I'd like to see how we do with Stewart back, and Pirri in the lineup before I make that assumption. With that said, the Caps are definitely a complete team and you'd have to be at the top of your game every game to take a series from them.
I don't see any healthy lineup where both Stewart and Pirri are in. Who do you see sitting for one of them? I see this lineup when we're healthy:
Perron-Getzlaf-Stewart/Pirri
Cogliano-Kesler-Silfverberg
McGinn-Rakell-Perry
Horcoff-Thompson-Garbutt
I guess some could think Stewart goes to the 4th line and Garbutt sits? That's a mistake IMO.
I really don't know how you can say this, when Anaheim has been playing better hockey than Washington in every metric (stats, results) for a very long time. The margin is slight, but the ducks have been a better team for months now.
For starters, you're wrong. Washington is in contention for the best regular season ever, so they've been playing better hockey for the entire season. We've had a really good streak, but I'd say Washington's track record this year is clearly better.
Washington played a slightly better game last night, but in no way does that warrant such a overwhelmingly strong conclusion based on 1 game, such as "we can't beat them in a series". They hadn't played a team like Washington before. The speed, skill, constant fore-check, the whole way they play. That was the tightest game I've seen all season, there was no room at all. In a 7 game series there would be adjustments made to counter it, and I like Anaheim's chances. If you're using this game as logic to say we can't beat Washington... well, we just beat Chicago and LA (twice), so doesn't that mean they can't hang with us in the playoffs, by your own logic? Nope... you proceed to say Chicago would beat us too. That is some really inconsistent and pessimistic reasoning.
This game means absolutely nothing to who would win the series. Not a single thing. It's a sample size of 1 game. Move on.
Like I said in that post, I made that comment a while ago. It's not based on this game alone. I said on paper, I don't see us beating Chicago or Washington in a 7 game series. Obviously a lot can change over the course of playoffs (healthy primarily, but chemistry as well). However, my point was that when both teams play their best hockey, I think Chicago and Washington will be slightly better. In no way did I say it's impossible.
And it's not pessimistic at all. Stop being so defensive. Compare the rosters. You think ours is better than Chicago's or Washington's? I see a few weaknesses that a few teams could exploit on our team. I don't see as many on their rosters'. Plus, I think Trotz and Q are better coaches than Bruce, and I'm definitely a big fan of Bruce's.
True or False? The Ducks played a very good game. IMO - True
True or False? The Caps were the better team last night. IMO - True.
Again, I'm not saying we don't have a chance. Very rarely do teams always play to the absolute best of their ability. Soft goals, other mistakes happen. The Ducks will need to make sure those two teams pay in order to win IMO.