Caps lose 1-0, head back to New York down 2-0 in the series
about 3 years ago
J.P.
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It’s been a good year. It sucks that it’s going to end this way. On a positive note, we’ve got more talented players on our AHL team than some of the guys who are currently skating with the big club. The Caps will be a better team when guys like Alzner, Carlson, Fehr, Osala and Perrault start taking over for Morissonn, Erskine, Kozlov, Nylander and Fedorov.
Get ’em next year.
Hey it aint over yet. Historically speaking teams in the Caps spot have won 30% of series in the first round and 23.5% of series total. Not great numbers by any stretch, but too early to count them out.
Sorry, but probability and logic both suggest that it would require a miracle.
The Caps will win one in NYC, come back and win game 5 here and then lose in 6.
That is probably the most common outcome. But if you can just steal that Game 6…
Russian Machine Never Breaks
Probability and logic don’t co-exist.
sure the caps haven’t quite “turned it on” but this season, when faced with adversity, they’ve been able to turn on a dime. Another couple of nights like varly had tonight and it’ll be lights out for the Rangers. How many times have the caps gone on 4 or 5 game winning streaks? A lot of the caps get up for the adversity of a hostile crowd. Ovie loves to get booed. I love nothing more than to hear a silent crowd of 18000 when they score, I’m sure they do to.
How do you figure that probability and logic do not coexist? They aren’t mutually exclusive processes.
Probability, derived through the history of every time a team has gone down 2-0 in a series, tells us that the Caps face the approximately a 70% chance of losing this series (according to DMG’s stat above).
Meanwhile, using logic, I’ve deduced that the only way the Caps are going to win this game is by going to the net, creating traffic in front of Lundqvist and generally scoring “ugly” goals. I’m not the only person who’s noticed this, either: similar comments were made by many of the Caps after the game, as well as Boudreau, and several of the Rangers’ players, including Lundqvist himself. Problematically, this is an area in which the Caps repeatedly failed all year long – they are simply not willing or able to play an ugly, grinding offensive game; the kind of game that tends to succeed in the playoffs when you come up against a hot goaltender.
Thus, probability gives the Caps approximately a 30% chance to win this series. Logic suggests that they will not overcome those odds unless they find a way to do something that they have repeatedly failed to achieve all year long.
Probability+Logic=Caps more than likely hosed.
Preface to DMG – I totally trust your #‘s. I wonder where Tarik is getting his? "Another sobering statistic if you’re a fan of the Caps: Only 12.7 percent of the teams that have fallen behind 2-0 in a best-of-seven series have rallied to win" (Caps Insider)
by mechanicsville on Apr 18, 2009 8:21 PM EDT up reply actions
12.7% is the success for all teams going down 2-0 in all rounds. 30% is the number for the higher seeded team going down 2-0 in the first round and 23.5% is the number for the higher seeded team going down 2-0 overall (i.e. in all rounds).
that’s what I figured. thanks. so we live with 30% and roll the dice. (a little traffic in front wouldn’t hurt either)
by mechanicsville on Apr 18, 2009 8:36 PM EDT up reply actions
i thought Erskine played well today. Did his job on the defensive end. Now about moving the puck……
by Pi on Apr 18, 2009 6:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Erskine did his job, and is still fairly young. You can not complain about his performance so far this series. Also, series isn’t over, although as long as the linesmen throw in phantom offsides and the referees call a penalty any time the team starts to get some momentum, it’s out of their control.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
If you think that Erskine is a better player than Alzner or Carlson will be, or you don’t think the Caps will be a better team once the stopgap players from the rebuild are gone, then. . . I’m not really sure what to say.
The most talented players in the Caps organization are not necessarily the ones on the ice right now. I think that this has been a consistent theme this year. The best is yet to come for this team.
The most talented players in the Caps organization are not necessarily the ones on the ice right now. I think that this has been a consistent theme this year. The best is yet to come for this team.
I agree completely. That said, this roster has more than enough talent to make it through the first round. If they don’t rebound and win this series (and I don’t think they will) then this is a massive disappointment.
Are you seriously suggesting that Carlson, Alzner, one of the Q kids, etc. belongs on the WSH roster right now instead of someone who’s there?
Not to put words in his mouth but I think he was saying those guys have more skill than the guys on the team, not that they are better players right now. Once these skilled guys grow into adult frames and learn the little intricacies of NHL hockey they will be better than the players that GMGM signed to fill out the current roster. Skill doesn’t mean you are a better player (See: Kovalev, Alex) but if you can develop more skill guys your team will probably be a better team.
Just one example, Carlson has more skill than Juice, but right now is not a better defenseman.
Nope, but I also recognize that they have much more potential than the guys we have now. (You’ll note I said, “will be” when I referenced the young guys.)
The Caps still have some detritus left from the rebuild, and I think they will be a better team in a couple of years when Alzner and Carlson are up here and we’ve got a 2nd line center who isn’t older than Methuselah, or a figure skater.
I did not say that. I think Alzner and Carlson are MORE likely to step in for Morrisonn and Jurcina. I’m saying Erskine has earned his spot on this team, and he has a spot for next year with his contract AND his play. I think you read way too into my comment.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on Apr 18, 2009 10:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Ok, maybe I misread your comment, but you misunderstood mine. I was just throwing names up there. Who knows exactly who will stay and who will go? Not you, nor me, nor probably GMGM. For example, I think many of us here believe that Jurcina or Morrisonn will be gone at the end of the year, but I think it’s speculation as to which one.
I’m merely pointing out that we have prospects in the pipeline, such as Alzner, Carlson, Osala, etc., who are more talented than their counterparts on the NHL team. I don’t think that I’m saying anything controversial by suggesting that Alzner and Carlson are more talented than Erskine, Jurcina and Morrisonn. True, it’s possible that the younger guys won’t realize their full potential, but I also don’t think that Erskine, at the age of 28, is suddenly going to develop an offensive upside, either. He’s a decent 4/5 banger who fills in adequately on the PK. Alzner and Carlson project as 1/2 puck-movers who can fill in on the PP or PK.
