Post-Game Talk: Caps and Pens 7:30

[txpd]

just saw Ov's goal. great to see him go to the front of the net and get rewarded again. He still has his shot but if he is committed to out working and out muscling guys in close, he may well have found his adjustment to remain at the top. 8 goals already is breathtaking. Another even strength goal.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

just saw Ov's goal. great to see him go to the front of the net and get rewarded again. He still has his shot but if he is committed to out working and out muscling guys in close, he may well have found his adjustment to remain at the top. 8 goals already is breathtaking. Another even strength goal.

He has the size, strength and technique to become one of the better net front presences in the league. This is an underutilized aspect of his game. He's been doing that quite a bit so far this season. In the 4 goals against the Habs, the hat trick goal is him deflecting Kuzy's shot while outmuscling Alzner in front of the net.

 

[Sam Spade]

They didn’t leave him exposed because they thought Grubauer was getting selected. Grubauer was going to be exposed either way. They left Schmidt exposed because they made the decision to protect Johansson, Eller, and Wilson over Schmidt.

I really wonder if they wouldn’t have protected Schmidt if knew they were going to have to unload Johansson’s salary.

If it was a choice between losing Schmidt or Johannson for nothing, I choose Schmidt every time. Forget the fact that they simply couldn't afford Marge, they got a return for him that, while people will argue isn't great, was decent enough when the other GM knows he has you bent over.

 

[RandyHolt]

....

In a somewhat similar vein, I'd consider Gonchar and CalleJo to be a pair of skilled left shooting D.

Schmidt was more a PMD, not an offensive guy. We had him up in the rush a ton, finally, and he had some nice shots / passes.

But nice pull. Funny story, Calle was by his own admission a D first guy. Like Poti. He said everyone assumed he was an offensive guy because he was swedish. Poti became offensive because his coached told him to.

I cannot recall Gonchar taking a single shift at LD let alone play there a full game. Anytime I saw him with other teams, he was at RD.

Best answer is Stevens and Calle.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Schmidt split? Who cares, Djoos is loose!

 

[twabby]

If it was a choice between losing Schmidt or Johannson for nothing, I choose Schmidt every time. Forget the fact that they simply couldn't afford Marge, they got a return for him that, while people will argue isn't great, was decent enough when the other GM knows he has you bent over.

If they were able to keep Johansson then losing Schmidt would make more sense. It’s losing both players for a meager return that stings and reflects poorly on management.

 

[um]

Great to see Djoos play well. Time to give Bowey his chance now, send down Ness and Graovac. If Bowey can play like he did in the preseason than losing Schmidt may have been not such a terrible move.

We've always known our prospect strength was on the back end, that probably played a role in exposing Schmidt over Johansson.

 

[DunningKruger]

The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th lines were excrementally worse than the 1st. Yes, that's a new word.

Nice, thanks for expanding my vocabulary. Wife may not agree.....

 

[strungout]

Orlov - Niskanen
Djoos - Carlson
Orpik - Bowey

Do it bmac!

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Orlov - Niskanen
Djoos - Carlson
Orpik - Bowey

Do it bmac!

It’s coming....

 

[ovikovy817]

Orlov - Niskanen
Djoos - Carlson
Orpik - Bowey

Do it bmac!

Djoos - Carlson were together for few shifts in the 3rd.
Djoos TOI by period
2:12
4:47
6:21
Only 2:19 for Ness in the 3rd

 

[um]

Djoos - Carlson were together for few shifts in the 3rd.
Djoos TOI by period
2:12
4:47
6:21
Only 2:19 for Ness in the 3rd

That's good to know.

C'mon Trotz do your thing with Young Defensemen.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

That's good to know.

C'mon Trotz do your thing with Young Defensemen.

I saw one thing from Djoos game 1 that I don't remember ever seeing from Schmidt. He beat a goalie one on one with a slapper and not some unseen screen from the point....one on one, power and accuracy.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I saw one thing from Djoos game 1 that I don't remember ever seeing from Schmidt. He beat a goalie one on one with a slapper and not some unseen screen from the point....one on one, power and accuracy.

To be fair, Murray should've had that one, it slipped underneath his glove. Djoos does have a better shot than Schmidt, that's true. What impressed me the most from him in this game is his composure with the puck. I recall him making a spin-o-rama pass to Orpik on the weak side to escape the zone quickly. He did that at full speed while escaping the forecheck of a Pens forward. That and obviously the fake shot with the perfect pass to Ovi in the slot for the 2nd goal.

Djoos has some great tools, and yesterday, we saw him being shifty and agile enough to escape the forecheck of the bigger and stronger Penguins forwards. He's a smart and quick player, just what the doctor ordered for the Caps. If I'm Trotz, I am very satisfied with Djoos' performance and I give him more ice time in the next game. We need a quick D like Djoos against the fast Devils forwards.

 

[RandyHolt]

I am still pissed Djoos wasn't out in the extra man. Hockey folk are a superstitious bunch - it will be Ovi or bust possibly for the rest of his career.

It's likely our 2 best offensive dmen will never ever see the ice 6 on 5. Ovi and Djoos had a moment. I like coaches to try to work that stuff when desperately needing a goal. Tell em, go do it again, Ovi park in front and Christian get it to him. After playing whole game with 3 LD, we try a 4th with a minute left. I just don't see that as the ticket to goal scoring glory.

