Series Discussion: Round 2 (Caps vs Penguins) 2016 Playoffs (Pens fans, read note in OP)

[Sam Spade]

Letang is a head case. Most pens fans struggle to admit that. While the rest of the "core" has grown up now that they are all staring down the barrel at 30. #58 is still throwing hissy fits. I wouldn't call Letang the engine though. A crucial piece for sure, but even when he goes off on his tangents, the rest of the team doesn't follow.

Not talking about getting him off his game really. Just mean you have to beat him down physically so he can't be as active with the puck.

In the Flyer series you could see them looking over their shoulders as the series wore on. Checking up, getting rid of pucks faster than they should have because they were tired of getting slammed into. Especially noticed this with Ghost.

Caps need to do the same thing to Letang and if he takes a penalty along the way all the better.

Caps are underdogs in this series, very few will pick them, they have to have a perfect game plan to win and shutting down Letang has to be a huge part of it.

Honestly I think Holtby playing like god and MAF coming back are the best chances the Caps have.

 

[Portable Mink]

I think the Caps have found the balance between being physical and playing attacking hockey. Game 5 & 6 somewhat showed that.

Whats lacking though is confidence to make plays without fear of screwing up. Kind of playing offense like the Rangers do the last few games. Predictable and terrible. We have skill! Use it.

 

[EroCaps]

FWIW, I read that a bit differently. I think he's working on the message that this is the Stanley Cup ****ing Playoffs so it's not gonna be easy and if they aren't ready to work and fight, they're gonna lose.

He said the same thing last season after going up 3-1 to the Rangers and I gave him the benefit of the doubt because it was Year 1.

His offensive players look terrified of making mistakes. Their strategy of "hit them in the 1st period and hope for a 0-0 score" is lame.

Trying to win like the early 90s New Jersey Devils is not going to work against a great transition team like Pittsburgh.

Adjust or lose.

 

[PucksInDeep]

I think the Caps have found the balance between being physical and playing attacking hockey. Game 5 & 6 somewhat showed that.

Whats lacking though is confidence to make plays without fear of screwing up. Kind of playing offense like the Rangers do the last few games. Predictable and terrible. We have skill! Use it.

I'm hoping part of the fear of screwing up is because Neuvirth wasn't letting ANYTHING past him. One mistake and it's game over, another 1-0 shutout like Game 5.

The Penguins are going to play a more uptempo style and I hope the Caps respond in kind. I think it suits the roster better anyway. The Caps have too much talent up front, even if they make mistakes it'll be worth it to try and make plays.

 

[Brian23]

I'm hoping part of the fear of screwing up is because Neuvirth wasn't letting ANYTHING past him. One mistake and it's game over, another 1-0 shutout like Game 5.

The Penguins are going to play a more uptempo style and I hope the Caps respond in kind. I think it suits the roster better anyway. The Caps have too much talent up front, even if they make mistakes it'll be worth it to try and make plays.

One thing I will say about this team is the Caps always respond to what the other team is doing. They're not really good at setting their own tone, but they're pretty good at reciprocating. We saw it last year in the series with the Islanders and then the series with the Rangers after that, I would also say we saw the same in this series with the Flyers though they did seem to start enforcing their will at some points.

I think the high flying Pens will bring out the high flying Caps.

 

[ovikovy817]

I hope this series will continue to be like the first one "hard hitting". I didn't want us to play like this against Flyers, because they're dirty, but Pens are softy and we should play like this. Even if it's dangerous because you have the whiner, (the most famous ) on the other side. (I even could bet 100$ on a hit by Ovi on Letang in the first 10 seconds of Game 1 )

Hope also Orpik is OK, and will be able to play (even if I think he's done for the season, **** you White)

I think both (us and them) fanbase are agree to say that the winner in this series will go to the SCF. TBL and NYI are too weak.