Throughout the course of this year, I’ve argued that I don’t think the Caps are in their Stanley Cup contention window yet. I said as much at the trade deadline, when I argued that I didn’t think the Caps should pursue a major trade. I think that the Caps’ roster still has some detritus left over from the rebuild – guys who were given an opportunity because the Caps’ organization was utterly devoid of NHL talent for a few years. Some of those guys (Clark, Jurcina, Erskine, Bradley, Zubrus, etc.) seized an opportunity and grabbed roster spots and playing time. Others, such as Poti, Pothier, Nylander, Kozlov and Fedorov were brought in to bridge the gap between the talent that was shipped out in 03-05 and the eventual influx of younger, talented players acquired through that fire sale. Personally, I think that the Caps will be a better team – a true Stanley Cup contender – once some of those players start to go away and are replaced by the stable of younger players the Caps have collected. The best is yet to come for this team.
I think all of our nerves are a little raw right now, so I’m sorry if I was a little more acerbic than usual earlier.
by D'ohboy on Apr 19, 2009 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Nah, it’s fine. I wasn’t trying to attack that point, just was trying to support that Erskine was playing well so far this series, and his contract status makes me think that he’ll be around longer than a few guys. I don’t yet know what to think about Carlson, having never seen him in a game yet. I think we as Caps fans are all completely jaded on AO and Semin and Backis and Green coming together so fast that we expect it out of everyone in our system, and that is not fair to anyone involved that we hold such high expectations that I sincerely doubt anyone there will reach. Alzner and Carlson may project as 1-2 guys, but they likely will slip to 3-4 players. Besides, if they both are 1-2 guys, where does that put Green? Not everyone needs to be a top tier player, and our talent is so great, but right now we’re showing on the big league that all the talent in the world isn’t beating good team defense and goaltending and discipline And shoddy reffing. I hope I’m wrong about a lot, though.
I also have a man-crush mind that thinks Erskine is better than we all give him credit for.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
Amazingly this is a 2-0 Caps series lead if A) Theodore doesn’t stink on rye in game 1 and B) Lundqvist isn’t near flawless (with a dash of luck) in game 2. That’s the NHL playoffs for you.
I think we’ve got to let it all hang out in games 3, 4 and 5 (YES, there better be a game 5) and see what happens.
I definitely think there is a difference between counting them out (I’m not) and anticipating the anger if/when the first round fold happens (I am).
Russian Machine Never Breaks
It’s a long uphill climb, but it can be done. The last time the Caps had a 2-0 series lead after winning 2 on the road, the opponent (Tampa) came back and won. No reason to think the Caps can’t. They need more traffic, some more accurate shooting, and someone to turn Mr. Avery into a pile of hamburger in the corner… (ok, they don’t need that, but it’s fun to think about it…)
Let's go Caps!
I just wonder what this all means for Theodore’s future as a Cap…
Swing by The Flyer Frequent. You have nothing better to do.
I can’t imagine them moving him in the offseason because (1) I’m not sure who’d want to give up anything of value for him and (2) the team would probably still be uneasy going forward with Varlamov and no solid Plan B. My guess is that it’s a “open competition” at the start of camp next year, Varlamov is the clear starter by the all-star break at the latest and Theo goes back into free agency in the Summer of 2010.
A one year expiring contract isn’t that unbearable for a team to pick up. There is always a market for veteran goalies, Gerber even got a new job. We could waive Theo and send him down to Hershey and try to get someone to pick him up on reentry waivers but I’m not sure GMGM wants more dead cap space going forward. I think the organization likes BJ and wouldn’t be too unhappy resigning him to be the Plan B. Start Neuvirth in Hershey, start Varlamov in DC and watch and see how they develop.
I agree someone would want Theo, but it’s a question of what the Capitals could get in return. If the best offer is a fourth round pick, the team might prefer to keep him as that Plan B, although I also think you’re right that the team might think Johnson can handle that role.
You’re generally the cool-headed type. Do you think we should trade Theo? Do you think the relationship between BB and Theo is reparable at this point?
The short version is ‘yes’ if (1) Varlamov looks food the rest of the playoffs (2) Brent Johnson is healthy and can be re-signed for a reasonable rate (i.e. less than one million) and (3) the team has plans for the salary cap space.
I think no matter what, you want that decent Plan B behind Varlamov and I think Johnson can fill that role since I see him as basically a 1A type goalie. I see Theodore in the same range, maybe a little better and with a higher upside. But that $4.5 million cap hit is huge and I think Johnson’s a better fit to be a backup.
That said, freeing up that $4.5 million in cap space only makes a difference if the team’s going to use it. There are areas the team could certainly do better – it’d be nice to have a legit second line center and another top four stay-at-home defenseman – the team’s going to have to be really careful about giving anyone a fairly large contract of more than one year since Backstrom and Semin (among others) aren’t locked up past next season.
I agree. But with 2.5 from Kozlov being freed, 4 from Feds, and 4.5 from Theo we could really make some moves. Tops on my wish list (which I have no doubt will probably be too rich for GMGM to sign):
Komisarek
Cammalleri
Those will be the big fish (especially Komisarek). If I’m in the front office I’m thinking about those two plus:
Greg Zanon
Derek Morris
Paul Mara
Hal Gill
Kurtis Foster
Dominic Moore
Jason Williams
Saku Koivu
I like Koivu a lot but I don’t think he’s going anywhere. Lang is also UFA and for the right price might be a decent fit. I’m not really a fan of D. Moore. We need a guy that can play 2C, not another guy to compete with Gordon and Steckel.
Any of those D would be a decent addition, depending on price but none of them are the solution to solidifying our D corps. But any one of them plus Alzner next year sure looks nicer than what we are dressing now.
I think it means a couple things. First, he’s probably not starting another playoff game barring something bizarre (Varlamov salvages a series victory then gets hurt). Second, I think Varlamov is going to get as many starts as he can handle next season, with Theodore playing when Varlamov can’t. If we can trick someone into trading for him I could see GMGM resigning BJ and letting him be the veteran back up to Varlamov next year. It’s too soon to tell what the goalie market is going to look like so I don’t know if we’ll be able to find any takers. It’s a one year contract after this season so it’s a better possibility than moving Nyls.
We’ll see what happens this offseason, he’s got a pretty big contract, and despite the fact that there are still many who defend him, there remains the simple fact that he has been inconsistent since day one. Most of the games that Theo won this year were because the Caps scored themselves out of trouble. There were a couple of 2-1 victories over Philly in the mix that he played great in—and I do think he was definitely the reason for those victories, but all else aside, I’m not completely sure if Jose is a solid starter in the NHL anymore. Something about his personality suggests that he isn’t stable to begin with. I can remember day one where I had my doubts about him when they got blown out in Atlanta 7-4 in their first game of the season. Regardless of what happened today, I still think Varlamov looked good, and it seems that Neuvirth is going to be another push for the NHL in the next couple of years.
