Recap: Canadiens 3, Caps 2 (OT)
by David Getz on Apr 15, 2010 11:07 PM EDT
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When the Capitals wound up drawing the Canadiens in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, it seemed like the consensus was Montreal stood little chance of making it a competitive series, let alone advancing to the second round. In short order, #CapsInThree became a fairly popular Twitter tag, pundits were almost unanimously picking Washington, and even SBN's Canadiens blog, Habs Eyes on the Prize, seemed less than optimistic about Montreal's chances. Nonetheless, it seemed pretty clear that two potential wrinkles - a bad Washington penalty kill, and a hot goaltender for the Canadiens - could present problems for the Capitals. And they're exactly what did our guys in tonight.
By just about any metric, the Capitals controlled this game. They out-shot the Canadiens, 47-38, they out-hit the Canadiens, 37-24, they were 45-27 in the faceoff circle. . . but a bad Tom Poti clear after a bad Nicklas Backstrom penalty let the Habs get on the board first, and a stellar Jaroslav Halak made getting the offense's puck control and scoring chances to add up to anything on the scoreboard a challenge.
Ultimately the Canadiens did exactly what they needed to do to beat a better opponent, and I suppose in that there is a silver lining. Montreal played a perfect game for this situation, the Caps did not, and the Habs still barely came out on top. If we can take anything positive away from this game, it's that.
Ten additional thoughts on tonight's game:
- Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Mike Green accounted for 75:35 of ice time (including 18:46 on the powerplay) and finished with a combined eight shots on goal, zero points, and a minus-one rating. That includes zero shots on goal for Ovechkin, who was shut down better than anyone in the Montreal dressing room could have hoped for. It goes without saying that if the Caps can't get those guys can't get going, they're in a lot of trouble.
- As a whole I thought John Carlson's first NHL playoff game was a very good outing for the young man, especially considering his age and position. But, John, buddy, I don't think I'm the only one wishing you'd taken a shot on that two-on-one late in the third.
- Mike Knuble's reputation is as a big, strong forward who generates most of his offense within ten feet of the opponent's net, and with good cause. It is, after all, how he has fashioned a career for himself in the NHL. But the presence of mind and the deft touch he showed in that drop pass to set up Nicklas Backstrom's third period goal were attributes you'd more likely expect to see out of a guy like, well, Nicklas Backstrom.
- Three bigs hits for Caps when they were actually being lined by Canadiens players: Brooks Laich on Scott Gomez, Nicklas Backstrom on Jaroslav Spacek, and Mike Green on Tomas Plekanec. Obviously it's just one game, but that bodes well for the long-term physical battle of this series.
- Joe Corvo's first-period goal was awesome. Not awesome in the sense that it was a highlight reel goal where he blasted a hundred-mile-per-hour slapshot past the netminder or deked out several opposing players and picked the top corner, but awesome because it was a smart play where a guy made the most of an awkward situation. The Capitals are big enough, quick enough, and good enough around the net that getting the puck through traffic to the goaltender is going to create scoring chances, either via a screen, tip, or rebound, or by giving the forwards a chance to cycle the puck. For a guy who has been much maligned in his career for making mental mistakes, that was a pretty savvy play.
- Speaking of which, seeing the first goal of the postseason go down as Corvo from Eric Belanger and Jason Chimera must make George McPhee pretty happy. Or, it probably did for a little while.
- Interesting night for the top defensive pairing. We figured Mike Green would be better suited to play well in this postseason this year than last year given his health, and we figured he would be paying special attention to his defensive game, but no one expected him to be as tentative as he was tonight. As for Jeff Schultz, given his playoff history and on-ice demeanor, I admit to being a little worried about how he'd fair in the playoffs. But, aside from one bad shift in overtime, Sarge was very solid.
- When Travis Moen hit John Carlson on that icing call midway through the third period, I thought to myself, "That's crap. That should be a penalty, but it's not going to get called because it's the third period of a playoff game". Obviously I was wrong, and I couldn't be happier about. That type of play is exactly the kind of thing we don't need in the game.
- It certainly looks like Jason Chimera's combination of speed, strength, and work ethic are going to be a problem for Montreal in this series, as evidenced by the early penalty he drew and the way Canadien defensemen - particularly Hal Gill - were playing so far off him. That's part of what's so great about Chimera's game: even when he's not putting up points he's contributing by wearing out the opposition. That's a great guy to have on your team, especially when you consider the grind of the postseason and the fact that guys are a lot more likely to get paid for getting on the scoresheet than they are for doing the smaller, unpleasant things that so often win games.
- Finally, I think it's only fair to give a shout out to Jose Theodore. The stat line isn't spectacular, but Theo made some big saves to bail out his team and weathered the overtime storm with a lot of poise. It's a shame the guys couldn't pull one out for him.
One game in the books. Still sixteen wins to go.
Remember, even in the postseason, it's a marathon, not a sprint, and the Caps have enough talent that this could wind up being little more than a small bump in the road.
(Knock on wood.)
Game Highlights:
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Spacek and Hamrlik completely owned Ovechkin tonight, no space, no shots nothing.
They have done that all season and will continue to do that unless our top line creates space.
0-3 on the PP will not cut it in the post season
Theo and Halak both stood on their heads for their teams, but Montreal outworked us, and tired us in the 2nd, parts of the 3rd, and OT.
Reffing wasn’t stellar tonight, phantom call on Corvo, missed tripping on a semi -breakway for Montreal.
If the Caps can keep bringing the energy they had in the first, and find a way to solve Spacek and Hamrlik, this series ends on the 5th game.
This is not one and out, there are more games, more goals, and less defensive breakdowns to happen.
I Laich the Professor.
resident master jinxer
Watching the highlights, seems like tons of opportunities against while AO-19-22 were on the ice.
Also, I don’t think Tom Poti + 1 min = AO ice time.
Cидни Kросби: Александр Oвечкин, он твой папа теперь
Capitals Coming: for Capitals fans who can bear reading something less intelligent than a story at Japers' Rink
by red army line on Apr 15, 2010 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions
I think that as a line 22-19-08 had their fair share of chances.
But as a player, I think Ovechkin got dominated by Spacek and Hamrlik.
I have been reviewing footage from all the games vs Montreal this season, and its the same story each time for Ovechkin vs Spacek and Hamrlik.
I Laich the Professor.
resident master jinxer
Ovi TOI vs MTL D-men
I understand it’s hard to see, you’ll probably want to click the link to look at it, but I took the shift chart (posted way down below) and compressed it, with Ovi in the middle of the 6 MTL D-men, to more clearly show was matched up against him.
Download Link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4525298736_90db21cfe5_b.jpg
http://www.timeonice.com/H2H0910.html?GameNumber=30111&submit=Go
Semin?
Yeah, Ovie had 0 shots on goal…but he was being targeted. I don’t think anyone played worse than Semin tonight.
I thought Semin shot the puck a fair amount and wasn’t a turnover machine. He was aggressive. It’s when he’s passive that I worry. That is when he plays sloppy/ Didn’t score, but he was close. He was shooting high on Halak just like he should. Eventually they’ll hit the target.
"You ever use smelling salts, every time you type a bad blog?" Brooks Laich
by Carl Putnam on Apr 15, 2010 11:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Early on I found Sasha a tad reckless and off-keel. But as said in DMG’s review once he started aiming him on Halak all was forgiven
For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.
by Rather Bengt on Apr 15, 2010 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions
aiming high*
For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.
by Rather Bengt on Apr 15, 2010 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions
The ice at VC is, and always will be terrible ice.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions
I felt Semin was horrible and only had two decent plays. The plus side? He stayed out of the box.
(Yes, I know about the avatar hounding - just pretend mine is invisible.)
Uhhh, no he didn’t? Right?
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Semin took the first penalty and it was hooking. I did not feel it was a good penalty.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
by souldrummer on Apr 16, 2010 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Thought so.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Meaning, the sloppy way he was playing I expected him to be a regular resident of the box.
(Yes, I know about the avatar hounding - just pretend mine is invisible.)
But semantics wise I am correct.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Do you need that validation?
(Yes, I know about the avatar hounding - just pretend mine is invisible.)
Right now, yes. It’s all I have.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
He was the first Cap to take a penalty…
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Apr 16, 2010 8:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Seriously, it’s a bit much to lump Semin’s shots in with Ovi’s and Green’s - Semin had 6 shots on goal (Ovi 0 and Green 2). Similarly on +/, Semin and Ovi were even; Green was the only minus of the 3. That first “thought” misrepresents the facts for the players. It really sounds like you wanted to say Ovi was shut down, so why drag others into that thought? I would see whatever criticism you have of Green and Semin to be separate from Ovi’s problems on the night.
