GDT: Game 1: Caps vs. Blue Jackets

[ovikovy817]

Yes, Ovi had a bad game
But I can't let you say that we lost the game because of him.

And btw, re watch that episode again. And you can see Ovi is skating and not gliding to the bench like everybody does usually. So in his mind he want to change to have a second fresh body with DSP (so Vrana) on the ice against tired CBJ

 

[Langway]

If they can’t get up for the postseason, then it starts at the C and trickles down.

I think they're up...it's just...basically the same version as in the regular season. It ends up being applied fairly ineffectively when the opponent is equally engaged. There should be a call and response sort of thing that goes on mentally based on situational awareness but for this team it's just...bland. Rote. Drone-like with maybe one exception in Kuznetsov since 65/13 have largely been botched at this point. They don't use their speed well enough at all, as seen in the recent odd man figures. Again, their approach probably deserves to be one-and-done. For all of their meticulous attention trying to emulate Pittsburgh via shot quality, they still don't come close to emulating a whole list of areas when it comes to work rate and hockey sense. Or attitude. They're just weak.

And yet if they manage to just shut down Panarin & Jones they may be able to take this series. If. But even if they do I don't see anything suggesting they have anything different to offer Pittsburgh. They have the old puncher's chance in the way of maybe Pittsburgh fumbles it away and that's probably it. Unless the Caps can learn some heavy lessons in a hurry...which history suggests they're probably too dense to gain from.

 

[Bladerunner]

I agree it wasn’t like game 7 omg we’re ****ed bad, but compared to some other barns it is. Nashville was chanting like a European soccer match. Impressive IMO. I’d rather we match that intensity instead of trying to find justification for why we can’t.

I'm sure you know the Habs fans do that too. They certainly used to.

Have thought that something similar to "You'll Never Walk Alone", although suited for an outdoor sport, would be appropriate for the Caps.
Anyway Liverpool FC has that one.

 

[RandyHolt]

If you haven't figured it out, Ovi is injured.

-Brooks Laich 101 theory on why a guy doesn't play to expectations.

That, or he is just pacing himself. I think he has taken his fair share of lumps in the playoffs. He used to be a physical menace and hit like few others. And he's got the top D in his face every damn game his whole career. Dare I think if we try to win 16 more games, we will sure as hell need him healthy for those last 8 wins.

 

[Calicaps]

If you haven't figured it out, Ovi is injured.

-Brooks Laich 101 theory on why a guy doesn't play to expectations.

That, or he is just pacing himself. I think he has taken his fair share of lumps in the playoffs. He used to be a physical menace and hit like few others. And he's got the top D in his face every damn game his whole career. Dare I think if we try to win 16 more games, we will sure as hell need him healthy for those last 8 wins.

Maybe he's not hurt. But IMHO his performance last night wasn't merely lackluster; it was bizarre. I've seen him play poorly plenty of times, but all game I couldn't figure out what was going on with him.

 

[RandyHolt]

3fer Good
Kuzy is f***ing awesome slowly starting to assume the helm
Our speed guys exposed the flat tire on the bus. Even Oshie looked fast.
The stick. Orpik destroying Ian Cole makes losing easier. Always loved the flying twig.

3 bad
No PP2. No Vrana make PP2 duller than f***. DSP scored. Stick him out there for a few. Willy. 0.0
Orlov on that final goal yikes he has to recognize who is facing and close that gap MUCH sooner. You cannot watch Panarin. Clobber his ass at every and any chance. Slash his ass.
When Ovi's only ES offense is shooting it around the boards our chances diminish.

3 meh
Barry's plumbers did fairly well. Chiasson didn't just watch his floater he went after it. He decked a few punks which is more than most even tried. DSP finally scored.
I think Grubby did enough to stave off Holts for now.
Cap1 Arena needs to up their game. Pathetic predictable entertainment beyond boring now. Ovi cannot do it himself anymore. hello Ted?

