GDT: 3/20/19 - 7:30PM EDT - Tampa Bay @ Washington

[Hockey4Life91]

Just did some digging. The 1995-1996 Detroit roster had the highest salary in the league. And it literally DOUBLED ours, including fan favorites Bradley, Klima, Hamrlik, Gratton, Puppa and more.

Oh, and Rudy “Pot Pie” Poeschek. Could you imagine Rudy trying to skate with this team. Worse than Dingman. Literally. Think about that.

Okay, nostalgia moment now over.

 

[Stormbreaker]

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Ice was tilted a bit, but chances felt pretty close. Caps were just throwing everything at the net but weren't really setting screens or anything.

Exactly my take too, didn't feel most of the shots were really dangerous, I thought the game was even in that regard and while they did outplay us it didn't feel like last year outplaying... and we definitely didn't put all the gears into this one

 

[LightningStrikes]

Love the commentary at the end.

 

[LightningStrikes]

 

[killa3312]

So glad the Bolts won. Capitals fans are total garbage, always have been. Even when we swept dat ass out of the playoffs in 2010 or our reverse sweep in 2003, they were every bit as bad then. Such arrogance for a franchise with exactly as many Cup Finals appearances and wins as the Bolts in way more time.

 

[SRQKiter]

Caps still make me nervous. We have to figure out a way to manufacture some more 5v5 offense.

Because we've dominated every phase of the game over the course of 74 its hard to say anything like 'we need to do this or we need to do that', but I hear ya, 5v5 worries me (a little).

 

[God King Fudge]

5v5 doesn't worry me.

What worries me about the Caps is their motor. That game was their 2nd night on a b2b. They were everywhere. They looked rested. They looked like the sharper of the two teams without question.

I agree that being on the PK for over half of a period contributed to some of the momentum and I also agree that for the most part, the chances weren't spectacular with the exception of a few.

Kind of feels like a game where the Caps wanted payback for Saturday and had the chance to lock up the division while we're coming off clinching the league.

They threw everything at us and we just kinda went about our business casually.

 

[God King Fudge]

It's also kind of wild to me that the Caps fans (doing what they do) just keep saying "LOL NO PP IN THE PLAYOFFS" but fail to realize they won't have the safety blanket of 12 minutes on the PP to help them control the game, either.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Yea Im not particularly worried about how that game unfolded. We looked like we packed it in late in the 3rd and Washington was still playing. We still were getting some opportunities here and there. Honestly it shouldnt have gone to OT. Kuch had the chance to pass to TJ and that would have sealed it. He went for the hatty instead. Also Killorn's passes were something of pure stupidity and dont think he will be doing that too often although he did it twice in one game. He deserved to be benched. Vasi was amazing. I dont know how anybody doesnt have this guy in top 5.

 

[The Macho King]

Also - front row was 4 high school girls who kept asking every Caps player that skated by to go to prom with them. Very annoying.

There was also a guy who kept trying to high five me after every Caps goal. For some reason he didn't find it amusing when I did the same after the OT winner?

 

[The Macho King]

Also holy shit what was Killorn doing last night? And Palat was pretty trash too but that's not really news.

 

[SRQKiter]

5v5 doesn't worry me.

What worries me about the Caps is their motor. That game was their 2nd night on a b2b. They were everywhere. They looked rested. They looked like the sharper of the two teams without question.

I agree that being on the PK for over half of a period contributed to some of the momentum and I also agree that for the most part, the chances weren't spectacular with the exception of a few.

Kind of feels like a game where the Caps wanted payback for Saturday and had the chance to lock up the division while we're coming off clinching the league.

They threw everything at us and we just kinda went about our business casually.

Well, they had played the Binghamton Devils the night before, so b2b with an asterisk.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

It's also kind of wild to me that the Caps fans (doing what they do) just keep saying "LOL NO PP IN THE PLAYOFFS" but fail to realize they won't have the safety blanket of 12 minutes on the PP to help them control the game, either.

This narrative is overblown anyways. Last year our power play opportunities per game dropped from 3.37 to 3.29 in the playoffs.

I don't think it was the 0.08 less power plays in the playoffs that sunk us.

 

[SRQKiter]

If there were a record for "bad" Ws, we would hold it hands down. On those relatively rare occasions when we're out worked, out played, out possessed, out shot, whatever, we still usually find a way to win.

