Post-Game Talk: Capitals vs Swamp Cats, 7:30 @ Verizon

[Langway]

I wonder if we'll see more games like this as Trotz and company try to keep from getting strung out down the stretch

I can understand resting Holtby more and keeping him fresh but if they're going to rotate regulars they absolutely need more useful depth players. I doubt they'll sit out a top six forward (+90) much in any event. As seen, it alters their PP in a big way.

Games like this go to show they still have more to add to their game offensively when they can't entirely dictate pace. They're not good at generating second chances in particular and weren't able to muster many dangerous high quality chances in the final ten minutes.

 

[txpd]

I can understand resting Holtby more and keeping him fresh but if they're going to rotate regulars they absolutely need more useful depth players. I doubt they'll sit out a top six forward (+90) much in any event. As seen, it alters their PP in a big way.

Games like this go to show they still have more to add to their game offensively when they can't entirely dictate pace. They're not good at generating second chances in particular and weren't able to muster many dangerous high quality chances in the final ten minutes.

I think generating any kind of a worthwhile opinion of the team and its capabilities after playing just their 2nd game in two weeks after 5 days at the beach makes no sense to me.

Nothing about this game holds any water to the reality of the rest of the season. I think there is a reason why Johansson is on pp1 instead of 92 but even that I would not suggest this game is proof of that sort of thing.

this lineup looked like a preseason game and they played like it.

 

[troyerlaw]

At least they made it interesting.

Fun to see Orlov and Schmidt racing the puck up ice during our attempted comeback.

Oshie didn't have a good game. Nor grubauer nor williams. Kuz looked good early, but overall i dont think it was one of his stronger games. More turnovers than usual.

Bura was good. Lotta shots. I love that.

Meh. Any time you are dressing galiev, laich, sill, richards and latta, it's gonna hamper the effectiveness of your miracle comeback.

Brutal softy to give up at beginning of 2nd.

Dumb penalty by 25 leading to FLA's ppg.

Basically florida weathered the stiorm in the 1st. We should have been leading 2-0 with the boatload of good looks and PPs at beginning.

At least Bura didnt injure himself on that missed check. That would've been a disaster.

Turns out our PP is less gooderer without Russian turret gunner at point.

 

[AtNightWeFly]

he doesn't get to play. hell burt looks crappy just playing on the 4th line. imagine if he played one game a month

I don't buy that. He had multiple opportunities to sneak one past a goaltender and he either hit the post, missed an open net or whiffed on the shot all together.

I put him in the same box with Laich. "Useless to this team."

 

[Capitals40]

Eh, Caps carried most of that game.

No Ovechkin. No Holtby. No Orpik.

Not panicking. On the plus side, maybe they won't get complacent at the deadline.

What I am afraid of is they will do something like the last trade deadline....Glencross for 2nd and 3rd round draft picks...terrible.

 

[troyerlaw]

I stopped watching at 3-0. We are blaming Galiev why? He wasn't on for a goal against. He's not the reason they lost. 3 goals in 11 shots wasn't good. the pp without 8 and 90 didn't produce.

But its Galiev?

I agree. I like his speed and shot. Awfully hard for a player like that to show much in 6 or 7 min on 4th line. Bura is only just finally relaxing and scoring now that the rash of injuries has pretty much guaranteed him an extended stay in top 6. He was frustrated as hell last year and looked scared to try make a play, lest he make a mistake.

Not that Galiev has Bura's potential, but just a reminder that it's hard for a skill player to make an impact getting low TOI on 4th line. I'd rather have seen 49 in the PP Ovi spot instead of 77 once it became clear 77 was having off night

 

[GoCaps2004]

I don't buy that. He had multiple opportunities to sneak one past a goaltender and he either hit the post, missed an open net or whiffed on the shot all together.

I put him in the same box with Laich. "Useless to this team."

completely agree. He's had tons of chances and opportunities, but he cant seem to do really anything right

 

[troyerlaw]

Bura should strive to be a volume shooter like Ovie. He has a wicked release, and even when he doesn't score, goalies are fighting it off and bobbling it and leaving loose change

 

[Capitals40]

I agree. I like his speed and shot. Awfully hard for a player like that to show much in 6 or 7 min on 4th line. Bura is only just finally relaxing and scoring now that the rash of injuries has pretty much guaranteed him an extended stay in top 6. He was frustrated as hell last year and looked scared to try make a play, lest he make a mistake.

Not that Galiev has Bura's potential, but just a reminder that it's hard for a skill player to make an impact getting low TOI on 4th line. I'd rather have seen 49 in the PP Ovi spot instead of 77 once it became clear 77 was having off night

I don't understand why he wasn't in Ovie's spot on the PP...but yeah I still think Galiev will be in the lineup come playoff time.

 

[Capitals40]

I don't buy that. He had multiple opportunities to sneak one past a goaltender and he either hit the post, missed an open net or whiffed on the shot all together.

I put him in the same box with Laich. "Useless to this team."

He had multiple opportunities...when is the last time Laich, Wilson, Latta, Richards...I can go on....had multiple opprotunities? You think his skill had something to do with having multiple opportunites?

 

[Langway]

I think generating any kind of a worthwhile opinion of the team and its capabilities after playing just their 2nd game in two weeks after 5 days at the beach makes no sense to me.

