Post-Game Talk: Caps vs. Rangers (730PM @ MSG) pt2

[KevinM]

Can you enlighten me on the reasons for optimism? We're going to throw more money at 90 and 70 for the same level of performance they've been giving us, 52 is going to be gone so the third pairing is going to take a dip in skill (although I'm glad he'll be gone) We'll probably lose one of Ward of Fehr (probably Ward so we retain center depth), Beags may price himself out of town, Brouwer and Laich are still going to be useless and 8 million against the cap, Peters is going to be a black hole of depression again.

I'm excited to see 92 and 65 take steps forward but the team overall may be a bit worse next season before it gets better.

 

[The Consiglieri]

It's just hard to take as a fan. Refs, Rangers are good, 2 of the last 3 on the road, games were close, Backstrom may have been hurt, whatever. 3-1 ahead.

It's mathematically pretty near impossible to lose this many 3-1 and 2-0 leads in series. One of these days, I'm going to look at all the 3-1 and 2-0 leads Caps have had, treat each game like a coin flip just for simplicity, and I'll work out exactly how improbable. And when I do, I'll let y'all know.

Reason for optimism for next year, great. Right now it feels pretty rotten. And this isn't just like being a fan of a team that never wins the championship. We got that too for sure but it's only been 40 years so we don't have as much of that as some. It's the series leads. It already was a thing. It's now a gigantic thing. Definitely can't say it's just the older incarnations now. The infection remains. I want to send my team to a psychologist or something.

I can't think of another team in major team sports that has lost this many 3-1 and 2-0 leads, both on a percentage basis and on an absolute basis, as your Washington Capitals. I don't think there is one. I hope someone comes here and tells me I'm wrong--that'd make it feel a little better. But what I think is that probably there's no team that's even close.

I believe the # is now at 10. I made a post about it on monday or tuesday, counting down every one of them from the two against the islanders in the eighties, to the three against the penguins in the nineties, to the neopolitan collection we made against a variety of teams since Ovy arrived (Penguins, Rangers, Habs).

It would be unbelievable except for the fact that it's real, and that it transcends four different generations of Caps teams.

 

[BobRouse]

Can you enlighten me on the reasons for optimism? We're going to throw more money at 90 and 70 for the same level of performance they've been giving us, 52 is going to be gone so the third pairing is going to take a dip in skill (although I'm glad he'll be gone) We'll probably lose one of Ward of Fehr (probably Ward so we retain center depth), Beags may price himself out of town, Brouwer and Laich are still going to be useless and 8 million against the cap, Peters is going to be a black hole of depression again.

I'm excited to see 92 and 65 take steps forward but the team overall may be a bit worse next season before it gets better.

Wilson, Alzner, Carlson and Holtby will also all get better. We forget how young some of these guys are. Alot of guys are in their prime still.

Vrana, Bowey, healthy Orlov and improving Schmidt. Steps by Latta and maybe Barber will make the cut too.

I think BMac will make moves to improve the team thru trades and UFA too.


I would like us to keep Beagle and Ward as they have always been playoff warriors and we need more of that. I think we will find a way.

I also think one of Brouwer or Laich will be moved.

 

[mrwarden]

Have to do anything you can to move Laich. He offered nothing at all. Pray for expansion?

 

[tycoonheart]

Reasons for excitement: Kuz, Bura

And possibly Vrana.

 

[BobRouse]

No, they won't. They don't have anyone in the building who knows what it takes to win a Cup, and they don't have anyone on the roster who is enough of a player to will the team to victory in a game 7 like this, let alone a game 5 that they had all wrapped up.

They won't win a Cup with this ownership, this GM, this coach and this roster. Period! I'm not sure Braden Holtby is even clutch enough to win a Cup.

Henrik Lundvquist: 6-0 when facing elimination vs the Caps.
Braden Holtby: 0-6 with a chance to clinch vs the Rangers.

Let that sink in for a bit.

One thing you forget...

The Rangers are ALL IN the last few years. They have shipped out good prospects and 4 straight 1st round picks. They are going to be in serious salary cap situation as well.

The Caps still have their 1sts, are overall younger and still have quality prospects.

Lundqvist is in his prime and maybe the shadow of it.

Holtby hasn't even reached his full potential yet.

I wouldn't be so quick to brush this team off.

 

[amjay13]

Reasons for excitement: Kuz, Bura

And possibly Vrana.

Also Holtby. He took the next step into the elite goaltender category.

 

[BobRouse]

Have to do anything you can to move Laich. He offered nothing at all. Pray for expansion?

I think one of Laich or Brouwer would be fine. Brouwer would be easier to move and would get something back.

I thought Laich was pretty good given his role. He's overpaid at this point but it will be hard to move both guys.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I wonder if Gabby woke up this morning thinking, "yep I'm in the 3rd round, wasn't me, it was the players on the Caps roster".

 

[strungout]

I wonder if Gabby woke up this morning thinking, "yep I'm in the 3rd round, wasn't me, it was the players on the Caps roster".

Pretty sure he knew that the day he was fired.

 

[amjay13]

I wonder if Gabby woke up this morning thinking, "yep I'm in the 3rd round, wasn't me, it was the players on the Caps roster".

I hope not, the Caps would be in the 3rd round without a doubt had they played Winnipeg and Calgary.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I hope not, the Caps would be in the 3rd round without a doubt had they played Winnipeg and Calgary.

Probably would have just thrown up all over themselves in more dramatic fashion.

