Series Discussion: ECQF: Washington Capitals vs. Toronto Maple Leafs. (LEAF FANS READ OP & POST 67)

[Rob Brown]

Clyde's is my go to place prior to Caps games and its right next door to Verizon. Then again, I don't go to to many Caps games so someone who regularly goes is better to get recommendations from. Still, plenty of options for adult beverages in the immediate Verizon area.

Thanks!

 

[Chokingdogs]

Clyde's is my go to place prior to Caps games and its right next door to Verizon. Then again, I don't go to to many Caps games so someone who regularly goes is better to get recommendations from. Still, plenty of options for adult beverages in the immediate Verizon area.

fado was always my go-to place, but that was mostly due to the fact the guys i went with always went there, and we knew just about all the staff. one can imagine the perks that came with that......their boxty was addictive too.

 

[John Price]

(mod)

Excited to play you guys. Heading to DC with some friends for the Saturday game! Looking for some good, friendly bars to hang out in pre-game on Saturday if anyone has any recommendations.

Honestly bar Louie or Greene turtle will be fine Saturday.

GT can get really crowded esp on Saturday and bar Louie is okay. Either that or Clyde's

 

[moon111]

Perhaps it's meeting an ex-Capital that I've had a soft spot for Washington. Really have big hopes for them, and think it will be awful if they don't get it done soon. The time is right. It's not going to get any better and before you know it, it's denial that the team needs a rebuild. I know you don't want to see annoying Leaf fans. But thought I'd drop my top 10 takes on what Washington needs to do matching up against the Leafs.

1. Get physical with Matthews and Nylander. They haven't shown a willingness to take contact to make a play. Nylander thrives on open-ice during the power-play because it's more non-contact hockey.
2. Caution getting physical with Marner. He'll get so low, players can go dangerously into the boards. If the Leafs are not in the game, which they have a tendency to do, don't get physical with Marner. Perhaps if a power-play is needed/desperate. But you're looking at one player that if attacked could pull the the Leafs seriously together for more then just that game. Think of your family if the youngest sibling was physically attacked.
3. Treat Gardiner and Rielly like AHLers in their zone, if they don't have the puck. Put pressure on them. But watch out if they do have the puck. They've been springing cherry-pickers all season.
4. The Leafs have nothing to counter OV's size! Have him run over RW's every chance he gets.
5. Matthews/Nylander/Hyman... they'll dump it in and let Hyman chase. But JVR/Bozak/Marner are the most likely line guaranteed a pass. They're good, but it's also a recipe for turn-overs. Exploit it. Also this line is soft. JVR, despite being tall, isn't a very menacing player. Physically exploit the line if available.
6. Komarov/Kadri/Brown. They've shut-down or slowed down some pretty good opposition at times. For most of the year, Hyman had more 1st assists then Kadri. Watch out for Kadri to try and do it all and carry the puck, his passing is okay at best.
7. Tough guys and pests on Toronto have been very good at drawing penalties. Be real careful not to get put in the sin bin.
8. The Leafs core are scorers. They don't score, the team gets frustrated, and they take themselves out of the game. Babcock is making them more comfortable in games where things aren't going their way, but overall if it's still 0-0, they're emotionally losing.
9. Andersen is key to any success the Leafs will have. I would go to the net hard...
10. Never, ever give up against the Leafs. If they have a 10 goal lead, don't stop, don't get crazy frustated, etc. Just keep on coming at them like a machine. Cracks will appear and the Leafs will self-destruct.
Best of luck Caps. Sorry if my post offends any fans here.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I was waiting for the "GoonHammer" to drop...well done.

 

[EroCaps]

They merely need bring a B+ defensive effort to this series to finish it quickly.

Don't let Toronto hang 5 goals on you, and win.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Caps will win, but I think this will be tougher than some are thinking.

The D and G will be the difference.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

(mod)

Excited to play you guys. Heading to DC with some friends for the Saturday game! Looking for some good, friendly bars to hang out in pre-game on Saturday if anyone has any recommendations.

Check out Page 1, Post 11 (or so) of the "Visiting / Out-of-Town Fans" Thread at the top of our board. Some pretty detailed explanations there. The area around the VC has really exploded the last decade or so and there is something for everyone in the neighborhood... just depends on your taste and budget preferences (and the level of drunk you want to get / be around).

 

[joepeps]

this is my matchup from hell.

My 2 fav teams playing each other.

Either way i'm going to be sad at the end of this.

