Post-Game Talk: NWO WTO 12:30pm

[kicksavedave]

Oh alright so the scheme of dropping the puck into a no man's land by a defenseman skating out the zone and taking like 30 seconds off their own PP while trying to just break out their own zone is not the tactic that screws their PP?

Here's a suggestion for you. Go find an empty room, make a cardboard cutout, and have a discussion with it.. that way you can make up both sides of the argument from thin air, because it seems to be what you prefer doing. Anyway, good chat, have a good rest of your day.

 

[tenken00]

We are 0-3-2 in 5 afternoon games this year..

 

[twabby]

And I’m asking you again, please tell me that faceoffs don’t mean anything. Maybe it was you @twabby?

The recent work indicates there isn't a strong relationship between faceoff win percentage and goal differential, but that special teams and non-neutral zone faceoffs carry more weight than ES or neutral zone faceoffs:

http://statsportsconsulting.com/main/wp-content/uploads/FaceoffAnalysis12-12.pdf

So they mean something but it's small potatoes compared to everything else. Of course, if the lack of faceoff success is due to lack of effort or lack of preparedness then those issues will cause problems in other facets of the game which will tend to have bigger impacts on goal differential.

 

[Melkor]

Here's a suggestion for you. Go find an empty room, make a cardboard cutout, and have a discussion with it.. that way you can make up both sides of the argument from thin air, because it seems to be what you prefer doing. Anyway, good chat, have a good rest of your day.

I'm taking you by your word and you're just trying to slide away from discussion when it becomes hard to back up your statements. I ;iterally brought up the scheme that makes them look like clowns and you're basically saying 'man leave me alone'. Alright dude, whatever.

 

[max21]

We are 0-3-2 in 5 afternoon games this year..

 

[DrewGl]

This team needs to learn that drinking needs to stop a bit earlier in the night for these early starts. What a waste of a few hours.

 

[RickChartraw]

odd game, bitetto, hajek, smith 3 of the 6 d. one goal.

 

[troyerlaw]

We’re not a hard team to play against right now. We don’t bring something extra — whether consistent hitting, team speed, or aggressive forecheck or PK — to disrupt opponents and keep them from getting in rhythm.

 

[kicksavedave]

The recent work indicates there isn't a strong relationship between faceoff win percentage and goal differential, but that special teams and non-neutral zone faceoffs carry more weight than ES or neutral zone faceoffs:

http://statsportsconsulting.com/main/wp-content/uploads/FaceoffAnalysis12-12.pdf

View attachment 398392

So they mean something but it's small potatoes compared to everything else. Of course, if the lack of faceoff success is due to lack of effort or lack of preparedness then those issues will cause problems in other facets of the game which will tend to have bigger impacts on goal differential.

This^.

I can't recall anyone saying "faceoffs don't matter" or they don't mean anything. I think the point has been that total FO percentage doesn't correlate to winning percentage and that still holds true. Faceoff timing is important, faceoff timing with situation/location is important, and its pretty clear the Caps need to be better at FO's, no one has disputed that. Most teams in most years hover around a few points of 50% with no overwhelming advantage/disadvantage consistently happening. If a team consistently is horribly outperformed, it obviously will hurt them.

But a quick peek at the standings and the FO% shows basically random correlation. Buffalo and Detroit are top 4 in FO% and bottom 3 in points.

Timing matters. Situation matters. Raw % could matter but just doesn't correlate.

 

[kicksavedave]

I'm taking you by your word and you're just trying to slide away from discussion when it becomes hard to back up your statements. I ;iterally brought up the scheme that makes them look like clowns and you're basically saying 'man leave me alone'. Alright dude, whatever.

You're literally NOT taking me by my word, you are making up words which I didn't say or even hint at, and attributing them to me.

BTW, successful teams use the slingshot. The Caps have been successful using the slingshot before. They don't use it as much this season, so clearly the coaches have tried to shift them away from it. Because it happens occasionally doesn't mean that the coaches are telling the players to use the slingshot vs carrying the puck up the ice. A lot of that has to do with the defense thats presented.

On the list of our PP problems, slingshot is not that high. Effort is still clearly #1. Carlson's poor decisions, Kuzy's sloppy puck control and Ovi's lack of compete, are bigger issues than zone entries right now.

 

[racingmoose]

You're literally NOT taking me by my word, you are making up words which I didn't say or even hint at, and attributing them to me.

BTW, successful teams use the slingshot. The Caps have been successful using the slingshot before. They don't use it as much this season, so clearly the coaches have tried to shift them away from it. Because it happens occasionally doesn't mean that the coaches are telling the players to use the slingshot vs carrying the puck up the ice. A lot of that has to do with the defense thats presented.

On the list of our PP problems, slingshot is not that high. Effort is still clearly #1. Carlson's poor decisions, Kuzy's sloppy puck control and Ovi's lack of compete, are bigger issues than zone entries right now.

