Post-Game Talk: Caps @ Golden Knights, 8PM

[HeyMattyB]

Fun fact for fans of the D.C./Dischord Music Scene of Yesteryear:

Every time I try to post this photo of Holtby's save to Facebook, FB's facial-recognition thing automatically tags Brooks Orpik as Justin Moyer, the bassist from the D.C. band El Guapo (later called Supersystem). To be fair, they do look a little bit alike.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Anyone else notice that in the waning seconds of the game, Tom Wilson is skating back towards the Capitals goal when I believe William Karlsson skates behind and then by him at which time both of Wilson's knees and legs buckle forcing him to the ice. Didn't see what had happened to him, but I thought at first Karlsson may have slew footed Wilson.

 

[kicksavedave]

He said that Orpik doesn't get any credit for anything other than in their room. He said that he is the heart and soul of the team. He seemed kind of indignant about it in fact.

Heh, well he hasn't scored a goal in three seasons, so he's not going get any "credit" there... and the WAPO and other media writers are almost never critical of Orpik, so that must mean that Carlson reads this forum.

 

[kicksavedave]

Vrana reminds me of a young Peter Bondra. Speed, shot, trying to stickhandle too much at times and generates a ton of chances and comes close to finishing but no cigar

So if he becomes like a mature Peter Bondra some day, I'll take it. But looking purely at stats, Bondra was scoring at a much higher clip in his rookie and sophomore years than Vrana, and at a younger age than Vrana is now. Bondra had 40 goals after year 2, Vrana has 16.

 

[g00n]

Vrana reminds me of a young Peter Bondra. Speed, shot, trying to stickhandle too much at times and generates a ton of chances and comes close to finishing but no cigar

I said the same thing long ago and people argued with me about it. Vrana doesn't quite have the natural shot/finish that Bondra did but his skating style/crouch, speed, maneuverability etc are very Bondra-esque

 

[Chairman Maouth]

 

[hb12xchamps]

Anyone else notice that in the waning seconds of the game, Tom Wilson is skating back towards the Capitals goal when I believe William Karlsson skates behind and then by him at which time both of Wilson's knees and legs buckle forcing him to the ice. Didn't see what had happened to him, but I thought at first Karlsson may have slew footed Wilson.

Yeah I caught that interaction too. I wanted to rewind and check it out but forgot about it after the victory celebration. Whatever happened, Wilson wasn't suspecting it and it took him by surprise.

 

[kicksavedave]

Smokin Al is getting up there in age, but the hair plugs are holding the line like a champ!

 

[Devil Dancer]

I said the same thing long ago and people argued with me about it. Vrana doesn't quite have the natural shot/finish that Bondra did but his skating style/crouch, speed, maneuverability etc are very Bondra-esque

Vrana seems to have the potential to be a better playmaker than 12 as well .

 

[kicksavedave]

Yeah I caught that interaction too. I wanted to rewind and check it out but forgot about it after the victory celebration. Whatever happened, Wilson wasn't suspecting it and it took him by surprise.

Anyone else notice that in the waning seconds of the game, Tom Wilson is skating back towards the Capitals goal when I believe William Karlsson skates behind and then by him at which time both of Wilson's knees and legs buckle forcing him to the ice. Didn't see what had happened to him, but I thought at first Karlsson may have slew footed Wilson.

Wilson has been taking a massive amount of abuse in this series. Its blatantly clear the VGKs know his rep and are trying to get under his skin to get him to take dump penalties. Apart from his late hit that wasn't called then the mysterious huddle, he's been smart about not retaliating and putting the Caps in the hole. But man, watch him closely, he's getting abused, in a cheap way, constantly. For the most part he just keeps his head down and does his job. But without a doubt, he's in their heads. Good!

 

[CapsDC]

Vrana seems to have the potential to be a better playmaker than 12 as well .

I love Vrana. He definitely is a playmaker. I do wish he would stop aiming for the goddamn post but I think he's just like a little kid who loves the PING sound when the puck nails it. One of these games he's going to miss and it'll go in though. Can't wait

 

[ovikovy817]

Vegas players are dirty and when you are not penalised for cheapshots during 9 months, you are confident enough to do it in the SCF.

 

[RandyHolt]

Va'rana as we hear him called is an intriguing player. He oozes offensive awareness 91 lets call it, and seems pretty strong on the puck in traffic. He has largely been exceeding my expectations on the boards. I loved how he engaged 3 vagans in a post whistle scrum last night.

Of course he is usually good for one failed clear per game, but countered by being good for a few high quality scoring chances as well. I think Barry has finally accepted that as a net positive and he has quietly become a fixture in our lineup.

Now just score dammit! Or, as I want him to do the next time he is aggressively challenged by MAF, is extra pass it! Pass to Oshie, who will pass it right back anyways. And I would like to see him get a sniff on the PP if Kuz remains out.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Wilson has been taking a massive amount of abuse in this series. Its blatantly clear the VGKs know his rep and are trying to get under his skin to get him to take dump penalties. Apart from his late hit that wasn't called then the mysterious huddle, he's been smart about not retaliating and putting the Caps in the hole. But man, watch him closely, he's getting abused, in a cheap way, constantly. For the most part he just keeps his head down and does his job. But without a doubt, he's in their heads. Good!

