Post-Game Talk: Preds and caps @7:00 can we win 2 in a row to calm the board?

[Valhuen]

1-4-1, 3 points in our last 6 games.....

 

[Valhuen]

3 points in last 6 games is pretty bad, this is why "all in" is always a bad idea

Yeah, because of Shattenkirk the team has collapsed......

 

[Valhuen]

well...if their vezina trophy goalie hadn't given up two 25ft wrist shots that he could see and with no traffic, they would have won. that was a shutout that he sort of gave away.

the caps don't seem to beat the preds in the trotz era. the next 3 or 4 games are what I am interested in.

I am starting to wonder when the dynamic shattenkirk is going to show up. I get the joe corvo feeling more and more now. In fact you notice Schmidt in these games far more than you notice Shattenkirk. Maybe its just me.

I think KS has been rather good prior to the suspension, tonight not so much. Will take a few games to get back to form, he's the least of my worries.

I do wish we would sit 44 and put Schmidt in for a few games just to see how that may shake things up a bit. 22 & 88 may be a great pairing.

 

[Sam Spade]

I'm sorry I know the Preds "won" that Bettman special but they should be embarrassed at the type of hockey they played tonight.

Zero forecheck, zero pressure, four guys in the NZ, dump the puck in and passively try to get it, it was vintage NJ Devil hockey and it sucked to be at that game. That may have been the single most boring game I have ever attended. My eleven year old son, who just started playing hockey, who should have been super into it, actually fell asleep in the second period.

I want both my money and my time back.

 

[Mickstix]

I'm sorry I know the Preds "won" that Bettman special but they should be embarrassed at the type of hockey they played tonight.

Seeing as how easily it frustrates our team, I'd get used to seeing it unless we get a multi goal lead (somehow)..

Team looks like it's got zero confidence in anything offensively they do. Way too much overpassing and little/no puck luck. Even the goaltender looks pedestrian..

 

[Valhuen]

I'm sorry I know the Preds "won" that Bettman special but they should be embarrassed at the type of hockey they played tonight.

Zero forecheck, zero pressure, four guys in the NZ, dump the puck in and passively try to get it, it was vintage NJ Devil hockey and it sucked to be at that game. That may have been the single most boring game I have ever attended. My eleven year old son, who just started playing hockey, who should have been super into it, actually fell asleep in the second period.

I want both my money and my time back.

Yeah, losing aside, that was a snoozefest of a game.

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

I'm sorry I know the Preds "won" that Bettman special but they should be embarrassed at the type of hockey they played tonight.

Zero forecheck, zero pressure, four guys in the NZ, dump the puck in and passively try to get it, it was vintage NJ Devil hockey and it sucked to be at that game. That may have been the single most boring game I have ever attended. My eleven year old son, who just started playing hockey, who should have been super into it, actually fell asleep in the second period.

I want both my money and my time back.

Philly played us this way a couple of weeks ago and we had trouble. Since then Nashville is the 3rd or 4th team to play us this way and we have struggled against all of them. We need to figure out how to score against teams playing like this.

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

Also I place some of this loss on Oshie. He has a wide open net and decides to pass to Backstrom again. If he shoots we win the game.

 

[artilector]

I'm not sure you can win a Cup with a captain that constantly tries things he knows won't work and yet he does them anyway. He's effectively stopped learning as a player and sheer brute instinct over time will produce diminishing returns. We all love the guy but, I mean, are they ever going to be the sharpest team when that's your supposed leader and franchise player? You need more there there.

You can see the outlines of how the offense will dry up in the playoffs. How do they get interior more often? That and having the relentlessness in general to score are real questions. On top of their structure there should be more dynamic attacking based on the best read of coverage (and way more junk shots and net drive). As-is when in control there's a lot of skating around with not enough going on upstairs. It's fine to playing close to the vest but Trotz should know by now how limited that alone ends up being.

I think it's a fair question, but I suspect the answer is -- you at least have a chance, if you are creative with how you deal with existing limitations. And if you have the balls to bench a star until you get him to do enough of the grunt work (although, that ship might've sailed).

