Caps-Bruins Preseason Live

It's back to hockey at Verizon Center, with the Boston Bruins in town. Michal Neuvirth is in net for the Caps, while Nolan Schaefer gets the nod for the Bruins.

Matt Bradley, Jason Chimera and Cody Eakin start the game, with Karl Alzner and Tyler Sloan on defense.

First Period
A sparse crowd is here tonight, although they are very energetic, especially when Alex Ovechkin stepped on the ice for the first time. The rest of the lines:

Mike Knuble-Mathieu Perreault-Ovie

Brooks Laich-Marcus Johansson-Alex Semin (an assistant captain tonight)

DJ King-Dave Steckel-Boyd Gordon (another assistant)

John Carlson-Tom Poti

Jeff Schultz-Lawrence Nycholat

King endeared himself to the crowd seven minutes in as he got into a prolonged fight with Shawn Thornton and got a HUGE ovation for it. King's wearing Chris Clark's old No. 17 and might be more popular than his predecessor, even though Clark was captain.

And then the current captain brought the crowd to its feet yet again. Ovie fed it across to Perreault, who fired a sick wrister past Schaefer to give the home team the lead. Knuble got the other assist for the goal at 8:40.

In addition to the red seats, there are new digital display boards at each end zone. No word on where any banners might go on opening night.

The game is definitely being played at a preseason pace, but it's good to have Caps hockey back in D.C.

Soft goal for the Bruins, as Jeremy Reich had a quasi slapper than trickled past Neuvy, who partially got a pad on it before it went over the goal line at 14:13.

A quite boring game, quite honestly, as the Bruins pretty much sent an AHL squad with their minimum of eight NHLers. The difference with the Caps, though, is that Hershey's won the last two Calder Cups and the P-Bruins, well, haven't gotten close.

Nycholat took a penalty less than a minute after Hamill, giving us four-on-four to end the period.

After one: Caps 1, Bruins 1.

Second Period
The game continued at a not-so-staggering pace as part of the evaluation that is the preseason. It was pointed out to me by a reliable source (and was easy to confirm) that the Bruins are wearing their patches for the game in Prague next week.

The power play, now sponsored by Constellation Energy, has been dormant tonight although they've gotten some good opportunities and decent zone time. But both teams seem to be content to just skate around, not get hurt and work on some things.

The Caps finally converted on the extra man, as Semin had a "this isn't the playoffs" moment with a nice goal off a rocket shot in the final minute.

After two: Caps 2, Bruins 1.

Third Period
Ice times seem to be at preseason levels too, but Poti has logged 15:49 and Carlson is at 14:15, while Ovie is at 11:43. So maybe appearances can be deceiving.

Another way this is a preseason game -- regulars Nick Backstrom and Mike Green have been spotted sitting in section 113, while GM George McPhee has been floating around the stands too. That never would happen in the regular season.

Back to game, er, action as the Caps are outshooting the Bruins, 21-18. Other than the one soft goal, Neuvy has played very solidly -- which is pretty much the way he played last season. He's not as spectacular as Semyon Varlamov, but he's certainly just as good -- and might be better over time.

The Caps are in mid-season form in one category: taking too many dumb penalties. This one was Sloan for interference at 2:41. American Pest is back as your PK sponsor.

The Caps extended their lead at 5:27 when Eakin got on the scoreboard with a nice garbage goal. He might not make the team, but he's certainly putting forth the effort before a probable demotion to Hershey. Bradley and Poti got the helpers. (Eakin is so new, he doesn't even have a picture for the scoreboard to show after his goal.)

The game is flying by without TV timeouts, but it's still about the same in actual time ellapsed. Neuvy just made his 18th save of the night. But just as I wrote that, Neuvy gave up his second goal of the night after Brad Marchand ripped a wrister past No. 30, although Schultz and Nicholat were way out of position on the play.

