Post-Game Talk: NJD @ WSH | 1/2/22 (!) | 3:00p ET

[txpd]

Can't believe I'm agreeing with @Hivemind to argue with @txpd but seriously, if the results are piss poor what the f*** are you even arguing about?

"well the coaches are using it" is not an argument.

I am not arguing. I asked a question. I dont know how many times I have to say this. The comment was made that they need to use their faster players. I asked who that would be. I got McMichael as an answer. Ok. It seems unlikely to happen because, but thats an answer. Who else?

I made my suggestions. If you want to argue, then pick away at my suggestions or make some of your own.

 

[PlushMinus]

I'd play Sprong for his shot and Sheary because of his speed and energy. Probably throw Hagelin out there because of his speed, fore-checking ability etc - but would make sure he is told to pass first and not try and score lol.
Orlov is a good option as well. You want your high energy guys out there. Kuzy has to play as well because he has other worldly skills (when his head is in the game), though he can be a defensive liability. Carlson is a turnover machine and doesn't bring that much to 3 on 3.
I wouldn't put Wilson out there. Every time I've seen him out there during 3 on 3 he seems pretty clueless.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

The thing that makes Ovi such a bad player in overtime is with his game if he misses the net or doesn’t score that shot is so strong it’s going the other way on a two on one scoring chance at least

 

[Hivemind]

I am not arguing. I asked a question. I dont know how many times I have to say this. The comment was made that they need to use their faster players. I asked who that would be. I got McMichael as an answer. Ok. It seems unlikely to happen because, but thats an answer. Who else?

I made my suggestions. If you want to argue, then pick away at my suggestions or make some of your own.

You have 20+ posts over the last handful of pages of this thread. Are you sure you're just "asking a question" and "not arguing?" Whenever someone came back with a name, McMichael or otherwise, you responded with answers about their ice time and Laviolette knowing how to handle the young players.



The Capitals have plenty of younger and faster players who haven't been given a real look at 3on3. The Capitals have yet to score a 3on3 goal, and the older and slower players that Laviolette has leaned upon in 3on3 are getting chewed up and scored on a regular basis. Yes, McMichael is the poster boy for this. But there's also Sprong, Fehervary, and Jensen. Hell, even your boy Hagelin could potentially be more capable than the results the big guns have provided (at least in terms of keeping the puck away from their own net).

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Also Lavi should worry about the PP. Playing the 3 on 3 gimmick wont mean anything come playoffs.

 

[um]

Also Lavi should worry about the PP. Playing the 3 on 3 gimmick wont mean anything come playoffs.

I know it probably doesn’t matter that much but in the back of my head I’m thinking this is some brutal killer instinct.

This shouldn’t be happening to a team this skilled and experienced.

 

[SpinningEdge]

10 games in OT this season.

zero goals. 3 times it went to shoutout.

Really bad.

 

[usiel]

10 games in OT this season.

zero goals. 3 times it went to shoutout.

Really bad.

Well despite a crappy PP and a crap load of loser points and playing a lineup like a rebuilding team caps are #1 in the standing (yeah yeah games in hand yada yada). Big picture and all.

I remember one Pens season where they had a ridiculous amount of loser points at the end of the season it sure helped them.

 

[HecticGlow]

I find it curious that some are calling guys like Sprong and CMM fast skaters. They’re certainly not slow, and both have improved their skating, but they’re not fast.

Kuzy, Jensen, Hagelin and Fever are probably the fastest on the team. Guys like Sheary, Dowd, Schultz, Hathaway and Wilson can all turn on the gas when required, and there are very few guys on the team who are outright slow. But there aren’t many guys who are consistently and effortlessly speedy shift-in shift-out.

If I were coach - and there are a myriad of reasons I am not and should never be - I’m putting Ovi out there with two speedy defensemen. There’s so much more space at 3v3 that you don’t need quite the playmaking abilities of a guy like Backstrom or Kuzy to feed Ovi, but you do need guys who can effectively defend at speed when things turn south.

Dowd - Sheary - Carlson
Kuzy - Wilson - Orlov
Eller - Sprong - TVR
Ovechkin (Dowd for faceoffs) - Jensen - Fever

They need to better match two-way play with speed than they’re currently doing. Every time I see Kuzy and Ovi out there together at 5v5 I’m nervous, because the potential either for a turnover or a missed-stopped shot to send an odd man rush against at speed are too great.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Just bring back real 5 on 5 dammit!

 

[Corby78]

It’s just not speed 3v3, but puck handling. I don’t think Hagelin fits that bill. But at this point I would try anything. Watching them play I don’t think they honestly put any thought into it. I really think they have a “get ready for the playoffs” mentality and 3v3 doesn’t help that.

the pp on the other hand…. Just think if we had a halfway decent pp. this team would be deadly offensively

 

[Midnight Judges]

It looks like this team isn't working on 3v3. They are completely uncoordinated out there.

This is in stark contrast to all other areas - 5v5, etc. Even though the PP sucks, the players at least appear to be having the same ideas.

 

[StrikingDistance]

It’s just not speed 3v3, but puck handling. I don’t think Hagelin fits that bill. But at this point I would try anything. Watching them play I don’t think they honestly put any thought into it. I really think they have a “get ready for the playoffs” mentality and 3v3 doesn’t help that.

the pp on the other hand…. Just think if we had a halfway decent pp. this team would be deadly offensively

Agreed. Need Kuzy, JC, Oshie, Backy, or Orlov. No use in having speed if they can't control and posess the puck. Didn't watch the game but winning a faceoff would be a start to stopping the owes of OT and the PP.

We are dead last in the league in FO wins %.

 

[txpd]

Just bring back real 5 on 5 dammit!

Nobody would ever score. I would be a complete waste of time.