This is not basketball, where a single irreplaceable ball-hogging superstar can prevent his team from playing an elite team game. However, the Caps have been the opposite of creative in terms of finding a way to use Ovi to maximize team effectiveness.

As for the rest, I agree. You can see how the Caps' offense starts losing traction when they can't get put a team on their backheels and create room for themselves to operate.

One problem is, Trotz's instincts seem all wrong when it comes to getting the most out of Caps' skilled perimeter guys. Instead of putting the racing tires on his Ferrari to outrace the heavy weather to the finish line, he'd rather wait for the snow and put on the chains.

If he can't get them to succeed going inside reliably, then he has to try to maximize the relentless possession pre-bye-week style. His instinct is to try to strike a balance, but for now, this makes the Caps look ordinary -- "just another middle-of-the-pack playoff team with flaws".

 

[artilector]

Can the 3rd line's recent possession struggles be really due to Bura's absence?

 

[Calicaps]

Also I place some of this loss on Oshie. He has a wide open net and decides to pass to Backstrom again. If he shoots we win the game.

To me, this is the main story of this game. They passed up good shots. Lots of folks are saying it was all perimeter and they didn't generate chances but that is not what I saw. I saw them failing to shoot when they had chances, even when they had guys in front of the net. That should be relatively easy to fix.

 

[Jags]

1-4-1, 3 points in our last 6 games.....

1-0-1, 3 points in our last 2 games...

 

[Demandedace]

Can the 3rd line's recent possession struggles be really due to Bura's absence?

The second line though putting in some nice work

 

[txpd]

Seeing as how easily it frustrates our team, I'd get used to seeing it unless we get a multi goal lead (somehow)..

Team looks like it's got zero confidence in anything offensively they do. Way too much overpassing and little/no puck luck. Even the goaltender looks pedestrian..

I am not sure that playing a 1-4 against the Caps frustrates them at all. They seem pretty calm about it. They don't force it. Dave Reid commented on how the Caps weren't getting sucked into the trap and getting hurt by it. It is, however, an effective way to turn any game against any team into a coin flip game.

Renne made some nice saves. The Caps didn't give the Preds much at all. I am not even sure the goal in regulation against was a scoring chance.

 

[txpd]

Philly played us this way a couple of weeks ago and we had trouble. Since then Nashville is the 3rd or 4th team to play us this way and we have struggled against all of them. We need to figure out how to score against teams playing like this.

well....the Devils played the Caps that way and lost 1-0. That is how this last game should have turned out. The Flyers played the same game. Teams are finding they cant skate with the Caps and that playing defense and hoping for a break or a power play is their only hope.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

To me, this is the main story of this game. They passed up good shots. Lots of folks are saying it was all perimeter and they didn't generate chances but that is not what I saw. I saw them failing to shoot when they had chances, even when they had guys in front of the net. That should be relatively easy to fix.

By perimeter, I think they mean guys were looking for that extra pass rather than getting shots to the net and making it uncomfortable for Rinne. With the exception of a few point shots, the Caps (by their own choosing) generated little net front presence last night.

They need to understand highlight reel goals aren't going to win them playoff games. They need to use their speed through the neutral zone but they also need to constantly drive shots to the net and look for rebounds and deflections. Last night's game was how many teams will play in the playoffs and if the Caps fail to adjust it's going to be another one or two and done.

 

[txpd]

Can the 3rd line's recent possession struggles be really due to Bura's absence?

I think its possible. Seems to me that Eller has been the same player. Getting and holding the puck. Burakovsky is the other puck holder on that line. He gets open for the pass. He reads the play and knows where to go to chase pucks. Vrana is a rookie. He just isn't as practiced at the speed and read of the NHL game. Eller is left to do it by himself.

I know this much. I still notice Eller with the puck. Connolly I never noticed with the puck til he was shooting it. Burt had the puck. Vrana doesnt.