Semin wasn’t great, but he wasn’t terrible. Ovechkin looked like hot garbage out there, and it wasn’t just because of the D. He was flubbing passes, couldn’t hit the net for his life, and looked like he was skating in quicksand out there. He has to be a lot better.
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Apr 16, 2010 12:41 AM EDT up reply actions
>:(
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
More like :’’(
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions
No
>:( 0 shots on goal? REALLY?
Not.Impressed.At.All.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
Oh well. Yeah
You can tell Ovechkin has had a bad game when many of us start speculating that he is injured
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions
I just re-watched the 1st period. The only thing Ovechkin hurt was his pride.
by Gin and Tonic on Apr 16, 2010 12:25 AM EDT up reply actions
Steak or Lobster, John Carlson? What'll it be?
Now helping to keep an eye on all things Gr8 at Alex Ovetjkin.
I guarantee Carlson doesn’t know what libations means.
by galaxysong9 on Apr 15, 2010 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions
He better not until he turns 21…
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Apr 16, 2010 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions
Belanger 15 for 16 in the dot during regulation is pretty damn impressive
For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.
Caps F/O performance tonight was outstanding. The one area I truly can’t complain about.
"You ever use smelling salts, every time you type a bad blog?" Brooks Laich
by Carl Putnam on Apr 15, 2010 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Very true. I also meant in general. I thought Belanger had a very strong game.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions
He did.
"You ever use smelling salts, every time you type a bad blog?" Brooks Laich
by Carl Putnam on Apr 15, 2010 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Belanger was noticeably better more comfortable and effective last week. Looking for a big playoff from him.
Hey let's go, today is going to be our night
by redlineblue on Apr 15, 2010 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I would also like to point out — the official CLOSEST to the play signaled tip (he was also wearing orange armbands). The linesman from the blueline was the one who really overruled. Still I think it was the right call, but I feel as if the guy in the orange armbands, closest to the play, saw it best.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 16, 2010 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions
It is impressive, but how much more over rated can faceoffs be?
Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.
Well, considering that winning Face-Offs let you maintain possesion. . .not that much.
i do see your point, sometimes it seems like FOs are taken too seriously because it is only a very small element of the game time wise. But they are pretty damn important
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions
The Canadiens executed their game plan perfectly tonight, but a couple of Caps had pretty ugly games. Very frustrating to watch.
"Now wait a minute. This is just purely a social call. You know, just two adults getting a stew on, man."
by The Ghost of Bebop on Apr 15, 2010 11:16 PM EDT reply actions
AO was awful tonight. No shots and even fewer hits. He’s got to recognize that they’re going to play him like that, and he’s just got to get the puck to the net on the ice, not the net above the glass. I am sick of seeing him constantly playing out the same script time and time, again. Adjust, OV!
/rant
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 15, 2010 11:16 PM EDT reply actions
Not once did Ovie try a curl and drag, a drive wide, or anything other than trying to shoot through his D-man. He might be well served to try and mix it up a bit so that they can’t gap up quite as much — he has the speed and strength to make them back off if he shows he’s going to use it from time to time.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions
I still think Spacek was channelling Douglas Murray out there. Excellent game by him.
For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.
by Rather Bengt on Apr 15, 2010 11:20 PM EDT up reply actions
He had great positioning, but as far as guarding Ovie. . .i feel like i could’ve done that. . .no rly. . .
When a player does that same charge, over, and over, and over. You know its coming. . .all u need to do is skate along side him and keep your stick right infront of his. You don’t even need to poke check or body check him. Just keep your stick infront of his, between the puck and the goal. And it will get deflected. Hence, 0 SOG
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, they have the book on Ovie’s drive down the left wall and strafe into the middle.
Spacek played great, but as a hockey player myself, it is very easy to cover a guy like that
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions
The other thing is that he, for better or for worse, always leaves the puck exposed when he moves laterally. He never overskates to put his body between the puck and D-man, cuts harder to the middle — more at 90 degrees — to make something happen.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, that move can often catch the D off guard, their stick is towards the wall, preparing for the skater to move by them along the wall, stick ready to try for the puck. When they cut towards the middle, the D has no stick to guard your shot, and you can blast a shot by them and use the defender to screen the goalie.
Cant do this when they know u are going to cut, and there are 2 backcheckers right behind u, and the other D man is there to block your shot too.
He has the moves, he just has chosen not to use them
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions
If good defensive play really were as easy as you make it out to be, than why don’t more players excel at it?
Well, if you look at the majority of the games Ovie has had since the Olympic break, they have been stopping the charge and strafe almost every time
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions
I suppose the point I was trying to make is that everyone seems to be of the opinion that defense is easy to play and to teach. If that were really true, then why aren’t more teams better defensively? In my opinion it’s easier to bang in a garbage goal than it is to shut down another team.
Well i was saying that NHL caliber defensemen, of relatively low talent, can make the defensive play mentioned above on a hockey god like Ovechkin.
I play hockey, i know almost everything in hockey is easier said than done. In this case though, it is just skating and puck tracking when you KNOW the move Ovie is going to pull.
The second he starts changing it up, he starts making goals. Well, he needs to tweek his shot a lil bit too.
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions
I pin the OT goal on ShaMo. Was caught out of position and had to turn to catch Plecanec which allowed him a clean lateral shot on goal.
Bruce Boudreau when asked about Brooks Laich's return to the lineup, he said: "He just adds another dimension to our team. If it was puzzle, he just fits that thing. He completes us."
If Corvo doesn’t back up like a scared child he wouldn’t had room to take the shot. Someone call me the first time he’s gets aggressive positionally or physically.
"You ever use smelling salts, every time you type a bad blog?" Brooks Laich
by Carl Putnam on Apr 15, 2010 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions
The last time he got aggressive physically he almost got into serious legal trouble. rimshot
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:20 PM EDT up reply actions
FML. I hate this team.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
No I’m not. This team is just frustrating as fuck.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Absolutely. I knew it was over when we went into OT.
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 15, 2010 11:27 PM EDT up reply actions
So did I. I told my dad it was over and just sat there, not even flinching when the caps got a chance. Fuck.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
I want out
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Too late.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Nooooooooooooooo!
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
You missed the “I am going to jump off of a cliff” portion of the night on the GDT.
It was bad.
Oh and, Saturday couldn’t come sooner. Cause i feel like the team lied to us about “being ready for the play-offs”
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Please win on Saturday, Caps. I can’t stand them to get into another 2-0 hole.
Rocking the Red since 1975
I am jumping off of the cliff if that happens. We will still in the series i bet, but it will probably take 7 games. And that doesn’t bode well at all against any team that doesnt suck balls. Which there wont be in the 2nd round
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:47 PM EDT up reply actions
0-2 hole and I’m a nervous wreck.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
lol I am a nervous wreck right now >.<
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:57 PM EDT up reply actions
With this offense we can get out of most holes. No panic till 0-3, but 0-2 will cause major concern. 0-1 is just fucking unfortunate.
Proud member of the Popsicle Division of the Cupcake Conference.
Well said my friend. Well said. I think 0-2 with Theo heading into Montreal, though is different than 0-2 with Varly heading into MSG.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
by souldrummer on Apr 16, 2010 12:00 AM EDT up reply actions
Home-Run Pass Attempts
While I agree with the “no need to panic” takeaway (Habs played pretty much a perfect game and still needed OT), I’m a bit worried about the home-run pass attempts. My view from the cheap seats is that we tried to many of them, especially in the 3rd period and OT. It didn’t entirely burn us, but doesn’t show adjustment.
Our neutral zone play was AWFUL. We turned the puck over repeatedly and failed to slow down the Habs, see goal, Brian Gionta.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Give Montreal some credit. The Jacques Martin coached Canadiens like to play the neutral zone trap, and the pressure they put on the Capitals going through the neutral zone forced turnovers, on which the Canadiens capitalized. That’s classic trap. Rigid, disciplined and frustrating as hell, but extremely effective when executed right.
The Habs aren’t even that good at the trap. They scored one trap goal and gave up 40+ shots. Not exactly a recipe for success. They did shut down the top two lines of the Caps because the Caps refused to simplify the game but it’s not like we saw an “extremely effective” trap last night. Which is all the more frustrating; the Caps have problems with even a half-assed trap. WTF.
Tom Poti will never win a Cup.
Changes for Saturday
Pretty apparent that B.Mo and Walker are in. Who is out? Personally, one of each of the following pairs Brads/Gordo and Flash/Fehr
Why would u say Walker is in?