Atleast if the leafs lose, Ovie can go and win a cup

 

[4thTierSport]

Why is everyone saying the Boston series would be brutal vs us? I'm pretty fit Boston has beaten the Caps like twice in the past 15 matchups - and their main players are all still the same.

Regardless, Caps need to start scoring goals. Past 4-5 playoffs Caps would avg like 2 goals/game and rarely get even 3. Holts playoffs gaa in his career is under 2 yet is .500 in playoffs. It's time to light it up this year.

Brutal like the Philly series last year. Bruins wouldn't have any chance of winning the series but it would be brutal physically.

I think any momentum the Leafs' forwards could gain is lost and then some by their backend. I just don't see that backend being able to keep up in a series.

 

[Melkor]

I'm in minority (again) but gut feeling says its a 7 game series. The Caps have always ( and I mean ALWAYS) had huge troubles with speedy opponents come playoffs time. Be it Rags, Pens or Tampa back in 2011 with that Bergenheim line, the Caps are always a mess when the opposite team forces them to move their legs 60+ min non stop. Leafs are able to do that. The question is will Babcock prepare them to use their speed in a most productive way?

 

[Sam Spade]

Kuzy disappeared around game 60 last year, this season he has been there all year and that gives me hope.

This series they will need Holtby to play better than he has against the Leafs this season for sure.

Only area the Leafs have the Caps in is coaching and in THIS series it shouldn't matter.

p.s. I can't be the only one who wants Schmidt in the lineup over Alzner or Carlson am I? Especially against the super fast Leafs.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Kuzy disappeared around game 60 last year, this season he has been there all year and that gives me hope.j

This series they will need Holtby to play better than he has against the Leafs this season for sure.

Only area the Leafs have the Caps in is coaching and in THIS series it shouldn't matter.

p.s. I can't be the only one who wants Schmidt in the lineup over Alzner or Carlson am I? Especially against the super fast Leafs.

that's simply not true...took him a while to get going even into this season.

Whatever the case, he can't go MIA like last year. In fact I would be saddened and stunned if he did this time. We need him to win the Cup.

No interest in Schmidt in the lineup UNTIL we have an injury reason forcing it. I'm definitely intrigued to see him get his chance, because he will, I'm just not hoping for it today.

 

[Lindemann]

The biggest differences between last year and this year are 2 things:

- We added speed with Eller, Conolly, and Shattenkirk. Pitt killed us with their translation game cause we thrive on us setting the pace. We also had Weber in for some of these games...

- We didn't just coast into the playoffs this year. Last year, after the snow storm, we looked like total crap a lot of games but won at the end. Everyone on this board saw that this could be a problem, much like San Jose and the Wild this year. This year, we still looked like ourselves till the end

With that said, don't take it lightly and get cocky. It's the playoffs, anything can happen

Also, can anyone post our typical lineup from last years playoffs, with 7th/8th d men included since I can't remember for the life of me the full lineup but I want to say this years lineup is so much better and deeper

 

[sycamore]

The biggest differences between last year and this year are 2 things:

- We added speed with Eller, Conolly, and Shattenkirk. Pitt killed us with their translation game cause we thrive on us setting the pace. We also had Weber in for some of these games...

- We didn't just coast into the playoffs this year. Last year, after the snow storm, we looked like total crap a lot of games but won at the end. Everyone on this board saw that this could be a problem, much like San Jose and the Wild this year. This year, we still looked like ourselves till the end

With that said, don't take it lightly and get cocky. It's the playoffs, anything can happen

Also, can anyone post our typical lineup from last years playoffs, with 7th/8th d men included since I can't remember for the life of me the full lineup but I want to say this years lineup is so much better and deeper

Also, no Letang

 

[Caps Circle]

Oh god.

Another bandwagon vs anti-bandwagon matchup.

Again, apologies in advance caps fans.

You should incorporate your avatar into your own gif.

 

[twabby]

Also, can anyone post our typical lineup from last years playoffs, with 7th/8th d men included since I can't remember for the life of me the full lineup but I want to say this years lineup is so much better and deeper

I think it was:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Burakovsky-Kuznetsov-Williams
Chimera-Richards-Johansson
Winnik-Beagle-Wilson

Alzner-Niskanen
Orpik-Carlson
Orlov-Schmidt

Chorney
Weber

Maybe Beagle and Richards were flipped, I forget.

 

[RandyHolt]

I think we have an injury already forcing Nate in. Isn't Carlson injured? It seems people are being mum on whatever is ailing him.

It thus wouldn't surprise me to see Carlson sat for game 1. It also wouldn't surprise me to see him not practice yet still be in for game 1.

