ECSF: (1) Washington Capitals vs. (2) Pittsburgh Penguins | Capitals Lead Series 3-2

[txpd]

Backstrom buying into protecting their own end is what has them up 3-2.

Backstrom being the Caps defensive matchup center is nothing new. Trotz has said since year one that he should be considered for the Selke

 

[smetana]

No. I accept my team is building back up after sucking. Not jealous at all, especially for a team that tanked several seasons to guarantee #1 picks. Daddy Mario had a sweetheart deal to get his lost money back from the bankrupt pens. Why do you think he threatened to leave? He tried to force the league to give him everything. Now all the salt in the world wouldn't get me to change my mind on that.

Wouldn't expect you to change your mind. Carry on!

 

[smetana]

Backstrom being the Caps defensive matchup center is nothing new. Trotz has said since year one that he should be considered for the Selke

Yep, I've always thought Backstrom was very under-rated defensively. Very strong two-way guy.

Also seems to me that centers who put up elite point totals tend to have their defensive skill overlooked.

 

[CupsOverCash]

May the next two games go into a deep overtime....

 

[StateOfHexcellence]

Please show your work
Otherwise stop your trolling and hang out with the Jenny McCarthy crowd

Are you f'in serious with that comeback? The education system? Show my work? What kind of reply is that?

 

[StateOfHexcellence]

Wouldn't expect you to change your mind. Carry on!

and likewise wouldn't expect you saps to change your minds either. And that is fine too!!

 

[Beau Knows]

Caps have had much better resolve in these playoff than in year past, but if the Pens can win tonight maybe they can make the Caps nervous again and win game 7. It kind of feels like this is it for the Caps, if they can't overcome their demons here they never will, but if they do they might feel unbeatable going into round 3.

Are you f'in serious with that comeback? The education system? Show my work? What kind of reply is that?

Let's face it, your troll attempts in this thread were pretty weak to begin with. Obviously it's tough to talk trash when your team hasn't won in over 40 years and your rival has gone back 2 back, but even then, it's still weak.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

Are you f'in serious with that comeback? The education system? Show my work? What kind of reply is that?

You've proposed a hypothesis
It's upon you to provide EVIDENCE to support that hypothesis.

-Where are the documents that surely would've surfaced 13 yrs since?
-Where are the rogue and upset NHL officers employees that would've come forward?
-Why are the owners complicit in this supposed rigging?

Those are the questions that those insinuating a collusion of some sort that fail to answer. Well because they cannot. They've got slivers of evidence and it's not even really circumstantial evidence that you'd use to build a case around.

Conspiracy theorists subscribe to this type of nonsense because they are generally insecure about the randomness of world events. It's a coping mechanism to dial down their anxiety or anger.

 

[Steve Durbano]

Oh baby, the caps can taste it

Game 6 is a must watch for sure

Taste what...bile?

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Reading these forums is a good exercise in human behavior. It's a good learning tool if you know what to look for.

 

[Syrinx]

This. Braden ******* Holtby.

Also - the Penguins sure are good at giving up goals early and late in periods, huh?

If the Caps can pot an early one tomorrow, the air will get sucked out of that embarrassingly quiet building and it’ll be smooth sailing to the long awaited series victory over them.

Well now we know what's not going to happen. And with the endorsement, we can expect Holtby to fall apart.

Thanks Scotty.

 

[Syrinx]

Most NHL fan bases despise the Pens and their organized collusion with Uncle Gary. I may speak for others but that is how i feel.

Blame your owner for agreeing to let it happen.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Really hoping we see game 7 in this series. A Crosby Ovechkin series has to go 7 games. Its like mandatory.

 

[HunterSThompson]

Blame your owner for agreeing to let it happen.

This is a common refutation of the idea that the Pens and "Gary" are colluding, but it is a strawman. The circle could be small enough that other owners don't know or have the power to stop it, though it is unlikely that that small of a circle could affect things enough to make that big of a difference.

I'd point to inherent subconscious bias over some planned "uncle gary" conspiracy anyway. Much more of the Occam's Razor if you believe preferential treatment is given in any way.

 

[pucky]

I agree with most of this. But to list Guentzel as a guy that needs to be better is nuts. The guy has 8 points in 5 games this series, 7 of them at even strength.

What did he do last game? Okay, substitute Kessel, Hornqvist and Sheahan (for starters?) for him?!?

 

[DearDiary]

Typical response for someone that may not value forward thinking or historical analysis

Let's see your anaysis then, you've had 13 years. Evidence of collusion between Lemieux and Bettman for rigging the 2005 draft and the payment reciepts from Lemieux to each ref.

 

[CapsDC]

Caps have had much better resolve in these playoff than in year past, but if the Pens can win tonight maybe they can make the Caps nervous again and win game 7. It kind of feels like this is it for the Caps, if they can't overcome their demons here they never will, but if they do they might feel unbeatable going into round 3.

Dunno about that. Everyone thought the door was slammed shut last year for the Caps when they lost because of the salary cap hell they were looking at, and here they are again. Even if they blow it again this year they'll probably be back in the playoffs next year and we'll all be back on board. Hope springs eternal. This core is running out of time though, 2-3 more decent years probably until they fall apart. Especially since they're aging and treading water and the young teams around them are getting better.

 

[HunterSThompson]

Let's see your anaysis then, you've had 13 years. Evidence of collusion between Lemieux and Bettman for rigging the 2005 draft and the payment reciepts from Lemieux to each ref.

Appeal to ignorance

 

[Syrinx]

It's possible, but far from a guarantee. Hell, I think Pittsburgh will still be in better shape than the Flyers 3 years from now.

Giroux will have to remember how to play in the playoffs, they will need to get a real coach and most of their prospects will need to pan out.

Don't forget that they need a goalie who can stop pucks while wearing Orange. They haven't had that since like 1975.

 

[hockeykicker]

Sounds like backstrom will be out tonight

 

[Scotty Pucks]

Well now we know what's not going to happen. And with the endorsement, we can expect Holtby to fall apart.

Thanks Scotty.

I did say “if”. It’s too hard to say what will happen with how close these games between the 2 always are.

But it’s easy to say the most likely chance for the Caps to finally clear this hurdle is to not let the series go 7.

 

[olli]

Sounds like backstrom will be out tonight

Thats a huge loss for Washington.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

Sounds like backstrom will be out tonight

Where are you hearing this? Latest reports were that he was playing

 

[LegendaryNumber5]

Hearing all sorts of speculation. He was not at the morning skate but Trotz and Ovi both said he will play.

 

[hockeykicker]

Where are you hearing this? Latest reports were that he was playing

The morning lines. When someone is taking morning off, the caps put a placeholder like they did with oshie was missing morning skates they used boyd as a placeholder and didnt change lines.

This time they moved eller up to line 2 for practice which is something trotz never does if someone is playing