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I think he’s a grit guy that we got for the playoffs and his contributions are underrated. He’s not a bad hockey player.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:32 PM EDT up reply actions
He is good, and i like the guy
But no one on the 3rd or 4th lines did anything to get taken out of the POs
Needs to be
Laich-Bmo-Semin
Flash-Belanger-Fehr
Chimera-Steckel-Bradley
or
Laich-Belanger-Semin
Chimera-Bmo-Fehr
Gordo-Steckel-Bradley
Oh, and
Green-Schultz
Carlson-Corvo
ShaMo-Sloan
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Just in case we need a 13th forward.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions
Pretty much. Enter Swingman; he is like 2 players in 1.
oh, and Poti doesnt dress. . .that would be ++++
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:19 AM EDT up reply actions
No to Sloan in this (or any other) series unless the backline is severely injured.
They're coming.
by Bald Pollack on Apr 16, 2010 7:34 AM EDT up reply actions
Disagree, the 4th line was easily our best line all night. I doubt they change.
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 15, 2010 11:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Longtime Caps fan and Japer’s reader. Did some interning with SBNation. Finally felt like I should chime in with like-minded individuals.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Right, was wondering about that.
Welcome to the active commenters of the Rink, I just hadn’t recalled seeing you post before and now BAM! Flurry of posts!
I Laich the Professor.
resident master jinxer
Thanks for the welcome. These boards are much better than the ESPN ones. I’ve spent some time over there too.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Also, I think BB looks at the performance tonight and knows that we need a bit of a change and a spark. Walker is the kind of guy who can provide that spark.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree…I just don’t know who he’d replace. I wouldn’t mind Flash sitting in favor of B.Mo. I liked Gordo in there tonight…sit Brads? Fehr?
I think Flash and Fehr have both fallen off tremendously from their midseason form. That being said, Fehr was a bit more dangerous tonight so I think I’d sit Flash.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions
But who does Walker replace? I’ve liked what he brought in the regular season…just don’t know who to sacrifice for him.
I think Brads. He had a few good hits and that line did play well, but I don’t think he brought anything that Walker doesn’t bring from a physical standpoint, and its not THAT hard to establish a cycle and grind it out.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Walker and Brads are interchangeable parts.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions
It is unfair to Fehr to lump him in with Flash. Flash has been useless for the past month or so. Fehr I thought was solid tonight.
The keyboard is mightier.
What fucking hockey have you been watching?
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Also, Fehr can, and often does, actually add something besides offensive production to the game. Flash doesn’t.
Note: I didn’t see the game today.
I have to go. But if I find one single dog hair when I get back, I'll rub... sand... in your dead little eyes. I also need you to buy sand. I don't know if they grade it, but... coarse.
by Steckel Me Elmo on Apr 15, 2010 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Flash wasn’t bad. He gave up on a few defensive plays, but so did Semin and Ovechkin, and neither of them produced offensively tonight either.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Flash stunk.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
He was fine. You’re a bitch.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Also fuck sloan.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Fuck Erskine.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
I’m not clamoring for ice time for him.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Uh, I don’t think I’ve clamored for sloan to get more ice in the playoffs.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
I’m just giving you shit so you’ll hate me and feel better about your favorite Washington based sports team.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:00 AM EDT up reply actions
i already hate you ;)
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Stimmt~
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions
Flash was invisible tonight. I guess that qualifies as fine if you’re not looking for offense.
"Now wait a minute. This is just purely a social call. You know, just two adults getting a stew on, man."
by The Ghost of Bebop on Apr 15, 2010 11:58 PM EDT up reply actions
The entire offense was fucking invisible. He was nowhere NEAR worse than Ovechkin, Backstrom, or Semin tonight.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Semin pissed me off so much tonight.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
If the net was 6×18 he’d have been a fucking dynamo.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions
But it fucking isn’t. He’s worthless. Trade him.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
I wouldn’t cry. At this point, I’d take Hamhuis for Semin.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions
Um, okay!
On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber
by Chris Burton on Apr 16, 2010 6:59 AM EDT up reply actions
HI I’M SICK
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions
It seemed like he was too amped up. He was wild as hell. Not worried about him, once he settles we’ll be lapping it up.
by Kolzilla on Apr 16, 2010 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Now I wouldn’t say that. Flash got the puck in or into a decent position a few times but then reverted to his old form of bumbling near the net.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:59 PM EDT up reply actions
He had scoring chances, won FOs, made a few good defensive plays. A few, but more than nothing.
Relative to how his normal effort, he had a muchhh better game than most
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:59 PM EDT up reply actions
They play very well together. Flash has not been useless, just not great, looked good tonight.
Fehr and Flash usually bring out the best in each other. . .maybe cause BB loves Flash so much Fehr gets more time by being on the same line as him. . .but it is what it is
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:58 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s not because Fehr gets more ice time, it’s because their playstyles complement each other very well.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Indeed, idk if we will see them together in the POs. . .but we can hope
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions
I had really sweet seats at least, front row club level! I about died.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
I have no clue, but they were amazing. No fucking leaners!
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
The only bad thing about club level is the fucking suits. I apologize in advance, I’m in a swearing mood.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
So am fucking I. But I’m going to bed soon, so I hopefully won’t get in too much trouble.
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 15, 2010 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m going to try and read the thread. How was UJ?
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
I’m glad your seats were good, because I had leaners for like 5 rows in front of me. Luckily I was in seat 1 so I could lean into the aisle to see passed them when need be.
Playing on my iPod- Justin Bieber, Hanna Montana, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Cosgrove and The Jonas Brothers.
by Knubles and Bits on Apr 16, 2010 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions
I was in the clubs too and we had a leaner / stander right in my line of sight to the “caps shoot twice” goal. Drove me nuts all through the first period, but I didn’t have the heart to say anything b/c she was pretty obviously a first-timer (taking pics, calling her friends on the phone) and having the time of her life, and she was into the game.
Second period starts, she’s now only blocking my view of Theo but she’s blocking another guys view of Halak. Every two minutes he’s shouting “Down in front!” Finally mid-period, he belts out “YOU HAVE TO SIT THE F*** DOWN AND SIT BACK SO THE F**** REST OF US CAN SEE GODAMNIT!”
Third period was all good.
We had a ton of chances. A couple more go in (and they will) and we’re fine. No need to press the panic button after one game. And I agree with the person above who said that Semin was alright as he was shooting a lot. As he said, it’s when he’s passive that you have to worry. We’ll get’em Saturday.
I seem to remember another team that took an early loss from a plucky team that overachieved in a one game scenario showed more heart and benefitted from heroic goaltending. While the opposition’s goaltender is now a hero, eventually the favored rose to the challenge.
Dare I say it: Take heart favorites. Team Canada won.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
For Once, Take Solace in the NHL's Plan
/hope
/logic?
Here’s another way to look at it. We all know the NHL is going to “help” the Pens win their series. I believe the NHL wants Ovechkin vs. Crosby again. Thus, the NHL “helps” us win this one.
/logic
/hope
Nah, the Caps will win this series due to their own waking the fuck up. They’ll be fine. MTL can cherish this one.
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 15, 2010 11:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Crowd "vibes"
Versus announcers thought the crowd seemed nervous in OT. Could that have contributed at least a little? Was anyone there?
The keyboard is mightier.
I was calmly sitting in my seat, waiting for them to lose.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
With her arms folded. but that started middle of the third. grin.
"Right now, I can't wait for the playoffs." -- Mike Green 1/18/2010
More like head in my hands praying to the hockey god that they stop messing around after this game.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
I was there. I missed last yr game 1, but this year, in my opinion, was not as pumped pre-game as Flyers 2yrs ago. Makes sense, since expectations are higher. But I think the nerves of having those high expectations definitely impacted us. We almost need to be written off just a bit to get into things.
Right before the inexplicable ice cleaning, the crowd had REALLY gotten into it. “Let’s Go Caps” was shaking the rafters. Then everything petered out as we sat for however long it took them to shovel snow.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions
The sheet since ATL last week has looked smooth as a river rock, at least from my spot.
Hey let's go, today is going to be our night
by redlineblue on Apr 15, 2010 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions
WTF was that?? The crowd was roaring, the red ‘commercial’ light was not on (natch) and then they’re shoveling and icing the kicker! That was a Poti clear by operations.
Hey let's go, today is going to be our night
by redlineblue on Apr 15, 2010 11:39 PM EDT up reply actions
It kinda drained the energy out, we were rocking, my morose self had even started chanting.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
I was watching on TV (locally, CSN broadcast). It was at a point which, during a normal period, there would by a TV break for commercials. Bennenati stated there are no commercials during OT periods. Which then begs the question, why did the officials break?
ah-VEECH-kin
Clean the ice. They always stop in playoff ot after the first stoppage after the 10 minute mark just for some ice clean up.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions
I was there patiently awaiting a loss.
Playing on my iPod- Justin Bieber, Hanna Montana, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Cosgrove and The Jonas Brothers.
by Knubles and Bits on Apr 16, 2010 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions
With good reason, considering the Caps have won one OT game in the playoffs since the lock out and had lost 4… (now it’s 5…)
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Apr 16, 2010 8:57 AM EDT up reply actions
Why am I not at all surprised to see Poti + “failed clear” in the same sentence when discussing a Caps PPGA?
