GDT: Rangers at Capitals Game 2

[txpd]

two games up. the seeing if this team is different really starts now.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

two games up. the seeing if this team is different really starts now.

Meh, not really.

They were in this exact position two years ago and closed it out comfortably in 5.

The test to see whether this team is different doesn't start until next round.

 

[txpd]

i'd just as soon the caps keep winning. i'd love to read ranger fans saying their team got bounced in 4 straight because of bad bounces and bad referees

 

[caps4cup]

Caps held the rags scoreless the last 17:43 of the game. Pretty impressive. 2 PPs in that span as well.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Caps held the rags scoreless the last 17:43 of the game. Pretty impressive. 2 PPs in that span as well.

Now, I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure the Caps held the Rags scoreless for the last 68:00 of the game.

 

[brs03]

Now, I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure the Caps held the Rags scoreless for the last 68:00 of the game.

You and your fancy stats.

(seriously though, that was an impressive stretch keeping them without a shot)

 

[NoMoreChoking]

One thing I noticed compared to the past, mainly Bruce teams (Still love the guy):

We aren't folding under pressure. We aren't making that many mistakes, aren't turning it over as much, staying in our system, not out of place, not rattled.

Oates has to be given credit, as Hunter but I think the maturing of the young ones helped too.

Also one thing. Mojo and Backstrom had an awful game, what up with backstrom?

 

[msrulo]

Now, I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure the Caps held the Rags scoreless for the last 68:00 of the game.

I think he meant no shots on goal given by the Caps in the final 17:43 of the game. Quite an impressive feat I suppose.

 

[msrulo]

One thing I noticed compared to the past, mainly Bruce teams (Still love the guy):

We aren't folding under pressure. We aren't making that many mistakes, aren't turning it over as much, staying in our system, not out of place, not rattled.

Oates has to be given credit, as Hunter but I think the maturing of the young ones helped too.

Also one thing. Mojo and Backstrom had an awful game, what up with backstrom?

We have more grit in our lineup too. No way BB would play Erskine in the playoffs.

 

[ForzaItalia]

Nice article on Oleksy from up here in Canada:

Link

 

[RandyHolt]

Ignoring overtime, anyone else besides me think Oleksy was our best Dman today?

The first surprise was Oleksy’s accent, or lack thereof — “You think he’s probably from Poland or something,” Perrault said — but Oleksy’s family emigrated from Poland generations ago. He’s from Chesterfield, Mich.

<----

 

[txpd]

rh...love oleksy. he was not better than 52, 27 or 74. erskine had some bumps in the road trying to play the puck with his stick.

lets not take oleksy love too far.

 

[Devil Dancer]

We have more grit in our lineup too. No way BB would play Erskine in the playoffs.

Oates' lineup is much more in line with what this forum wants than were BB's or Hunter's.

 

[Devil Dancer]

One thing I noticed compared to the past, mainly Bruce teams (Still love the guy):

We aren't folding under pressure. We aren't making that many mistakes, aren't turning it over as much, staying in our system, not out of place, not rattled.

Oates has to be given credit, as Hunter but I think the maturing of the young ones helped too.

I mostly credit maturity and experience. This isn't a team led by kids anymore, the core has grown up. They've taken a step down in talent relative to the President's Trophy team, but a big step up in maturity.

 

[RandyHolt]

Tex so you think he was our 4th best dman in regulation today.

You clearly didn't watch the entire game. You are just taking your predictable jab at anything you think is tough play related. Even if you did, the things he does, you would discount anyways.

I guess you don't remember Carlson getting undressed on the blue. Green and Alzner were meh, good but not best. Who many PP's did any of them draw? What were their hit counts.

Carlson may have had my vote but he had a whoops moment.

