GDT: NSH @ WSH

[Hivemind]

2 minutes left in the game, down 1 goal.... better give the 4th line an offensive zone shift

 

[lotty83]

Eh, this game has L written all over it.

 

[ClevelandCapsfan]

Umm, Lavi. You’re down a goal.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Garbage pass off Strome….shoot that.

 

[Hivemind]

Re-unite Strome and Ovechkin! Even in that brief 6-on-5 moment at the very end, it was Strome who almost made the play to link up with Ovie

 

[ClevelandCapsfan]

Beaten by the backup goalie on the road.

 

[BallardEra]

Beaten by the backup goalie on the road.

Had a bad feeling tonight.

 

[Fred22406Capsfan]

FFS.... "for heaven's sake". Yeah, that's what I said... On to the next one.

 

[tycoonheart]

Can anyone tell me why Lavi broke up Strome and Ovi???

 

[lotty83]

Passing was shit all game long.

… I also think it’s hilarious that there are still people here willing to defend Mantha.

 

[Hivemind]

Can anyone tell me why Lavi broke up Strome and Ovi???

 

[YippieKaey]

No, no he didn't. He did exactly what he was supposed to when he fed Hathaway, he got close, held the goaltender and fed the guy making the center drive.

Alright, if that's your opinion that's fine. But there's a reason he's on the 4th line.

 

[shtorm2005]

Can anyone tell me why Lavi broke up Strome and Ovi???

My guess, with Backstrom return he wanted to test Kuzy with Ovy again so he can safely give Nick 2nd center duties

 

[YippieKaey]

Possibly load management for Strome? Not sure if he played a lot yesterday. Or maybe Lavi felt Kuzys ability to enter the zone on his own would be needed against the Preds defensive scheme.

 

[Hivemind]

Alright, if that's your opinion that's fine. But there's a reason he's on the 4th line.

Regardless of how I do or don't feel about Mantha, coaching decisions and line pairings don't really speak to player quality. This is the same coach that kept feeding Hagelin minutes all last year and punted Sprong to the moon.

Possibly load management for Strome? Not sure if he played a lot yesterday. Or maybe Lavi felt Kuzys ability to enter the zone on his own would be needed against the Preds defensive scheme.

They were already apart yesterday as well.

 

[Langway]

I mean, Gus-TVR are the top pair after all. Win some, lose some.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

I blame Locker for this loss. He ran his mouth about January schedule in pregame.

 

[Drakon]

I mean, Gus-TVR are the top pair after all. Win some, lose some.

Interesting, I thought Orlov had a really bad game.

 

[shtorm2005]

When 19 and 43 return, maybe Caps should try

Ovy-Strome-Sheary
Kuzy-Backstrom-Wilson
Johanson-Eller-Oshie
Milano-Dowd-Hathaway

 

[shtorm2005]

Just noticed, damn Sheary is a lucky guy. Played considerable amount of time with two greatest stars of this era

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Just noticed, damn Sheary is a lucky guy. Played considerable amount of time with two greatest stars of this era

He was a big pain as a Pen against the Caps. Not quite as much as Guentzel but still a Cap's killer.

 

[YippieKaey]

Regardless of how I do or don't feel about Mantha, coaching decisions and line pairings don't really speak to player quality. This is the same coach that kept feeding Hagelin minutes all last year and punted Sprong to the moon.


They were already apart yesterday as well.

Fair enough. But the common denominator of Hagelin & Sprong is effort. Hagelin had it but sucked anyways. Sprong didn't have it but had talent. One stayed, one left.

 

[SherVaughn30]

I think Mantha just made an easy decision for BMac regarding who stays and who goes with Wilson/Backstrom back in lineup as soon as Sunday.

 

[RedRocking]

I think Mantha just made an easy decision for BMac regarding who stays and who goes with Wilson/Backstrom back in lineup as soon as Sunday.

Man, it would be great if he could move Mantha out to land a big upgrade at D. Hell, throw in CMM (since no C spots are opening up for the foreseeable future if 19 is healthy, and Strome signs long term), if that’s part of what it takes to land a Chychrun or Quinn Hughes. Yea, they are LDs - but maybe that allows them to let Orlov walk this offseason.

Our current D-pairs don’t feel tenable for a playoff push down the stretch. Especially with so many tough Metro games left. Too many turnovers in their zone, missed assignments, and bad breakouts. And the extra workload seems to be messing with Orlov’s game. Just depends if they can hold it together until JC74 comes back.

I don’t hate Mantha as much as some - but with the roster crunch, and cheaper guys competing hard and producing - he may be expendable in a trade to strengthen the team in another area.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I’ve been a Mantha supporter but his play recently has been terrible.