Post-Game Talk: caps isles game 1

[Maruk moustache]

Math makes it hard to win the Cup every year no matter how good the team is because of how many other teams that have to not win it each time. Math also makes it unlikely the Islanders will sweep this series.

Math makes it more likely the Islanders will win 3 before we win 4, I know, but most of us would be just as nervous with a lead in the series, especially given the goalie we're facing, as we are right now. This team, and Holtby in particular, have shown the ability to have bad games, and to follow those up with good games, this season.

I think passion is great. That's part of being a fan(atic). I just wouldn't be so quick to go with the full-negative deal though--nothing that actually matters has even happened yet. Let's reconvene and reassess once the series is over.

It's the best time of the year. I say let's chill a little bit at least and try to enjoy the **** out of it, as much as is possible. No matter what happens, I certainly cut Trotz a break in his first year here. So far, it's been more than I expected when I found out he was being hired, and I am not going to get all that worried about anything unless/until the Islanders have three games won.

 

[Hivemind]

Glad to see the bandwagon has emptied out again. I needed the leg room.

 

[RandyHolt]

whoever said it, its true. We suck after long breaks.

 

[tzinc]

you can say the same thing about every club BEFORE they win the Stanley Cup...

I have to vent.

I am a Capitals fan. Born and raised in Maryland. My first game was at the old Capital Center, January 1, 1992 against the New York Islanders

I have been watching this organization come up short for 23 years. I watched every game as a kid on HTS. Lived through the Peter Bondra trade. Watched Joe Juneau bobble a penalty shot in overtime. US Air Arena demolition. The move to China Town. The black and bronze years. There was a time you could hear a pin drop inside MCI Center (Verizon).

Then, Ovechkin. The draft. The Russian influx. Alex Semin. Varlamov.

Fast forward to Ovechkin being handed the captaincy.

Bottom line is, this organization doesn't have any winners. There is no history of champions in this organizations fiber. A history of almosts, mistakes, and bad trades.

Holtby has zero playoff confidence. Ovi is a great goal scorer, but will never be half the dressing room leader as Toews or Crosby.

This team has no killer instinct. The Islanders smell blood in the water, and they're circling.

If the Caps lose game 2 at home, the Isles will finish them in 4 at Nassau. More of the same regular season greatness, same old playoff fizzle.

 

[Raikkonen]

Now, when it's still 24 hours till the 2nd game, it's hard to watch our beautiful avatars and expect the worst... Poor artists...

 

[artilector]

I think the Caps are gonna be much better in Game 2. Just individually, nowhere to go but up for most guys.

As for heaviness vs. actual physicality vs. speed debates, those will never end

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I have to vent.

I am a Capitals fan. Born and raised in Maryland. My first game was at the old Capital Center, January 1, 1992 against the New York Islanders

I have been watching this organization come up short for 23 years. I watched every game as a kid on HTS. Lived through the Peter Bondra trade. Watched Joe Juneau bobble a penalty shot in overtime. US Air Arena demolition. The move to China Town. The black and bronze years. There was a time you could hear a pin drop inside MCI Center (Verizon).

Then, Ovechkin. The draft. The Russian influx. Alex Semin. Varlamov.

Fast forward to Ovechkin being handed the captaincy.

Bottom line is, this organization doesn't have any winners. There is no history of champions in this organizations fiber. A history of almosts, mistakes, and bad trades.

Holtby has zero playoff confidence. Ovi is a great goal scorer, but will never be half the dressing room leader as Toews or Crosby.

This team has no killer instinct. The Islanders smell blood in the water, and they're circling.

If the Caps lose game 2 at home, the Isles will finish them in 4 at Nassau. More of the same regular season greatness, same old playoff fizzle.

How do you know what's going on in the Hawks, Pens and Caps locker room ? Do you have some inside info you would like to share with us ? How do you know that Toews and Crosby are great leaders while Ovi is not ? Would you like to see the C stripped off Ovi's chest ?

Also, LOL at saying Holtby has zero playoff confidence. Here is Holtby's stat line from his first playoffs in his career in the NHL :

2011-2012 CAPITALS 14 7 7 0 30 459 .935 1.95 922

That's Vezina caliber goaltending my friend.

 

[Capitals1974]

We have nothing to complain about. This was, by far, the most complete game they played all season. They completely sucked for the entire 60 minutes!

 

[KevinM]

We have nothing to complain about. This was, by far, the most complete game they played all season. They completely sucked for the entire 60 minutes!

 

[g00n]

''Our desperation level could be a little bit better than it was tonight,'' Washington defenseman Brooks Orpik said. ''They looked like they had a little more urgency than we did.''

So ****ing sick of hearing this year after year...

