Post-Game Talk: Hershey Capitals @ Iowa Wild | 1/9/22 | 8:00p ET

[Langway]

Fucale should start against the Bruins, but you know it won't happen. I don't know about you all, but to me Fucale has surpassed Vanecek on the Caps goalie depth chart.

I don't know. Fucale looked small in the shootout. It can be intimidating but I'm not entirely sold yet. I'd think about bringing Halak back maybe but they've got more fundamental issues up front either way.

Eller isn't what he used to be and Wilson is a no-show way too often with key regulars out. Their other fringe producers are always on thin ice rather than being given a full vote of confidence. No 19/77 hurts but there's a real trust issue when it comes to too many of their forwards. And some that have earned that trust, like Hagelin and overall probably also Hathaway, aren't great themselves. It's just a lot of clunky slop. More games will get them back in the flow of things but it goes to show on paper how thin they are. The parts themselves aren't super complementary and there's an obvious IQ deficit at times.

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

Hagelin had the second most even strength time on ice along forwards. I mean really what the f*** is Lavi thinking.

 

[TheLegendOfPatPeake]

I don't know. Fucale looked small in the shootout. It can be intimidating but I'm not entirely sold yet. I'd think about bringing Halak back maybe but they've got more fundamental issues up front either way.

Eller isn't what he used to be and Wilson is a no-show way too often with key regulars out. Their other fringe producers are always on thin ice rather than being given a full vote of confidence. No 19/77 hurts but there's a real trust issue when it comes to too many of their forwards. And some that have earned that trust, like Hagelin and overall probably also Hathaway, aren't great themselves. It's just a lot of clunky slop. More games will get them back in the flow of things but it goes to show on paper how thin they are.

This is a solid summary IMO. Lavi relies so heavy on a select few. To my eyes, he is so into match ups that he often lets the opposing coach dictate the game.

 

[AtNightWeFly]

Fucale was literally 35 seconds away from winning. kid is way better then i thought he would be

He's playing for his life sort of. His career didn't go as planned but he has a shot with the Caps. He's taking it!

 

[TheLegendOfPatPeake]

Hagelin had the second most even strength time on ice along forwards. I mean really what the f*** is Lavi thinking.

MOAR HAGS = MOAR GOALS

Now those goals may be against but still.

 

[Calicaps]

Fine, you just post Jeff Goldblum .gifs applauding those that do.

Wow.

 

[TheLegendOfPatPeake]

No, you just openly mock those who do.

Do not question dear leader comrade.

 

[Baszie]

Connor McMichael scored a goal, and was on the ice when his line drew the penalty that led to Kuznetsov's goal. After that he got just six more shifts the entire rest of the game, including none on the PP or 3on3.

Carl Hagelin scored a goal against his own team, and still saw 10 more shifts (in nearly a period less of time remaining in the game), including a shift near the end where his check was given an uncontested shot at the goal to tie the game with 34 seconds remaining.

Explain to me again why we aren't allowed to question Laviolette's ice time management?

If that’s the best argument you could think of, then that is probably your answer. Who cares if he was on the ice for 1 of the many penalties.

 

[Calicaps]

Do not question dear leader comrade.

So posting a funny gif makes me a dictator? That's nice.

 

[racingmoose]

At least we got a point. Caps did play a bit better than last night, but still aren't giving a 60 min effort. Pens had a 2-0 lead on the Stars today and lost 3-2 late in regulation. All I can say is the team let down Fucale by not continuing to attack the net. They let the Wild keep coming and got burned for it. It's annoying that the Wild only scored one real goal that tied this game up. Fucale should have gotten the shutout, but not his fault it didn't happen.

Fucale should start against the Bruins, but you know it won't happen. I don't know about you all, but to me Fucale has surpassed Vanecek on the Caps goalie depth chart.

I hope Fucale gets a few more games. And it's great to see what he's been able to do starting last year with Hershey after being mostly a career ECHL'er. But to say he's surpasses Vanacek on the depth chart at the moment seems like a stretch.

He has worked on his game over the last few years and has become very solid positionally and is composed. Samsonov is athletic, but he can be a mess with his positioning, concentration and movement. If anything, should Fucale keep getting chances and showing solid games perhaps it's Samsonov he ends up passing.

 

[Rayquaza64]

If that’s the best argument you could think of, then that is probably your answer. Who cares if he was on the ice for 1 of the many penalties.

good things happened on the ice when mcmichael was on the ice, bad things happened when hagelin was on the ice. why did hagelin get so much more ice time tonight?

 

[TheLegendOfPatPeake]

So posting a funny gif makes me a dictator? That's nice.

Nope. The “dear leader” part references caps management.

 

[Hivemind]

If that’s the best argument you could think of, then that is probably your answer. Who cares if he was on the ice for 1 of the many penalties.

He scored a goal as well, or are you just going to ignore that?

