Only San Jose averaged more blocked shots among the final eight teams. VGK/WPG/NSH/PIT were all close but WSH outblocked VGK 99 to 53 in the Final. It was closer in the ECF but they did outblock TBL 35 to 19 in G6+7. Score effects played a part of that but they were also pretty consistent in not having defenders caught up ice and out of position. I don't think it's accurate to say it was this or that. It was everything coming together at the right time, from tactics to execution and overall mentality. Sure, they scored more and got more key contributions from depth players but also finally had a coherent answer for handling opposition pace. It was beautiful all the way around.Blocked shots and takeaways per game were also not unusually high vs the competition and teams that passed the first round.
Only San Jose averaged more blocked shots among the final eight teams. VGK/WPG/NSH/PIT were all close but WSH outblocked VGK 99 to 53 in the Final. It was closer in the ECF but they did outblock TBL 35 to 19 in G6+7. Score effects played a part of that but they were also pretty consistent in not having defenders caught up ice and out of position. I don't think it's accurate to say it was this or that. It was everything coming together at the right time, from tactics to execution and overall mentality. Sure, they scored more and got more key contributions from depth players but also finally had a coherent answer for handling opposition pace. It was beautiful all the way around.
post the numbers. It's not a significant difference.
Where would you rank team defense among the winning factors?
We have learned over the years that both offense(2016 and 2017 Caps) and defense(2010 Caps) are needed. I think we won it because of offense for one reason. Other guys shot the puck. In the past 2 playoffs only OV and Oshie shot the puck. All the other guys kept skating with the puck in the opposing teams defensive zone and kept on passing. There was almost that "deer in the headlights" look when it was time to shoot. That changed this year.
We have learned over the years that both offense(2016 and 2017 Caps) and defense(2010 Caps) are needed. I think we won it because of offense for one reason. Other guys shot the puck. In the past 2 playoffs only OV and Oshie shot the puck. All the other guys kept skating with the puck in the opposing teams defensive zone and kept on passing. There was almost that "deer in the headlights" look when it was time to shoot. That changed this year.
Definitely think that was part of it but also the tenacity the forward group played with pressured the defenses and impacted the goalies tremendously. We made them look bad, they didn't do it all on their own.Also none of the goalies they faced played above their heads. Bobrovsky let in a bunch of ordinary goals, Murray let in softies against Niskanen and Chiasson in eventual 1 goal wins for WSH, Vasilevskiy was brutal in the first 2 games, and Fleury reverted to very average.
Not to take anything from Washington since these breaks are needed to win a Cup most years and they certainly did the job creating traffic, but could you imagine Lundqvist for instance being that bad in 2015, or Halak in 2010, or Fleury in 2017?
Counter argument is the goalies in the second paragraph made ordinary saves against them, the Caps just didn’t make the plays, and the goalies you mention in the first paragraph Murray excluded were actually the 3 best goalies in the NHL this year and the Caps lit them up.Also none of the goalies they faced played above their heads. Bobrovsky let in a bunch of ordinary goals, Murray let in softies against Niskanen and Chiasson in eventual 1 goal wins for WSH, Vasilevskiy was brutal in the first 2 games, and Fleury reverted to very average.
Not to take anything from Washington since these breaks are needed to win a Cup most years and they certainly did the job creating traffic, but could you imagine Lundqvist for instance being that bad in 2015, or Halak in 2010, or Fleury in 2017?
Counter argument is the goalies in the second paragraph made ordinary saves against them, the Caps just didn’t make the plays, and the goalies you mention in the first paragraph Murray excluded were actually the 3 best goalies in the NHL this year and the Caps lit them up.
Fleury dominated the Jets conference finalsHalak beat the Pens the next round
16-17 if we are talking about during the season.Sort of O/T
Was thinking today, what team in your mind had the best chance to win the Cup before this year?
I was thinking 2011-2012 with Hunter as coach. Yeah I know he played a weird system with our offensive team but that was the most "team" I saw us play until this year
Sort of O/T
Was thinking today, what team in your mind had the best chance to win the Cup before this year?
I was thinking 2011-2012 with Hunter as coach. Yeah I know he played a weird system with our offensive team but that was the most "team" I saw us play until this year
Fleury dominated the Jets conference finals
I don’t see how the middle 2 paragraphs reinforce the myth of the hot goalie. When the Caps play like that no goalie can get hot against them. In fact, just like when the Caps make the other goalie look hot in past years, with the trap Vegas would come into the zone all discombobulated and get too fine. You make one or 2 great plays like The Save, when you get a clear shot like Neal had in game 4 Holtbys stick starts to look enormous. Every shot is either too fine or center mass, I’ve seen the Caps become that every year, made the semis and finals such a treat.As he did the previous series.
The Capitals broke down the Knight s center core defense. They were able to pass the puck thru their defense wing to wing. Fluery had to move post to post a lot more.
The Caps also broke down the Knights neutral zone and forecheck. The Capitals had more odd man rushes in 5 games than Vegas had allowed in the 3 previous series combined.
Hit goalie exists.
Scoring was up a good margin this year league wide, so comparing this playoff year to previous isn't exactly comparing apples to apples.
I don’t see how the middle 2 paragraphs reinforce the myth of the hot goalie.
I think confidence affects the shooters more than the goalies so it’s more that I don’t think goalies perform above their level so much as the team they’re facing plays below it.Myth? You think the quality of the goaltending is fairly irrelevant?