Series Discussion: Round 2 (Caps vs Penguins) 2016 Playoffs (Pens fans, read note in OP) - Part II

[artilector]

I thought the Caps played pretty well, but still the outcome came down to 2 PP goals.

Top lines will have to find a way to finish at ES...

 

[hockeykicker]

I thought the Caps played pretty well, but still the outcome came down to 2 PP goals.

Top lines will have to find a way to finish at ES...

or an even strength goal to match their pp goal

 

[EroCaps]

Pittsburgh is a terrible match-up and Kuznetsov is useless.

They'll need a miracle.

 

[NoMoreChoking]

Only Spinning Edge should be aloud to make GDT

 

[Devil Dancer]

Pittsburgh is a terrible match-up and Kuznetsov is useless.

They'll need a miracle.

I wouldn't go that far. It's been a remarkably even series, and I expect games 6 and 7 (if necessary) to be similar. It's probably going to come down to bounces. So they're screwed.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Barry adjusted.

He called off the risk taking by the D, and the odd mans were solved.

And guys drove the net, and pass/shots followed.

Holtbeast slammed the door on the rest.

I was hoping all three of those would happen and they did. Without the odd man rushes, the Pens offence is severely curtailed. Murray is a rebound machine and it was great to see the Caps score off of a rebound. Driving the net and pouncing on rebounds is an obviously recipe for success. Finally, Holtby being the stud that he is means the Caps have a chance.

 

[Red Dread]

Pens fans confident in G6 Pens win.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Pens fans confident in G6 Pens win.

Very. The bigger they are, the harder the fall.

 

[Corby78]

Pens fans confident in G6 Pens win.

Game 6 is the one I'm worried about. If we can somehow win that game I'm actually confident a game 7 at home will be in our favor this year.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Game 6 is the one I'm worried about. If we can somehow win that game I'm actually confident a game 7 at home will be in our favor this year.

Gonna need holtbeast to be at the top of his game. May need a shutout

 

[EroCaps]

Pens fans confident in G6 Pens win.

They should be.

Trotz has the Caps playing scared and Sullivan has Pittsburgh playing with confidence.

Color me extremely skeptical about Barry's long-term viability.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

They should be.

Trotz has the Caps playing scared and Sullivan has Pittsburgh playing with confidence.

Color me extremely skeptical about Barry's long-term viability.

Caps didn't look too scared and we'll see the Pens' confidence level if they lose game 6. The Pens have lost 2 series with 3-1 series leads since 2011. The spectre of losing a third could weigh on them.

Color me optimistic.

 

[Portable Mink]

Pens definitely play with confidence.
And they skate hard as soon as they have the puck.

We have adjusted pretty well but I still think that we let our intensity waver too much.

But we live.... For now.

And we hope that Williams keeps his play going, Ovi keeps dragging everyone with him and Kuzy finds his offensive flair and creativity that made him one of the best players for more than half the season.

Orpik back..... I thought Chorney and Orlov played great games last night, Schmitty not so much. That said, if we are going to drop Schmitt, you have to put Orpik back with Carlson.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

I believe I heard that this is the First time ever that the Caps have beaten the Pens in a Game 5. 0 for 8 before?

 

[Acallabeth]

Color me extremely skeptical about Barry's long-term viability.

Time to think long-term is past, for now we just need 2 good games.

 

[Corby78]

They should be.

Trotz has the Caps playing scared and Sullivan has Pittsburgh playing with confidence.

Color me extremely skeptical about Barry's long-term viability.

Do you honestly think they look like they are scared? Trotz isn't going anywhere, he is a very solid coach and from what ive read/seen the players like and respect him. We have had 17 coaches in our storied history and not one of them has a playoff record above .500 besides Trotz. Not one has gotten us a cup so, before you throw him out after 2 years of the best overall hockey we have seen, consider what would follow him if you did.

 

[HecticGlow]

Last night the Caps put all its offensive talent in the top nine, and by my count the fourth line was only on the ice at ES for about 5 minutes. Compare:

Player - TOI (Special teams TOI)
Wilson - 07:20 (1:56)
Winnick - 05:36 (0:26)
Richards - 09:20 (1:56)
Beagle - 15:49 (1:19)
Williams - 15:06 (2:25)
Chimera - 16:24 (3:39)
Kuznetsov - 17:38 (3:02)
Johansson - 19:56 (4:34)
Oshie - 20:53 (4:41)

There was at least one game in the first series where Mojo got something like 12 minutes, and I'm sure Beagle had a game in the single digits. I'm baffled as to why it took Trotz to an elimination game to figure out he doesn't have the offensive talent to roll 4 lines evenly, but thank God he did.

