Post-Game Talk: kangz @ copz 7:07pm

[Calicaps]

You feel like elaborating or...? Some real good players on this team have weaknesses in their game, they still get more than 8 minutes. Some of those players' weaknesses is a complete inability to put the puck in the net, they still get minutes. What really needs done?

I honestly feel like the issue isn't about his weaknesses. It's about ensuring that he's in a position to succeed when he's on the ice. This goes for a lot of the kids. That aside, yesterday half the board was saying he should go back to Hershey.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

They played a fantastic game 2 nights ago vs. Winnipeg. And they should've won this one going away. It sucks that they squandered it, but let's not act like they're Montreal. They're missing their top 2 centermen and 3 of their top 4 wingers. It's a brutal situation right now.

no excuses! We want some firings!

 

[JayBeagleFanAccount]

how Blaine Forsythe still has a job is beyond me, the PP has been an issue for at least 3 seasons now. He would be homeless if Alex Ovechkin didnt exist.

 

[maacoshark]

You feel like elaborating or...? Some real good players on this team have weaknesses in their game, they still get more than 8 minutes. Some of those players' weaknesses is a complete inability to put the puck in the net, they still get minutes. What really needs done?

He is soft. Doesn't win board battles. Not great defensively. Not a great forecheck.
I don't think he is the player that you guys think he is.

 

[TheSmokingMan]

I'm not even mad. It stinks that they gave up the shorty and late goal, but the team played hard, we just didn't have the horses to get it done. Missing 5 out of your 6 best forwards and leaning on Ovie for 24 minutes a game will catch up to you eventually.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

how Blaine Forsythe still has a job is beyond me, the PP has been an issue for at least 3 seasons now. He would be homeless if Alex Ovechkin didnt exist.

they were 3rd in the NHL last year….not defending, just clarifying.

 

[tycoonheart]

Some baffling decisions from Lavi:
- Ovi didn't look good all night. Honestly the guy looks tired. There was no reason to give him 25+ mins TOI. Same with Eller, he was no where to be found all night. Invisible.

- Some of the younger players who are playing well are getting no ice time. The fudge? 90% of the team is in COVID protocol now is exactly the time to let these guys play.

- the PP is broken. Fundamentally there is something wrong with the design and/or execution. They need to come up with fresh ideas. This shit ain't working.

 

[HTFN]

He is soft. Doesn't win board battles. Not great defensively. Not a great forecheck.
I don't think he is the player that you guys think he is.

Call me crazy but if I had a guy like that who can do other things, when the roster looks like this I'd play him in my top 6 and not my 4th line. You're hiding him from what you think he can't handle and ensuring he can't do any of the things he does naturally. Taking reps away from a player like that isn't helping, it's hurting.

 

[CapsJunkie]

Forsythe has something on Leonsis. he has to

 

[troyerlaw]

I'm not even mad. It stinks that they gave up the shorty and late goal, but the team played hard, we just didn't have the horses to get it done. Missing 5 out of your 6 best forwards and leaning on Ovie for 24 minutes a game will catch up to you eventually.

This. And tonight it was 27! We had a lot of PPs, I get it. But there’s a reason he’s a step behind the shooter on two of LA’s three goals tonight. If Lavi doesn’t trust CMM for more than 6 min TOI, send him to Hershey and let him develop some more there. Hurts a team which is already shorthanded, roster wise, to play only 3 lines

 

[tenken00]

Anyone want to buy my tickets for tonight game? I have section 411 and college game Hat Terps night giveaway tickets. Face value. Please PM

sold please delete

Are you from the future!?

 

[DWGie26]

OV played 27 minutes
Eller played 23
Sprong played 22
McMichael 6:18
Snively 6:53
Beck: 7:14

 

[tycoonheart]

they were 3rd in the NHL last year….not defending, just clarifying.

It would be interesting to look into those numbers from last year. We did play Buffalo 8 times.

 

[tenken00]

OV played 27 minutes
Eller played 23
Sprong played 22
McMichael 6:18
Snively 6:53
Beck: 7:14

I kind of hope there is no Olympics for NHL players even though Ovie wants to go badly. Give the old man a nice long break after playing so much the past month and a half.

He looks worn out right now.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Ugh. So the Kings will have a better chance at winning this game since Vitek will most definitely give up rebounds for 2nd chance scoring. I realize Vitek played mostly well against the Sabres/Jets, but he got very lucky that both teams were in a slump and both teams missed multiple open nets against Vitek. The Kings are a better team, having beat some good teams lately. They were handled by the Canes 5-1 last night(that score is miss leading as the Kings got screwed by the officiating/NHL on the first two Canes goals), so you can be sure they will show up playing a better game against the Caps tonight.

It appears I was close to 100% right! I'm really sick of this Vitek charade. Trade him or lose him on waivers, as I don't care anymore. Give me Fucale to backup Sammy as he is better at the fundamentals of goaltending.

 

[txpd]

Sprong played 22

They felt like they needed him to play 22 mins. That says all you need about the lineup they had.

Its also true that the first home game after a long road trip is notoriously bad. When stuff like that 3rd goal happens to you its not your night anyway.

 

[TheSmokingMan]

- the PP is broken. Fundamentally there is something wrong with the design and/or execution. They need to come up with fresh ideas. This shit ain't working.

