Just Another Day At The Office For Caps Fans

Of course he did.  Of course Joel Ward took a "terrible" (his word) penalty that led to the Rangers tying Monday night's game with less than seven seconds remaining.  Of course the Caps were swept under the tidal wave of excitement in New York and quickly succumbed in overtime.  After 25+ years of watching the Caps, of course I should have expected nothing less.  Joel Ward was the sorry son of a gun at which Lady Luck pointed her cruel finger, but the truth is if it wasn't Joel Ward it would have been somebody else.  A puck would have deflected off Mike Green and found the net.  Braden Holtby would have lost the puck in the sun.  Alexander Semin, on a breakaway with the GWG on his stick, would have been swallowed by a dragon that swooped down from the Garden rafters.  BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER.  When you are the Chicago Cubs of the NHL, you know deep down that the other shoe, no matter how preposterous, hovers overhead.

If losing in 3 overtimes in Game 3 was a gut punch, then Monday night's loss was a staggering hay maker.  One that I'm not sure that Capitals can recover from.  If they can, they will prove they are as resilient as I think they are becoming.  If they can not, Joel Ward joins a dubious list that makes any long-time Caps fan wretch.  You know the names, you know the moments: The Easter Epic. Petr Nedved.  Gonchar falling down in OT.  Esa Tikkanen.  Joe Juneau failing to connect on an OT penalty shot.  Tom Poti.  Up 3-1.  Martin St. Louis.  Devastating moments that leave a trail of broken remote controls, profane tirades, stomped-on emotions and summers of discontent. 

Personally, I feel sorry for Joel Ward.  There are examples of sports figures that have gone from hero to goat even faster, but Ward took quite a hit in twelve days.  As someone who has taken a penalty in overtime of a playoff game, I feel his pain.  Obviously, my beer league playoffs didn't have nearly as high stakes, but, believe me, two minutes never moved slower than watching a sudden death period from the penalty box.  Fortunately, my buddies bailed me out.  Joel Ward was not so fortunate, yet he manned up and spoke to reporters after the game.  He didn't run from his mistake and Dale Hunter shouldn't run from him in Game 6.  I have friends who would bench him or release him outright, but is there any player who will play harder than Joel Ward Wednesday night?

Because I am stupid I am trying to remain upbeat.  Every bit of historical evidence suggests that there is no reason for optimism.  Yet, I shall remain positive.  Positive that the Caps can win Game 6.  If for no other reason than a Game 7 loss would be that much more excruciating.  And expected.