GDT: Canes @ Caps - 1/2/14 7:00PM

[g00n]

Don't fault the pass. Those guys on the top line had been connecting on all passes at a very high rate all game. They came close to pulling it off. That was a little bad luck combined with some good plays by the Canes. Skinner had a hatty FFS.

 

[Hivemind]

Don't fault the pass. Those guys on the top line had been connecting on all passes at a very high rate all game. They came close to pulling it off. That was a little bad luck combined with some good plays by the Canes. Skinner had a hatty FFS.

It was a terrible, dumb pass. The passes they were connecting on weren't behind the back, no look passes to open ice. They were much crisper, targeted passes or along the boards. The previous plays don't excuse that play, which was awful. A soft toss to nobody in particular that was easily picked off by the other team leading to a 3-on-1.

 

[SkinsFan09]

Yeah sorry, it was a terrible decision/pass.

 

[OviTaughtMe]

Erat is quickly on his way to "please just get the **** off my team" territory.

Trade him tonight.

Admittedly, our Mensa level coach is playing him on out of position but still

 

[troyerlaw]

Goalie-wise, i'm just saying, usually the 'riding a hot goalie' thing happens when you're winning some games, when the guy is stealing games for you. But we are mired in a losing streak. Even if you believe Grubauer is now our No. 1, going forward, usually you would split up the workload, especially if you are not winning.

Whatever. I don't even care much about the goalie issue. I am just bummed that we keep losing games and that AO didn't bury his penalty shot and that we have to wait another couple days till we can try to wipe this one from memory w/ a bounce-back win.

 

[SimplySensational]

Don't even ****ing blame Ovechkin, if you do just get out of here.

Take notice, he has his head up, and look at the stick position in this one:

Now look at his stick position, out wider and wider stance to go for a drag around instead he could of just shoved the puck on net:

It was a terrible play by Orlov off a great pass by Ovechkin.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Don't even ****ing blame Ovechkin, if you do just get out of here.

Take notice, he has his head up, and look at the stick position in this one:



Now look at his stick position, out wider and wider stance to go for a drag around instead he could of just shoved the puck on net:



It was a terrible play by Orlov off a great pass by Ovechkin.

I don't know about great pass, but it was a game losing ill-timed pinch.

 

[amjay13]

Remember when the Caps were damn near unbeatable at home? My goodness how those days are long gone.

I'm afraid as it stands right now, this team is not going to make the playoffs.

The Erat issued needs to be resolved. Trade him (if you can find a partner) just to clear cap room.

 

[Vladiator16*]

I don't know about great pass, but it was a game losing ill-timed pinch.

Rookie mistake, but over all i think he had a good game.
Hate to lose to Canes...

 

[dillyboy93]

So we only have 10 regulation wins through 41 one games... Thats pretty terrible...

 

[fsnoles98]

I still have faith in Oates with the correct players, yet GMGM has failed to do that with every coach, thus not doing his job. Dam I miss when Hunter rammed it everyone's @$$ and played his style and WON and then said "no thank you George, this place is a train wreck waiting to happen. Well welcome to the train. LOL LOL LOL

 

[dcsfanatic]

I am a STH. I am definitely out if GMGM is back next year.

I'm not sure who's approach to team ownership is worse, Dan Snyder or Ted? Yes, Really.

 

[JenniferH]

So one thing is clear. You love Holtby.

Gruuby has been very good in relief so far (overall).

Yes, I do love Holtby. And I also really, really like Grubi. Nowhere did I say I don't. I think Grubi is wonderful. I'm thrilled we have him. I like him better than Neuvy in fact (and I don't dislike Neuvy). I liked Grubi when he first showed up and I still like him lots, I think he's done himself dang proud. I just don't agree with this idea that Holtby has been this awful goalie in December with this horrible sophomore slump.

I also definitely agree that goaltending is THE least of our problems. Defense, defense, defense shaping up and getting someone other than Ovi to score consistently would be nice.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I am a STH. I am definitely out if GMGM is back next year.

I'm not sure who's approach to team ownership is worse, Dan Snyder or Ted? Yes, Really.

I'm pretty close to the same path.

