Series Discussion: Round 2 (Caps vs Rangers) 2015 Playoffs

[mrwarden]

We've gotten our revenge on Halak
Next comes our revenge on a Presidents Trophy Team.
Next, I want our revenge on the Canadiens and their hotshot goalie.
After that, it's time to get revenge on Boudreau (even though I had them losing in the first round to Winnipeg and we don't really need revenge on the best coach in Caps history).

How dare you get fired by us because we wouldn't fire our GM after 15 years!

 

[strungout]

We've gotten our revenge on Halak
Next comes our revenge on a Presidents Trophy Team.
Next, I want our revenge on the Canadiens and their hotshot goalie.
After that, it's time to get revenge on Boudreau (even though I had them losing in the first round to Winnipeg and we don't really need revenge on the best coach in Caps history).

Yes!

That year the Bears lost to him and Hamilton in the playoffs...I was convinced he was the best goalie I've ever seen play in person. Absolutely owned that series. That Bears team was a juggernaut in the regular season and playoffs to that point....just completely derailed by Price.

 

[Trou Trou Train]

If we want to stand a chance we have to win the first game because we're definitely losing the 12:30 game on Saturday. As long as we come back to Verizon with the series 1-1 I think we will have a shot at taking it.

Ranger fan coming in peace. I feel like WE need to win tomorrow because we don't bode well with Game 2's. Rangers have lost 10 of their last 11 Game 2's and have lost 6 straight Game 2's at MSG.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

If the Caps get past NYR, this is no longer true.

Disagree. The defense and goaltending groups he had to work with were abominations.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Disagree. The defense and goaltending groups he had to work with were abominations.

He had decent enough goaltending, but the defense was ridiculously bad. How did McPhee keep this job for as long as he did?

To the point though, I think Trotz has a ways to go before taking the crown from Bruce. Though postseason success with this franchise would go a long way.

 

[Maruk moustache]

It feels good to be the bad guys for once.
This Caps team was so soft in the past. Semin is the prime example of that. He was softer than a mother's kiss.

He didn't play "hard," it's true, and he looks really weird when he fights, but I felt he was generally pretty effective all-around player, however you slice it, when he was in Washington, and even before this year in Carolina. Loved the guy, overall. I can't imagine him on this team right now.

 

[amin723]

I for one am pretty sick and tired of seeing all this crap about how great the Rangers are.

To me they are like the 2009-2010 Caps without the greatest player in the world.

Apparently they beat a "really good Penguins team" in 5 games. News to me and everyone else in the league that slobberknocked that team around the last 2 months of the year...

This is a soft team that's ripe for some humble pie. Blow the doors off of them Caps.

Game 1: 5-1 Caps

Game 2: 3-2 Caps OT

Game 3: 4-2 Caps

Game 4: 3-1 Rags only because the Caps went out drinking all day after Game 3, if they don't do that then 4-2 Caps again.

Game 5: 12-0 Caps (Ovechktrick)

Caps in 5 if they party all day after Game 3. Caps in 4 if they don't.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I for one am pretty sick and tired of seeing all this crap about how great the Rangers are.

To me they are like the 2009-2010 Caps without the greatest player in the world.

Apparently they beat a "really good Penguins team" in 5 games. News to me and everyone else in the league that slobberknocked that team around the last 2 months of the year...

Calling the current Rangers the 2010 Caps without Ovi is an insult to them.

They have a much better defense than we've ever had, a better coach than BB in Vigneault and they have a better goalie than Varlamov in Lundqvist.

The current Rangers would destroy the 2010 Caps. I do believe that the 2015 Caps are better than the 2010 Caps.

 

[amin723]

Calling the current Rangers the 2010 Caps without Ovi is an insult to them.

They have a much better defense than we've ever had, a better coach than BB in Vigneault and they have a better goalie than Varlamov in Lundqvist.

The current Rangers would destroy the 2010 Caps. I do believe that the 2015 Caps are better than the 2010 Caps.

you act as if I'm worried about insulting the Rangers.

 

[Raikkonen]

I think 4-0 is a bit too much. We will win 1 of 2 in NY and then close out the series 4-1 or 4-2.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Calling the current Rangers the 2010 Caps without Ovi is an insult to them.

They have a much better defense than we've ever had, a better coach than BB in Vigneault and they have a better goalie than Varlamov in Lundqvist.

The current Rangers would destroy the 2010 Caps. I do believe that the 2015 Caps are better than the 2010 Caps.

The 2010 Caps were a 121 point team. By no means would the 2015 Rangers "destroy" them. You seem to forget what a lesser Caps team did the next year against Staal, Girardi, McDonagh, and Lundqvist.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

If we win this thing, it won't be soon. They're speedy little buggers like the Isles. It'll take wearing them down over a 7 game series. Which we've tried and failed with Girardi/Staal in the past and haven't been successful.

