The "Just-Ice League"

Monday April 21, 2008 @ 09:13 AM EDT

Syd Butler is the bassist for Les Savy Fav, a New York-based band considered among the godfathers of the independent rock music scene. Butler founded the Frenchkiss Records label, with the intent to release the band’s albums, and has since signed over 35 bands, including the Hold Steady, Thunderbirds Are Now, and the Dodos. Ever since growing up in the Washington D.C. area, Syd has been a die-hard Washington Capitals fan. He can’t wait to see what the Stanley Cup Playoffs bring for his Caps.


Our superhero Ovie is tied up by the evil villains in orange and black; his Just-Ice League is coming to his aid. In a desperate fight for Victory, they light the lamp, fight through the evil-doers’ blows, and battle back from elimination.


Mike “Green lantern” lights the torch in the early games, but “Batman” Backstrom and “Super” Semin come to the rescue scoring on the power plays. With “Hawk-eye” Huet keeping the pucks from penetrating the net, the Caps come away from this battle victorious.


OK, OK…enough of the superhero comments; I couldn’t help it!


I had a good feeling about the Caps heading back to Washington. The Caps played better in the overtime loss in that previous game in Philly and I had confidence they would keep it up. They did for two periods, dominating the Flyers. They did everything right; it was good for 40 minutes.


Then something happened. The Flyers woke up. The Caps were not the same team from the beginning to the end of the game. In the third period, the Flyers flew around Huet and gave all they had in order to score. Semin managed a goal during the power play, and I was finally able to exhale and cheer. I needed that two goal cushion so that I was able to relax. I cracked a smile that lasted for only 40 seconds; then the Flyers scored and made it a nerve-wracking game again. I had flashbacks of years of Caps hockey… the years of disappointment. The many games they were winning by 4 or 5 goals, only to lose. But this is a different team, a different time and a different coach. Positivity and desperation are a powerful duo. The alarm went off again and these guys kept the Flyers away. They matched the Flyers persistence and overcame it.


Maybe they are Superheroes.


Go CAPS!

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