Sabres 5, Caps 0

by J.P. on Nov 1, 2008 10:21 PM EDT

[AP Recap - Game Summary - Event Summary]

I didn't get a chance to see much of tonight's game, but figured you all might need a place to vent, so have at it.

Oh, and in case you missed it, Shaone Morrisonn is hurt.

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Green letting Vanek behind him in the 1st was pretty much the game. Good grief.

Time of possession in the 1st period had to be less than 2 minutes, right?

While I didn't expect to see Buffalo play badly, I didn't expect to see the Thrashers in Washington's uniforms.

by HotDog88GT on Nov 1, 2008 10:42 PM EDT reply actions

Dear Caps,
WTF?

That is all.

by dcrock on Nov 1, 2008 11:04 PM EDT reply actions

John Erskine managed the only even rating on the team and had 4 hits in 17 mins of ice time. Other than that, let's not discuss this game ever again. Ugh.

by MacVechkin, fka JR on Nov 1, 2008 11:06 PM EDT reply actions

@dcrock

seconded.

by Sam on Nov 1, 2008 11:15 PM EDT reply actions

You didn't miss much. The Caps have been living on borrowed time but it was still an embarrassing effort. BB must be pissed because a day off tomorrow has turned into practice at 11:00. Good, rub their noses in this steamy pile of a game.

by Lisa on Nov 1, 2008 11:35 PM EDT reply actions

I'm starting to get concerned about accountability on this team. It was Boudreau's calling card when he was first promoted but now the guys are making the same dumb mistakes over and over and over which, to me, suggests there are no consequences.

by DMG on Nov 1, 2008 11:46 PM EDT reply actions

My suggestions (FWIW):
~ Bench Theodore for 3 games. See what Johnny's got.
~ Call up Alzner, Sloan, and Bourque. Feds on D. Scratch Erskine and Jurcina. Let Morrisson nurse his injury.
~ Remind the Caps to not believe their own hype!

by Joe on Nov 2, 2008 1:30 AM EDT reply actions

@ Joe:

Johnny was supposed to start tonight (and Tuesday, from what I hear), but Theo was put in both times. Tarik was guessing at an injury.

We don't have the cap space for Alzner...we pretty much can fit in either Sloan or Bourque. Not both. Again, cap space. We have around $700k from what I hear.

Your third point though, I agree with entirely. D: Or at least remind them that every game counts, even October/November ones.

by Akira on Nov 2, 2008 1:28 AM EDT reply actions

Buffalo looked like what the Caps should be - fast, skilled, accountable on defense (and Miller playing out of his mind right now).

At least the PK was 7/8, giving up the only goal against just as the first penalty of a 5-3 expired...

-d

by meep_42 on Nov 2, 2008 3:00 AM EDT reply actions

all Caps fall down, go boom...

by NS on Nov 2, 2008 6:18 AM EST reply actions

@ns

Love it.

...and somewhere deep in the Everglades, Olie the Goalie is snickering...

by dcrock on Nov 2, 2008 8:04 AM EST reply actions

@ dmg:

Agreed, and specifically I'm looking at Mike Green. I'm appalled by his play. I was glad to see Boudreau call him out in the media after the loss, but I'm anxious to see if anything actually changes. 52 has been a lazy sack of crap all season, to be blunt. Only time his legs churn is for the occasional and usually unsuccessful end to end rush. Guess what Mikey, you don't get to play Atlanta every game! His defensive intensity level is hovering around 12% right now and it's disgusting to watch.

Boudreau needs to cut his ice time down to around 20 minutes per, and demand more effort from the kid. Otherwise pretty soon we'll be substituting "sensational" and "once-in-a-generation" with words like "liability and"albatross contract" when describing Green.

by breed16 on Nov 2, 2008 11:27 AM EST reply actions

---> ~ Remind the Caps to not believe their own hype! <----

This is IT. In a nutshell. Let's see what Boudreau does. He is in a bit'o a rough spot here, what with all the highly-paid youngsters who probably think they have a gimme, here this way, for the playoffs. He and Gramps need to smack a few heads and punch a few ears.

RE: Alzer and the cap :: If Mo is placed on 'injured reserve' doesn't that open up space? What if Pothier retires? I am not entirely clear on this cap stuff and when/how injuries free up space.

by Uncle Cranky on Nov 2, 2008 11:39 AM EST reply actions

~ Call up Alzner, Sloan, and Bourque. Feds on D. Scratch Erskine and Jurcina. Let Morrisson nurse his injury.

even ignoring cap space, there's not enough roster spots to do that.