 

[Capitals40]

What upsets me about last night is the Rangers didn't play very well...gave us the game on a silver platter and we couldn't take advantage...came down to our inability to create offense as usual. I think the fact we got away from our physical game during the series did us in. If we played that way last night I believe the game would have been ours...yes we were physical at times but not as a team on the fore check and in controlling our zone.

 

[Calicaps]

I hate everything today and probably for a few days yet.

That is all.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

What upsets me about last night is the Rangers didn't play very well...gave us the game on a silver platter and we couldn't take advantage...came down to our inability to create offense as usual. I think the fact we got away from our physical game during the series did us in. If we played that way last night I believe the game would have been ours...yes we were physical at times but not as a team on the fore check and in controlling our zone.

The top players not producing in their bread and butter area (The PP) killed us.

 

[smd333]

Please tell me Backstrom is playing injured.

 

[TheReal13Linseman]

Bruins fan here, coming in peace.

My condolences. I thought the Caps were the better team, certainly last night, especially in the first 10 minutes of OT.

And, even if Green made a dumb play on the cross check, to call three minors in a row...just insane in a Game 7.

The one thing I will fault Trotz for, and I don't know if OV can be coached by anyone in this regard, was his not designing the PP better last night. There were a few times that we saw OV literally standing, (i.e., not moving) at the left point, without a Ranger within spitting distance, while the other 4 Caps were cycling down low. On what planet do you not have OV down in the slot or in front of the net battling. That really puzzled me.

Oh, and bonehead play by Alzner to allow the backdoor in that crucial situation by putting a body on the Ranger in the circle...

I think the Rangers road ends in TB, but thought you guys should have won the series.

 

[richter4ever]

Ranger fan here. It really kills me that you guys are so down on your team. "nothing in 30 years!!" and stuff like that. I've been a fan since the early 60's. I remember cringing every time i heard "1940". or how about 1 cup in 75 years! When the 90's came around and they got Messier there was finally some optimism. It seems to me that the Caps should also feel this optimism now. You have a goalie that grew by leaps and bounds this year. You have the best all around player, bar none, in the world!! (sorry cindy crosby) one things for sure, they'll never call him Alice Ovechkin. And a hellava coach. Like Messier once told the fans "be patient". With the stud you have for a goaltender it's only a matter of time. Most likely sooner than later.

 

[Blades of Steel]

Ranger fan here. It really kills me that you guys are so down on your team. "nothing in 30 years!!" and stuff like that. I've been a fan since the early 60's. I remember cringing every time i heard "1940". or how about 1 cup in 75 years! When the 90's came around and they got Messier there was finally some optimism. It seems to me that the Caps should also feel this optimism now. You have a goalie that grew by leaps and bounds this year. You have the best all around player, bar none, in the world!! (sorry cindy crosby) one things for sure, they'll never call him Alice Ovechkin. And a hellava coach. Like Messier once told the fans "be patient". With the stud you have for a goaltender it's only a matter of time. Most likely sooner than later.

40 years, now going to 41. Also, it's not so much of how many years, it's how they let the fans down EVERY year, the same god damn story. That's what hurts. We hold the record now for choke artists, that's exactly what it is that hurts. No one knows that pain but Caps fans.

however, we pushed the best team in the league arguably to the max. I'm proud of this team and the turn around they had after Adam ****ing Oates.

 

[SlappaDaBass]

I can't give this team anymore of my money, time, and support after their continuous choke jobs. You really have to be a masochist in order to enjoy watching this team year in and year out. This is probably the last time I'll ever get my hopes up for any DC sports team again. Now I'll just follow online/in the background while I do something else and just expect the worst.

 

[Stewie G]

I don't think people here want sympathy from Rangers fans right now, no matter how well-intentioned. People are allowed to have opinions and don't need fans of the team that just eliminated their team telling them how to feel.

 

[Blades of Steel]

I can't give this team anymore of my money, time, and support after their continuous choke jobs. You really have to be a masochist in order to enjoy watching this team year in and year out. This is probably the last time I'll ever get my hopes up for any DC sports team again. Now I'll just follow online/in the background while I do something else and just expect the worst.

Na, after you cool off and the offseason excitement happens (roster changes, they're coming) you'll be right back with the rest of us. It's a sport. Like I said before, when we finally do win (and we will) it will be sweeter than any other team winning as a Caps fan.

 

[Brian23]

I think this loss was different then years past. They didn't lose this game in the first period, they didn't just roll over and die. This year they went toe to toe with the best in the East and forced into into sudden death over time. In that OT, they dominated, and they still lost.

They just gave way to much hope for too long. This one's gonna sting for awhile.

 

[Brian23]

The top players not producing in their bread and butter area (The PP) killed us.

The PP went from being a "we can kill you with anyone" to "pass the ball to tucker" reaaaaaallly fast. Every team we faced basically made us play 4 on 2 when they had 2 guys shadowing Ovi and none of our 4 could do anything. Backstrom wouldn't shoot, Carlson doesn't have the shot, and Brouwer is garbage. Mojo, or whoever's down low, could have done some but they're shooting opportunities are limited.

Had even one of those 3 aforementioned done something it would have opened our PP right up. We should have had Green and Kuzya on PP1 all playoffs, at least then you've got two more creative trigger men.

 

[um]

I hope not, the Caps would be in the 3rd round without a doubt had they played Winnipeg and Calgary.

we had a similar opportunity in 2010 playing Montreal and Philadelphia.