And this loss doesn’t even anger or upset me. I was completely expecting it.
I have to go. But if I find one single dog hair when I get back, I'll rub... sand... in your dead little eyes. I also need you to buy sand. I don't know if they grade it, but... coarse.
by Steckel Me Elmo on Apr 15, 2010 11:33 PM EDT reply actions
The only reason I’m upset is the way we lost, and how completely ineffective AO was. Honestly, that’s it. I’m prepared to move on to Sat, but I’m going to stew about AO’s performance until then.
by DrinkingPartner on Apr 15, 2010 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions
That’s a fallacy.
AO has had a bad “game” since the Olympics
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions
I am just saying, no player is perfect, I think that Ovechkin’s performance tonight was poor.
But we can hardly place the blame completely on his shoulders.
I Laich the Professor.
resident master jinxer
Oh definitely not, hockey is a team game.
However, he needs to stop doing the same left-wall charge, strafe into high slot. THey’ve got the book on that one. He has sooo many more moves that he can use.
And, he has got to get his shots on net, there were quite a few that, i am convinced, had he gotten them on net, they would’ve gone in
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions
This is where, in my opinion, the coaching comes in.
BB needs to identify how ineffective Ovechkin’s “strafing” is, especially vs Hamrlik and Spacek, and show him how to adjust his play.
By throwing it deep, allowing Backstrom to enter the zone, whatever.
I Laich the Professor.
resident master jinxer
For sure, BB needs to kick all of their asses tonight. Throw a few people under the bus in the postgame. Bench Poti. Change the lines.
I am thinking he does 1,2, and 4.
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Ovie got out there a few times against Gill and he did a heck of a job on Ovie as well. MTL’s D played great. Ovie had an off night….I think things will work out fine for you guys.
by genomachine-O on Apr 16, 2010 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions
He’s the best player on the ice and the team captain. It’s only fair that he shoulder a lot of the blame. Can we go into full blown panic mode if he looks just as awful on Saturday?
I think that even with a potential disappointing performance by the Captain, the Caps will win Saturday’s game.
I think that this is where Ovechkin has the opportunity to really go to the next level with his game, by learning to adjust his style to find space, or find someone for the pass in the slot, whatever it takes.
I Laich the Professor.
resident master jinxer
I will say this. This team goes as Alex goes. They feed of him when he is playing well, and it seems when he has an off night, the team is off as well.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m starting to think he’s an argument for not letting NHLers go to the Olympics (heresy) mid-season. He has not been the same since, although I thought he was about to be in Chicago when Campbell happened. Then he had a setback that seems to continue.
I think the suspension on the Campbell hit basically did him in for this season. He just hasn’t been the same player. Hasn’t played with the save verve.
Rocking the Red since 1975
Yea, if Ovie had the hit things that move adrenaline going, we might have eeked out a win.
Proud member of the Popsicle Division of the Cupcake Conference.
The problem is, when he does a normal hit, people get hurt and …… suspension. Which we can’t afford.
He’s got that in the back of his mind. Plus, let’s face it, he does NOT get the benefit of the doubt from the officials.
Rocking the Red since 1975
Agreed. It was disturbing to watch him get knocked down so often. This was just the second time all season he’d been held without a shot as well. Couple this with the Tarik tweet about him not being 100% the other day and I’m a little worried. Actually, a lot worried.
Really? Shit. With all the falling he’s had, and non hitting, and just general unOvieness, maybe he pulled a groin.
Proud member of the Popsicle Division of the Cupcake Conference.
Give him a night off.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions
Semin.
Who else?
Playing on my iPod- Justin Bieber, Hanna Montana, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Cosgrove and The Jonas Brothers.
by Knubles and Bits on Apr 16, 2010 12:42 AM EDT up reply actions
What else would you do?
So you would recommend scratching Ovi for Saturday?
Rocking the Red since 1975
No not at all but,
You asked who would replace him as 1LW. That’s an easy answer.
Playing on my iPod- Justin Bieber, Hanna Montana, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Cosgrove and The Jonas Brothers.
by Knubles and Bits on Apr 16, 2010 12:58 AM EDT up reply actions
It upsets me because I thought this year was fucking different and they weren’t playing around with dying hair or stupid mohawk, just business. But no.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
I can’t say I’m shocked, but to have the widely regarded “World’s Greatest Player” lay an egg like that, upsets and worries me. Especially given his extremely uneven performance since the Olympics. Wasn’t the battle cry all about the playoffs? This is what matters? I can deal with being held off the score sheet, but until I see the AO we all are used to, it’s going to be a little uneasy.
Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.
A couple of things of which I’d like to see more:
1) Alex Ovechkin dumping and chasing the puck when he can see he’s got about to get Spacek in his grill. In general, more dump-and-chase. Our forwards are faster than their d-men.
2) Fewer forwards waiting for home run passes in the far end of the neutral zone.
3) A little more patience with the puck. We turned over a lot of pucks in the offensive zone on low-percentage shot attempts from 50 feet out, which never allowed us to get bodies to the net in order to let screens develop. The few times that really happened, it led to some good scoring chances for us (e.g. Corvo’s goal, Backstrom’s goal, Backstrom’s near-goal).
All in all, we came out humming in the first period, but right after Gomez’s goal in the third, we looked like we were trying just a little too hard to force things, instead of playing our more patient puck-possession game. I think once we get past the jitters, we’ll be all right.
"Ovechkin, what is good in life?"
"To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their captain."
Oh, and I would also like the officials not to ask for an ice cleaning right after an icing call. There’s a reason the NHL doesn’t go to TV timeout after an icing call. Probably didn’t change anything, but it was still a WTF sort of moment.
"Ovechkin, what is good in life?"
"To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their captain."
Crowd Schmowd. I’m more upset about Montreal’s top line, who were probably tired after a pretty sustained forechecking effort from the caps, getting a free timeout and rest before a defensive zone draw.
"Ovechkin, what is good in life?"
"To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their captain."
only 1 game no biggie
all the good teams are down 1-0 basically
TULO = 2010 MVP!
Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."
LETS GO WINGS!
yeah, but we should be up 1-0.
Really tired of making excuses for this team.
I won’t say anything about PHX because you came over to try to console us.
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Phoenix deserves to be up. They’re a damn good team.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions
We weren’t gonna say that because he came over and was all nice and stuff!
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions
Obviously I’m here tonight to piss people off.
But really, that series is one of the ones I’m going to love watching.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions
;D. You got me off of the cliff, so you’ll get no flak from me.
Oh yeah, that was a great game yesterday. It is going to be a great series. . .and i can root for PHX without being too emotionally invested in it
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions
phoenix def deserved game 1 good for them
all we need to do is get 1 in Phoenix and we should be fine…i am not worried yet about the Wings…we won’t allow 3 effin pp goals again
TULO = 2010 MVP!
Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."
LETS GO WINGS!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Apr 15, 2010 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions
that being said i missed most of the game tonight
Habs were outplayed i assume?…just got a few lucky breaks?
TULO = 2010 MVP!
Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."
LETS GO WINGS!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Apr 15, 2010 11:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Habs COMPLETELY outplayed us. Which is why I’m not too worried. That won’t happen four times.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah
still sticking with Caps in 5
TULO = 2010 MVP!
Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."
LETS GO WINGS!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Apr 15, 2010 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah for now
i feel no pressure in these playoffs on my Wings…we have been to the finals 2 straight years…all the pressure in the West is on the Sharks Hawks and Canucks
TULO = 2010 MVP!
Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."
LETS GO WINGS!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Apr 16, 2010 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions
As a Wings fan, what would you recommend the Caps do to get further in the playoffs? What kind of personnel changes would be recommend?
Rocking the Red since 1975
score more goals than the other team
TULO = 2010 MVP!
Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."
LETS GO WINGS!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Apr 16, 2010 6:10 AM EDT up reply actions
Except for those 10 minutes!
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Honestly, in the first period, it looked like the Caps had just turned the switch on, and were about to start an amazing play-off run. They had possesion most of the game, had great shots, left the period tied, but i was ready for the Caps to explode on Montreal. Then the 2nd period. The entire time, Caps were on their heels, passing too much, pretty much all the bad things happened, and Halak played out of his mind. 3rd period all the same. OT. . .the same
Caps got outplayed, really outplayed.
Either this is exactly what the Caps needed as a shock to the system (as if losing all those games in the end of the season wasn’t enough) or its a very bad sign of what is to come
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions
hopefully it is just the shock they need
i think you guys will still be fine….if you lose saturday…thennn it is panic time
TULO = 2010 MVP!
Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."