Wow, I cant believe what im reading. Giving up on a team thats down 2-0. Did most of you guys just jump on the bandwagon this season, cause if you look back to last season these (mostly) same caps were down 3-1 and battled back to lose a heartbreaking game 7. In a series this close 1 win is all they need to get back into it. Disgusted with the lack of commitment to this team.
by teac on Apr 18, 2009 7:30 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
This.
It’s going to be a rough road, but remember back on December 23 when the caps where down 4-0? Did they give up? No, they battled and battled until they tied it and eventually won it in OT. This team has some fight left in it and while it may seem improbable it certainly isn’t impossible
It will be a rough road, and I think that we all learned a valuable lesson today. Even when you have solid goaltending, you still have to score to win. Wednesday, we learned that poor goaltending can cost you a game. Hopefully Monday will be the day that both—goaltending and offense—show up at same time and we see this team make a valid comeback.
The problem is that 4-0 comeback (I was there, btw!) was against a soulless Rangers team with a toothless coach. Honestly I think that Dec. 23 game is the reason the Rangers are where they are today, it was one of the final nails in Renney’s coffin. Since that comeback game, the Rangers have added Torts, Avery, Antroponov, Morris, they are a completely different team.
by DonnieKnutts on Apr 18, 2009 8:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Hey now, hey now, we are all Caps fans – myself with over 30 years of dismal experience. This is not jumping off the bandwagon- this is us mentally preparing ourselves for the inevitable. We are not airbrained Stan Fischler types who predict Stanley Cup wins every year because we´re blinded by our subjectivity.
This series has just sucked so far, and it´s because the Caps are the Caps. They´re not a different team, and we are not different fans. I will keep cheering for my only team, but I know how Cubs fans feel now.
by katzistan on Apr 18, 2009 8:10 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I feel like a Cubs fan also. I’ve been a fan of the Caps since nearly the beginning , since 1975, for most of my adult life.
We’ve never been able to put it all together. We’ve had numerous teams with good defense. We always seem to hit the hot goal tender. When we had a good goaltender, we didn’t have a good rest of the team. When we finally had offense, Kolzig got worse.
I will keep cheering for my team. (Even if I might get involved in different things.) I probably paid less attention to the Caps when my kids were younger as I had their activities to keep me busy.
Commitment to the team and an ability to recognize the mathematical (and logical) improbability of a comeback are two wholly unrelated events. That’s akin to saying that someone who criticizes the team is “not really a fan.”
I don’t drop a fairly significant portion of my disposable income on season tickets, show up to every game and scream my head off, and spend many of my waking hours reading blogs like this because I’m not a committed fan.
My heart still wants to believe that the Caps can pull this out, and I’ll keep rooting for them, just as I have all year. However, my head tells me that they’ve dug themselves a massive hole, and it will take a minor miracle to climb there way out of it.
On a related note, if you’ve been reading here during the course of the year, you’ll probably have seen posts by myself and others expressing concern about the Caps’ playoff chances because of their year-long unwillingness to create traffic in front of goalies and their inability to consistently score “ugly” goals. Does noticing this problem make us uncommitted? Because Backstrom, Boudreau, Laich and others have all made the same observation. Are they uncommitted?
All im saying is that if it were 3-0 then start looking forward to next season but if you are a true fan of this team you know that 2 games isnt that big a hurdle. Being a fan is about having faith not just reading stats. If you care so much about stats go be a red wings fan cause statistically it looks like they are going to win the cup.
1) I think you have an awfully narrow definition of being a fan.
2) I don’t see how being a “true” fan of any team is somehow correlated with an abject disregard of probability.
3) By your reasoning, there should be no difference between being down 2-0 and being down 3-0, because a “true fan” doesn’t care about silly things like statistics or probability.
4) I’m not selling my tickets, canceling my tickets for next year, hanging up my jerseys, ceasing to follow the team or suddenly changing the team that I root for. I just don’t think this is our year. I didn’t think this was our year, even before we went down 2-0.
5) FYI, my picks for the Cup finals are Vancouver and Boston, and I think the Canucks will take it.
6) Punctuation, capitalization, spelling and proper grammar are good things. (Yes, I’m in a glass house and I’m throwing stones.)
5) FYI, my picks for the Cup finals are Vancouver and Boston, and I think the Canucks will take it.
You, sir, are smarter than me. That was my gut but I picked San Jose over Boston instead of Vancouver.
It’s still early. I think that both the B’s and Canucks have good makeups for long runs: deep up front and in back, great goalies, and an ability to get ugly/dirty/physical. I love watching those two teams forecheck. The one worry for the Canucks is the Sedin twins’ propensity for soft play, but I think the development of Kesler, Burrows, Bernier and Raymond offsets that. I think the B’s have an easier run though, especially if the Caps don’t pull it out. The only other team from the east that I think has a prayer is (shudders) Pittsburgh. (Yes, I feel dirty for saying that.)
I don’t think there’s a damn thing wrong with teac’s definition of a fan. Fanaticism can involve blind faith. Analysis is for analysts. We can be fanatical analysts, which most of us here are, or we can be strictly fans. There is nothing wrong with being either.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
Again, I think it’s narrow to assume that just because my brain is analytical that the rest of me is incapable of being a fanatic. My roommate was commenting today that he’s never heard profanities yelled at full-volume as much in his life as he has during one year of living with me. And that’s just during the 41 away games. My stomach was in knots for a week before the first game on Wednesday, and it still is.
Yeah, I can be a pretty detached and analytical person – I do work as an analyst after all. Still, if all I had to share on here was: “I luv teh Capz, they are teh awsum,” or “phuck the phlyerz!
@!!” I probably wouldn’t bother – I’d just go to the Caps message boards or the comments section on Tarik’s blog. It doesn’t mean that I don’t have those kinds of thoughts (albeit with better spelling and punctuation), but I’m usually expressing them loudly to the TV, or with my fellow fans in section 408.
I’m just saying that recognizing the improbability of a Caps series victory and hoping that they pull it off are not mutually exclusive. In a way, I think that teac’s actually supporting that assertion, because he’s stating that it requires faith to believe in the possibility of a Caps victory. If they had dominated the series thus far, he wouldn’t need faith to believe – it would simply be probable.
