Post-Game Talk: Is there a game tonight? Oh yass!! (Caps-Pens)

[nothingbeatshockey]

which of those guys that shot would you have given his shot to Burt?
Oshie Backstrom Kuzy or Ov?

Ovie, Ovie, or Ovie. Maybe Ovie.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

We lost again

I only watched 5 minutes of the first, and nothing happened during that time. What was wrong tonight? Were they just flat out better like in the playoffs?

 

[Calicaps]

We lost again

I only watched 5 minutes of the first, and nothing happened during that time. What was wrong tonight? Were they just flat out better like in the playoffs?

No, not flat out; it ended in a shootout. Caps were the better team for long stretches, especially early in the third and in OT. But there were definite echoes of the playoff series. Familiar struggles getting pinned by the Pens' fast, intensive forecheck and a failure to cash in on prime scoring chances.

 

[Eskobar]

Bäckström was the most solid Caps player. 2 primary assists, 5 shots, 3 hits, faceoffs 70%. Tre Kronor looked great.

 

[third man in]

Eller was a real solid addition as well. Good two way player, this is the best C depth we've ever had.

 

[ovikovy817]

**** those lucky ********.
Last night, McDavid was rewarded with a PS, just for ... nothing. And you want to tell there wasn't even a 2 minutes for Fleury?

Eller should've score in OT. #19 was good tonight.

 

[trick9]

Thanks for nothing, first line.

Honestly what a brutal game from them. Plus not sure what the zebras were thinking when Johansson had an empty net from that breakaway and Fleury got away with tripping him.

Not a good game.

 

[txpd]

We lost again

I only watched 5 minutes of the first, and nothing happened during that time. What was wrong tonight? Were they just flat out better like in the playoffs?

they lost in a shootout(tie game) on the road to the cup champs on opening night. how can the only choice be the pens were flat out better?

the only thing that I noticed negative was that Kuzy still didn't look good and Sanford looked like a rookie in his first game. Orlov was solid. Schmidt had a great game. Backstrom remained his elite self up to and including scoring in the shootout.

the only thing I saw last night that was a surprise was when I watched a bit of the rangers islanders game and found Jason Chimera playing with Tavares.

Edit: Noticed Trotz put Burt out with Kuzy in the OT. I think that is a sign of where we end up after a few more games.

 

[Capathetic]

The banner raising was so over the top and drawn out. Kuzy got high sticked...cut his eye and no call. Backstrom was going for a change puck hits his skate and gets a call for not even playing it. They then on a questionable high stick tip. Pens were roughing up Holtby all night including Malkin who on one play came down with a two hand chop while covered and then hits him and n the face for good measure. Williams took him down in the corner and gets the only infraction. The Fluery tripping mojo thing was bs too. Typical Caps vs Pens game.

Backstrom is looking great and Burakovsky might hit 30 playing with him. Schmidt looked like his speed was a weapon however in typical fashion he can't finish. Still much improved. Eller hit two posts and he looks like a great addition. Orpik didn't look awful but lacked the edge to his game. Thought the banner raising would've sparked him. Ovi needs to pick it up but he will.

Overall good game. I didn't like the pens getting one timers in front of the net at times but Holtby bailed them out big time in regulation.

 

[Langway]

they lost in a shootout(tie game) on the road to the cup champs on opening night. how can the only choice be the pens were flat out better?

Pittsburgh was without Crosby & Murray?

It was a decent effort, though I'd echo the criticism of the top line being off for mostly the entire game. It wasn't the effort of a team with a chip on their shoulder out for revenge. Not that it could be exacted in any way on opening night of the regular season but they didn't seem any more crisp than usual. They did put up 41 shots despite Pittsburgh's speed advantage and that's a feat with or without Crosby but they didn't seem any better fundamentally than usual.

I'm not sure so much dumping and general offensive zone possession time can be maximized without a harder blend in the top nine. If they're not going to become a better passing open ice team and plan on keeping it super simple they're going to need a better close quarters attacking team at least. They either don't have the mentality for that or the mix...or both. So, basically, they still come across as a defense-first team with plenty of skill but maybe not a real coherent (or precise) attacking identity.

 

[Caps Circle]

Yeah, first line did nothing, they just had a Corsi over 60.

They played fine, just got unlucky. Come back home and win on Saturday.

 

[DCRedhawk21]

I thought the Caps looked a lot like they did last season... the good and the bad. They looked like a good team with a lot of talent who had trouble with the Pens speed and forecheck and got caught chasing the play for decent stretches - especially with the long change during the 2nd period. Barring a little bit of sloppiness - this could have been mistaken for game 83 of the 2015-2016 season on both sides.

As for players, Backstrom, Bura, Niskanen and Eller looked pretty good to me overall. Williams taking down Malkin was great. Ovechkin had a mixed/okay night and Kuzy looked like he carried over a little bit of the late season funk. The line just didn't seem as dangerous as the sweaters would suggest. I agree that we probably see some changes soon enough - with the simple/obvious move of switching Backstrom and Kuz - but I will wager an uninformed guess of:

Ovi - Backstrom - Williams
Burt - Kuz - Oshie
Sanford - Eller - MoJo
Winnick - Beagle - Wilson

 

[sycamore]

Boy what a terrible night for DC: fluke loss to the Pens, fluke loss to the Dodgers

 

[txpd]

So many here are determined to see kuzy with ovechkin with underlying theme of Backstrom slow and declining offensively. Or just that just is better.

I think 8 is with 92 to get 92 going. It will take more than a couple of games of the first line struggling before we see a change. The 3 Swedes looking so good makes it easier to give just some long leash time.

