Exciting Playoff Moments Continue
We (you, me, and one or two other people) "talked" last week about how moments matter, and we got a couple of great playoff moments this week to dissect.
Braden Holtby saves the Capitols
The Washington Capitals dropped Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals Monday night to the Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas, 6-4. Losing Game 2 on Wednesday night would not have been good for the Capitals chances. Teams have trailed 2-0 in a best-of-seven series 291 times and have come back to win the series on 37 occasions (12.7 percent), according to NHL.com.
Heading into the third period of Wednesday night's Game 2, the Capitals led 3-2. They did not score in the period, but neither did the Knights -- due in no small part to goalie Braden Holtby's stoning of a one-timer by Alex Tuch. [Do yourself a favor and watch the clip below with volume way up.]
That save didn't win the game, and most certainly has not assured a Stanley Cup Finals victory for Washington. You know as well as I know, if you know anything about the Capitals history, that if Vegas scored, they would have gone on to win in overtime, and the Caps would have faced the insurmountable odds of a 2-0 deficit. Thanks, Mr. Holtby.
On the drive to work Thursday morning, all the golden baritones and sporting aficionados of the DMV were comparing the save to the greatest sports moments in D.C. history. Scott Allen of the Washington Post provided a tremendous roll-up of the all-time sports moments from the teams of the District. His piece is a great historical wrap-up with a lot of great video.
Did I watch this magical moment amongst family and friends? Nope, I was in bed, because I wanted to be in the gym by 5 a.m. Thursday morning. I overslept the next morning and missed my workout anyway -- loose, loose.
J.R. Green does...well, what J.R. does
Parallel to the Stanley Cup Finals, of course, are the NBA Finals. This is the fourth consecutive year that LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers have faced the Golden State Warriors. The Cavaliers have always been underdogs in the first three (although they did take the 2016 title), but this year they are prohibitive underdogs. Prior to the start of the series, Vegas (the oddsmakers, not the Golden Knights) had the Warriors as the biggest favorites over the last 16 seasons, and 12 point favorites for Game 1, according to Ryan Gaydos of FoxNews.
Miraculously, the Cavaliers and Warriors were tied at 104 with 4.7 seconds left and Cleveland guard George Hill at the line with one remaining free throw that would give his team the lead Thursday night in Game 1 of the finals. Hill missed the free throw (remember, game still tied with 4.7 seconds remaining), but Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith got the rebound close to the basket with a chance for an easy put-back for the win.
But...he...dribbled...out...the...clock, because he thought they were winning!?!? And the Warriors ended up dominating the Cavaliers in overtime for a 124-117 victory. Man, oh, man, what an historic blunder. Rodger Sherman of TheRinger.com thinks it might be "the costliest mistake in basketball history."
Since I got good sleep the night before, I must have stayed up to see this magical moment, right? Nope, I was in bed again, because I had to make up for my missed workout the day before. I made the workout, had a good one, and am now well-rested for a weekend of sports viewing -- so not a total loss.
Braden Holtby saves the Capitols
The Washington Capitals dropped Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals Monday night to the Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas, 6-4. Losing Game 2 on Wednesday night would not have been good for the Capitals chances. Teams have trailed 2-0 in a best-of-seven series 291 times and have come back to win the series on 37 occasions (12.7 percent), according to NHL.com.
Heading into the third period of Wednesday night's Game 2, the Capitals led 3-2. They did not score in the period, but neither did the Knights -- due in no small part to goalie Braden Holtby's stoning of a one-timer by Alex Tuch. [Do yourself a favor and watch the clip below with volume way up.]
Holtby puts Game 2 on ice.
That save didn't win the game, and most certainly has not assured a Stanley Cup Finals victory for Washington. You know as well as I know, if you know anything about the Capitals history, that if Vegas scored, they would have gone on to win in overtime, and the Caps would have faced the insurmountable odds of a 2-0 deficit. Thanks, Mr. Holtby.
On the drive to work Thursday morning, all the golden baritones and sporting aficionados of the DMV were comparing the save to the greatest sports moments in D.C. history. Scott Allen of the Washington Post provided a tremendous roll-up of the all-time sports moments from the teams of the District. His piece is a great historical wrap-up with a lot of great video.
Did I watch this magical moment amongst family and friends? Nope, I was in bed, because I wanted to be in the gym by 5 a.m. Thursday morning. I overslept the next morning and missed my workout anyway -- loose, loose.
J.R. Green does...well, what J.R. does
Parallel to the Stanley Cup Finals, of course, are the NBA Finals. This is the fourth consecutive year that LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers have faced the Golden State Warriors. The Cavaliers have always been underdogs in the first three (although they did take the 2016 title), but this year they are prohibitive underdogs. Prior to the start of the series, Vegas (the oddsmakers, not the Golden Knights) had the Warriors as the biggest favorites over the last 16 seasons, and 12 point favorites for Game 1, according to Ryan Gaydos of FoxNews.
Miraculously, the Cavaliers and Warriors were tied at 104 with 4.7 seconds left and Cleveland guard George Hill at the line with one remaining free throw that would give his team the lead Thursday night in Game 1 of the finals. Hill missed the free throw (remember, game still tied with 4.7 seconds remaining), but Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith got the rebound close to the basket with a chance for an easy put-back for the win.
But...he...dribbled...out...the...clock, because he thought they were winning!?!? And the Warriors ended up dominating the Cavaliers in overtime for a 124-117 victory. Man, oh, man, what an historic blunder. Rodger Sherman of TheRinger.com thinks it might be "the costliest mistake in basketball history."
J.R. Smith doing what J.R. do.
Since I got good sleep the night before, I must have stayed up to see this magical moment, right? Nope, I was in bed again, because I had to make up for my missed workout the day before. I made the workout, had a good one, and am now well-rested for a weekend of sports viewing -- so not a total loss.
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