Post-Game Talk: Never Gonna Get It @ as Shark Bait -- 1030pm

[crazy8888]

Ovechkin looks like he has a wrist injury. Anyone else notice he isn't blasting one-timers like his regular self?

I though so for a while too but the more i watch the more its evident that its probably not an injury but lack of confidence and outside voices messing with his head. Im afraid he lost some of the fire he had in him through most of his career. Its always a lose/lose situation for him. Score 50 and people say yea what about the playoffs, regular season doesn't matter. He doesn't score 50 and now we have threads "What is wrong with Ovechkin" popping up every few days.
I even remember hearing that this year Ted sat Ovi down and told him that the team doesn't want him to score 50 every season, that its all about the playoffs. What kind of a ass backwards crappy statement is that? Does his regular season performance have bearing on how he will do in the PO'S? The less goals he scores in regular season, the more he will score in the PO'S? To me it sounds so stupid. Think about it, you are the ONLY person in your whole generation that is capable of putting up 50 on a consistent basis, but your own boss tells you ehhh no big deal, i just care how you do in the playoffs. Guy had/still has a real shot at having his name next to Gretz on that all time goals list. You would think a team owner would be proud of that, but instead they put the brunt of failures on Ovis shoulders and now they are not even giving him respect for being the best of the best at what he does.

Frankly I'm surprised he even put up 20 this year, who the hell would have any kind of motivation to even lace up the skates

 

[marcel snapshot]

We match up so horribly against the Sharks. Cannot match their combo of size and tempo. We have never been able to shut down Thornton.

That said, we're not beating a team like that when we only have our 3rd and 4th lines going, and no more than half of our top 6 (Kuzy, MoJo, and Oshie we're occasionally good, the rest were ineffective (Nicky) or trash).

What's with the Ovechkin not shooting thing? He's becoming Adam Oates in his distaste for launching the puck. Meanwhile, pucks continue to be unable to stay on his stick and his positional play and decision-making are head-scratching at best.

We've lost 2 in a row, Holtby has been ordinary, top 6 has been lousy, and D play has been no better than average. Not time to panic or melt-down, as lulls are inevitable. But the cohesiveness and "group-mind" syncopation with which they played in January has all but vanished - we've gone from a frictionless humming motor to a gear-grinding, engine-coughing machine. Seems mostly mental to me - but it's a collective mental thing and it's not helpful when leadership (Ovie, Nicky, Carlson, even Holtby last 2 games) have too many spells where they play like they're a bit checked-out.

 

[Langway]

He said, "It's a tough stretch of the year. These are good teams that we're playing right now that are in fights that are maybe a little bit more intense than our fight is right now. ... When it comes time to really show our true colors, I think we're gonna show 'em."

Hmm.

The truth is both CBJ and PIT are just 5 pts behind us and have each played 1 game fewer than we have.

Further, CBJ still has two games against us, and our other opponents include Boston, Rangers, the Wild, and a surging Lightning team. Plus the road B2B vs. Kings and Ducks.

If the Caps really prefer to play against the 8th seed in 1st round, then they probably shouldn't wait around to show their "true colors."

Very true. Whatever optional luxury they have in being engaged will disappear pretty quickly here. All it may take is this three game trip and they could easily wind up in a dogfight for the top spot the rest of the way. Columbus also has a cupcake schedule the rest of the way.

 

[g00n]

We match up so horribly against the Sharks. Cannot match their combo of size and tempo. We have never been able to shut down Thornton.

That said, we're not beating a team like that when we only have our 3rd and 4th lines going, and no more than half of our top 6 (Kuzy, MoJo, and Oshie we're occasionally good, the rest were ineffective (Nicky) or trash).

What's with the Ovechkin not shooting thing? He's becoming Adam Oates in his distaste for launching the puck. Meanwhile, pucks continue to be unable to stay on his stick and his positional play and decision-making are head-scratching at best.