 

[Todos a la Calle]

It seems like Ovechkin and Kuznetzov have some trouble maintaining possession when they're on the same line. I hope they can work on that. Improved boards play would help immensely.

As a team, I feel like they still have some hesitation in their game. Passes and reactions could be crisper. While the game was reasonably close, the Pens look more poised at times. And honestly, the game could wouldn't have gotten to overtime without Holtby making some great saves.

The Caps definitely carried the play for much of the OT though. Too bad they couldn't end it there.

 

[txpd]

Did not the caps outshoot them by a good margin? Did Eller not hit the pipe twice and Johansson get tripped with an empty net?

Let me add that pp2 had problems keeping zone time. Another sign kuzy is struggling

 

[twabby]

The good:
+The team carried the play for the most part, but I think the Penguins had better looks (though not as many)
+Alzner looks healthy and played well
+Holtby had a great game (aside from the shootout but I don't really care about that)
+Burakovsky and Backstrom looked fantastic
+Despite Schmidt making a poor decision or two in the offensive zone, he looked very assertive joining the rush
+Eller looks to be a clear upgrade over Richards/Beagle at 3C

The bad:
-The team still looks slower than Pittsburgh in terms of breakouts and passing
-Ovechkin looked off except for the first period
-Kuznetsov looked off all game
-Oshie had a really bad turnover and in general wasn't one of his better outings
-Carlson was fine at even strength but his passes to Ovie on the PP were a bit off
-Please stop putting 2 defensemen out to start 3v3

 

[g00n]

I honestly think we have the wrong coach for our roster, or vice versa. This team, if unleashed to play the end to end game, can thrive offensively. At least for 3 lines.

The big question is whether or not the defense and goaltending handle the rush the other way. Holtby is good but would likely be average statistically if we played firewagon hockey every night, at least with the current defensive setup, which is NOT a banger defense but more of a hybrid or even skilled defense. Alzner and Niskanen may not score a lot but they aren't shut down guys who will put you on your ass like prime Orpik. Orpik is not prime Orpik anymore. Carlson, Orlov, and Schmidt are skaters and puckhandlers though they will all hit. I see 5 out of 6 of those guys preferring to move the puck rather than bang bodies.

All of this points toward a speed team of the Boudreau style. Yet we seem to be confining ourselves with a "defense first" mentality.

Advocating for a change in mindset is not the same as looking at possession stats and trying to build a fantasy team based solely on numbers. I think you want guys who can do it all out there, but you want them going in the right direction and you want them doing it quickly, with purpose. You want your skill guys making skill plays.

I saw some great puck movement and offensive awareness out there when the play was going end to end. This is similar to early last season when the team was fresh mentally and physically, and we thought they looked like world-beaters. Then they got complacent and lazy, which is easy to do if you can always justify sitting back as "playing defense".

To hell with coin flip hockey. Blow everyone out every night. Or at least try to. Even when you fail you may still win quite a bit more than if you just sat back and waited for mistakes.

 

[Devil Dancer]

I'm surprised Orlov isn't getting more scrutiny today. He had at least two terrible D zone turnovers, one of which led to a goal against.

 

[Langway]

I'm surprised Orlov isn't getting more scrutiny today. He had at least two terrible D zone turnovers, one of which led to a goal against.

I put that goal more on Oshie trying to make a cute play at the blueline. Orlov could have moved the puck quicker I guess but Oshie misplaying it was still the bigger factor IMO.

Looking at the score sheet I'm surprised the fourth line played so little. I believe I read it was Wilson's second-lowest TOI under Trotz. You'd think in this sort of game Trotz would have gone to that line more often. I don't really get the sense they know what they're doing offensively. It's still just play sound defense and then go do whatever. They need to think the game better. It comes down to that IMO.

It's early...it's a stark difference going from the pre-season to maybe the most diligent team in the league. But if there are areas they're really trying to improve upon it isn't immediately obvious.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I'm surprised Orlov isn't getting more scrutiny today. He had at least two terrible D zone turnovers, one of which led to a goal against.

He looked better to me, albeit only slightly. Mistakes happen. Still see some of the same decision making concerns...I thought he was ok last night overall.

 

[Roughing]

I honestly think we have the wrong coach for our roster, or vice versa.

IMO, we definitely have the wrong coach. That was clear [to me] last year. I said in the off season I'd move on from Trotz, who is a good coach, but he's a square peg in a round hole here. There were about two people who agreed with me. No, I don't know who the replacement would have been. It's too late now. Either way, if Kuz doesn't get his head out of his ass we're not winning anything significant. He has looked bad his last ~40 games and it is really troubling.

Someone made a great point last playoffs about how the Caps are out of sync with the league; we were run and gun with Bruce when the league was still grinding, then we were grinding during the time when all physical play became illegal, and currently, well, I don't know what the hell we are.

 

[Roughing]

I'm surprised Orlov isn't getting more scrutiny today. He had at least two terrible D zone turnovers, one of which led to a goal against.

That goal is not on Orlov.

 

[txpd]

-Please stop putting 2 defensemen out to start 3v3

not sure I understand why you have a problem with that. Trotz has been pretty consistant. He puts the two defensemen out til the Caps get possession particularly on the road.

It assures that against the opponents best offensive players the Caps have their best defensemen to get possession and guarantee the OT lasts long enough for them to get possession. Once the Caps get a rush going, Ov jumps on. Makes perfect sense.

Kuzy remains off. I will give him the first 5 games to show something before I start to worry. PP2 looked lost with him as the primary qb. I am looking forward to the return of point per game Kuzy.

 

[CapsCrazyX17]

I'm surprised Orlov isn't getting more scrutiny today. He had at least two terrible D zone turnovers, one of which led to a goal against.

That goal against was 100% on Oshie