Post-Game Talk: Stanley Cup Champions VS President Trophy Champions Part I

[txpd]

While its on my mind. Eller has been a beast. That 3rd line with Hagelin added is awesome. Eller just looks so strong right now. Burakovsky just plain outclasses whoever he is skating against now. The forward group looks just plain stacked right now.

 

[Jack Hammer]

This was an identical game to last years playoffs, which gives me confidence that we have a shot to win again, in 7 games. We dominated and lost because of their PP, but the game could have gone our way, easily.

That's all I needed to see. Frankly, Tampa would rather face someone else in the conference finals and we feel the same (i.e. we match up better against Boston and TO).

I think Tampa should beat us this year but they should have last year.

 

[txpd]

has anyone noticed the PP has been soooo bad .. ?

they seem to try and gain the zone with the slingshot 90% of the time. and half the time they throw it back and whoever is there (usually kuzy) is not in position to retrieve it properly.

then it wastes more time, and they slowly try it again.

another 20 seconds off the PP ticks down.

seems like they constantly waste previous seconds with the man advantage. teams have that figured out.

My only hope is they have some new looks and wrinkles but are not showing it until playoffs..but I am just guessing and hoping

Its not that bad and they don't use the slingshot thing nearly that much. Not even half of their zone entry attempts.

 

[RandyHolt]

Jakub Vrana gets in his first career fight after Michal Kempny injured in scrum

Link to video of the incident. I think he injured his knee or leg on the way down to the ice, maybe landed on it awkwardly or hyper extended it or something.

Thanks for the link. I am curious where presumed Vrana got cut... his face looked ok. Maybe it was a hand.

I couldn't have been the only one to see Kuzy pick up something after the fight, show it to a Tamponian, and then skate over the box and gave it to Vrana. Maybe it was an earring. My first thought, that it was a tooth.. I think watching that, made me miss Kempny helped to the locker room.

 

[txpd]

This was an identical game to last years playoffs, which gives me confidence that we have a shot to win again, in 7 games. We dominated and lost because of their PP, but the game could have gone our way, easily.

That's all I needed to see. Frankly, Tampa would rather face someone else in the conference finals and we feel the same (i.e. we match up better against Boston and TO).

I think Tampa should beat us this year but they should have last year.

Should? Nah. Could? Sure. The Caps wore them down and beat them up to the point that they were vaporized by game 6. Nothing has changed. If its a long series the Lightning shouldn't beat Washington. They have to kill the Caps quick or die.

 

[txpd]

Thanks for the link. I am curious where presumed Vrana got cut... his face looked ok. Maybe it was a hand..

His nose, bro. See the screen capture on the link. His visor cut him on the flat of his nose. Not a big deal.

 

[hb12xchamps]

Couple of things from last night:

-Orlov and Niskanen had a bad game. Orlov and Carlson don’t mesh well at all so I’m assuming Djoos gets paired with Carlson with Kempny out.
-Our PK stunk badly. They were pretty outclassed and seemed to be panicking the whole time. If Arniel still runs the PK he better watch more TB film because they looked lost.
-PP wasn’t as good as it has been but it wasn’t awful either. Still created a bunch of chances against the top PK group. It’s crazy how many different looks they have to throw off the other team.
-Kuznetsov finally seems to be waking up, thank god.
-I give Vrana big props for that scrap. I know the Tampa fans were grilling me on the main board saying Gourde isn’t a fighter blah blah blah but Gourde has fought a lot in his career and that was Vrana’s second ever pro fight. Last being in a rookie tourney a few years back.
-Jensen and Hagelin stepped up their games again last night, proving that GMBM looks like a genius for both moves.
-Tampa fans are very, very cocky for not winning squat the past few years. Slowly becoming as insufferable as Pens fans

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

**** you Tampa. Divers, cry babies. Man, if Kemper is done for the year, I 'll hate this team as much as I hate Pittsburgh.

Didn't see the game yet, but after reading about and watching the stats, this second game confirm my opinion after the 1st game. Not afraid of them, they won't get so much weak calls in playoffs and there is no 3 on 3 there.

they want to prove that they are a tough team and can beat the title holder. But they're not.

Right now, I even think they want beat Boston in round 2.

Weak calls? Pretty sure the powerplays went the caps way tonight. The big reason for the shot differential was the Caps powerplay. 19 or so shots from it.

 

[John Price]

Me: Hmmmmm... must be some obscure guy from the seventies


Goes to Rocket Bar's twitter:






Me:

I keed, I keed.... sort of... Kevin Hatcher is in the US hockey HoF, he's a bit more than "some other guy".

It was pretty cool last night if anyone else went, they were just talking with fans before their session. Roenick sees me standing there and just comes up to me and with the strongest handshake I ever felt shakes my hand

Didn't talk to Olie or Hatcher. It was pretty cool though they were just drinking beers and chatting with fans and talking about hockey.

 

[txpd]

Weak calls? Pretty sure the powerplays went the caps way tonight. The big reason for the shot differential was the Caps powerplay. 19 or so shots from it.

I am not going to talk about the refs. Lets not blame the refs for getting outshot by 30 shots, though. 30. In one game.