We've lost 2 in a row, Holtby has been ordinary, top 6 has been lousy, and D play has been no better than average. Not time to panic or melt-down, as lulls are inevitable. But the cohesiveness and "group-mind" syncopation with which they played in January has all but vanished - we've gone from a frictionless humming motor to a gear-grinding, engine-coughing machine. Seems mostly mental to me - but it's a collective mental thing and it's not helpful when leadership (Ovie, Nicky, Carlson, even Holtby last 2 games) have too many spells where they play like they're a bit checked-out.

This.

Tarik probably had it right in the pre-game: Ovie realizes he's not going to win the Richard this year so he's pretty much just going through the motions until the playoffs start. I believe the entire team picks up on this and plays the same way.

Ovechkin and the other leaders in that locker room have to hold another players-only meeting and get their heads/priorities straight. At what point in the season do you "flip the switch"? Once you've had a month of momentum toward sluggishness it's all too easy to just push things back one game at a time...."we'll flip the switch next game, no biggie".

Next thing you know you're facing an elimination game in the 2nd round and....we'll turn it on next period. Promise.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Agree, Goon. And the thing is: this team sucks at "flipping the switch." We checked out in Game 5 of the Habs series (the airport fog game) in 2010 and never recovered. We relaxed even before the Tampa series started the next year and (surprise!) got swept. In 2013, we relaxed when we went up 2-0 on the Rangers (Holtby talked about it) and lost. We let our play slack off at the end of last year, and never got back to the level we needed to be at to defeat a team like the Pens.

We are not like Chicago or other teams with a track record of flipping the switch. We've literally never done it. So the players - especially the team's leadership - should just be spitting out any taste of "we can slack off a bit here, and save our best for later" because we've never shown any ability to actually do that.

 

[g00n]

Agree, Goon. And the thing is: this team sucks at "flipping the switch." We checked out in Game 5 of the Habs series (the airport fog game) in 2010 and never recovered. We relaxed even before the Tampa series started the next year and (surprise!) got swept. In 2013, we relaxed when we went up 2-0 on the Rangers (Holtby talked about it) and lost. We let our play slack off at the end of last year, and never got back to the level we needed to be at to defeat a team like the Pens.

We are not like Chicago or other teams with a track record of flipping the switch. We've literally never done it. So the players - especially the team's leadership - should just be spitting out any taste of "we can slack off a bit here, and save our best for later" because we've never shown any ability to actually do that.

Right. It doesn't work for them. It never has. This is why I was talking in the last GDT about everyone needing to recommit and stop making excuses. They need to start building the physical and mental muscles NOW, and that means playing every one of these regular season games like it's a playoff game.

You don't prepare for the playoffs by learning a style for a few games or even weeks and then storing it away, thinking you can just change things up like an EA NHL slider setting. Learning "playoff hockey" means discovering a commitment to details, sacrifice, and professionalism every second you are in your jersey and even much of the time you're out of it, such that it benefits your performance.

That doesn't mean leave your family and live in a cabin (although Jordan Spieth did exactly that when he won the Masters, by setting up 2 residences, one for family and one for himself in order to rest and focus). It means making sure you're ALL IN, ALL THE TIME. If spending time with your wife recharges you, do it. If changing ****** diapers drains you and distracts you, hire a ****ing nanny. If your passes aren't connecting, take some extra practice. Get to bed early. Do some more cardio. Eat better. Train with a singular purpose: to win the Cup. That includes drills in practice.

They don't have to be serious and grim in all of this, but it's clear they need to focus and practice and commit to their best effort every shift, every night, whatever that is at the time. And it's their own responsibility to improve the standard for what that "best effort" is in the meantime.

THAT is how you prepare for the playoffs. Not just dumping/hitting/grinding or fixing your power play.