It's less on observation based on this game than a season-wide pattern in how they attack generally. Mostly they haven't needed to dig deeper and play that way. You can make the case that with 8/90 in the lineup it doesn't matter and maybe it doesn't most nights. Nonetheless, it's a weakness in their game and shows up against structured teams like Florida. The top six outside of Ovechkin isn't heavy and that may wind up being a problem. Even Ovechkin isn't what I'd consider a real handful when it comes to puck protection these days. I don't know how that dynamic gets fixed in the short-term. Their path to success is mostly a goaltender, team defense and their skill level but they need to continue adding wrinkles and developing if they're going to really be able to elevate further still when it really matters.

 

[Calicaps]

I agree. I like his speed and shot. Awfully hard for a player like that to show much in 6 or 7 min on 4th line. Bura is only just finally relaxing and scoring now that the rash of injuries has pretty much guaranteed him an extended stay in top 6. He was frustrated as hell last year and looked scared to try make a play, lest he make a mistake.

Not that Galiev has Bura's potential, but just a reminder that it's hard for a skill player to make an impact getting low TOI on 4th line. I'd rather have seen 49 in the PP Ovi spot instead of 77 once it became clear 77 was having off night

I have felt this way about Galiev as a 4th liner, but tonight he started with 77-19 and brought nothing to the table. He didn't need to score. He only needed to appear dangerous, and instead he was invisible.

 

[troyerlaw]

I put him in the same box with Laich. "Useless to this team."

I put no one in same box as Laich. He's in his own special, well-appointed $4.5 million box.

There are facets of galiev's game we haven't seen yet. Laich i've seen enough of to last a lifetime.

Same with richards, i suspect. There's a honeymoon period now, and at least he doesnt cost us $4.5 million. But give it time, i think he'll remind us of laich. No burst or jump or power to his game anymore.

Anyway, we'll look a hell of a lot better when we get beagle and mojo back.

 

[troyerlaw]

It's less on observation based on this game than a season-wide pattern in how they attack generally. Mostly they haven't needed to dig deeper and play that way. You can make the case that with 8/90 in the lineup it doesn't matter and maybe it doesn't most nights. Nonetheless, it's a weakness in their game and shows up against structured teams like Florida. The top six outside of Ovechkin isn't heavy and that may wind up being a problem. Even Ovechkin isn't what I'd consider a real handful when it comes to puck protection these days. I don't know how that dynamic gets fixed in the short-term. Their path to success is mostly a goaltender, team defense and their skill level but they need to continue adding wrinkles and developing if they're going to really be able to elevate further still when it really matters.

I respect this analysis, but i think this team is well-built for the playoffs, esp. if Holtby continues playing at high level. When guys return from injury, we have two very good top lines, plus a third line that can cycle the puck to 2017. We have a blend of skill and toughness, plus a solid D corps.

Not sure how Orpik's eventual return will affect us. He looked slow as **** earlier this year. But in the playoffs, his toughness and composure may be welcome

 

[hockeykicker]

I respect this analysis, but i think this team is well-built for the playoffs, esp. if Holtby continues playing at high level. When guys return from injury, we have two very good top lines, plus a third line that can cycle the puck to 2017. We have a blend of skill and toughness, plus a solid D corps.

Not sure how Orpik's eventual return will affect us. He looked slow as **** earlier this year. But in the playoffs, his toughness and composure may be welcome

well im speculating, but it sounded like orpik was playing hurt earlier this year before he decided to take a break. maybe that was injury related

 

[txpd]

I have felt this way about Galiev as a 4th liner, but tonight he started with 77-19 and brought nothing to the table. He didn't need to score. He only needed to appear dangerous, and instead he was invisible.

actually, he made two or three really good defensive plays that bailed them out on bad reads and turnovers. maybe he didn't bring anything offensively but he sure was heads up defensively.

We don't know what his instructions were for this game. Might have been they asked him to work on his coverage and assignment details. I don't know. He did make some nice plays defensively

 

[artilector]

I'd just throw this game in the trash can. An anomaly in too many ways to draw conclusions from.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Terrible game. Clearly were rusty again. Do better Caps!!!

 

[Capitals40]

Flu going thru the team...please Caps get healthy.

 

[trick9]

I stopped watching at 3-0. We are blaming Galiev why? He wasn't on for a goal against. He's not the reason they lost. 3 goals in 11 shots wasn't good. the pp without 8 and 90 didn't produce.

But its Galiev?

He turned the puck over every time he got a touch. I still don't see anything that screams NHL quality to me.

That said it's pretty funny that you mention no goals against him. He did have that terrible giveaway that lead to 2-on-1 and eventually the Panthers player whipping on the puck with empty net in front of him.

 

[Efactor]

Calm down folks. We haven't played much in the past three weeks and were missing big time contributors. We still out shot them by 20 shots. They couldn't beat tonight's lineup in a 7 game series, let alone our full roster. Montoya was good and our PP wasn't. The PP wasn't good because we never practice with those guys in those positions. They just couldn't figure it out in one game. Remember, Ovey was at practice, so I'm sure most of the PP work was done with him on ice. The game is a throw away. Move on.

 

[895]

No worries guys, next gdt is on me

20 something-2-2 this season.

 

[g00n]

Every time Ovechkin is out they look like crap. Remember when he was suspended for being late or whatever it was? Terrible. This team isn't winning a Cup without him, so games like this you may as well be watching beer league.

 

[hb12xchamps]

How can anyone defend Galiev at this point? The guy has been given multiple opportunities to get regular playing time and can't stay in the lineup. He had no business being on the first line and Trotz finally demoted him to the 4th in the 3rd period. His defensive capabilities are suspect at best and he has yet to score a goal which is his best quality as a player.