We're the Seve Ballesteros of hockey.

 

[The Macho King]

This narrative is overblown anyways. Last year our power play opportunities per game dropped from 3.37 to 3.29 in the playoffs.

I don't think it was the 0.08 less power plays in the playoffs that sunk us.

Yeah - the drop in PPs on the playoffs is real, but it also probably amounts to 1 or 2 PPs over a whole series. It just feels more significant because both teams amp up the intensity.

 

[Steazy Doo]

I don't wanna see an lowly catipals in the ploffs this year.

 

[The Macho King]

I don't wanna see an lowly catipals in the ploffs this year.

On one hand - I think it would *feel* really good to beat them on the way to the Cup. That would be like... if you could write the script, that's how you want it to go down.

On the other - they're really f***ing good, and are capable of beating us. They have weapons and guys that can take over games, and I truly believe star power shining at the right time is what separates winners from losers in the playoffs. Them and Pitt are the only teams in the East that have star power that can outshine ours straight up.

Strategically, it would be easier to win without playing them, so I'd like to not play them. Emotionally, beating them would just feel *so good* after last season, and I want to feel that. But frankly I would feel plenty good no matter who we beat, so I'd rather have the easier path.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

Yeah - the drop in PPs on the playoffs is real, but it also probably amounts to 1 or 2 PPs over a whole series. It just feels more significant because both teams amp up the intensity.

Yeah, I think more things do slide - but it's mainly because teams are doing more bullshit throughout. The actual power play numbers don't change too much. As you said, probably amounts to a couple less throughout a series.

 

[Sky04]

On one hand - I think it would *feel* really good to beat them on the way to the Cup. That would be like... if you could write the script, that's how you want it to go down.

On the other - they're really ****ing good, and are capable of beating us. They have weapons and guys that can take over games, and I truly believe star power shining at the right time is what separates winners from losers in the playoffs. Them and Pitt are the only teams in the East that have star power that can outshine ours straight up.

Strategically, it would be easier to win without playing them, so I'd like to not play them. Emotionally, beating them would just feel *so good* after last season, and I want to feel that. But frankly I would feel plenty good no matter who we beat, so I'd rather have the easier path.

Yeah but I'd feel gooder if we spanked them like we spanked Montreal in 2015 and Boston last year for the 2011/2014 losses.

 

[JFleegs]

Also - front row was 4 high school girls who kept asking every Caps player that skated by to go to prom with them. Very annoying.

There was also a guy who kept trying to high five me after every Caps goal. For some reason he didn't find it amusing when I did the same after the OT winner?

Wait you must have sat in the same section, those girls were annoying as hell haha I thought the caps fans there were actually pretty nice, overheard some stupidity but overall they all were really cool with me and my girlfriend. A little kid came up to me and shook my hand and said good game. No issues at all and was happy to see lots of other lightning fans all over.

 

[The Macho King]

Wait you must have sat in the same section, those girls were annoying as hell haha I though the caps fans there were actually pretty nice, overheard some stupidity but overall they all were really cool with me and my girlfriend. A little kid came up to me and shook my hand and said good game. No issues at all and was happy to see lots of other lightning fans all over.

Yeah I had one jackass, but otherwise it was fine. Even then, it was pretty mild jackassness.

I was laughing at the complaining about the refs, but that's what happens at games everywhere.

 

[waterboy65]

I will absolve Killer for last night as every player has an off night. Heck, even Hedman went a - 5 in the last year or so! But what the heck is up with Palat??? Several plays he fails to catch up to passes and when he does, he fumbles them and turns them over. There is something seriously going on with him mentally for over a year now.

 

[The Macho King]

I will absolve Killer for last night as every player has an off night. Heck, even Hedman went a - 5 in the last year or so! But what the heck is up with Palat??? Several plays he fails to catch up to passes and when he does, he fumbles them and turns them over. There is something seriously going on with him mentally for over a year now.

I just love that Killer got a hat trick in the last game against Washington, and then this game decided to give two of the goals back. But yeah - every now and then you have a stinker - he's been good this season.

Palat. I don't know. Honestly the pass on Kucherov's second goal was stupid as shit. But it worked that time. I thought he was really bad.

Also - from my seat I thought the Stamkos line (outside of Palat) seemed like the most effective. Did that jive with what you guys saw?

 

[LTIR Trickery]

Killorn was such ass last night that I can't even fathom.