Post-Game Talk: HNIC: Best team in hockey history vs Cup Champs

[Ovechkins Wodka]

This should be a fun one...
Not gonna suck

Click to read more...

 

[Sam Spade]

STAY OUT OF THE BOX!!!!!

 

[Silky mitts]

Is the o/u particularly high?

 

[g00n]

 

[VaCaps Fan]

 

[Portable Mink]

Should be an easy win for the Caps really. 6-1.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

@Ridley Simon lets win one for our board GM!

 

[TorMapleJays]

Hey guys

Looking forward to a high level hockey game tonight. Hope it is a wide open and fast game. (Basically the opposite of what the playoffs are going to be like)

Washington should be rocking tonight.

Good luck but go leafs go

 

[hockeykicker]

Stephenson on the top line tonight

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Pass it to kuzy line!

 

[twabby]

Still think I prefer Oshie on the top line with Stephenson on the second line. Oshie and Wilson are similar enough players and I think 8-92 could benefit from a hard forechecking and defensively stout RW. Oshie fits that bill nicely, just like Wilson.

Given that 18 is on the top line, he needs to shoot. He seems allergic to it and he’s not nearly a good enough playmaker to continually pass up on shots as he has. If TOR is smart they will key on 8 and 92 and it should leave 18 with some room.

 

[Lindemann]

Win 7-0 just to see HF melt down

 

[traparatus]

Let's just surrender this one, assign a few goals to Mighty Matthews and save everybody some time.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[ovikovy817]

Should be a fun game tonight

 

[maacoshark]

Stephenson on the top line tonight

I assume this is for defensive reasons. I thought Stephenson was the guy that should have replaced Wilson on this line because of his defensive play and speed.

 

[StrikingDistance]

Ovechkin scores twice and flattens Matheius.

Perfect game.

 

[shtorm2005]

Win 7-0 just to see HF melt down

HF will melt down in any case.

 

[maacoshark]

Still think I prefer Oshie on the top line with Stephenson on the second line. Oshie and Wilson are similar enough players and I think 8-92 could benefit from a hard forechecking and defensively stout RW. Oshie fits that bill nicely, just like Wilson.

Given that 18 is on the top line, he needs to shoot. He seems allergic to it and he’s not nearly a good enough playmaker to continually pass up on shots as he has. If TOR is smart they will key on 8 and 92 and it should leave 18 with some room.

I think he is there more for his defensive play. Any offensive production is a plus.

 

[Portable Mink]

This game has overreaction either way written all over it for sure.

Leafs could not have started better this season. The juggernaut that is the Toronto fans and media are pushing the wave as hard as possible. Understandably.

Our schedule has been much harder so far. That’s said, both are expected to be good teams. Funny enough, most ‘experts’ have Toronto clearly above the Caps for the end of the regular season. Don’t agree with that.

I take our roster over theirs any day of the week.
Hope the boys plant the foot down as defending champs. Sometimes it’s important to do that, our team needs to do that to command the respect we have but may just not be what it should be given the new shiny toys of Toronto and Winnipeg especially.

Ovi big game. Kuzy statement game. Oshie leader game.

 

[shtorm2005]

I bet Leafs will watch our last game and take notes.

 

[Portable Mink]

Leafs don’t have the competency to play like Devils did.

 

[NightTrain1]

I hope the Leafs demolish the Caps. But im not gonna lie, I do enjoy watching the Caps play and I was one of only people in my playoff fantasy league that had them going the distance last year.

But for the love of god whatever happens please leave the corpse of Ron Hainsey alone, his body has endured enough burns.

 

[twabby]

I think he is there more for his defensive play. Any offensive production is a plus.

I’m sure that’s part of the reason but it’s not like Oshie is a defensive slouch either.

Again, Stephenson’s defensive prowess has nothing to do with his reluctance to shoot. Amongst regular players he’s ahead only of Brooks Orpik in terms of shots/60 since last season. And I guess that’s fine in a 4th line role given his speed and ability to PK. But if he’s in the top 6 there has to be some sort of expectation to produce offense, either via playmaking or shooting. And putting on my “eye test” goggles, he seems to put himself in a position to shoot a decent amount he just doesn’t pull the trigger.

 

[maacoshark]

I’m sure that’s part of the reason but it’s not like Oshie is a defensive slouch either.

Again, Stephenson’s defensive prowess has nothing to do with his reluctance to shoot. Amongst regular players he’s ahead only of Brooks Orpik in terms of shots/60 since last season. And I guess that’s fine in a 4th line role given his speed and ability to PK. But if he’s in the top 6 there has to be some sort of expectation to produce offense, either via playmaking or shooting. And putting on my “eye test” goggles, he seems to put himself in a position to shoot a decent amount he just doesn’t pull the trigger.

With Ovi and Kuzy being 2 of our best goalscorers Im pretty sure Stephenson isn't on that line to score goals. Its probably more about his speed. He can chase pucks down a lot better than Connolly.
I would like to see him shoot more. He might get more opportunities playing with Kuzy.
I dont like the idea of putting Oshie on that line on a regular basis. That would out 3 or your top 4 offensive forwards on one line. The 2nd line wouldnt be near as good offensively.