Do or Die

Ok folks, we're at the first intermission, so I'm going to make this quick.  I have the latest husband and brother-in-law pictures to share.  In case you haven't heard yet, the first round two game is tomorrow between Detroit and San Jose.  Caps are only down by 1 right now, two periods to take control!  Intermission is almost over, gotta run!  Go Caps!!

 

The Day After

So apparently the Capitals don't know what TCB means...Just great...I'm trying to forget that last night even happened.  Did they magnetize the puck and put another one in Halak's glove?  Ugh...Last chance is tomorrow night...Game 7.  That's all I have to say about that.

There's another game 7 tonight in Phoenix with the Coyotes taking on the Red Wings.  Should be a good game.  I think I'm pulling for the 'Yotes.  They've been a nice underdog story this season.  Just a heads up, we'll be out of town this weekend starting Friday night.  I probably won't update the blog again until Monday or Tuesday of next week.  Until then I'll continue to post updates!  And here's the latest from husband and brother-in-law.

TCB Day

Ok Caps...it's TCB Day.  Let's get things done and never see those Canadiens again...until next season.  But yeah...Things have been pretty hush-hush with the Washington Capitals this afternoon after their morning skate in Montreal.  Apparently Brucie doesn't want anyone knowing what he has up his sleeve for tonight's big game six. Quiet Line-Up

Will tonight be the night Alexander Semin finally gets his playoff goal?  Will Mike Green factor in?  Will David Steckel be the change Washington needs?  Shaone Morrisonn is expected to be back in the line-up with Tyler Sloan taking a seat this evening.  The Canadiens are expected to be dressing extra defensemen tonight.  And Scott Gomez did not skate with the Canadiens this morning but there hasn't been any word of him sitting out.  Apparently everyone is keeping things hush-hush.  Can't wait for the game to start!

Between the pipes tonight will be Semyon Varlamov for the Capitals and Jaroslav Halak for the Canadiens.  And speaking of goalies, Washington's own Jose Theodore was officially announced as a Masterton finalist today Finalist

There are three games tonight, with Boston and Buffalo also playing at 7pm this evening and Chicago and Nashville playing at 9pm.

And the latest beard pics!  Enjoy and Go Caps!!

And We're Back!

Sorry for not updating over the weekend.  Friday night was rough and I guess I just needed a bit of a breather.  But we're back!  A lot has happened since I last posted on Friday evening.  The Penguins finished off the Senators Saturday night to move on to round two.  The San Jose Sharks also won their series with Colorado, propelling them into the second round.  Daniel Sedin had the game winner for Vancouver last night, moving them past the LA Kings and into second round competition.  Then there's the Phoenix Coyotes...who will not go quietly.  They beat the Detroit Red Wings in game six Sunday afternoon to force a game seven back in Phoenix.  The Blackhawks beat the Predators on Saturday afternoon, taking a 3-2 lead in the series.  Game six will be tonight at 9PM.  Boston also has a 3-2 lead in their series with Buffalo.  They could wrap up round one with a win tonight at home.  Then there's the Capitals.  They took a pretty crappy loss on Friday evening at home against the Montreal Canadiens.  Game six will also be this evening at 7PM, in Montreal.  And I think we're updated!  By the end of the week we'll have our round two match-ups!

I took a beard picture on Saturday evening but never posted it.  I also have a new one from the brother-in-law.  The debate was settled and he admitted to being wrong about calling it a playoff beard because, in fact, he is a bandwagon jumper.  Glad to hear Steve is back on the beard wagon!  I hope the Sharks can keep it up!  Looking forward to a Sharks/Caps Cup finale!

This is the husband on Saturday evening.  I will take a new one tonight around game time.

And here's the latest from the brother-in-law.  Taken this morning.

My Brother's Beard

We have a new beard folks!  This is my brother's beard, being grown for the Pittsburgh Penguins.  I know, I know...I shouldn't be supporting such a cause, but this blog is all about the NHL playoffs and playoff beards, so all are welcome!  (Except bandwagon jumpers)  So here's one more for your beard enjoyment! 

 

Russian Humor

For those who are a fan of the Caps or just a fan of Russians!

The Ovechkin Song

Missing Russian

Game Five Friday

I'm running a bit late tonight so I won't yabber too much.  The Caps game has already started, so we'll get straight to the pics!  I have a new husband photo, and brother-in-law photo to share.  Enjoy!

