Post-Game Talk: Caps and Devils tonight

[hockeykicker]

So in the past few weeks, we've gone from this team may not make playoffs, to secondary scoring not doing anything, to team waking up and dominating and now again sit atop the nhl

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Pitt loses in regulation and Cbus down 2-1 in Nashville after 2.

Harry Zolnierczyk scores the go ahead goal for Nashville. It's quite humorous to watch.

EDIT: Whoops, wrong thread. Anyway, Nashville ahead of C'bus 2-1.

 

[Chukcha]

Btw.... Burt has lit together one incredible stretch. 10 points now last 6 games

each line has a 10+G scorer now.

 

[TRASHCAT]

cbus down 4-2

 

[Sam Spade]

Good win before the break.

The possession numbers are still trending in the wrong direction (since JC74 went down), and the PDO is too high (#1 in the NHL).

All the other underlying numbers are decent to exceptional.

Enjoy the break guys!

 

[Holtbyisms]

Just finished watching the replay. Decent showing, Holtby kept us in it until we broke it open. He made some killer saves (as did Schneider once he came in) through the first half of the game.

That hit by Orpik was ridiculous. I thought Orlov's hit on Matty D. was going to be out hit of the year, that one rivaled it!

Hope Oshie is cool and everything is OK with him and his fam.

Go Caps! Let's keep it rolling after the break!

 

[AtNightWeFly]

So in the past few weeks, we've gone from this team may not make playoffs, to secondary scoring not doing anything, to team waking up and dominating and now again sit atop the nhl

What's your point?

 

[ovikovy817]

Well, I like Chorney, but we need to get another #7D who will be above Chorney in the hierarchy.

Orpik's hit
Kuzya had his best game of the season.

I also liked the fact that Winnik who had plenty of time to shoot the puck at the end of the game, he tried to get Stephenson on the scoreboard.

 

[BobRouse]

Missed the game as I was hanging out with a billion hot chicks at a bar and they were feeding me grapes.

Seems like I didn't miss all that much (In fact I never feel bad missing games vs the Devils)

We def could use the All star break rest and then the Bye in mid Feb.

17 games in 31 days is an insane stretch.

 

[Chukcha]

Well, I like Chorney, but we need to get another #7D who will be above Chorney in the hierarchy.

hmm... Shattenkirk as a rental?

 

[Midnight Judges]

So in the past few weeks, we've gone from this team may not make playoffs, to secondary scoring not doing anything, to team waking up and dominating and now again sit atop the nhl

I never thought there was a chance the Caps don't make the playoffs. I thought the rest of the metro was just playing at an unsustainably good pace - and that same pace was indeed sustainable for the Caps.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

We were never going to miss the playoffs. We're way too good to be anywhere but at the top of the standings.

 

[txpd]

Yes, yes. But Langway, who is a major leader on this forum was pretty straight forward that the team was vulnerable to missing the playoffs.

While I am sure that has passed, I would suggest that he still thinks they are wanting on several levels come playoffs and that this current run doesn't impress him much.

But....that's for him to say. Not me.

 

[RandyHolt]

It's amazing how different players look in different systems.

Winnik looks like a top 6 lately.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Missed the game as I was hanging out with a billion hot chicks at a bar and they were feeding me grapes.

Seems like I didn't miss all that much (In fact I never feel bad missing games vs the Devils)

We def could use the All star break rest and then the Bye in mid Feb.

17 games in 31 days is an insane stretch.

Alternative Facts Alert!!!!!!!!!

 

[Langway]

Yes, yes. But Langway, who is a major leader on this forum was pretty straight forward that the team was vulnerable to missing the playoffs.

While I am sure that has passed, I would suggest that he still thinks they are wanting on several levels come playoffs and that this current run doesn't impress him much.

But....that's for him to say. Not me.

There was a time in November to early December when there was a lot of talk about whether Trotz was the right coach at the right time. It wasn't at all clear whether they'd learned the right lessons from last season. If anything, it seemed they were becoming even more stale and less creative with that low-to-high boredom. I don't think they were ever in real danger of missing but they were on track to being pretty mediocre and likely a wild card team due to how they'd fared in the division early on. That's all changed, of course, and they've put on the jets the last six weeks. They've displayed a level of separation they've never shown in the Ovechkin Era up to this point. I've said before this is the best they've played because it's often total domination at both ends. Their breakouts and poise on the puck have been on another level. They've gotten lucky but their depth and discipline wears teams down (even if they're not playing physical).

All that said, I do still have some concerns (what Caps fan doesn't?). It starts with Ovechkin's all-around play. Should their depth help carry them deeper, are we going to see prime Ovechkin reawakened? We'd all love to see it and they have talked at times about saving themselves for a long season but I wonder if their top-end is dominant enough to truly lead the way. Depth and discipline can take them far but the top-end will have to carry them at times as well. It's going to take a true team effort, with different players stepping up each game (and everyone capable of doing so). The other thing, aside from injuries, is making sure they don't get complacent, tight or lazy down the stretch. Trotz needs to keep them playing a crisp, aggressive game...even dialling up the physicality late in the season. The biggest mistake they can make is becoming content with their game and biding their time until the playoffs come around. As long as they continue to hone their game and not let bad habits creep in they've got all of the signs of a force. They just need to keep preparing and building it up.

 

[g00n]

Recall how in early to mid-December people here were complaining about lack of participation in the GDTs. The team looked limp and disconnected and boring. A few posters were dominating every thread with the same handful of pet topics.

At about the same time, things were bad enough that Holtby called out his squad, the team had a players only meeting and we discussed the meaning behind all of it. Some were critical of these moves. In the weeks that followed we observed changes in their style (elements of which were noted in practice by E4K) as well as players like Kuz starting to show signs of life.

It's pretty clear there was a shift in the locker room and in the coaching to move them from a wildcard bubble team that even Alan May criticized for lack of identity, echoing our own observations, to what we see now.

 

[BobRouse]

Alternative Facts Alert!!!!!!!!!

You got me. It was actually more like 1.5 million...

 

[RandyHolt]

I wonder if Barry heard Holtby more than his teammate did. Something needed to change. And changes were made that was more than the players just bragging their Dean bags.

 

[usiel]

Great music

Glad there was no head shot for Hall there.

Missed the game as I was hanging out with a billion hot chicks at a bar and they were feeding me grapes.

Seems like I didn't miss all that much (In fact I never feel bad missing games vs the Devils)

We def could use the All star break rest and then the Bye in mid Feb.

17 games in 31 days is an insane stretch.

So your character was in a tavern with a billion hot maidens during your Wednesday night D&D session...

 

[RandyHolt]

You got me. It was actually more like 1.5 million...

Picture or it didn't happen.

Bob Rouse the original #8, in 2008

 

[BobRouse]

So your character was in a tavern with a billion hot maidens during your Wednesday night D&D session...

Actually we've been more into 40k lately as we have a group and its easier to pick and an go on a game. Lame I know

Picture or it didn't happen.

Bob Rouse the original #8, in 2008

Ok maybe they were alternative facts...but it was a fun night

 

[TRASHCAT]

Ooops

 

[TRASHCAT]