Post-Game Talk: Game 1: Caps vs. Pens

[Jags]

pretty much, just one penalty changes the game

heck that niskanen "slash" made them pk for two mins late

That penalty is the reason we can complain about the officiating tonight. I don't mind them not making calls as long as it's consistent. Both teams got away with a couple obvious ones. But that "slash" was total nonsense. Fleury didn't have it cleanly. There was nothing wrong with that whack, and it's not something I'd expect them to call after a whistle-free night even if it was a close call (it wasn't).

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Yeah, and Bonino was his assignment. And he blew his assignment.

Its not just that that p*sses us off. Its that this was more or less his first appearance of the game, and what does he do? He allows the GWG. On one of his first shifts of the game!

First shift? Now we know you didn't watch.

 

[Jags]

Orpik is the guy who got beat on the gwg tonight..... late in the game... in a tied game. He is a big reason Caps lost

Bull****. He got caught up ice on a long pass, Shattenkirk did nothing to stop the pass despite having a chance to take the body and puck, and Orpik got back with a stick on, taking away Bonino's backhand option.

Holtby needs to read that and take the forehand. Orpik is slow, but even Schmidt would have had trouble closing that distance effectively if he'd been caught up by a long outlet.

Orpik, Shattenkirk, and Holtby were pretty equally brutal on that play.

 

[txpd]

Yeah, and Bonino was his assignment. And he blew his assignment.

Its not just that that p*sses us off. Its that this was more or less his first appearance of the game, and what does he do? He allows the GWG. On one of his first shifts of the game!

I have only seen this play once. Explain to me how Bonino was Orpik's assignment?
There were two defense on the ice at that time and best I remember Bonino was in the middle of the ice.

 

[Devil Dancer]

Feel pretty good considering they lost. Reffing was literally 100% against them and they outplayed the Pens for probably 75% of that game. Game 2 will be huge though, need to win that one.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I have only seen this play once. Explain to me how Bonino was Orpik's assignment?
There were two defense on the ice at that time and best I remember Bonino was in the middle of the ice.

You mean you saw the forward slacking off from behind and losing Bonino too?

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I have only seen this play once. Explain to me how Bonino was Orpik's assignment?
There were two defense on the ice at that time and best I remember Bonino was in the middle of the ice.

He got caught in the middle of the ice like a pylon. Bonino just blew by him easily. Shattenkirk cut off the other guy thinking that Orpik was there to retrieve the puck. Problem is, Orpik was 20 ft behind the play already. A stay-at-home D shouldn't get caught that far up the ice. What should've been a 2vs2 ended up being a breakaway.

 

[Slippy13]

That penalty is the reason we can complain about the officiating tonight. I don't mind them not making calls as long as it's consistent. Both teams got away with a couple obvious ones. But that "slash" was total nonsense. Fleury didn't have it cleanly. There was nothing wrong with that whack, and it's not something I'd expect them to call after a whistle-free night even if it was a close call (it wasn't).

AND on top of it, 3 pens mug him at the same time with no additional penalty to offset. That one was frustrating.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

Orpik has been this boards whipping boy for a while.


Pens fans will contribute to this mentality, Orpik is not why we lost. (Nor is he over the hill or bad)



When Orpik is on he gets very little fanfare.

 

[trick9]

Nice way to toss the game away.

Such a dumb team.

 

[twabby]

He got caught in the middle of the ice like a pylon. Bonino just blew by him easily. Shattenkirk cut off the other guy thinking that Orpik was there to retrieve the puck. Problem is, Orpik was 20 ft behind the play already. A stay-at-home D shouldn't get caught that far up the ice. What should've been a 2vs2 ended up being a breakaway.

Pretty much this. The blame on Holtby is fair enough, but Shattenkirk has to trust his teammate will be there and he wasn't. Not really getting why people say it's 22's fault.

 

[Raikkonen]

Posters overreacting left and right.

We have a series here. Pens aren't looking that dangerous. MAF was a rebound machine. Caps can win.

Next.

 

[RandyHolt]

Orpik ****ed up and was just out of position, shaded to the boards a stride too much.

