GDT: 5/19/18 - 7:15PM EDT - #1M Washington VS #1A Tampa Bay [ECF GAME 5]

[LonLon Lei]

cool statement from Cally

nice comeback, happy for him!

 

[Stormbreaker]

 

[Rschmitz]

I agree for the most part, but, he's a rookie playing like a rookie in his first playoff appearance. Been watching Laine at all? He got a much stronger pedigree and he looks as lost as Gourde most of the time.

I admit I really thought he'd have a Bergenheim like effect where he'd create some offense with his forecheck. Instead he's been myopic and usually gets caught up ice.

That is forgivable as a rookie and maybe hes a little out of wack because of nerves, but that isn't why he's been bad. He's avoiding the soft areas around the net and losing board battles which is the entirety of his game. He's a favorite of mine because of his motor, but he's skating himself out of position. Calm the f*** down Yanni!

 

[Master P]

Nice

 

[berlin]

Hopefully we’ve finally learned our lesson (without having to lose) and will bring our game to them for 3 periods.

 

[Bolt 45]

A fair point about looking ahead, but I guess my point is, do any of us really care if we just win the Eastern Conference? I know I don't.

Huh? I mean, if you're going to imagine us making it to the SCF, then just imagine us winning it too. "Problem" solved.

 

[These Are The Days]

Just a difference in philosophy, I guess. When you have a team on the run, you keep charging. I don't think anyone could argue that is what we even attempted to do. Do the Caps have talent and Ovie? Sure, but we've been watching inferior teams come back on us all season because we let them. That is the way I see it.

Teams on the run stay on the run for like 10 seconds then start throwing everything they have. The worst possible thing to do is try to fight fire with fire. Then you make mistakes because you've opened up against a team coming at you 200%. If it was just as easy as staying on them every team would do it. People make it sound like dealing with a team that desperate should be this easy routine thing and all you gotta do is just play harder.

To use an indirect 6 degrees of separation it's the same concept as when people freak out "ZOMG WE LOST TO BUFFALO AND ARIZONA BACK TO BACK! WE SUCK!!! INEXCUSABLE EFFORT!! 1ST ROUND EXIT! COOPER HAS LOST THE TEAM! WE ARE NOT A CONTENDER! THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!!" I see it and I can do is bury my face in my hands and muffle the screaming. We are not gonna go balls to the wall playing like it's game 7 against a freaking bottom feeder. Please, let's sacrifice Girardi breaking an ankle and missing 6 weeks for a routine game in February. I'm sure we'll all feel better when we are looking to the sky begging for mercy. Conversely this is exactly the same reason we're not gonna play that way up 3 goals against a defeated Capitals team that can only attack us with its death throes. Shut them down and dare them to beat you. When your goalie is on tonight like Vasy was, it's a gamble you can take, win and accomplish without your guys getting hurt.

 

[pursuit81]

Teams on the run stay on the run for like 10 seconds then start throwing everything they have. The worst possible thing to do is try to fight fire with fire. Then you make mistakes because you've opened up against a team coming at you 200%. If it was just as easy as staying on them every team would do it. People make it sound like dealing with a team that desperate should be this easy routine thing and all you gotta do is just play harder.

To use an indirect 6 degrees of separation it's the same concept as when people freak out "ZOMG WE LOST TO BUFFALO AND ARIZONA BACK TO BACK! WE SUCK!!! INEXCUSABLE EFFORT!! 1ST ROUND EXIT! COOPER HAS LOST THE TEAM! WE ARE NOT A CONTENDER! THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!!" I see it and I can do is bury my face in my hands and muffle the screaming. We are not gonna go balls to the wall playing like it's game 7 against a freaking bottom feeder. Please, let's sacrifice Girardi breaking an ankle and missing 6 weeks for a routine game in February. I'm sure we'll all feel better when we are looking to the sky begging for mercy. Conversely this is exactly the same reason we're not gonna play that way up 3 goals against a defeated Capitals team that can only attack us with its death throes. Shut them down and dare them to beat you. When your goalie is on tonight like Vasy was, it's a gamble you can take, win and accomplish without your guys getting hurt.

You never saw me write anything about it being easy. It's hockey, it's always going to be tough but you said it yourself about fighting fire with fire. Well that's exactly what Washington did. They went from no forecheck to relentless forecheck and we went from relentless forecheck to defensive shell and it almost cost us the game. This team has the horses to skate and press as well as or better than any team in the league. That is what we are best at. Why stop doing it? Vegas never does and look where they are without nearly as much skill as TB possesses.

 

[Leonardo87]

Great game! Got rough in the end but got it done. Finish this Monday.

 

[LonLon Lei]

welp safe to say it was one of the better hockey from us and was certainly the best we've played this series. Forechecking was lot better and that helped our D look good.
Still wanted us to shoot more and score w/ so many chances we had so we could be more entitled to shell in the third.
Thank you team for showing up in front of our great fans and we hope we play even better next game!!
Go Bolts!!!!

 

[Sky04]

You can dismiss 5v5 play all you want, I think it's still a huge issue and it makes winning that much harder when you have an all-star roster looking pedestrian on ES. The Caps have a weaker roster then us up and down yet can carry the play harder, Vegas has nowhere near the amount of talent but they look faster and move the puck better.

 

[Sky04]

Teams on the run stay on the run for like 10 seconds then start throwing everything they have. The worst possible thing to do is try to fight fire with fire. Then you make mistakes because you've opened up against a team coming at you 200%. If it was just as easy as staying on them every team would do it. People make it sound like dealing with a team that desperate should be this easy routine thing and all you gotta do is just play harder.