 

[tyratoku]

Hey fellas, I'm working on the GDT for the game against you guys on Saturday.

Think the lineup in the OP is going to stay the same for next game?

 

[JenniferH]

Hey fellas, I'm working on the GDT for the game against you guys on Saturday.

Think the lineup in the OP is going to stay the same for next game?

Honestly, chances are it won't. We may or may not have Holtby in net, but we've been thinking it would revert to Holtby in net for the last batch of games. Plus, we had a bunch of new line changes for tonight's game so we have no idea if that will stay for the next game, if Oates will go back to our normal lines, or if he'll switch it up again.

 

[SimplySensational]

Hey fellas, I'm working on the GDT for the game against you guys on Saturday.

Think the lineup in the OP is going to stay the same for next game?

Lines will stay the change, but Laich will probably be 3rd line center and Erat 4th line LW. Holtby starting...

 

[KevinM]

What are you talking about?

Ov was two stick lengths behind Skinner. OV at the top of our circle and Skinner mid circle. Ov is coasting and Skinner is gliding in for the set up. All OV had to do was keep skating and he would have been between Skinner and the pass.

Is that too much to ask?

He wasn't coasting, he was at the end of an extended shift

I'm pretty close to the same path.

I am a STH. I am definitely out if GMGM is back next year.

I'm not sure who's approach to team ownership is worse, Dan Snyder or Ted? Yes, Really.

You'll be back.

I'm afraid as it stands right now, this team is not going to make the playoffs.

They'll make the playoffs, they'll just have a quiet first round exit.

 

[troyerlaw]

I still have faith in Oates with the correct players, yet GMGM has failed to do that with every coach, thus not doing his job.

There's plenty of blame to go around, including Leonsis, GMGM, Oates, and the players themselves.

Look at the Penguins. Right now they have one superstar (the other one is injured), plus high-end players Neal and Kunitz (i guess). But they also have a ton of injuries and a roster full of unremarkable players, e.g. Vitale, Glass, Kobasew, Megna, Sutter, Adams, Gibbons.

But they are playing as a team, remaining resilient when they fall behind, and are racking up wins and points.

As much as we like to pick out one whipping boy, whether it be GMGM, Oates, Mike Green, John Erskine, or, in the old days, Larry freaking Murphy, the fact is that everyone -- every single member of the team and staff -- is part of the equation.

And after losses to Buffalo, Ottawa and Carolina, respectively, it's clear that this team, as a whole, is not getting it done. Time for leaders to lead, starting with GMGM and Oates, and right on down through Ovechkin and the other veterans. They ought to be embarrassed right now by how they are playing. Unlike Brouwer, I don't think embarassed is a strong word. I think Laich is right, it is embarrassing.

And yes, I understand 21 was talking specifically about giving up goals right after scoring goals, but I think it's the right word for the whole product right now. These guys ought to be embarrassed. They are doing the opposite of finding ways to win. They are finding ways to lose. They are blowing leads, they are consistently allowing goals within a minute or two of scoring themselves, they are not showing urgency and desperation till the very end of the game, they are getting out-battled and out-worked along the boards at both ends of the ice.

This is not all GMGM's fault, nor Oates's for that matter. This crappy product is owned by every single last one of them. And season ticket holders are right to contemplate voting with their feet, because this team has been sliding downhill for several years now, and the team is becoming progressively, significantly less entertaining, too, along the way.

As for Hunter, and him supposedly forseeing this train wreck, well, screw Hunter. If he didn't want to stick around, that's his problem. I appreciate that he helped us reach the second round two years ago. I would like for him to have stayed. But he didn't. Big deal. I couldn't care less what his thought process was when he decided to leave. I am interested in what the current coach thinks, and how he is going to change the status quo, which is seriously mediocre.

Oates, whether you like him or not, probably has a long career ahead of him coaching in this league. Even if we let him go, we should be well prepared to watch him have success elsewhere, just as BB has continued to win elsewhere.

It's not just a single person who is failing in DC right now. It's the whole damn lot of them. And I say this as a lifelong fan of the team, dating back to the first season.

 

[Dream Big]

Don't even ****ing blame Ovechkin, if you do just get out of here.

