Series Discussion: (1) AD1: Florida Panthers vs (8) WC2: Washington Capitals | Panthers win 4-2

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Looking forward to this series. Lots of goals should be scored as bad goaltending meets worse goaltending.

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[Ridley Simon]

I always pick the Caps to win every series. Always.

Except this year

 

[metalan2]

I was fully prepared for the Penguins to play the Panthers so I had my delusional reason for the penguins having a chance ready. Since they are not, I'll still say it here -the Panthers have a mental case in net when he gets to the playoffs. That's a pretty big thing.

 

[Carlzner]

It's gonna suck!

 

[kicksavedave]

I was fully prepared for the Penguins to play the Panthers so I had my delusional reason for the penguins having a chance ready. Since they are not, I'll still say it here -the Panthers have a mental case in net when he gets to the playoffs. That's a pretty big thing.

So do the Caps. Two of them actually.

 

[I3LI3]

Jackets diehard here.

caps gonna take it in 6.

 

[troyerlaw]

Do we have a rough idea of when Game 1 will be

 

[Peeri]

I'd love to believe in our guys, but I have a feeling team will fall flat on offense again. Ovechkin can do only so much and after him there is not much left.

 

[ovikovy817]

Guys please remember.
In January-February we said that at maximum this team can go until R1G5.
And don't be fooled by the stretch from March 1st until Ovi's injury.

We will certainly win one game during the first trip in FLA due to experience.
But it will finish in 5.
At least we will see games with a lot of goals for both teams. Ovi if available will have good stats.
And the most important thing we won't be annoyed by their fanbase.
And Caps can give them a free pass in R1 so they rest before playing TBL/TOR (hope it goes to 7).

PS : What kind of team it is?
Caps 2010?
I see they lost 2-10 to MTL without their top guys.
So if we hit their guys, maybe it will work?

 

[ovikovy817]

Do we have a rough idea of when Game 1 will be

2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs 1st-round schedule | NHL.com

Here are the series-by-series schedules for the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The first round will consist of eight best-of-7 series, four in the Eastern Conference and four in the Western Conference.

www.nhl.com

4 games per night
Each team plays every other day
Very simple schedule for R1 à la EA sports video game

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

We’re f***ed in most cases. I just hope they play as hard as they can and Ovi comes back strong.

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

 

[aonb]

optimistically 4-2 panthers, realistically 4-1 panthers. inb4 road warriors
panthers are due going through at least first round in playoffs and we are mediocre hockey team with below average goaltending

 

[Leksand]

Came here to say Ekblad seems to be on his way back and able to play in the playoffs, which should be a major upgrade for the Panthers. But I see from the comments the minus column is full to the rim already.

So, what are the upsides? Russian hockey star Alexander Ovechkin is on our team. Carlson has looked good lately and Eller has been less bad. The team can play without the burden of high expectations against a team with for them unprecedented expectations. Backstrom’s butt looks impressively big - not like Jagr’s but still.

 

[EYEuhFRAYtee]

Cats in 5

 

[chilimac]

Not my idea, but I laughed a few days ago when I saw it… I think “Panthers in 3” should be a choice in this poll.

 

[g00n]

Oh ye of little faith.

Caps in 7. One of these goaltenders finds a magic goalie mask. Lavi unexpectedly bogs down the game to slow the opposition. Some bottom 6 player has a career series.

The monkeys doing pre-flight in my butt have spoken.

 

[msrulo]

My gut says Caps in 7

 

[EroCaps]

Panthers in 5, maybe 4.

Caps goaltending is an embarrassment.

 

[zappa4ever]

It's the Playoffs
the new season
the Second Season
where upsets happen every year
where will can beat skill

Panthers D and G are suspect and if Caps play smart, tough, hard, sacrifice with some great Team D they can take out FLA

All starts with GM 1
Throw that 1st big hit
Get that 1st big goal
and anything can happen

f*** the cowards who are afraid to hope
Remind me of Johnny Fontaine in Godfather

 

[Hivemind]

Say what you want about Bobrovsky, especially since joining Florida, but I'll take a two time Vezina winner over our goalies without a second thought.

 

[Langway]

They'll care but it's likely to be a high-scoring series and I'm not sure they're mentally prepared for that. They certainly should be by now but are they totally ready to have deflating sequences happen and carry on? I'm not sure they have the disciplined engagement required in an upstart. They're too emotional, by their own admission. It's too much about feel rather than details and technique. When it comes overall team play it's hard to see it being sharp enough. If everything falls into place, sure, but they're facing a very robust challenge. It's not going to be tidy.

And more than simple want-to is whether players like Backstrom and Oshie even have enough in the tank at this stage to be big positive factors in this series. They're also far from the only question marks in the top six when it comes to consistent effectiveness. It will likely take massive efforts from the top four D and a goaltender stepping up if they can manage to make some noise.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

The playoffs defy all sense of reason. See TBL in 2019, Wash in 2010, LA going from 8 seed to never coming close to losing a series.


Caps win in 5 because LOL logic

 

[Misery74]

The Caps look old and tired. Probably because they are old and tired.

I said Cats in 5.

 

[g00n]

Say what you want about Bobrovsky, especially since joining Florida, but I'll take a two time Vezina winner over our goalies without a second thought.

Well that's really going out on a limb.

Nobody is saying our G are better. We're saying Bob has a track record of playoff flops so there's a chance to pull this off.