I wonder if it was enough for Karls doctor to clear him tonight. KSK could/should have seen Orpik was caught and played that like a 2 on 1, instead of taking himself out of the play. No matter where Orpik was, he didn't have to play his man that aggressively up near left point.

 

[EroCaps]

Bull****. He got caught up ice on a long pass, Shattenkirk did nothing to stop the pass despite having a chance to take the body and puck, and Orpik got back with a stick on, taking away Bonino's backhand option.

Holtby needs to read that and take the forehand. Orpik is slow, but even Schmidt would have had trouble closing that distance effectively if he'd been caught up by a long outlet.

Orpik, Shattenkirk, and Holtby were pretty equally brutal on that play.

Shattenkirk took his man. It's not his fault Orpik allowed an unforced breakaway. And Holtby didn't make a difficult save on the breakaway.

That is almost entirely on Orpik.

 

[sycamore]

But what the h*ll are we going to about our 3rd defensive pairing, Shatty and Slow-pik?

 

[txpd]

its interesting. the caps gave up 3 goals. for some reason some here think that ONLY Orpik is responsible for any of them.

Someone **** up that first goal. That never should have happened. Right out of the gate to start the period of a 0-0 game? I didn't see the 2nd Pens goal. But I bet someone messed up there too. But only Orpik is to blame.

AND...hockey by its nature is usually good offensive chances are caused by someone a someones messing up. This is why you have a goalie. If you have a really good goalie, they stop those good chances.

Oh well. I wont be able to see anything of the next game or be able to keep up with it by phone. so....low stress Saturday

 

[Brian23]

I blame the second goal pretty solidly on Holtby. He flubbed a quick shot, dropped it in front him and to the side, Crosby just gulped up a juicy rebound.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Irrational anger makes people...you know irrational.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Didn't follow the game at all.

However, I see that they:

Outshot them badly, outhit them badly and got 0 PPs to the Pens 2.

Then they lost 3-2. *Sigh*

Take it to them in Game 2 and do better. You absolutely cannot go down 2 games to 0. Time to man up, Caps.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

It's going to be tough to win a game on the road. Pens are a good team, but they're twice as good at PPG arena. We haven't lost the series yet but if we lose the next game, we're done.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It's one game...act like you've seen a hockey series fans and have a little faith. Not close to being over.

 

[Langway]

Shattenkirk took his man. It's not his fault Orpik allowed an unforced breakaway. And Holtby didn't make a difficult save on the breakaway.

That is almost entirely on Orpik.

They're called stay-at-home defensemen for a reason. You had one job, Brooks.

They need more from him and Holtby and better play Backstrom, Oshie, Johansson and Schmidt when they have the puck on the attack. Schmidt started plenty but mostly fizzled. The others were hardly noticeable. Again, to me they still don't seem like a team that practices cohesion and strong offensive team fundamentals. Trotz can talk all he wants about them being too cute but it never really changes.

It was a tight game and I guess you can derive some confidence in it being an easier game but that's not worth much. Malkin and Kessel were hardly noticeable but I don't have much faith in their offense breaking out. I don't see the hunger and gears working to expect things to click when they just lack an ability to slow down the play much.

 

[Jags]

Shattenkirk took his man. It's not his fault Orpik allowed an unforced breakaway. And Holtby didn't make a difficult save on the breakaway.

That is almost entirely on Orpik.

No. If you make the decision to take your man, you commit and take him. So first of all, it's a reach to say he should have taken the man instead of playing the 2-on-1. And second, he did a ****-poor job "taking" his man. Get your stick in position and hit the guy like a man. Don't half-ass it.

And given that he's a guy that routinely hits like a girl, playing the 2-on-1 was the better choice for him.

Hell, even falling down comically would have forced a much tougher pass.

 

[Brian23]

It's one game...act like you've seen a hockey series fans and have a little faith. Not close to being over.

This is such a ridiculous notion. Yes, it's only one game, but we've literally seen this play out multiple times now. Pessimism is very valid at the moment.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

It's one game...act like you've seen a hockey series fans and have a little faith. Not close to being over.

It is not over by a long shot but they need to show a little urgency here. Even if they win the next game, they are going to have to steal a game in Pittsburgh or they will be down 3 games to 1.

Some positive signs in this game, to be sure, but it is critical to win the next game. Hoping they get it done.