 

[Langway]

Their best forwards aren't really that great anymore. They're not consistent tone-setters so you're going to get these dips, esp. when they're not compensating for it on the PP. The same goes from an offensive consistency standpoint for most of their top four defenders. Shattenkirk helps but only Orlov in the top four seems engaged in making plays. It's surprising such dips haven't happened more often. That it hasn't has been a credit to their defensive structure, depth and team-wide buy-in. But it will be increasingly difficult for those three areas to be difference makers. There has to be more balance and it's mostly in fine-tuning their game offensively. It doesn't have to be as detailed as their defensive game but it needs to be a lot less flimsy.

When they aren't able to reign in games and play with defensive urgency they're not that great fundamentally. It stands to reason that with slacking off comes more lost battles, frustration, etc. but they're not so great as to play through them and execute well enough in spite of it. If you're Trotz and not concerned about the top six, not trying to do anything better down the stretch in preparation then they'll find themselves in the same dynamic as usual. Their play down the stretch should be about maintaining core structure while attempting to elevate their offensive work rate and execution. Each day they put off in improving in that area, they harder the task will become and the more likely they're mostly just going to rely upon defense and depth to be difference makers.

It's about actual production and being able to summon more energy to compact and diversify their game. What you believe you can do in theory has zero bearing on anything other than making you feel better about why your game isn't where it needs to be. Not having that honesty in their game and their relationship to it is a significant obstacle. It all starts with their captain, a player that has a particular carelessness in his game that frankly should be embarrassing. It all starts there.

 

[SpinningEdge]

The biggest issue with the Caps is they feel like they can "flip the switch" - but they rarely do.

They're an extremely talented team - but they're not a ton better than other top teams in the league. Sure, against the Colorado's, etc they can come out flat or play lousy for 30 minutes and then decide to play - but all good teams have that mode b/c talent is a huge factor in hockey.

It's going to come down to just playing well and people playing to their potential. If Ovi continues to suck and our top 6 doesn't contribute - It's doubtful we go far. If goaltending becomes average, It's doubtful we go far.

Trotz needs to start mixing up the lines. We have so much talent that any spark/some line or players heating up can be the difference. Plus, more line options/ammo Trotz has in the playoffs that he knows chemistry wise can work gives Caps the advantage of adjusting more.

Right now the defense has had few adjustments - and hte top 6 no adjustments as well and everything seems stale currently. Time for a plan B or C.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

We peaked too soon...again.

Champions of January!

 

[illpucks]

Sure looked like the Crapitals last night. Awful effort all-around.

And what's up with the Powerplay? Has the team lost confidence in AO. It was always Johannsen would pass to Backstrom to create space Backstrom back to Johanssen, who feeds a one-timer to Ovechkin.

They are not even trying to feed Ovechkin like that. It's ****ing weird to see. Almost like they lost faith in him.

This is the worst hockey offensively from Ovechkin since start of 12-13 campaign. I don't get why the team would ice an injured player though. Caps already said they don't care about Presidents'. But I'm sure they don't want the Pens getting it so they must care somewhat and that's why they ice him.

 

[Capsman]

I feel like the Caps are very dependent on grooves to play effective offensive hockey. That's why long breaks kill them. Effort and individual player success is going to be variable from time to time for every team in the league, there is nothing unique about the Caps in that regard. But I don't get the sense of an effective offensive system to fall back on that's well rehearsed and doesn't require guys to be on a roll to be effective. In other words, the inconsistency to me is more about system than individual players' issues.

 

[illpucks]

I though so for a while too but the more i watch the more its evident that its probably not an injury but lack of confidence and outside voices messing with his head. Im afraid he lost some of the fire he had in him through most of his career. Its always a lose/lose situation for him. Score 50 and people say yea what about the playoffs, regular season doesn't matter. He doesn't score 50 and now we have threads "What is wrong with Ovechkin" popping up every few days.
I even remember hearing that this year Ted sat Ovi down and told him that the team doesn't want him to score 50 every season, that its all about the playoffs. What kind of a ass backwards crappy statement is that? Does his regular season performance have bearing on how he will do in the PO'S? The less goals he scores in regular season, the more he will score in the PO'S? To me it sounds so stupid. Think about it, you are the ONLY person in your whole generation that is capable of putting up 50 on a consistent basis, but your own boss tells you ehhh no big deal, i just care how you do in the playoffs. Guy had/still has a real shot at having his name next to Gretz on that all time goals list. You would think a team owner would be proud of that, but instead they put the brunt of failures on Ovis shoulders and now they are not even giving him respect for being the best of the best at what he does.

