g00n
Retired Global Mod
- Nov 22, 2007
- 30,720
- 14,938
3rd goal aside I thought VV played really well. Was it the last game when Locker and JoeB were talking about an inside source they have who said the Caps consider Fleury an upgrade? I guess there’s always the potential that VV wilts under the bright playoff lights but I’m not sure I want to give up any significant draft capital for him with the way VV has settled in.
Mantha may be hot and cold but I feel like he’s driving play whether scoring or not. That’s what I hoped we were getting last season. I feel like he’s a big part of our resurgence and has given the second line life.
CMM, I don’t know man. I’m not convinced he’s snakebitten as much as he just may not be a guy who has finishing skills. He’s actually playing well overall but finding myself a little down on his long term prospects as anything more than a 3rd line 10-15 goal scorer.
It was Tarik during the national game. So take it for what it's worth. He also said in his 17 yrs of covering Ovie one thing he knows is that when Ovie approaches a milestone he takes things up a level, or something. In my experience that's when Ovie tends to get a little snakebitten for a few games, and the team can even struggle as they try to force the puck to him. Thankfully that milestone is gone and it's back to normal business.
RE: Mantha, they were even discussing his sneaky speed last night. His size and style make him look "lazy" but he's covering territory. And regarding his skill he's always had great hands and his hockey sense is coming out playing with tacticians on his line. 39-19-77 is a sneaky-good combo that has chemistry, imo.
When Mantha was tried on the top line I thought he would struggle because he'd be in a position to defer to Ovie, and on a line with 2 guys who always want the puck. He was also new to the team and would likely just try to fit in, and adjust. I thought he needed to be the main scoring threat on a 2nd line and this combo is pretty close to that, with NB as the perfect playmaking center to compliment him, and Oshie also adding his own swiss army knife skills. Both of those guys will look for the right play and try to make the whole better than the individuals, which is exactly what Mantha needs so he can free up to find those scoring areas and use those hands.