Saturday Caps Clips: Getaway Day Recap

So there was either no point to your post to begin with, or you’ve been around long enough to know better. Thanks?

7GP 0G 1A 14ATOI – Playoff
17GP 2G 4A 14ATOI – Regular

He was good on the dots but nothing else stands out. He lost teeth and came back to play, thats cool but hardly a reason to give him a job. He really didn’t show me any signs of being able to make it happen offensively with any of our forwards.

Fehr should be on a scoring line, but he isn’t. Having said that, I’m not convinced that MP can handle 18ATOI and the 3rd line is really a scoring line that gets 12ATOI, at least on this team.

Giving MP a chance can’t hurt. And at least he’s cheap. And will probably be Calder Cup seasoned, especially after this year.

MP can teach the big boys how to win. All right, we’re talking about a different level but still…..

Or just watch how they actually moved the puck around during the regular season. We got far too attached to setting up a single pass for a one timer right into a defender’s legs in our series. Green never seemed to be patient enough to hold his shot or change his angle to make sure his shots get through.

You know what’s ironic – early part of this season the Pens PP was horrid.

I figure next year, we’ll see both Varlamov and Neuvirth playing in goal. Neuvy will be the backup but a backup who gets plenty of work. Holtby will be #1 at Hershey but will get called up if someone is injured.

They’ll be able to evaluate who will be our #1 goalie.

I also assume we’’ll have both Carlson and Alzner on the blue line next year. And MP will be one of our centers. (I realized MP is small and that’s considered to be a liability in the NHL but still…..)

in either the regular season or the playoffs… I know ’ll get bombarded here but it was Varly who had a SV% under 0.900 in the final two games of the Caps-Habs series…

I’d like to think that the old saying “God doesn’t give you what you can’t handle” will apply to our guys.

It’s a better pill for our guys to swallow at the moment. People were already questioning the character and desire of both Ovi and Semin and it’s currently worse for them both, needless to say. If they survive this emotionally, they’ll be stronger in the long run.

When they finally have post-season success, it will be so much sweeter.

This season was one hell of a ride with dizzying heights and a hellish low.

I plan on enjoying the journey next season too.

same here. I decided to document the entire season, saving all my tickets, taking a bazillion pictures, collecting newspaper clippings. I’m about 75% of the way through the regular season, putting it into a book, it’s been therapeutic and wonderful and fun and it’s reminded me just how much damn fun this season was. Free Alex signs. 8-2 wins over the Flyers. The Streak. Snovechkin games.

I can’t wait until October: the smell of the ice, the red-clad crowds at the Phonebooth screaming "unleash the fury," the fans crowding the stands at Kettler during practice, and the howl of Ovi when he loses that juicebox game they like to play. LETS GO CAPS!

October can’t come fast enough!

And the Stanley C… oh. Wait.

That’s what she said!

As a Dane, I would beg to differ.

:)

I meant more that the quote was given as statement of fact, rather than trash talk. It’s one thing to answer a question about the other team’s goaltender, it’s another to say something like “Watch me tonight, that’s all I have to say.”

Questions without good answers, unfortunately. Or at least answers we don’t really wish to entertain.

I completely disagree with the decision to never go back to Theo, especially after game 4.

Maybe, MAYBE after Game 5 or 6. But Game 4? Why? We had just won three games in a row and Varly had held us in all three when the Habs put on their obligatory one period of good hockey.

The only person who could reasonably argue that Bruce needed to go back to Theo for Game 5 is Theo himself. Or, alternatively, someone who didn’t watch games 2-4.

I really believe that after game 4, BB did not seriously think that there was a chance that they were going to lose the series. That explains the hesitancy to scratch Flash because he felt it would compromise Flash’s motivation or mojo or something heading into the next series and he wanted Flash to get that self-esteem building first goal. That explains the reluctance to give Theo a shot again. He thought Theo would get a chance to start the Flyers series at home and avoid the massive letdown that Halak had in last night’s game. It may even explain the lack of adjustments and practice time. “We can’t lose to these guys and I don’t want to burn out my team for the next series.”

I think that BB’s major takeaway point will be that he needs some additional input on PK strategy, some more presentism in focus to detail, and needs to get tougher quicker on some guys. I think GMGM realizes this and I think there will be better accountability next season.

And I can’t say that I’m but so optimistic that that will be enough.

