Post-Game Talk: Caps @ Canucks 10 PM ET - How Was the West Won?

[g00n]

Oates did less with more. Let's see what Trotz is made of.

Lost three of the last four and four of the six since the Ovechkin hattys. This road trip could end up pretty ugly.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Looks ugly and a Western trip to top it off. For now, no choice but to weather the storm. These games have traditionally been brutal in the past. That was nauseating looking at the roster from Oates time as coach, so I feel a little better. As said before, I rather get the injury/illness bug out of the way now than in March, assuming it won't continue.

Go Caps!

 

[AtNightWeFly]

Uch it hurts it kills:

Isabelle Khurshudyan @ikhurshudyan

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Chiasson
Wilson-Stephenson-Oshie
Connolly-Eller-Vrana
Walker-Beagle-DSP

Djoos-Carlson
Orpik-Bowey
Orlov-Chorney

Holtby

 

[troyerlaw]

If those do wind up being the lines, i’m guessing 39 on 1L is to try to guard against another -4 performance by those guys. Just an effort to balance out the lines and keep the game close.

But yes, Chiasson and Stephenson in top-6 is not an exciting state of affairs.

I wish Shane Gersich had elected to leave North Dakota early. He looks potentially NHL ready.

Anyway, here’s hoping Caps play hard and keep game close, and that one of the young guys takes advantage of the extra minutes and starts to earn a bigger role.

 

[Portable Mink]

I predict Oshie and Ovi carry the team.

 

[Holtbyisms]

We're going 0-3 on this road trip.

 

[ovikovy817]

If those do wind up being the lines, i’m guessing 39 on 1L is to try to guard against another -4 performance by those guys. Just an effort to balance out the lines and keep the game close.

But yes, Chiasson and Stephenson in top-6 is not an exciting state of affairs.

I wish Shane Gersich had elected to leave North Dakota early. He looks potentially NHL ready.

Anyway, here’s hoping Caps play hard and keep game close, and that one of the young guys takes advantage of the extra minutes and starts to earn a bigger role.

Stephenson won't get 1C/2C minutes. And if we're behind during the 2nd/3rd period, I'm sure Kuzya will be double shifted on the 1st and 2nd lines.

 

[Bladerunner]

We're going 0-3 on this road trip.

That's the spirit

If Caps end this swing 1-2 or 0-2-1 most likely next to last in Metro, ahead of Rags.
Yes, it's still early.

 

[maacoshark]

With the exception of a handful of players, our lineup looks like an AHL lineup. Ouch

 

[Calicaps]

Considering that won't happen, its best we try to win as much as we can. Don't forget there are a ton of coaches out there worse then Trotz, and not many that would be an improvement.

It's true there are some terrible coaches, but is it really better to win as much as possible? I mean, my biggest fear since May has been that the Caps become the Leafs of my entire lifetime until now, mediocre and endlessly tweaking with no real change. Losing a lot could precipitate some more aggressive rebuilding. I confess I haven't looked closely at who's out there in the coaching ranks but at this point, I'm willing to risk it. I mean, right now, this team sucks.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Oh, fun, west coast trips. I'll see precisely zero minutes of the next few games.

 

[hockeykicker]

I know this sounds silly but I wonder if this is one ofnthe better caps games this year.

Absolutely no pressure just go out and play

 

[Privet]

@hockeykicker I agree with you. I feel like there is zero expectations for the team to perform well, and with no pressure... I bet these guys start rolling the lines and playing with a ton of weight off their shoulders. Everyone is expecting them to lose and I betcha they come out and win tonight.

 

[hockeykicker]

backstrom is out tonight per issabelle

 

[AtNightWeFly]

backstrom is out tonight per issabelle

Are his pollen allergies acting up again?

 

[MrGone]

@hockeykicker I agree with you. I feel like there is zero expectations for the team to perform well, and with no pressure... I bet these guys start rolling the lines and playing with a ton of weight off their shoulders. Everyone is expecting them to lose and I betcha they come out and win tonight.

At this point I would get more joy from this team in a full rebuild then a big pile of meaningless regular season wins. All the Presidents Trophy's in the world does not balance off the pain in the end. And it would not be like that if we did not believe this could be the year so often.

I would start with trading Carlson and Holtby this season. You don't need to be dominant in goal to win a cup. And moving Holtby would bring a kings ransom seeing a few teams are in the middle of there window without a strong goalie.

 

[twabby]

If anyone has any sort of chronic sleep issues I urge you to watch tonight's game with me.

 

[AtNightWeFly]

Every Cap that came out the tunnel looked worried...

 

[Hivemind]

If anyone has any sort of chronic sleep issues I urge you to watch tonight's game with me.

Is that tomorrow or never? Because my sleep issues are telling me to go to bed

 

[Raikkonen]

Kuzy with a hatty, anyone?

 

[Bladerunner]

Kuzy with a hatty, anyone?

3A, a Kuzy hatty? Quite probable as it might be a high scoring game

 

[Hivemind]

Energetic shift by Stephenson.

 

[bur and 666 others]

Bowey looks good so far. Though it could be because of Van isn't a good team and allows him to do some risky passes

 

[maacoshark]

Stephenson has looked good so far

Energetic shift by Stephenson.

 

[Raikkonen]

This game... is this how Olympics without nhlers will be like?