Frankly I'm surprised he even put up 20 this year, who the hell would have any kind of motivation to even lace up the skates

Imagine Ovi's stats if he had a guy like Mike Sullivan fueling him with fire every game.

 

[illpucks]

We peaked too soon...again.

Champions of January!

Hope this isn't snowstorm pt. II

 

[illpucks]

Agree, Goon. And the thing is: this team sucks at "flipping the switch." We checked out in Game 5 of the Habs series (the airport fog game) in 2010 and never recovered. We relaxed even before the Tampa series started the next year and (surprise!) got swept. In 2013, we relaxed when we went up 2-0 on the Rangers (Holtby talked about it) and lost. We let our play slack off at the end of last year, and never got back to the level we needed to be at to defeat a team like the Pens.

We are not like Chicago or other teams with a track record of flipping the switch. We've literally never done it. So the players - especially the team's leadership - should just be spitting out any taste of "we can slack off a bit here, and save our best for later" because we've never shown any ability to actually do that.

The problem is there needs to be consistent guys that step up in the absence of the stars.

Pens
Crosby sucks
so Malkin steps up
Crosby and Malkin suck then
Bonino or Kessel steps up

etc.

The team was too defendant on Ovechkin performing or not. And Ovechkin is not a generational pressure player.

He is good (ie only guy to score in game 7 vs Rangers), his epic 3rd period vs Penguins and refusing to sit on bench.

But he's not the guy that is going to destroy teams when the pressure is on him. He's just not that type of player. The other guys need to balance him and have their on games when he sucks.

 

[trick9]

In sports the attitude that you are too good to need to play hard every game is just beyond ridiculous and somehow this team has it in spite of never actually winning the big prize. Some players are capable of flipping the switch but no team should rely on that.

Carlson and Alzner were brutal again in this game.

If Ovechkin is indeed injured then it'd be dumb to not sit him until he's recovered. He tried to be too cute on the own zone and turned the puck over which (after Alzner losing yet another 1-on-1 battle) led to the Thornton -goal. You are going to need Ovechkin in the Playoffs, but you don't necessarily need injured, 50% effort Ovechkin to make the Playoffs.

This wasn't as bad game as the rant would suggest though. They got burned by stupid penalties, being too cute on the PP and losing their own net on the Sharks PP's. How many goals were deflected right in front of Holtby because of lazy defending? 2 or 3?

 

[8isgreat]

Ovechkin is not playing well right now at all and theres no excuse for it, but trotz has not tried to help him at all, does the guy even look into line combo statistics? Ovi was on a 48 goal pace playing with kuz this year in the first 25 games and thats also factoring the pp not clicking at all in the beginning of the season. I guess its tough to get your superstar going when the closest thing you only ever coached was a washed up Forsberg and David Legwend.

 

[txpd]

well...this has been fun reading. Winning streaks end. Caps always lose to Dallas. They lost. They always lose in San Jose and the next game was in SJ and they lost.

Now they play the Ducks.Kings back to back which most of the league loses at least one. Then they return home where first games back after long travel can be tough. In this case you can add the Wild to that tough.

So I think that under the best of circumstances the Caps may lose 4 out of those 5 games anyway.

If that actually happens, this place will be unbearable.

 

[Blades of Steel]

Say what you will but I have a sneaky suspicion as a few others have said that Ovie is playing with an injury. Probably a wrist or broken hand issue. I feel like I saw him get slashed pretty good on his wrist/hand earlier in the season but I don't remember him missing any time. I wonder if this has been a major reason for the lack of shots/goals/passing to Ovie on the PP.