LETS GO WINGS!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Apr 15, 2010 11:53 PM EDT up reply actions
same for yall i guess.
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:02 AM EDT up reply actions
even down 0-2
for my team at least i won’t be in panic mode…Wings have been through this playoff rodeo many times…i wouldn’t be shocked if we lost to Phoenix anyway they are a very tough young team…but i won’t be big time worried unless we were down 0-3 in the series
TULO = 2010 MVP!
Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."
LETS GO WINGS!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Apr 16, 2010 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m not worried until we’re down 4-anynumber.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions
there ya go
TULO = 2010 MVP!
Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."
LETS GO WINGS!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Apr 16, 2010 12:11 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m pretty even keeled.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions
It’s the Meds!
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions
Nah, I’m always even keeled.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:14 AM EDT up reply actions
How are ya feeling btw? Seemed like u were pretty ill yesterday
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions
Fucking awful.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions
>.<
Do you think it may be something serious? or just one of those rly bad colds
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:16 AM EDT up reply actions
I know exactly what it is. A quintuple infection.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Sounds serious. . .may want to see someone for that.
Saltines and Ginger-Ale is what i’d say!
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:21 AM EDT up reply actions
I have.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions
watching highlights now
both goalies look solid
TULO = 2010 MVP!
Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."
LETS GO WINGS!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Apr 15, 2010 11:55 PM EDT up reply actions
I suppose I should be nervous or upset, but I’m not even remotely approaching those two emotions. After 82 games of mostly excellence, I trust this team. I’ve always been of the belief that over a seven game series, the bigger, faster, more skilled team will win and nothing I saw tonight changes that notion. Theo was good but Halak was better and a tad luckier. I don’t think he can do it three more times though, just like I didn’t believe Lundquist could do it last year. On a normal night, this is a 5-2 win. Sometimes you just have to shrug your shoulders and say " Hey, it’s sports" and move on. Saturday night can’t get here fast enough,.
by b.orr4 on Apr 15, 2010 11:41 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs
You have described my feeling perfectly.
I am at peace with what happened.
It was a rough night, but I have faith.
You get my rec.
I Laich the Professor.
resident master jinxer
I’m glad you have more faith than I do. I hope you’re right. I don’t feel at peace right now.
Rocking the Red since 1975
It’s the whole “I’ve seen this shit before” feeling.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s fucking groundhogs day!
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Well, I do have that feeling as well, it is certainly a disappointing way to being our post season campaign, but I still have faith in this team, and what is has accomplished this season
I Laich the Professor.
resident master jinxer
I’m not panicked, but this team has not been the same since The Streak ended. Since then, they played a pretty weak schedule to a seemingly impressive 9-3 in regulation, but half wins were by 1 goal (or 1+ EN), and fully 13 games — the slight majority — ended regulation tied. They are still playing pretty well and getting better than average results, but that’s not the record of dominating team. That’s the record of a team that’s going to take pretty close to 25+ games to win, if they can get that far.
Are you suggesting we peaked at the wrong time?
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Also, I think Boudreau has to take some of the blame for tonight. Montreal had us mapped out and put forth more effort when it counted, IE after the first period when the crowd and adrenaline helped lift the Caps’ play. I don’t understand why the Canadiens came in better prepared to stop our offense than we did to stop theirs.
You’re saying Miller or Brodeur makes a difference?
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:54 PM EDT up reply actions
That’s pretty obvious. Any change in goal is going to make a difference, for good or for bad.
"Now wait a minute. This is just purely a social call. You know, just two adults getting a stew on, man."
by The Ghost of Bebop on Apr 16, 2010 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah cause Theo didn’t do that tonight. Put in Bacacacacacacacacashihua!
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:09 AM EDT up reply actions
What about the goalie from the Stingrays? I hear he is available.
Lobbies: Green, Carlson, Orlov
by CapsFan2020 on Apr 16, 2010 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions
Fuuuuuck.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Oh god.
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions
That was a joke. Theo is doing just fine.
Lobbies: Green, Carlson, Orlov
by CapsFan2020 on Apr 16, 2010 12:55 AM EDT up reply actions
You’re talking crazy, you think Theo did badly tonight or something?
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Just ignore him, you’ll only make him post more.
by b.orr4 on Apr 16, 2010 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
It’s a woman.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
It's a lady!
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Really? Well, my comment still stands.
by b.orr4 on Apr 16, 2010 12:16 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Yea, can’t say I disagree.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
by Ovechwin on Apr 16, 2010 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Plekanec is a punk. As is Gomez and Gionta. Being at the game and watching the extra-curriculars, all three of them make up for their lack of size with stickwork after the whistle and when guys backs are turned. I have no respect for them as hockey players.
/rant
Sorry, my pet peeve is the garbage that most players in the NHL pull. If you want to hit a guy, use your hands and do it from the front. Not your stick from the back.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 15, 2010 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Plekanec wasn’t right. Brodeur is down 1-0 just like Theo is. I would rather have had Theo’s effort tonight than Brodeur’s effort last night. Theo is not the problem. All the goals he gave were legit. NJ and Pitt are having more goaltending angst than we are tonight. Both teams will get goaltending.
We must tie on special teams. PP effectiveness, stay out the box, out of body PK to match the ’Yotes out of body PP something. We tie this team on special teams. We win games in regulation.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
by souldrummer on Apr 15, 2010 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Our PP has NOT been effective as of late. If we had converted on ONE PP, just one PP, we would have won in regulation.
Rocking the Red since 1975
I think we would have been fine if it was still illegal to horsecollar tackle.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree with this. I’m saying that there are any number of paths the team can choose to tie the Habs on specials.
3 dumb penalties – Semin’s hook, Backstrom’s retaliation, Greenie’s delay of game. Take away two of those penalties we’re better off.
1 dumb clear by Poti – Transform Poti into a responsible PKer instead of an icetime consuming one and we’ll be okay.
Ice time on the PP but not converted – PP operates below 25% regular season efficiency.
Any of these three options would work for matching the Habs on specials. We match the Habs on specials I’m confident that we’ll beat them at even strength.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
by souldrummer on Apr 16, 2010 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions
Call up Cody Eakin!
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions
Bench Flash! Call up MP!
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
by souldrummer on Apr 16, 2010 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions
WRONG.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions
Snark missed.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
by souldrummer on Apr 16, 2010 12:09 AM EDT up reply actions
Snark missed.
I’d love an MP call up.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions
I am actually neutral on this issue. I want to see MP make it next year and banish BMo to the hinterlands.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
by souldrummer on Apr 16, 2010 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions
19’s xcheck was his second legit foul on that shift. If he hadn’t thrown an elbow 5 seconds earlier, maybe he gets away with the other.
Hey let's go, today is going to be our night
by redlineblue on Apr 16, 2010 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions
The cross check was in response to a slewfoot. It always happens with retaliation. The refs have their heads up their asses for the first and they always catch the second.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 16, 2010 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Backstrom's Shot in the Second
Anybody else notice that the one that went off Halak’s glove and fell behind him was simply spinning the wrong way. Had that puck landed on its other edge, it bounces in. The luck will come.
Seriously, I can’t believe the luck.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Happened right in front of our seats. couldn’t believe it didn’t go in. Halak was both lucky and good. And still needed OT. We’ll be fine, but I do love coming here after to see the wailing and gnashing of teeth. Makes me feel better, like watching Daytime TV to realize my life isn’t so bad.
See you Sat!
"Right now, I can't wait for the playoffs." -- Mike Green 1/18/2010
view from my seats
Carlson was best skater for the Caps. Super aggressive, very dangerous when he attacked, solid defensively and not at all intimidated. couple of outstanding directions he yelled to Poti — there was one in the 3rd where the Habs tried to clear with a lob, but Poti caught it mid-ice and caught the Habs in line change and he had clear ice for a breakaway. the puck was still coming down to Poti’s glove and I saw Carlson look up ice and see all 5 habs headed for the bench and before Poti had even caught the puck, Carlson was screaming “GO! GO!” Poti of course took it two strides to the blue line and then basically waited for the Habs to finish their line change. Carlson is going to be great.
Flash looked like he had a heck of a game other than the FOs. He had a couple of great passes that set guys up, but they failed to finish.
Generally our top 6 fwds all looked too slow and deliberate with the attack. How many times did sasha lose the puck on a poke check from behind?
Green, Poti, Ovi and Semin failed to show up.
wow, that is a pretty positive recap given the caps were completely out workedin OTafter the 10 minute mark in the first.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:44 PM EDT up reply actions
For real, but I’m guessing he’s trying to avoid ledge jumping.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Actually, I’m guessing he’s a Flyers fan.
by sixsevenfiftysix on Apr 15, 2010 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Another question for the masses — can anybody recall the last time Alex drew a penalty, one that was actually called? I don’t think they missed any bad ones tonight, but I’ve been slowly realizing that I cannot remember once where somebody did something to him and it was called.