Earth Day Beard Pic

As promised...the latest beard picture has arrived.  Apparently the beard is doing it's job because the Capitals won again last night in Montreal with a 6-3 victory over the Canadiens.  The Capitals finally have a two game lead heading into tomorrow's match-up in Washington.  The Capitals are one win away from winning the series and moving on to the next round.  Boudreau has already announced his starting goaltender for game five.  Some expected to see Jose Theodore back between the pipes when the Capitals returned to the Verizon Center but the big guy has another plan...Varlamov To Start Game 5  Who's ready to Rock The Red tomorrow night?

Looking forward to hearing thoughts about the beard.  I decided to take some side/profile shots tonight.

Earth Day

Happy Earth Day to everyone!  I hope you had a chance before tonight's games to plant a tree and do your part!  Mother Earth will be very happy.

I see the bandwagon jumper discussion has sparked some interest.  I believe the two brothers have asked a friend to mediate this discussion because they cannot come to a civil conclusion on their own.  I will follow up with more details as they become available.  Everyone's opinion is still welcome and appreciated.

It's going to be a big night for a couple of teams.  The Pittsburgh Penguins could take their series with a win in game five tonight against the Ottawa Senators.  Or the Senators could force a game six with a win this evening.  Ottawa has become the most recent team to turn to goaltender changes with Pascal Leclaire starting tonight for the Senators, in place of Brian Elliott. Leclaire To Start For The Senators.  New Jersey is also in danger of falling out in the first round as they face the Flyers in game five tonight.  With two of Philly's better forwards out for at least the rest of the series, the Devils may stand a chance. Gagne & Carter Out  Both match-ups start at 7pm. 

Other match-ups this evening include Chicago at Nashville in game four.  Nashville leads that series 2-1.  Sounds like Chicago defenseman Brian Campbell is very close to returning from a broken collarbone injury received during a run-in with Alexander Ovechkin about six weeks ago. All's Quiet In Chicago   And Colorado is back in San Jose tonight for game five.  That series is tied at 2-2.

I have one new beard picture to share from the brother-in-law.  The husband is off taking his final exam for the semester.  I will take his nightly shot when he returns.  For now...

Things Are Heating Up

Ok folks, I'm going to get right into it.  We need some input around here for a "discussion" that has been going on all day.  Is the brother-in-law (Brian's brother) a bandwagon jumper?  I will try to provide as much information as possible so everyone can make an informed decision.

• He had never been to a hockey game prior to about a month ago.
• He opted out of fantasy hockey at the beginning of the season stating that he didn't like hockey.
• Told us hockey was boring and he didn't want to hear about it when we told him how well the Capitals were doing all season.
• After attending his first hockey game, he proceeded to say hockey didn't require any skill and anyone could be a hockey player.

 This whole discussion came about because of a post he put on Facebook about how he was growing a playoff beard and the Capitals better have a good run in the playoffs.  He was told after that, that he was not to call it a playoff beard because he did not follow hockey (or the Capitals) all season and therefore would be a bandwagon jumper.  He proceeded to say that he was not a bandwagon jumper but could not provide a reasonable explanation.  

This is where all you lovely readers come in...we need your two cents!  There has to be an ending to this.  The brother-in-law does not consider himself a bandwagon jumper because "it's not like I was ever against the Caps", as he puts it.  What do you think?  What constitutes a bandwagon jumper in your book?  Please reference Urban Dictionary if you are unsure of the true definition.  Number two fits the brother-in-law just about perfectly.  Leave your thoughts in the comment section and hopefully we can bring this "discussion" to a close.

Now on to more important matters...hockey!  It's game night for the Capitals.  Game four of the series with Montreal.  If the Caps can win this one, they'll take a two game lead going into game five at home on Friday.  Boudreau was not so secretive today about his goalie situation.  It was known early on that Varlamov would be back between the pipes tonight for the Capitals.  It was also known that Carey Price, Montreal's backup goaltender who relieved Jaroslav Halak in Monday's matchup, would be starting for the Canadiens tonight.  Are these wise decisions from each side?  Would you have gone with Varlamov again after his brilliant win on Monday, or given Jose Theodore a shot at playing in his former home?  Does Halak deserve a second chance at home against the Capitals?  In case you're curious about how the coaches view the Varlamov situation The Sky's The Limit.

And now to the beard...it's officially been a week since the blog started and the first picture was taken.  That's all from me tonight...it's game time!  Go Caps!

 

Beards Beards Everywhere!

I hope everyone is enjoying the blog and the playoffs.  Last night we finally had some teams take a two game lead in their series.  Philadelphia is one game away from knocking out New Jersey.  And Pittsburgh has also taken a 3-1 lead in the series against Ottawa.  Both game fives will be tomorrow evening.  Does anyone think either series will end with game five, or will NJ and Ottawa rally back?

