Post-Game Talk: Caps vs Tampa Bay Bucs News at 7

[twabby]

Why do you keep repeating this? We've gone over it many times.

They were THIRD in the NHL in 5v5 goals last season, FIFTH the year before, THIRD the year before that, etc.

What would satisfy you? Being first overall every year in the regular season? Does moving up one or two spotss guarantee playoff performance?

The "big issue" is choking in the playoffs. Full stop.

The C*pitals play a very opportunistic style of offense. They don’t necessarily force the action much of the time, whether by design or as a result of their skill limitations. Instead, they rely on mistakes made by the opposition instead of breaking down the opposition like a team like Tampa Bay does or even less talented teams like Vegas and Carolina.

Washington is good against unstructured teams because there are often plenty of mistakes to take advantage of. But when it comes to playing postseason hockey, where teams tighten up quite a bit, they are often lacking. Aside from the rare Kuznetsov appearance and the consistent Ovechkin appearances, Washington is not a very incisive or assertive offensive team. They are an opportunistic and good shooting team. That’s not enough.

 

[traparatus]

The C*pitals play a very opportunistic style of offense. They don’t necessarily force the action much of the time, whether by design or as a result of their skill limitations. Instead, they rely on mistakes made by the opposition instead of breaking down the opposition like a team like Tampa Bay does or even less talented teams like Vegas and Carolina.

Washington is good against unstructured teams because there are often plenty of mistakes to take advantage of. But when it comes to playing postseason hockey, where teams tighten up quite a bit, they are often lacking. Aside from the rare Kuznetsov appearance and the consistent Ovechkin appearances, Washington is not a very incisive or assertive offensive team. They are an opportunistic and good shooting team. That’s not enough.

The 4th line is quite systemic in their approach. They seem to value keeping possession of the puck in the offensive zone. I thought I saw glimpses of that from Backstrom/Mantha duo last year, too.

In general though, Caps do seem to rely on the other team giving them opportunities and their offense is centered around the rush.

 

[g00n]

The C*pitals play a very opportunistic style of offense. They don’t necessarily force the action much of the time, whether by design or as a result of their skill limitations. Instead, they rely on mistakes made by the opposition instead of breaking down the opposition like a team like Tampa Bay does or even less talented teams like Vegas and Carolina.

Washington is good against unstructured teams because there are often plenty of mistakes to take advantage of. But when it comes to playing postseason hockey, where teams tighten up quite a bit, they are often lacking. Aside from the rare Kuznetsov appearance and the consistent Ovechkin appearances, Washington is not a very incisive or assertive offensive team. They are an opportunistic and good shooting team. That’s not enough.

This seems like a 180* reversal from previous complaints or comments and I don't have time to look it up so not bothering.

For years we heard how the Caps were not a good counterattacking team and they lacked speed and were TOO structured offensively. They needed to take more chances, ice more young players, get more speed, ditch the stay at home d-men in favor of puck movers, etc. Now that they've done that, they're TOO opportunistic and need to be structured?

Ok.

 

[traparatus]

This seems like a 180* reversal from previous complaints or comments and I don't have time to look it up so not bothering.

For years we heard how the Caps were not a good counterattacking team and they lacked speed and were TOO structured offensively. They needed to take more chances, ice more young players, get more speed, ditch the stay at home d-men in favor of puck movers, etc. Now that they've done that, they're TOO opportunistic and need to be structured?

Ok.

I honestly have never heard this said, ever.

I also don't understand what young players or stay-at-home defenseman have to do with playing an effective zone offense.

 

[g00n]

I honestly have never heard this said, ever.

I also don't understand what young players or stay-at-home defenseman have to do with playing an effective zone offense.

Really? All the complaining about plodding old players stuck in dump and chase cycling games, grinding to nowhere while fast counterattacking teams have players like Vrana out the wazoo and we just trade him away? You didn't read any of that?

 

[traparatus]

Really? All the complaining about plodding old players stuck in dump and chase cycling games, grinding to nowhere while fast counterattacking teams have players like Vrana out the wazoo and we just trade him away? You didn't read any of that?

