Post-Game Talk: Caps @Bolts G5 7:15 PM

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RandyHolt

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Holts bounced back great vs CBus, but it kinda seems like he is back to the place he was when Grubby stole his job :dunno:

I cannot believe Holts doesnt have a shutout this year. That's kind of what we really need right now.

Barry can try to tackle this a few ways. Try to address ALL the problems, just focus on how to beat Vasil, or how to cut back on the GA. Make some lineup chances, or line changes. Aggressively work line matching.

We are coming home. We suck at home. We suck the most at home vs Tampa. Barry has never been here before. What's he going to do?

Ride the horses he rode in on.
 

EroCaps

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Burakovsky and Backstrom have been useless and Barry injecting injured veterans into his line-up was a stupid Barry-like mistake.

And Holtby just hasn't been a difference maker in about 3 years.
 

Capsman

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Nov 21, 2008
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I think they should panic. In my head I know they shouldn't go back to Gruby but, I don't know. Losing 3 in a row and 2 at home is reprehensible, but none of us can pretend like we're truly surprised. I'm resigned at this point. I expect them to lose this series and that's fine. This feels like another series loss from the previous decade and it fits the narrative. I have no more expectations so hopefully they can get that game 7 series win, but if they don't I think I'll just appreciate the season for the good moments. Pittsburgh and Columbus were truly fun series, and this one started off great but has flatlined. Let's see if they can resuscitate themselves.
There's a difference between panic and urgency. Gruby was way worse than current Holtby in the Columbus series, the players know that, so that move would be nothing more than change for the sake of change rather than calculated adjustment. I don't think it would sit well with players.
 

Lindemann

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Holts won us the first 2 series but effectively cost us he 3rd

He is so anti clutch this series

If you want to look at what a real Stanley cup goaltender looks like, see Vegas
 
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maacoshark

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Burakovsky and Backstrom have been useless and Barry injecting injured veterans into his line-up was a stupid Barry-like mistake.

And Holtby just hasn't been a difference maker in about 3 years.
We had our best possible lineup in the last game. We need to execute
 

EroCaps

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We had our best possible lineup in the last game. We need to execute

I disagree.

They're injured, and the line-up that won the Caps their last 4 games, and got them as far as they've been in 20 years was with Eller as the #2 C and Burakovsky in the stands.

But by all means play a one-handed C and the empty shirt because they're veterans.
 

RandyHolt

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I wonder if the measuring stick for Nick coming back was ability to face off. Otherwise he has not looked 100%. On the PP he is not being covered to shoot, so I doubt he can. That spot needs to be able to one time for the times Ovi's office door is locked. Maybe Kuzy and Nick swapping spots is needed.

The easiest ways to score on Vasil are PPs, traffic in front or odd mans. While we may be gifted 1 or 2 power plays next game, I don't expect a single one. Traffic in front, I feel like its all clogged up and more traffic will be detrimental. It may come down to odd mans which means crisp passing pace and speed.

It sucks physical play is absent. It seemed like early on we dominated in part by physically abusing them. Our arena is going to be silent, and think some hitting may raise up the energy of the fans and hopefully the players respond.
 

CapsDC

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These guys just seem to come out way too often lethargic or with no urgency. What does Trotz say in the locker room? I was joking with my buddies before game 5 that he needed to give the Pacino speech from Any Given Sunday but I figured he'd was just milling around half interested. I think he should go the other way before game 6. Since he probably can't or won't fire them up with a heated talk he should just play it like he doesn't care. "ok guys last game of the season, let's go out and give it a good effort so we can head into the offseason feeling good." He probably says something to that effect before most games, but lay it on real thick and maybe it will piss these guys off enough to respond.
 
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chilimac

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well, i'm not feeling a need to wade into "it's Trotz" or "it's Holtby" or "it's the one arm man" (did i really read that?) dialogue...
One thing i find interesting from last might's game(we have 23 hours to kill here folks) was the no-call of the obvious trip of Orlov. I'm not talking about the lack of a call at all, it happens... but rather the fact that the Caps didnt get the obligatory 'make-up call'. You know if it is the regular season... that make-up call is coming just like the sun is coming up tomorrow. And yet, no make-up call came. Even if Tampa didn't commit a single penalty the rest of that game(LOL),, the refs still call 'something' to 'even it out'. The NHL has to do what third tier sports do. I guess what I'm saying is... I can't help but conclude that the lack of even a token makeup call was...intentional. It had to have been. So the next question is... who made that decision and of course, why did they make it ?
 

maacoshark

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Jul 22, 2017
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I disagree.

They're injured, and the line-up that won the Caps their last 4 games, and got them as far as they've been in 20 years was with Eller as the #2 C and Burakovsky in the stands.

But by all means play a one-handed C and the empty shirt because they're veterans.
The only injured player is Backstrom and he is still better than any other options we have. For having an injured hand Backstrom was very dominant on faceoffs. That itself is very important. So is is strong 2way play. Putting Eller at 2c isn't a good move. Eller has been bad the last few games. Definitely one of worst players the last 3 games and you want Backstrom out of the lineup.
 

RandyHolt

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There's a difference between panic and urgency. Gruby was way worse than current Holtby in the Columbus series, the players know that, so that move would be nothing more than change for the sake of change rather than calculated adjustment. I don't think it would sit well with players.

Point counter point. Do we think status quo is sitting well with the players? 840 on 20+ shots in the past 3 is simply not sustainable. Those stats are an awful lot like Grubby vs CBus which was a no brainer to yank him. Some of those stats are on the players and coach, sure. But the goalie HAS to cover the teams warts.

I feel like there is little that Barry can do to make the players feel worse. It doesn't matter who they have faith in, if they don't have the faith themselves.

We need an injection of life, energy, something. Game 6s belong to Nathan Walker. Stormy Beagle Druce Pelly back home at RW.
 
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AussieCapsFan

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I wouldn't mind if Barry went back to Grubby as a shakeup for the team. ...

I thought about this as well, but it creates something of a dilemma:
What if Grubauer lets in a couple of soft goals early? Then you pull him and put Holtby in - but you benched Holtby as a wake up call and now you're having to do a 180 on that decision and put him in there?
He might be even worse because of it. Way back in the Blue Jackets series he was given the nod in game 3 and he rose to the occassion. There is no guarantee he'll do that again.

So, if it was my decision, I'd start Holtby but the minute he screwed things up I'd bench him and put Grubauer in. Notice I used past tense because I'm really, really hoping Holtby vs Blue Jackets and Pens turns up for game 6.
Of course it's not just Holtby who needs to turn up. The other 18 players do as well.

And if Trotz needs to do just one thing, it's put Kuznetsov and Ovie back on the same line. I don't give a rat's if that line has to score all the goals to win, I'd rather see that than split them up and "hope" for some chemistry across two lines.
 
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philip

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I'd definitely play Walker here. We're gonna need guts, balls, effort and Caps failure naivety.
 

RandyHolt

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@Heath - good post and I largely agree.

Putting in Walker is fine, but if we lose it will be too little too late. He cannot be expected to be a difference maker.

We have all seen the slow choke death. I want something different besides the predictable stay the course, or a little tinker. Is Backstrom 100%? We seemed to do better without him. Is Barry going to go down trusting the system and players, or is he going to try something radical. Heavy trap. Cherry pick full aerial assault up and down game. Major lineup changes but keep the main lines intact. How is he going to handle an early softee. He clearly has one foot out the door, and its now or never for him.
 
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VaCaps Fan

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Young speed guys plugged in won the first two rounds. Then injured Backstrom came back and the stale system returned.
 
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