Post-Game Talk: The fault in the Stars 7:30PM

[OviTaughtMe]

Or dude is just getting old. Cold streaks will probably last longer now, which is why we gotta win this year

 

[troyerlaw]

Marble mouth Roenick cannot be trusted. Caps get one or 2 bounces and he'd be on his knees praising them.

Pens were down 3-0 to Sabres yesterday and got some puck luck. They didn't really look all that great for the first half of their game either.

Narrative is so easy to contort based on outcome when individual games have so much randomness

Not trying your hardest for first 30 min is problematic any way you slice it.

That said ... yes, only one game. Onward and upward.

Oshie was spectacular in 3rd period. Grubi was excellent in relief. And Backstrom continues his stealthy Swedish assault on the Art Ross trophy.

Let's hit the road and come back with some W's.

 

[Devil Dancer]

--- ovechkin

Disagree, I thought this was Ovie's best game in several weeks. He looked dangerous with the puck on several rushes in a way he hasn't for a long time.

 

[Holtbyisms]

It's Dallas, I knew an L was coming.

 

[troyerlaw]

It's Dallas, I knew an L was coming.

What about the upcoming road games in San Jose and LA? Those typically don't end well either

 

[Holtbyisms]

What about the upcoming road games in San Jose and LA? Those typically don't end well either

San Jose probably destroys us, LA I think we take down.

 

[Demandedace]

Ovie actually did look very good overall tonight, but he just can't buy a goal lately

 

[BobRouse]

Not trying your hardest for first 30 min is problematic any way you slice.

We saw things differently no biggie. I thought it was more the first 5-10 minutes where we were in a haze. Stars were out shooting 5-0 and had several chances.

We outshot them 12-2 to finish out the period and should have at least went in tied.

In the 2nd it was more corky opportunistic goals on Alzner and Orlov random plays where the puck didn't bounce our way.

Caps were the aggressors outside of that first 5-10 minutes really.

Lehtonen doesn't make all those saves it's a different game. He is 9-0-1 against us his last 10 btw

 

[ovikovy817]

From the start, til the first goal by Caps, I was wondering, how much votes would get "the reason why we are out in the second round again is Shattenkirk" not because he is a bad player, but because he hasn't play like the number one guy of a trade deadline list should play.
Now I hope we will see him more involved in the O-zone, like on his assist.

At least, they decided to play a little bit in the second part of the game.
It was interesting also to see the D pairs in the 3rd.
9-2
74-22
44-27
wondering if it was just a test, or we will also see them in postseason while trailing.

PS: What if, after the ENG, Caps would score another one with Gruby in net. Who would get the loss?? Gruby or Holtby?

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Oshie got emotional in his post game interview. Said that simple mistakes cost us the game and that it was unfair for Holtby to be let down by his teammates after he saved them many times.

I'm gonna get roasted for that, but Oshie is the heart and soul of this team and would make a better captain than Ovechkin. I have lots of respect for Ovi, his ability and leadership but he just doesn't have as much passion and fire in his game anymore.

 

[RandyHolt]

Oshie is definitely captain material.

How about Alzner, looking like a modern day offense only Norris candidate, picking up his primary assist. Anyone in the NHL can make passes, but never if you don't try. It was nice to see him partake in the funnel and weave and get rewarded. He has it in him, but it's just not him.

It was the blizzard last year. This year, it may be the staycation. Saving it up for the playoffs, flipping the switch part 2.

A token shout out to our little brother viking MJ and his monster hit. He has met his quota for the year.

 

[txpd]

Oshie got emotional in his post game interview. Said that simple mistakes cost us the game and that it was unfair for Holtby to be let down by his teammates after he saved them many times.

I'm gonna get roasted for that, but Oshie is the heart and soul of this team and would make a better captain than Ovechkin. I have lots of respect for Ovi, his ability and leadership but he just doesn't have as much passion and fire in his game anymore.

I don't think that is a fair comparison. You use Oshie's comments to the media after the game to prove this point. We don't know what Ov is like as an overall leader. What we do know is that because of his language skills he is not the primary post game media spokesman for the locker room. Alzner, Oshie, Williams, Orpik are. Same is true of Backstrom.

I would suggest that its very possible that their leadership ability transends their media presentation.

 

[crazy8888]

Regardless of what impact Ovi having the C has not he Caps as a team, stripping him of this honor at this point in his career would be redundant and counter productive. I think that the C is more symbolic, he is the face of this franchise after all.

Besides, I don't think Caps burden him with much extra responsibility of being a Captain anyway so stripping the C off his jersey would just pretty much be a way to point fingers and say him having the C is the problem with the team.

 

[g00n]

More over reaction please....

Sometimes the bounces don't go your way. ovechkin could have easily had 3 goals. The Stars are a talented team that had underachieved and tonight got amazing goaltending from a goalie who plays his best against us.

Like the Caps response and really should have had 2 or 3 ppgs alone if not for puck luck.

Gotta start more focused for sure but it's an 82 game season.

If you want to over react after a game where we had 80+ shot attempts to like 49 then you may want to consider being a Pens or Bruins fan

The Caps also got some lucky breaks when the puck was around the net and the bounces went to our defensemen. This happened a lot in the first period.

We can't blame luck for this one. Self-inflicted wounds that cost the game. They were bad early on.

They flat out need to play better. They must play up to their potential every night. I'm tired of hearing about how it's not realistic. That's loser talk. Champions ****ing bring it. No excuses.

 

[jsykes]

He's either injured or lost all his natural born skill in the last 2 months. I still think injured.

Lots of people keep saying this, so if its true then he needs to sit out now while its less important (he's not doing anything to help us win anyway) and get healthy so he can come back for the final stretch and playoffs at 100%.