I'm expecting to go back to DC down 2-0 but I don' think we'll be out of it at that point if they stay on message.

 

[Carlzner]

If we win this thing, it won't be soon. They're speedy little buggers like the Isles. It'll take wearing them down over a 7 game series. Which we've tried and failed with Girardi/Staal in the past and haven't been successful.

I'm expecting to go back to DC down 2-0 but I don' think we'll be out of it at that point if they stay on message.

Except like 10 times worse. I'm not too confident in this series. The Islanders tried to use their speed to beat us and it worked until they were too physically worn down. The Rangers are faster and way deeper on offense, and I doubt our physical strategy will work well on their tough defense.

 

[Maruk moustache]

Just hoping for a very rusty Rangers team in game 1. It can happen to the best of teams. And then enough luck and goaltending to eke out 3 more after that.

And I don't think the Caps will be as physical vs. the Rangers. I think they'll dial it down a little.

 

[txpd]

It'll take wearing them down over a 7 game series. Which we've tried and failed with Girardi/Staal in the past and haven't been successful..

didn't the capitals beat the rangers in 5 games in this recent run of rangers series? a series where ovechkin just about vaporized girardi in that time? they haven't always been successful, but they haven't always tried and failed either.

 

[KevinM]

I anticipate the Caps to be every bit as physical against the Rags as they were against the Isles, that's a major tenet of their heavy system.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

didn't the capitals beat the rangers in 5 games in this recent run of rangers series? a series where ovechkin just about vaporized girardi in that time? they haven't always been successful, but they haven't always tried and failed either.

First we have to catch them and play some shifts in the offensive zone. A lot of questions will be answered on Thursday.

 

[strungout]

And I don't think the Caps will be as physical vs. the Rangers. I think they'll dial it down a little.

If they want to win they won't.

So...they won't.

 

[Midnight Judges]

If the Caps get past NYR, this is no longer true.

Dude, BB got the Caps to game 7 of the second round. So in your opinion 1 loss makes or breaks his career with the Caps and wipes out all the other things he did relative to Trotz?

That seems a bit extreme.

 

[Midnight Judges]

I anticipate the Caps to be every bit as physical against the Rags as they were against the Isles, that's a major tenet of their heavy system.

Me too. Caps have the size. You gotta use it, specially early in the series. It pays dividends later in the series. Look for Wilson to get some minutes in game 1.

 

[RandyHolt]

they have speed and skill up front? Better than a big bad ass team me thinks.

early in the series....

slow dump and wilson their D over and over. and clobber their forwards in center on step ups. make all their players hear footsteps early.

we are going to be ****ed on calls sure but we cannot change now. hope holts and the pk can kill off what i expect to be double the PPs we get.

 

[CapsJunkie]

as long as Wilson doesn't get benched to allow the rangers to come back into the game like the Isle's did. and the caps keep perimeter passing until they lose the puck ...just pepper the goalie with shots series one was so frustrating to watch because of this

 

[Ridley Simon]

Except like 10 times worse. I'm not too confident in this series. The Islanders tried to use their speed to beat us and it worked until they were too physically worn down. The Rangers are faster and way deeper on offense, and I doubt our physical strategy will work well on their tough defense.

Not to mention a LOT better on defense, and a lot better behind the bench. Oh, and that Lundqvist guy.

 

[Calicaps]

Disagree. The defense and goaltending groups he had to work with were abominations.

He had decent enough goaltending, but the defense was ridiculously bad. How did McPhee keep this job for as long as he did?

To the point though, I think Trotz has a ways to go before taking the crown from Bruce. Though postseason success with this franchise would go a long way.

Dude, BB got the Caps to game 7 of the second round. So in your opinion 1 loss makes or breaks his career with the Caps and wipes out all the other things he did relative to Trotz?

That seems a bit extreme.

The D was abominable. No question. The forward corps was markedly better. And Bruce simply couldn't reproduce his regular season success in the postseason. He has yet to show that ability in Anaheim either (this year TBD, obviously.)

But that's it to me. What I'm saying is, he couldn't get them past the second round in 3 playoff attempts. If Trotz gets this team, with less skill, further than that in his first year, than yeah, Trotz is a superior coach from a Caps perspective.

 

[RandyHolt]

I say the same thing every year, many do, when the loffs roll around. POUND their defense. It was nice to actually see it come to fruition this year. Leddy had a HUGE turnover up the gut for a GWG. Willy plain and simple had them on tilt. Their only D not playing scared were the 2 greenhorn knuckle heads they called up (too little too late IMO), and Boychuk, who took his fair share of huge hits. And of course was -2 in game 7 and likely worn out carrying a huge load on that beleaguered D.

You look tired. Are you tired, Lisa?

#Simpsons