 

[EroCaps]

They seem more like a team that's just numb to it all rather than one eager to meet their foes again. I don't think they're looking past Columbus so much as just mentally blocked from summoning any urgency required beyond their typical 'on' level.

This is one of several reasons you don't sit on the same failing core for years. The first being it doesn't take that long to tell they don't have "it".

The collective experience of routinely choking for 10 years has to wear you down.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Twabby said it best last night. Caps need to not turtle with a lead and they lost the game by getting lazy and being undisciplined. There is no reason to take two offensive zone penalties with a lead. It's a good thing this is a series and not a one game performance like with the NFL. The lazy stuff is what kills me other than not playing the youth. How on earth can any professional athlete not be pumped and give a full game in the playoffs? Imho, the Caps shouldn't be @#$* talking to any opposing players in the playoffs and stay focused. $*#! talking is for teams that have accomplished something. That was some straight up regular season garbage after the 2nd period. I seriously hope they put one of the young guys in place of Connolly for Sunday's game. We could have a few cups by now if they played like the first yesterday for a full game.

Go Caps!

 

[Calicaps]

 

[RandyHolt]

The hit was not predatory at all. It was a simple collision at center to avoid icing its happened probably a million times in hockey. Cole is just lucky that he spun out of it. A greenhorn D may not be as wise. I like how Eller set him up. and then corral the puck. Its a great play. A guy is laying on the ice. He is useless, even if he had his stick which was 20 meters away. Its a throwback play that is very effective just rarely even tried. Its called automatic odd man. If he got the puck as well cough Langway'd its a quick counter.

At worst you force an icing. It's like a foreign concept. All my players would be suspended if I were a coach.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I was listening to TSN 690 here in Montreal, and they had an interesting point about last night's OT winner by Panarin. They were arguing that the Kempny injury led directly to the Caps losing the game in OT.

Their argument is that the Caps were forced to rotate 5D all night, and on the Panarin OT winner, it's Orlov and Jerabek out there. Everything is fine, except for the fact that Orlov is playing RD instead of LD and Jerabek is playing LD instead of RD. Not a big issue normally, as both guys have played the two points during their career.

However, a left handed D covering the right side of the ice against a right handed winger is the worst possible combination.
If the winger decides to drive wide, you have to bring your stick over to your weak side to defend him, and you have very little leverage.
If the winger comes in with a lot more speed like Panarin did, he can eliminate you with a cut back move.

The correct play from Orlov would've been to be passive, let Panarin do the first move and to stop skating backwards as soon as Panarin is one stick length away. Instead, he commited to the pokecheck, failed, kept skating backwards, thinking he could drive Panarin to the outside and match his speed. Orlov realized too late that he was a step behind.

So many little details that were mishandled led directly to this goal. If Kempny is not injured, Niskanen would've been the one out there with Orlov, and he would've taken Panarin to the corner as expected.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I think they're up...it's just...basically the same version as in the regular season. It ends up being applied fairly ineffectively when the opponent is equally engaged. There should be a call and response sort of thing that goes on mentally based on situational awareness but for this team it's just...bland. Rote. Drone-like with maybe one exception in Kuznetsov since 65/13 have largely been botched at this point. They don't use their speed well enough at all, as seen in the recent odd man figures. Again, their approach probably deserves to be one-and-done. For all of their meticulous attention trying to emulate Pittsburgh via shot quality, they still don't come close to emulating a whole list of areas when it comes to work rate and hockey sense. Or attitude. They're just weak.

And yet if they manage to just shut down Panarin & Jones they may be able to take this series. If. But even if they do I don't see anything suggesting they have anything different to offer Pittsburgh. They have the old puncher's chance in the way of maybe Pittsburgh fumbles it away and that's probably it. Unless the Caps can learn some heavy lessons in a hurry...which history suggests they're probably too dense to gain from.

If they’re up why is their game not elevated like all the other teams I’ve seen in the playoffs? They played well enough to lose from behind. I see a few players only elevating their individual games. That alone was enough to barely lose, but unless others start picking it up this series is a coin flip.

