Post-Game Talk: Caps @ Canes 7:30

[hockeykicker]

Grubauer starting, burakovsky out.

Begin your complaints now

Click to read more...

 

[Raikkonen]

Got Bura in my fantasy pool. Now I'm losing because of this ****! :O

Drafted him as supposed 30+30 cheap guy.

 

[twabby]

Really hoping they give the third line more than 7-10 minutes of ice time tonight. Also hope the team takes Carolina seriously because they probably played their worst game of the season against Carolina earlier in the year.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Our lines tonight

#42 Nordstrom - #11 Staal (A) - #16 Lindholm
#53 Skinner (A) - #49 Rask - #33 Ryan
#20 Aho - #86 Teravainen - #21 Stempniak
#23 McGinn - #18 McClement - #25 Stalberg

#65 Hainsey - #27 Faulk (A)
#74 Slavin - #22 Pesce
#5 Hanifin - #26 Tennyson

#30 Ward
#32 Leighton

Scratches
#7 Murphy (Healthy)
#15 Nestrasil (Healthy)
#29 Bickell (Multiple Sclerosis, Day-to-Day)
#31 Lack (Concussion, Day-to-Day)

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Alan May used the expression "one-trick pony" to describe Burt. I never thought of it this way, but it seems pretty evident now that he has gone 26 games without a goal because he does the same predictable thing all the time. Enter the zone, curl and drag and a long range wrist shot.

This is pretty similar to what Semin used to do, except that Semin had 1000 other ways to hurt to the other team offensively. Burt needs to keep it simple, move the puck quickly and trust your line mates to feed you the puck in scoring areas, just like he was doing last year with Kuzy.

 

[Raikkonen]

#42 Nordstrom - #11 Staal (A) - #16 Lindholm

Whats up with that guy Lindholm? Drafted him too. Statistically he's way worse than I expected.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Our lines tonight
#65 Hainsey - #27 Faulk (A)
#74 Slavin - #22 Pesce
#5 Hanifin - #26 Tennyson

Jeezus - you guys have a fish, a poet, and human chattel on D. We may be too bewildered to be effective

 

[HecticGlow]

Alan May used the expression "one-trick pony" to describe Burt. I never thought of it this way, but it seems pretty evident now that he has gone 26 games without a goal because he does the same predictable thing all the time. Enter the zone, curl and drag and a long range wrist shot.

This is pretty similar to what Semin used to do, except that Semin had 1000 other ways to hurt to the other team offensively. Burt needs to keep it simple, move the puck quickly and trust your line mates to feed you the puck in scoring areas, just like he was doing last year with Kuzy.

A concern of mine last season was that Burt seemed to find it hard to score away from Kuzy - Bura-Backstrom-Oshie/Williams struggled to find traction offensively, and when Kuzy went cold Bura went cold. Chimera got his powerplay spot. Oh, and Bura might never have warmed had Mojo not vacated 2LW to move to center, given his long goalless (pointless?) streak until January. There are a lot of similarities to this season.

That said, I think he's a healthy scratch again because Winnik, Vrana and Connelly have been outplaying him. I don't buy the 'reset' idea - he needs to grow his game, and like Galiev last year that won't happen while he's sitting.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Good luck tonite guys

Hoping for a fun one

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Whats up with that guy Lindholm? Drafted him too. Statistically he's way worse than I expected.

For some reason, he starts out really crappy every year. I think the prior 2 season's he had 1G,1A in 19 games in October. This year wasn't any better (1A in 8 games in October). He started playing better, even though he wasn't scoring but then got hurt and just came back last game.

My personal opinion is that 1) he was rushed to the NHL well before he was ready which hurt his development, and confidence and 2) he hasn't been fast enough or strong enough to create space to be able to utilize his skill set. He looks much stronger this year though so hopefully points will come, although Peters has him on a defensive, possession line with Staal and Nordstrom.

 

[Brian23]

That said, I think he's a healthy scratch again because Winnik, Vrana and Connelly have been outplaying him. I don't buy the 'reset' idea - he needs to grow his game, and like Galiev last year that won't happen while he's sitting.

Well, unlike Galiev he can't go down to the AHL to light it up. Maybe they can keep him sat for a bit then give him a conditioning stint.

Bura can't get better not playing, but we just aren't a team that can take the time to let him play thorugh his issues. We need to both win and know what we have behind our struggling players.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

A concern of mine last season was that Burt seemed to find it hard to score away from Kuzy - Bura-Backstrom-Oshie/Williams struggled to find traction offensively, and when Kuzy went cold Bura went cold. Chimera got his powerplay spot. Oh, and Bura might never have warmed had Mojo not vacated 2LW to move to center, given his long goalless (pointless?) streak until January. There are a lot of similarities to this season.

That said, I think he's a healthy scratch again because Winnik, Vrana and Connelly have been outplaying him. I don't buy the 'reset' idea - he needs to grow his game, and like Galiev last year that won't happen while he's sitting.

He needs to grow his game, but you don't know what's going on in his head. It wouldn't be the first time he's been down on himself, sulking and pouting because things are not going his way. Trotz sat him down and threatened to scratch him last year if he didn't get his positive attitude back. In the end he's still a kid, one who went to see a sports psychologist.

A lot of his struggles are mental, I think he's limiting himself.

 

[Todos a la Calle]

Put on your big boy pants!

 

[ovikovy817]

You can't put a guy (Connolly) in the pressbox after a goal, and it seems like Winnik-Beagle-Wilson will be our 4th line in the PO.

 

[Hivemind]

I wouldn't mind Wilson sitting a game or two to "reset" his game in the near future. Between Eller, Beagle, Oshie, Winnik, and Backstrom, they still have plenty of PKers to handle the load.

 

[aonb]

Predict close game, something like 3-2 (hopefully for the good guys)

26 games without a goal.. wow thats brutal, no excuses Burt
Generally I think Andre was slightly overrated here which doesn't mean that he can't play at all. We need him at his best later, so do whatever that should help him find his game again.

Also, I like Hurricanes as a team. Their fans too, because Hurricanes fans are by far the most easy-going on hfboards, have sense of humor and don't participate in silly discussions

Go Caps (and go Canes but 2 points still for Ov and company)

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Canes are better than their record and seemingly always play the Caps tight. I also think we'll be looking towards the home game vs Montreal tomorrow. OT loss, I think.

 

[Holtbyisms]

Hopefully we stick to the script and get a big system win tonight.

 

[Blitzkrieg365]

Hopefully we stick to the script and get a big system win tonight.

 

[hockeykicker]

Guess vrana is going back down?

 

[42]

Guess vrana is going back down?

That makes no sense. Vrana has been great.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[twabby]

I'm curious about the Sanford timing. Both he and Vrana can't fit under the cap and I'd like to see Vrana get more time.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[ovikovy817]

Really? It's nothing against Sanford but Vrana is very good with the big team, 3 points in 7 game is better than 1 in 19
Or maybe GMBM is preparing a trade?