Post-Game Talk: I hate OT this year

[GoAwayDanCleary]

Kindl hasn't been bad but it is so obvious this team is missing a difference maker on the backend.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Disagree. The delay of game and too many men on the ice are guarenteed calls. I actually agreed with pretty much every call against the Wings. Need to stay out of the box, far too many stupid penalties.

Had trouble arguing a lot in terms of what we were actually called for. With that said the hook on Datsyuk in the middle of the third was it.... Anyway they called that one all night, and the Caps player put his stick right in Pav's hands. They also let two too many ice penalties go, so that inconsistency hurt.

Still the Wings need to play smarter in terms of them, they took a lot of stupid penalties that were just that. Still you would like to see in a game called that tight, them ring up the couple of additional times the Caps stepped out of line tonight.

 

[Tasteslikekevinbacon]

I don't even mind Kindl starting the 3 on 3. More like LOL at a 37 year old and a 35 year old starting OT. I love Dats & Z, 2 of my all time favorite players, but they have no business starting the OT. It's all about speed, we have so many better options.

I dont mind Dats and Z starting, but I put them out with Kronwall. Those guys get each other and will make a zone entry 9/10. Kindl is okay at skating out of trouble, and tonight showed that, but he has no issue giving the puck up too.

I'd go Z-D-Kronner
Larkin-Nyquist-Green or something to that effect.

At any rate, if Datsyuk doesn't trip, we are probably in their zone immediately thereafter

 

[Realgud]

Agree Helm was our best skater in my opinion tonight, but as always no ability to convert. Probably would go Sheahan next...

Larkin and Datsyuk had trouble outside of the one connection but that was mostly because of the boat anchor on their line that was our worst forward tonight in Tatar.

Tatar and DeKeyser were brutal tonight... Just awful, no way around it. We need more from those guys, Nyquist was also quiet and benched it seemed for a while, but at least he was mistake free when he was out there, not the trainwreck performance that the other two young guns we are really counting on provided.

Sheahan is not a bad choice either, but I always feel we could get more from him so I was on the fence on this one.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

The usage of Datsyuk and Zetterberg in OT has to come with Green in my opinion. They were going for the jugular and they did when the draw. Unfortunately Dats blew a tire and that was that. But they at least need Green's speed to be deployed together.

 

[Actual Thought*]

The only thing more invisible than an aging Henrik Zetterberg is some nerd casting an invisibility spell in dungeons and dragons

I think Z and Kronner are getting real frustrated with the process. They just look disinterested.

 

[FlashyG]

I wasn't talking about Helm. What about speed AND skill? Larkin, Tats, Nyquist, AA... lots of options to put out there paired with one of D&Z. Speed is more important in 3v3 than 4v4 or ES in my opinion, it leads to not just more possession but plenty more chances. Its man-on-man out there, if you can blow past your opponent it makes things a lot easier.

All of them would have played but you play them based on who can possess the puck the best not based on whose the fastest.

Speed is a nice advantage to have if the player with speed is also a possession guy, but Larkin wouldn't have won the face-off and that opening face-off of 3 on 3 is the most important face-off of the game. More often than not its the only one of the whole OT.

Datsyuk and Zetterberg are as near to perfect of a duo for 3 on 3 as you could possibly have, although I'll concede I have no idea what Kindl was doing out there with them.

 

[Dotter]

Capitals only had 27 shots against Mrazek despite getting 14 minutes of powerplay time.

Wings had 26 shots on Holtby with only 4 minutes of powerplay time.

Capitals got away with multiple too many men. Detroit got called on their one and only too many men.

Despite all that, Detroit still took a point. The team looked gassed in the 3rd after having to kill so many penalties.

Also, who is in charge sharpening skates? he needs to be fired

 

[odin1981]

Kindl hasn't been the issue. I've actually been happy with his game of late.

Yeah past 3-5 games D hasn't been a problem at all. They actually look good minus an occasional gaffe. It's just people are spoiled after watching Lids with 20 years of pretty much mistake free hockey.

Been impressed with Marchenko after his first couple of games. he got up to speed and he has great vision and iq in addition to his defensive game he brings. Green has been better than advertised imho he doesn't take as many bad penalties as I heard from caps fans and plays smart. Kronner started off slow but has been rounding into form as of late.

Kindl has been decent for a #5. Big Rig has done great at the #4 slot. DDK has struggled but due to injuries he didn't have much time to put his game together in the pre season and camp but I have confidence he will round into form shortly.

