GDT: Avalanche @ Capitals - 10/12/13 7 PM - Neuvy vs Varly

[SimplySensational]

1-3-0

Left wing | Center | Right wing
Johansson | Backstrom | Ovechkin
Laich | Grabovski | Brouwer
Chimera | Fehr | Ward
Erat | Latta | Wilson

LD | RD
Alzner | Green
Urbom | Carlson
Schmidt | Oleksy

Starting | Backup
Neuvirth (GAA 1.23 - SV% .964) | Holtby (GAA 4.04(Puck not found) - SV% .873

4-0-0

Left wing | Center | Right wing
Landeskog | Statsny | Tanguay
O'Reilly | Duchene | Downie
McGinn | MacKinnon | Parenteau
McLeod | Mitchell | Bordeleau

LD | RD
Johnson | Hejda
Sarich | Benoit
Barrie | Guenin

Starting | Backup
Varlamov (GAA 1.00 - SV% .967) | Giguere (GAA 0.00 - SV% 1.00)

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[Acallabeth]

Varly is better, but it's time for us to win in regulation.
Go Caps!

 

[Ridley Simon]

Caps will get drubbed. 5-2

 

[Raikkonen]

This game is what we need emotionally, perhaps. Good timing, if we were on the verge of the good ES play (am I high?)

 

[DanTHEMan71]

Avs have some pretty nice offensive pieces in their top 9. Each of their top 3 lines have some scary talented players who can be considered occasional gamechangers; Landeskog, Duchene, Parenteau, and MacKinnon. Plus their team is on quite a roll to start the season.

From top to bottom, offensively, defensively, and in net, our roster compared to theirs is very evenly matched. Although we do have the bigger guns up front, they seem to have more depth to their firepower.

I think it'll be a really closely contested game that will probably be decided by special teams.

If Neuvy doesn't falter and we fix our PP woes from the game against CAR, we'll win. I say 5-3 Caps (EN included).

 

[usiel]

Trap game..in the sense my gut tells me they'll lose but then they'll finally put together the first good game this season and win.

Looking forward to seeing how Schimdt looks. Forgot to mention it but Olesky has looked decent in my viewings.

Still wish Oates wouldn't be so rigid in lefty/righty. I believe the players that are on their off side and excel know how to compensate.

 

[Hivemind]

Colorado has allowed the fewest goals/game in the league so far this season. Their defense is playing remarkably well, especially considering how you haven't heard of half of the players on it. They're 4-0 for a reason.

 

[TimtheDJ84*]

Please,on behalf of so many on hf, shut these damn Avs fans up and put up a 5 spot.

 

[TimtheDJ84*]

Colorado has allowed the fewest goals/game in the league so far this season. Their defense is playing remarkably well, especially considering how you haven't heard of half of the players on it. They're 4-0 for a reason.

4-0 due to offense and goalies. They've allowed 130 shots on goal in 4 games.....

 

[InfernalDark*]

LOLskine & LOLtby gone, so who we blame this time when we lose?

 

[fedfed]

LOLskine & LOLtby gone, so who we blame this time when we lose?

Green, Laich, Carlson, Johansson, Brouwer, Grabovski.

Anyway, the only people safe at this point are Ovi, Nick and Karl.

 

[Capathetic]

Oleksy at least shoots the puck and that's why I like him. Erskine is just not bringing it along with his lack of mobility.

I think schmitty plays well tonight. Urbom got burned a few times but I like what I see potentially.

4-2 avs. Ovie keeps the streak alive after it's 4-1 and fehr gets the other.

 

[RandyHolt]

I know hope Oates is just sand bagging saving all his logical moves for later in the year, almost treating the first 9 games as preseason to buy more time to evaluate Fehr at C, make a final decision on Wilson, see if injuries hit etc, but I just hope he doesn't end up with players that question him, or end up disgruntled.

Fehr taking off would go a long ways to justifying all he is doing this preseason.

 

[Koized]

Ah I miss Varly but atleast we got Erat out of that trade...

 

[RandyHolt]

Varly the villain. Showed enough to be a starter, but had some injuries. George drafted so many Gs at the same time, they had to play if Varly was injured or not. So Varly questions management about his value and role, George plays hardball and you know what, players can too. Ask one Adam Oates. Varly told George to F himself and got paid.

If ANY of George's young Goalies did well, he was going to have to pay them. Don't deny it. Now he pays them in advance and hopes.

Varly got what he thought he was worth and likely more, almost validating his demands. Meanwhile he was parlayed into Erat who at the same cap hit as Varly barely contributes and seems on his way to being disgruntled himself. And our number 1 goalie is struggling.

Is there a pattern here, or was Varly the lone wolf.

Lets just call Varly the Villain and be happy with Erat and Latta.

 

[DCRedhawk21]

I see a drubbing with the Avs offense eating our D alive. Hopefully I'm wrong.

 

[foundhockey]

I kind of feel really horrible that I'm glad Erskine got hurt enough to not play. It's good to see Neuvy get the start.

Let's go Caps!

 

[swimmer77]

Erskine doesn't look much different to me than last year. The difference is the blunders and bad reads are turning into goals against.

I won't forget the Caps beating the Panthers in overtime last year. Caps down a goal Erskine tumbles onto the ice allowing a 4 on 1 for the Panthers. The Cats flubb the chance to go up two with short time remaining and the Caps score to tie the game.

I attribute his perceived success to the rustiness of offensive players because of the lockout. When the tough got going in the playoffs Erskine was eaten alive.

Anxious to see Schmidt although I wish it would be Orlov. But that's another story.

 

[Halpysback*]

hopefully either we win or Varly gets a well deserved shutout against this organization

 

[Capitlols]

Roy topples the stanchion on Oates.

 

[billcook]

Whats worse for this team close win or convincing defeat?.....

 

[CrashTheNet9]

Whats worse for this team close win or convincing defeat?.....

Close win.

 

[txpd]

Caps will get drubbed. 5-2

hoooorah!!! all a caps win tonight would do is start a goalie controversy which is bad for the team. hopefully that 5th goal against is a real one and not a weak empty netter.

 

[txpd]

Whats worse for this team close win or convincing defeat?.....

please, make your case that getting blown out home would be good for the team.
@crash...you too. most nhl games are close, so you are saying that winning is worse than losing?

 

[Liberati0n*]

Oleksy at least shoots the puck and that's why I like him. Erskine is just not bringing it along with his lack of mobility.

I think schmitty plays well tonight. Urbom got burned a few times but I like what I see potentially.

4-2 avs. Ovie keeps the streak alive after it's 4-1 and fehr gets the other.

Erskine shoots the puck all the time. Maybe more than any defenseman on the team. (He's not good at it obviously.)