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[hockeygod]

Kudos to Caps coach

By CHRIS STEVENSON, QMI Agency, Nov 4 2011

Early in the NHL season, who knew lip reading would be such a valuable skill?

First Wayne Simmonds and now it's Alex Ovechkin making noise out of earshot of the microphones.

It made me think of that Seinfeld episode when George borrows Jerry's deaf girlfriend to lip read from across the room and learn what George's freshly ex-girlfriend is saying at a party.

Only problem is between the deaf girlfriend and Kramer, they translate "sweeping together" into "sleeping together" and hilarity ensues.

I don't think there was as much confusion over what Simmonds or Ovechkin were saying.

Which brings us to Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau, who left Ovechkin on the bench at the end of the game Tuesday, sparking Ovie's X-rated F-bombs (at least that's how it looked).

Boudreau is coaching like there is no tomorrow, which is probably true in his case if he doesn't find a way to get the Caps to the third round of the playoffs. He ran a boot camp (relative to past Caps training camps) and now is taking on the team's biggest star, who has a long-term deal, and not backing down.

At least Boudreau won't go quietly.

Good for him.

His actions are speaking louder than any words.

Infer what you want to infer.

UNDER THE HOOD

A look at what makes a hockey team work

One of the trends right now is players taking what would seem to be low-percentage shots on the ice from bad angles along the goal line. It wouldn't appear to be the best use of a puck possession but, according to one assistant coach, it creates trouble. Many of the big goalies in the league use the "one knee down" technique to defend the post. They put their pad closest to the puck perpendicular to the goal line against the post. This leaves them in a position to push off with the leg closest to the puck and go into the butterfly if the player with the puck decides to pass into the slot. Problem is, in that position the goaltender can't help but give up a rebound when the puck is hammered at his feet. "The other thing is, if the goaltender's technique is off by a little bit and his pad is even slightly angled, a shot into the pad is going right into the slot," a goaltending coach said.

One player said firing the puck along the goal line is near the top of the list when playing against Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."