The regulars are being outplayed by the borderline players, but since the Caps have more talent than the Bruins, they're winning. That being said, neither team really seemingly wants to be here tonight.

Don't forget to tune into a special Red Line episode on CSN next Tuesday at 7:30. PSA over.

There are still TV timeouts even though the game isn't being televised. Even the music tonight isn't really in regular-season form. Curious if the Bruins would pull their goalie in a preseason game.

Ovechkin just got called for slashing in a somewhat borderline decision, but the Bruins' Gregory Campbell was sent to the box at the same time for boarding, so it's four-on-four with less than three minutes left.

The official attendance was announced at 17,335, but the actual attendance seems a lot lower than that.

It was a spirited ending to the game, with Schaefer staying in the crease until the final seconds and the Caps doing a good job of keeping up the pressure, earning their third consecutive preseason win.

Final: Caps 3, Bruins 2.

Inside the Blogosphere: On Frozen Blog (part 2)

As a follow-up to the popular Inside the Press Box series, STC is asking (mostly) local bloggers about why they do what they do. Today's ninth installment: Elisabeth Meinecke of On Frozen Blog and DCist.

They say converts are the most fervent. I only count two major conversions in my life so far -- becoming Catholic and becoming a hockey fan -- but they're also two things that I'm passionate about. I guess, in the end, that passion is why I blog about hockey.

Some hockey players may cringe to hear me say this, but, at heart, the game has poetry in its soul. It contrasts moments of grace and finesse (have you seen the dexterity of someone like Alexander Semin handle the puck?) with a kind of raw power that's fascinating. Wimps don't play hockey -- or if they do, they get called out pretty quickly. There's a rhythm to the movement and a pattern, and then complete moments of unscripted excitement. Missing teeth aside, it's definitely a beautiful game, and that's why I'm attracted to it.

I'm a journalist, so writing about hockey is a perfect outlet. Blogging helps me be closer to a game I love, but it also helps the sport: it's an additional way for fans to get information; oftentimes blogs cover angles you won't find anywhere else.

For the kind of blogging I like to do, I think the interaction with staff, the PR team, and the athletes themselves is key. I may have my own opinion of what made head coach Bruce Boudreau decide to do something at a certain point of the game, but my decision or opinion is going to be a lot more informed if I get to ask for his explanation afterward.

While blogging is an education for me (and hopefully the written project is an education for fans, too), I also hope it's a healthy challenge for the players and coaches. I try to put a lot of time, research, and preparation into my questions for them and my coverage ideas. Sometimes, the questions flop, but other times, it's rewarding to know that the person you're interviewing has gotten enjoyment out of or been forced to really analyze something because of the conversation you've started.

And let's face it: the Capitals are fascinating. Having guys like Alexander Ovechkin, Mike Knuble, Brooks Laich, and Matt Bradley in the room is more than any journalist seeking good quotes could ask for (just ask HBO). In the end, it's a group of fascinating people to watch interact and strive for one of the most popular prizes on earth: the Stanley Cup.

And that's why I blog.

A Skate Like No Other

There are many times that fans of hockey and other sports get to walk in the footsteps of those who they follow regularly. Last Tuesday, I was most graciously afforded that opportunity as a participant in the Caps' annual media skate. What started out as a chance to occupy the same Kettler ice that the Caps use regularly quickly turned into a four-on-four scrimmage. Needless to say, it was an amazing experience.

Pick-up hockey certainly is prevalent around these parts, but it usually takes place in non-distinguishable rinks around the area. The Kettler ice, while used for purposes other than the Caps, is a special place to skate. You see the same banners and painted ice as you do while watching the Caps practice, but it all seems different while actually playing. Our game was played between center ice and the near goal, and was a bit faster than anticipated.

An added bonus was, in addition to borrowed skates, I got to use a stick, a helmet (that had been worn by Ashton Rome, who was sent to Hershey's camp earlier in the day), and gloves for the occasion.