 

[txpd]

Pens fans confident in G6 Pens win.

remember. all the pressure is on the capitals. pens and their fans and media have no expectations of this series. its all playing with house money. nothing to lose. ha

 

[txpd]

I'm baffled as to why it took Trotz to an elimination game to figure out he doesn't have the offensive talent to roll 4 lines evenly, but thank God he did.

a couple quick points.

1. Beagle and Johansson missed time in one game each for an injury.
2. Sullivan shortened his bench. Fehr and Kuhnahacki played around 6-7minutes of even strength. Hornqvist was benched. This would effect the ice time of the 4th line.

There's two days off again to the next game. Shortening your bench is a more viable tactic coming off two days rest with another two day rest coming.

 

[txpd]

They should be.

Trotz has the Caps playing scared and Sullivan has Pittsburgh playing with confidence.

Color me extremely skeptical about Barry's long-term viability.

playing scared? ok. that's not what I saw. haven't seen that. what I did see was a game were the caps got shots on their pp. they got a legit snipe from the best shooter in the nhl and they got a dirty rebound goal off another snipe. I saw a team that held their lead and gave up but one scoring chance in the 3rd period. I saw a Vezina goalie make two brilliant yet timely saves.

I did see any playing scared. but ok. if they play scared and win, fine.

 

[amin723]

King back.

Take it to 'em Caps. Looked real solid last night in all phases. Crosby WILL get frustrated if the Caps hold him down once again and they take an early lead on Tuesday. Crosbys frustration always spills over to the rest of the Pens. The mental game is at play king Game 6. Get in their heads.

Please bench Chorney if you must play Orpik. I wouldn't mind seeing the same D we had last game and in Game 3. It's not because I love Schmidt and Orlov we just need skaters in the back end this series. Maybe we don't if we advance.

 

[HecticGlow]

a couple quick points.

1. Beagle and Johansson missed time in one game each for an injury.
2. Sullivan shortened his bench. Fehr and Kuhnahacki played around 6-7minutes of even strength. Hornqvist was benched. This would effect the ice time of the 4th line.

There's two days off again to the next game. Shortening your bench is a more viable tactic coming off two days rest with another two day rest coming.

The Beagle and Johansson games I'm thinking of didn't involve injury - for Mojo its while he was still Richards' RW.

And when the team doesn't roll four lines in regular season (how often was Laich or Latta's ice time above 8:00?!), Niskanen, Carlson and Alzner are all playing 25+ mins each game, and Ovi's not even trying half the time, I'm not sure why you have to run 4 lines at all. I think it has more to do with Trotz's logic that:

• We need goals from all four lines
• The top six will probably be neutralised, so goals will likely come from your depth players

He just seemed to think he had Cullen and Fehr on his team, not Richards and Winnick. Though I agree it's easier to shorten the bench when you've a couple of days for players to recoup.

Winning six and seven is going to be tough, but I am reminded that the Pens have just won three straight, and the Caps have been a better team than the 3-1 series challenge suggested.

 

[HecticGlow]

King back.

Take it to 'em Caps. Looked real solid last night in all phases. Crosby WILL get frustrated if the Caps hold him down once again and they take an early lead on Tuesday. Crosbys frustration always spills over to the rest of the Pens. The mental game is at play king Game 6. Get in their heads.

Please bench Chorney if you must play Orpik. I wouldn't mind seeing the same D we had last game and in Game 3. It's not because I love Schmidt and Orlov we just need skaters in the back end this series. Maybe we don't if we advance.

Chorney is arguably playing more consistently, and has had some great moments this series. He also got more TOI than Schmidt. Given that he's pretty mobile himself, and our D shouldn't be joining the rush as much, I'd probably go Chorney > Schmidt for game 6. Chorney can play with Orpik (goodbye horrible Orpik-Orlov pairing) for some shifts, and Orlov-Chorney for others (which I think is safer than Orlov-Schmidt). If Schmidt was playing a bit more consistently, and in the top-4, I'd agree with you, but there's probably a greater chance of Orpik-Orlov or Orlov-Schmidt giving up an untimely goal than with Chorney in.

 

[Portable Mink]

I think you have to play to your strengths. Game 5 was the first time this post season players made decisions to make a good hockey play rather than the hit, excluding the early Backstrom mistake. We are a deeper, better skilled team than anyone in the league. I think we bought into us being big too much and it resulted in decisions to lay the body at times where a puck play made more sense.

Our strength is our PP and that our top 9 and top 4 D is strong when grouped right.
Play Ovi, Oshie, Backstrom heavy minutes, role 3 lines and if we get a lead, get the cycle players ours there.

We can do this. We have the game and the players, it's now up to Trotz to execute to perfection.

 

[ForzaItalia]

Forcing a Game 7 would make Pens fans VERY worried. They're all but guaranteeing a Game 6 win.