This is definitely true.
He was tossed around quite a bit, and the Canadiens took some liberties once the puck and the play moved on. He has been tripped quite a few times in the past few weeks and hasn;t drawn very many calls.
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Epitaph on today’s game.
1) Our Power Play was off — as usual. It has been a long time since the Caps have scored on a PP.
2) Their (Habs) PP had one goal — it was enough to make a difference
3) We HAD outscored them on even strength
4) Tomas Plekanec was right about our team. Perfect assessment.
5) I hate OT
6) If we had converted on ONE of our PP’s, just ONE, we would have won in regulation.
Rocking the Red since 1975
4) Tomas Plekanec was right about our team. Perfect assessment.
What are you talking about, Theo was our best player tonight.
Lobbies: Green, Carlson, Orlov
by CapsFan2020 on Apr 15, 2010 11:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Tomas Plekanec is a mouthy fuckhead.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 15, 2010 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
A fucky mouthhead even!
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions
probably. A Canadian or Czech fish i bet
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions
4) Tomas Plekanec was right about our team. Perfect assessment.
Huh? Theodore was great tonight.
"Now wait a minute. This is just purely a social call. You know, just two adults getting a stew on, man."
by The Ghost of Bebop on Apr 15, 2010 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions
I think he might be merging the Plekanec and the Umberger comments into one caps bash
I Laich the Professor.
resident master jinxer
4.
No he fucking wasn’t.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Lost in all of this is Theo still hasn’t lost in regulation since December.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions
No sympathy point in the playoffs though.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 16, 2010 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions
I know. But boy do we suck in goal.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions
Yea, fuck our lives!
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
It’s not that we really suck in goal. We just aren’t good enough in goal to steal games from the other team.
Good enough to win when we play well. Good enough to stay close.
Rocking the Red since 1975
Honestly, Theo played pretty much awesome. Halak stole a game with his defense as the getaway driver. To say that Theo is at fault in any way for tonight’s loss is dumb.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
if we won, i think it would have been titled “A game Theo Stole”
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:14 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I wouldn’t blame tonight’s loss on Theo. More on the fact that our PP was ineffective and the fact that our defense made some fatal mistakes. Theo had a great save percentage, if anything.
It’s more I meant to say that Plekanec was right — in not being impressed with our team as a whole.
Rocking the Red since 1975
Would you stop being blind to Theo’s play tonight. He did his best to steal the game, but the majority of the team didn’t do their part.
(Yes, I know about the avatar hounding - just pretend mine is invisible.)
AO Falling to the Ice
Has anyone seen Ovechkin get knocked down or lose his balance as often as he did tonight? Specifically, on the Caps 4th PP he first got hooked a bit but tumbled to the ice (not that powerful of a hook it seemed) then tripped over his own feet a few seconds later with nobody within 10 feet of him. For a guy who is usually “rooted to the ice,” that’s the most alarming thing about tonight IMO.
This is where most of my panic is stemming from.
I mean you and I were kind of going back and forth about it during the GDT. . .now at the end of the game, i definitey agree. It is not a good sign at all. I kinda want to go to sleep and wake up right before Saturday’s game.. .gonna be dwelling on this for awhile
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 15, 2010 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions
“I’ll take The Rapist for $200”
If my answers frighten you then you should cease asking scary questions.
Japers' Rink - The place to be on slow work days
What more can I say?
by Steck It Out on Apr 16, 2010 12:53 AM EDT up reply actions
The PK
Wasn’t half bad tonight. Apart from one breakdown on the failed clear, they really limited the quality of chances we gave up on the PP.
Except that mistake was the fatal mistake. One mistake was enough to let them take an early lead. And it was one more PP than we could muster all night.
If we could break even in special teams, we’d be great.
Rocking the Red since 1975
True, but I don’t expect this team’s penalty kill to be flawless all the time. I was pretty happy with the PK given our track record. The PP, one the other hand, needs to get it going.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 16, 2010 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree with that. PK was acceptable but could have been better but was better than 64.3% that they had vs the Habs in the regular season. The PP didn’t do it. Would have been so big to score on one of those 1st period PPs. The last PP was the one where the Habs did a better job of denying the entry.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
by souldrummer on Apr 16, 2010 12:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Is it just me or did the Habs argue their way into the DoG penalty? That pissed me off.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
To be honest, from my seat down that end of the rink, I looked like he shot it straight out. Don’t get me started on that rule though…
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 16, 2010 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions
He shot it straight out. The officials made the right call.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions
They definitely sold it, but it was legit. Accidental, but legit.
Proud member of the Popsicle Division of the Cupcake Conference.
I don’t care how legit it was, I don’t want the players to have that kind of pull, it didn’t seem like a problem before they started bitching.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Vincent Lecavalier says the same thing about us.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions
And really, I agree.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Yea, I hate it too, but it’s the Canadians against the Caps in the playoffs. They’ll take whatever edge they can get.
Proud member of the Popsicle Division of the Cupcake Conference.
They’re still a bunch of douches and I hate them.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
I don’t know where that Jersey is anymore, but it’s not coming out for a damn long while.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions
Burn that crap. I am seriously considering burning that Canada shirt.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
I just think that it is silly that when the puck is on edge and the player is under forechecking pressure (and in Green’s case I’m pretty sure he was being stickchecked) that it can be determined that you intentionally shot the puck off the rink to delay the game.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 16, 2010 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions
I just think it’s a dumb rule.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions
It certainly wasn’t intentional and from my vantage point it wasn’t on a straight trajectory, but arcing around the boards as usual, albeit high, then it was out. I thought it glanced off of something because it seemed to change direction a bit.
(Yes, I know about the avatar hounding - just pretend mine is invisible.)
I would also like to point out — the official CLOSEST to the play signaled tip (he was also wearing orange armbands). The linesman from the blueline was the one who really overruled. Still I think it was the right call, but I feel as if the guy in the orange armbands, closest to the play, saw it best.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 16, 2010 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm sick and tired of hearing
All of this “You need to lose in the playoffs to know how to win the following year” is bullshit. Losing doesn’t do anything. You forget in a year the pain. This might be a reminder, but boy, losing didn’t do us shit yet.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
Well, hopefully losing the first PO game is a good shock to the system.
I agree with this though. Quite a few pundits just mindlessly repeat that the Caps haven’t been to the POs enough, and lost, to go all the way.
Wilbon pretty much said that the Caps need to lose a few more times before they can win, and then said, even though crosby only needed one. But he doesn’t know what the fuck he’s talking about
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions
That’s because crosby is just so awesome.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions
Wilbon can talk all the crow he wants. Let’s see how his ’Hawks do tomorrow night. Wilbon and Wise are knuckleheads who we do a disservice to valid commentary by debating their opinions. They are not full time hockey commentators and cannot properly grasp all of the storylines and season long factors. Half the people on this site know more than those two guys. Their only skill is brand name and some wordsmithery to get their opinions in print.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
by souldrummer on Apr 16, 2010 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions
Go Preds Go.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:09 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
And on this we can unite. Would love to see Burton’s squad deliver the goods.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
by souldrummer on Apr 16, 2010 12:11 AM EDT up reply actions
I just want the Caps to win the Stanley Cup. I don’t care how many games it takes. Let us continue to go Caps!
I’d be happy with a cup if we won it in 16 games or 28 games.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:09 AM EDT up reply actions
Well yeah. I would be too.
Just feel like your chances of winning go down when you’ve played 15 or 27.
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Or it is believed that a tired team, who plays the maximum number of games, would have less of a chance of winning against a more rested opponent.
Rocking the Red since 1975
pretty much
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
by kingzman264 on Apr 16, 2010 12:16 AM EDT up reply actions
I was at the game, and had a bad feeling about it by the second intermission. But after interview clips from Bruce, Ovi and Theo, I think I’m ready to come down off the ledge, at least until Saturday.. Bruce sounded like he has a checklist going for things to change (notably that he wants his start to look like stars, but he’ll look at tape to put details together), Ovi was realistic about how he and the team played, and Theo sounded pretty level headed.
3 Ps
If you’d ask me what would bite this team in the ass this series, I’d have answered with the “3 Ps.”
PK, Plekanec, Poti. All three showed up tonight.
Still, the Caps dominated this game physically. The Habs were bailing out of plays left and right to avoid getting hit. They can’t keep this up.
The stained horizon
Dark rein and rider
The steed. . . Ovechkin
I agree on the p’s. Note that combining Poti and the PK makes a double whammy. Pothier might not be the best defenseman, but he doesn’t do the crap that poti does.
by The Jade Donkey on Apr 16, 2010 12:28 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
We Need to Play Our Game
All season, we have been a run and gun team. I think everybody is way too worked up from this thought that you have to play defense to win the Stanley Cup. Our defense was good enough to win 54 games in the regular season. Realistically, I don’t think that much changes in the playoffs to the point where you have to fundamentally change the way you play your game.