Me in hockey gear. Photo taken
by the great DC Sports Chick (of OFB).

My skills wouldn't even qualify me for the lowest-of-low minor leagues, but the experience far exceeded my lofty expectations. I've never played organized ice hockey before and hadn't even ice skated in a very long time. But it was a ton of fun and I can't wait for next year.

Thanks to Caps PR VP Nate Ewell for inviting all of us and to Fox 5's Brett Haber, Comcast SportsNet's Jill Sorenson and Mike D, Washington Times' Ted Starkey, WNST's Ed Frankovic, On Frozen Blog's John Keeley and Alex Perlmutter, Russian guru Dmitry Chesnokov, Jack Anderson from Kings of Leonsis and a few others who made the day truly memorable.

Thanks also to DC Sports Chick and CSN's Michelle Scalise, there are pictures and video from the event.

Training Camp Questions on OFB, PHT

On Frozen Blog (OFB) and NBC's Pro Hockey Talk (PHT) were kind enough to ask my opinion about the Caps heading into training camp.

OFB conducted a wonderful survey of local media, in which I wrote (in part):

The biggest lesson the Caps need to learn, though, is what those former Hershey Bears already know: how to eliminate an inferior opponent on the way to clinching a championship.

Over at PHT, I described the blueline situation thusly:

On defense, the other big question mark, the top five spots seem to belong to Tom Poti, Mike Green, Jeff Schultz, John Carlson and Karl Alzner. John Erskine and Tyler Sloan have contracts for this season, but they hardly will scare anybody.

Thanks to both outlets for continually reaching out to me.

Inside the Blogosphere: Ravings of a Rink Rebel

As a follow-up to the popular Inside the Press Box series, STC is asking (mostly) local bloggers about why they do what they do. Today's eighth installment: Erika Schnure of Ravings of a Rink Rebel and The Fourth Period.

I didn’t always like hockey. In fact, when I was a young competitive figure skater, I hated the mite hockey players that used our rink. But in February 2008, all of my preconceptions changed. I attended my first NHL game, and I’m incredibly lucky that it was a Capitals game.

I knew the rules of hockey, having had a three-season stint on my high school girls' hockey team, but had a lot to learn about the team and the league itself. I became a sponge, finding all the information I could get, starting with Capitals Insider, and soon moving to other Caps blogs once I joined Twitter.

Twitter was the impetus to start my blog -- I realized that I had something to say about hockey. My first entry was written shortly after meeting Tomas Fleischmann at a Q&A session at DC's ESPN Zone in January. I wanted to report on the event for the people who didn't attend, and discuss some of the questions he answered. At the end of February, I attended my first Hershey Bears game.

I knew most of the guys on the team, but there were a few who had never been called up about whom I had little information. After Dmitry Kugryshev signed his entry-level contract, my "Focus on Prospects" feature began. And I found out that I had a knack for this sportswriting thing. Not only that, but I actually really liked doing it.

To me, it's important to learn about the organization's prospects. They're the future of the team, and it's helpful to know their strengths and weaknesses ahead of time, and it's exciting to see them develop and improve. The posts involve a lot of research and compiling several sources into one place, so that my readers can follow a player's entire career instead of just one snippet of information. I always find out something new when I do my research -- for instance, in a rookie camp post, as I was researching Dylan Yeo, I discovered that he sang the National Anthem before one of his own Calgary Hitmen games.

In July, The Fourth Period came to me and asked me to be the Capitals correspondent for their Web site. I joined the team and I'm looking forward to the new challenge.

So why do I blog about hockey? Because I love this sport. And I love this team. Every time Ovechkin scores a goal or Backstrom makes a perfect pass or Green lays a huge hit, I still feel that thrill I felt when I first saw the team in action. When I feel as strongly as I do about this team, I'm the kind of person who just wants to write about it.

