Post-Game Talk: Rangers vs Super Ovi @ 5PM, Verizon Center

[Alexander the Gr8]

In their last meeting, Super Ovi had to tap into his star power to put an end to the reign of the evil NYR empire's King Henrik.



This time, after getting bounced mercilessly by the Buffalo Tankers, Super Ovi aims to put the evil NYR empire back in its place once more following their victory over the Philthy Flyers.

He will be aided by the Fantastic 4: Kuzy Potter, Stone Hands Chimera, Mr. Game 7 and the Holtbeast. It appears Super Ovi has also made an ally in the enemy ranks, Dumb Dumb Girardi.

Expected line up for tonight (no morning skate):



Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Burakovsky-Kuznetsov-Williams
Chimera-Johansson-Wilson
Laich-Richards-Galiev

Alzner-Niskanen
Orlov-Schmidt
Ness-Chorney

Holtby
Grubauer



Miller-Brassard-Zuccarello
Kreider-Stepan-Nash
Lindberg-Hayes-Fast
Glass-Moore-Stalberg

McDonagh-McIlrath
Staal-Boyle
Yandle-Girardi

Raanta
Lundqvist

Click to read more...

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Too much. Loss.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Too much. Loss.

We haven't had 2 consecutive regulation losses, but we tend to lose when we make long GDT. Something's got to give. Maybe you guys will thank me for breaking the long GDT curse

 

[Devil Dancer]

Lineups? A video?!?

 

[bWo*]

Just win

 

[ChibiPooky]

I loled.

I didn't "get" to see the Buffalo game because my wife made me watch The Revenant so this will be my first opportunity to see Richards in action.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I loled.

I didn't "get" to see the Buffalo game because my wife made me watch The Revenant so this will be my first opportunity to see Richards in action.

You didn't miss anything yesterday, except for Richards. I thought he was pretty good and clearly better than Laich.

 

[peterthegreat12]

I don't get the comments, "he is better than Laich", in regards to Richards.

I don't see it being one or the other. Richards was brought in to play at the center position and Laich has been a LW all year...

I think Richards performance in no way impacts Brooks Laich.

 

[peterthegreat12]

Oh, and also, I think this one is another L.

Trotz is over playing Alzner/Niskanen and it is beginning to show.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I don't get the comments, "he is better than Laich", in regards to Richards.

I don't see it being one or the other. Richards was brought in to play at the center position and Laich has been a LW all year...

I think Richards performance in no way impacts Brooks Laich.

Their duties are the same and Richards executes them better. Also, there is always a possibility to play Richards on the wing if needed.

 

[Blitzkrieg365]

I think the plan was for Grubs to play tonight but Holtby should be starting?

 

[coyote]

Why did LA let him go? Last night i didn't see his play any better then when Laich is in the line up and Laich is more physical then Richards

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Why did LA let him go? Last night i didn't see his play any better then when Laich is in the line up and Laich is more physical then Richards

His contract was absolutely terrible, worse than Laich's. His play had declined sharply and then there was the whole drug issue. The Kings found an easy way to get rid of his contract by simply terminating it.

 

[Blades of Steel]

I loled.

I didn't "get" to see the Buffalo game because my wife made me watch The Revenant so this will be my first opportunity to see Richards in action.

it was a pretty meh(boring) game. good job.

 

[hockeyfan88]

I wanna see a much better effort, don't care if they win or lose as long as they play hard.

The Caps are a heavy hockey team. The last few games they are playing more of a finesse game.

Skate hard, hit hard and play a simple game. Their high skill will show naturally.

I hope Lundqvist doesn't start because yesterday he was stellar against the Flyers. Rags had no business winning that game.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I wanna see a much better effort, don't care if they win or lose as long as they play hard.

The Caps are a heavy hockey team. The last few games they are playing more of a finesse game.

Skate hard, hit hard and play a simple game. Their high skill will show naturally.

I hope Lundqvist doesn't start because yesterday he was stellar against the Flyers. Rags had no business winning that game.

Raanta has been confirmed in net. AV doing us another favour.

 

[trick9]

Way too early to pencil Richards in for Laich long-term. He was good but 1 game isn't enough after him being so long away from NHL hockey.

Good thing there is enough time before the TDL for him to show Trotz and GMBM that Laich is expendable.

 

[hockeyfan88]

Raanta has been confirmed in net. AV doing us another favour.

Thank God. I know Raanta can be pretty good, but he is no King.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Win? Feels like another trap game.

 

[Langway]

I think Richards performance in no way impacts Brooks Laich.

It could when Beagle returns if Johansson stays put at 3C. Beagle ought to take draws at least, if not play center otherwise.

 

[trick9]

I think Richards performance in no way impacts Brooks Laich.

Richards played his first NHL game in a while and immediately took Laich's roster spot and PK time.

 

[Carlzner]

Richards played his first NHL game in a while and immediately took Laich's roster spot and PK time.

Oh yeah? You basing that on a quote from Trotz or what?

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I wanna see a much better effort, don't care if they win or lose as long as they play hard.

The Caps are a heavy hockey team. The last few games they are playing more of a finesse game.

Skate hard, hit hard and play a simple game. Their high skill will show naturally.

I hope Lundqvist doesn't start because yesterday he was stellar against the Flyers. Rags had no business winning that game.

I feel like we're diverting too much from that. Last year in the playoffs, we were one of the heaviest teams, crashing and banging opponents. We need to intimidate opponents like we did to the Isles in the playoffs.

 

[hockeyfan88]

Richards played his first NHL game in a while and immediately took Laich's roster spot and PK time.

And he played better. It says a lot when a guy out of hockey for almost a year comes back and outplays a 4.5M winger on his first game.

Richards hockey IQ is off the charts. Once he regains his form, I don't see how he doesn't earn at least a 4th line spot on the team.

For me, the bigger question is who gets demoted when all forwards are healthy?

MoJo (from 2LW to 3C), Beagle (3C to 4th line) or Burakovsky (2LW to 4th line)?

Laich's job is in danger. Trotz says he is just testing some stuff, but you can see the roster is getting a little crowded for #21.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Aren't most NHL 4th liners jobs in danger pretty much all the time? Laich's job had been in danger for a season+ now.