Post-Game Talk: | Pens vs Caps | win | We won, but what did it cost us?

[AuroraBorealis]

I just realized that both of our b2b opponents, Tor and MTL,have two days off before they play us…how is that fair, nhl?

I find that 2+ days off often leads to slow starts, much like we had tonight. Caps didn't capitalize on it and we found our footing.
So we need to jump on Toronto early and seize momentum.

 

[Gurglesons]

I can do without the physicality. I just want to see puck management, like we had for 2 periods tonight.

I don't expect Smith to defend as well as POJ has, but that'd be lovely.
And for God's sake put him on PP1! Literally nothing to lose.

Physicality is a big reason Pettersson and POJ are succeeding despite being string beans.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I also don't think it's much of a coincidence that the 3rd line suddenly looks way better now that Kapanen isn't on it.

 

[Pancakes]

I also don't think it's much of a coincidence that the 3rd line suddenly looks way better now that Kapanen isn't on it.

Kapanen is gonna come back in at some point. Just too much salary invested in there for Sully to keep him stapled to the press box.

So hopefully he adds something when he comes back.

 

[Turin]

Kapanen is gonna come back in at some point. Just too much salary invested in there for Sully to keep him stapled to the press box.

So hopefully he adds something when he comes back.

Hopefully he adds some jobber who can maintain a cycle from Vancouver or some such

 

[Gurglesons]

Hopefully he adds some jobber who can maintain a cycle from Vancouver or some such

Barbashev for Kapanen does so much for us.

Heinen - Barbashev - Carter
Poehling - Blueger - McGinn

Is a great bottom six IMO.

 

[Turin]

Barbashev for Kapanen does so much for us.

Heinen - Barbashev - Carter
Poehling - Blueger - McGinn

Is a great bottom six IMO.

Would be very surprised if St. Louis did that after his last year. But I agree would be dope.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

As much as I gripe about Sullivan's lines and think a long losing streak serves him right for being stubborn, I'll never get tired of beating the Caps.

f*** that organization.

 

[Gurglesons]

As much as I gripe about Sullivan's lines and think a long losing streak serves him right for being stubborn, I'll never get tired of beating the Caps.

f*** that organization.

Seattle are up to the 6th best offensive team in the league and 3rd in the west btw.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Seattle are up to the 6th best offensive team in the league and 3rd in the west btw.

Not top in the west and Wright's still not pacing for 50 points.

 

[Zbynek]

Amazing what happens when you make adjustments in the lineup. Cut the scrubs and demote the vets playing poorly.

Hopefully Kapanen stays the f*** out of the lineup. I don't care about his caphit as much so long as he's just not playing.

 

[Gurglesons]

Not top in the west and Wright's still not pacing for 50 points.

Never said Wright would pace for 50.

 

[Zbynek]

Barbashev for Kapanen does so much for us.

Heinen - Barbashev - Carter
Poehling - Blueger - McGinn

Is a great bottom six IMO.

Why on earth would Blues trade Barbashev for Kapanen. Unless you want to add Pickering to that deal. Impending UFA or not he has a hell of a lot more value than Kap

And not sure it makes it great but it's a start. 10mil in McGinn/Carter/Kap is handicapping us so much.

Our problem is there is no hiding to the rest of the league how bad Kapanen is. And at that contract he has massively negative value. The Sleepy special.

 

[Bowski]

Enough of this.

The garbage needs to be cleaned out.

Pathetic piece of a patsy Human. Lakupiippu!

 

[Rakell67]

Concussion protocol would be a reasonable guess. It was a huge, clean hit.

He did leave his feet prior to the hit but he's been getting away with that all of his career.

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

He did leave his feet prior to the hit but he's been getting away with that all of his career.

very true. The Ovi Launch-bucket has been putting folks on IR for 16+ years, though output has slowed quite a bit. To his credit, when he does go predatory, it is with much more finesse than Mongo Wilson's "whud did I do?" sociopathic head shots.

Edit: I watched it again and revise my position. Ovi was leaning up but it doesn't look like he left his feet. If you have a different angle, please share, I don't think it happened, though.

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

Never said Wright would pace for 50.

Gods, I hope you didn't. He certainly won't have the chance to do so this year with the Kraken. OHL is probably where he ends up with a possible 2 week exception trip to the AHL via Cochella, but that may require enough games to burn a year. I've given up trying to understand how all this works, but yeah, Kraken playing to win has put Shaner in healthy scratch mode, as he should be. He's not ready yet. He's an unseasoned 18 year old with promising talent for sure.

 

[Pens x]

Maybe if Smith plays well, the Marino trade won’t look AS bad. Let’s see if his preseason play carries over to the regular season or if Devils fans are right about him.

 

[Icarium]

Hey look, good things happen when your team actually plays defense. Not particularly great defense, mind you, but good enough against a listless Caps team that looked even older and less inspired than the Pens. Of course, it also helps when all three of your goals are quite savable but the opposition goalie has a bad game, while yours does not.
The PP is still an abomination, L2 seems to be cursed to score one goal at most even when it's creating lots of chances (Geno missing that open net thankfully didn't cost us anything) but you got to start somewhere. Injuries are bad in general, obviously, but with this team, a bit of an injury crisis might be just what the doctor (pun intended) ordered.
Edzo and Jones were just about to cry, they wanted us to lose so badly, the idiots.

P.S. If you think Zucker is a waste of a first round pick, look at Mantha. It could always be worse.

 

[HandshakeLine]

It's so funny to me that Edzo is still mad about being a disaster of a head coach here.

 

[pistolpete11]

I'll take the win and I thought a number of the whipping boys (Cater, McGinn, Petry, even Dumo) played well, but I'm not getting too excited. The Caps are shorthanded and those were some weak goals allowed by Kuemper. No sympathy for the Caps injuries, mind you. f*** 'em. But I need to see more before I'm convinced they fixed some things.

 

[HandshakeLine]

One game down, 8 to go before we get kinda out of the hole.

 

[OtherThingsILike]

Games where we win are better than gamers where we lose.
We have a back-to-back this week, which sucks, especially because it's another one where we're facing a rested team while tired. Luckily, the schedule will get easier after that and we won't have to do that again until after Christmas.
I haven't looked for games where we face a tired team while rested. That didn't end up helping us against Vancouver anyway.

 

[OtherThingsILike]

P.S. If you think Zucker is a waste of a first round pick, look at Mantha. It could always be worse.

Also, the Capitals gave up a useful roster player (Vrana) in addition to the 1st.

 

[LOGiK]

Can hardly count that as win that signifies things are fixed. Lots of the win goes to washington being in the situation they are in.

Win another convincing game and we'll talk.