GDT: Capitals vs. Senators. 7:30pm. Scotiabank Place. 4.18.2013

[QuadrupleDeke]

Find me a fan of a team in any league in any sport that says "the refs are awesome!" Nobody likes the calls the refs make. Reffing is a thankless job where everything you do is overanalyzed and nitpicked.

Tennis umpires/linesmen are awesome. Mostly because that sport fully embraced technology.

 

[SlappaDaBass]

Maybe some motivation from Daft Punk's new song will help the boys tonight.

 

[RandyHolt]

Maybe its for the best to face a tough G. Face adversity.

The days of having to run or screen the G may be in the past, however. Notice we don't have to do that on the PP anymore?

Call it The Adam Oates Experience. We got some slick passers Ribs Nick MP and Erat. The dmen have not looked out of place dishing the biscuit. All of them. Beat the hot G with dishes

On a different note, I am glad we have all gotten to see first hand that Ovi does not need to play left point on the PP to score goals.

 

[bonzilla]

NHL Refs are just plain bad. Can't see a way to resolve that issue. Just what makes the NHL, the NHL.

In regards to the game tonight...

Just ****ing Win!

If the NHL added a rule on being hit with a folding chair, it would be on par with the WWF!

 

[fedfed]

Via Japers:

Can’t believe I’m going to indulge in this, but here we go (and I think my math is right, but I’m sure you guys will let me know where it isn’t)…

Excluding games in which the Caps have played, NHL teams are averaging 29.0 SOGA/G. Eastern Conference teams are averaging 29.7. Southeast Division teams (minus Washington) are allowing 30.7 (0.0048 more than the NE). Non-SED Eastern Conference teams are at 29.1, 29.2 if you take out games they’ve played against the Caps. So for a generic Eastern Conference team, they could reasonably expect to get ~1.5 more shots per game against a Southeast opponent than an ATL/NE team.

The Caps have played 17 games this season in the Southeast Division, 11 vs. the NE and 15 against the ATL. Based on average SOGA totals in non-Caps games, Average Team X would be expected to have 1271 shots on goal (the Caps actually have 1207, FWIW). Say the Caps were crammed into the Atlantic and had played 17 there, 11 vs. the SED and 15 vs. the NE. We’d expect Average Team X to have 1264 shots on goal. And if he was in the NE, w/ 15 against the ATL and 11 against the SED, it’d be 1271. In other words, the Caps – as a team – could be expected to have, at most, seven more shots on goal over the course of the season by virtue of being in the SED.

What about the goalies they’ve faced? The League average for ES SV% is .9202 (.9200 for non-Caps Gs). In the Eastern Conference, that number is .9201. Non-Caps SED goalies are at .9155. That’s actually a decent gap. (And the Division ES SV% is .9174 if you add the Caps Gs back in.) Non-SED Eastern Conference Gs are .9240. But again, let’s pull out games involving the Caps. Non-Caps EC average ES SV% goes to .9256, SED average to .9166.

Non-Caps SED goaltending is clearly weak. But how much of a difference is there between .9256 and .9166? Over 10,000 even-strength shots on goal, the difference between a non-Caps SED goalie and a non-Caps NHL goalie is 90 saves, which is one save every 111 shots on goal. Doesn’t seem like all that much.

Bottom line: Caps, as a team, could expect a benefit of being in the SED to the tune of one extra SOG every six games and one extra goal for every 111 ES shots on.

Now tell me… how much do those numbers impact an individual player’s goal totals? Scoring goals in the NHL is hard against anyone. If one dude’s distribution seems to be heavy on one grouping of teams, it’s probably a coincidence.

http://www.japersrink.com/2013/4/18/4237104/capitals-senators-gameday-previews#

 

[bonzilla]

Tennis umpires/linesmen are awesome. Mostly because that sport fully embraced technology.

It seems for the most part, NFL refs take a very professional and businesslike approach to their duties, and the league tries hard to produce a consistant officiating "product" throughout the league. College and pro b-ball refs have really calmed down on the emotion and animation when making calls as well.

It seems MLB and the NHL, the two sports that use technology the least still instill an air of emotional superiority, authority, indignation among their officials, whatever you want to call it, that leads to making them too much a part of the game, too much of a sideshow.

 

[tycoonheart]

Tennis umpires/linesmen are awesome. Mostly because that sport fully embraced technology.

Except Federer. Supposedly he still doesn't like the challenge system.

 

[txpd]

Via Japers:http://www.japersrink.com/2013/4/18/4237104/capitals-senators-gameday-previews#

By all appearances Ovechkin doesn't care. Why should I? If the Ov SED beat down makes some media and their audience feel better about themselves, its probably a short lived feel good bound for a painful fail.

 

[442]

Maybe some motivation from Daft Punk's new song will help the boys tonight.

Can't wait for this album!

