11:39 PM: The Post Game report

After a 7 - 2 loss to the Washington Capitals, Captain Doug Weight did what a Captain does -- He faced the media. He said they made mistakes. He said they forgot how they got there. He said they would have to play better to beat a team like the Caps let alone win a seven game series. He said they didn't finish their checks. He said all the right things.

He said so many of the right things, in such a quiet manner, that the media did not feed on him as they perhaps would have had he been someone else or someone less pained by the loss. But Doug Weight talked with the camera light blinding and the tape recorders inches from his face.

All the while Rick DiPietro, who played two periods replacing Dwayne Roloson, undressed in his stall without saying a word. He methodically removed his equipment and meticulously put it in his hockey bag. He did not make eye contact with the gaggle of reporters that he knows very well. He left the locker room.

There was no disguising this. The Washington Capitals out "every thinged" the Islanders tonight. They outskated, out played, out muscled, outshot and out impressed.

"They made us look stupid. It's dissapointing, it's an eye opener. In this league it That doesn't mean we can't beat that team."

The camera shut down, but the reporters continued. They asked for Rick. They wouldn't leave until they spoke with him. As the leader that he is, DiPietro obliged and returned to the room, stood behind all the equipment bags in front of his stall and waited for the questions. The interviews are up on the Islanders main website. You can hear the quotes for yourself and the quiet, contemplative tones he spoke in.

Scott Gordon looks at the Capitals as the team the Islanders WILL be. Not too long ago, the Caps were in the same boat. Now, "...they have three lines that can score. "They pick corners, they make plays. They're strong they're fast. They're just such a dynamic team. You can't make mistakes against them."

No, you can't make mistakes playing the Capitals. Look at their stats. They win -- a lot. They have an impressive line up above and beyond that machine they call Alexander Ovechkin who was credited it with 10 shots and 4 blocked shots, but no goals. He also lost both face-offs he took. But that didn't matter. He had the puck. Six different Capitals scored for their team with Semin getting two. Certainly, he could have netted a hat trick, but they only played the 60 minutes and the Islanders were quite done by then.

We lost Jack Hillen tonight as he was hit with one of those 14 powerful shots of Ovie's right in the face. There is no word on his condition as of yet (and it's already 11:30 pm).

Rick DiPietro took this game in as batting practice as he twice skated up ice almost to the blue line to play the puck and also used his signature "glove the puck, skate out three strides, bat it into the neutral zone." That is the "DiPietro."

There is no time to wallow in the loss. Thursday they play the Hurricanes and Saturday they play the Flyers. They're heading out on the road and they need to work on what they can while they can.

Doug Weight does not want them to stop thinking about themselves as a playoff team. But they have to -- get back to basics.


9:30 pm From the Barn:

Roloson chased from the net and replaced with DiPietro in the second as the Capitals just take the game to the Islanders every way they can.

Jack Hillen was taken to the hospital for evaluation after taking a shot off his face. Gruesome, but accidental.

Kyle Okposo proves once again why he is developing into one hell of an NHL talent in front of this crowd of over 12,500.

It doesn't help any. The score is 6 - 2 in the caps favor and it doesn't look like it will get any better in the third.

Let's just chalk this one up to excellent practice for Rick DiPietro who was taking extreme liberties out of the crease in the second.

Here's some good news: Rob Schremp will be at the Hicksville Team Store on Feb 11th. Okay, that's all I got in the good news dept. unless you want to count John Tavares' assist point on Kyle Okposo's goal.

More later.

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