Inside the Blogosphere: Musings of a Hockey Mom

As a follow-up to the popular Inside the Press Box series, STC is asking (mostly) local bloggers about why they do what they do. Today's seventh installment: Leslie Silvey of Musings of a Hockey Mom.

I became an avid Capitals fan after I watched the team practice at my sons' rink one day and was instantly hooked by the speed and intensity of the game. As my twin boys learned the game and progressed to the next level, I earned an even greater appreciation for the immense skill, dedication and work ethic it takes to excel at the professional level.

I have always been a huge sports fan and, after college, dreamed of being a sports journalist. But family commitments took me on a different path and Musings of a Hockey Mom has given me an amazing outlet to combine my love of hockey and writing.

In addition to being a working mom of teenage travel hockey players, I dedicate countless hours of my time to following the Caps. Inspired by DC Sports Chick (who now writes for On Frozen Blog), I started my own blog after the loss in the 2008 playoff series as a way to express my feelings. From there, I found that combining my experiences as a youth hockey mom with my passion for the Capitals went together like peanut butter and jelly.

It is well known that Caps owner Ted Leonsis has been a huge supporter of new media coverage of the team and he was one of the first to recognize Musings of a Hockey Mom. His enthusiasm in welcoming bloggers into the press box is also seen in the extraordinary efforts of the team's PR staff.

I started covering games from the Capitals press box in 2008-2009 and last season was granted full-season media credentials. One of the things I’ve noticed covering the team from this angle is that the Capitals are some of the most accessible and down-to-earth athletes you'll ever come across. In this day and age with so much negative press given to professional sports, I, as a mother, find it refreshing to have these role models for my kids (along with the throngs of other kids who follow the sport).

One of the first players I ever interviewed was Donald Brashear and he was more than happy to share his experiences as a youth hockey player -- even hinting that kids in hockey consider taking figure skating lessons to improve their technique! I also like to focus on the great things the team does in the community -- especially as they relate to helping and teaching children.

Although I follow a lot of hockey news, my blog isn't super heavy on stats and the like. I tend to exhibit a bit a snark in some of my opinion and game reviews and one of my readers once referred to me as "the Erma Bombeck of Caps hockey." So I like to think I provide somewhat of a unique, female perspective on the game.

I’ve had the chance to meet some phenomenal writers and media folks during my time in the press box, from both mainstream and new media outlets. I am thankful to be included in such a fantastic group of sports writers, many who have become great friends, and I am looking forward to another exciting year for the Capitals!

Inside the Blogosphere: Caps News Network

As a follow-up to the popular Inside the Press Box series, STC is asking (mostly) local bloggers about why they do what they do. Today's sixth installment: Dave Nichols of Caps News Network.

My father, who has no interest in sports, took me to the second home game in the history of the Washington Capitals purely out of coincidence -- he knew the owner of one of the concession operators and the gentleman gave him free tickets. I was seven years old, and have been hooked on hockey ever since.

Though my skating skills kept me from advancing into a career in ice hockey, I played roller and street hockey until just two years ago, when a trip into the end boards head-first resulted in a slight concussion, prompting an end to my hockey career. Regardless, it's in my blood.

I was a communications major in college, and wrote and edited my high school and college newspapers, so I have that in me too. Combining my passion for sports and an itch to write again, I started a general baseball blog in 2007, what was the predecessor to my current Washington Nationals blog, Nats News Network. The following fall, I started my Capitals blog, Caps News Network.

My wife, Cheryl, is an accomplished amateur photographer so she contributes photos to the blogs, and writes about community relations events, player appearances, birthdays, and similar stories for her related blogs, Caps News Network: Off the Ice and Nats News Network: Off the Field.

Both blogs are credentialed by the organizations we cover. That distinction is important, because as our blogs have evolved, our content and approach have as well. I started writing to satisfy an itch -- it was merely a hobby born out of ego. And I will freely admit it is extremely gratifying to know that people are interested enough to read what I write.

