Post-Game Talk: Caps vs NBCSNd

[Sam Spade]

I don't think Wilson will ever be as good as Lucic, but if he can be like Patrick Maroon I'll be happy.

The Hawks didn't look dangerous at all. We were in control for most of the game.

Agreed. I had to check the boxscore to see if Brandon Saad was even playing. He started this season so hot, 6 goals in his first 6 games, has completely disappeared since. But just like Marge, the Hawks had to trade Panarin for Saad for cap reasons, I bet Kane wishes that move never happened.

 

[maacoshark]

We had that long stretch at the end of the first and the first half of the second where we barely touched the puck. Anyway it was a good win. I believe that puts us 1 point out of the division lead.

 

[Coldplay619]

8-19-43 > 8-19-77
They tilt the ice consistently.
I remember last season when they wrecked the Rangers in shot attempts.

 

[Sam Spade]

Biggest game of the season, so far, coming up on Friday against the Rangers.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Can we get a GIF of the Wilson double-boomski laid on Hartman and then Wingels. Candidate for top "smote thy enemy" moment of the year

 

[Sam Spade]

We had that long stretch at the end of the first and the first half of the second where we barely touched the puck. Anyway it was a good win. I believe that puts us 1 point out of the division lead.

A minor league goalie stops those shots by the Hawks.

 

[twabby]

Caps top line is good. Very good. A+ efforts from them all. Also an excellent game from Orlov and Holtby was solid.

Depth is still a concern but hopefully some returns from injury help.

 

[Coldplay619]

Caps top line is good. Very good. A+ efforts from them all. Also an excellent game from Orlov and Holtby was solid.

Depth is still a concern but hopefully some returns from injury help.

Ideally we'd look something like this:

8-19-43
13-92-77
10-20-65
18/25-83-39

9-2
29-74
44-22
4

Our bottom-six and bottom pair could still use some improvement though.

 

[ovikovy817]

When I saw Forsberg in net, I didn't understand why Q went with him (because there is a lot of talk about Crawford as top3 vezina candidate) then, after the 3rd goal when Berube was in net, I understand why lol. Injured for a long time?

What a game from Wilson, on national TV. He knows when to choose
2+2 and a very good play on Kuzya's goal
Btw, per the main board, Ovi can't make a pass, on that same goal, from behind the net, it was a beauty.
Nicky finally with a goal (BTW, Ovi's reaction is awesome, he was more happy than when he celebrated his goals lol)
That 1st line was great.

Another beauty from Connolly and the whole PP unit.

Like always, a lot of BS calls in favor of Hawks.
That dirty knee, only 2 minutes? Wilson 2 minutes for reputation (btw, hope games like this on national tv + playing on 1st line, would start to change it). The Ovi hooking is BS, if the Caps are on 2 minutes PP and not 4, they never call that hooking.

When I saw Beagle going on a breakaway. I was like, , he likes SHG, he likes Chicago, he likes SHG against Chicago, I thought he would score, unfortunately he didn't.

 

[maacoshark]

A minor league goalie stops those shots by the Hawks.

The Hawks had a lot of shots but the Caps did do a decent job at keeping them to the outside.

 

[maacoshark]

When I saw Forsberg in net, I didn't understand why Q went with him (because there is a lot of talk about Crawford as top3 vezina candidate) then, after the 3rd goal when Berube was in net, I understand why lol. Injured for a long time?

What a game from Wilson, on national TV. He knows when to choose
2+2 and a very good play on Kuzya's goal
Btw, per the main board, Ovi can't make a pass, on that same goal, from behind the net, it was a beauty.
Nicky finally with a goal (BTW, Ovi's reaction is awesome, he was more happy than when he celebrated his goals lol)
That 1st line was great.

Another beauty from Connolly and the whole PP unit.

Like always, a lot of BS calls in favor of Hawks.
That dirty knee, only 2 minutes? Wilson 2 minutes for reputation (btw, hope games like this on national tv + playing on 1st line, would start to change it). The Ovi hooking is BS, if the Caps are on 2 minutes PP and not 4, they never call that hooking.

When I saw Beagle going on a breakaway. I was like, , he likes SHG, he likes Chicago, he likes SHG against Chicago, I thought he would score, unfortunately he didn't.

I didn't the officiating was terrible. A couple of border line calls. I didn't think the Chicago player should have gotten more than 2 mins for tripping Ovi. I didn't think it was kneeing. It was a dangerous play though. And Wilson getting the roughing call I had no problem with. He went into a crowd of Hawks and took shots at 2 players.

 

[maacoshark]

Ideally we'd look something like this:

8-19-43
13-92-77
10-20-65
18/25-83-39

9-2
29-74
44-22
4

Our bottom-six and bottom pair could still use some improvement though.

