Thursday's Lines

Per Corey, here's how the line combos shook out at today's practice: Ovechkin-Fedorov-Fehr; Laich-Backstrom-Semin (not actually on the ice); Fleischmann-Nylander-Kozlov; Erskine-Steckel-Bradley

about 3 years ago J.P. 80 comments 0 recs |

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Ovechkin + Fehr = awesome

by David Getz on Mar 26, 2009 1:14 PM EDT reply actions

For anyone that liked the “F Street” line, this one’s for you, apparently, as you upgrade from Flash to Ovi. Uh, yeah.

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by J.P. on Mar 26, 2009 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Along a similar path…as much as I bad mouth Nyls…I like him and Flash together. They were showing a bit of chemistry earlier this year….I remember one give and go that was just plain disgusting.

by Yoshietree on Mar 26, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I do too.

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Mar 26, 2009 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions

I do too. They can each jump on the grenade that is each other.

by Rob Parker on Mar 26, 2009 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Sounds like me.

by David Getz on Mar 26, 2009 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Indeed – you’re an upgrade over Flash as well.

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by J.P. on Mar 26, 2009 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Ouch, Flash, what you gonna do about that?

by Sct112 on Mar 26, 2009 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, I do like to stand in front of the net.

by David Getz on Mar 26, 2009 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Btw, thanks, Ovechwin, for the FanShot, but I hid it once I posted this – hope you don’t mind.

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by J.P. on Mar 26, 2009 1:15 PM EDT reply actions

I just saw you hadn’t posted it at the time and was like “Breaking news! yay me!”
No problem.

by Ovechwin on Mar 26, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Your post doesnt have the flavor that mine has =D

by Ovechwin on Mar 26, 2009 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Erskine as a forward, huh? whaaaaaa?

I like the “Laich-Backstrom-Semin” combo…at least in theory. I also like Ovechkin being able to benefit from Fedorov’s ability to win faceoffs.

What I don’t like? Mixing up the lines WAAYYYYY too much for my tastes—I understand to a point if it seems like they’re “coasting”, but I would like to see some consistency moving forward into the playoffs.

by PaintDrinkingPete on Mar 26, 2009 1:18 PM EDT reply actions

I think both Erskine on the wing and the jumbled lines are, in part, because of the flu.

by David Getz on Mar 26, 2009 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions

No reason to just like LBS in theory – they were great against the Flyers in last year’s playoffs.

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by J.P. on Mar 26, 2009 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Absolutely true…for the best of my recollection virtually untested this season, however.

by PaintDrinkingPete on Mar 26, 2009 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Virtually untested indeed – Giroux/Kozlov/Nylander has skated more ES shifts together, per Frozen Pool.

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by J.P. on Mar 26, 2009 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Again, I always feel like I’m disagreeing…but I like this…nay LOVE this. Maybe we’ll start seeing an emphasis of someone wreaking havoc in front of the net.

Good on you Fehr for finally getting the chance up top. Hopefully BB will let him stay there for a few full games.

by Yoshietree on Mar 26, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

or at the very least, a few consecutive shifts

by Sombrero Guy on Mar 26, 2009 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions

erskine as a forward = someone to park in the crease and hope he wreaks havoc. that’s my feeling about it, at least. i’m hoping for the best :)

by kellobellow on Mar 26, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m not sure that’s entirely a bad idea. Certainly someone to park in the crease and screen the goalie is a good idea. We need to do more of that. Much more.

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Mar 26, 2009 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Probably, but Erskine getting seven minutes on the fourth lines isn’t going to solve the problem.

I still maintain he’s up front because of injuries/illness.

by David Getz on Mar 26, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions

See my comment right below.

by D'ohboy on Mar 26, 2009 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah i agree – i didn’t mean i thought that crashing the net was the reason erskine is there, i just meant it’s a possibly positive outcome. who knows!

by kellobellow on Mar 26, 2009 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Park in the crease and screen the goalie for whom? David Steckel and Matt Bradley, with no D shooting from the point?