But with The Washington Times dropping their sports staff and the general decline in professional coverage for baseball and hockey in Washington, D.C., there has been a dramatic increase in coverage by blogs and online journalists. Even the pros have to have a blog now because that's where most educated and sophisticated fans are getting their sports content.

Professional media have to play to a broad audience, and as such, simply cannot devote enough column inches or pixels to really delve past "who, what, when, where" and into the "why and how." That's why the mission statement of my blog is "Dedicated to the consumption and constructive criticism of the Washington Capitals." Anyone with a computer can spout unfounded opinion or regurgitate stats. I try to take a thoughtful -- but critical -- look at the team and the organization as a whole.

I’m one of the few blogs that still write game stories. In doing so, I try to apply an in-depth analysis to go with what happened. Its one thing to simply tell an audience that Alex Ovechkin scored another goal; it's another to describe how and why that play unfolded. I can do that (or try to) because I have 37 years of experience playing, watching, reading and writing about hockey.

Independent journalists in Washington, D.C. are extremely fortunate that Ted Leonsis, and the award-winning media relations staff with the Caps, understand the importance of inclusion for online media. Providing access for independent coverage is necessary as the media for distributing his content evolves -- from a couple of beat reporters and an occasional visit from a columnist, to include dozens of bloggers and online media.

I'm fortunate and happy to be part of that equation, and to be associated with some of the finest writers -- paid or independent -- in the hockey blogosphere.

Inside the Blogosphere: The Blonde Girl's Guide

As a follow-up to the popular Inside the Press Box series, STC is asking (mostly) local bloggers about why they do what they do. Today's fifth installment: Caps Girl of The Blonde Girl's Guide.

It's extremely interesting to me how varied sports bloggers are. Even though we may write about the same topic, i.e. hockey and the Caps in particular, the writing styles and approaches to the subject can be so diverse.

I didn’t start blogging with a specific focus on the Capitals. My current blog is actually a second incarnation, and even now doesn't have a specific focus on the Caps all the time. I will probably never reach what some would consider "media" status, and that's OK with me. I like to have fun, document personal observations, and sometimes even vent when I blog. This current version of The Blonde Girl's Guide began a little over a year ago with a couple of venting/personal observations posts, I didn’t even write my first sports themed one for several months.

I am an avid reader of many sports bloggers, and I first found a great deal of inspiration from reading On Frozen Blog, Love the Game, Don't Like Puck Bunnies, Musings of a Hockey Mom, Dump and Chase, and Rock the Red; to name a few. These are seriously terrific blogs with great information and often detailed insight on the sport and the players. I learned a lot. But, my blonde brain kept nagging at me to write something different, have some fun, and show another side to Caps blogging that I didn’t see out there.

Because I have never been one for researching stats or analyzing data, I knew my approach had to be a little off-center. I wanted to reach out and connect to people but put my own spin on the sport of hockey. As I wrote, I found out that even though I had to dig deeper into hockey and challenge myself to think outside the box, I still had a chance to be a smart aleck at the same time; which is my favorite thing to do. There were several self-imposed attempts to pin myself down to a serious direction, but I soon discovered that I really didn’t need to; that's what we have all those great blogs listed above for.

After a while, I learned to listen for those oddly inspiring "aha" moments that now drive my writing. I also learned it's OK to have a lighthearted view, to kid with love, to question and to put myself out there. Now, I finally feel I am finding my own voice in the blogosphere, one that doesn’t mind being a little ditsy from time to time, and I love it.

After all, girls just wanna have fun.

Inside the Blogosphere: On Frozen Blog

As a follow-up to the popular Inside the Press Box series, STC is asking (mostly) local bloggers about why they do what they do. Today's fourth installment: John Keeley (aka pucksandbooks) of On Frozen Blog.

I think if you survey the motivations of any hockey blogger in D.C. who's been at it for the past four or five years, or more, to some extent you'd find a shared sense of frustration with how hockey's long been covered here by traditional media, but something far short of anything approaching a belief that we're surrogates for professional media. Instead, I prefer to think of us as a volunteer shadow press, filling in coverage gaps.