Mike Green is the case and point. He is at his best when he skates the puck, pinches, and is dynamic. He disappears when he tries to play “more” defensively.
Bingo Bango
Caps hockey please.
Playing on my iPod- Justin Bieber, Hanna Montana, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Cosgrove and The Jonas Brothers.
by Knubles and Bits on Apr 16, 2010 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree with this, but it takes two to tango. You’ve got teams that are trapping us harder than we were trapped during the regular season. As far as this aggressive style, Carlson seemed to be doing his good Mike Green impersonation tonight. Offensive when necessary, harder checks than you expect from the youngin’ and fairly responsible play.
erskine has scored...now i can die in peace
by souldrummer on Apr 16, 2010 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions
I think Norris talk and the media giving him an undeserved reputation have gotten into Greenie’s head a bit.
Carlson looked great and is a perfect example of how you don’t really need to change your game that much.
I still think that being trapped harder, the Caps playing Caps hockey will score enough to win.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 16, 2010 12:20 AM EDT up reply actions
I thought green had a great game tonight.
Proud member of the Popsicle Division of the Cupcake Conference.
He isn’t playing like Mike Green though. He isn’t the dynamic, one-man breakout that creates serious problems for the opposing team defensively. He was solid but solid isn’t his game, its dynamic.
Also, he got caught puckwatching BADLY on the second goal.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 16, 2010 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions
We played defense decently 5v5. We just can’t kill penalties. It’s going to kill this team, because they can out-chance MTL all game long, but if we give up 25% on the PK, we’re going to be in close game after close game. And those can be decided on bounces.
The stained horizon
Dark rein and rider
The steed. . . Ovechkin
Our Power Play has also NOT been effective, as of late. We can’t afford to go 0 for 4 on PP’s.
Rocking the Red since 1975
When the Habs took the penalty on the icing, I thought to myself, “This is one of those opportunities where you HAVE to make a team pay for taking a dumb penalty.” And we didn’t.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 16, 2010 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions
Except our PK was one bad Poti clear from going perfect. They killed the one they needed to in OT. I can’t even pin this loss on our PK, and that’s part of why it’s so frustrating.
Tom Poti will never win a Cup.
poti sucked plain and simple
Poti cannot stay on the pk. Instead of blasting the puck out of the zone, he just half assed it and it led to a goal. Then carlson jumps into the play and pinches, shoots, puck goes around and we find Poti pinching too. Now no ones playing D! That is NOT veteran decision making, and it’s going to cost. Also, the D were backing into the zone too much. Letting Plakanec gain the slot, while backing off, did no good and let the play develop.
Yeah lots of hits, a few good ones, but you need to hit Gomez, Gionta and Placanek because they’re the straw that stirs the drink.
Not all bad, but uneven. Carlson didn’t look like a rookie, that’s for sure.
Flash played tonight?
Engblom said the other night that Ov was going east west and it wasn’t working, and tonight he was proven right.
Belanger played great.
No panic, but BB better come up with a way to either beat the trap in the nuetral zone or start playing it.
For the scond straight year, Caps did not come out flying the way the other teams have. Again it cost them. What happened to the team that owned the 1st period?
it’s only 1 game. no panic, but things must change.
by The Jade Donkey on Apr 16, 2010 12:22 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
In this game AND the Boston game to end the regular season, the Caps had a lead in the 3rd period only to blow it.
I think they probably need to start playing the trap when they have a slim lead in the third period. Or at least some method of holding on to leads. I wouldn’t recommend always playing the trap but they do need to add it to their arsenal and use it in situations like tonight. I’ve seen them blow too many third period leads only to go to OT and lose. Again and Again.
Rocking the Red since 1975
Playing devil’s advocate — the trap wouldn’t have stopped the second goal. Alex and Nickie both missed the puck and Gomez, and Green got caught puckwatching as Gionta drove behind him.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 16, 2010 12:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Maybe the trap isn’t what they should do. But they need to figure out some way to hold onto leads in the third period.
Rocking the Red since 1975
I think its a matter of digging in. Making sure you get pucks out by taking the body rather than trying to chip the puck by. Making sure you get the puck in deep so that the opposition has to go 200 feet instead of coughing it up at the top of the circles.
The way to do it is to focus on the little things.
by Aaron Lerner on Apr 16, 2010 12:31 AM EDT up reply actions
Build them.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:32 AM EDT up reply actions
This! I felt like first to 3 would win it, and what do you know?
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Agreed…best way to not loose a one goal lead is to make it a two goal lead..etc.
"Right now, I can't wait for the playoffs." -- Mike Green 1/18/2010
Except it’s harder to score in the playoffs since everyone steps up their defense.
Rocking the Red since 1975
Making losing a two goal lead that much harder than losing a one goal lead. ;)
"Right now, I can't wait for the playoffs." -- Mike Green 1/18/2010
They did it against Atlanta on April 1.
(Yes, I know about the avatar hounding - just pretend mine is invisible.)
Atlanta has no defense to speak of — but their goaltender was good against us. And I think the date was April5 when they scored 5 goals against them.
Rocking the Red since 1975
No. I’m talking about April 1 when they went up one goal in the 3rd and maintained puck possession for most of the remaining 10(?) minutes.
(Yes, I know about the avatar hounding - just pretend mine is invisible.)
My mistake, probably. I was thinking of the other Atlanta game when we had lots of shots on Atlanta’s goalie and finally got several goals.
But I remember the April 1 game. We held on to a lead against Atlanta.
What happened since then? (I’ve seen too many blown third period leads, as of late.)
Rocking the Red since 1975
I’m goin to bed. Hopefully I sleep until Saturday night. . .
Bah-Ram-Ewe, Ovechkin will wreck you. Fear the Furious Fleece!
And miss all the good hockey tomorrow where you don’t have to worry about objectivity? Nein.
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Some of us cool kids are going to see the bears!
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
At least the Bears know how to win. (I wish they could teach the big boys how.)
Rocking the Red since 1975
awwwww
"Don't mind WM...he's an all-around jerk."
by Whiter Mage on Apr 16, 2010 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Backstrom needs to shoot more.
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Especially
3 on 1 in overtime.
Playing on my iPod- Justin Bieber, Hanna Montana, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Cosgrove and The Jonas Brothers.
by Knubles and Bits on Apr 16, 2010 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions
Haha, yeah. It’s bordering on completely irrational but I’m in the same boat.
by sixsevenfiftysix on Apr 16, 2010 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions
I had a big long thing typed out but…
bottom line get your heads right. Saturday becomes statement night. A lot of guys had solid games and a few guys need to stop being tentative and step it up some. Theo was quite good, Ovie will figure it out. PP needs to capitalize. The usual. Wake up boys.
by Davethecapsfan on Apr 16, 2010 12:42 AM EDT reply actions
I think we need to put Ovie and Semin on the same line. They put all of their focus on Ovi, they didn’t want him to get one shot off and he didn’t. Gramps had a ton of shots, but I think if it were Semin taking those some would be goals. They can’t cover both of them at the same time…it just wont happen. Look for that to be a shake up along with Bmo and Walker in game 2.
~~~ R0cK D@ R3D ~~~
by Chaz-Capapalooza on Apr 16, 2010 1:19 AM EDT reply actions
Sounds good to me. So what lines would you go with?
(The Caps had used that line combination against Atlanta when Noobs was out.) At one point during the Boston game, they had moved Noobs to the second line (which scored). Then traded Sasha and Noobs and then things fell apart.
Rocking the Red since 1975
8-19-28
21-9-22
25-18-16
14-39-24
Chimmer has showed a lot of heart the past few weeks. He looks like he’s earning a spot on a line that can actually score. (At least for now)
~~~ R0cK D@ R3D ~~~
by Chaz-Capapalooza on Apr 16, 2010 1:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Sounds good to me.
They need to do something different against the Habs since they can’t afford to get into a 2 game hole.
Rocking the Red since 1975
yeah, I love reuniting 22 and 9. I snicker ever time I see BB has 14 at center. Plus there’s something about 25 being on the same line as 16 that lights a spark. The biggest move though, 28 and 8…that has to happen.
~~~ R0cK D@ R3D ~~~
by Chaz-Capapalooza on Apr 16, 2010 2:00 AM EDT up reply actions
The only thing on your lines that I’m iffy about is Flash on the 4th line. He really doesn’t belong there.
