Post-Game Talk: Capitals vs. Senators. 7:30pm EST. Canadian Tire Center,

[CapitalsCupReality]

Holts huge at the end. Kuzy atta boy.


I’ll take 82 games like that. 3rd pair/bottom-6 who cares?!

 

[g00n]

Great that they came back three separate times and eventually won.

PPs were 5-1 Sens...Nobody scored. 8 goals, all ES + shootout

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Two points! Not bad for a regular season opener on the road, however they need to cut down those penalties. I love the top line chemistry and Saturday should be a fun night.

Go Caps!

 

[IafrateOvie34]

As an outsider looking in, Ovechkin is still a monster!

Sure looks like it and that is a great thing.

 

[RandyHolt]

Ovi with the hat - wow maybe its a sign. Our vets carrying their weight at ES is what we need to win a cup.

Mod thought. With the game day thread a third of the way down the page, how about stickied GDTs during the game itself?

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

Sloppy game. Poor officiating. But also extremely entertaining. I don't mind regular season games like this it makes for fun hockey.

 

[Sam Spade]

I really don't think all of us appreciate exactly what we have had the pleasure to witness over the last 12 seasons. Forget the team stuff, just this great individual, who does the hardest thing there is to do in the game of hockey, better than anyone else from the day he stepped into the league.

I watch McDavid games with the same sense I have always watched Ovie, like I am watching greatness. I have been doing this since that goal in Arizona all those years ago.

 

[Demandedace]

I really don't think all of us appreciate exactly what we have had the pleasure to witness over the last 12 seasons. Forget the team stuff, just this great individual, who does the hardest thing there is to do in the game of hockey, better than anyone else from the day he stepped into the league.

I watch McDavid games with the same sense I have always watched Ovie, like I am watching greatness. I have been doing this since that goal in Arizona all those years ago.

Agreed completely, he really is something special. Great game from 8 and 92 tonight especially, 19 and 77 didn't do so badly either

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Ovi with the hat - wow maybe its a sign. Our vets carrying their weight at ES is what we need to win a cup.

Mod thought. With the game day thread a third of the way down the page, how about stickied GDTs during the game itself?

Were you a Habs fan in your previous life?

 

[stanleycaps18]

First time here since the last game before tonight. WTF happened to this forum? The upgrades are, surprising.

Interesting first game. Ovi was fantastic in the 3rd, and the PK hasn't missed a beat.

 

[TIGERCOOL]

Did Ovi get in killer shape this offseason? He looks more energized and agile than I've seen from him in years.

 

[SDBondra]

Backstrom and Oshie were great on the PK but that’s not how we should be burning their energy. Ness owes those guys a beer. Tough game for the 3rd pairing. They were overmatched.

I’ve never rolled my eyes harder than listening to Alan May talk up DSP as a difference maker between periods. I hope he sits for Walker next game.

 

[Holtbyisms]

I hope tonight solidified Bowey as #5-6. Ness is a joke get him off this f***ing team. Figure the damn cap out and make people move if need be to get him there once Willy comes back. That said, good win...Ovi looks ON IT.WHich to me is interesting cause he often starts slow. Holtby looked good despite 4 against. Lot of bullshit snipes/deflections. Chaisson actually impressed me...he coasted in preseason and I didn't like that from a guy playing for a job...but he was decent tonight. Interesting that some of our top players are getting the prime PK minutes (19/77). Does that do good in the long run in terms of overuse? I don't really know, guess we'll see. All around good effort from the team despite junk defense in front of Holts. I'm probably more interested in this team this year than the past couple because we've got turnover and new people. Go Caps Go!

 

[Raikkonen]

Interesting that some of our top players are getting the prime PK minutes (19/77). Does that do good in the long run in terms of overuse? I don't really know, guess we'll see.

We don't have alternatives. 8-92-13-65 aren't PK players. Wilson is resting. Oshie was a mainstay at PK from the start here. Backstrom was always playing it too.

 

[ovikovy817]

They just couldn't lose this game. They were the better team. Everytime they were behind, they battle through and came back. Nice W for the start of the season.
Ovechkin too bad the SO goals don't count.
3 goals (2nd, 3rd and 4th) conceded on individuals errors.

I see Djoos replacing Ness for the home opener.

 

[RandyHolt]

Ovi is still the king. All is well in our hockey world again.

Kuz having added weight and now finally gets Ovi and another high skill guy in Vrana seems poised to have a monster year. I like that Vrana was already involved in an elite triangulation passing play.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Fun game but please start mixing in Walker, Djoos, and Bowey. Also them turnovers by Carlson, Niskanen, and DSP were horribad.

 

[Sam Spade]

Props to Barry for not switching the lines after two periods. They were getting chances, especially Vrana, so he stuck with the plan.

 

[RandyHolt]

I give full props to Barry for not forcing Vrana to prove he had NHL grade offensive skills on the 4th line in 8TOI for the first 2 months, which would crush his confidence and punch a ticket to Hershey.

Let's see if Barry resorts back to Ovi Nick at the first sign of adversity. This win may have bought Barry a few extra weeks. I really thought Ovi and Nick would come out of the gate slow. How about Ovi fighting for that puck on the 3rd goal...i feel like that sort of play has been a rare sight. The will for a hattie perhaps.

 

[Corby78]

I loved Ovies third goal. Using size and strength to out muscle, and then the wicked quick wrister. That reminded me of vintage Ovie, and if we get more of that, we will be in ok shape

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I loved Ovies third goal. Using size and strength to out muscle, and then the wicked quick wrister. That reminded me of vintage Ovie, and if we get more of that, we will be in ok shape

Great work by #8 and #92 to win that board battle, and the combination of the quick stick lift and the quick shot short side is beautiful. Anderson was not ready for a shot and it was perfectly placed under his blocker. All 3 goals were nice. The second one was beautiful with Ovi forechecking and Vrana stripping the puck from behind. Tic-tac-toe and Kuzy gives Ovi a tap in goal.

 

[twabby]

The second goal is a prime example of why I don't mind overpassing.

Yeah, a lot of the time the extra pass leads to no SOG, but when the extra pass connects it leads to a tap-in much of the time. I've crunched the numbers and determined that I'd rather Kuznetsov risk the pass being picked off in an effort to give Ovechkin a shot at this:

 

[txpd]

Ov nipped the preseason hype that he was over the hill in the bud. Kuzy and Eller looked good. Impressed by Oprik. Wondering how long his legs will hold up to those minutes. Noticed in the OT PK that Carlson and Oprik didn't change at 30 seconds when they could have and that Chorney took the second shift with Niskanen rather than Orlov. So....which line is the 1st line?

 

[txpd]

The second goal is a prime example of why I don't mind overpassing.

Yeah, a lot of the time the extra pass leads to no SOG, but when the extra pass connects it leads to a tap-in much of the time. I've crunched the numbers and determined that I'd rather Kuznetsov risk the pass being picked off in an effort to give Ovechkin a shot at this:

View attachment 78373

The key to that "overpassing" was that Kuzy had no shot. He gave up nothing with that pass. The overpassing that is stupid is when he gives up an open shot in the slot with net to shoot at or as he did several times last season, pass on a breakaway. this play here was the best option available

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Ov nipped the preseason hype that he was over the hill in the bud. Kuzy and Eller looked good. Impressed by Oprik. Wondering how long his legs will hold up to those minutes. Noticed in the OT PK that Carlson and Oprik didn't change at 30 seconds when they could have and that Chorney took the second shift with Niskanen rather than Orlov. So....which line is the 1st line?

Orpik was a warrior in OT, but gets almost zero respect here for it.