If he's hurt and we keep having him play with poor results and keeping him from healing, that is just a stupid coaching mistake.

Get him out, get him healthy and lets make a run for the title dammit.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

It's a 7:30 start. Swedish Heritage night. Will be in attendance for this one.

I want my money back!

 

[marcel snapshot]

Everyone on the teams taken about 10 or 15 games to get comfortable in the style of play, I'd still be lenient on giving him time. I'd also really like to see him with a different D-Partner. Orpik hasn't been known to really carry a line in the last few years...

Have not liked Orpik-Shatty thus far. I know it needs more time - but thought the 1 game sample of Schmidt-Shatty was steadier, transitioned more effectively, and largely avoided get hemmed in.

It's all very delicate - because if you take Orpik out for a game to look at Schmidt-Shatty again, then you have 2 guys (Orpik and Schmidt) playing with a little nagging doubt/fear of making a mistake - and that's not good, and potentially gets contagious.

Our January en fuego offense was founded upon a terrific transition game and quick tempo out of the zone and up the ice by the D - and that's hard to do when you're playing with a little doubt.

Trotz needs to be really careful here - if our D guys start worrying primarily about making/avoiding mistakes, then the whole engine slows down, and then we're just ordinary.

 

[txpd]

They flat out need to play better. They must play up to their potential every night. I'm tired of hearing about how it's not realistic. That's loser talk. Champions ****ing bring it. No excuses.

Scotty Bowman's 4 straight cup winning, juggernaut Montreal teams played 320 regular season games and didn't win in 91 of them. I am pretty sure they were Champions and pretty sure they didn't ****ing bring every game. Hell, the Caps beat them on occasion. Yea, they needed to play better to win that game. Undefeated teams are rare in sports. For a reason.

 

[RandyHolt]

The league was different then. I question that we ever beat Montreal before 1978.

Giving a 60 minute effort was rarely a problem for the top teams, let alone any team. Sure, a few teams had flaky floaters, but they were few and far between.

There was no Alznerspeak of not being able to give a full effort vs a boring team.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I don't think that is a fair comparison. You use Oshie's comments to the media after the game to prove this point. We don't know what Ov is like as an overall leader. What we do know is that because of his language skills he is not the primary post game media spokesman for the locker room. Alzner, Oshie, Williams, Orpik are. Same is true of Backstrom.

I would suggest that its very possible that their leadership ability transends their media presentation.

Of course, but I'm also judging by the way they play. Ovi is a great leader, he scores big goals and punishing hits. I just wish he was a bit more like Oshie, who can play in any situation, win puck battles and even fight if he has to step up for a teammate. If Ovi had Oshie's bulldog mentality, he could be the best in the business again.

Regardless of what impact Ovi having the C has not he Caps as a team, stripping him of this honor at this point in his career would be redundant and counter productive. I think that the C is more symbolic, he is the face of this franchise after all.

Besides, I don't think Caps burden him with much extra responsibility of being a Captain anyway so stripping the C off his jersey would just pretty much be a way to point fingers and say him having the C is the problem with the team.

Never said he should be stripped of the C. He earned it and this is his team. Just saying he could learn a thing or two about leadership from a guy like Oshie.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

The league was different then. I question that we ever beat Montreal before 1978.

Giving a 60 minute effort was rarely a problem for the top teams, let alone any team. Sure, a few teams had flaky floaters, but they were few are far between.

There was no Alznerspeak of not being able to give a full effort vs a boring team.

I think you're remembering with fondness rather than accuracy. The skill advantage vs your opponent took you a lot further back then.

 

[txpd]

Giving a 60 minute effort was rarely a problem for the top teams, let alone any team. Sure, a few teams had flaky floaters, but they were few are far between. .

Really. 1 out of 4 games that 4 straight cup winning all star/hhof laden team only didn't win the game for bad puck luck? That they never lost to an inferior team because that team wanted it more?

ok

 

[g00n]

Scotty Bowman's 4 straight cup winning, juggernaut Montreal teams played 320 regular season games and didn't win in 91 of them. I am pretty sure they were Champions and pretty sure they didn't ****ing bring every game. Hell, the Caps beat them on occasion. Yea, they needed to play better to win that game. Undefeated teams are rare in sports. For a reason.

Who said anything about winning every game? Give your damn best at all times.

 

[txpd]

Who said anything about winning every game? Give your damn best at all times.

I think the point is that your best on a given day is sometimes below to well below your potential best. Right? The Caps are not going to be as good on the 3rd game in 4 nights or the 4th game in 6 nights as they are in the first of those games. After a long road trip, the first game at home is a struggle because there are a lot of distractions. That doesn't mean the effort isn't there. We act like if they have a bad day its a result of them coasting or something.

We don't know how many of them are playing thru injuries in a given game. We don't know who's kids were sick and kept them from eating and sleeping as they normally would. Even if they were machines they will run better on some days than others.

 

[crazy8888]

Of course, but I'm also judging by the way they play. Ovi is a great leader, he scores big goals and punishing hits. I just wish he was a bit more like Oshie, who can play in any situation, win puck battles and even fight if he has to step up for a teammate. If Ovi had Oshie's bulldog mentality, he could be the best in the business again.




Never said he should be stripped of the C. He earned it and this is his team. Just saying he could learn a thing or two about leadership from a guy like Oshie.

Not saying that you did was just responding to you saying Oshie would make a better captain. Talking to the press means very little as far team success goes. What Ovechkin can learn from Oshie is how to hustle after every puck and win board battles. Thats what i respect Osh the most for. He flies after every loose puck like its game 7 OT.