______
I saw a lot of people complaining about Kuzy, and the second line production. The most important thing is that we still win games, series.
We past the Flyers with one line, special teams and goaltending. Don't worry the others will wake up. (I hope). Bura (and Orly) also will play with more confidence. Gudas and the other bullies are out. JDub is waiting for a game 7
And maybe Kuznetsov's low production is a good thing, he won't demand 7-8M$ after his bridge contract


Edit: The last thing I'd like to add is, like the majority of the Caps fans, I'm a bit worried and it will be a huge disappointment to lose in 2nd round with this great team (the greatest for me in Ovechkin-era). And when you know the 2nd round will be more complicated than the 3rd, it will be more difficult to swallow than the series against Habs and Halak, and even last year OT game7 loss.

The important thing will be to win Game 1, 3 and 5 (so to be always ahead in the series). If it goes to seven, I think we have good chances to win it. Williams is here.

 

[amin723]

2nd line will have an easier time with the less physical Pens. The Flyers REALLY got the young guys off their game and that probably frustrated Williams into his Game 5 spectacular.

Clean slate. Looking forward to what they can do.

 

[SimplySensational]

I don't know why people think the 2nd line was bad, it cycled a lot, just didn't score...

It's strange how this board is, one second it's whining about scoring transition goals and not enough cycling, the next it's whining about not scoring with a lot of cycle.

 

[txpd]

I don't know why people think the 2nd line was bad, it cycled a lot, just didn't score...

It's strange how this board is, one second it's whining about scoring transition goals and not enough cycling, the next it's whining about not scoring with a lot of cycle.

The past 25 games Kuzy has put up Brooks Laich like numbers. Were Backstrom doing this right now, the board would be ripping him to shreds. Just like Flyers fans are wondering about Simmons with 0 goals and G with 1pt in that series we worry about the 2nd line doing nothing.

Ov and Backstrom pulled the cart. They won the series. They move on. But don't kid yourself. Kuzy, the team's leading scorer, is going to have to produce like it or the Caps won't win the Cup. He is their advantage. What the other teams cant match. The Flyers didn't have to deal with him.

If Kuzy had finished the season strong, I wouldn't be complaining. BUT, he is ONE flukey goal in 25 games.

Edit: When did Pens fans go the Habs school or online fan rules? Are we all over their forum right now?

 

[RandyHolt]

I wonder if we would be well served to play the series very rough. We don't want a track meet with them.

Our stifling D leaves us with basically no ES offense. Dmen move up vs the rush, and forwards have to be defensemen - abandoning offensive operations. So we have to score off the rush when the Pens are moving back, but I don't see us polished enough on odd mans hence our feeble ES production of late.

There is going to be a parade of calls against us, no matter what we do. **** holding calls, I prefer a cross check or rough, things that will generate retaliation - often the only call. Try and use our size and girth to our advantage to get them off their game, and hopefully fall back on our key to victory this season, the PPG. We will get some mercy make up calls and have to capitalize on them, just like we needed vs the flyers. Embarrassingly so.

If our PP was grounded vs Philly, I question whether we would have advanced. We have to win ugly. Start by targeting Letang, Dmen move up on S1d, clear the crease aggressively, and goad their young forwards into dumb retaliation penalties.

 

[g00n]

A reminder of our local rules:

10) Neutral Boards vs Home Boards (and Visiting Fans) – This forum is primarily for Caps fans. Things said here may not fly on other team boards or even neutral boards. Similarly, some topics or comments that might be OK on neutral boards may be unwanted on a team board. If a visiting fan truly does “come in peace” and follows the site and local rules then there is likely no problem. But be advised that this is Caps fan “home ice” and rival fans stopping by making questionable posts probably won't get the benefit of the doubt (meaning high possibility of infractions, threadbans, forum bans, etc). On our team board we may make comments about how we don't like rival cities or buildings or teams, but we MAY NOT make insulting, general comments about the fans as people. What we post is searchable on the web and isn't limited to our board. Keep that in mind before posting.

Visiting fans here to "correct", "steer", or "manage" our discussion are not welcome. You have your own boards and the neutral playoff board for that.

