Post-Game Talk: Caps/Devs GDT 4/2

[Firsov99]

Blackwood with number 2 star of game. But no Vanecek. That is kind of messed up! We don’t win with Vanecek’s saves (particularly in OT).

Travesty.

 

[Fred22406Capsfan]

Man, can't beat the Rangers but we find ways to beat the pesky Devils. 2pts is 2pts but man... head scratching group at times!

 

[twabby]

I thought the 8-20-77 line was pretty good. Eller’s timing seems a bit off but he at least helped drive the play tonight. Ovie was close to scoring a few times.

Orlov and Schultz were fantastic tonight. They were constantly in the offensive zone generating shots and giving up very little defensively. I thought it was pretty fitting that one of those two scored the GWG.

Backstrom has been struggling much of this season and I thought he was particularly weak tonight. Hopefully he can turn it around soon.

Vanecek was good in OT but I thought the defense was good at protecting him tonight. He really needs to work on the rebound control.

I hope Vrana is back in the next game. I can get behind the healthy scratch but I think there are a few lower ceiling players like Panik and Sprong who should probably sit next game to see if Vrana responds.

 

[Capsman]

I thought the 8-20-77 line was pretty good. Eller’s timing seems a bit off but he at least helped drive the play tonight. Ovie was close to scoring a few times.

Orlov and Schultz were fantastic tonight. They were constantly in the offensive zone generating shots and giving up very little defensively. I thought it was pretty fitting that one of those two scored the GWG.

Backstrom has been struggling much of this season and I thought he was particularly weak tonight. Hopefully he can turn it around soon.

Vanecek was good in OT but I thought the defense was good at protecting him tonight. He really needs to work on the rebound control.

I hope Vrana is back in the next game. I can get behind the healthy scratch but I think there are a few lower ceiling players like Panik and Sprong who should probably sit next game to see if Vrana responds.

Tonight wasn’t his best night but I’m a little surprised by your assessment of his season. He’s been very good in my view.

 

[DWGie26]

I feel like Sprong just disappears. Very inconsistent.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Great recovery game!

 

[twabby]

Tonight wasn’t his best night but I’m a little surprised by your assessment of his season. He’s been very good in my view.

It boils down to him not really driving play all that much, especially offensively. He’s getting his points and that’s great, but given that Dowd is getting the tough deployments I’d like Backstrom to generate scoring chances at 5v5 better than he has. As measured by expected goals he’s currently the worst forward on the team in terms of on-ice chance generation at 5v5.

 

[troyerlaw]

Backstrom has been struggling much of this season

??
No he hasn’t. Weren’t the first 20 or so games actually the best of his long career, something to that effect? He was an absolute stud up till the last few games

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Two points against a team we should get points from. That Orlov goal was a beauty.

 

[twabby]

??
No he hasn’t. Weren’t the first 20 or so games actually the best of his long career, something to that effect? He was an absolute stud up till the last few games

It depends how you value points. His point totals are great overall but I don’t think it’s an accurate measure of how he’s actually been playing. More importantly, I don’t think his overall level of play this season bodes well for his performance in the postseason, at least at 5v5.

 

[SpinningEdge]

Missed the game. First one in maybe 2+ years. Girlfriend 100% knew I spilled spaghetti and meatballs on it (granted this morning it was obvious (and also was mad I decided to schedule playing golf all day tomorrow), and also I guess I said something rude about her moms left eyebrow last month (granted its super weird) - so I had to do the right thing and take her out tonight - to break up.

Awesome the Caps got 2 points tonight. Have a chance to go for the 8-0 season sweep on Easter Sunday (which as of tonight I have no plans for since I was supposed to go to my ex’s weird eyebrows moms house - so I’ll def be around for that game).

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Funny...

 

[Hivemind]

??
No he hasn’t. Weren’t the first 20 or so games actually the best of his long career, something to that effect? He was an absolute stud up till the last few games

He was racking up points on a red hot PP to start the year, but not driving play a ton.

 

[caps4cup]

He was racking up points on a red hot PP to start the year, but not driving play a ton.

I think he’s been better than his xGF% but worse than his point totals suggest.