I have a few more beard pictures to share with you this morning.  The first is an update from the bandwagon jumping brother-in-law.  The second is from a San Jose Sharks fan who has since shaved after one of their own scored the game winning goal for the opposing team in OT.  The deal is, Sharks win round one and the beard will start over.  They appear on the right track after last night's OT win against the Avalanche.

One Week Down

It's officially been about a week since his last shave. We've made it halfway through the first round of the playoffs.  Most series are still very close.  Can you believe Bob Lou got pulled last night?  Yikes!  Anything is possible during the playoffs...  Can't wait to see how things continue to shape up.  What a game from the Caps last night though!  Brucie opted to play Varly, who had the good record in Montreal, instead of Theodore.  The Capitals dominated the game with a final tally of 5 to 1.  That's certainly one way to shut up a bunch of Canadians.  Two more wins and the series is ours!  What a great birthday present that would be.  If only they could win the cup on that day instead...luckily I accept late birthday gifts, so it's ok.

Here's the latest beard pic.  I'm thinking I may start taking side shots too.  Thoughts?

Beard-Off

Ok folks, the beard-off is now official.  I received this photo from my brother-in-law this morning.  I believe he last shaved on Thursday morning, which is about 12 hours after my husband's last shave.  I don't know when this picture was taken, my guess would be either last night or this morning.  I will find out soon.  Until then...let the competition begin! *Update: The photo was taken this morning around 7:30.

Day Six & Pic

Just another Manic Monday around here!  We're just about halfway through the first round of the 2010 playoffs.  All the teams are keeping things interesting.  I feel bad for San Jose who took a tough loss last night against Colorado when one of their own scored the game winning goal in OT on their goalie.  Fans and players are both going to need a lot of energy and focus to bounce back in game four.  The series is now 2-1 in favor of Colorado.  Boston/Buffalo and Vancouver/LA play their game three tonight.  Those series are both tied at 1-1.  There has yet to be a totally dominant team in these playoffs.  Every team still stands a chance and fans are loving it.  Well...at least I am!  I can't believe the lack of beard participation we are getting!  I was told I may receive a few pics from the brother-in-law this evening of his beard.  Remember folks, his is not a playoff beard.  It's just a beard-off between brothers.  Whew...try saying that three times fast!


Apparently this blog as caused quite a stir in my husband's office community.  Doesn't take much to rile up a small town.  Glad I could spice things up!  Enjoy the latest pic.  Gotta run...it's game time!!

Day Five & Pic

Boy oh boy do these playoffs keep getting more interesting?!  The LA Kings tied up the series with Vancouver last night in a 3-2 OT win.  That series is now tied at 1-1.  Boston gave Buffalo a run for their money yesterday afternoon in a 5-3 victory, tying that series at 1-1.  And last but not least, the Washington Capitals rallied back from a 0-2 start in the first period to win 6-5 in OT against Montreal (thanks mostly to a rookie defenseman, John Carlson, scoring with less than 2 minutes remaining in regulation to tie the game and force another OT) Praise for Carlson  But the Capitals are not out of harm's way yet.  They head to Montreal tomorrow night for game three.  The big question in Washington now is who will be between the pipes for the Capitals?  Jose Theodore was pulled within minutes during the first period of Saturday's match-up.  Varlamov kept the Capitals afloat during the late game surge and ultimately lead them to their first victory of these playoffs.  For those who don't know much about the Capitals, Theodore started his career in Montreal and has not started a game there since leaving the team.  At the start of the playoffs Boudreau was quoted as saying he was giving Theodore a "longer leash" during these playoffs and Theodore would be the starter for Washington.  But the young Varlamov has a respectable record against the Canadiens.  So who will Boudreau give the start to?  Apparently he's keeping it to himself for the time being. Mum's The Word

And back to the point of this blog....the beard!  It's starting to take shape...I've seen a lot of face scratching recently but haven't heard any complaints.  He even admitted to washing it with shampoo...adorable!

Day Four & Pic

Happy Saturday to all!  These playoffs sure are shaping up to be nail biters aren't they?  So far, all of the series that have played two games are tied 1-1.  There has yet to be a dominant team.  The Capitals/Canadiens game is getting ready to start and we're hoping for that streak to continue with a Capitals win tonight.  The Boston/Buffalo game was an interesting one this afternoon.  Just when you think the Sabres have everything under control...here come the Bruins!  I didn't think they could do it but I guess anything is possible.  I bet all you Sharks fans are happy to see a win.  No one wants to see a repeat of last season.  I'm pulling for them!

Time to go cheer on my Capitals.  I hope everyone is rocking the red tonight!  I really don't want to have to put away my new Varlamov jersey quite yet...Go Caps!!

