Post-Game Talk: We waived Laich @ Chicago Circumventors (12:37pm)

[BackToTheBasics]

8 - 19 - 77 needs to be broken up for good after this one. They've generated NOTHING at ES and haven't for the majority of the time they've played together. The only game they looked decent together was against TB in December. There's absolutely no chemistry there at all. 8 - 92 - 77 worked for a bit earlier in the season. Trotz should at least try that out for a few games to mix things up and give him more options when the playoffs come around.

 

[troyerlaw]

8 - 19 - 77 needs to be broken up for good after this one. They've generated NOTHING at ES and haven't for the majority of the time they've played together. The only game they looked decent together was against TB in December. There's absolutely no chemistry there at all. 8 - 92 - 77 worked for a bit earlier in the season. Trotz should at least try that out for a few games to mix things up and give him more options when the playoffs come around.

Especially since 14-92-65 are no longer red-hot themselves. I could understand if you didn't want to disrupt a going concern, but that's not the case with 2L right now.

I trust trotz to make the changes. He seems to move pretty quickly on stuff like that.

Caps are headed into rough stretch of 4 games in 5 nights, starting Tuesday. And three are against Bruins, Rags and Pens. It's nice to have Beagle back. He will help.

 

[kmart]

Stopped reading the GDT ~2:45 to do some chores. Just catching up.

A bit too much negative hyperbole considering the poor reffing and the top opponent. An opponent more in need of points than we are - exhibit A. Dallas Stars. Caps clearly outplayed them in the 1Pd.

Sure, fans have a point about playing to the whistle. Then just go back to the prior icing rules... if the refs are so incompetent

All in all, I'm w/the fans that realize this is a game in Feb where the Caps are running away w/the Metro & East. We're 1-1 w/them this season, and it will be great if we meet them later this season

i agree, actually i am not even mad at the refs for that icing, its the caps fault for not being aware, like a boxer who drops his cover right at the ring bell. also the lines are fine, nothing needs to be broken up.

 

[BobRouse]

Hard fought game.

Refs missed 2 icing calls that cost us. The first was prior to the Chorney penalty and ironically it was Schmidt there too. They decided to be lax on the icings today against a team that LOVES to use the stretch pass.

The Orpik and Oshie calls were 2 minutes for hitting. Trash. Refs desperately tried to make up for it late with the brutal Unsportsmanlike which at best should have been a 10min misconduct.

We had alot of grade A chances that we just didn't finish, Crawford was strong on or would be chances where it was a difference of inches (seabrooke tip on Williams one timer as the 2nd was closing)

 

[Calicaps]

Hard fought game.

Refs missed 2 icing calls that cost us. The first was prior to the Chorney penalty and ironically it was Schmidt there too. They decided to be lax on the icings today against a team that LOVES to use the stretch pass.

The Orpik and Oshie calls were 2 minutes for hitting. Trash. Refs desperately tried to make up for it late with the brutal Unsportsmanlike which at best should have been a 10min misconduct.

We had alot of grade A chances that we just didn't finish, Crawford was strong on or would be chances where it was a difference of inches (seabrooke tip on Williams one timer as the 2nd was closing)

Totally agree. I would only add that Toews deserved at least 2 for the elbow, could've even been 5.

 

[BobRouse]

Totally agree. I would only add that Toews deserved at least 2 for the elbow, could've even been 5.

Yeah they missed that one. It was more egregious with intent than the whole Steckel/Crosby hit (which today would have been a major penalty)

Its funny how a "accidental" high stick or trip gets called but an accidental elbow gets brushed aside.

Stepan did this to Green back in 2010-11. Both Stepan and Toews were far worse than Steckel as they were both aware of an opposing player trying to attack them.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Must. Make. Kuzy. The. #1C.

Damn it, he's so much more dynamic out there than Backstrom. 8-92-77 was making magic at the beginning of the season.

 

[BobRouse]

Must. Make. Kuzy. The. #1C.

Damn it, he's so much more dynamic out there than Backstrom. 8-92-77 was making magic at the beginning of the season.

We had chances tonight. Ovie had 2 pretty glorious ES ones that I recall and if pots those its a different story.

Some games you just don't bury your chances and the other team does.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

We had chances tonight. Ovie had 2 pretty glorious ES ones that I recall and if pots those its a different story.

Some games you just don't bury your chances and the other team does.

It's not so much for Ovi, but for Oshie. He's been ice cold for a while now, Kuzy could help him restart his engine.

 

[BobRouse]

It's not so much for Ovi, but for Oshie. He's been ice cold for a while now, Kuzy could help him restart his engine.

I thought he was darn good the last couple games. Just didn't finish or his linemates didn't.

