GDT: Panthers @ Capitals 7 PM "Disconnect" (Alternative Title: #PirriFreed)

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Team Scope: The Panthers have struggled to score so far this season, tallying just 4 goals over four games. Brandon Pirri, a healthy scratch for every game so far, makes his season debut for the injured Dave Bolland, while Al Montoya gets his first start as a Panther.


Jokinen Barkov Hayes

Huberdeau Bjugstad Upshall

Bergenheim Savior Fleischmann

Kopecky MacKenzie Boyes

Campbell Ekblad

Mitchell Kulikov

Olsen Gudbranson

Team Scope: After years of disappointment the Capitals brought in Barry Trotz, determined to give the team (and particularly Ovechkin) more accountability. What hasn't been determined is where Trotz's neck is.


Ovechkin-Backstrom-Fehr

Johansson-Burakovsky-Brouwer

Chimera-Laich-Ward

O'Brien-Kuznetsov-Latta

Alzner-Niskanen

Orpik-Carlson

Schmidt-Green

Justin Peters









Today's GDT is as always Chad Kilger approved

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[MillarWithASave]

These are the kind of games where I usually expect we are going to get absolutely destroyed but end up winning by the skin of our teeth. I'll be optimistic and say Panthers 4-3, but we could lose 8-1.

 

[SoupyFIN]

 

[spacemanatee]

bergenheim - barkov - pirri would probably be sweet but we're one center to short which is pretty mind boggling cuz we have such good centers in SA but perhaps there is no time to bring anyone of them up.

acually, i should just shutthe****up and be happy that pirri is FINALLY in the effing line-up. hat-trick and flashing the middle finger to whoever it was that thought keeping him out of the line-up was a good idea.

 

[NewEraPanther]

Feeling bad for Montoya for getting his first start in what's going to be a hostile environment. That being said I think he will surprise people tonight. Hoping we set the tone early and score some goals

 

[adam graves]

Any dc cat fans going to game tonight? AG jr. A college student in DC looking for fellow fans to attend!

 

[adam graves]

Feeling bad for Montoya for getting his first start in what's going to be a hostile environment. That being said I think he will surprise people tonight. Hoping we set the tone early and score some goals

Don't be surprised by good effort Montoya is the real deal I have faith. This is the kind of game where the upgrade to him over Ellis/Clem hopefully shows.

 

[IceHockeyDude]

What's the best way to see this game?

 

[SoupyFIN]

What's the best way to see this game?

Passed out under a table?

 

[Gizmo Tkachuk]

What's the best way to see this game?

Drunk.

 

[RainingRats]

If we continue to take penalties like we have, we will lose. If we can keep this 5 on 5, we'll be competitive. Looking forward to seeing Pirri out there and Montoya in net.

Very happy with Ekblad. I'm shocked how well he has been playing. The entire D has been on point. Mitchell has been a fantastic signing. Really wish we had Boychuck back there for Guds, although Olsen has been decent.

 

[Panteras]

putting Cubano vs Caps=

 

[NJ_CATS_FAN]

Oh this game is going to be ugly tonight! I can see it now, Caps score twice in the first 5 minutes and this game is over in hurry. Its amazing how pathetic our offense is once again. 1 goal against Buffalo???? Seriously, come on now. Yeah we won but this is just ridiculous already. And how many ****ing times do we get high sticked in the face and the refs always somehow miss it, but any little thing we do, all of a sudden they have hawk eyes.

 

[EnforceTheLaus]

"@trashnewton: At even strength, Florida is currently 4th in the league in CF% with 55.78%. Ahead of them? Chicago, St Louis, and Pittsburgh."

Not bad. Now the whole penalties/scoring thing

 

[jrockett1096]

"@trashnewton: At even strength, Florida is currently 4th in the league in CF% with 55.78%. Ahead of them? Chicago, St Louis, and Pittsburgh."

Not bad. Now the whole penalties/scoring thing

All last year was the same thing as we ended up in the lottery, 5 on 5 not so bad but that power play and penalty kill thing, god awful and nearly historically bad. With all of Buffalo's problems there PP looked light years ahead better than ours.

Hints for Gallant: With the personnel we have, stop dumping the puck in with the extra man and get Kulikov off that 1st unit and free Ekblad.

 

[Gordonx11]

Don't be surprised by good effort Montoya is the real deal I have faith. This is the kind of game where the upgrade to him over Ellis/Clem hopefully shows.

IDK... these are usually the type of games we see Clem making 51 saves and getting a shutout.

 

[Erick*]

IDK... these are usually the type of games we see Clem making 51 saves and getting a shutout.

Pretty sure Clem never had a game like that.
Although I will say that the hate he got on here was mostly undeserved. He had a winning record as a Panther, which is quite an accomplishment for a Panther goalie.

Edit: Also, if I remember correctly, Washington owned Clemmensen.

 

[ratmanfu]

"@trashnewton: At even strength, Florida is currently 4th in the league in CF% with 55.78%. Ahead of them? Chicago, St Louis, and Pittsburgh."

Not bad. Now the whole penalties/scoring thing

I think they're going to do surprisingly well tonight. Teams tend to play more conservatively with a backup goalie, so the discipline should be improved.

Montoya will keep them in it. Big question is if they can start taking advantage of scoring opportunities.

 

[Erick*]

The Caps are starting their backup goalie, as well.

 

[ratmanfu]

Also, Bolland out and Pirri in should prove a positive result.

 

[Egblad]

I love that Pirri is in, but does anybody know anymore about Bolland being out? Lower body, but I wonder what, and to what extent?

 

[FlaPnthrsPunk]

I hope Montoya's not going to have to stand on his head like Luongo saved the team's ass last night. Enroth did have a great game last night, but scoring only one goal against Buffalo's defense was ridiculous. The Caps are not going to give us even close to as easy as a time. We also have to stay out of the box and be more disciplined. We're damn lucky that the Sabres didn't score on that 5 on 3. I'm sure Gallant will take the first win last night, but it was obvious on his face that he wasn't overall happy with the stats.

 

[Erick*]

I hope Montoya's not going to have to stand on his head like Luongo saved the team's ass last night. Enroth did have a great game last night, but scoring only one goal against Buffalo's defense was ridiculous. The Caps are not going to give us even close to as easy as a time. We also have to stay out of the box and be more disciplined. We're damn lucky that the Sabres didn't score on that 5 on 3. I'm sure Gallant will take the first win last night, but it was obvious on his face that he wasn't overall happy with the stats.

To be fair, I don't think that Luongo "saved the team's ass last night." As unremarkable as it is, we did outplay Buffalo.

 

[FlaPnthrsPunk]

To be fair, I don't think that Luongo "saved the team's ass last night." As unremarkable as it is, we did outplay Buffalo.

By far, I think we did. For the 1st and 2nd Period, Buffalo looked awful in comparison. We had some great offensive bursts that I'm shocked didn't lead to goals. I'm just thinking without some key saves by Luongo, we could have lost 2-1. We have to find a way to get that puck in net no matter how many shots we take.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

As was noted earlier Holtby is not starting. In net is former longtime Hurricane/AHL farmhand Justin Peters.