechkin. That gave the Caps their first power play of the game.

– With 2:30 to go in the second, it’s still 1-0.

2nd Period Overview:

Very suprising lack of offense from the Caps. Both teams are doing excellent jobs protecting the net. The tempo of the second period slowed down from the first but there were still strong defensive plays made on both ends.

3rd Period:

– Varlamov made a nice kick-save to secure the 1-0 deficit. He has been very solid since giving up the only goal.

– The game hasn’t had nearly as many goals but the energy is just the same. The one goal deficit is also a factor in keeping the crowd into the game.

– Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist continues to have a good series. He has 23 saves so far in Game 2.

– To update; Varlamov has 19 saves with 11 minutes remaining in the contest.

– The Rangers have really taken advantage of several Caps passing miscues, intercepting the puck and taking it to the other end.

– There’s less than two minutes to go. The Caps have been desperately trying to tie the game up for the past few minutes.

– 1:28 left, Ovechkin entered the game.