I thought by the 2nd Columbus had pretty much figured their breakouts and neutral zone game plan and the Caps never really adjusted....shocker. It’s like the players are so locked in or dumb or both, they vapor lock. Watching them dump the puck up the boards in the D zone for so obviously telegraphed clear attempts is damned maddening. Columbus seems so much more calm and creative in that aspect. I don’t get it.

 

[Langway]

If they’re up why is their game not elevated like all the other teams I’ve seen in the playoffs? They played well enough to lose from behind. I see a few players only elevating their individual games. That alone was enough to barely lose, but unless others start picking it up this series is a coin flip.

I thought by the 2nd Columbus had pretty much figured their breakouts and neutral zone game plan and the Caps never really adjusted....shocker. It’s loke the players are so locked in or dumb or both, they vapor lock.

For one, they play slow and choppy generally so that it's stickier for them to assert themselves more fluidly or intelligently compared to other teams. Then, of course, players like Backstrom & Oshie don't skate well enough on their own to back defenders off and gain separation. I think the main thing is that their primary offensive DNA hasn't evolved since the primes of 8 and 19 in their heyday...but the league has changed. The pace has changed. They have some veteran savvy in some senses but not enough when it matters. There's still a level of urgency that you never really seen in terms of quick stops and starts, getting back to pucks and keeping their legs churning. It's as much conditioning as mental. They remain a team that scoots by on a regular season approach that does little to position them for playoff hockey.

What have they got offensively? Kuznetsov going solo. Wilson showing up now and then. Ovechkin when he's into it. Burakovsky going solo. Vrana when he plays. Stephenson when he's on. 19/77 are big keys sorely needed from a consistency standpoint. There's little consistency from line to line in terms of pace or anything resembling strong cohesion between linemates. It feeds back into the lack of identity. Even when they were sort of dictating the game earlier on, in part thanks to the penalties, they weren't really doing anything special. It was mainly their off puck urgency giving them possession. Even when they own the puck they still resemble last year's team in terms of their lack of creativity, pace and inability to get interior chances. All of that stuff wouldn't matter so much if they can kill penalties, stay out of the box and be strong defensively. My guess is this series becomes a matter of it being one thing and then another unless they can manage to get their act together.

 

[maacoshark]

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.

Our best faceoff guy after Beagle is Stephenson. Perhaps they should use him on more faceoffs.

 

[maacoshark]

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.

Backstrom was fine. He set up a couple other quality chances. And he plays good defensively.

 

[maacoshark]

I was listening to TSN 690 here in Montreal, and they had an interesting point about last night's OT winner by Panarin. They were arguing that the Kempny injury led directly to the Caps losing the game in OT.

Their argument is that the Caps were forced to rotate 5D all night, and on the Panarin OT winner, it's Orlov and Jerabek out there. Everything is fine, except for the fact that Orlov is playing RD instead of LD and Jerabek is playing LD instead of RD. Not a big issue normally, as both guys have played the two points during their career.

However, a left handed D covering the right side of the ice against a right handed winger is the worst possible combination.
If the winger decides to drive wide, you have to bring your stick over to your weak side to defend him, and you have very little leverage.
If the winger comes in with a lot more speed like Panarin did, he can eliminate you with a cut back move.

The correct play from Orlov would've been to be passive, let Panarin do the first move and to stop skating backwards as soon as Panarin is one stick length away. Instead, he commited to the pokecheck, failed, kept skating backwards, thinking he could drive Panarin to the outside and match his speed. Orlov realized too late that he was a step behind.

So many little details that were mishandled led directly to this goal. If Kempny is not injured, Niskanen would've been the one out there with Orlov, and he would've taken Panarin to the corner as expected.

Niskanen we have got beat like a rented mule.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Niskanen we have got beat like a rented mule.

Nah, he doesn't get deked around easily.