 

[Capsman]

I think its possible. Seems to me that Eller has been the same player. Getting and holding the puck. Burakovsky is the other puck holder on that line. He gets open for the pass. He reads the play and knows where to go to chase pucks. Vrana is a rookie. He just isn't as practiced at the speed and read of the NHL game. Eller is left to do it by himself.

I know this much. I still notice Eller with the puck. Connolly I never noticed with the puck til he was shooting it. Burt had the puck. Vrana doesnt.

Burakovski's board work and possession skills improved dramatically this season. Plus he's one of the quicker shots on the team. He's been missed on that 3rd line, no doubt about it.

 

[RandyHolt]

I seem to remember Holts game coming back to earth last spring. I don't give a rats ass what his save % is or was as it does not reflect goals he would like to have back. I wonder if we may be seeing that now. No, it's not just from last nights game.

Regardless if teams turtle on us, I feel like he has to be a difference maker at least once per series for us to win a cup. We call it stealing a game. Goaltending play is SO important and it doesn't get enough discussion, instead we focus on a pizza or extra pass, and often give the G a pass.

The G is the most important player on the ice every single game. It doesn't matter if we cannot score if he matches the opposition G. That is what a playoff series between 2 evenly matched team basically evolves to.

 

[Sam Spade]

Seeing as how easily it frustrates our team, I'd get used to seeing it unless we get a multi goal lead (somehow)..

Team looks like it's got zero confidence in anything offensively they do. Way too much overpassing and little/no puck luck. Even the goaltender looks pedestrian..

Yet even with the above the Caps had that game won if Holtby doesn't misplay that shot.

I am not worried about HOW they are playing, it looks good, only worried they are not scoring on any of their numerous chances.

Better to get this slump out of the way now then in April.

Also saw they tweet from Japers that said "Schmidt out, Caps lose". Seriously? Orpik played one of his best games of the season last night. The defense was not an issue last night (nor has it been this season) and the mighty Schmidt (or Bobby Orr for that matter) wasn't busting thru the wall of Preds in the NZ.

 

[marcel snapshot]

I am starting to wonder when the dynamic shattenkirk is going to show up. I get the joe corvo feeling more and more now. In fact you notice Schmidt in these games far more than you notice Shattenkirk

It's not just you. That's who was coming to mind for me (minus the questionable off-ice life choices), even before Shattty's suspension.

What's got me concerned is Trotz - this team has the ability to play in so many different ways: defensive turtle, heavy hockey, up-tempo puck movement, possession. But taking advantage of that capability is all about knowing when (and how) to change up the style - both between games and within games. I'm concerned about whether Trotz is nimble enough to do that.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Can the 3rd line's recent possession struggles be really due to Bura's absence?

Yes - Bura was up there with Nicky, Kuzy, and MoJo in terms of possession through the neutral zone and gaining the O-zone with speed and possession. Bura's ability to possess the puck in traffic really took off this ice year - Vrana is nowhere close to him on that.

 

[discobob]

It is, however, an effective way to turn any game against any team into a coin flip game.

THIS

And we are going to see this a lot in the playoffs. Even if a team doesn't employ this strategy, they will start if they drop a game or two to the Caps. Hoping the Caps find a way to tip the scales in these games. Goal tending can be the difference, but as good as Holtby is, we will be facing equally good goal-tending in the playoffs.

In addition, this team has not shown much proficiency at scoring the dirty goals, which get highlighted in the playoffs...

 

[txpd]

1-4-1, 3 points in our last 6 games.....

they lost 4 games in a row. you cant change the effect on their short term record in two games. So, had they won last night you would be here posting 2-4-0?

 

[txpd]

It's not just you. That's who was coming to mind for me (minus the questionable off-ice life choices), even before Shattty's suspension.

What's got me concerned is Trotz - this team has the ability to play in so many different ways: defensive turtle, heavy hockey, up-tempo puck movement, possession. But taking advantage of that capability is all about knowing when (and how) to change up the style - both between games and within games. I'm concerned about whether Trotz is nimble enough to do that.

Because the trap slows them down?