Absolutely frustrating...Capitals 4, Flyers 3 (OT)

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Maybe it was too much turkey. Maybe it was not taking the Capitals seriously. I don't know, but this was a frustrating loss today against the worst team in the NHL. It was 3-0 Caps before the Flyers decided to start playing. At one point in the 2nd period, we had a 5-on-3 PP that should have resulted in at least one goal. All we succeeded in doing was losing the puck in the neutral zone and testing Kolzig's chest protector. Briere, Carter, and Richards tied the game and made it interesting, but a pass from Ovechkin to a wide open Backstrom gave Washington a win they deserved. Since firing their coach (who lasted much longer than I thought he would), I'm thinking the Caps could be poised to go on an Atlanta-like run of wins, which seems to happen a lot when new blood gets behind the bench. Apparently the new coach was with the Hershey Bears AHL team, so he's not a coaching newbie. As for the Flyers, this game should serve notice that you cannot, CANNOT, fail to play hard for the full 60 minutes of a game. Start slow, you get burned. Ease up at the end and let the opposing team back into it, you get burned. If they play this way tomorrow against the best team in the league, the Senators will run them out of the rink.

That being said, compare this game to similar games last season and it's night and day with this team. Last year, the Flyers would have just put their heads down and let the other team skate all over them. This year's team has a much better attitude, much better leadership, and never appears to be completely out of a game, the recent NJ game aside. Yes, I am frustrated we dropped one against the Caps, but we still have 12 wins on the year as of Thanksgiving weekend. Last season, the Flyers had 22 wins total. I'll take that any day.

Eagles update...the New England Patriots, who are running through the NFL like Patton's Third Army, are 24-point favorites against the Birds for Sunday night. Which means that if the Eagles scored 21 points, the final score is expected to be 45-21. And if you bet money that Philly would cover, you'd win. We. Are. Going. To. Be. DESTROYED.

Flyers go to Ottawa tomorrow to face the Sens. Let's hope they show up.

EDIT - the Eagles are now 22-point underdogs. Respect the Birds, yo.