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by J.P. on Mar 26, 2009 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions

I heard somewhere that Steckel shoots the puck when he can get it into the opponent’s zone. A screen is still useful even if your first name isn’t Alex.

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Mar 26, 2009 3:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Still, Steckel and Bradley combined average about two shots a game. Erskine in front isn’t very likely to have an impact, and it’s not the reason he’s dressing as a forward.

by David Getz on Mar 26, 2009 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions

shrug Think what you want. I think there’s more than one reason to do so, and that’s one of them.

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Mar 26, 2009 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions

And who said no D shooting from the point? I think it’s just not a bad idea in general to do that, especially if you’re trying to get some balanced scoring going.

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Mar 26, 2009 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Pepper. Last week. That’s who.

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by J.P. on Mar 26, 2009 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions

You really are surly today.

/no offense
//please don’t hurt/ban me

by Yoshietree on Mar 26, 2009 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe he’s trying to change that. Heaven forbid I give BB the benefit of the doubt. Oh wait, if I give him the benefit of the doubt I’m marching to the weagle beat. So sorry.

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Mar 26, 2009 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions

No one ever said that, and most of the people who comment here will qualify any criticism of Boudreau with some variation on “but then, I’ve never won a Jack Adams award”.

But still, even if Boudreau gets the Capitals defensemen shooting significantly more often, the odds that Erskine crashing the net and it resulting in a goal are so small, that it’s unlikely it’s the reason Erskine’s up front. Plus it’s unlikely BB would go to such an “out there” tactic without trying to get his forwards crashing the net more often first.

by David Getz on Mar 26, 2009 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions

true, but you never know. plus, it’s always nice to get the opposing goalie a little flustered… that way when laich does the same thing, backstrom or semin can score easily, right? haha.

by kellobellow on Mar 26, 2009 6:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Let’s not kid ourselves, a large part of why Erskine is playing forward is because of the comments made toward Ovie by Tampa Bay after the “50 Celebration Fracas,” and the fact that Brashear is out tonight. If you know ahead of time that there will be a fight, you want your best fighter available (Erskine in this case) and you DON’T want him playing D, because that messes up your D rotation.

by D'ohboy on Mar 26, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

Make that, Brashear is out tomorrow.

by D'ohboy on Mar 26, 2009 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t know that he’s expecting one, but I’ll buy that he’s preparing for the possibility.

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Mar 26, 2009 3:43 PM EDT up reply actions

I think is the most logical explanation. Good call, D’ohboy.

by David Getz on Mar 26, 2009 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions

This is only so that 6 D can dress and when Erskine takes his major he doesn’t leave the team short a D man.

by Sct112 on Mar 26, 2009 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Exactly. Don’t mess up the rotation. Puff, puff, give.

by D'ohboy on Mar 26, 2009 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Now I repeat you almost word for word, I’ll read the entire comment next time rather than just the first 2 lines. damn

Thanks by the way…. ^cough ^cough

by Sct112 on Mar 26, 2009 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions

I have no trouble with BB mixing things up. He’s has tried other stuff and it hasn’t worked. Maybe putting the Big Rig up front will help. Besides Laich no one else has been driving to the net except maybe Feds, Obviously the main reason for this is the guys who are out ill and injured, but I still think it can’t hurt.

by Carl Putnam on Mar 26, 2009 1:22 PM EDT reply actions

I think it’s also to inject a little energy into their game. The guys have historically responded well to line scrambles, and this closely resembles what we had in the playoffs last year.

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Mar 26, 2009 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Heck at this point maybe let Erskine take a faceoff or two. Can’t be any worse than Nylander or Baks. LOL! Sadly, I’m only half joking.

by Carl Putnam on Mar 26, 2009 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Actually, Backs hasn’t been bad in the last couple of games. When he competes for the puck, he’s pretty good. Nyls, now ….

