GDT: Game 1: Caps vs. Blue Jackets

[marcel snapshot]

We didn't lose because of the refs, we lost because we don't know how to put our boot on the opponents' neck when we get them down. Team eases off every time, they're waiting for it to be easy. That said, the f***ing NHL ref game management shit is just infuriating. We get 2 completely appropriate calls early, and so the NHL game management manual says a phantom call on the beneficiary team is compulsory - and hence the ridiculous call on Oshie. The Wilson call looked playoff hockey to me, but since Anderson broke Kempny's face, Wilson had to be called for that. And then Jones blows an edge and Bura gets called. Whatever, we've got to be tougher mentally than we showed last night, but of course we're not. Wash, rinse, repeat.

And, yeah, Ovie is going to get a finger pointed at him. As good as he was this year, as much as he lead the team - he was crap last night. It's the playoffs - stars gotta star. Pannarin did; Crosby did; Laine did blah blah. We can't have our leader being slow to the right spots on the ice, being weak as hell on the puck and on the boards, and continually mishandling the biscuit. Somebody needs to hypnotize him or something, because he cannot become the brooding sluggish guy not really leading the team in the playoffs thing - because we have no chance there.

Trotz better not react to this game by putting a leash on Orlov. Mistakes and all, he was our most dangerous player. Breaking pucks out on his own, quickening the tempo of his mates, all over the frickin ice - if everybody played as hard and as up-tempo as he does, even with the occasional bit of dumb, we'd win.

Grubby has got to have that Pannarin shot. It was a f***ing muffin over his shoulder. He looked way deep in the net to me, like he'd already gone to hug the short-side post once Pannarin got below the top of the circle. I'd have no hesitation about playing Holtby next game.

 

[Raikkonen]

Too much panic. I'd like to see the same lineup next game and wait for results. Next game is critical. If it's won - ok, no need to buy Worlds tickets yet.

 

[dylanmacarthur]

Lol @ the Caps.

I hate this team. Why do DC fans not boo their teams? We should boo the Caps and heckle them constantly. They're garbage. Just hot garbage and I hate them.

(Go Caps).

 

[Capsman]

You think turning the puck is what wins you games?

When exactly did he turn the puck? Maybe once that I can recall. I thought his puck management was excellent, and May seemed to agree.

 

[Langway]

At least part of the reason why they lacked killer instinct in this one is that they don't actually have a functional second power play unit. It's arguably the single biggest difference between this season and last (when you at least had 92 there and then 74 after ShattDeuces arrived). So even within what should be one of their bigger advantages in special teams there's a soft underbelly that hasn't been addressed and allowed to lapse because they've been able to get away it. Vrana probably should be in the mix on that unit and here again he's underutilized offensively and not close to everything being gotten out of him.

There are cultural issues that pre-date Trotz that will very likely persist once he moves on unless ownership & MacLellan can pull off a miracle (and ownership at least seems fundamentally unwilling to think in those terms). But Trotz also has never come close to creating distinct advantages or dictating the terms in any series. The players play but he also seems unable to help them simplify their game beyond making it a series of battles (which is arguably less than Hunter even did while half trying). There has always needed to be more specificity in their focus to the point where they realize what's their bread & butter. This team has no bread & butter and it's essentially why also don't have much of identity (in a way plainly seems intentional, as though that's somehow admirable).

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Let's not blame Wilson too much for those plays. That hit wasn't that bad, it was mostly hard and to the shoulder of a guy who wasn't ready. And the clear was a decent bank off the boards that required an excellent catcher-like body stop to stay in the zone. Great play by the cbus defender.

The fact is the TEAM was reeling in that period and they were not mentally ready for the push by Cbus. They folded under the pressure. The coach and the veteran players need to prepare the entire squad for these situations. When the other side loses a heart and soul guy to an ejection and goes down by 2 goals you have to know they are going to buck up and rally the rest of the game. You don't make the playoffs if you don't have some of that in you, especially if your reputation is for work ethic and tenacity like the Jackets.

The same thing happened last season in the first round when they were not ready for the Leafs, and as a result they went to OT 5 out of 6 games, including losses in games 2 and 3 after barely getting out of game 1.

The playoffs are a marathon that tests the grit and resolve of every player on the roster, and that requires the team leaders to motivate and adapt while leading by example. The coach and the "core" need to be better, consistently, or it will be more of the same this year.

I thought we handled CBJ's rally quite well. They scored two PPGs to tie the game. If we had stayed disciplined, game ends 3-1 and everyone is happy. We're supposed to be the better team when it comes to special units, but they won the special units battle yesterday.