As a broader point, I tend to bristle at people who make characterizations about others’ level of fanaticism based on nothing more than how they express themselves on a blog. I’ve seen this movie before on baseball blogs, where old-school, non-statistically-oriented fans constantly criticize those of us who prefer to use numbers to understand and analyze the game and teams that we love, claiming that our use of numbers and probability somehow means that we’re not “real” fans. And God help you if you ever use those numbers to criticize the home team or point out that it’s unlikely that they’ll be successful, because then you’re even worse than a fake fan, you’re somehow undermining the team.
Wasn’t trying to discount your fan-dom. Was just saying there’s different levels, and we shift between them. It’s my opinion that there’s no wrong way to be a fan.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
It’s my opinion that there’s no wrong way to be a fan.
Yes there is. Exhibit A. Exhibit B is anyone that has ever thrown crap on the ice.
Except for hats after a hat trick. That’s OK.
I realize I’m probably contradicting myself somewhat, but I’m personally not a huge fan of bandwagon/fair-weather fans. Then again, I also believe that there is a dignity and purity that comes from suffering. That’s why I’m a Seattle Mariners fan. :)
Anyone that into it is crazy stupid, and can gtfo. Fairweather fans bug me too, but I’d rather have them than not have them, if you know what I mean.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
I suppose. I wish they’d learn how to behave at games though. This isn’t baseball or football – when the puck is in play, things are happening, so keep your ass in the seat, or wait 30 seconds to sit back down. The other team is allowed to play defense – and that includes hitting our players. It’s legal. Sometimes, shooting the puck on the power play is NOT the right thing to do.
Also, they clog up the bathrooms and the lines for beer. I suppose it’s better than having our rink full of opposing fans though. God that sucked.
Next year -- bust or fold 'em in
This year, the Caps made no deadline deals. Ok, I understand the reasons; no salary cap room and they would have to give up too much. They need to move some players this year. The roster needs to change about 25%. When the Caps close their year and have their meetings, the players need to know that come next September, about 1/4 of the lineup will be gone.
Gone for sure (UFA), and these guys need to go: Kozlov/Fedorov
Likely traded prior to 1Jul09 – Morrisson
Potential trade bait: Jurcina, Schultz, Steckel, Flash, Fehr
Go ahead and cut ’em loose, who cares: Nylander/Theodore
I will be a Season Ticket holder next year but I will NOT buy the playoff ticket package. No use.
Just for the sake of argument I’ll bite to your post.
1) Morrisson is a RFA…I doubt we’ll see a trade because the return will likely not be worth anything. If you don’t want him back you have to hope that another team tenders him an offer that the Caps don’t want to match.
2) No one wants Jurcina…as for the others…again the return is not going to be worth anything and the team isn’t going to shave any salary cap by moving them. Teams need low pay role players to exist in the salary cap era.
3) See GOD’s (I think) post about Nyls…the same applies for Theo IMO
4) The team is down 2-0, the series isn’t over yet.
5) I pray to the good lord above that you don’t sit in my section….the last thing this team needs is fair weather fans like yourself.
I think there’s actually a pretty good chance Mo moves – rumor has it he’s looking for a long term (3+ years) at $3M+ contract, which is more than he’s worth to Washington. I can see him moving to a team in a deal similar to the Eminger one, where the Caps trade him as part of a deal to move up in the draft.
Go ahead and cut ’em loose, who cares: Nylander/Theodore
The salary cap implications of cutting those guys would be (Nylander’s data from here):
09/10: $2,291,667 in dead space, $7,183,333 in savings
10/11: $4,791,667 in dead space, $183,333 in savings
11/12: $1,416,667 in dead space, no savings
12/13: $1,416,667 in dead space, no savings
The team saves a lot next year, but they’re hurting after that, in the years they’ll be looking to re-sign Semin, Backstrom, Alzner, Schultz, and others.
I hope the Caps are watching DET
They are just pumping shots on net and have lit up Mason without having to be cute.
Ha. My brother just asked me if the Bruins are gonna take out the Rags. I said yes because that forward corps is made to crash the net and score dirty goals. They’ve got plenty of skill but they are always in the goalies face. Plus, Chara is going to snap Gomez’s neck if he tries skating down the middle of the ice like we let him.
Yes, I’m feeling bad about today’s game. And our chances in the playoffs. Down 2-0 after losing 2 games on home ice and having to go on the road. Okay, it’s objectively no worse than down 3 games to 1, but I can’t help but feel pessimistic.
Post Mortem. Varlamov is definitely an improvement over Theodore. Other things. Morrison, Kozlov, Fedorov, and Brash are on expiring contracts. Should they all go or should some of them stay? We have Theodore for 1 more year. (Bad as he did this year, Huet was no better for Chicago.) How many more years do we have Nylander? I thought he was a 4 year deal and not a 6 year deal. He played last year and this year. (And got injured in mid-year last year and was never the same player.)
The Caps had a great Regular Season. As usual, they seemed jinxed in the playoffs. Sure, they need to upgrade their Defense and at goal but…. they seem jinxed nonetheless.
The disappointment is tough, but the fact that it’s 2-0, and we know that our team can do the improbable makes it worth believing.
I thought we’d heard the last of that Journey song last year, but once again, it’s the theme of our playoffs.
Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.
by CapitalsKremlin on Apr 18, 2009 8:21 PM EDT reply actions
I for one welcome our new Varlamov overlord.
by OvechkinLaichsSemin on Apr 18, 2009 8:22 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
2009 Ryan Callahan = 2008 Danny Briere
…i.e. the little snot-nosed player who always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Next to Henrik, this dude has been the Blueshirts’ MVP for the first two games. His dogged effort on every shift is noticeable because there weren’t many guys in red shirts doing the same.
…except that I respect Ryan Callahan as a hockey player and a human.
by Rob Parker on Apr 18, 2009 8:36 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
…he’s killing us so much right now that I can’t respect him until after we’re done with him, one way or another. This dude is throwing his body at everything that moves and causing problems all over the ice. I can’t stand him, he’s more of a thorn than Avery at this point.
by DonnieKnutts on Apr 18, 2009 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions
I respect hard work. Respect has nothing to do with liking the guy as a player. I respect Mike Ricahrds even though I hate him with every ounce of my soul when he is wearing black and orange. I do not respect players that spear men in the nuts and skate away like little pansies.