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Mar 26, 2009 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Besides Laich no one else has been driving to the net …

The exact reason I’ve been a fan of the “Laich-Feds-Semin” line this season. Great faceoff presence and experience at center, superior puck handling ability and someone willing to crash the net every time. (Of course, it has looked better on paper than on the ice lately).

by PaintDrinkingPete on Mar 26, 2009 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Great point – Laich can take Nick’s faceoffs when needed.

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by J.P. on Mar 26, 2009 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Great point – Laich can take Nick’s faceoffs when needed.

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by J.P. on Mar 26, 2009 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Good point Pete. I hadn’t even thought about that. Heck Semin isn’t terrible when he takes an occasional draw either.

by Carl Putnam on Mar 26, 2009 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions

echo echo echo.

Anyone know what Backs FO% is over the last 10? Without looking it up, I thought he’d been showing improvement.

by Yoshietree on Mar 26, 2009 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Per yesterday’s morning post:

Nicklas Backstrom won ten of 17 draws (59), had a nice wrap around attempt and several nice touch passes, including the set-up on Alex Ovechkin’s 51st goal of the season, and I suppose that’s why he was rewarded with a shootout attempt. But more importantly, back to that faceoff number – he now has won 53.6 of the 168 faceoffs he’s taken in the last 11 games. That’s a huge positive for the team amid a few bad weeks.

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by J.P. on Mar 26, 2009 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Heh…welp, that post made me feel stupid…I knew I had seen it somewhere, just didn’t realize it was only yesterday.

by Yoshietree on Mar 26, 2009 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions

He’s been over 50% in 8 of those 11 games as well.

by Carl Putnam on Mar 26, 2009 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but he’s turned his hand over and started taking more draws backhanded. Watch for it tomorrow.

by D'ohboy on Mar 26, 2009 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh ho ho ho ho. This ought to be nothing if not interesting. I like the idea of LBS, even if I think there’s a bad Mormon joke somewhere in that line handle.

Erskine as a forward? I hope the plan is to have him set up housekeeping in Tampa’s crease, but I can go with this. I wanna see what happens, though.

Is anyone else bothered by the initials of that top line? I do like the idea of Fehr getting time on the top line again, though.

What I see is that each line has a playmaker, a finisher, and size that can be used to set up a screen and won’t be easy to move. I like it.

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Mar 26, 2009 1:30 PM EDT reply actions

the OFF line

Well, we’ve been lamenting the lack of secondary scoring, if Fehr is really going to be on the top line with Ovie, I hope he relishes the playing time.

I have a feeling though we’ll see many strange line combos if we take a lead on Tampa.

Officially out of the minors...Capitals Kremlin.com!."

by CapitalsKremlin on Mar 26, 2009 1:32 PM EDT reply actions

any time that line doesn’t score, you can point to the goalie and yell “You just beat OFF”

by Sombrero Guy on Mar 26, 2009 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions

god, that’s horrible and great at the same time.

Officially out of the minors...Capitals Kremlin.com!."

by CapitalsKremlin on Mar 26, 2009 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions

That is an awesome, awesome goalie taunt.

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Mar 26, 2009 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions

I still prfer Kozlov up there, but I’ll take Fehr for a bit if he deceides to play physical. I just want the Fehr who went to war against Philly in the playoffs last year not the one taking wrist shots from 50 feet away that Darren Pang could stop.

by Carl Putnam on Mar 26, 2009 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions

I guess this lineup could give credence to the idea being floated that Erskine was given his extension to possible replace Brash next season

by Sombrero Guy on Mar 26, 2009 1:34 PM EDT reply actions

Not for nothing, but someone on this site has repeatedly floated the “Erskine as forward” idea, but I can’t recall whom it was. I’m sure s/he’ll step up and take credit, though. :)