Do you honestly believe that the reason we lost the series was because of Varly? He allowed 3 goals or less in each of the games he played. He ended up with a better SV% and GAA than Brodeur, MAF, Luongo, & Bryzgalov. What makes you think that Theo would have allowed 2 goals or less per game? He yielded two goals in two shots in Game 2 and I forgot what his lifetime SV% is against the Habs but its pretty awful.

Here is some information regarding Theo’s starts againts Montreal.

Theodore’s only start in Montreal as a visiting goaltender came as a member of the Avalanche in October 2006. He yielded eight goals on 44 shots in a 8-5 defeat. Since joining the Capitals, he has started two games against the Canadiens, winning both at home.

In February, Theodore made a relief appearance at Bell Centre when rookie Michal Neuvirth left the game with an injury and allowed four goals on 25 shots in a 6-5 overtime loss that ended the Capitals’ 14-game winning streak.

Theo’s two home wins againts the Habs:

Nov 28, 2008 – 3-0
Feb 18, 2009 – 4-3 (SO)

http://twitter.com/cnichols14/status/13050558649

Re Players on the ice after game. The following players were out there for sure: 8, 16, 19, 21, 24, 27, 40, 60

I didn’t have time to really bring the heat, sorry. Could’ve run stats, etc. but not real necessary. We all know the truth. I’d take Green on my team’s blueline before anyone not named Weber or Doughty.

I understand Green is a Norris finalist and he deserves it too.But you have to consider his plus minus stats are what they are because of who the Caps are the whole team is a plus,but you also need to see the guy has rediculous hands he has a solid wrister and great slap shot he can weave his way end to end better than anybody out there.There are so many Dmen out there that given Mike Green minutes on this team all season long would also put up great numbers.But as far as being a good defender I just dont agree with it he is in my opinion below average as a defender,I would even say he is Bergeronesque as a defender his worth comes in his offence.The guy would produce Seminlike numbers or almost Seminlike nnumbers on wing and he would for sure put up comperable to better numbers than wingers making similar $ ,he would also then be considered a great defender as a wing maybe even be Selke worthy at some point.My point is numbers don’t tell the story he as far as Greenie being a solid defender.And I hope he wins the Norris,but we all know its his offence that would be the factor in him winning that award.

and his +/-. And as every critic of him on the award states he isn’t a great defender. Of course he is an elite defensive player as you state,he led all defensman in points and goals.You bring up statistical debate? The guy has great stats ,and the Caps also finished with the highest goal differential in the leagueand you talk about forwards needing to get back to backcheck.Of course they do but they don’t have to get back to there position as a defender and to allow said offensive player who is covering for him to do what he does.My point is clear I feel Green is a sub par defender as does everyone who is not a Washington Capitals fan,Steve Yzerman included.Maybe sub par is harsh maybe he is just average. I may concede that ,but with his skill set he can be a pheonominal offensive player with well above average defensive abilities.The bottom line also is for two seasons now that the Caps have been in the playoffs he has been god awful on the defensive side and virtually non existant with his offence.This team has a very bright future on the Blue Line with Carlson and Alzner it sure couldn’t hurt to see what Green can do with those skills on offence.It will be a new year you have camp,and pre-season,I think its well worth the shot.

which explains how he was able to drag himself out of bed and to the VC for game 7 the following day. Because if I had just undergone major facial surgery and was still blind in one eye, I’d be at home, in bed, probably wanting to die.

Jay Buehner was a pretty tough dude, but he’s definitely the exception, not the rule.

hey, I was positive about July’s development camp up-thread! :)

There’s no actual meaning in my handle, it was just what popped into my head when I decided to register.

He got a ton of help from Paille shooting the puck back into his chest after he completely slid out of position. He did look good in OT though (didn’t see the rest of the game), but I wasn’t exactly impressed with his first round. The numbers are gaudy, but the Devils’ O suuuuuuucks.

Don’t blame you for being a Bruins fan right now. Payback time is at hand.

It’s all OK. I couldn’t figure out where it had gone at first.

Nicky is definitely out of the Worlds, probably because of his shoulder and possibly because his agent is still negotiating with the Caps over The Contract. The Swedish hockey press is just a little bit bent about this. It’s also Bengt-Ake Gustafsson’s swan song as national team head coach.

I think it would be beneficial. I’d also like to think this is his last WC opportunity for a while.

Then again I thought that last year.

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