 

[bur and 666 others]

I thought he was darn good the last couple games. Just didn't finish or his linemates didn't.

Probably put Oshie on the 2nd and Williams on the 1st then? Oshie is as a good back/fore checker and defensive player as Williams. It's just that our 1st line is nullified almost every game now worries me much

 

[bur and 666 others]

Also to Oshie on the 2nd, he seems doesn't have finish, but he is a good puck dogger. So on the 2nd line he will have 2 good finishers and will need to haunt the puck for them. And hopefully Williams on the 1st can rejuvenate NB's game

 

[BobRouse]

Probably put Oshie on the 2nd and Williams on the 1st then? Oshie is as a good back/fore checker and defensive player as Williams. It's just that our 1st line is nullified almost every game now worries me much

A hockey season is long. Players and lines go hot and cold all the time.

Juggling lines is fine. Trotz did that not too long ago did he not?

Caps played good. They could have won. Its a game of inches and sometimes you are an inch off.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

A hockey season is long. Players and lines go hot and cold all the time.

Juggling lines is fine. Trotz did that not too long ago did he not?

Caps played good. They could have won. Its a game of inches and sometimes you are an inch off.

Yeah, I'm not pissed that we lost. The two teams look evenly matched to me, maybe with a slight edge to the Hawks.
Today reminded me why I can't stand Hawks fans. Winning is cool and you have the right to brag a bit when your team is winning. What's not cool is to put down other teams, some of their comments reek of arrogance.

 

[BobRouse]

Yeah, I'm not pissed that we lost. The two teams look evenly matched to me, maybe with a slight edge to the Hawks.
Today reminded me why I can't stand Hawks fans. Winning is cool and you have the right to brag a bit when your team is winning. What's not cool is to put down other teams, some of their comments reek of arrogance.

We'll get them next time. Let the "comments" sit there and marinate. Let them enjoy their victory.

 

[troyerlaw]

Also to Oshie on the 2nd, he seems doesn't have finish, but he is a good puck dogger. So on the 2nd line he will have 2 good finishers and will need to haunt the puck for them. And hopefully Williams on the 1st can rejuvenate NB's game

I think williams needs rejuvemation just as much as 1st line does. At least oshie is trying to knock people on their ass. Williams hasn't been setting the world on fire himself. Bad giveaway today, and failure to put shot on net off beautiful feed from Oshie along boards in 3rd.

Mainly i just want 8 & 92 next to each other again.

And i want holts to go back to beast mode. He was fine today; the goals weren't on him. But earlier in the season he was stealing games, making absurd stops, getting inside shooters' heads, sliding to the side less on routine stops. Now i see him go sliding past outside post on shots that dont even get thru. Just seems more reactive and guess-y. If that's a thing.

Caveat: i don't know a damn thing about goaltending.

 

[Acallabeth]

What I took from this game is that we must be very physical in a series, if one happens.
Something needs to be done to Backstrom, quickly. If he plays like that, we're not winning anything.

 

[Devil Dancer]

Backstrom was a key component in both goals AND he fed Ovie a beautiful pass in the slot that Ovie put into the goalie's chest, but he's the bad guy today?

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Backstrom was a key component in both goals AND he fed Ovie a beautiful pass in the slot that Ovie put into the goalie's chest, but he's the bad guy today?

Go back to the first games of the season. Collect every quote about Johansson. Replace Johansson by Backstrom and you get the crap we see in the GDTs.

I agree that in general he hasn't been playing well lately, but he was okay today. If anyone deserves to be cut some slack, it's him.

 

[BobRouse]

Backstrom was a key component in both goals AND he fed Ovie a beautiful pass in the slot that Ovie put into the goalie's chest, but he's the bad guy today?

I thought he has been real good for a few games now and regaining confidence.

Every player goes through ups and downs in a season. Backstrom is an excellent PPG 1C who plays strong D.

Same people who rag on him are the same ones who expect the Caps to dominate every shift and win every game 10-0. They just aren't being realistic and don't realize that there is another team of top players on the other side and the season is LOONNNNGGG

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

I thought he has been real good for a few games now and regaining confidence.

Every player goes through ups and downs in a season. Backstrom is an excellent PPG 1C who plays strong D.

Same people who rag on him are the same ones who expect the Caps to dominate every shift and win every game 10-0. They just aren't being realistic and don't realize that there is another team of top players on the other side and the season is LOONNNNGGG

I thought he's been playing well the past couple games too not sure what people want from him

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

At this point I'd be willing to try 90 at 1C for a little bit but based on how highly Trotz thinks of 19 I'd say the chances of that are null (as it would surely mean 19 at 3C).

Just stop with 19-77.

Agree with bolded