I expect a different outcome next time.

I re-watched yesterday's game, and Ovi's lack of effort is obvious. He needs to wake up right now.

 

[Empty Goal Net]

///The same thing happened last season in the first round when they were not ready for the Leafs, and as a result they went to OT 5 out of 6 games, including losses in games 2 and 3 after barely getting out of game 1.

The playoffs are a marathon that tests the grit and resolve of every player on the roster, and that requires the team leaders to motivate and adapt while leading by example. The coach and the "core" need to be better, consistently, or it will be more of the same this year.

Not being ready for their R1 opponent also has potential implications for future rounds.

We all recognize ridiculousness of the NHL playoff scheduling, exhibit A being that the Pens/Flyers G3 takes place before the Caps/CBJ G2. All the more reason why the Caps need to do whatever necessary to close out this series asap. IF they get out of R1, then they're likely to face a rested Pens team. That has been part of the problem the last two playoffs:

2016 v Flyers G6 on April 24 (Pens won their series in G5 on April 23); R2 v Pens began April 28
2017 v Leafs G6 on April 23 (Pens won their series in G5 on April 20); R2 v Pens began April 27

In both instances, Pens had played fewer games (only 1, but playoff games are intense) and had more days off before beginning R2 play. Again, with the intensity of playoff games and series, playing fewer games and having more days off has value.

 

[g00n]

I thought we handled CBJ's rally quite well. They scored two PPGs to tie the game. If we had stayed disciplined, game ends 3-1 and everyone is happy. We're supposed to be the better team when it comes to special units, but they won the special units battle yesterday.

I expect a different outcome next time.

I re-watched yesterday's game, and Ovi's lack of effort is obvious. He needs to wake up right now.

To my eyes they folded when Cbus turned up the forecheck and neutral zone pressure. Then the transition the other way they could not match the intensity. The actual goals coming on the PP is secondary, imo. Those often result when one team has the other on their heels. But being ready to PK at a critical time is part of that same preparation. The Jackets felt the momentum and so did the Caps. One capitalized, the other didn't.

 

[ovikovy817]

Too much panic. I'd like to see the same lineup next game and wait for results. Next game is critical. If it's won - ok, no need to buy Worlds tickets yet.

Before the game, I wanted this lineup. DSP out, Connolly 3rd line and Beagle in.

Now, after the game, 1 for game 2, I'll be okay with only 83 in instead of Connolly, because we need Beagle.

We were 45% on the dot, it's not that bad, but we lost a lot of important ones. On PK and D-zone, especially PK hurts.
Because their PP, it was the only possibilites for CBJ to dominate the Caps in their O-zone. Can't remember 1 shift where they were all over us 5 on 5 when I thought, it will end by a goal.

 

[DDRhockey]

Djoos scratched?

 

[Capsman]

I really like this post and your previous one.

The Caps don't necessarily "turtle" they do what basically every team in the history of sports does when leading in a game, they try to protect what they have.

And I always think to myself when I want to be hyper critical, "there is actually another team playing in this game".

Burka's penalty was dumb and it took away from him playing a great game but other than mistakes here and there, caused by the OTHER TEAM, I thought the Caps played well.

So when Boston had a 3-1 lead going into the 3rd and put 15 shots on Toronto, was that protecting a lead? Tampa had a 3-1 lead on NJ going into the 3rd and put 12 shots on them. It's not human nature, it's Trotz' nature.

 

[twabby]

 

[ovikovy817]

So when Boston had a 3-1 lead going into the 3rd and put 15 shots on Toronto, was that protecting a lead? Tampa had a 3-1 lead on NJ going into the 3rd and put 12 shots on them. It's not human nature, it's Trotz' nature.

Toronto had
2 minors and 1 major against them in the 3rd

So yeah, playing 9 minutes out of 20 on PP, you'll have naturally more shots than the other team


New Jersey in the 2nd outshoot TB 15-7 (they were trailing by 3 and then 2)

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

To my eyes they folded when Cbus turned up the forecheck and neutral zone pressure. Then the transition the other way they could not match the intensity. The actual goals coming on the PP is secondary, imo. Those often result when one team has the other on their heels. But being ready to PK at a critical time is part of that same preparation. The Jackets felt the momentum and so did the Caps. One capitalized, the other didn't.

I don't know about that, it was fairly even to me. No team was in control of the game in the 3rd. I didn't see the so called turtle.

 

[ovikovy817]

7-7
6-6
7-6
0-1

So .500 with the Caps.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

LOL is anyone here actually blaming the refs? We had a 5 min PP and several soft PP's.

