Capital Ups and Downs: Week 24

I can take or leave the hitting from ShaMo. If it gets him into the game and playing with that fire (that is to say, it has a causal effect on his quality of play), then take the hits that present themselves, but I’ve seen a chase a couple of hits. He’s a better skater than Erskine, so he gets away with a little bit more, but it still makes me unhappy.

That said, I’ve been very pleased with the way he’s been playing since the Olympics. I wonder if it’s having JC as a partner, or the rest allowed him to heal up some nagging injuries, or both.

I can’t honestly say I’d rather have Belanger out there…

It was an inspired choice.

It may just be my computer, but why are all these comments coming in italics?

I think the only reason to give him an up arrow would be because this week was “one of his better ones”…what’s sad is that this is the kind of week we were expecting from him when we got him. I’d ask for a goal or two (and maybe no injury?) before giving him an up.

For Sha Mo, it was having wisdom teeth removed. So, he’ll be good and swollen up for a bit. I was surprised that he was being “rested” as a “healthy” scratch the day before his surgery, unless his teeth were bothering him, which was prompting the timing of the surgery for prior to the playoffs. (I would normally recommend do it after the playoffs but I understand that there could be issues prompting the surgery to be now.)

MP85 played a pretty good game yesterday. He’s got a lot of heart, but if he could put 10 more pounds of muscle on his frame…

Gotta be the right muscle. Muscle for muscle’s sake will just slow him down and take away from the agility and shiftiness that make him effective.

He got in a fight, got hit pretty hard, left the game looking woozy, and hasn’t played since. He’s probably injured, but it might not be his knee.

I hear that he (Walker) did have his knee wrapped up during practice.

One offensive zone, one neutral.

Worked for me.

sorry about messing up the board there. my only other comment on Q was that he barely gets any PK time but was on the ice for 0 goals against on the PK.

as for the fourth line, they tied with the first line for even strength goals in the three games this week.

my comments on Q are semi-tongue in cheek but from my seats, i thought he did a good job in the pens game. basically did what he was called on to do in the limited minutes he’s given. and i’d rather a guy slip and hit his goalie trying to hustle back to help vs watch the play from the opposing blue line.

call me an idiot if you will. i watch the game the way i want. i’m staying on topic and putting in my two cents just like others. happy to debate the pros and cons and clearly whether or not JP given Q an up/down arrow is not going to make my day any better or worse.

Was Q’s minus against PIT the first or third goal? I thought the 4th line was out for the third goal but maybe Q was on the bench.

What a fantastic photo! Holiday card quality.

Request… denied.

He doesn’t look that bad now.

seconded on disbanding Corpoti. Those are two are guys whose instincts are offensive minded—despite all the PK minutes Poti inexplicably continues to receive. I think Schultz is fine with Green, and I’d be just as happy to see Corvo with Mo and the Hero with Poti.

Never happen, though.

Honestly, when actually watching Corvo and Poti play together, I’d say the breakdowns are about 90% Poti’s fault. He’s basically doing the same thing he’s done all year, it’s just that now Corvo’s stuck with him.

Does anyone know if BtN includes the stats from a previous team in their spreadsheets? They’ve got Corvo listed as having played 43 games on the Caps’ page.

And a lovely spreadsheet it is… great stuff!

I agree. I’m really liking him. Obviously there is a lot to be seen on how he matures as a player over the next couple years, but I really think our team has a good future in him, which will be invaluable over the long run.

Carlson’s GA – On/60 5v4? 0.00

(Limited sample, but zero is still zero.)

I had been thinking the same thing, too, he looks way more confident since he was recalled from Hershey. Not just joining the rush but moving the puck out of the defensive zone.

…I never looked at that photo that way before. Astonishing what the Staals seem to end up doing at VC. Of course, this isn’t the weirdest thing the Staal’s have done in DC. Something about Semin and bongos….

Rec’d as both a funny line and solid way of thinking.

He was head hunting out there against the Penguins. Love that intensity and hope to see it in the playoffs.

Seems about right. Maybe a little tough to give Theo the even sign but he was pretty bad yesterday and that first Penguin goal was a poor decision by him. Just cover that puck. Varlamov is slowly but surely getting better. Hopefully he gets his game back by the time the playoffs roll around/Theo goes cold.

Actually, I thought they were about spot on. Didn’t feel a need to quibble.

Varlamov put in a 3 period game, looking stronger. It’s going to suck if he has a killer game, but at this point it’s far more safe to enter the postseason with two .910+ capable goalies.

You know that somehow, Varly’s going to pull off some ridiculous 37-save shutout and that Theo will crap the bed once more before the year is out (probably in Pittsburgh), and we’ll have to hear about a goalie controversy.

It’s not that cut-and-dried. Have a gander at the article above thereherecomments.