Pre-Game Talk: Caps @ Pens 2.7.2013

[SimplySensational]

Stephen Whyno ‏@SWhyno
#Caps goalie Braden Holtby: "Everyone knows [confidence is] a bit lacking in the dressing room right now."

Why Neuvirth? #Caps' Oates: "Because he's played pretty good and we need a goalie to have a good game, and I think it's gonna be Michal."

#Caps coach Adam Oates: "The way we're playing I think is the way to do it. You fight through it, you stay with it."

Jay Beagle talked about sacrificing a cow to change bounces for #Caps. Told of dead mouse in media room, he said, "Good."

Marcus Johansson, who started Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to Toronto on the third line but finished skating with Alex Ovechkin and Mike Ribeiro, is on the left wing with Nicklas Backstrom and Troy Brouwer on the first line.

Jack Hillen (upper body) and Brooks Laich (groin) were both on the ice this morning prior to the start of full practice at 11 a.m. Laich stayed out for the start of practice with his teammates and has now been on the ice for approximately an hour.
Here’s what the lineup looks like today in practice:

Forwards
Johansson-Backstrom-Brouwer
Wolski-Ribeiro-Ovechkin
Chimera-Crabb-Ward
Hendricks-Beagle-Fehr/Perreault

Defense
Alzner-Green
Poti-Carlson
Schultz-Kundratek
Erskine-Hamrlik

"I think what Adam Oates is doing is too sophisticated and confusing for this team."

— An unnamed former coach to Jeff Marek, officially beginning the Oates is too smart for the Caps meme.

RMNB @russianmachine
That unnamed ex-coach is not saying Oates' system is too complex to be learned quickly, he is saying the Caps are too dumb to learn it.

Click to read more...

 

[Langway]

Well, they are pretty dumb.

 

[Hivemind]

Can we stop with these stupid "Pre-Game Talk" threads already. Just wait until the GDT, and don't start that early.

 

[Liberati0n*]

Of course Oates is too smart for them.

 

[SimplySensational]

Can we stop with these stupid "Pre-Game Talk" threads already. Just wait until the GDT, and don't start that early.

Why? You go to sacrifice 2 cows, one to offset a pre game thread and one to win?

I can see why that could be annoying.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

on subject of caps are a dumb team.

How many of our players have gone to college?

Knuble may have been the only one

 

[Calicaps]

I'm guessing Hunter.

 

[Liberati0n*]

on subject of caps are a dumb team.

How many of our players have gone to college?

Knuble may have been the only one

Because so many Canadian and European hockey players with NHL aspirations go to college, right? The only Americans I see in that lineup are Poti and Hendricks (Beagle is Canadian, right?), and I think Poti did go to college.

Most of them are morons, but whether they went to college is hardly an indicator. Being a moron doesn't even close to preclude you from going to college these days anyway.

I'm guessing Hunter.

He does love talking to the media.

 

[Calicaps]

He does love talking to the media.

You make a fine point. Don't think it's BB. An assistant then? Who do you think?

 

[PuckBuddy]

 

[SimplySensational]

You make a fine point. Don't think it's BB. An assistant then? Who do you think?

It says ex-coach.

Who was the guy who said all that stuff about Semin.

 

[RandyHolt]

On game day, for the love of anti jinxes, try simply changing the pregame thread prefix to GDT. c'mon SS make it happen.

And a victory means Ovi hits sid to our fans content

 

[CapsCast]

on subject of caps are a dumb team.

How many of our players have gone to college?

Knuble may have been the only one

Going to college has very, very little to do with intelligence or an ability to learn. There are as many idiots there as there are everywhere else.

 

[NoMoreChoking]

I woke up and said that to myself this morning.

Most of these players are too idiotic to understand whatever Oates wants to do.

 

[Carlzner]

Tank

 

[Liberati0n*]

You make a fine point. Don't think it's BB. An assistant then? Who do you think?

I don't think there's been any indication whatsoever the ex-coach was a coach with the Capitals.

 

[ChibiPooky]

Maybe "grab your sacks" was the only thing they understood.

 

[Brad Tolliver]

How can the Caps players be dumb when they've won a bunch of drafts and trades for the franchise?

 

[Calicaps]

I don't think there's been any indication whatsoever the ex-coach was a coach with the Capitals.

Hmm... That's how I read it, but I suppose you're right.

In that case, I vote Iron Mike.

 

[kicksavedave]

It says ex-coach.

Who was the guy who said all that stuff about Semin.

Matt Bradley.


And 10,000 or so Caps fans.

 

[RandyHolt]

I think Oates may be the dumb one, expecting too much in a preseason free shortened season. From a bunch of dumb *****.

Maybe he should have given them a hockey player grade IQ test on day 1.

 

[foundhockey]

Yeah, hitting Crosby would be a win.

But it wouldn't be nearly as satisfying as a win.

 

[Vladiator16*]

Going to college has very, very little to do with intelligence or an ability to learn. There are as many idiots there as there are everywhere else.

Be it as it may, this team just doesn't look too smart anyway you look at it.

Would love a W in Pittsburgh though...

 

[SimplySensational]

So do you guys have a bad feeling about a 3-4 point for Crosby, because the Capitals do seem hell bent on putting Crosby in Art Ross contention.

 

[sunnydaycrash]

So do you guys have a bad feeling about a 3-4 point for Crosby, because the Capitals do seem hell bent on putting Crosby in Art Ross contention.

I have a bad feeling about the game all together, and the season while we're at it.
It's like a bad bruise that's gone numb from being whacked repeatedly.