GDT: Rangers at Capitals Game 1

[Hivemind]

Backstrom sprung Stepan on shorthanded breakaway. Erat, while he had a few really nice plays, led the team in "WTF?" moments for me. He had a couple really bad turnovers.

Turnovers, in general, were a real problem last night. Way too many soft passes that the pass receivers just waited around for, letting the Rangers jump on them. Passing has to be crisper, and pass receivers need to attack the puck rather than waiting for it. Can't try and be pretty against a Tortarella team.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Last night was the most fun I've had in a while watching the Caps play. Got hammered with the boys and found a hockey bar in San Diego. We physically dominated that game. Play like that and this is over in 4 or 5.

That gif of Erksine and Fehr is mind blowing to me. That would never have happened a few years ago. This team is intense and playing to ****ing win.

Also, I thought Backstrom was our worst player last night and we still won. He needs to step it up, and I believe he will.

Can't write enough good things about Oleksy. Just an incredible journey for him and I love, love watching him play.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I'd be completely embarrassed if one of the Caps did it. It's basic sportsmanship.

NuNHL assimilation completed for you I see. Resistance is futile...

 

[amin723]

apart from the GWG, which was SWEET from start to finish, how did MaJo play last night?

i saw only 40% of game, and i did see one totally inexplicable, totally ineffective, almost disastrous semi-drop-pass zone entry from MaJo to 19. (i think that play alone shaved at least 7 months off my actuarial expectancy.) i'm curious what people thought of MaJo overall last night.

I thought he had flashes like everyone else on the team. Some bad some good, few real good, just from my memory not any actual replay dissection...I don't remember the particular play you're talking about. I think #90 could've had two goals as he and Backstrom fanned on a couple really nice setups from OV if I'm not mistaken.

I'm gonna chalk up the "inconsistencies" on the PP and to some of the players to the rust from coming off a 4-day layway.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Backstrom sprung Stepan on shorthanded breakaway. Erat, while he had a few really nice plays, led the team in "WTF?" moments for me. He had a couple really bad turnovers.

Turnovers, in general, were a real problem last night. Way too many soft passes that the pass receivers just waited around for, letting the Rangers jump on them. Passing has to be crisper, and pass receivers need to attack the puck rather than waiting for it. Can't try and be pretty against a Tortarella team.

I was shocked that didn't do us in last night. I swear I counted at least 15 times a Caps forward or D had the puck deep flung it around the boards for the clear and no forward was there and the Rags just easily intercepted it and kept it in our zone. A better team would have probably capitalized on some of those chances.

 

[Stewie G]

Mojo sure looked stronger on his skates last night than at any time during the course of the season. He absorbed a couple checks in the offensive to keep plays alive and his board work looked noticeably better to me.

 

[Hivemind]

Last night was the most fun I've had in a while watching the Caps play. Got hammered with the boys and found a hockey bar in San Diego. We physically dominated that game. Play like that and this is over in 4 or 5.

What bar? Will be out there for games 6, 7, and part of the 2nd round.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

What bar? Will be out there for games 6, 7, and part of the 2nd round.

We won't need 6 or 7 games.

It's called Stout Public House and it's downtown. A very cool Irish Pub. All the TV's in the place were tuned to various hockey games and they play the sound which is huge for me. Last night there were guys sporting Ottawa, St. Louis, Los Angeles, New York, and Montreal jerseys. I had a good conversation with a Rags fan sporting a Mets t-shirt who was very down on the Rangers chances and very over Torts' tenure. There were 6 of us sporting Caps gear and we had a blast. Happy hour is from 4-8 and it's a damn good happy hour. You'll have a good time.

 

[troyerlaw]

and now i am ... leaving it behind.

game didn't happen.

brand new series.

starts saturday.

we gotta play like it's game 7.

mission 15W.

we are only as good as our next shift.

 

[Langway]

Passing has to be crisper, and pass receivers need to attack the puck rather than waiting for it. Can't try and be pretty against a Tortarella team.

It really stands out after watching so many Western Conference games involving teams that routinely hit teammates with passes in stride. It's not just the receiver but the passer passing the puck to where it needs to go. That level of timing and collective anticipation has always been an issue for this team. It makes them quite a bit slower than they could be otherwise.

I do like some of the strides they're making in breaking out with composure from along the walls up high but overall there are a lot of little things they can do better to be a more fluid team with the puck.

 

[txpd]

Mojo sure looked stronger on his skates last night than at any time during the course of the season. He absorbed a couple checks in the offensive to keep plays alive and his board work looked noticeably better to me.

i recall him chasing a puck behind the net to find girardi there. hit him. battled with him. knocked him on his pants and skated the puck out.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

NuNHL assimilation completed for you I see. Resistance is futile...

