Series Discussion: Capitals vs Bruins

[koalabear9301]

Went Bruins in 5 but the way I see it, from 09 to 2017 I thought the caps were Cup favorites most years and we didnt even break past the second round. The one year I figure we have zero shot and were about to blow it up, we win the whole thing. No telling what's gonna happen here lol.

Not feeling super confident especially given everything that's happened in the last week, but I do think we're a deeper team on paper.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

All the pessimism with Caps playoffs for me died in 2018. Damn the odds! We beat a stacked 94 Pens team with random goalies and hard work. Why watch a season of Caps winning to give up now?

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Right where the Caps need to be. With everyone here already claiming defeat. Perfect!

We have Lavi this year and he will get people up and focused.

Absolutely this! Something we didn't have last two seasons.

 

[Calicaps]

Just forfeit now. All hope is lost!



Most disloyal fan base ever. Disgraceful.

 

[aonb]

like every year, caps in 3

 

[AussieCapsFan]

The Caps have 23 goals in the 8 games since Ovechkin has been out (including his 5 min stint against the Rangers). They’ve played with 10 or 11 forwards at times during that period, and have missed Backstrom, Oshie, Wilson, Kuznetsov, Schultz, and Carlson for stints during that time frame as well.

I don’t know if you’re going around trying to be super negative and dunk on the Capitals as a reverse jinx, or what, but feel free to stop because the shtick is getting old. I’m all for being realistic but you’re unbearable right now and most of your “counter arguments” aren’t even valid.

Ouch. caps4cup with the beat down

 

[AussieCapsFan]

Just forfeit now. All hope is lost!



Most disloyal fan base ever. Disgraceful.

I'm not even going to participate in the poll. We still have a (meaningless) reg season game left and 5 or 6 days until game 1. I mean who knows what our starting roster even looks like?
There are too many question marks at this stage. And even then I'm just going to take it one game at a time.

 

[ovikovy817]

I'd prefer to start the postseason on 19th may.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

I never vote in these polls I feel like is bad luck. I will root for us to win every game though

 

[trick9]

Ugh. Would have much rather faced Islanders, or even Penguins.

Not going to vote on how this is going to go because it depends on our injury situation. They can beat the Bruins but if certain guys aren't in the line-up then i fear it's propably too much to ask from their replacements.

 

[HecticGlow]

Boston’s offense scares me, even if their D is suspect. But they’re a team that looked like they could conceivably miss the playoffs a couple of weeks ago - they don’t have untold confidence. Bring a physical game against them in Game 1 and don’t give anything away.

That said, I hope the Bruins comfortably win the last RS game and the Caps prioritise health and knocking off rust over dominating them. Let the Bruins go in complacent, not fired up, and come out in one piece. We have some depth, but not that much.

 

[um]

Boston’s offense scares me, even if their D is suspect. But they’re a team that looked like they could conceivably miss the playoffs a couple of weeks ago - they don’t have untold confidence. Bring a physical game against them in Game 1 and don’t give anything away.

That said, I hope the Bruins comfortably win the last RS game and the Caps prioritise health and knocking off rust over dominating them. Let the Bruins go in complacent, not fired up, and come out in one piece. We have some depth, but not that much.

Bruins just played last night.

I think both teams take it very easy tonight.

 

[max21]

The Bruins have 2 legit scoring lines now, better goaltending and we have too many questions with injuries and covid. I would feel much better about this series if we weren’t banged up, should have said Caps in 4 but I’d just be lying to myself lol

 

[Melkor]

Can't believe I'm the guy to post some positive shit in this mess of a thread. Nothing's scary about the Bruins at all. Hall is good, everyone with three digit IQ knew he's good, first line is good, Krejci is good, the rest of the team is meh. The goalie is a choker. Calm your tits. They need healthy Schultz and healthy Backstrom though. I don't know their current status but it's crucial to have them playing up to their abilities from game 1 and on. Just move your feet, goon it up a bit if needed, put pucks on net and don't leave too much space in the neutral zone. Positional defense is not the Caps' strength, if they manage to avoid getting pinned down in their zone for prolonged shifts, they got this series.