Although I’d love Callahan in the red, white, and blue. Maybe the Blueshirts want Nylander back? Probably not, but that would be sweet.
by red army line on Apr 18, 2009 9:02 PM EDT up reply actions
My incredibly vague plan for fixing this
Put Clarky in
Stay with Varly.
Break Lundquist’s knees
by Ovechwin on Apr 18, 2009 8:47 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Clark has been awful in every game he’s played this year. I can’t see him coming back and making a significant impact.
by DonnieKnutts on Apr 18, 2009 8:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Are you kidding me?
Some here act like it’s 3-0. Don’t put the barrel in your mouth yet, kids!
uhhh...uhh...uuh...uuh...uhh...uhh...
Exactly. Everyone seems to be forgetting that the rangers really have been outplayed by the caps 2 games in a row now. This series is far from over. Especially if the rangers think it is.
My fear is that the Rangers DEFINITELY don’t think it’s over. They are the quintessential grind-it-out, scrappy playoff underdog.
by DonnieKnutts on Apr 18, 2009 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions
I"m not sure I’d agree that the Caps outplayed the Rags in this game – Game 1 they did. In this game the Rags came out hitting everything – especially Mike Green – and nothing worked for the Caps after that. The Caps have acted like they expected the Rangers to just collapse in this series. I don’t know what to think about the Caps’ play as a team right now but they’re pretty much playing like they did in the last fiver game of the season – on a downer.
uhhh...uhh...uuh...uuh...uhh...uhh...
by hotdog88gt on Apr 18, 2009 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
In retrospect, Alzner + whatever for Guerin?
Would you have pulled the trigger? Billy would certainly help this team for this run. Not only a crease-clogger but a proven playoff veteran.
wouldn’t do that in a million years. Not with Alzner in there.
Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.
by CapitalsKremlin on Apr 18, 2009 9:04 PM EDT up reply actions
No. Alzner looks too good. Pronger’s a closer story though, since he has an extra year.
by red army line on Apr 18, 2009 9:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Was the only reason Pittsburgh got Guerin because their pick looked like it would be higher than ours?
by red army line on Apr 18, 2009 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions
that and um favors…
…they promised to book tee times for the Isles.
Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.
by CapitalsKremlin on Apr 18, 2009 9:06 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m not sure what you are asking. If you’re asking if I’d rather have Pothier than Guerin it’s not a relevant question. Pothier was still on LTIR when the trade deadline passed so he wasn’t the reason we couldn’t get Guerin. We definitely couldn’t have traded Pothier for anything at that point. We would have had to trade a healthy roster player to get Guerin, and the only guy I wanted to move wasn’t going anywhere.
Even so, considering the offense is our strength and the defense is our weakness I’d probably have taken Pothier at the time. I’ll admit I didn’t expect Guerin to do much in the playoffs, though.
Right, Pitt just sent a conditional draft pick and had to waive a few players to make the cap space work. So it wouldn’t have been Alzner, it would’ve been a draft pick and the eating of a couple of salaries. So then.. would you have done that?
by DonnieKnutts on Apr 18, 2009 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s not as simple as that. Which salaries would you be able to get rid of? Nyls is the only one anyone wanted gone and he can’t be moved. Which of the guys that can be traded did you want off the team?
I suppose you’re right, it’s far more complicated than it appears BUT the fact that all rumors seemed to be that Guerin was headed to DC leads me to believe that there was at least some semblance of a deal on the table that was rejected, either by us or the NYI. My belief—however unfounded—is that a deal could have been executed if GMGM was 100% behind it. But I feel like—and this is my assumption—that he wavered, and we lost out.
by DonnieKnutts on Apr 18, 2009 9:17 PM EDT up reply actions
haha actually I was just venting my frustration that a couple of veterans could have helped this past deadline. I would have given up Flash and Gordon. Ana would have been interested in that.
But deadline is gone, let’s not talk about that. And let’s not talk trades as if the season is over, 2-0 doesn’t mean we’re out :D, we can still make it. Would be nice to win it and think back that it was a victory to keep everybody at the deadline.
I would have given up Flash and Gordon. Ana would have been interested in that.
That would (1) not clear enough cap space and (2) likely not be that appealing to the Ducks who would then have a full compliment of forwards and only one defenseman under contract for next season, the primary driving factor in the Kunitz/Whitney trade.
Against really good goalies, should Ovechkin be in front of the net (aka the grinder) or the shooter (aka the skill guy)? Right now I’m thinking he’s built to stand in front of the net.
That’s what he was doing against Philadelphia, and that opened up his skill game a little more.
Anyone notice how the Rangers suddenly got good at blocking Ovechkin’s shots?
by red army line on Apr 18, 2009 9:06 PM EDT up reply actions
he’s shooting from outside the circles into ranger traffic…it’s not hard to block a shot when you’re already standing in between the shooter and the goalie. Ovie needs to get closer or shoot into traffic created by a Laich or Semin or both.
Maybe the ice’ll be better at MSG also
Right now the Capitals are making Barry Melrose, Keith Jones, me and other look like fools for picking the Capitals to go to the SCF (of course, I was also counting on the Canes upsetting NJD and PIT and PHI killing each other as much as is legal under federal law).
Just you? how about the entire OFB team.
Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.
by CapitalsKremlin on Apr 18, 2009 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Pitt and Philly are trying to kill each other… they’re just not trying hard enough…
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Apr 19, 2009 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions
On the bright side, I counted no more than half a dozen good scoring chances for the Rangers, and two really good ones.
Watching the way the Bruins are manhandling the Habs
they are like the anti-Capitals…freaking Chara is barreling down from the point to screen Price.
“Ifs” and “buts” and all that, but if we had only drawn Montreal…they look absolutely demoralized.
We're Early 90's Detroit...
Our personnel aren’t a match, but the situation the Wings were in seems very similar to me. They had mind blowing talent and firepower, but lacked overall toughness and playoff – tested warriors. They also had Cheveldae in the pipes and were frustrated by harder working clubs with hot goalies.
Detroit actually sacrificed a bit of talent to add role players before they became perennial Cup contenders. They stayed on top with very smart player moves and a commitment to team identity and chemistry. I know this was before the salary cap…
With the money we’ll have from Kozlov, Feds and Morrisonn leaving we should focus more on affordable grit than flashy talent.
by Cap74 on Apr 18, 2009 10:28 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I’ll see you your early 90s Detroit and raise you an early 90s Nordiques (prior to the move to Colorado). Lots of talented young forwards, an underwhelming defense and a mediocre goaltender. Trade Nolan for Ozolinsh, and drop Kovalenko, Rucinsky and Thibault for Roy and Keane and suddenly, they’re perennial Cup contenders.