 

[max21]

Missed the game. First one in maybe 2+ years. Girlfriend 100% knew I spilled spaghetti and meatballs on it (granted this morning it was obvious (and also was mad I decided to schedule playing golf all day tomorrow), and also I guess I said something rude about her moms left eyebrow last month (granted its super weird) - so I had to do the right thing and take her out tonight - to break up.

Awesome the Caps got 2 points tonight. Have a chance to go for the 8-0 season sweep on Easter Sunday (which as of tonight I have no plans for since I was supposed to go to my ex’s weird eyebrows moms house - so I’ll def be around for that game).

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Nice reset game after getting destroyed by the Isles.

Really happy to see them only give up 1 goal.

Time to get on a roll again.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

It depends how you value points. His point totals are great overall but I don’t think it’s an accurate measure of how he’s actually been playing. More importantly, I don’t think his overall level of play this season bodes well for his performance in the postseason, at least at 5v5.

Hopefully he'll get it going soon. We are going to need him.

 

[AussieCapsFan]

Missed the game. First one in maybe 2+ years. Girlfriend 100% knew I spilled spaghetti and meatballs on it (granted this morning it was obvious (and also was mad I decided to schedule playing golf all day tomorrow), and also I guess I said something rude about her moms left eyebrow last month (granted its super weird) - so I had to do the right thing and take her out tonight - to break up.

Awesome the Caps got 2 points tonight. Have a chance to go for the 8-0 season sweep on Easter Sunday (which as of tonight I have no plans for since I was supposed to go to my ex’s weird eyebrows moms house - so I’ll def be around for that game).

I think you've dodged a bullet. Sounds like she's looking for a pet dog rather than a boyfriend

 

[Silky mitts]

Missed the game. First one in maybe 2+ years. Girlfriend 100% knew I spilled spaghetti and meatballs on it (granted this morning it was obvious (and also was mad I decided to schedule playing golf all day tomorrow), and also I guess I said something rude about her moms left eyebrow last month (granted its super weird) - so I had to do the right thing and take her out tonight - to break up.

Awesome the Caps got 2 points tonight. Have a chance to go for the 8-0 season sweep on Easter Sunday (which as of tonight I have no plans for since I was supposed to go to my ex’s weird eyebrows moms house - so I’ll def be around for that game).

You spilled spaghetti and meatballs on the game?

 

[ovikovy817]

2 needed points.

b2b vs rested team
on the road
3 in 4 nights.

7-0-0 vs Devils
5-0-1 vs Buffalo

Almost perfect against the teams that we should win even playing @50%

 

[txpd]

Ha. Backstrom stinks and has all season. I suppose his analytical show he stinks his whole career. Meanwhile do I read right that only Palin played less than Kuzy?

 

[twabby]

Ha. Backstrom stinks and has all season. I suppose his analytical show he stinks his whole career. Meanwhile do I read right that only Palin played less than Kuzy?

I didn't say he stinks, I said he's struggled this season in terms of chance generation, and especially so given that he is no longer being tasked with shutdown duties where he might need to take a more active defensive role. The good thing is that he has time to turn it around, but if he doesn't change something about his offensive game I fear is he going to struggle in the postseason.

And no, the analytics suggest he's been really good for pretty much his entire career.

 

[crab]

I didn't say he stinks, I said he's struggled this season in terms of chance generation, and especially so given that he is no longer being tasked with shutdown duties where he might need to take a more active defensive role. The good thing is that he has time to turn it around, but if he doesn't change something about his offensive game I fear is he going to struggle in the postseason.

And no, the analytics suggest he's been really good for pretty much his entire career.

How were his analytics for the first ~10 games? From an eye test he looked a lot better in my opinion, faster, taking shots instead of making low reward passes, etc.

 

[g00n]

How were his analytics for the first ~10 games? From an eye test he looked a lot better in my opinion, faster, taking shots instead of making low reward passes, etc.

Well I know you didn't ask me but I was looking at his game log the other day, and his boxcar stats for the first 15 games vs the last 15 show he's taking about half as many shots per game in the latter stretch.

We've seen the veterans on this team coast a bit mid-season. That may be all we're dealing with right now, especially with the COVID schedule.

 

[trick9]

Everyone in the 'Samsonov stinks and can't be trusted' -train again?

The guy was 7-1-1 before last game. He had a bad game after getting hit in the head by his teammate and people think that should cost him his roster spot?

Geez.