Listening to XM/Sirius on the drive in early this morning and it was the Nick Alberga and Jake Hahn show and one of them said that their early Conn Smythe pick was Wilson as he's had a continued impact whenever he's on the ice and that Las Vegas is always looking over their shoulders and that he's definitely in their heads and influencing play.

One of them also noted that they felt that the Brayden McNabb hit on Kuznetsov looked dirty and that McNabb has always had a reputation for such cheap shots and playing on the edge and that while playing in the OHL he ended the career of a promising player with a cheap shot.

 

[BobRouse]

So if he becomes like a mature Peter Bondra some day, I'll take it. But looking purely at stats, Bondra was scoring at a much higher clip in his rookie and sophomore years than Vrana, and at a younger age than Vrana is now. Bondra had 40 goals after year 2, Vrana has 16.

Different scoring era for sure. Bondra won rookie of the month in the 90-91 season and looked good before he broke his wrist. He was ina top 6 role I believe. Next year he was on the top line with Pivonka and khristich and had 28 goals but in a crazy scoring year.

Vrana has been in and out of the lineup and playing not a top 6 role until recently

 

[BallardEra]

This is exactly how the season has played out so far with nothing coming easy. A win last night and yet Kuzy gets injured. Par for the course.

If this team does win the Cup, how can any "hater" really say that they don't "deserve" it?!

 

[BobRouse]

Also in other news ....Burakovsky

Glad to have him back. Took long enough but when he is on he is a force

 

[Blades of Steel]

This is exactly how the season has played out so far with nothing coming easy. A win last night and yet Kuzy gets injured. Par for the course.

If this team does win the Cup, how can any "hater" really say that they don't "deserve" it?!

They've had by far the hardest path that I can remember in years and that's not just because I'm a Caps fan.

 

[Langway]

One of them also noted that they felt that the Brayden McNabb hit on Kuznetsov looked dirty and that McNabb has always had a reputation for such cheap shots and playing on the edge and that while playing in the OHL he ended the career of a promising player with a cheap shot.

Hishon in the Memorial Cup on an--what do you know--elbow:

 

[BiPolar Caps]

This is exactly how the season has played out so far with nothing coming easy. A win last night and yet Kuzy gets injured. Par for the course.

If this team does win the Cup, how can any "hater" really say that they don't "deserve" it?!

There will always be some, but between the shenanigans of the Vegas players last night and the poor refereeing you are starting to see folks on the main boards moving in to the Capitals camp. My goodness (to use a Doc Emrick term) you even have NBC commentators call out the Vegas players as they did with the James Neal hit to the face.

The Vegas pregame crap has quickly worn out it's welcome as well.

 

[Corby78]

Anyone else notice that in the waning seconds of the game, Tom Wilson is skating back towards the Capitals goal when I believe William Karlsson skates behind and then by him at which time both of Wilson's knees and legs buckle forcing him to the ice. Didn't see what had happened to him, but I thought at first Karlsson may have slew footed Wilson.

I saw that and yelled for a trip. It was obvious, completely took Wilson out of the play for a second.

 

[Maryland17]

So with the Haula 5 minute majorpenalty/ game misconduct at end of game, is there any repercussions to game 3?

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Hishon in the Memorial Cup on an--what do you know--elbow:

Unf@#$*ing believeable! And Hishon was a first round pick for the Avalanche, "During the 2011 Memorial Cup, Hishon was struck by an illegal elbow blow to the head by Kootenay Ice defenceman (and Buffalo Sabres prospect) Brayden McNabb, which left Hishon with a concussion; Hishon missed the rest of the Memorial Cup and the entire 2011–12 hockey season with post-concussion syndrome.[7][8] In part due to this hit, Hockey Canada redefined the rules to make clearer a zero-tolerance policy for head hits" It took Hishon almost two years before he was able to come back and play hockey.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Fun fact for fans of the D.C./Dischord Music Scene of Yesteryear:

Every time I try to post this photo of Holtby's save to Facebook, FB's facial-recognition thing automatically tags Brooks Orpik as Justin Moyer, the bassist from the D.C. band El Guapo (later called Supersystem). To be fair, they do look a little bit alike.

I always thought Orpik looks like Roose Bolton, lol.

 

[kicksavedave]

Different scoring era for sure. Bondra won rookie of the month in the 90-91 season and looked good before he broke his wrist. He was ina top 6 role I believe. Next year he was on the top line with Pivonka and khristich and had 28 goals but in a crazy scoring year.

Vrana has been in and out of the lineup and playing not a top 6 role until recently

True true, but also Bondra was drafted in 1990 and played 54 games in DC that same year. Since being drafted Vrana has spent 1 year in Jrs and three in Hershey before establishing himself in the Caps lineup, partially only due to the expansion draft and cap mismanagement forcing a youth movement before they really wanted to. Different era for sure, but Bondra developed instantly, Vrana is taking the normal path.