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by J.P. on Mar 26, 2009 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions

I’d hate to see Erskine lose the minutes. He’s been a force on the blueline recently (or it has seemed that way) and giving him 6 minutes a game up front may be a negative rather than a positive.

by Sct112 on Mar 26, 2009 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Perhaps, but I think and illness and/or injury depleted lineup is the bigger factor.

by David Getz on Mar 26, 2009 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t think he’d have any problem matching Brash’s goal totals.

by b.orr4 on Mar 26, 2009 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Interesting combinations… it would appear that Brash’s injury is worse than they thought, and that they want to get more time to Pothier tomorrow night.

That, or Bruce knows that Erskine gets that elusive first goal, the floodgates will open and he’ll start getting a bunch of them…

by MikeL-Pivonka on Mar 26, 2009 2:04 PM EDT reply actions

Per Corey….

“Erskine said he hasn’t played forward since he was eight or nine — except for one time in juniors when his coach was so upset with the power play unit that he threw five defensemen out there, and Erskine was the "center” so he took the faceoff. And he won it, by the way."

—made me chuckle at the thought of the coach’s temper tantrum

by Yoshietree on Mar 26, 2009 2:21 PM EDT reply actions

So why such a bad idea???

Think about it… when you can’t get your forward to crash the net, get your D-men to do it :-)

realistically, putting a big physical guy… stationed in front of the net isn’t such a bad idea, and he’s familiar clearing out the front of his crease, so why not cause the other teams’ D-men problems conversely.

by Scofield on Mar 26, 2009 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s harder than just having the knowledge, knowing what to do and how to stop it are two COMPLETELY different things. I’ve a feeling they’re also toying with the idea of having him at forward next year, if Brash has to retire, for some games.

I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.

by Whiter Mage on Mar 26, 2009 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m psyched I’m actually going to be at the game tomorrow. This game will be full of crazy things!

by Ovechwin on Mar 26, 2009 2:27 PM EDT reply actions

How much you want to bet the league’s front office has already made a call to Tochett and told him that if they try and go after Ovechkin suspensions will follow. Typically, when there’s a lot of talk before a game very little actually happens.

by b.orr4 on Mar 26, 2009 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions

No bet. I think Tocchet is smarter than to actually advocate that, but some people here think that Erskine’s on the front line as insurance against that.

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Mar 26, 2009 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh, I definitely agree that’s why Erskine is on the fourth line. I just think that when there’s a lot of talk usually nothing happens.

by b.orr4 on Mar 26, 2009 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Question for all you number crunchers

I know the playoffs start the 15th. Can anyone figure a schedule we might see? I have to make travel plans pretty urgently for both work and my wife’s b-day, and of course, I don’t want to miss any home games. Gotta have priorities, but info would be great. Any help?

by katzistan on Mar 26, 2009 3:54 PM EDT reply actions

If I’m not mistaken, we won’t know until the league sees the matchups and determines which templates in which to put the matchups, no? If PIT-WASH rears its head in the first rd. you can count on the league exploiting that with say a Sat. or Sun day game, etc.

by bigonetimer on Mar 26, 2009 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions

That sucks.

by katzistan on Mar 26, 2009 9:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Semin -- in or out for tomorrow's game?

Based on Boudreau’s remarks, does not sound positive for Semin tomorrow night.
What does this do with the lineups, who gets a sweater?

by Dougeb on Mar 26, 2009 8:12 PM EDT reply actions

I actually like Kozzie on the third line. He seems to be more productive there, for some reason. But he can certainly do the first line, in relief, so to speak.

Hope Semin is back — or they’ll have to call up someone from Hershey since Brash is still out. I was actually surprised to see him make the trip to Toronto and to play. Granted, he was nowhere near 100% but did contribute to the offense, what little there was. (Did he go out on the ice with a fever or did he relapse?)

by CapsFan1975 on Mar 26, 2009 11:24 PM EDT reply actions