 

[max21]

No matter what f*** Boston

 

[HecticGlow]

Can't believe I'm the guy to post some positive shit in this mess of a thread. Nothing's scary about the Bruins at all. Hall is good, everyone with three digit IQ knew he's good, first line is good, Krejci is good, the rest of the team is meh. The goalie is a choker. Calm your tits. They need healthy Schultz and healthy Backstrom though. I don't know their current status but it's crucial to have them playing up to their abilities from game 1 and on. Just move your feet, goon it up a bit if needed, put pucks on net and don't leave too much space in the neutral zone. Positional defense is not the Caps' strength, if they manage to avoid getting pinned down in their zone for prolonged shifts, they got this series.

They have Jake Debrusk on their fourth line, and Charlie Coyle is a good 3C who should be back soon. They have a good mix of speed and physicality. They have Marchand who’ll happily throw an elbow in the face of your key players and knock them out for the year. They have a better PP2 then we do, and two of Rask, Swayman and Halak (if he can return?) certainly aren’t worse than Vanecek, Samsonov and Anderson.

I’m not down on the Caps, but this is going to be a worthy challenge and pretty even matchup I reckon, in which games will be closer than the end result suggests.

 

[Melkor]

They have Jake Debrusk on their fourth line, and Charlie Coyle is a good 3C who should be back soon. They have a good mix of speed and physicality. They have Marchand who’ll happily throw an elbow in the face of your key players and knock them out for the year. They have a better PP2 then we do, and two of Rask, Swayman and Halak (if he can return?) certainly aren’t worse than Vanecek, Samsonov and Anderson.

I’m not down on the Caps, but this is going to be a worthy challenge and pretty even matchup I reckon, in which games will be closer than the end result suggests.

Jake de Brusk is a very poor man's Vrana. I don't think he's the guy they wouldn't be able to contain. Dowd line has stepped up this season. Charlie Coyle is no better than Eller. That's a toss up at best. The D is not imposing at all. Carlo is a good player, otherwise that back end definitely not the bunch the Caps should be afraid of in a physical contest. There's a real possibility the goaltending will f*** everything up but goaltending is always a lottery, if they suck they suck but an actual stylictic matchup is different story.

 

[StrikingDistance]

If you picked the B's in 4 or 5 and spend most of your natural life on this board...the glass is neither half empty or half full....it's just an empty vacuous space of disdain and depression smelling of booze.

This B's team barely beat an Aisles team last night who looked like a bunch of corpses on skates. Whoopee.

 

[g00n]

Those games vs NYI right before all hell broke loose with injuries and TW wrecking the entire NHL were prime examples of this team showing true potential. IIRC the same thing happened in 2018...there were flashes of greatness early on that just needed to be recalled at the right time.

There are too many top players out for it all to be one level of injury severity. Some may be hurting, others may be just taking a break to charge the batteries. There's no gloom and doom surrounding the team in comments or what we've seen with our own eyes regarding their health.

So I think the last few games of "next man up" had the exact desired effect of energizing the roster from the bottom up.

If even half the injured guys come back refreshed, and the rest of the team continues to play at the same gutsy level when the stars were out, then look the f*** out.

Caps in 7 mainly because of a bit of rust and possibly goaltending inconsistency.

 

[Capathetic]

Physical domination. Listening to Pat Mcafee say the Caps could humiliate anyone they wanted to was nice. Last mini series that got rough this team made the opponent and their fans want to take a knee and quit. I’m ready for the playoffs and the intensity.

 

[tenken00]

Do what we do best. Wear teams down.

 

[Roshi]

Bruins are scary for sure. But we can be too. I have faith!

Im both excited and bummed to face them on the 1st round. Its going to be war and possibly one hell of a series, which is great.

Im anticipating full battle mode from both sides and which ever gets through will be beaten up to face possibly Pens, which is not great. Id rather had Pens first and go to war after that.

Its going to be moody couple of weeks for sure. Roller coaster ahead. Cat and wife better stay out of the way if it goes south.

 

[sycamore]

All eyes will be on Mantha in this one. The guy better pay dividends, or else.

 

[twabby]

Per NHL.com, the Bruins have taken the most minor penalties in the league this year, the Capitals have taken the 14th most.

If this can become a special teams battle I think it favors Washington. Both teams have good penalty kills, but if everyone is healthy I'd rate Washington's power play better.

Work the refs, take some dives, embellish any slash/high stick/facewash, carry a razor blade and turn that minor penalty into a double minor, etc.

 

[txpd]

Those games vs NYI right before all hell broke loose with injuries and TW wrecking the entire NHL were prime examples of this team showing true potential. IIRC the same thing happened in 2018...there were flashes of greatness early on that just needed to be recalled at the right time.

Is that Caps team available? Sign me up if they are.