To use an indirect 6 degrees of separation it's the same concept as when people freak out "ZOMG WE LOST TO BUFFALO AND ARIZONA BACK TO BACK! WE SUCK!!! INEXCUSABLE EFFORT!! 1ST ROUND EXIT! COOPER HAS LOST THE TEAM! WE ARE NOT A CONTENDER! THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!!" I see it and I can do is bury my face in my hands and muffle the screaming. We are not gonna go balls to the wall playing like it's game 7 against a freaking bottom feeder. Please, let's sacrifice Girardi breaking an ankle and missing 6 weeks for a routine game in February. I'm sure we'll all feel better when we are looking to the sky begging for mercy. Conversely this is exactly the same reason we're not gonna play that way up 3 goals against a defeated Capitals team that can only attack us with its death throes. Shut them down and dare them to beat you. When your goalie is on tonight like Vasy was, it's a gamble you can take, win and accomplish without your guys getting hurt.

huh? this is the playoffs and you think they made a concious decision to let off? No, they got pressured and had no response.

 

[Sky04]

Hats off to another gutsy performance. Hats off to Vasy. Hats off to Cooper too. I am still haunted by this late shell game we play all the way back to the Cup vs the Hawks. I do not like it.

I love you all.

And the Penguins..

It's Cooper's system, I don't like it, I don't think it maximizes the talent we have on this team but I'll take it until it loses.

 

[T REX]

And the Penguins..

It's Cooper's system, I don't like it, I don't think it maximizes the talent we have on this team but I'll take it until it loses.

Hawks in the SCF. I've seen it before. Great win though. I'll punch myself in the face win or lose. Cooper pulled teh right strings. Need to close it out though. I might have to get a dunking booth so you all can take turns dunking my ass.

 

[SF91]

1 more game. Got to give it up for the D , they were a bit more respectful to Vasy than any game I can remember in this series. Hope the triplets in their respective lines (btw, 3-0 w Palat on top line) lead the way on Monday....

 

[pursuit81]

You can dismiss 5v5 play all you want, I think it's still a huge issue and it makes winning that much harder when you have an all-star roster looking pedestrian on ES. The Caps have a weaker roster then us up and down yet can carry the play harder, Vegas has nowhere near the amount of talent but they look faster and move the puck better.

You hit the nail on the head. They "look" faster, but they're not. They just never let up. They are always pressing the action, regardless of situation or score.

They're playing with house money. That's one explanation for why they play the way they do. Nobody expected anything from them and now they're a game away from playing for the Cup. They're never going to go into a defensive shell. Why would they? They're just going to keep doing what they do and let the chips fall where they may because they have already exceeded expectations a thousand fold. "When you ain't got nothing, you got nothing to lose". Well, they were literally nothing a year ago. No players, no coach. Just an empty building with seats to be filled. An amazing story. To be honest, it pisses me off.

 

[Rschmitz]

You can dismiss 5v5 play all you want, I think it's still a huge issue and it makes winning that much harder when you have an all-star roster looking pedestrian on ES. The Caps have a weaker roster then us up and down yet can carry the play harder, Vegas has nowhere near the amount of talent but they look faster and move the puck better.

Vegas hasn't faced a smart mobile defense yet.

 

[Hoek]

Vegas is damn good. Definitely better than the Caps. The only thing I can hang some hopes on is that they can't play balls to the wall forever. They might be gassed come the final. Also, we own Fleury and he can't stay hot forever either.

But still got business to take care of before worrying about that.

 

[berlin]

Gonna be tough to get that next win, need to be at our very best.

 

[pursuit81]

Vegas hasn't faced a smart mobile defense yet.

LA doesn't have a smart, mobile defense? San Jose? Drew Doughty, Brent Burns aren't smart and mobile? Vegas has faced everything this league can throw at them and have come out winners at every turn. You can keep telling yourself it's a fluke if you want, but not too many on that bandwagon anymore.

 

[Sky04]

Vegas hasn't faced a smart mobile defense yet.

I'd rather face the Jets, Vegas plays similar to how the caps play against us except they actually finish, Jets are much more prone to breakdowns.

 

[pursuit81]

I admit I really thought he'd have a Bergenheim like effect where he'd create some offense with his forecheck. Instead he's been myopic and usually gets caught up ice.

That is forgivable as a rookie and maybe hes a little out of wack because of nerves, but that isn't why he's been bad. He's avoiding the soft areas around the net and losing board battles which is the entirety of his game. He's a favorite of mine because of his motor, but he's skating himself out of position. Calm the **** down Yanni!

I just think he's afraid of making the big mistake or taking the bad penalty. In short, he is playing confused because he isn't being himself.

 

[Rschmitz]

LA doesn't have a smart, mobile defense? San Jose? Drew Doughty, Brent Burns aren't smart and mobile? Vegas has faced everything this league can throw at them and have come out winners at every turn. You can keep telling yourself it's a fluke if you want, but not too many on that bandwagon anymore.

Doughty played like hammered dog **** and was also suspended a game. Brent Burns was -16 on a +23 goal differential team, plays more like Sustr defensively than anything resembling a smart, mobile defenseman.

 

[Rschmitz]

I'd rather face the Jets, Vegas plays similar to how the caps play against us except they actually finish, Jets are much more prone to breakdowns.

The Jets are a physically punishing team. Gotta disagree with you here, I think they play a lot closer to the Caps than Vegas does. Vegas reminds me of Pittsburgh.

 

[Rschmitz]

I just think he's afraid of making the big mistake or taking the bad penalty. In short, he is playing confused because he isn't being himself.

Well, he committed a ton of penalties game 4. The tighter checking has definitely hurt his game.