Post-Game Talk: Game #4 CAPITALS @ penguins, 7PM EST

[Drakon]

They've pretty much managed to kill my enthusiasm for this series with the absurd length of the suspension. More of the "here we go again with this league stacking the deck " was definitely the wrong way for them to go. 1 game as a message to tone it down would've been fine . This looks like an attempt to fix the series.

 

[RandyHolt]

"free willy!" should be our next theme avatar!

We could have foreseen the neutering happening, and had them in place this playoffs. Doh!

 

[tycoonheart]

Malkin is clearly hobbled. They need to hit him as much as possible.

 

[RandyHolt]

I think it's like 95/5 that we see Boyd instead of Gersich. Boyd's the one who has been doing line rushes for oshie, so it only makes sense that he's the next guy in

I keep telling myself that, but Barry is hesitant to use a young / inexperienced guy up top. If you have to plug and play a scratch into a top 6 role, Boyd is the guy for you. But if he is moving up DSP, then he needs to recall a bottom 6er, or at least someone that fits properly in a check/energy etc role. But its varry Barry to just stick a young skill guy on 4 with grinders. He has to learn!

Yeah, learn feet to the fire all about playoff pace. Which is one reason I like Gersich. He can play the fast game, and their D are not expecting us to have a burner. Especially their ogre.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

They got this.

 

[tycoonheart]

Looks like Gersich is in baby.

 

[Melkor]

There you have it.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Malkin is clearly hobbled. They need to hit him as much as possible.

He could barely skate Tuesday night. We should attack his side of the ice when we have the puck.

 

[Langway]

 

[itsjustsurvival]

Well that is a nice surprise.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Gersich is in eh? Let's see what he can do.

 

[HunterSThompson]

There you have it.

 

[twabby]

Good lines, hopefully DSP can be as effective on the first line as the third line. If that line struggles I'd like to see a quick change.

 

[stanleycaps18]

DSP on the top line is the safe way to go, and I am ok with it, though I wholly agree with the suggestion to throw Stephenson up there, maybe for a shift or two, just to see what it would look like.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Vrana getting more minutes + Gersich playing means having some added wheels in the lineup. I approve.

 

[Blades of Steel]

Nah nothing dirty tonight. Don’t give them any free power plays more than their quota of six they they’re going to get tonight.

Play a hard physical game and hope that Holtby remains big in the crease. A win tonight is important.

Plus it’s pretty clear that the department of penguin safety have their eyes on this series now. Comparing Caps and Pens is the new apples to oranges aparently.

 

[Melkor]

Judging by what Pitt's beat reporters say, Hagelin is likely to play tonight

Vrana getting more minutes + Gersich playing means having some added wheels in the lineup. I approve.

Wilson has pretty good wheels so I would say its a addition by subtraction

 

[Calicaps]

Judging by what Pitt's beat reporters say, Hagelin is likely to play tonight

Great, so as the Caps get weakened, the Pens get faster/stronger. Definitely need to take it out on a lame Malkin. He’s slow and so easier to line up.

 

[Hivemind]

Put DSP out there with line 1 for offensive or defensive zone faceoffs. That let's him be utilized well for the match-up plays, and help mitigate his skating issues. Then shift Vrana or Stephenson up to line 1 for shifts coming off of the bench. That makes it harder for Pitt to exploit that match-up and allows their skating to be a factor in transition.

 

[Blades of Steel]

There you have it.

I'd rather swap Connolly and Gersich here though

 

[Hivemind]

No chance I want Vrana on the ice with 71. No.

That's why you have three lines you can roll. Plus the myth that Vrana is poor defensively is overblown. Just because you're a rookie doesn't mean you suck on your own half of the ice. Vrana's wheels enable him to get back quickly on plays that other forwards (*cough DSP cough*) would be trailing by 10 feet. We've seen it multiple times already this post season. Skating enables good defense.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Great, so as the Caps get weakened, the Pens get faster/stronger. Definitely need to take it out on a lame Malkin. He’s slow and so easier to line up.

I want a gritty but mobile D like Kempny up against Malkin tonight.

 

[Blades of Steel]

Great, so as the Caps get weakened, the Pens get faster/stronger. Definitely need to take it out on a lame Malkin. He’s slow and so easier to line up.

meh. If they rushed malkin and hagelin back I don't think they get that much stronger.

 

[Melkor]

That's why you have three lines you can roll. Plus the myth that Vrana is poor defensively is overblown. Just because you're a rookie doesn't mean you suck on your own half of the ice. Vrana's wheels enable him to get back quickly on plays that other forwards (*cough DSP cough*) would be trailing by 10 feet. We've seen it multiple times already this post season. Skating enables good defense.

Agreed, Vrana is fine. He's not lazy and that is the main thing about him.

 

[Melkor]

Great, so as the Caps get weakened, the Pens get faster/stronger. Definitely need to take it out on a lame Malkin. He’s slow and so easier to line up.

Naturally Malkin is not lame. Its probably an injury that still bothers him. He's very dynamic when he's on.

I'd rather swap Connolly and Gersich here though

I would too. Wouldnt play Connolly at all if I am Trotz.