 

[Capsman]

I’m completely dumbfounded as to why Laviolette thinks Wilson belongs on the ice 3x3 ... ever. And again, no ice time for McMichael. We are literally pissing away points in extra time. We literally might win one in 10 if we’re lucky, not like we are SO juggernauts. As good as Lavi et al have been overall, this is one massive area of fail.

I’d like to see Fallaby called up again and wouldn’t mind Haglin sitting. Not going to happen but one can only dream.

 

[SpinningEdge]

Hagelin had tenth most ice time for caps tonight.

think about that.

 

[SpinningEdge]

Weird - I didn’t know being on the ice for a penalty after scoring a goal means you should be punished more than a guy who scores embarrassing goals on themselves & literally had that play lose the game for the caps. Weird!

 

[twabby]

After seeing Sprong work in the 3v3 he should be their #1 forward option next OT. Probably their quickest accelerating forward and a great shot. And while he’s somewhat weak defensively at 5v5 I don’t think that weakness will translate to 3v3.

Anyways not to beat a dead horse but Hagelin needs to go and Washington desperately needs top-end forward help. I’m with everyone who says Wilson needs to be dropped in the lineup. His early season production again was probably in large part due to Ovechkin’s blistering start but now that Ovie has cooled off it’s not a surprise that Wilson has been a no-show. He’s a fine player but he’s never really been a consistent first line talent.

Give Fucale more of an opportunity to prove himself. I’m not going to let one soft goal at the end of regulation and some shootout stuff color my opinion of him one way or another, especially since Vanecek and Samsonov haven’t done anything to earn a long leash.

The blueline looked great tonight.

 

[TRASHCAT]

team hasnt been this frustrating in awhile

 

[Peeri]

What's frustrating is the fact that now when 1st line isn't carrying the team on their back, guys who could possibly chip in are not playing enough. Injuries and Covid stuff is really catching up now. You also have to question if OV is burning out already and we are not even halfway through the season, concidering man has been playing legit 23 minutes almost every night.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

We get a point but last year’s rot seems to be settling in. Grinding vets will be the downfall of this team when they break down in march/April.

 

[twabby]

Just looking through some stats on Evolving Hockey and apparently tonight was the first time Sprong got 3v3 minutes all season. That’s wild! Garrett Pilon had more 3v3 ice time before tonight!

Laviolette runs a pretty good defensive system but his talent evaluation skills really seem to be lacking right now. And the buck stops with him on the power play.

 

[SpinningEdge]

I mean coaches routinely f*** up player development. Let’s not act like they are gods.

We have young players who are doing well, developing, and still winning games.

then for whatever reason Lavi just stopped playing them.

now we have guys like Hagelin scoring goals on ourselves.

This team isn’t winning games by Hagelin stepping up and being developed/having confidence in playoffs. He sucks now. That’s just the truth. This is a worse version of Brooks Laich the end of his Caps career. Mcmichael has the talent to actually be a big time contributor/helps be difference maker in playoffs - but won’t if he has zero confidence, keeps getting treated like shit by the coaching staff, and doesn’t get playing time.

We are an old team and literally past 2 years end of season ran out of gas and plated ridiculously bad. Ovi played like 25 minutes tonight. That’s ridiculous for a old guy to be playing that in a back to back vs a ahl team in first half of season still.

From looks of it (to me) we are going to have history repeat itself in upcoming months. No young guys will be developed - and what has been developed will be crushed by their confidence bc Lavi won’t play them - even if they’re playing well - and we will be old, tired, overmatched, overused in regular season, and are NOT a contender because of it.

 

[Roshi]

Ovie is not burned out and done. Its his normal 5-7 games minislump that he gets from time to time in between record hunting when the next step is a bit far. A little spark from somewhere and he is back to his old habits of scoring goals.

Thats tough way to lose a point, but once the wound of that has healed its really just a funny work incident for Hagelin and we can get back to it and laugh for years to come.

Should have got more than a point from this trip, but its not a biggy. All the injuries and covid with middle season wear and tear are finally catching up. Grind it through. Overcome the adversitites. Grow as a group and profit. Also id want to wish all the injuries and little things like Hags scoring his own goal will lure the lady luck into our corner for once when it matters.

 

[PlushMinus]

No kidding. We have made no adjustments to the pp other than personnel. Any 5 guys could play on this pp unit.

It was interesting to hear a few weeks ago that Hershey use the exact same PP setup / structure. I think it was Joe or Locker who said it during a game. They said something to the effect that it was "a requirement of being the Caps farm team".
I wonder if this is typical of other teams? Maybe it is - I had just never heard it before and it seems weird to me.

 

[tycoonheart]

By the way did anyone notice Lavi leaving Hagelin in for the 5on6 at the end of the game even though there were so many stoppages? It's as if Lavi wanted Hagelin to get an empty net goal to "make up" for his blunder. Ovi never got a chance, and he is typically always out there for an empty net opportunity. That's some nonsense.