Take notice, he has his head up, and look at the stick position in this one:

Now look at his stick position, out wider and wider stance to go for a drag around instead he could of just shoved the puck on net:

It was a terrible play by Orlov off a great pass by Ovechkin.

pff. Not sure what these stills prove? Check your PVR. Orlov was not expecting a behind the back pass into the middle of the ice. He stutter stepped and went for it when he realized he was the only one close to the

"great pass by Ovechkin."

I don't think there was any drag around thinking going on.

 

[SimplySensational]

pff. Not sure what these stills prove? Check your PVR. Orlov was not expecting a behind the back pass into the middle of the ice. He stutter stepped and went for it when he realized he was the only one close to the

I don't think there was any drag around thinking going on.

The greatest passes are unexpected. Seriously, did you ****ing even think before you posted?

 

[troyerlaw]

The greatest passes are unexpected. Seriously, did you ****ing even think before you posted?

Three things:

* the 'greatest passes' may indeed be unexpected by opponents, but they shouldn't catch teammates by surprise. or, if they do, the pass should still be such that it either reaches the teammate or is easily within reach.

* the Ovechkin pass was almost a very nice pass, but it was about five feet deeper it should have been, and it didn't connect. It became a 50-50 puck, and led directly to the GWG against. 'greatest passes,' by definition, do not lead directly to goals against.

* Ovechkin stayed out too long on that shift. he tried to get back to help break up the 3-on-1, but he was out of gas. i know he was trying to win the game for us, and I know he is our greatest threat to score. but he still needs to be disciplined about his shifts. between the nearly-nice pass and the long shift, he is surely partly responsible for that GWG against.

 

[g00n]

It was a terrible, dumb pass. The passes they were connecting on weren't behind the back, no look passes to open ice. They were much crisper, targeted passes or along the boards. The previous plays don't excuse that play, which was awful. A soft toss to nobody in particular that was easily picked off by the other team leading to a 3-on-1.

Orlov was open and it would've been a perfect pass with just a little bit more velocity or a little more reach/effort from Orlov.

Athletes do not think their way through their every movement. Much of it is unconscious reaction in a flow state or zone. And when that's the case you have to take a little bit of bad with the good, such as little flubs on attempts at great plays.

On fresh ice, that play may work perfectly. I think Orlov is more to blame for the turnover than anyone else on the ice, if we must blame someone.

 

[g00n]

Three things:

* the 'greatest passes' may indeed be unexpected by opponents, but they shouldn't catch teammates by surprise. or, if they do, the pass should still be such that it either reaches the teammate or is easily within reach.

* the Ovechkin pass was almost a very nice pass, but it was about five feet deeper it should have been, and it didn't connect. It became a 50-50 puck, and led directly to the GWG against. 'greatest passes,' by definition, do not lead directly to goals against.

* Ovechkin stayed out too long on that shift. he tried to get back to help break up the 3-on-1, but he was out of gas. i know he was trying to win the game for us, and I know he is our greatest threat to score. but he still needs to be disciplined about his shifts. between the nearly-nice pass and the long shift, he is surely partly responsible for that GWG against.

1. Orlov had the advantage of time/space and the puck moving in his direction.

2. Choppy ice affected speed for sure, and great passes by definition can result in absolutely nothing or even something bad. A pass is not an entire play, which involves the person receiving the pass. Think of a QB making a perfect pass to where only his receiver should be able to get it, but the receiver stumbles or just drops it. Still a great pass even though no TD on the play.

3. Ovechkin is not solely to blame for the TOI there. His entire line was out for almost a minute while Carolina was able to change 1 or 2 players at a time a few seconds before the goal so they had 4 fresh players while the Caps were all gassed.

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/PL020614.HTM

Did the bench call for a change and the entire line ignored it? Ovie's line was out there 54 seconds. The Canes players ranged from 3 seconds to 30 seconds from what I saw here:

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/TV020614.HTM

Overall blame should go to Oates' group for being outcoached by Muller in OT.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

I'm pretty close to the same path.

Do you STH get a chance to voice concerns with the team? If so, please stress getting rid of GMGM. This team is long overdue a colon cleansing. I wish the local media cared about hockey.