@breed16,
I think Green's been the biggest and most consistent problem with this - what I want to see from Boudreau is action, not words. Sure he can call Green out, but the kid's still 4th in the NHL in ice time. If BB wants to send a message, sending Green out for 28 minutes isn't going to do it. Bring him to 20-21 for now, see how he reacts.

by DMG on Nov 2, 2008 12:07 PM EST reply actions

apparently OV's granpa passed away

http://alexovetjkin.blogspot.com/2008/11/liferu-reports-that-ovechkins.html

by Going Five Hole on Nov 2, 2008 12:38 PM EST reply actions

"This is IT. In a nutshell. Let's see what Boudreau does... He and Gramps need to smack a few heads and punch a few ears."

Well, according to Tarik, he is putting them through a hell of a practice. Good! I love this team but they need a SERIOUS attitude re-adjustment.
Now, get off my lawn!

by Joe on Nov 2, 2008 12:41 PM EST reply actions

@Joe:

Theodore's been fine the last 3 or 4 games. Agreed on the defense (maybe not so much on feds on D, but I'd rather him than Morrisonn even if Morrisonn is healthy) mostly.
@breed: Not sure why you're picking on Green when we have 3 defensemen FAR worse in uniform. (well, 2 since morrisonn is hurt) His defensive play does need improvement, but by comparison to Jurcina and Morrisonn, he's far better defensively and he's probably on par, defensively, with Schultz. But at least he gives us some shots and hits.

How does one free up cap space? I'd like to see them cut Jurcina and Morrisonn and Schultz out of the team entirely, but will it produce any cap space? There has to be some sort of a way to remove that cap space. Perhaps trade them for a Ham Sandwich?

by Hazardous on Nov 2, 2008 1:49 PM EST reply actions

What I see is the inability of the Caps team as a whole to adjust to an aggressive fore check. When a team plays a consistent fore check or changes to one in the course of the game they seem to stand around and wait for the puck to come to them. Dallas did it in the second, Nashville in the third, and Buffalo all night.
The same is true on the other end. When the back check is aggressive they seem to make stupid passes, flub the pass, or throw the puck on net as quickly as possible.
But the penalty kill is better.

by B8ovin on Nov 2, 2008 1:58 PM EST reply actions

You don't get cap relief on injured players unless they're on Long Term IR, like Pothier is. We're already not accountable (As far as the CAP is concerned) for Pothier. And the whole "Straight up cutting someone = cap penalty" prevents us from just cutting guys. It's not really a good situation to be in, when you can't find a way to get your potential prospects up and they might already be better than what's there.

by Ogre on Nov 2, 2008 2:46 PM EST reply actions

@hazardous: Watch Green in the defensive zone when a puck is loose. He loafs it and lets someone else dig it out of the corner, even if he is closer to it. Mo looks caught out of position a lot these days - but most of the time it's because he's on a string in and out of the corners, making up for Green's lack of effort.

And you simply cannot tell me the first Vanek goal and the Pominville goal were anyone's fault besides Green's. He was a dog on those plays.

My larger point is to agree with dmg: Green is being rewarded with massive playing time instead of held accountable for his lack of effort. The obvious solution, to me at least, is fewer minutes. BB should demand more intensity per shift.

by breed16 on Nov 2, 2008 2:50 PM EST reply actions

How does one free up cap space? I'd like to see them cut Jurcina and Morrisonn and Schultz out of the team entirely, but will it produce any cap space? There has to be some sort of a way to remove that cap space. Perhaps trade them for a Ham Sandwich?

I could go either way on Jurcina and I agree Morrisonn's been bad this year, but I think Schultz is a guy who's going to be a very consistent defensive defenseman for a good while in the NHL.

@hazardous,
Green gets shots and a fair amount of hits but he's a defenseman and he needs to play defense first instead of coasting around his own end hoping for a rush. Last year we were saying his high end potential was Scott Niedermayer. This season he looks more like Sandis Ozolinsh.

by DMG on Nov 2, 2008 4:43 PM EST reply actions

I'm not saying Green isn't messing up defensively. But as bad as he's been on defense, he's nowhere near as bad as Jurcina or Morrisonn have been. Nowhere. More consistantly, he was a beast last year, and Jurcina sucked huge amounts of #%$@ then too. Does no one remember the "Hey, I'm behind my own goal line, let me toss it in front of the net" ridiculous crap he'd constantly pull?

To be honest, I'm just plain sick of being the only one smart enough to notice a totally worthless jersey when I see it. What games do you guys watch that you think this guy is anything but a total bum? Hell, get Quentin Laing in there, he may not be a defenseman but if he blocks ONE shot, he's done more than Jurcina has in his entire tenure as a cap.
Worthless bum.

by Hazardous on Nov 2, 2008 9:26 PM EST reply actions

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