 

[StrikingDistance]

The PK was the obvious sore spot because everyone on the Tampierion PP is skilled and shoots.

On our PP, Kuzy needs to shoot more. 2-3 times he had time and space and deferred to someone (8 or 77) trying a 'magic pass'. Looks great if it works, but if everyone knows where the passes are going, then the PP will be a non-profit which is begging for change (pun intended).

 

[txpd]

-I give Vrana big props for that scrap. I know the Tampa fans were grilling me on the main board saying Gourde isn’t a fighter blah blah blah but Gourde has fought a lot in his career and that was Vrana’s second ever pro fight. Last being in a rookie tourney a few years back.

Main board. Yea, LOL. Both Pierre and Eddie O IMMEDIATELY cautioned Vrana about Gourde's fighting ability. They kept talking about it right into the penalty box. So, yea. He's not a fighter and doesn't have a rep as a fighter.

Meanwhile if Djoos is 2LD in the playoffs, its going to be a problem.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Still annoyed by the OT goal. Some fantastic D from 9 and anti-clutchness from 70. Hedman would have needed a walker if he came in on goal any slower.

 

[Capsman]

Weak calls? Pretty sure the powerplays went the caps way tonight. The big reason for the shot differential was the Caps powerplay. 19 or so shots from it.

You do know we outshot you 39-20 5 on 5, no? And the PP shot differential was 16-4, so accounts for only 12. You guys benefitted from another fortunate bounce (off Carlson's skate, like the bounces you got in the first game) and some boneheaded mistakes. I like our chances greatly against you in the playoffs. I also think Pittsburgh and Boston can take you frankly.

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

Couple of things from last night:
-Jensen and Hagelin stepped up their games again last night, proving that GMBM looks like a genius for both moves.

I actually disagree about Jensen. While he did have some nice plays, he also had 3-4 bad turnovers when being forechecked. The last 4-5 games have me a bit concerned about how he will fare in the playoffs.

 

[RandyHolt]

I did like the better red than dead approach in OT. All russians.

It will be interesting to see if they recall Siggy. If Djoos plays for an injured Kempny, do they really want Siggy to sit? I will predict they call up Lewington, if they just need an extra body.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Didn't see the game because of a work function but saw the highlights. First thing that stood out was Holtby looked pretty weak on some of those goals. Second thing was holy shit that was the worst 2-on-1 defense I've ever seen by Orlov on that OT goal. What in the world was he doing? Third thing was Niskanen with just a brutal turnover/failed clear on that 4th (I think) goal. The Caps really need those three to not be hot garbage in the playoffs.

Overall, can't complain with 3 out of 4 points from that back to back. Win the next one and make the season series 1-1-1.

 

[Melkor]

Still annoyed by the OT goal. Some fantastic D from 9 and anti-clutchness from 70. Hedman would have needed a walker if he came in on goal any slower.

Professoresque decision-making by the captain too.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Professoresque decision-making by the captain too.

Should have dished it before blowing a tire for sure....

 

[NoVaCapsFan]

I hope Paquette is current on his health insurance premiums before next week's game. Or maybe I don't.

 

[Blades of Steel]

Thanks for the link. I am curious where presumed Vrana got cut... his face looked ok. Maybe it was a hand.

I couldn't have been the only one to see Kuzy pick up something after the fight, show it to a Tamponian, and then skate over the box and gave it to Vrana. Maybe it was an earring. My first thought, that it was a tooth.. I think watching that, made me miss Kempny helped to the locker room.

Necklace

 

[Midnight Judges]

Didn't see the game because of a work function but saw the highlights. First thing that stood out was Holtby looked pretty weak on some of those goals. Second thing was holy **** that was the worst 2-on-1 defense I've ever seen by Orlov on that OT goal. What in the world was he doing? Third thing was Niskanen with just a brutal turnover/failed clear on that 4th (I think) goal. The Caps really need those three to not be hot garbage in the playoffs.

Overall, can't complain with 3 out of 4 points from that back to back. Win the next one and make the season series 1-1-1.

Orlov looked terrible all night.

Holtby wasn't great but TB was allowed far too many successful lateral passes close to the Caps goal.

 

[RandyHolt]

Necklace

Winner winner chicken dinner... but it seemed what Kuzy picked up was small.

That was a proper NHL jersey grab early on by Killer, but he couldn't get anything on his lefts. Grab on right on the collar at the chin, and then you can just throw punches towards your hand, even with a jersey over your head. - Dave Schultz

 

[Blades of Steel]

Winner winner chicken dinner... but it seemed what Kuzy picked up was small.

That was a proper NHL jersey grab early on by Killer, but he couldn't get anything on his lefts. Grab on right on the collar at the chin, and then you can just throw punches towards your hand, even with a jersey over your head. - Dave Schultz

Looked like a cross or something that’s on his chain he wears, not sure. Just a guess.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Hoping for the best for Kempny which is likely a knee sprain with the recovery window being a few weeks. I didn't think the play he got hurt on was that dirty to be honest. He didn't like the hit from Paquette and gave him two good crosschecks then the two players came together and it was an unfortunate that Kempny fell awkwardly.