They cant continue to run the PP as if it were business as usual. We don't have the right personnel in the lineup. They have no PP quarterback and only Ovie and Carlson who have a threatening shot. Maybe we switch it up and start looking for greasy rebound goals instead of the pretty setup passes. We do have an abundance of scrappy hardworking forwards who could screen the goalie and muck it up in front of the net.

 

[SherVaughn30]

As opposed to the lack of effort being displayed in front of him?

Dude he kicked out a big rebound right back out and wasn't even set for 2ndary shot! Consistent goalies know to kick those rebounds to the side and not out front! I still don't know what the hell this goalie coach is teaching him! If I were Vitek's goalie coach, I would have him take a numerous shots in practice angling rebounds to the boards until gets it right! The guy is still having a lot of issues kicking rebounds in front of him since he came into the NHL! Either Vitek is not listening or he's getting poor goalie coaching from Scott Murray!

 

[HTFN]

They felt like they needed him to play 22 mins. That says all you need about the lineup they had.

Its also true that the first home game after a long road trip is notoriously bad. When stuff like that 3rd goal happens to you its not your night anyway.

If you can give Sprong 22 minutes you can give McMichael 15. If this is about readiness or how complete their games are it’s not really like one is standing out way above the other.

McMichael is equally capable of missing his assignment on a goal against, and also managed a real goal in his playing time.

 

[pman25]

Games like these are incredibly frustrating because they reveal bad coaching and in game adjustments. Losing doesn’t matter so much especially given the personnel we are rolling with but the way we dropped this one is concerning
Not even offering a different look on the several powerplays to try something new. Put McMichael in the corner or Ovi in the bumper. Put Protas giant ass in front of the goalie. Or throw three defensemen out there for a look. Even with the powerplay at Rock Bottom, coaching staff feels it can’t experiment when Shits Not Going Right. Just the same low probability stuff. Slow developing slingshots and poor entries.

And then sitting the Snively McMichael duo when they had a great start and then never seeing them again, aside from a very good shift in the third, only for them to be benched once again. You know, for generating scoring opportunities. Wouldn’t want that!

And this team is unable to close out teams when they get a lead. The amount of two goal leads or leads we’ve taken into the third that have evaporated resulting in losses or OT losses is something else. Even a few wins where we let the opponent tie only to find a way to get out with the W. Those don’t make me feel great.

All these things combined doesn’t bode well for when we get to the playoffs. Being unable to recognize when shit is wrong and needs a shakeup or unable to recognize players that should be elevated is a real concern. On top of blowing leads and a shitty powerplay. It’s not good enough

 

[SherVaughn30]

Neither VV nor Sammy give me much hope for a playoff run. Just don’t seem mentally strong

Sammy was in sort of a slump his last start, but he wasn't this bad like Vitek tonight. We benched our #1 goalie for our Jekyll N Hyde backup goalie!

 

[SherVaughn30]

Well that’s game. People can talk all about effort, holding a lead, Vanacek, etc. Make no mistake about it, this loss falls squarely on the PP. It has consistently been a momentum killer for the Caps. It is fundamentally, systemically a flawed PP run by an amateur one trick pony. It’s beating a dead horse at this juncture to point out how static it is. I would venture to say that PKs expend less energy against us when we have puck possession than most other PPs. Moving skates, moving the puck quickly fatigues opponents physically and mentally. It’s an important part of breaking down a PK. And even if a goal isn’t scored it has the indirect effect of making opponents fear our PP just a little, which in turn can open up some space 5 on 5. As it is now, if I was an opponent, I would clutch, grab, slash, whatever is needed to disrupt us with little fear of paying for it.

I don't care if the Caps PP would have gone 6 for 6, Vitek's goaltending was inexcusable tonight. He looked like a deer in headlights. Not even sure he had faced the Kings team before? Sammy would have at least been familiar with the Kings shooters.

 

[tenken00]

Sammy was in sort of a slump his last start, but he wasn't this bad like Vitek tonight. We benched our #1 goalie for our Jekyll N Hyde backup goalie!

VV was amazing last game. He definitely should have got the start tonight to see if he could build on it. It was unfortunately a bad game, but you can't not allow him an opportunity to prove himself.

 

[Empty Goal Net]

He is soft. Doesn't win board battles. Not great defensively. Not a great forecheck.
I don't think he is the player that you guys think he is.

Are you describing Sprong?

 

[SherVaughn30]

I'm not even mad. It stinks that they gave up the shorty and late goal, but the team played hard, we just didn't have the horses to get it done. Missing 5 out of your 6 best forwards and leaning on Ovie for 24 minutes a game will catch up to you eventually.

Sorry I just see that as an excuse. There are other teams playing and dealing with the same issues the Caps are dealing with their roster. Yes the players on PP played poorly on the shorty, but once again why was Vitek reading the play to drop immediately into the butterfly and allowing Lizotte to easily fire it top corner? Vitek gave Lizotte the advantage! You don't think NHL teams have a scouting report on Vitek yet? They all do. On the 2nd Kings goal, just take a hard low shot to the leg pads and the scouting report probably says Vitek will give up rebounds in front on him and not properly adjust for the rebounds he gives up. It's exactly what happened. 3rd goal on Kempe, any goalie should come out a bit and either go for the poke check of the puck or at least be somewhat aggressive and be on top of the blue crease. This is not about having to make spectacular saves, but just basic goaltending 101 of being a butterfly goalie!