 

[notDkristich]

The coaching staff stubbornness with regards to OV-Nicky and Carlzner is damning. If they won't change it up now, imagine how stuck in their ways they will be come playoff time.

Mix it up for a few games and right the ship well before the playoffs start.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

well...this has been fun reading. Winning streaks end. Caps always lose to Dallas. They lost. They always lose in San Jose and the next game was in SJ and they lost.

Now they play the Ducks.Kings back to back which most of the league loses at least one. Then they return home where first games back after long travel can be tough. In this case you can add the Wild to that tough.

So I think that under the best of circumstances the Caps may lose 4 out of those 5 games anyway.

If that actually happens, this place will be unbearable.

"Will be"? Lol....

 

[Dr John Carlson]

The coaching staff stubbornness with regards to OV-Nicky and Carlzner is damning. If they won't change it up now, imagine how stuck in their ways they will be come playoff time.

I agree with splitting up 8-19, but splitting up 27-74 seems like it would do more harm than good. Orlov-Niskanen is definitely a good pairing. Orpik(or Schmidt)-Shattenkirk *should* be a good pairing once Shattenkirk is fully accustomed to the system. Which of those two do you break up in order to accompany one of Alzner or Carlson? It's probably best to keep them together, accept their shortcomings, and let the other two pairings tilt the ice.

 

[Carlzner]

well...this has been fun reading. Winning streaks end. Caps always lose to Dallas. They lost. They always lose in San Jose and the next game was in SJ and they lost.

Now they play the Ducks.Kings back to back which most of the league loses at least one. Then they return home where first games back after long travel can be tough. In this case you can add the Wild to that tough.

So I think that under the best of circumstances the Caps may lose 4 out of those 5 games anyway.

If that actually happens, this place will be unbearable.

I'm curious how you're finding a connection between, say... the 2010 team losing in San Jose and this team losing? It sounds like you're saying that playing in San Jose is just an automatic loss, no matter what. And judging by how the team played last night, they probably thought the same thing. Does that sound like the mentality of a championship team to you?

 

[notDkristich]

I agree with splitting up 8-19, but splitting up 27-74 seems like it would do more harm than good. Orlov-Niskanen is definitely a good pairing. Orpik(or Schmidt)-Shattenkirk *should* be a good pairing once Shattenkirk is fully accustomed to the system. Which of those two do you break up in order to accompany one of Alzner or Carlson? It's probably best to keep them together, accept their shortcomings, and let the other two pairings tilt the ice.

I cringe whenever Carlzner is out with 1st line. Haven't reviewed the fancy stats yet, but it seems to tilt the ice way against us. Either pinned in our own end, high scoring chance against, or GA.

 

[RandyHolt]

Ovechkin looks like he has a wrist injury. Anyone else notice he isn't blasting one-timers like his regular self?

I haven't seen him get a shot off of his old move, in what seems like months.... cannot remember the last goal like that. Every one is somehow now blocked.

 

[EroCaps]

This.

Tarik probably had it right in the pre-game: Ovie realizes he's not going to win the Richard this year so he's pretty much just going through the motions until the playoffs start. I believe the entire team picks up on this and plays the same way.

Ovechkin and the other leaders in that locker room have to hold another players-only meeting and get their heads/priorities straight. At what point in the season do you "flip the switch"? Once you've had a month of momentum toward sluggishness it's all too easy to just push things back one game at a time...."we'll flip the switch next game, no biggie".

Next thing you know you're facing an elimination game in the 2nd round and....we'll turn it on next period. Promise.

I don't buy this. Ovechkin was top 3 in goals when his play started to dip. He looks hurt and pissed, not apathetic.

They lose a couple of games against non-Conference opponents in relatively close fashion and the sky is falling around here.

They didn't lose to Pittsburgh last year because they were cold, anyways.