GDT: Caps @ Preds | 2/15/22 | 8:00p ET

[Alexander the Gr8]

Caps stole this one. Nashville controlled play for most of the game, but the Preds hit about 15 posts. So many posts that the refs even tried to give them one of them. I don't think there's a "10 free posts, get 1 free goal" punch card, but I may be wrong.

Lucky to come away with the win but I'm glad the team caught all the breaks tonight. Hopefully this is the start of a winning streak. One key positive difference I saw tonight was the creativity. First two goals came on highly creative passes, which is what the Caps are known for.

 

[CapsGr8]

Didn't want to jinx it, so I did not post, but Sammy was stellar tonight.

 

[Drakon]

Didn't want to jinx it, so I did not post, but Sammy was stellar tonight.

And awful. He made some great saves, but was extremely lucky they didn't score 4 on him. He loses his net like nothing I've ever seen.

 

[chilimac]

And awful. He made some great saves, but was extremely lucky they didn't score 4 on him. He loses his net like nothing I've ever seen.

…as well as his stick.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

And awful. He made some great saves, but was extremely lucky they didn't score 4 on him. He loses his net like nothing I've ever seen.

Fully agree, I'm still not sold on him and one game won't change my mind.

 

[Fred22406Capsfan]

Him and Jose Jalapeno

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

Given how shitty the bottom teams are, the Caps are making the playoffs. So I’m just going to enjoy this win and wait to see what happens in April.

 

[Baszie]

Imagine using the word ‘awful’ after Sammy his performance tonight.

Both top lines (F and D) continued their struggle.

 

[max21]

Missed the whole game was golfing in Guam shot a cool 93

 

[lotty83]

Missed the game tonight but shit… happy to get a win.

 

[AZ Caps Fan]

Backy's strides look labored.

 

[Devil Dancer]

Imagine using the word ‘awful’ after Sammy his performance tonight.

Both top lines (F and D) continued their struggle.

Sammy definitely struggled. The Preds beat him several times, but he got bailed out by the post repeatedly.

Fun game to watch. Nice to see CMM get a few good chances, but it's a shame he couldn't finish.

And hey, any game where #8 gets 2 gives me the warm and fuzzies.

 

[TheLegendOfPatPeake]

Not a bad game by Sammy but I fully expect him to throw a stinker soon.

 

[Holtbyisms]

Backy's strides look labored.

Man I hope it comes back a little...he's never been that fast but he looks like the slowest guy in the game night in night out right now.

 

[mad4comp]

Imagine using the word ‘awful’ after Sammy his performance tonight.

Both top lines (F and D) continued their struggle.

Imagine watching sammy get beat multiple times, end up out of the net every other rush only to get bailed out by the post and thinking his performance was anything but `awful`

I saw a puck hit the right goal post once, the left goal post twice.. and hit ovechkin square on the back (on a wide open net). (i'm sure there were more).

if not for the goalpost, we'd have lost 5-3 or 5-4. We still need a goaltender and our faster players back in the top 6.

 

[shtorm2005]

Sammy's good against teams that have shoot-first mentality. Any team with players capable to deke or have some patience can easily put him far from position.

 

[tycoonheart]

Sammy was definitely a little lucky last night.

I think the team played much better last night. Relative to how they have been playing of course. I saw some glimpses of how they played early in the season. They're no where near where they need to he but let's see if they can build from this.

Also the Kuzy line is so out of sync.

 

[StrikingDistance]

Looked like Swimmin Sammy was a drunken fish trying to get back into the sea, but the waves kept pushing him closer to the beach bar. Does not instill any confidence on future Ws.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Looked like Swimmin Sammy was a drunken fish trying to get back into the sea, but the waves kept pushing him closer to the beach bar. Does not instill any confidence on future Ws.

Drunken Goaltender style....(trademark pending)....

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I actually thought he looked much more in control last night but whatever, if any, work that Murray is doing with him on recovery / 2nd chance drills isn’t working. He’s way too big and athletic to be flailing around aimlessly. If he could harness that athleticism into productive movement he’d be a totally different goaltender, and the thing about it is those types of things are relatively easy fixes for competent goaltending coaches.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Ovi goals just hit differently. Not going to lie, I get exponentially more excited about a Caps goal when the 8 car puts it in.

 

[usiel]

Nice to Sammy with a good performance. Caps were due some puck luck with those posts. Still think there is some too aggressive D pinching in the O zone and bad forechecking decisions that allow the other team to really build up speed through the neutral zone when it would be better to try and force a turn over in the neutral zone rather than see forecheckers easily passed around coming out of the zone.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Nice to Sammy with a good performance. Caps were due some puck luck with those posts. Still think there is some too aggressive D pinching in the O zone and bad forechecking decisions that allow the other team to really build up speed through the neutral zone when it would be better to try and force a turn over in the neutral zone rather than see forecheckers easily passed around coming out of the zone.

Yep. They are getting caught out waaaay too often.

 

[Empty Goal Net]

The pinching d wouldn't seem so out-of-place if doing so wasn't so risky, but why is it risky? The Cap's success in converting those pinches into scoring opportunities (even if unsuccessful) seems low vs. how often the opposition gets its own scoring opportunity through an odd-man break. I'm not sure how much it's pinching in the 'wrong' situations, or forwards not cycling into an open slot when a pinch happens, or forwards not covering for the pinching d. Other teams seem to have cycling patterns that put players in locations that offer prime shooting opportunities. For the Caps, not so much. It's not just the pinch that's a problem, it's what the other guys on the ice do when a d is pinching.

 

[Fred22406Capsfan]

Ovi goals just hit differently. Not going to lie, I get exponentially more excited about a Caps goal when the 8 car puts it in.

Thanks for sharing this!