I don't think those lines are that bad. Same with the defence core.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I didn't the officiating was terrible. A couple of border line calls. I didn't think the Chicago player should have gotten more than 2 mins for tripping Ovi. I didn't think it was kneeing. It was a dangerous play though. And Wilson getting the roughing call I had no problem with. He went into a crowd of Hawks and took shots at 2 players.

He only got 2 min for tripping Ovi. The 4 min penalty was the high stick to Orlov's face that drew blood.

 

[Sam Spade]

Vrana is really impressing me with his play with the puck but especially his play without. If he keeps working he is going to be a really nice player in this league.

 

[Langway]

Scoring-line Wilson and winning with five rookies in the lineup does make the organization look pretty good. If Wilson can play a consistently effective scoring-line role it's a game-changer for their depth. I still don't know how reliable the secondary pieces are for playoff style hockey or how good their depth is but being able to win comfortably minus 77/65 builds confidence. Connolly starting to heat up provides another boost.

8 - 19 -43
13 - 92 - 77
65 - 20 - 10
18 - 83 - 25

I don't think the fourth-line is going to be strong due to Beagle mostly. He needs to go the way of Alzner the way things are going.

 

[txpd]

I was slow seeing the decline of Alzner. I admit, but I am again not seeing it with Beagle. With Smith-Pelly there they are starting to produce something on that line. Beagle is 4th in the league in faceoff% and 1st in shorthanded faceoff%. I am certainly not ready to punt a guy winning 60% of his pk faceoffs.

 

[txpd]

Vrana is really impressing me with his play with the puck but especially his play without. If he keeps working he is going to be a really nice player in this league.

That without the puck stuff is Trotzville. Be careful complimenting or pointing out the importance of that area of play.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Beagle just isnt finishing. He'a always had good/quick hands....far better than your average 4th line guy (hence his amazing FO %...thats all hands).

I am a huge Beagle supporter. He will get it going, as soon as he has some consistent linemates. It's not a coincidence that he's struggled as he's had a rotating door of players with him. Stephenson and DSP are solid players for him to get that going with. Chiasson can be injury fill in (as can Boyd), or in case they trade someone (like Connolly).

Body/Stephenson should both play, IMO, but not over DSP. So thats where the Connolly piece comes into play. Or they do something dramatic like trading Burakovsky for a defensive version of him (young guy with oodles of talent who is struggling a little bit).

They now seemingly have some nice depth in the forward ranks. Wilson and Vrana as top 6 players have allowed them great flexibility. Part of that is certainly also due to the strenghts of 8-19 and 92-77 (or whomever).

I think as Connolly shows last year's RS wasnt a fluke, it opens more doors for the team. I'd like to see him upgraded, frankly. He was a total no show in the 2nd season, and I dont think that was a mistake. His talent doesnt carry over when the going gets hard. IMO.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I think it means Oshie will be back tomorrow.

 

[twabby]

I think it means Oshie will be back tomorrow.

I would think Burakovsky and not Oshie. Assuming Oshie had a concussion it'd be weird for him to be back so soon without getting a practice or two in.

 

[Langway]

IMO it's skating with Beagle. He's never been the most agile and as the game speeds up it becomes even more important that he takes better angles. A huge part of why he's not as effective a forechecker are those angles and it's also shown up in some of his defensive play. Sure, he's nails on faceoffs and PKs hard but there's a limit to how much that's worth alone. If forced to choose between 20/83, I keep 20 assuming the numbers are slightly team-friendly. Beagle at a slight discount is maybe tolerable but he's only likely to get worse so term could be an issue. If he's not dealing with a lower body injury then I think the drop-off may be here. He's currently got the worst raw Corsi & Fenwick among NHL regulars. Some of that's usage but it's not just linemates. Linemates can help but Stephenson and one of DSP/Chiasson or even both DSP/Chiasson are probably not going to change how infrequently that line attacks effectively. Maybe better structure and shift-to-shift engagement puts that line on better ground to do good things similar to the past two seasons but I think Beagle just may be on his way to becoming a chase-the-game type player. It's a fine line.

In general my concern remains whether 19/92 shoot enough/are reliable enough finishers and whether 65/13 can be playoff-style interior type presences. The defense is fine for the time being...they've tightened up as a group. They just need to keep hammering away at the dirty areas. They did a decent job of keeping Chicago to the perimeter and need to keep the lapses in those areas down.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I would think Burakovsky and not Oshie. Assuming Oshie had a concussion it'd be weird for him to be back so soon without getting a practice or two in.

Trotz said he wasn't expecting to have Burakovsky back this week. I don't know, I guess we'll find out soon.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[Sam Spade]

I think it means Oshie will be back tomorrow.

It means Burka is back tomorrow.

Also, I love Beagle, I don't love Beagle at 2.0 per which is probably his ask this summer. His F/O% is fantastic but you can teach someone in the organization to win faceoffs at league minimum.