CapitalsCupReality
It’s Go Time!!
- Feb 27, 2002
- 64,781
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Was at the game tonight. What a pathetic performance. Went with a buddy of mine that doesn't know much about hockey and was telling him I was worried about this being 3 games in 4 nights for the Caps. You know when you just know? Within the first 5 minutes I knew the Caps weren't winning this one. It was fully confirmed when the Caps got a lucky bounce off the boards in the second period only to see it jump over the blade of the Caps player in the slot. (Don't remember who it was, left handed shot)
I only sat in the stands for the first two periods. For the third I was watching at the bar in the concourse and that early Leafs goal reaffirmed my decision.
Embarrassing.
For me it just feels like the coach is letting them off the hook with that kind of sound bite.
Agreed. I don't care whether or not it's true, you can't let players get the idea in their heads that excuses are waiting for them if they fail.
What should he have said in your opinion?
What exactly you say depends on the question and the message you want to send. Start with not making excuses or leaving the door open for future excuses, end with something more inspirational and motivational.
What was the question?
three games in four nights on a back to back with international travel doesn't create fatigue issues?
Lets be realistic. I don't think that its always smooth to throw your team under the bus for every odd bad performance particularly with that schedule. Trotz is known to be pretty straight forward. He often calls them out for sucking when they suck. Laying a loss off on being tired is not is not SOP for him. So, its my take that he answered that question truthfully.
Lets be honest. The Caps playing the Penguins on the back end of a back to back looked pretty ugly coming in part because it was a back to back. Them winning that game was a reflection both good for the Caps and hideous for Pittsburgh. It was not the normal result for the 2nd game in two nights.
What exactly you say depends on the question and the message you want to send. Start with not making excuses or leaving the door open for future excuses, end with something more inspirational and motivational.
What was the question?
I don't know what the exact question was. I guess I really don't care what a coach says to the press too much, though I don't think running your team down in the press is a good idea unless you have tried pretty much everything else.
I do care what is said in the room and unfortunately we don't know what is said there.
And frankly there is a reason when schedules come out one of the first things we all look at is the number of back to backs and 3 in 4's they have and it isn't because those situations don't matter.
So bottom line I am ok with Trotz protecting his team in the press and giving them a bit of an out because of the situation and I hope he is saying in the room that while yes these kinds of stretches are tough but every team has them and they need to be better.
Once in a while against a backdrop of crunch time performance and doing/saying all the right things is understandable. But we're talking about a pattern and culture with this team that's been around for a very, very long time. Every little bit either helps or hurts when trying to overturn that culture.
I think you are reaching for something to be upset about simply to be upset while holding the team/coach/franchise to standards that you imagine all champions pretty much always display but in reality no team does even semi regularly.
Once in a while against a backdrop of crunch time performance and doing/saying all the right things is understandable. But we're talking about a pattern and culture with this team that's been around for a very, very long time. Every little bit either helps or hurts when trying to overturn that culture.
You seem to be saying that if they are tired and beat up from a back to back and 3 games in 4 nights run and a 4 wins in 5 games homestand, that acknowledging that they were tired is bad? Sometimes its just true.
when the Caps have been flat this season, Trotz has called them out and/or shaken up the lineup. Demoted and scratched guys. You make it sound like Trotz is coddling them where I don't think he is.
Sometimes its just true.
Meanwhile I didn't see any give up. They didn't mail it in
On a related note. Lets talk about Carlson and what's going on there and Ovechkin's ice time and whats going on there. Not sure what is going on there but a possible answer to those issues would make them more vulnerable to fatigue.
Ok let me know when teams who leave the door open for excuses start winning Cups.
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Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane admitted the stretch had likely worn him and his teammates down.
"We've had a lot of games in the past 11 days," Kane said. "I think it's seven games. So maybe there's a little excuse there."
Quenneville and his players thought rest was exactly what the team required right now.
"We just got to take a couple days off, get away, gather some energy," Quenneville said. "I think when you're able to play the game when you feel good I think your thought process is that much more effective.
"I think that's something sometimes whether it goes directly to your hands or your feet or your legs, when you're not thinking good, it slows down your team game. But I think everybody should get some energy and get back."
Blackhawks center Andrew Shaw was ready for that.
"We have to recuperate the mind and the body," Shaw said. "Go home, get some sleep, get some good food into us, get some water. I think we'll be fine. We'll take this half comeback momentum into next game."
Rested Maple Leafs outplay tired Capitals in big win
Ok let me know when teams who leave the door open for excuses start winning Cups.