I agree with what you’re saying, but I’m a little worried that it will be harder to do what the Avs/Wings did back then, primarily because the salary cap and the economic environment will make it difficult to re-tool this offseason.
Nicely done. And you’re right – both in style and substance that Nordiques squad of ‘92-’95 does seem to be a better fit.
I think they’re both good examples. For example, the Red Wings also had a core contingent of Russians, just like the current iteration of the Caps. They also had a phenomenal offensive defenseman and a good young offensive player (Coffey and Primeau), whom they then traded for a power forward (Shanny). Still, I hope the Caps don’t trade Green and Laich for Bobby Ryan!!
I think you’re right about the free cap space, though. As younger and cheaper players replace guys like Feds and Kozzy, we’ll be a better team. It’s tough to be patient, though.
Just one nitpicking point. Coffey was at the end of his career and Green is just getting started. If we had an old Coffey instead of a young Green I might jump at that trade for Bobby Ryan.
Yeah. If we could just get the Ducks to give us Ryan for Poti…. Or get the Flyers to cough up van Riemsdyk for Poti.
Regardless, I think this is going to be an interesting off-season.
Very interesting. Lots of variables. I think the declining economy is going to allow GMGM to compete for some players that he otherwise may not have been able to compete for. Leonsis has shown he’ll spend money and I think a lot of GMs are going to be weary of giving long term blockbuster deals (i.e. Brian Campbell) so the market for Komisarek and to an extent maybe even Bowmaster will be reasonable, just to name 2 examples.
True, but I think GMGM learned a lesson this year – it’s not wise to be up against the salary gap from day 1, because it limits your flexibility. I’d imagine that he tries to keep the team at least $1m-2m below the cap to allow for mid-season deals.
I think the combination of the poor economy with the possibility that the cap might decline will mean lots of disappointed free agents. Guys who would have pulled $5m two years ago might be lucky to get $3.5. Komisarek and Bouwmeester might get decent deals, simply because they’re still so young, but the guys pushing 30 will likely get shorter, less expensive deals.
Then again, it looks as though Toronto will have a fair amount of cap space, so maybe Burke will go nuts.
Burke may go nuts but he’s not a huge fan of being part of the contract inflation process (remember his comments on Penner’s contract). I think the key is the shorter term deals. GMGM may be able to pick up an impact player for short term without killing his ability to keep the Young Guns long term. I agree that he doesn’t want to be right up against the cap again and I think the only reason we were that close this year is because he HAD to sign a goalie this last off season.
BUT, I still have hope. Win game 3 and the whole series is turned around. I have no doubt that the Caps CAN win 4 in a row.
The nice difference between this years team losing two compared to the ones they lost against Philly is they are playing well this time and have been every game to the last second. Can only get better.
I also still have hope and I also think a win in Game 3 will turn the series around BUT I disagree that the Caps are “playing well” and “have been in every game to the last second”…Game 1 maybe, but Game 2, that was like one of those soccer “1-nils” in which the losing team never looks like scoring and the outcome never really feels in doubt. Did anybody honestly think, after the first two periods, that we were going to get a goal in the third? It would’ve taken either 1) a total fluke or 2) a near-perfect play to be Lundqvist. That was about as lopsided a 1-0 game as I’ve ever seen, the Rangers stifled us to perfection. I never felt like we were close to scoring.
by DonnieKnutts on Apr 18, 2009 11:27 PM EDT up reply actions
It would’ve taken either 1) a total fluke or 2) a near-perfect play to be Lundqvist.
You must be on the same page as the Caps. A near-perfect play isn’t going to happen against the Rags and they don’t generally happen in the playoffs. How about 3) a real dirty goal resulting from pure effort. The Caps need to figure out how to score those goals if they want to go anywhere.
I think 1) and 3) are not mutually exclusive groups, and in fact are often one and the same. A puck off someone’s butt even.
ON another note, why can’t we ever have a stationary goalkeeper? Even Varly moves laterally too much.
by DonnieKnutts on Apr 18, 2009 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions
More concerned about the future than this series
This one is too far gone to worry about. We’re still a couple of good players short of making a deep playoff run. Coach BB’s system seems to lead to numerous breakouts by the other team. He needs to be told to tone down the “offense first” theme.
So what do we do about next years team? I think we’ll have a 25% turnover. What are your thoughts?
Let’s see how this series plays out before we go voting people off the island.
by Rob Parker on Apr 18, 2009 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
second that! at the outset, i comfortably thought, “caps in 5”. i just thought it’d be the first five games of the series, not the last five. these guys didn’t just suddenly start sucking. although it’s getting a little tougher, i won’t be surprised if the caps stage a nice comeback. absent that, we have plenty of time to discuss offseason strategy.
by mechanicsville on Apr 18, 2009 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions
thank you for some much needed late night optimism!
by mechanicsville on Apr 18, 2009 11:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Am I the only one...
who thought the Caps were lackadaisical and lethargic? That the forechecking game has completely disappeared? Who is surprised and disappointed that the Rangers have us on our heels? That thinks we had approximately two legitimate scoring chances on those 35 shots?
We need to simplify things. Everyone is waiting that one beat too long to make the pass, hesitating one second to step UP on the play, and waiting waaaay to long to unload shots. It’s like the idea of “turning it on” in the playoffs, in the minds of these guys, is to be MORE careful when they just need to let loose!
The keyboard is mightier.
I didn’t think they were being lazy. Every player and every team has bad habits that they’re likely to revert to when they get frustrated and/or panic. For the Capitals it’s not getting pucks in deep and forechecking, trying to make fancy passes, etc, and I think they fell in to a cycle where they’d try that, fail, get more frustrated, engage their bad habits more, fail again, get more frustrated, and so on.
Facepalm
The CMB wants Boudreau fired…now.
I…uh…um…no faith in humanity.
Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.
by CapitalsKremlin on Apr 19, 2009 12:06 AM EDT reply actions
The thing to do in situations like that is to remember that no matter how ridiculous an opinion/belief it’s possible to have, someone out there holds it. That’s always been the case, that will always be the case, and there’s no sense getting upset about it just because the internet makes it more prevalent.
there’s no sense getting upset about it just because the internetmakes it more prevalentlets you know about it.