 

[msrulo]

It seems for the most part, NFL refs take a very professional and businesslike approach to their duties, and the league tries hard to produce a consistant officiating "product" throughout the league. College and pro b-ball refs have really calmed down on the emotion and animation when making calls as well.

It seems MLB and the NHL, the two sports that use technology the least still instill an air of emotional superiority, authority, indignation among their officials, whatever you want to call it, that leads to making them too much a part of the game, too much of a sideshow.

Can't agree more. Blame Bettman!

 

[notDkristich]

Rouse is right, that single ref had his head on a swivel looking back, and the two guys would eventually disengage behind the play. Its was 4 on 4 for 30 seconds. Whoopdee doo. I'd think Mario and the powers that desperately want more scoring may actually like that to be left alone.

Of course Dale would start throwing punches when a team had a breakaway

now this i remember. oh look, a clean breakaway. *whistle blows* what!!?? oh, random fight behind the play.

 

[SlappaDaBass]

It seems for the most part, NFL refs take a very professional and businesslike approach to their duties, and the league tries hard to produce a consistant officiating "product" throughout the league. College and pro b-ball refs have really calmed down on the emotion and animation when making calls as well.

It seems MLB and the NHL, the two sports that use technology the least still instill an air of emotional superiority, authority, indignation among their officials, whatever you want to call it, that leads to making them too much a part of the game, too much of a sideshow.

I agree and I think for the most part the fans reap the rewards knowing the refs are going to get the correct call 99% of the time EVEN if it slows the game down a bit. It's a small price to pay if you want to ensure the integrity of the game is withheld throughout the game. All the league would have to do is instill two coach challenges per game just like football.

 

[Liberati0n*]

There should be more off-ice refs or something, and every single call should be painstakingly reviewed. Refs should also be fired for missed calls, wrong calls, any failure to adequately do their jobs.

 

[SlappaDaBass]

Or the only time the off-ice refs are used is if a coaches challenge is called. Then it should work just like any goal review, it goes to a room full of referees with the rulebook in their hands and painstakingly review the call to make sure it was correct/incorrect.

 

[RandyHolt]

One penalty review per game per coach. Call Toronto if the stoopid ref cannot be trusted, they are twiddling their thumbs waiting for the odd goal anyways

Wrong costs a time out. No timeout, its cost a bench minor.

Its amazing the same horrid refs remain employed. Its almost like WWF grade stupidity - for comedic or shock value as much as getting the call right.

Go distract the ref while I get Semin to throw the puck in the net. Secret weapons.

Although I must admit, part of hockey is knowing you will get screwed on the calls. Boo!

 

[ChibiPooky]

If being wrong costs a bench minor, I don't see a reason to limit the number of challenges.

 

[bonzilla]

I agree and I think for the most part the fans reap the rewards knowing the refs are going to get the correct call 99% of the time EVEN if it slows the game down a bit. It's a small price to pay if you want to ensure the integrity of the game is withheld throughout the game. All the league would have to do is instill two coach challenges per game just like football.

I think Canadian's just let it evolve this way. I think many still like it this way and think it's an entertaining part of being a fan to: blame losses on bad calls, boo late game mystery calls, inconsistent calls, cocky a-hole ref gestures, make-up calls.

I think that at today's NHL has grown past this, and it needs to stop. In fact it likely has a negative effect on expanding the overall fan base. They've fixed the fighting stereotype for the most part, the bad ref thing needs to be seriously dealt with though.

 

[RandyHolt]

If being wrong costs a bench minor, I don't see a reason to limit the number of challenges.

Why not give coaches 3 timeouts then? Or 10 like in the NBA.

The league wants fast paced games, that's why.

Coaches can't review anything currently. Why jump to an unlimited amount to start.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

This is going to be a good game and I expect the Sens will play hard. They are a well coached team and defying the odds with the major injuries they have had this year. I'm going to say Ovy, Erat, and Fehr get goals.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

No Oates Face tonight.

 

[tycoonheart]

Thats Oates' O-face.

 

[HTFN]

There should be more off-ice refs or something, and every single call should be painstakingly reviewed. Refs should also be fired for missed calls, wrong calls, any failure to adequately do their jobs.

I always thought that putting maybe 5 off-ice refs in the lower level or something (every corner, plus one to watch the neutral zone) to specifically watch for things like too many men, or to assess minors v. majors for hits, or behind the play penalties) to radio in to the head official would help, but probably not be worth it. On-ice refs have veto power, of course, but I thought if they wanted to enforce more penalties to create more offense, it would work. Just something to toy around with.

 

[SimplySensational]

Uh oh... MoJo limped off the morning skate today... Oates says hes going be fine though...

 

[RandyHolt]

Thats Oates' O-face.

I am not going to ask how you know. Not going there.

 

[ChibiPooky]

I like the fact that Erat scored on a deflection, driving the net. That's the kind of play Ovechkin needs consistently from his opposite wing. Hopefully we'll see more of that tonight.