I'm fine with whoever they play as long as it isn't the Pens. I just think Bob always plays insanely good against the Caps.
Feel like this was a perfect example of so many of our playoff games. We peppered the Goalie, tilted the ice, but it was a dog fight to the end. At the very least, I hope we can keep that up.
Also really hope The Bob wears down the Penguins (or vice versa) and we can see them in the second round.
the penguins aren't going to beat the blue jackets, imo, if they play in the playoffs. cbj will physically beat the penguins to a pulp. Dubinsky will destroy Crosby. I just don't see Murray out goaltending Bob the way he managed to do to Holtby last year. I could be wrong.
My view is that CBJ vaporizes the Pens
I don't think this counts tonight's game, but Bob has an .899 sv% in 16 career games against the Caps. Only team he's been worse against is the Jets, and he's only played them 9 times. Tonight's game was more the exception than the rule.
the penguins aren't going to beat the blue jackets, imo, if they play in the playoffs. cbj will physically beat the penguins to a pulp. Dubinsky will destroy Crosby. I just don't see Murray out goaltending Bob the way he managed to do to Holtby last year. I could be wrong.
My view is that CBJ vaporizes the Pens
That game felt like one of the 2010 playoff games against Montreal....
Caps looked dominant, but the scoreboard don't show it! I like the makeup of this team better, but I wish we had a Joel Ward net front type (I know he wasn't on the 2010 team).
If the Pens get Malkin and Letang back with a few games left in the season, they will beat the Jackets easily.
The other people missing are sort of irrelevant (MAYBE Geuntzal will be missed), but with Malkin and Letang the Pens are the Cup favorites.
What they have been doing game in and game out (7-1-2 last ten games) without Letang and Malkin (and Daley, Hainsey, Hagelin, Rust, Maatta) is sort of miraculous honestly.
Yeah their net front presence (Knuble) got Ovechkin's late game tying goal in game seven waived off.
I still can't believe Ovie passed on that open shot from the slot. The whole stadium was distraught that he didn't shoot there.
I think the big unknown with CBJ is just how ready are Werenski and Jones to carry that team from the back-end? They're a good team with pretty decent depth but who are the other difference makers? Saad? Foligno? Dubinsky?My view is that CBJ vaporizes the Pens
It's less about one particular shift on a goal scored by a defenseman when the goalie was screened by a teammate or two than their production over the past month or so and their general level of play. Johansson has four points in the last eleven games, Kuznetsov three in ten and Williams four in twelve. They do have the puck a lot but it's too often just perimeter stuff. Kuznetsov has to be a difference maker and lately he hasn't been. This was the type of game he should have taken over and he wasn't much of a factor despite playing more than anyone up front 5-on-5.Interesting comment after a game in which the 2nd line generated the only goal...
It's less about one particular shift on a goal scored by a defenseman when the goalie was screened by a teammate or two than their production over the past month or so and their general level of play. Johansson has four points in the last eleven games, Kuznetsov three in ten and Williams four in twelve. They do have the puck a lot but it's too often just perimeter stuff. Kuznetsov has to be a difference maker and lately he hasn't been. This was the type of game he should have taken over and he wasn't much of a factor despite playing more than anyone up front 5-on-5.
The top line is starting to bring it but the second line hasn't elevated their play much offensively. Neither have Eller or Connolly lately but I don't have tremendous expectations for those two whereas I'm pretty sure the second line can be a lot better.
CBJ will need to beat two teams in the first round, if you know what I mean.