CBJ had one PP for a phantom call, all others were legit.


We lost because our staff has zero ideas on why we were successful


Kuznetsov goal? Speed
DSP goal? Result of Vrana's speed
OT goal? The result of our defense getting burned by speed.

We tried to play heavy, they are better, we will lose if we do that. Orpik got battered like a chicken dinner in the crease on one of those goals, he got worked over on what is supposedly his actual strength. The times we looked most dangerous was when we were feeding the outlets to our fast players. We gave Vrana sub 6 minutes of ice time and he essentially gifted DSP a goal with his speed. Bura looked great because his speed is what CBJ can't match. Gersich needs to play Game 2, Chiasson or Connolly should sit.

I said it at the beginning, if we embrace our speed we win this in 5, we try to play this heavy game we lose in 7. Even May noted how effective the speed game was at the beginning of last night.

 

[trick9]

Most people here wanted Grubauer in net too. I was strongly opposed to the decision. I wouldnt say Grubauer was terrible but he wasn't good either. He didn't face a lot of high danger shots. Didnt face many shots at all. Only 27 in an OT game. Guess that's why his sv percentage is so low. 16th out of the 17 goalies that played. At least he was better than Elliot.

It was a hard choice. You either play the backup that is hot or the elite goalie that is cold. They went with the hot hand and he proved out to be what backups usually are. They grab the easy saves but they rarely bail their team out. Half of the Jackets chances ended up in the back of the net.

 

[HunterSThompson]

I didn't think it was that bad of a game honestly. Thought OV was a bit invisible. Losing Kempny hurt the D, pushing Orpik into a higher role. Terrible penalties in the third.

Wilson is looking at extra discipline after his hit. Burakovsky's trip was a terrible decision on his part. Like demotion/scratch style terrible.

I mean without the terrible penalties in the third, the Caps cruise to this one.

I could see Barry going to Holtby despite none of the goals being too bad. 4 goals against is 4 goals against. On the Panarin goal, if Gruby comes out any further he opens himself up for cross ice passes and wrap arounds. Don't know if he had the right angle, but his depth there was probably about right.

 

[bur and 666 others]

I'm the biggest Ovie supporter and fan. Heck, I even became the caps fan because of him, but how he played yesterday is inexcusable. I saw just the last 6 mins and overtime. When he casually skated to the bench, I screamed. I thought I would be relaxed and enjoy the hockey, but that play of him made my blood boil! How can you be like that in the f***ing playoffs??? Columbus, the perennial chokers, looked a greedy clutch team in comparison to us lol. That how much Washington Capitals are the choke artists

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Performance in the dot! Can not overlook this. Recall game 7 Caps vs. Rangers in OT and it was I believe Eric Fehr taking the face off in our end and he lost it and the Rangers subsequently scored the GW. Not having Beagle hurt, especially when killing penalties and him taking the face off. Caps use to use Steckel the same way as he was a face off specialist. Regular season we seem to not focus on the importance of face offs but come the playoffs you realize how critical they can be.

 

[troyerlaw]

Because talent isn't an issue for this team, nor ha the acquisition of talent been an issue for this team.

Counter argument is, talent alone is not the question. Winning is the ultimate question. And it involves many factors, including character and mentality of the various players, and the whole team culture, and selection of coaching staff.

GMBM is still relatively new to the top job, but he worked for longtime GMGM before that. He has been a key decision-maker for a long time now, and the team has nothing to show for it. Blame lies with him too, just as it does with Trotz, Ovie, and all the other players and coaches. I am just not sure we needed to rush out and extend GMBM.

Unless team surprises us and goes deep, could be time for a complete regime change, especially with Trotz contract expiring this year.

 

[g00n]

I don't know about that, it was fairly even to me. No team was in control of the game in the 3rd. I didn't see the so called turtle.

I didn't say they turtled, though you may be referencing what others are saying. I said they didn't handle the pressure, both mentally and in transition. They took dumb penalties, made dumb mistakes, and failed to execute some routine plays while the clock ticked down. Cbus was bearing down on them enough to make them pay for it.

 

[um]

Need Ovechkin and Backstrom to show up, besides that I'm not panicking. Unless Kempny is out, that would really suck.

 

[DDRhockey]

Need Ovechkin and Backstrom to show up, besides that I'm not panicking. Unless Kempny is out, that would really suck.

Backstrom 2 points

 

[trick9]

Backstrom 2 points

You are kidding, right?

He passed the puck twice to Kuznetsov in their D zone on the PP. Sure those still count as points but he had very little impact in the game.