You dont like tough players doing well because you have spent years arguing against their value to the team

Your vote does not count

 

[txpd]

i am not going to battle with you over this, pal. if you want to run oleksy out there 25 minutes in game 3 and match him up against the nash line, you go right ahead.

he's not the best defenseman on the team. he didnt have the best game on the team on defense. i didnt notice hillen. i noticed that erskine lost the puck behind his own goal line several times because he had trouble putting his stick on the puck and moving it.

btw....you will notice other than my post saying he wasnt the best nobody else wanted to engage the subject. you are not getting support from elsehwere.

one more thing. while the majority of this forum has pounded mcphee over erskine, oleksy and hillen, you should have noticed my general support for them. its you and rouse and me. i could turn your comment around and say the reason you so quickly jump on the 4 and 61 and 24 bandwagon is that they are tough and not the quality of their play. recall you wanting volpatti to remain with ward ready.

i am further impressed by oleksy's play. with that i am NOT going tell you he was better than alzner or green or carlson in that game.

 

[ForzaItalia]

Any chance we see Orlov at all?

 

[tycoonheart]

recall you wanting volpatti to remain with ward ready.

I said the same thing. Because that 4th line of Patti-Beags-Hendy was playing so well to close out the regular season. With Ward in there they haven't looked particularly good, not as good that line looked with Patti.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Volpatti is a better player than Ward. But that with him in there they had great chemistry. And I suggested before the playoff even started that I would be hesitant on changing that line.

At the same time you want Ward to play, he was brought here to perform in the playoffs.

 

[Brian23]

Any chance we see Orlov at all?

As much as I hate to say it, I doubt it. Though, I do'nt think we really need him.

Erskine has had his moments, but overall has been playing above his head lately and fits on that second line well with Carlson. Hillen, to me, is a perfect bottom pairing left defenseman. Only way Orlov gets a call up is if Hillen/Alzner/Erskine get hurt, or one of Erskine and Hillen -really- **** the bed over a few games.

 

[Acallabeth]

he's not the best defenseman on the team. he didnt have the best game on the team on defense.
i am further impressed by oleksy's play. with that i am NOT going tell you he was better than alzner or green or carlson in that game.

He's not, and he didn't.
But while he's not the best all of them, he's just as valuable. I can't see how Oleksy giving the team a huge boost can be denied, and his rugged style is just what the team missed all these years.
He's a reflection of what happened to the Capitals overall - they're not "nicer than you" anymore, now we have both class and toughness.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

I was one of the skeptics on Orr necause I didn't think a little man could play the role he plays over the long run. But he has been shockingly effective as a third pairing dman who plays rough. He struggles with big players who play him tight but he mitigates it by consistently dictating how opponents get to play.

No complaints.

 

[artilector]

I think Oleksy has absolutely been one of our best defensemen. Think about it -- he's been as physically engaged as anybody, he's chipped in with a couple of big offensive plays (one of which gave the team a GWG), and I don't recall him making noticeably bad plays except that penalty today. Now I might've missed a few plays so maybe he's made some more mistakes or maybe his positioning and puck movement has lagged behind others... but purely as an impression, yeah I could say he's made the most significant overall positive impact in my eyes. Green probably continues to be more important overall, but Oleksy is right there.

Though you have to expect hiccups at some point. For an unheralded rookie D to maintain this level of play all through playoffs would be pretty unreal.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Erskine has turned into a pumpkin and Alzner is struggling. I'm comfortable calling Oleksy our third best dman this series. And that's not damning with faint praise.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

I haven't caught Alzner's struggles. I think he's generally been assertive and good with his stick.

Hillen and Erskine have been abysmal on the puck, though Erskine redeems himself with his play otherwise.

Hillen would be another poor game away from a scratch, for me.

The rest of the defense has been good.

 

[artilector]

Erskine has turned into a pumpkin and Alzner is struggling. I'm comfortable calling Oleksy our third best dman this series. And that's not damning with faint praise.

Wait, who's the second best then, Carlson? I dunno, for some reason the only time he's stood out to me was getting burned on that lone Ranger goal and then again getting burned on what was a goal post away from a probably Ranger GWG.. though I admit I haven't specifically tracked his body work so perhaps he's been the best at making sure Rags don't stay in our zone, or something -- which would be a huge deal if true. Not letting the Rags do the only thing they're decent at has rendered them completely toothless so far.