No? I thought Vrana trade was quite positively received and he was a subject of a barrage of complaints about his inability to provide much of any in-zone offense. The latter one I know for a fact, seen as I typed a bunch of them

What's your point, anyway? I think it's critical for a contending team to be able to establish offensive zone possession and generate scoring chances against a fully prepared and well setup defense. You don't agree?

 

[g00n]

No? I thought Vrana trade was quite positively received and he was a subject of a barrage of complaints about his inability to provide much of any in-zone offense. The latter one I know for a fact, seen as I typed a bunch of them

What's your point, anyway? I think it's critical for a contending team to be able to establish offensive zone possession and generate scoring chances against a fully prepared and well setup defense. You don't agree?

Why don't we wait for a response from the person I was talking to. They should know what my comment was about.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I honestly have never heard this said, ever.

I also don't understand what young players or stay-at-home defenseman have to do with playing an effective zone offense.

Lack of team speed (and how they struggle against faster teams) has been a recurring criticism forever around here…

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Fun game to be at last night. In person you really appreciate how fast Tampa is exiting the zone and through the neutral zone. Caps played well too though, and seeing Ovi score in person is always a treat.

 

[txpd]

So...what's up? I just returned from a nice family weekend seeing the fall colors in the mountains of NC. The Caps have played 2. They owned the up and coming Rangers who were supposed to replace them in the playoffs and play a tie v the champs. They gave up a total of 2 regulation goals against and only 1 5 on 5. The pp scored 3 goals in the first game. The goaltending was quality. The rookies seemed good. Particularly Fehervary.

This is good. No?

 

[D4ngleSZN]

So is Vanacek getting the majority of the starts?

 

[txpd]

So is Vanacek getting the majority of the starts?

Who knows. If you have him on your fantasy team, you have to guess. We can't tell you

 

[D4ngleSZN]

Who knows. If you have him on your fantasy team, you have to guess. We can't tell you

He's on the waiver wire and I'm contemplating picking him and either dropping or trading Hart - Hart is just a huge disappointment, really thought he'd be better though I know it's only 1 game.

 

[D4ngleSZN]

Hart would also get guaranteed starts unlike Vanecek if Samsonov is going to split pretty evenly.
How was Samsonov in preseason?

 

[twabby]

This seems like a 180* reversal from previous complaints or comments and I don't have time to look it up so not bothering.

For years we heard how the Caps were not a good counterattacking team and they lacked speed and were TOO structured offensively. They needed to take more chances, ice more young players, get more speed, ditch the stay at home d-men in favor of puck movers, etc. Now that they've done that, they're TOO opportunistic and need to be structured?

Ok.

It’s never bad to take advantage of mistakes, but if that’s the main way to generate offense with no effective alternative, it’s going to be ineffective against teams that can manage the puck effectively. Teams such as the Bruins and Islanders.

It’s less about being structured offensively and more about being able to have consistently threatening possessions and make defenses uncomfortable. As previously mentioned Kuznetsov when he’s on is probably the best at breaking down defenses and creating chances, and Ovechkin is assertive and physically talented enough where he can make a big impact much of the time. But players like Wilson, Backstrom (especially recently dealing with his hip injury), Mantha, Carlson, Sheary, and even Eller and Sprong just don’t threaten enough.

 

[g00n]

LOL ok

 

[txpd]

Hart would also get guaranteed starts unlike Vanecek if Samsonov is going to split pretty evenly.
How was Samsonov in preseason?

Its really a game to game situation. Samsonov is supposed to be Vasi level. Vanecek is supposed to be a back up. Vanecek runs with his opportunities and Sammy struggles. Samsonov could start the next game and then get the next 5 straight. Its a risk.

 

[TheLegendOfPatPeake]

So...what's up? I just returned from a nice family weekend seeing the fall colors in the mountains of NC. The Caps have played 2. They owned the up and coming Rangers who were supposed to replace them in the playoffs and play a tie v the champs. They gave up a total of 2 regulation goals against and only 1 5 on 5. The pp scored 3 goals in the first game. The goaltending was quality. The rookies seemed good. Particularly Fehervary.

This is good. No?

I’d say VERY good.

 

[txpd]

I’d say VERY good.