Sucks about the result but oh well. At least we picked up a point. Trotz hockey compared to Ottawa hockey is like night and day. Got tickets to the game on Friday so I hope the wings get the W. Cause pulling the 3rd in 4 against STL after playing Wash, and La is a recipe for a blowout probably not even gonna bother watching on Saturday.

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

Is anyone else going to show up on the scoresheet or are we going to keep relying on a kid? Something has to be done with that useless line of Miller-AA-Pulks. If Miller isn't going to be used in a checking role I don't see the point in him even playing.

 

[Kronwalled55]

All of them would have played but you play them based on who can possess the puck the best not based on whose the fastest.

Speed is a nice advantage to have if the player with speed is also a possession guy, but Larkin wouldn't have won the face-off and that opening face-off of 3 on 3 is the most important face-off of the game. More often than not its the only one of the whole OT.

Datsyuk and Zetterberg are as near to perfect of a duo for 3 on 3 as you could possibly have, although I'll concede I have no idea what Kindl was doing out there with them.

I can't stress it enough, it's the year 2015. These two aren't the difference anymore. Any neutral fan can see it too.

 

[odin1981]

Is anyone else going to show up on the scoresheet or are we going to keep relying on a kid? Something has to be done with that useless line of Miller-AA-Pulks. If Miller isn't going to be used in a checking role I don't see the point in him even playing.

Who takes his pk time?

 

[Martinez]

Blash uses kindl like he's duncan frickin keith.

 

[theYman]

I frickin missed the OT. Kuznetsov? well at least it wasn't OV. hehe But......

 

[TheMule93]

Z looks no different than the 2nd half of last season. I'll be pleasantly surprised if he hits 50 points this season.

We should really work on decreasing his ice time.

Dats will be fine as long as he isn't injured

 

[FlashyG]

I can't stress it enough, it's the year 2015. These two aren't the difference anymore. Any neutral fan can see it too.

Age doesn't affect your ability to control the puck.

Puck control is the only thing that matters in 3 on 3 hockey.

 

[aar000n]

All the penalties caught up to them. Looked completley gassed in the 3rd.

Zetterberg had a terrible game

This 6-2 power plays.

 

[RedWingzz]

Age doesn't affect your ability to control the puck.

Puck control is the only thing that matters in 3 on 3 hockey.

I agree, puck control is crucial in 3 on 3 hockey. At the same time, it takes good Speed to be able to retrieve pucks. I think its a combination of speed and skill. I think AA would be unreal in 3 on 3 play.

 

[FlashyG]

I agree, puck control is crucial in 3 on 3 hockey. At the same time, it takes good Speed to be able to retrieve pucks. I think its a combination of speed and skill. I think AA would be unreal in 3 on 3 play.

If you're retrieving pucks, you're not doing it right.

 

[TheOtherOne]

I think both sides are right.

You can absolutely win a 3 on 3 by putting Datsyuk and Zetterberg out and having them slowly but surely work their 100% possession game into a high percentage scoring chance with all the space they have on the ice to set up and do their work.

You can also win a 3 on 3 by jumping on the first mistake with a burner, producing an odd man rush and scoring before anyone can respond.

Obviously the best strategy is to have guys who are fast AND good at possession, but when is that not true?

No strategy is guaranteed. Ever.

 

[Gibby]

Maybe I'm showing my age but I seem to remember a time when neither 3v3 nor shootouts were a thing and hockey seemed to do fine.

So many aspects of today's game never used to be a thing in hockey. Like forward passing .

 

[TheOtherOne]

Back in my day we just hit each other with sticks while riding velociraptors and nobody ever complained about that.

 

[Zetterbergs Beard]

Back in my day we just hit each other with sticks while riding velociraptors and nobody ever complained about that.

I was going to suggest reanimating velociraptors (hello Jurassic Park) but there will still be old fogeys complaining they're not "real" velociraptors

 

[The Zermanator]

If you're retrieving pucks, you're not doing it right.

But the OT still starts with a face-off. Z is well under 50% on the year and Datsyuk, while better, still only wins just over 50%. That still leaves between 45-55% of OT face-offs being lost, therefore the puck has to be retrieved.

You can also score goals by getting the jump on their D and getting either an odd-man rush or a breakaway, as we saw with Tatar last game. So the value of speed should not be underestimated. As I said earlier, I think these two are the ideal pairings, a better balance of possession and speed:

Datsyuk
Larkin
Green

Zetterberg
Nyquist
Kronwall

 

[johnnyarmstrong]

Hank has been pretty great puck possession wise, but when it comes to any other facet of the game, he's been close to liability in the last couple.

He is barely over 50%??