 

[Blades of Steel]

no one watches trailer park boys I guess

 

[Koized]

The past 25 games Kuzy has put up Brooks Laich like numbers. Were Backstrom doing this right now, the board would be ripping him to shreds. Just like Flyers fans are wondering about Simmons with 0 goals and G with 1pt in that series we worry about the 2nd line doing nothing.

Ov and Backstrom pulled the cart. They won the series. They move on. But don't kid yourself. Kuzy, the team's leading scorer, is going to have to produce like it or the Caps won't win the Cup. He is their advantage. What the other teams cant match. The Flyers didn't have to deal with him.

If Kuzy had finished the season strong, I wouldn't be complaining. BUT, he is ONE flukey goal in 25 games.

Edit: When did Pens fans go the Habs school or online fan rules? Are we all over their forum right now?

It could never get as bad as it was with the Habs fans I hope.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Good morning! Would you like to hear the truth about the Pittsburgh Penguins and open your heart to the Lord and savior Matt Murray?

 

[RandyHolt]

Full aerial assault

 

[NoMoreChoking]

Reading the main boards, Pens seem to be heavy favorites

This works well for us

 

[John Price]

Caps winning games despite an offense which has disappeared

At least they have xp with Murray. They've seen him before and know his game.

The issue on the other hand... They let neuvirth win two of three games. How will this team do against a goalie not named Steve Mason?

 

[sycamore]

Reading the main boards, Pens seem to be heavy favorites

This works well for us

Its all based on the last two games. The main boards were crowning the Caps SC Champions after the Monday Night Massacre in Philly.

 

[Bananas]

I predicted that PP and Holtby would be the keys to our run. Well... that's certainly what gave us the edge in the first round. Let's see if it keeps up. If we score PPG's and have the edge in net I think we'll be tough to solve. Kuzy has to step up though. He has been pretty brutal so far and we'll definitely need him against the Pens. I'd personally go for a scoring line and a grinding line in our bottom six. Having two grinding lines really dried up the secondary scoring...and we'll need it moving forward.

 

[stanleycaps18]

I think, playing the Pens, is more suited to the type of game Kuzy and Bura play. Well, let's hope so anyhow.

 

[RandyHolt]

Barry has a few days to ponder life, and his feeble ES offense. I doubt he changes anything at this point, but by mid series he may have to try and fix 2. Williams was -4. Kuz -2. Bura even steven but none of the 3 can score. I suspect he is hesitant to try Ovi + Kuz for defensive concerns. Maybe a good move to try is JDub up at 1RW and Oshie down. Another is MJ up, Bura down.

Defense - assuming Orpik is out, Chorney vs Weber is the only debate. I know it must be killing some to see Chorn 0-2 and having a direct hand in 2 goals against in his losses, and Weber undefeated.

The Pens style points to Chorney being in (and maybe to haunt his former team) but I prefer him at LD. And him on a short leash, all unless Barry wants to try to ruffle the penguin feather early on, in which case Weber early, and when the shenanigans cool down, Chorney late.

I think we should impose our will on Pitt. When they do the A button lob pass, smoke that dman watching his pass hit the slightly lowered scoreboard at VZ. And smoke the guy looking at the rafters as our Dman moves up to meet them. We should be practicing this.

 

[strungout]

If they smack this Pens crew in the mouth, and often...they can win this series. ****ing bring the body each and every night and punish the D core. The speed of their bottom six will be a tough matchup, but wearing them down will be a key to the series.

I hope Orpik gets back sooner rather than later.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Trotz will likely have us playing in the trenches. The Pens have the edge on the rush, but we have the edge in the trenches.

 

[Blades of Steel]

I didn't get to watch most of the game yesterday, but what was everyone's opinion on Weber vs Chorney?

 

[895]

I didn't get to watch most of the game yesterday, but what was everyone's opinion on Weber vs Chorney?

Chorney for sure. Weber is half the skater Chorney is. Plus the Penguins let Chorney so you would have to think he's extra motivated.