Will Barry scratch a D man if they are injured this year? I sure as hell hope so but history shows coaches think player X on one leg is better than anyone else in the org.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I've consulted with Dr TXPD. Carlson will be cleared and in the lineup Thurs.


On what Barry will do....if guys are hurt they'll play. If they're really INJURED, at least he has options this time.

 

[twabby]

What could possibly go wrong by not scratching an obviously injured defenseman in the postseason? (or at least dressing 7D)

I'd guess Carlson is good enough to go Game 1 but it's pretty obvious that whatever is ailing him is chronic in nature and has been bugging him for 2 seasons now. If Carlson can't flip the switch like he did last postseason Barry needs to get Schmidt in there right away, even if it means dressing 7D if he is absolutely set on keeping an injured Carlson in the lineup. As much as it would be ideal to roll 4 lines in the postseason I'd guess that Ovechkin and Backstrom are going to be skating close to 22+ minutes and the bottom 6's ice time is going to be reduced. At that point it'd probably be better to have 7 effective D and one fewer bottom 6 forward.

One positive is that as poor and Alzner and Carlson have played this season, they have typically been able to elevate their games come postseason. If the Alzner-Carlson pairing suddenly becomes effective then the Capitals are going to be incredibly tough to beat.

 

[txpd]

If analyzing Trotz, you expect that he is going significantly reduce Carlson's minutes enough that a 7th d plays any? nah.

you don't want a forward scratched anyway. Winnik Beagle and Wilson are going to play a lot. If you scratch Connolly for a defenseman that sits on the bench then Burt and Eller wont get to play much.

Its also widely accepted that the Caps are a full well balanced team. With no holes in their lineup. Skating 11f and 7d cries that there is a problem with the lineup. Aint happening

 

[Fallschirmyager]

What could possibly go wrong by not scratching an obviously injured defenseman in the postseason? (or at least dressing 7D)

I'd guess Carlson is good enough to go Game 1 but it's pretty obvious that whatever is ailing him is chronic in nature and has been bugging him for 2 seasons now. If Carlson can't flip the switch like he did last postseason Barry needs to get Schmidt in there right away, even if it means dressing 7D if he is absolutely set on keeping an injured Carlson in the lineup. As much as it would be ideal to roll 4 lines in the postseason I'd guess that Ovechkin and Backstrom are going to be skating close to 22+ minutes and the bottom 6's ice time is going to be reduced. At that point it'd probably be better to have 7 effective D and one fewer bottom 6 forward.

One positive is that as poor and Alzner and Carlson have played this season, they have typically been able to elevate their games come postseason. If the Alzner-Carlson pairing suddenly becomes effective then the Capitals are going to be incredibly tough to beat.

Why on earth would you mess with the line and team chemistry by scratching a forward to play 7 D? You make it a game time decision as to whether Carlson can go and make sure everyone else is ready. There is no sense in playing anyone extra time right now until you have to. Keep rolling all 4 lines like you have been doing to keep the entire team fresher as the rounds progress.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

You should incorporate your avatar into your own gif.

Washington Capitals:

More playoff wins than WPG as a franchise

 

[twabby]

Why on earth would you mess with the line and team chemistry by scratching a forward to play 7 D? You make it a game time decision as to whether Carlson can go and make sure everyone else is ready. There is no sense in playing anyone extra time right now until you have to. Keep rolling all 4 lines like you have been doing to keep the entire team fresher as the rounds progress.

I'm not saying dress 7D unless there is significant doubt about the ability of Carlson or anyone else to finish the game. Basically I don't want another situation like Alzner in Game 6 last year, where it absolutely would have made sense to scratch a forward to get another defenseman in the lineup. Alzner's groin was being held together by duct tape and players like Wilson, Winnik, Richards, and Chimera were largely ineffective for most of the series. Would have made sense to scratch one of them and insert another defenseman last season. And if that situation arises again (mainly w/r/t Carlson since he's dinged up), I'd rather dress Schmidt just in case. If Connolly, for instance, were scratched I'd feel comfortable double-shifting Ovechkin, Johansson, and Winnik in Connolly's place on the third line.

 

[txpd]

I've consulted with Dr TXPD. Carlson will be cleared and in the lineup Thurs.


On what Barry will do....if guys are hurt they'll play. If they're really INJURED, at least he has options this time.

I would not jump to that conclusion. If I remember right, Trotz said that he took Carlson out because he was dinged and he would miss two games. The two became four. That doesn't mean a lot under the circumstances, but Carlson has also been day to day for 4 or 5 weeks in the past.

If tomorrow he is taking part fully in practice, I would say he is in. If not....