 

[Empty Goal Net]

I was listening to TSN 690 here in Montreal, and they had an interesting point about last night's OT winner by Panarin. They were arguing that the Kempny injury led directly to the Caps losing the game in OT.

Their argument is that the Caps were forced to rotate 5D all night, and on the Panarin OT winner, it's Orlov and Jerabek out there. Everything is fine, except for the fact that Orlov is playing RD instead of LD and Jerabek is playing LD instead of RD. Not a big issue normally, as both guys have played the two points during their career.

However, a left handed D covering the right side of the ice against a right handed winger is the worst possible combination.
If the winger decides to drive wide, you have to bring your stick over to your weak side to defend him, and you have very little leverage.
If the winger comes in with a lot more speed like Panarin did, he can eliminate you with a cut back move.

The correct play from Orlov would've been to be passive, let Panarin do the first move and to stop skating backwards as soon as Panarin is one stick length away. Instead, he commited to the pokecheck, failed, kept skating backwards, thinking he could drive Panarin to the outside and match his speed. Orlov realized too late that he was a step behind.

So many little details that were mishandled led directly to this goal. If Kempny is not injured, Niskanen would've been the one out there with Orlov, and he would've taken Panarin to the corner as expected.

Agree with this analysis. The loss of Kempny in the first meant most of the other 5 d playing more minutes and one of them on the off side. Having a forward to help slow Panarin may also have prevented this chance.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

The hit was not predatory at all. It was a simple collision at center to avoid icing its happened probably a million times in hockey. Cole is just lucky that he spun out of it. A greenhorn D may not be as wise. I like how Eller set him up. and then corral the puck. Its a great play. A guy is laying on the ice. He is useless, even if he had his stick which was 20 meters away. Its a throwback play that is very effective just rarely even tried. Its called automatic odd man. If he got the puck as well cough Langway'd its a quick counter.

At worst you force an icing. It's like a foreign concept. All my players would be suspended if I were a coach.

Straight from Torts' mouth after the game "I asked him if he was ok, and he said yep, it was a good hit coach"....heard the interview.

 

[Capsman]

You know, as I watch Schmidt functioning as a quality top 4 d-man, one who is effective at exactly what we need (exiting the zone), I’m reminded of Trotz’ inability to see what is under his nose. So much so that we unnecessarily blew a first on Shattenkirk.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

You know, as I watch Schmidt functioning as a quality top 4 d-man, one who is effective at exactly what we need (exiting the zone), I’m reminded of Trotz’ inability to see what is under his nose. So much so that we unnecessarily blew a first on Shattenkirk.

If it's really a system issue, he would be neutralized like the rest of the guys are. Other than Orlov making individual rushes occasionally, not exactly some great puck carriers back there.

 

[RandyHolt]

You know, as I watch Schmidt functioning as a quality top 4 d-man, one who is effective at exactly what we need (exiting the zone), I’m reminded of Trotz’ inability to see what is under his nose. So much so that we unnecessarily blew a first on Shattenkirk.

Good stuff. Yep Nate was better than KSK who was a poor man Mike Green at best. He couldn't even make it off our 3rd pair and likely should have been scratched.

I think Barry brings back Beags at less than 100 for faceoffs, but am not convinced its the right move. I want to see speed exploited. Better to stick to the grizzly vets and not risk it.

 

[Capsman]

If it's really a system issue, he would be neutralized like the rest of the guys are. Other than Orlov making individual rushes occasionally, not exactly some great puck carriers back there.

It is a system issue, which is exactly why guys like Orlov and Schmidt on defense, Kuznetsov on offense are critical to our success.

 

[Capsman]

Good stuff. Yep Nate was better than KSK who was a poor man Mike Green at best. He couldn't even make it off our 3rd pair and likely should have been scratched.

I think Barry brings back Beags at less than 100 for faceoffs, but am not convinced its the right move. I want to see speed exploited. Better to stick to the grizzly vets and not risk it.

Agreed.

 

[Calicaps]

Let's face it, Trotz is a coward.