 

[txpd]

Agreed. Need Kuzy, JC, Oshie, Backy, or Orlov. No use in having speed if they can't control and posess the puck. Didn't watch the game but winning a faceoff would be a start to stopping the owes of OT and the PP.

We are dead last in the league in FO wins %.

Their situation with injuries and COVID make them look a lot worse than they are. McMichael has the 4th most face offs and he and Protas have as many as Dowd with his games lost. They are rookies and bad at face offs. Kuzy is just bad. Because they have lost so many Backstrom, Dowd and Eller games this season Kuzy is taking more faceoffs than he ordinarily would. Kuzy+rookies=sucks. Eller and Dowd combine for 50%. Push their number of face offs up and Kuzy's down and their numbers improve.

 

[StrikingDistance]

Their situation with injuries and COVID make them look a lot worse than they are. McMichael has the 4th most face offs and he and Protas have as many as Dowd with his games lost. They are rookies and bad at face offs. Kuzy is just bad. Because they have lost so many Backstrom, Dowd and Eller games this season Kuzy is taking more faceoffs than he ordinarily would. Kuzy+rookies=sucks. Eller and Dowd combine for 50%. Push their number of face offs up and Kuzy's down and their numbers improve.

It still doesn't negate the fact they are last. Many if not most other teams are facing the same situation.

You attempt to explain the negatives of this team and spin them into a positive lately. It's strange. The team struggles with the PP, OT, and FOs, yet there's some type of fantasyland you're trying to sell the forum that 'all is well' if we just had our starting roster. The team is doing well in the standing given the situation, but the warts are obvious.

 

[txpd]

It still doesn't negate the fact they are last. Many if not most other teams are facing the same situation.

You attempt to explain the negatives of this team and spin them into a positive lately. It's strange. The team struggles with the PP, OT, and FOs, yet there's some type of fantasyland you're trying to sell the forum that 'all is well' if we just had our starting roster. The team is doing well in the standing given the situation, but the warts are obvious.

Most teams are facing the Caps games loss at center? Really? OK....Well. McMichael sucks at face offs and Kuzy has always sucked. McMichael is a kid and being bad at faceoffs is normal. As Eller and Dowd are holding up their end of the job, we can talk about Kuzy then.

BTW...I am not spinning anything or making any of this a positive. What positive was there? I just saying that Kuzy is taking a lot more faceoffs than normal because of the injuries. Last season Kuzy sucked but he took the 4th most face offs. Dowd took the most. Backstrom the second most. Kuzy had by far the worst FO% of the 4. If you dont think relying on Kuzy and a rookie isnt the problem, thats not how I would look at it.

 

[StrikingDistance]

Most teams are facing the Caps games loss at center? Really? OK....Well. McMichael sucks at face offs and Kuzy has always sucked. McMichael is a kid and being bad at faceoffs is normal. As Eller and Dowd are holding up their end of the job, we can talk about Kuzy then.

BTW...I am not spinning anything or making any of this a positive. What positive was there? I just saying that Kuzy is taking a lot more faceoffs than normal because of the injuries. Last season Kuzy sucked but he took the 4th most face offs. Dowd took the most. Backstrom the second most. Kuzy had by far the worst FO% of the 4. If you dont think relying on Kuzy and a rookie isnt the problem, thats not how I would look at it.

Still interesting: I didn't ask why we suck at FOs but you still feel the need to explain why like I haven't watched a game and can't read player stats.

Back to my main point: Can't win FOs in OT, will more than likely lose in OT. Will those lost points mean anything down the road? Who knows. Losing still sucks no matter what gimmick the NHL has resorted to. Plus, in the interest of Ovi goals, it would be nice to boost his stats with more Gs and GWGs. Think of where he would be if the PP and OT wasn't circling the drain.

 

[txpd]

Still interesting: I didn't ask why we suck at FOs but you still feel the need to explain why like I haven't watched a game and can't read player stats.

Back to my main point: Can't win FOs in OT, will more than likely lose in OT. Will those lost points mean anything down the road? Who knows. Losing still sucks no matter what gimmick the NHL has resorted to. Plus, in the interest of Ovi goals, it would be nice to boost his stats with more Gs and GWGs. Think of where he would be if the PP and OT wasn't circling the drain.

No question. Winning face offs in OT is critical. That's why Dowd was out just for the face off. They best offensive center right now is their worst face off guy and their least offensive center is their best.

Trotz used to start overtime with Beagle and two defensemen. When Beagle won possession, Kuzy and Ov came out.

 

[kicksavedave]

Also Lavi should worry about the PP. Playing the 3 on 3 gimmick wont mean anything come playoffs.

OT results could matter if the points we are missing out on costs us the division, home ice, or a bad playoff matchup.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

I have a feeling I have seen this caps team before. Hot early then a gradual decline to a first round exit…

 

[txpd]

I have a feeling I have seen this caps team before. Hot early then a gradual decline to a first round exit…

What tells you that? I am curious. Caps are 6-2-2 in their last 10. They have stuffed the most games into this period where two of their best players have missed almost all the games in addition to having to use so many rookies and call ups. The other teams are going to face their own brutal compressed schedule to make up games. That period that the Caps have already survived.

Personally, I couldnt tell the difference between the Caps President's Trophy teams, their Cup team and their bubble flame out team. To me this team is going to give itself a legit chance at the Cup. Just like those other 4 teams did.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Just being pessimistic Txpd, that’s all.

 

[um]

I have a feeling I have seen this caps team before. Hot early then a gradual decline to a first round exit…

And our hot streak is largely due to Ovie playing like an MVP. That probably won’t last.

 

[txpd]

Just being pessimistic Txpd, that’s all.

Yea. I get it