It’s always been there, now it’s in your face. You can’t weed out stupid.
Speaking of ridiculous opinions, I’m not ready to throw Theo out the window yet. I actually think that Theo will start Game 3 and that Bruce is playing games with the Rags.
He knows that Varly needs some playoff time, so why not give it to him now, early in this series, at home? He’s still confident in Theo, but it’s to his benefit for the buzz to be that he isn’t so that when he puts Theo back in, the Rags play a little more carelessly, thinking that Theo is coming in weak.
What Bruce didn’t count on was the whole team tightening up on him in front of the rookie and scoring nothing.
Let's create a new move for Ovie
He has two moves when he’s racing down the left wing: 1) Cut to the right past the blue line, using the opposing D as a shield/screen and firing a shot on the move; 2) Attempting that cute little curl/between-the-legs hesitation move to go around the opposing D and drive to the net.
Guess what—neither move is working and both of these maneuvers have to be as predictable to the Rangers defensemen as it is to us fans. Entirely predictable.
Shouldn’t Ovie be trying something new?
Yeah, he should be letting Baxter carry the puck into the zone and draw the D so he can pass to the open man.
The sky is not falling. We just lack a little experience and grit. I admit I thought we’d win today, but I underestimated some things and we didn’t get any lucky bounces. They aren’t where we should be, but they don’t look lost either.
BB’s system is not the trouble. Coaching it may be since we seem to be having same issues on odd man breaks we’ve had all season. For the love of all that is holy let the goalie take the guy with the puck!
Team needs to get used to faking shots from the point and Ovi needs to pass when 2 to 3 guys are coming at him, not when they’ve already surrounded him. Today he just tried doing too much.
The core is young. If the core was approaching 30 and looked clueless then I’m really worried.
I’m willing to be patient. Roster needs tweaking which is going to be hard for a season or two due to cap situation.
I though real Cup window would be 2011-2014. I still think that is on target.
Man even playing youth hockey I remember practicing 2-on-1s constantly. Why do Caps defensemen always look clueless on 2-on-1s—they’re either indecisive or altogether make the wrong play. I watched every game this year and if they kept the stat, I’d bet we gave up more goals on odd-man rushes than any other team. I can remember Greenie breaking one up and ShaMo making a nice play but other than that, 2-on-1s are like automatic goals.
by DonnieKnutts on Apr 19, 2009 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions
We give up a lot of odd-man rushes because of how hard the team forechecks and gets really deep into the o-zone.
2on1s are hard to stop in the NHL when the opposing team executes it properly. The goalie has to take the shot, the dman tries to take the pass, if the pass gets through the goalie is very likely going to be beat.
So I guess the key to the Caps giving up less 2on1 goals is just not allowing as many odd-man rushes.
I actually feel like the Caps’ opponents convert far less than half of their 2-on-1 opportunities, but I could be mistaken. Recently they have felt so dire because Theo wasn’t playing them correctly – both in the last game of the season (IIRC) and in Game 1 Theo took the pass and the pass didn’t happen. That’s an automatic goal. In Game 2, the Rags executed the play perfectly. The defenseman has a tough job to do in stopping that pass.
not to nitpick, but 3 Caps quit on the Rangers goal, including Ovechkin
The Rangers the a 2-on-1 and THREE Caps (barely) trailing the play all quit on it.
I hope BB lays into them for that.
Agreed. I have seen guys coasting behind the play far too much and that goal happened because too many Caps jumped up and there was a turnover.
I don’t mean to feed into the “Ovie doesn’t backcheck” meme, but, well, he hasn’t been backchecking in this series.
He was interfered with a bit on the play and was at the end of a shift. Not making excuse, but throwing it out there (and I think Kozlov’s indifference towards the puck while it was still in the Rags’ zone should be mentioned as well).
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Yes, the Caps certainly have their backs to the wall and I’m frankly pessimistic about their chances since they lost two at home. I do say they had the talent to go beyond Round 1 so I am certainly madder than H***.
I’m not ready to trade any of the young guys at our core (Ovi, Semin, Green, Backstrom). They’re still young. If they were pushing 30, I’d probably have a different opinion. Backstrom, Green, and Semin are all better than last year.
It may be time to cast away some of the vets and let some of the Hershey kids be regulars for us (Alzner, Sloan, Helmer, Collins; etc). Frankly, we played better as a team with the Hershey kids. We ran off our late Dec, early Jan winning streak with them there.
I just wonder if Brash is too old for us to keep next year. (Although he should certainly get at least one chance in the playoffs, if he’s able, as should Clark.)
It may be time to cast away some of the vets and let some of the Hershey kids be regulars for us (Alzner, Sloan, Helmer, Collins; etc). Frankly, we played better as a team with the Hershey kids. We ran off our late Dec, early Jan winning streak with them there.
Simply put, Helmer is Crash Davis, and Sloan and Collins are possibly on their way. Barring a surprise, Alzner will probably come up next year, so then the questions become which of the three RFAs in back don’t get an offer, as well as who gets traded.
That’s going to be the interesting part of the hot stove.
Ben Olsen > Wells Thompson
by Bald Pollack on Apr 19, 2009 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions
It may be time to cast away some of the vets and let some of the Hershey kids be regulars for us (Alzner, Sloan, Helmer, Collins; etc). Frankly, we played better as a team with the Hershey kids. We ran off our late Dec, early Jan winning streak with them there.
Sloan, Helmer, and Collins will be 28, 37, and 26, respectively, at the start of next season. These aren’t guys who are prospects (except, maybe, marginally, Collins), they’re guys who have topped out as AHLers, like Mink or Giroux. Contrast them with guys like Jurcina, Schultz, and Morrisonn who are both younger and better and I don’t see how they get in the lineup.
I expect Alzner to spend all of next year with Washington, though.
Given the performance of Carlson in training camp last year, and his complete and utter dominance in the OHL this year, I think there’s a very good chance he breaks camp with the Caps next year. Apparently, he showed up with a conditioning level that was beyond that of every other prospect by a fairly large margin. That kind of work ethic tends to turn prospects in to players more quickly than usual. Also, playing for a team as well-run and coached as the London Knights certainly won’t hurt.
Alzner, Green, and Schultz all had several years in the CHL and were thus ahead of Carlson on the development curve, yet none of them went straight to the NHL. It’s just not GMGM’s way of doing things. I think that Carlson goes to Hershey next year and serves as an injury call up like Alzner did this year. Then in 2010-11 he’ll have his first full season in the NHL. I’m pumped about Carlson but I just don’t see him being so good that GMGM departs from his standard operating procedures.