The biggest reason I hate it, we break up our top scoring line - dare I think the best in the league right now to put Ovi at defense. I feel lucky to break out after a clear.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

To be fair, Murray should've had that one, it slipped underneath his glove. Djoos does have a better shot than Schmidt, that's true. What impressed me the most from him in this game is his composure with the puck. I recall him making a spin-o-rama pass to Orpik on the weak side to escape the zone quickly. He did that at full speed while escaping the forecheck of a Pens forward. That and obviously the fake shot with the perfect pass to Ovi in the slot for the 2nd goal.

Djoos has some great tools, and yesterday, we saw him being shifty and agile enough to escape the forecheck of the bigger and stronger Penguins forwards. He's a smart and quick player, just what the doctor ordered for the Caps. If I'm Trotz, I am very satisfied with Djoos' performance and I give him more ice time in the next game. We need a quick D like Djoos against the fast Devils forwards.

I think you could say “the goalie should have it” on any shot one on one from distance. There was movement required to make the save, but most importantly the shot was heavy and low glove but above the pads. It was perfectly placed to make it a tough save. That wasn’t soft in my books. Shooter beat him.

I saw lot more playmaking/creativity from Djoos. I don’t want to make this about Djoos vs Schmidt, but after 1 game, looks like we may have a decent guy stepping up at the very least.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I think you could say “the goalie should have it” on any shot one on one from distance. There was movement required to make the save, but most importantly the shot was heavy and low glove but above the pads. It was perfectly placed to make it a tough save. That wasn’t soft in my books. Shooter beat him.

I saw lot more playmaking/creativity from Djoos. I don’t want to make this about Djoos vs Schmidt, but after 1 game, looks like we may have a decent guy stepping up at the very least.

The shot was headed straight to Murray's glove but he didn't quite catch it and it slipped through. Djoos put quite a bit of mustard on it for a one timer on the lateral movement.

If he can get the puck up to our forwards consistently, that's all we need. We have some of the best forwards in the league, but they can only dominate if the transition works.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I just rewatched it. By saying the puck was headed straight to his glove, If you’re saying Murray didn’t have to move his Glove to make the save and he just fumbled the catch, that’s not what I’m seeing. His glove hand was high then moves down, but because of the placement, it kind of catches him in a spot that makes the save awkward, puck squeezes under. Might have hit his wrist.

 

[zappa4ever]

after 4 gms I'm happy with the progress, esp. with how bad preseason looked
6 minors in the 1st 2pds and you're gonna lose most of the time, seems this team loves sitting in the box within 5 mins of every game the last cpl seasons
congrats Djoos for having a strong 1st gm, more of that plz

certainly ain't time to draw any long-haul conclusions yet but it'll be interesting to see the next 5-10 gms if Bura and the bottom 6 starts scoring, the D starts making less mistakes/giveaways, and more chances to the yutes to play

 

[txpd]

I think you could say “the goalie should have it” on any shot one on one from distance. There was movement required to make the save, but most importantly the shot was heavy and low glove but above the pads. It was perfectly placed to make it a tough save. That wasn’t soft in my books. Shooter beat him.

I saw lot more playmaking/creativity from Djoos. I don’t want to make this about Djoos vs Schmidt, but after 1 game, looks like we may have a decent guy stepping up at the very least.

Murray holds his glove up above his pad and has to drop it to seal in the butterfly. Its always quicker to come up than go down. Tracking the puck he didn't get set in time to get his glove down and the puck beat him in that spot. On another occasion Ovechkin shot the puck thru his glove in that elevated position. It changed direction enough to not go in. Had he held his glove in a more traditional place Ov scores it.
BTW, I saw that Trotz post game was talking like the kid was going to get scratched in the next game

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Murray holds his glove up above his pad and has to drop it to seal in the butterfly. Its always quicker to come up than go down. Tracking the puck he didn't get set in time to get his glove down and the puck beat him in that spot. On another occasion Ovechkin shot the puck thru his glove in that elevated position. It changed direction enough to not go in. Had he held his glove in a more traditional place Ov scores it.
BTW, I saw that Trotz post game was talking like the kid was going to get scratched in the next game

Trotz is scratching Djoos after a game like that? WTF?

 

[HTFN]

Murray holds his glove up above his pad and has to drop it to seal in the butterfly. Its always quicker to come up than go down. Tracking the puck he didn't get set in time to get his glove down and the puck beat him in that spot. On another occasion Ovechkin shot the puck thru his glove in that elevated position. It changed direction enough to not go in. Had he held his glove in a more traditional place Ov scores it.
BTW, I saw that Trotz post game was talking like the kid was going to get scratched in the next game

Mmmm, no, that's the exact opposite of how that works. You're fighting gravity that way, it's better to have your glove poised high and ready, and come down naturally on shots to cradle them towards your body.

 

[troyerlaw]

If they were able to keep Johansson then losing Schmidt would make more sense. It’s losing both players for a meager return that stings and reflects poorly on management.

It was highly foreseeable we would be unable to afford MoJo, with both Oshie and Kuz due for big raises.

 

[Hivemind]

It was highly foreseeable we would be unable to afford MoJo, with both Oshie and Kuz due for big raises.

Most of us expected them to shed a different high salary than Johansson. But losing Schmidt in the expansion draft made it harder to justify thinning the defense further by ditching Orpik.

 

[RandyHolt]

GMBM chose Oshie over MJ, and that's all she wrote. Since he didn't know for sure Oshie would resign here, he couldn't move MJ at a better time. I am not convinced that is the wrong move, but we need Oshie to hoist a cup before MJ to be certain.