What are you even talking about?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

What are you even talking about?

Nothing....some people are easily offended or otherwise outraged about things others just let run off their backs. Had it been more than just chippyness after the final whistle, I'd be pissed I guess. What happened, from what I saw live, wasn't anything I haven't seen 100 times in an NHL season.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

We won't need 6 or 7 games.

It's called Stout Public House and it's downtown. A very cool Irish Pub. All the TV's in the place were tuned to various hockey games and they play the sound which is huge for me. Last night there were guys sporting Ottawa, St. Louis, Los Angeles, New York, and Montreal jerseys. I had a good conversation with a Rags fan sporting a Mets t-shirt who was very down on the Rangers chances and very over Torts' tenure. There were 6 of us sporting Caps gear and we had a blast. Happy hour is from 4-8 and it's a damn good happy hour. You'll have a good time.

That sounds like a blast...way to represent out West.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Nothing....some people are easily offended or otherwise outraged about things others just let run off their backs. Had it been more than just chippyness after the final whistle, I'd be pissed I guess. What happened, from what I saw live, wasn't anything I haven't seen 100 times in an NHL season.

You haven't seen that 100 times in an NHL season. That's BS. I'm there every game just like you are, and it doesn't happen.

 

[Halpysback*]

Way to ignore the point of the whole post. Convenient.


OK $4.5 mil injured player vs $7 mil injured player. I'll still take the $4.5 one.


Semin is gone, move on people.

Except the 7 million player actually plays in the playoffs, broken wrists at all, instead of sitting out when his team needs him most pondering how he can change tires better.

The running fad of reinventing Semin into a much worse player than he is by the people who keep nagging about "moving on" is a hoot.

 

[txpd]

Except the 7 million player actually plays in the playoffs, broken wrists at all, instead of sitting out when his team needs him most pondering how he can change tires better.

The running fad of reinventing Semin into a much worse player than he is by the people who keep nagging about "moving on" is a hoot.

you are saying laich is sitting when he could be playing?
am i wrong or didnt laich play a long time on a broken foot in one playoff season and not miss games otherwise??

i am not tearing down semin or anything. i just dont get what you are implying with laich

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

you are saying laich is sitting when he could be playing?
am i wrong or didnt laich play a long time on a broken foot in one playoff season and not miss games otherwise??

i am not tearing down semin or anything. i just dont get what you are implying with laich

It was a broken ankle. And it was from February through the end of the playoffs.

And yeah, someone attacking Laich for not playing through injuries while building up Semin for doing so is just delusional. Or Semin's mom.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Nice game by the Caps. I was especially impressed with the physicality. Fehr looks great. He's got a bit of snarl to his game now. Hope his shoulder holds up.

The Rangers are banged up and the Caps need to take full advantage. They need to ramp it up for game 2 because you can be assured that the Rangers will.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

You haven't seen that 100 times in an NHL season. That's BS. I'm there every game just like you are, and it doesn't happen.

Watch more hockey? I did mean league-wide....but whatever. It's a non-issue.

 

[Vladiator16*]

Backstrom sprung Stepan on shorthanded breakaway. Erat, while he had a few really nice plays, led the team in "WTF?" moments for me. He had a couple really bad turnovers.

Turnovers, in general, were a real problem last night. Way too many soft passes that the pass receivers just waited around for, letting the Rangers jump on them. Passing has to be crisper, and pass receivers need to attack the puck rather than waiting for it. Can't try and be pretty against a Tortarella team.

Agree, but was there something wrong with the ice last night?

 

[Liberati0n*]

It was a broken ankle. And it was from February through the end of the playoffs.

And yeah, someone attacking Laich for not playing through injuries while building up Semin for doing so is just delusional. Or Semin's mom.

I mean, it's the same as attacking Semin for it and praising Laich. Whether or not both were done by one particular person, the consensus went in those directions, unfairly.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

I mean, it's the same as attacking Semin for it and praising Laich. Whether or not both were done by one particular person, the consensus went in those directions, unfairly.

No it's not the same. One player missed 4 games over the course of 5 seasons. The other has never played a full season.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Watch more hockey? I did mean league-wide....but whatever. It's a non-issue.

And I still call ********.

 

[RandyHolt]

25 years ago, shenanigans were much common place at the ends of games, of course.

I like that we pushed the little punks buttons that he was driven to be the little post game biotch that he was.

Ovi and Erskine in particular worked him over real well.

Paging Carlzner I presume for GDT duty.

Cut the cake, err copy paste will work. Just add one or 2 small typos. Stephan and Callaghan.

Someone turn the lights on in his room.