 

[Capitals1974]

So ****ing sick of hearing this year after year...

A "little" more?

With that said, I think Orpik was one of the very few who actually showed up last night.

 

[g00n]

A "little" more?

With that said, I think Orpik was one of the very few who actually showed up last night.

Yeah, and it's not about the player. He has to say that because it's obvious they didn't show up and the coach publicly criticized the entire team, top to bottom. It's about the fact that we read crap like this so frequently instead of something like "we played a good game and left it all on the ice, they were just the better team tonight". Losses are much easier to take when that's the case. It's hard to continue to care or get excited as a fan or a customer when the players themselves don't seem to get it and can't find the urgency that everyone knows is necessary in big games and the playoffs. EVERY DAMN YEAR.

 

[Bure]

So ****ing sick of hearing this year after year...

Orpik was up to playoff intensity. He was indirectly pointing at his teammates.

 

[ryan519*]

I have to vent.

I am a Capitals fan. Born and raised in Maryland. My first game was at the old Capital Center, January 1, 1992 against the New York Islanders

I have been watching this organization come up short for 23 years. I watched every game as a kid on HTS. Lived through the Peter Bondra trade. Watched Joe Juneau bobble a penalty shot in overtime. US Air Arena demolition. The move to China Town. The black and bronze years. There was a time you could hear a pin drop inside MCI Center (Verizon).

Then, Ovechkin. The draft. The Russian influx. Alex Semin. Varlamov.

Fast forward to Ovechkin being handed the captaincy.

Bottom line is, this organization doesn't have any winners. There is no history of champions in this organizations fiber. A history of almosts, mistakes, and bad trades.

Holtby has zero playoff confidence. Ovi is a great goal scorer, but will never be half the dressing room leader as Toews or Crosby.

This team has no killer instinct. The Islanders smell blood in the water, and they're circling.

If the Caps lose game 2 at home, the Isles will finish them in 4 at Nassau. More of the same regular season greatness, same old playoff fizzle.

Yeah, the pens look great right now. Crosby really leading that club to greatness

And Holtby has zero playoff confidence? Tell that to the Bruins
Career .931 playoff save percentage

 

[g00n]

Orpik was up to playoff intensity. He was indirectly pointing at his teammates.

I know. If they have the necessary urgency we don't have to hear quotes like this so much, no matter who says it or who it's about.

 

[Bure]

There's going to be a lot of pissed off caps fans if we lose this round especially since I doubt there will be any significanf changes by the looks of Bmac's tons all year. Hopefully they can get their head out of their ***.

 

[artilector]

Urgency in the first period.
Good structure in the second.
Game management in the 3rd.
Timely saves.
Heavy game.
Character.
I lost my train of thought..

 

[SpringfieldSkins]

I'm fairly confident that the Caps will come out pissed off and ready to play some hockey tomorrow night. I think it's highly unlikely that they play so poorly again. They've seldom played two poor games in a row.

I'm most interested in seeing if there are any other line changes. Seeing Wilson or Burakovsky make the lineup would be great.

 

[ryan519*]

Bura on the 2nd line would be money i feel like...backstrom needs a sniper goal scoring type on his line who's crafty with the puck. We need some speed of our own to combat the isles

 

[SpringfieldSkins]

Bura on the 2nd line would be money i feel like...backstrom needs a sniper goal scoring type on his line who's crafty with the puck. We need some speed of our own to combat the isles

I'm not sure I'd favor that. Backstrom already has Johanson and adding Burakovsky to that line would just create a line of [softies]. Brouwer needs to be on the second line for that net presence and hard nosed impact.

Burakovsky could take Beagle's spot on the 3rd line and I'd be fine with that.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Bura on the 2nd line would be money i feel like...backstrom needs a sniper goal scoring type on his line who's crafty with the puck. We need some speed of our own to combat the isles

I think I found your man.

He's gone ? Oops.

 

[Langway]

There's going to be a lot of pissed off caps fans if we lose this round especially since I doubt there will be any significanf changes by the looks of Bmac's tons all year. Hopefully they can get their head out of their ***.

The salary cap will make sure that this is a different team next season if that's the result (it likely will either way). It's pretty easily conceivable that they could be worse next year, though, should they go through the motions in the off-season with no evolving near or long-term vision.

 

[um]

I think I found your man.

He's gone ? Oops.

he had 6 goals this year...

 

[RandyHolt]

We can only wonder if he would have scored a goal vs Pitt had Orpik not broken his wrist early in that series.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

he had 6 goals this year...

I'm not talking about this year, just in general. What we need is what he brought to this team.

Brouwer may not agree, but the Caps have never filled the void left by Sasha.