Thought so too. Yet John Carlson who has outscored every defenseman in the league by 30pts over the last 3 years isn't an offensive threat? I can hear the Twight Zone theme

 

[maacoshark]

Backstrom is their best overall forward, so yeah he’s quite important and they miss him. But I also don’t think the current setup with what they have is ideal. The 1st and 4th lines have been pretty good IMO but going with:

Mantha-CMM-Oshie
Sheary-Eller-Sprong

Would be much more effective based on past results (Sheary/Eller and Oshie/Mantha). You would also hope that CMM is more ready than Lapierre and this wouldn’t limit one of your best forwards minutes (Oshie) like what is currently happening.

Why do you think McMichael in the lineup would be more effective?
Management and the coaching staff obviously think Lapierre is more ready than McMichael.
From what I have seen I don't think either are ready to be full time NHLes.
I don't think it would hurt to put McMichael in the lineup.

 

[twabby]

Thought so too. Yet John Carlson who has outscored every defenseman in the league by 30pts over the last 3 years isn't an offensive threat? I can hear the Twight Zone theme

Yet over the past 3 years he’s near the bottom of 5v5 postseason scoring amongst defensemen, and since 2014-15 his 5v5 point production drops from 1.4 points/60 in the regular season to 0.7 points/60 in the postseason.

Aside from the recently departed Jakub Vrana, no C*pital has seen their 5v5 point production drop more from regular season to postseason than John Carlson on a per 60 basis.

And indeed Vrana is one of the most prolific scorers in the NHL at 5v5, yet most here (correctly IMO) assessed that his style of play did not translate well to the postseason. So why can’t that same criticism be levied to Carlson, or other high-scoring regular season C*pitals for that matter?

 

[HTFN]

Yet over the past 3 years he’s near the bottom of 5v5 postseason scoring amongst defensemen, and since 2014-15 his 5v5 point production drops from 1.4 points/60 in the regular season to 0.7 points/60 in the postseason.

Aside from the recently departed Jakub Vrana, no C*pital has seen their 5v5 point production drop more from regular season to postseason than John Carlson on a per 60 basis.

And indeed Vrana is one of the most prolific scorers in the NHL at 5v5, yet most here (correctly IMO) assessed that his style of play did not translate well to the postseason. So why can’t that same criticism be levied to Carlson, or other high-scoring regular season C*pitals for that matter?

Because you stack the deck, and it’s tiresome. A lot of us are simply saying variations of “this is still pretty damn good all things considered, and a bird in the hand…”

but it doesn’t get to be all things considered. It HAS to be, like… 95th percentile (even strength of course) regardless of injuries or coaching or teammates or playoff sample sizes or bust and then the other one comes in serving word salad generally reserved for politics when the terms aren’t met. Nothing is ever “pretty good but room for improvement” either, they’re either all the way f***ed or they aren’t but it always seems to be one of the two

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Going back to the second "goal" that Ovechkin scored. You would think that in this day and age, the NHL would have the technology in place to determine if a puck completely crossed the goal line or not rather then rely on replay and the referees viewing videos. Some sought of sensors or cameras beneath the ice, please. If Vasilevsky just placed his catching glove on top of the puck and does nothing else and he then lifts his glove and the puck is where it was stopped it's one thing but when a goalie/Vasilevsky places his glove over the puck and then pulls it back (which is a natural thing to do for goalies) that skews whether the puck actually crossed the goal line or not.

My angst is not so much about it costing us the win, but rather Ovechkin losing out on a goal!

 

[txpd]

Going back to the second "goal" that Ovechkin scored. You would think that in this day and age, the NHL would have the technology in place to determine if a puck completely crossed the goal line or not rather then rely on replay and the referees viewing videos. Some sought of sensors or cameras beneath the ice, please. If Vasilevsky just placed his catching glove on top of the puck and does nothing else and he then lifts his glove and the puck is where it was stopped it's one thing but when a goalie/Vasilevsky places his glove over the puck and then pulls it back (which is a natural thing to do for goalies) that skews whether the puck actually crossed the goal line or not.

My angst is not so much about it costing us the win, but rather Ovechkin losing out on a goal!

The tech very likely exists but the cost is all out of proportion to the usage.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

The tech very likely exists but the cost is all out of proportion to the usage.

MLB playoffs, just saw last night where they have mini cameras installed in the bases showing the players sliding into the base etc.. At the very least, similar cameras could be installed in to the base of the goal posts with a view right above the ice and across the goal line.