Half-Assed GDT: “We got left out of the party” amalgamated SCP thread

[AjaxManifesto]

Amazing.

 

[shpongle falls]

When Washington beat the Pens you know that must have given them all the confidence in the world. Also Lars Eller is having a great playoffs so far, 5 goals and 6 assists in 14 games.

 

[Bluesguru]

Capitals I think are benefiting from lowered expectations and pressure this year.

Crazy how last years loaded team couldn’t get it done and this years might, but that’s hockey.

Sometimes a team can have too much talent. Caps scale down a little and boom, they got the right blend. Team is playing gritty and developing a bond. They got the right blend going at the right time.

Look at Nashville, same thing, except the opposite in that they loaded up with extra talent this year and ended up with a thud this post season. Couldn't even put away Colorado without having to go 6 games.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Now that Nashville is out, I’m more upbeat about how this all plays out. All 4 remaining teams are cool with me. Rooting for the Jets, but I could be happy seeing the Caps or Knights take it. Bolts are okay too.

 

[EastonBlues22]

Vegas using their speed much more effectively so far this game.

Tons of chances for both teams, but Vegas definitely had the better of the play that period.

 

[EastonBlues22]

Schmidt is having himself a hell of a game. He's a great example of a younger guy that was once trapped behind a number of more established guys on a deep defense, but who has flourished once that block was removed and he was given a bigger role.

 

[Captain Creampuff]

Vegas winning one in Winnipeg is huge. Hope the Knights can keep rolling and eventually face the Caps in the Finals.

 

[TruBlu]

Schmidt is having himself a hell of a game. He's a great example of a younger guy that was once trapped behind a number of more established guys on a deep defense, but who has flourished once that block was removed and he was given a bigger role.

Do you see any guys in our pipeline who might fit that description?

 

[MissouriMook]

Do you see any guys in our pipeline who might fit that description?

A different type of defender, but maybe Schmaltz?

 

[BrokenFace]

Capitals I think are benefiting from lowered expectations and pressure this year.

Crazy how last years loaded team couldn’t get it done and this years might, but that’s hockey.

The last two years they also went up against a team with a healthy Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel. Maybe the Caps have been this good for 3 years now but we're only seeing it now that they made it past the Pens

 

[BlueDream]

A different type of defender, but maybe Schmaltz?

Heck, you could even make a case for Edmundson since he still seems to be improving all the time. I’d like to see him on the top pairing with Petro full-time.

I think the thing that excites me the most about our team is the young D. The emergence of Edmundson and Dunn (along with Walman marinating in the minors) to complement that right side is awesome.

 

[Brian39]

The last two years they also went up against a team with a healthy Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel. Maybe the Caps have been this good for 3 years now but we're only seeing it now that they made it past the Pens

The Caps would have made 3 consecutive Conference Finals if not for the worst playoff format in sports. Their reward for winning the President's trophy back to back years was getting the 2nd best team in the East in round 2 and then being labeled chokers because they lost to the eventual Cup champs. They put up a better fight against the Pens last year than the Preds did and I'd argue they gave them just as good of a fight in 2016 (all 4 losses were by 1 goal).

Nothing about the last 2 years has proven that they weren't a top 3 NHL playoff team, they just got screwed by the playoff format. They have a history of underperforming in the playoffs, so it is an easy narrative to latch on to. But I don't think this team is any better than the one from the last couple years.

 

[67Blues]

The Caps would have made 3 consecutive Conference Finals if not for the worst playoff format in sports. Their reward for winning the President's trophy back to back years was getting the 2nd best team in the East in round 2 and then being labeled chokers because they lost to the eventual Cup champs. They put up a better fight against the Pens last year than the Preds did and I'd argue they gave them just as good of a fight in 2016 (all 4 losses were by 1 goal).

Nothing about the last 2 years has proven that they weren't a top 3 NHL playoff team, they just got screwed by the playoff format. They have a history of underperforming in the playoffs, so it is an easy narrative to latch on to. But I don't think this team is any better than the one from the last couple years.

The Blues went through a stretch like that losing to LA and Chicago who went on to win the Cup.

 

[Brian39]

The Blues went through a stretch like that losing to LA and Chicago who went on to win the Cup.

You're not wrong, but I think those teams were demonstrably better than us those years. I think the Caps were closer to beating the Pens the last two years than we were and I have less confidence that the Blues would have been near-locks for victory against anyone else in the Conference. I firmly believe that the Caps would have won the Cup in one of the last 2 years had someone else taken down the Pens. I don't think that about the Blues.

 

[Bluesguru]

You're not wrong, but I think those teams were demonstrably better than us those years. I think the Caps were closer to beating the Pens the last two years than we were and I have less confidence that the Blues would have been near-locks for victory against anyone else in the Conference. I firmly believe that the Caps would have won the Cup in one of the last 2 years had someone else taken down the Pens. I don't think that about the Blues.

Not so sure about that. Blues had 2-0 leads on both Kings and Hawks in back to back years and were just minutes away from going up 3 games to 1 in each series before blowing a late 1 goal lead in Gm 4 of each series.

Momentum is a huge element and who's to say what happens thereafter if the Blues win Gm 4 in either of those years?

If the Kings lose Gm 4 to Sharks that one year and get swept 4 games to none, does anyone even remotely think the Kings were a Stanley Cup team that year?

 

[BlueDream]

The Capitals deserved every bit of the flack they received. It's not just the Penguins they've had trouble with. Also the Rangers. And that one awful choke job against Montreal. They've continuously underperformed in the playoffs.

That's the way sports goes, many teams go through it. And when you consider injuries and such, you can certainly argue that Washington had a better roster last year than Pittsburgh did.

 

[Bluesguru]

Does it blow anyone's mind how fast Vegas plays? No elite defenseman, no elite center, unless you want to claim Karlsson and Marchessault elite. I mean the speed that team plays with and how they boomerang the play back up ice is impressive.

I get the feeling Winnipeg is the team that might have to swallow some pride and dial back their aggressiveness and play a more conservative style to contain Vegas. Similar to how Winnipeg played Gm 4 in Minnesota where they focused on controlling the neutral zone. IMO, Winnipeg will need to do this if they want to avoid a Gm 7.

 

[Stealth JD]

So with that win last night, Vegas has just equaled the Blues most successful playoff run in franchise history - 10 wins.

 

[67Blues]

So with that win last night, Vegas has just equaled the Blues most successful playoff run in franchise history - 10 wins.

I was just thinking about that last night. We really seemed to be the epitome of a sad sack franchise when it comes to playoff success. I think I understand why other fans label us as chokers. We really don't choke when we pretty much expect failure.

 

[The Note]

Being a Blues fan is much easier if you just resign yourself to the idea that they’ll never win a championship. Can’t be let down if you don’t expect anything!

 

[Majorityof1]

Being a Blues fan is much easier if you just resign yourself to the idea that they’ll never win a championship. Can’t be let down if you don’t expect anything!

 

[Ranksu]

Jets players have made some crucial mistake last games and it continues. Its shame.

 

[TruBlu]

Winnipeg is a young team. Although Vegas is an expansion team, they have a lot of guys with playoff experience. I think the needle is swaying to a Vegas win at this point.

 

[tfriede2]

Wow, what a shot.

 

[BlueDream]

Just incredible. I think this is the first time where I now truly believe Vegas is going to win the Cup.