I couldn't resist jumping in on the slingshot conversation. The slingshot can be effective on the PP, but not the way the Caps are executing it. Teams that use it successfully do it with the trailing player coming through the neutral zone with speed. Too often the Caps player receiving the pass on the slingshot is almost standing still. That makes the slingshot ineffective.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[Calicaps]

We’re not a hard team to play against right now. We don’t bring something extra — whether consistent hitting, team speed, or aggressive forecheck or PK — to disrupt opponents and keep them from getting in rhythm.

Don't disagree but I have the sense that they're still thinking too much. The system isn't rote yet so instead of just playing and being able to go full-bore, they're taking a beat to think thr system.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

You're literally NOT taking me by my word, you are making up words which I didn't say or even hint at, and attributing them to me.

BTW, successful teams use the slingshot. The Caps have been successful using the slingshot before. They don't use it as much this season, so clearly the coaches have tried to shift them away from it. Because it happens occasionally doesn't mean that the coaches are telling the players to use the slingshot vs carrying the puck up the ice. A lot of that has to do with the defense thats presented.

On the list of our PP problems, slingshot is not that high. Effort is still clearly #1. Carlson's poor decisions, Kuzy's sloppy puck control and Ovi's lack of compete, are bigger issues than zone entries right now.

Just an added note.. It was Carlson using the slingshot on the PP I think I saw him do it 3 times today and maybe more. Maybe he wasnt feeling it today but it added to the suck fest today.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Why? lol damnit NHL

 

[hockeykicker]

Why? lol damnit NHL

Boston and philly moved from 2pm to 7pm cause they outside so nhl swapped games

 

[BallardEra]

We’re not a hard team to play against right now. We don’t bring something extra — whether consistent hitting, team speed, or aggressive forecheck or PK — to disrupt opponents and keep them from getting in rhythm.

I agree. Team has no identity at the moment.

They will be lucky to make the playoffs.

 

[895]

I won't say faceoffs don't matter but I'll say they matter very little.

If you had to quantify how many faceoffs won equals how many points, I'd say I wouldn't trade Kuznetsov for a different version of Kuznetsov who is identical in every way except he wins 55% of his faceoffs but scores 10 less points.

 

[HecticGlow]

The Caps, NYI and Pens have almost identical records, and one of those teams isn’t making the playoffs (save for an unforeseen collapse from either Boston or Philly). And that’s without taking a resurgent Devils into consideration. That’s the wrinkle that worries me right now - that at least one of the teams that typically makes the playoffs in the East won’t because of the realignment, and all three of those teams are in ‘we need to wake up’ mode. This year isn’t a case of the Caps having time to find their grove - another week or two of this inconsistent play and we could find ourselves firmly on the outside looking in.

We can’t lose games or surrender points to the Rangers, Sabres or Devils. Boston and Philly will only become harder to beat as the season progresses, NYI are already a pain to play, and the Pens typically wake up mid season after a sluggish start. Get the two points tomorrow.

 

[Langway]

Don't disagree but I have the sense that they're still thinking too much. The system isn't rote yet so instead of just playing and being able to go full-bore, they're taking a beat to think thr system.

Then again, I don't know how much upside the top six forwards truly have 5-on-5. Ovechkin, Vrana & Kuznetsov don't routinely outwork anyone, nor are they all that tricky in open ice much of the time. That's half of the top six not really being tough to handle much of the time.

They can win to some extent just via better discipline and team play, which makes the offensive zone penalties all the more irritating. The PP also has to be a positive. Clean up those two areas and they're at least decent. But they're also largely set in their ways and not going to suddenly become a different team under a new coach. Aside from Buffalo they're in for a dogfight vs. most teams. I think they'll make the playoffs but they may need to fundamentally re-think their make-up if they can't manage to tighten up further.

 

[caps4cup]

Then again, I don't know how much upside the top six forwards truly have 5-on-5. Ovechkin, Vrana & Kuznetsov don't routinely outwork anyone, nor are they all that tricky in open ice much of the time. That's half of the top six not really being tough to handle much of the time.

They can win to some extent just via better discipline and team play, which makes the offensive zone penalties all the more irritating. The PP also has to be a positive. Clean up those two areas and they're at least decent. But they're also largely set in their ways and not going to suddenly become a different team under a new coach. Aside from Buffalo they're in for a dogfight vs. most teams. I think they'll make the playoffs but they may need to fundamentally re-think their make-up if they can't manage to tighten up further.

I liked the wrinkle with Eller in the top 6. Put Kuznetsov on the 3rd line with two guys that will work hard in Panik and Sheary. Then go:

8-20-77
13-19-43

or

8-19-43
13-20-77

 

[Devil Dancer]

We are 0-3-2 in 5 afternoon games this year..

 

[max21]

Do I suck as a fan feeling no confidence we win tomorrow

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Do I suck as a fan feeling no confidence we win tomorrow

hey look at the bright side, you could be arguing over faceoffs....

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

We are 0-3-2 in 5 afternoon games this year..

watch....0-3-3 next lol....