Agreed. When the captain of the 2008 Gold Medal winning WJC team can’t crack the roster, then unless Carlson’s impresses the shite out of everyone in camp, he’s going to the A.
Ben Olsen > Wells Thompson
by Bald Pollack on Apr 19, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Ok, take the grain of salt now, but. . . everything I’ve heard about Carlson puts him ahead of Alzner, Green and Schultz by this point. I don’t know if you read Tarik and Mike Vogel’s takes on the developmental camp last year, but they basically said that Carlson was the best player on the ice, by a fair margin (followed by Perrault), and that’s including Alzner. Even if you don’t buy what they said, check this out. Notice that out of the top 20, only two are rookies. Carlson is ahead of Pietrangelo, who’s widely regarded as one of the top D prospects in junior hockey.
Carlson is a much better skater than Schultz was/is, and he’s bigger and better conditioned than Green was. Just look at a photo of the guy, his neck is thicker than his skull.
Maybe you’re right, maybe he does start down with Hershey, but here’s guessing he doesn’t stay there long.
I think a lot of people have, and I think everyone is forgetting that the Rangers are notorious for blowing leads—not just in games. This Rangers team was first in the Eastern conference for the first two months of the season, and it all evaporated. They had a couple of breaks in these first two games, and I am interested to see what happens in the next. I’m a little frustrated that players like Fehr and Bradley were short changed on their shifts. I think the main reason Henrik has been so dominant is the fact that NO ONE has gotten into his head or even in front of him. He has had a free ride most of the way. Most of the shots he has seen, well, he has seen. If the Caps want to have a chance, they are going to have to crash the crease.
If you’re talking in terms of this year, then they are going to have to figure it out tomorrow night. Tomorrow night is obviously BY FAR the biggest game of the year. Adversity builds greatness, and the has been set higher this year. Has this team improved on what they were last year in the first round? We will certainly find out.
Once they add grit
they’ll be much more powerful.
Ditch guys like Federov and Kozlov for some veteran net crashers.
13-28-41, -9
That’s Kozlov’s line this year. Is there anyone here who doesn’t think that any one of: Fehr, Osala, Bourque, my grandmother, could have put up a better line over 67 games skating primarily on a wing with Backstrom and Ovechkin? And for much less than $2.5m?
Similarly, 9/24/33, even, for Nylander. How hard would it be to replace that production for even half of Nyls’ salary?
If the Caps are going to get grittier, those are the two places to start. It won’t require pricey free agents to achieve a fairly rapid improvement.
How often was Kozlov really with Ovechkin and Backis? The lines changed so damn much this season that’s not really a valid argument to me. Nylander’s money is the only reason people are upset with his production, and in likelihood, Koz is gone next year, and Nylander is only around because Feds is likely gone. And, no, not yet do I think Osala or Bourque could put up those numbers in the same season, and Fehr having played most of the season up (If not all of it) makes me discount him in the argument.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
How often was Kozlov really with Ovechkin and Backis?
2,099 times, compared with 235, 211, and 201 for his next most frequent lines.
Fehr put up 12/13/25, +8 in 6 fewer games. As a comparison of ice time, Kozlov skated 15:39/game, with 2:22 of that on the PP. Fehr skated 10:28/game and only 45 seconds/game of that was on the PP. As you well know, Fehr usually only got mop-up PP time – those last moments after Boudreau had decided that the 1st couple units needed to sit.
Scoring in the NHL is often times as much a matter of how much you skate, when you skate and whom you skate with as it is a measure of pure talent. I kinda think you could put a yak on skates with Ovie and Backis, and that yak would probably get 20/25/45, +10. It’s no surprise that Zubrus and Clark both suddenly put up stat lines far beyond anything they’ve done before or since when they suddenly started getting PP time and playing with Ovie.
I have doubt as to whether two guys who weren’t in the NHL this season could be more productive than Kozlov.
I’m slightly exaggerating for effect, but honestly, if all Osala did was go to the net and stand there, Ovie and Backis would bank in at least 15 goals off of him. I think he’s probably capable of doing that, given his size.
My point is that we don’t need to spend $4m on a free agent to get a winger for Ovie and Backis – we can get gritty players from within.
Or put Semin with those two, have a real first line, and use Osala and Fehr and others as Third line players, where they fit. Skill with Skill, Punch with Punch. Of course, mixing up lines is something coaches can do too, but frankly, Osala and Fehr and Especially bourque don’t strike me as guys who belong on a first line.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
Sounds great in theory, but all year long when Bruce tried that Ovie-Backis-Semin combo, it just didn’t work. Somehow, the whole ended up being less than the sum of the parts.
As long as guys can keep up skating-wise (I’m looking at you Fehr), you don’t necessarily have to have three of the same kinds of players on one line. For example, I think putting Semin and Laich together on the same line has worked pretty damn well.
I agree. Kozlov is not going to get re-signed, and if I’m BB I’m not sure he gets a sweater tomorrow, since the Caps are suddenly a meritocracy. As for Nylander, I have no doubt that Aucoin, for example, could do just as much for much less money. The $6m question is how do you get rid of Nyls’ contract?
I'm a little late to this party
But it is not time to give up yet. It’s definitely worth believing.
Obviously things are tough right now but I like the Caps’ chances for a few reasons. First is that they have controlled the play in games 1 and 2 and ended up losing both by a goal. Second is that they seem to have a goalie now (knock on wood) – Theodore lost them game 1 and hopefully won’t get another chance to do that. Third is that they have been able to turn it on this year, including at MSG when the chips were down. Fourth is that I think it will help to get away from the expectations of the home crowd and simplify. And finally, fifth – having seen the Caps blow 2-0 leads to more dynamic offensive teams while the Caps relied on good goaltending and defense – I think this team looks more like the type of team that comes back from 2-0.
Obviously it all depends on game 3. The Caps have to take it one game at a time. If they can win game 3, they’ll be one win away from being in a best of 3 with 2 home games.
Yeah…didn’t that win 5-4 OT win over the Rangers kick off a 7-game winning streak for us? There’s almost two series’ worth of wins there, and a nice long rest afterwards to prepare for Boston/Carolina/Pittsburgh/Philadelphia/New Jersey
by red army line on Apr 19, 2009 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions
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