Here's the latest beard pic.  I have yet to hear back from the brother-in-law about the beard-off.  As soon as the details have been finalize I will try to provide pictures.  Hope everyone is enjoying the journey!

Day Three

It's another busy night in the NHL.  It's the first night for the Chicago/Nashville series.  Should be interesting...  They are the only series yet to play.  There are some teams that are looking for revenge tonight after losing their first game on Wednesday.  The Pittsburgh/Ottawa game just went to the first intermission and tempers are starting to flare.  They are tied at 1-1 right now.  Can't wait to see how the remaining two periods evolve.  What game two is everyone looking forward to tonight?  San Jose vs Colorado?  Pittsburgh vs Ottawa?  I'm curious to see how San Jose handles Colorado tonight in game two.  Too bad I can't stay up long enough to watch it all!  I'm so old...

I'm sure all you hockey fans have heard about the Capitals loss last night to the Montreal Canadiens in the first game of the series.  It was only a one goal loss in OT, so I'm not going to go into this much.  No need to worry Caps fans!  Plenty of time left to take care of business.  The second game of the series is tomorrow night at 7pm on Versus (I think...).  We all know what the Capitals are capable of.  Chin up!

And as promised, here's the latest beard update.  There's been a recent "challenge" from Brian's brother.  Apparently he also has yet to shave since Wednesday.  He is not a hockey fan, but sees this as an opportunity to see who can grow the better beard.  He's been instructed not to call it a playoff beard, or he will be known as a bandwagon jumper.  Sorry Joel, that's how it goes.  I have requested pictures so we can watch the beard-off in progress.  Below is Brian's recent picture.  Again, if anyone else is growing a playoff beard and wants to share their progress, feel free to email me pictures! Email

Day Two Pic

It's just about game time and here's the day two pic.  It's been roughly 48 hours since his last shave.  Good luck to all those who have teams playing tonight!

Game Day! (Day Two)

The time has come.  It's game day for the Washington Capitals.  Round 1, game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens.  There's a lot of chatter going around today after the games last night.  All the lower seeded teams won except Phoenix against Detroit.  The San Jose Sharks fell to the eighth seeded Colorado Avalanche in a 1-2 loss.  This has the Capitals' coach Bruce Boudreau not counting out the Montreal Canadiens quite yet. Bruce's Thoughts On The Upsets

While Boudreau is focusing on the upcoming game, the media has been trying to ruffle a few feathers in Washington.  Let's just say, Brucie doesn't like having his feathers ruffled Cut That Sh*t Out!

Enough with the recaps.  I'm sure by now you've already heard all or most of the news in the NHL.  I include it for those 1 or 2 people who may not follow hockey like a religion.  Moving on...I would love to hear what everyone's thoughts are throughout the next month or so.  Feel free to post questions and comments on the site.  The latest beard pics will be taken tonight (and every night in the future) at game time and posted before the end of the first period.  If you are also growing a playoff beard and would like to share your progress, email me the photos and I'll post them along with Brian's.  I think Steve brought up an interesting point.  If you're growing the beard and your team isn't doing so hot, do you shave it?  Or do you hope their luck changes and keep it going?

Day One Pic

It's been about 24 hours since the last shave.  It's 7:00PM and the playoffs are getting ready to start!

Day One

Today is the official start of the 2010 NHL playoffs.   As some of you may know, we are Washington Capitals fans.  This has been a record breaking season for the team and as we get ready to start the playoffs, there's only one thing left to accomplish...the Stanley Cup!  The Capitals clenched the Presidents' Trophy with a week remaining in the regular season.  This makes them the team with the best record in the entire league, and grants them home ice privileges throughout the playoffs.  The Capitals first round match-up is against the Montreal Canadiens.  The series will kick off tomorrow evening at 7:00PM at the Verizon Center in Washington.  Some of you may have heard of the playoff beard. There is a long running tradition that men, both fans and players, don't shave their beards during the playoffs as long as their team is still actively playing.  It's believed to bring good luck to your team.  The longer you don't shave = the longer your team keeps winning.  Well, my husband is not a beard guy.  No stache, no goatee, nothing!  As you might imagine, I was surprised when he decided to go with tradition and start the playoff beard.  Any takers on how long he holds out?  Just for those of you who are unfamiliar with hockey playoffs, each series can play a maximum of seven games.  First team to win four, wins the series and moves on.  So if a series goes to game seven, it will run over a week.  This means that if the Capitals make it all the way to the Stanley Cup finals, they will have played three different teams before meeting the winner of the Western conference in the finals.  It could easily be over a month before the Stanley Cup is won.  Think he'll make it all the way?  This will be the ultimate test of his team devotion.  Time to Rock The Red!!  And the beard...