Rocking the Red since 1975
I know, I just thought chimmer was playing so hard he might get noticed by BB but he’s obsessed with flash. so this would be more realistic:
…
…
14-18-16
25-39-24
~~~ R0cK D@ R3D ~~~
by Chaz-Capapalooza on Apr 16, 2010 2:07 AM EDT up reply actions
So I got back around 12:30
All I can say is I’m disappointed. Except for one person, Jose Theodore. If it wasn’t for him that game would’ve been 5-2.
Ovi was shut down and you have to give the Habs credit for that, whether or not Ovi is hurt/sick is another story.
But, I think this is a big wake up call for the boys. Even with the Ovi, Semin and Green not coming through, we still forced OT. Bottom line, if we get our big guns going, I don’t think the Habs and Halak will last very long.
And just a statement, no call on the breakaway in OT was a joke, I’m a Caps fan and I know we benefited but I want good/consistent officiating.
Also, on the 3 on 2 in OT, when Backs just held the puck all the way to the goal line, it’s time to either shoot or pass once you get to the circles IMO.
On to Saturday, which I feel is a must win.
Please Caps, don’t disappoint us.
Agree…I just hate seeing those words: “Wake Up Call”
Why can’t we ever wake up on time already, JEEZ
~~~ R0cK D@ R3D ~~~
by Chaz-Capapalooza on Apr 16, 2010 2:06 AM EDT up reply actions
That’s the truth. (I’d be really annoyed if the Caps get dumped in Round 1. Really really annoyed.)
Rocking the Red since 1975
I think if that were to happen, I wouldn’t follow the NHL at all until Sept. I just couldn’t.
Have to go bask in the disappointment, while watching more disappointment in the O’s.
that would be hillarious! but then again, that would be so Philly…
~~~ R0cK D@ R3D ~~~
by Chaz-Capapalooza on Apr 16, 2010 2:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Oh no…so this is how it begins
Lol, I completely understand why you would think that.
~~~ R0cK D@ R3D ~~~
by Chaz-Capapalooza on Apr 16, 2010 2:34 AM EDT up reply actions
Perhaps...
But just imagine 18,000+ alarm clocks going off at once.
Caps: “God damnit that is annoying”
Fans: “Well, then don’t make us do it again”
Caps: “Oh, okay, we’ll start playing our game now”
5x5, D weren't as good as I'd hoped
There was a point in the second period where MTL had the puck in our zone for what seemed like a minute and a half. The worst part is that I think it started out as our possession and wound up as a clinic for MTL.
What bothers me is that our D—esp. 74 and 26—try the slap pass (often a panicky, no-look slapper from behind Theo) around the boards to clear. Almost without fail, the MTL point pinched it, keeping it trapped in the zone, which allowed them a whole new cycle. I must’ve watched it happen a half-dozen times.
Combine this with our seeming inability to spot the trap at the blue line and you get a whole lot of puck possession in our zone for MTL. I’m not an NHL coach, but it would seem like it wouldn’t take much to tweak things to combat this: skate the puck out, short passes to clear the zone, dump and chase into the offensive zone to avoid getting stood up or stripped at the blue line. It can’t be that hard, can it?
Shift Chart
If anyone knows of a good game-watching venue in Richmond for Saturday night, please drop me a line.
And to all of you I ran into tonight, cheers!
Download link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4525279896_c63774fa89_b.jpg
So are you coming Wednesday? Cupcakes!
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Mmmmm cupcakes.
Playing on my iPod- Justin Bieber, Hanna Montana, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Cosgrove and The Jonas Brothers.
by Knubles and Bits on Apr 16, 2010 2:07 AM EDT up reply actions
I encourage everyone to come!
Follow me on Twitter!! I even say some relevant stuff sometimes
I wish I could quit you, Tyler Sloan! - Co-founder of the Tyler Sloan Fan Club
Very optimistic write-up. I saw Halak save the Canadien bacon, and an Ovechkin back to his old 1-on-3 script.
I also saw that Flash should be scratched for BMo. Cannot understand what BB sees in TF14. I see total inconsistency.
But Brawndo's got what plants crave. It's got electrolytes.
How many games can a hot goalie steal against us? Hopefully, not the series.
Rocking the Red since 1975
Last year the answer was 2…. Lundqvist did that and almost stole game 7…
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Apr 16, 2010 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions
uhhhhgg.
Fortunately I was only able to watch part of the 3rd period and OT. I probably would have ripped my hair out had I watched the whole game. When I first heard OV had NO SHOTS on goal during the game I knew two things. 1) that OV was trying to hard. 2) that they werent playing as a team or setting up the play well.
As the 3rd and OT wore on, that feeling continued. It seemed every time they got the puck, they just tried to race up the the ice, or make a flashy long pass that would get cut off. And when Baxter was working the 2 on 1, all he did was wait…wait…wait…and both players just converged at the net keeping the D man between them. They were simply trying to hard to be what everyone expects them to be.
From what I saw, I think they let the pressure get to them and they didnt play their game. I didnt see one shift or series of plays where they were able to set up and play fundamentals. They were too busy trying to make that perfect pass or spectacular goal.
When OV grabs the puck, and races up ice by himself with 3 defensemen, and then tries to cut across the entire rink, you know hes looking to score highlight-reel-style instead of set up the play and wait for help. I hate when he does that.
Also, did anyone else notice that most loose and bouncing pucks, the Habs were able to control while the Caps were whiffing repeatedly? I think I saw the Habs come up with every loose or bouncing puck they were near.
I think this game was completely mental and now that the Caps are in the hole, I hope they dont try even harder because it will be just as ugly in the end.
Time to regroup and refocus, boys.
Et lux in tenebris lucet
Observations from Section 421
Well, wasn’t that fun…. The Caps came out and showed their game plan right up front in the first and dominated the period. If not for a lucky bounce, they come out of it up 1-0. Then for some reason, about midway through the game, they stopped hitting. A bunch more notes:
- There is a fundimental rule in playoff OT: If the puck isn’t going towards the opponent’s net it is going the wrong way
- Another rule of playoff OT: There is no such thing as a bad shot on goal
- Not getting a shot on a 3-on-1 break in a regular season game is unforgivable. In a playoff OT, it is the eighth deadly sin…ok, maybe that’s a bit harsh, but still, Nicky, if the defender covers the passing lane with a great play (he did) then shoot it. Even if it’s saved, it’s an opportunity.
- Semin…sigh. Too many turnovers and a needless penalty early on. He did get better as the game went on.
- Great pass on the Habs second goal, threaded a needle. Green though, should have had Gionta better covered. Still, in most cases, the pass misses…
- Super effort on the Caps second goal, very clever play.
- Halak was brilliant last night, the two goals he didn’t get were pucks he only saw as they were on their way back out of the net. He made at least to saves where he never saw the puck, it happened to hit him
- Theo was great as well, and made only one minor blunder… alas it was on the OT goal. He had a clean look and it was a 45 foot shot. He gets that 98% of the time…
- Why did the refs allow the ice cleaning after an icing. It should be the first whistle after the 10 minute mark when there isn’t an icing.
All in all, if this were a regular season game, we’d be talking about hard luck, a tough loss, and consolation in the charity point. But this wasn’t a regular season game, and in the playoffs there are only good wins and bad losses, nothing else.
Game 2 is not a Must Win Game, but I don’t think the Caps want to go into Montreal down 0-2 and have to face those fans…
Let's go Caps!
It was a tough game but I am left feeling ok about the Caps still for a couple reasons.
First, I think the Habs played just about a perfect game. There is no way Halak continues to have a .957 save %, he played out of his mind. If he had only played really well and had a .930 save % we win (see chart below)
Second, our top line looked lost out there and just flat didn’t show up and we still had a chance to win.
Third, I think the Caps really needed this as a wake up call. They can say all the right things but it seems like they just expected to roll through everyone. I’d rather get the wakeup call in game 1 against the 8th seed not later in the series.
Shots Save % Goals Allowed
47 0.957 2.021
47 0.95 2.35
47 0.945 2.585
47 0.94 2.82
47 0.935 3.055
47 0.93 3.29
47 0.924 3.572
Wasn’t last year’s series against the Rags supposed to the be the wake up call? That’s what they were all saying before last night.
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Apr 16, 2010 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions
when you cruise through the season like the Caps did you can get complacent. sure they say all the right things but the truth is they crushed everyone in the regular season and then all the talking heads start saying how the Habs have no chance and it’s human nature to start believing that stuff.
by Beakers Lab on Apr 16, 2010 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions
Ultimately the Canadiens did exactly what they needed to do to beat a better opponent, and I suppose in that there is a silver lining. Montreal played a perfect game for this situation, the Caps did not, and the Habs still barely came out on top. If we can take anything positive away from this game, it’s that.
Thank you for bringing this up.
"Playoffs are over, fire Bobby, hang Wren, destroy the stadium, sign Eckstein." ~ UltimaParadox, 4/12/10
by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 16, 2010 11:08 AM EDT reply actions
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