Alexander the Gr8
Registered User
I'd be curious to see what's going on behind closed doors. You can't just go from destroying every team by 5+ goals to sucking like that all of a sudden.
30 games ago the team was listless and sleepwalking to a good record anyway. Then they seemed to find themselves and ripped the league to shreds. Trotz had trotted out something new and the oppo didn't know how th deal with it. Confidence set in and off they went.
The league made them take a break for a week which has caused bad enough results around the league that Bettman is ready to pull the plug on it. At the same time teams have seen the new Caps stuff and are starting to game plan it.
Most teams have a bump in the road. So far Shattenkirk doesn't spell ALL IN. His results are mixed as with last night. Who knows what is up with Ov.
Lets face it, the only thing we haven't seen before with this team is them winning the Cup. Its been almost 20 years since the one time in the finals. So, nothing that they do right now will make the playoffs any easier to watch and really nothing that they don't do know will tell me they cant succeed.
Here's hoping Holtby sharpens up for the next three games and they can win 2.
We're all just grasping in the dark here but if that were the case there would be more of a strategic or deliberate intent in their game. The penalties and overall sloppiness suggest IMO it's more likely just a slump combined with teams playing with more desperation. Also, Niskanen and Carlson appear to have faded since the Shattenkirk add and it sets a really shaky tone.But one thing I wonder, based on a comment you made recently, is if their call-up and cap situation has them playing conservatively. Maybe they're trying to do what they can to grab some points without going all out because they're up against a roster issue and can't afford to get anyone hurt.
If that's the case then I'd expect to see them ramp it up (switch-flippy) the last week of the season but we might be in for more of this garbage until then.
We are in a funk for sure - but I honestly believe there is only one team that can beat this Caps team in a 7 game series. We know who that is.
He caught teh dumb pretty quick. That's the first fine or suspensions of his career.Shattenkirk suspended 2 games.
I'd be curious to see what's going on behind closed doors. You can't just go from destroying every team by 5+ goals to sucking like that all of a sudden.
He caught teh dumb pretty quick. That's the first fine or suspensions of his career.
apparently they are super happy to be in a playoff race and not running away with the division
A defenseman leaving his feet on a hit down along the opposition goal line? Very stupid. Shades of Orpik hitting Maatta without having any idea where the puck was stupid.Yes... it's a contagion.
More like, it's part of how the Caps get ****ed by the DoPS system on a regular basis.
It was a dumb hit, but not worth 2 games.
Jaimie Benn gets 0 for hitting Backstrom in the head though..
Nothing matters more than the team you play for. You can elbow a guy 100 feet away from the puck, then do a head snap and the only thing American hockey viewers know is Pierre McGuire praising Callahan for drawing a call and how undisciplined Jack Hillen is.
There's no defending this one though. Shattenkirk earned that. We're an undisciplined team. The day we become a team that plays a clean game beyond reproach, then we can complain about double standards.
whats the difference between his hit and malkins?
There's no defending this one though. Shattenkirk earned that. We're an undisciplined team. The day we become a team that plays a clean game beyond reproach, then we can complain about double standards.
Wow, no. Shattenkirk did not earn 2 games for that. It was an in-game minor. It's maybe 1 game, probably a fine. He's got no history, Gravel wasn't hurt (which shouldn't be, but is, a factor they consider).
Yeah, they need to play cleaner, I guess. But we all know they get jobbed in PP differential not only this season, but consistently. It's not just about how they play.