Make no mistake: our pressbox colleagues at the Washington Post and Comcast SportsNet and elsewhere are pros, and they do work very hard, while we're merely well-wired, passionate puckheads. But ones oh-so-well aided and abetted by the most forward-thinking organization in all of professional sports.

I don't like particularly like having OFB thought of as a media entity, not only because I find that inherently limiting but because the reality is that OFB's partially a highly-personal vanity project for me, a bit of an open diary I keep, a chronicle of my passion for what I believe is the best-kept secret in all of sports. Traditional media who follow the traditional, formulaic script (inverted pyramid, inserted jock quotes, space-filling numerics) are missing the heartbeat of our game. And in this era, they deserve to be put out of business.

Not long after I started OFB back in 2006, I met JP one summer Saturday, and over a few puck sodas, we commiserated over the state of hockey media in our hometown. I shared with JP my excitement then at being able to actually craft coverage of the Caps and elicit the amplifying and challenging and thought-provoking contributions of a passionate and devoted community of puckheads on line. I'll never forget JP's one-word reply to me at that moment: "Precisely!"

My reasons for blogging about hockey in Washington have evolved every bit as much as my blog itself has. Initially, I pursued credentials from the Capitals out of sheer fascination, not quite sure how serious this organization was about *embracing* alternative media. By that I mean, I knew well of Mr. Leonsis' support for credentialing serious bloggers, but I personally wanted to push the access envelope. Could I get more than just a press pass, and actually get tangible support from the big-league club, regularly, covering angles those in traditional media don't?

Four years later, I can answer with an unqualified affirmative: and then some! And along the way I've been able to exercise some long-latent J-school acquired skills. In fact, it's a remarkably irony, my involvement with the Caps these past four years: I got out of journalism not long after finishing school many years ago because so much of traditional journalism then carried a stifling effect for this graduate student in creative writing. Suddenly, at the Capitals' invitation, while working full-time in media relations myself, I was invited to become a quasi-journalist, and write whatever the heck I wanted.

From one day to the next I don't know just how I'm going to approach exercising the access the Capitals grant me, and I cherish that.

I actually take pride in the fact that the Caps' Nate Ewell can't oblige all of the myriad requests of him I make. But his PR team says yes to me an awful lot.

About that coverage evolution. I wish I could report to you that it's wildly exciting being in the Caps' locker room after games night after night, up close even to the world's greatest hockey player. At first it was. I'm certainly appreciative of the access I'm granted, and I never take it for granted.

But what excites me the most about being in our Chinatown rink on winter nights is being seated next to my fellow bloggers, every one of of whom "gets it" the way you and I do. We aren't there "on assignment," out of any professional obligation. We surrender our evenings and weekends to pursue our shared passion-hobby, and keeping their company I have forged friendships that will last a lifetime.

Inside the Blogosphere: Capitals Outsider

As a follow-up to the popular Inside the Press Box series, STC is asking (mostly) local bloggers about why they do what they do. Today's third installment: Ben Sumner of Capitals Outsider.

My days of covering the Capitals began before blogging became mainstream, nearly 12 years ago, while working at the washingtonpost.com sports desk. My boss, Bill Grant, occasionally sent me to Caps and Redskins games to write online-only content, while sitting alongside legendary journalists such as Michael Wilbon and George Solomon. I was lucky that my entry-level job allowed me to be a part of the first wave of web-only writers in the press box.

I took an eight year hiatus from covering sports, but playing hockey and following the Caps were my passions. In 2008, my Screaming Squirrels hockey teammate, Philip Van der Vossen, founded Gunaxin.com, a site for guys that covers sports, girls, media, humor, gadgets and grub. The site took off and became an actual business which now employs more than 40 writers.

