Post-Game Talk: Caps vs Jackets 7pm

[AtNightWeFly]

It's less about one particular shift on a goal scored by a defenseman when the goalie was screened by a teammate or two than their production over the past month or so and their general level of play. Johansson has four points in the last eleven games, Kuznetsov three in ten and Williams four in twelve. They do have the puck a lot but it's too often just perimeter stuff. Kuznetsov has to be a difference maker and lately he hasn't been. This was the type of game he should have taken over and he wasn't much of a factor despite playing more than anyone up front 5-on-5.

In my opinion, Kuzy is not the problem on that line at all. Its his wingers who can never finish! Even on those nights where he's flying and stealing the puck from the opposition, as soon as he passes to one of them the play dies. That's why he kept trying to go through the CBJ defensemen against the boards (to no avail) because he feels like he HAS to do everything himself instead of just playing his own game.

Williams is who's starting to concern me. Caps signed him for his playoffs prowess but it didn't show last year. Hoping that's not the case this year.

 

[trick9]

Kuznetsov was terrible in this game.

That being said, on most nights he's the only guy recently to generate anything on that line. His wingers are definitely a big problem there, but in my eyes the same issue is still there for Kuznetsov. When his wingers go cold, he still tries to feed them the empty-netters when he really should use his shot more. If Williams and Johansson go cold, make Kuz shoot the puck more and get the wingers to go around the net more. Both of them are excellent in that area.

 

[Devil Dancer]

In my opinion, Kuzy is not the problem on that line at all. Its his wingers who can never finish! Even on those nights where he's flying and stealing the puck from the opposition, as soon as he passes to one of them the play dies. That's why he kept trying to go through the CBJ defensemen against the boards (to no avail) because he feels like he HAS to do everything himself instead of just playing his own game.

Williams is who's starting to concern me. Caps signed him for his playoffs prowess but it didn't show last year. Hoping that's not the case this year.

Williams was the guy who kept the play alive last night leading up to Orlov's goal. That was a well earned secondary assist.

 

[AtNightWeFly]

Williams was the guy who kept the play alive last night leading up to Orlov's goal. That was a well earned secondary assist.

True and he also had that lucky deflection goal a few days ago. But other than that he's been cold and for too long. Either invincible or noticeable for mostly bad plays. I'm still hoping this is just another cold streak and not that other thing...

 

[Devil Dancer]

True and he also had that lucky deflection goal a few days ago. But other than that he's been cold and for too long. Either invincible or noticeable for mostly bad plays. I'm still hoping this is just another cold streak and not that other thing...

I just don't have any reason to think it's anything other than a cold streak, which happen often to .5ppg players like Williams. After all, it was just a couple of months ago that he was one of the hottest players in the world.

 

[EroCaps]

Williams was the guy who kept the play alive last night leading up to Orlov's goal. That was a well earned secondary assist.

Let's hope he has more in the tank this postseason than he did last, where he was dreadful minus the last game or two.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Kuznetsov and his line were good in the 3rd period. Kept CBJ in their own end quite a bit and set up Orlov for the only goal.

 

[Demandedace]

Let's hope he has more in the tank this postseason than he did last, where he was dreadful minus the last game or two.

Amen. Williams wasn't just a non factor last playoffs, he was a massive negative for us.