Along with offbeat B-celebrity interviews, pop-culture lists and tributes to 1980s movie characters, we found ourselves writing lots of quirky Capitals content, since we're both lifelong fans. The only problem was that the content didn't really make sense for Gunaxin, which is read by an international audience.

That's when a blogging colleague, Adam Best, owner of the Fansided sports blog network, put the word out that he was looking for a Capitals site to join the network. Though the floodgates had already opened on the Caps' blogosphere, we recognized that the networking opportunities were too important to miss, Gunaxin could benefit, and we'd have ourselves an outlet to cover the Caps in our own "Gunaxin way."

We gave it a shot, getting a boost from our previous experiences and the Fansided networking. It wasn't long before our articles were referenced by big players such as washingtonpost.com's Dan Steinberg, Yahoo's Greg Wyshynski, and even Ted Leonsis himself.

We named our site the flipside of The Post's Capitals Insider blog because we don't break news, write game stories, or attempt to compete with mainstream media or even big-time Caps blogs, like Japers' Rink or On Frozen Blog. Instead, we'll focus on the fans, the offbeat news, the national anthem singers, the Red Rockers, Slapshot, obscure trivia, and anything else that we find to be unique and fun relating to hockey. After all, it worked for Gunaxin.

Blogger Access Debate Focuses on Credibility

It's somewhat ironic that the blogger credentialing debate has been reinvigorated around the same time that the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) fired Rob Dibble and The Washington Post suspended Mike Wise for a month.

The theme for all three cases is the same: credibility. The definition for that term, per dictionary.com, is "worthy of belief or confidence; trustworthy." That's not that different than the definition of credential: "anything that provides the basis for confidence, belief, credit, etc."

MASN and the Post are two very credible sources by most accounts. The former airs (nearly) every Orioles and Nationals game and several ESPN programs. The latter has been the foremost daily newspaper in the capital of the United States for a very long time.

But both of their actions in this case were somewhat controversial. Dibble basically told uber-prospect Stephen Strasburg to "suck it up" and pitch through an injury that eventually led to Tommy John surgery. His comments weren't necessarily the right way to handle a very sticky, high-profile situation, but can a network fire a commentator every time he goes against the company message? I think not.

Wise, meanwhile, wrote on his Twitter account that Ben Roethlisberger "will get five games, I'm told," when, in fact, that suspension turned out to be only four games. Wise later said that it was "a bit in which I tried to showcase the absurdity of bad journalism." It was something that turned out to be very bad for his credibility, which, quite frankly, already had taken a hit earlier this year among Caps' fans.

What does this have to do with bloggers? Everything.

Many online journalists, which is probably a more accurate term for the genre, are assumed to be not credible simply because they may operate their own site or not have any journalism training. While there still are plenty of bloggers who simply participate because they want to have an online journal or just post pictures, there are many out there who are operating a very credible independent, online publication.

"There is place for both the traditional and new media to co-exist in the sports world in 2010," SportsNet.ca writer Ian Mendes penned recently. "In fact, it’s ridiculous that we are still having this debate. But the problem is, both sides are far too suspicious of the other for us to close the gap between the two sides."

The NHL leaves any credentialing decision (on a game-by-game basis) to the clubs. The NHL makes those decisions for league-wide events (such as the Stanley Cup finals, the draft, awards and Winter Classic) and helps in situations where clubs have different policies.

Caps owner Ted Leonsis is on record, for very understandable reasons, that all teams should give credentials to bloggers. The Caps have taken the lead in this area and, from what I've heard and seen as a full-season credential holder, have experienced little or no problems. They've proven that bloggers, regardless of their pedigree, training or experience, can coexist with other media representatives in a professional press box.

While the Caps are only one example, bloggers deserve the chance to play on equal footing as the so-called "mainstream" media when it comes to holding credentials to professional sporting events. There are exceptions to every rule, but until these franchises change their bias mindset about giving bloggers a media credential, their credibility in this area will continue to suffer.