Post-Game Talk: Washington Capitals @ Buffalo Sabres

[Lindemann]

Those on their high horses about Reirden on Saturday, here’s your answer.

Yeah 90 points in the standing. Fire him

hes not perfect but the oh so perfect Trotz is currently sitting one point back from 9th in the standings

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

Last 10 games we have 23 PPs and our opponents have 36.

 

[mad4comp]

Yeah 90 points in the standing. Fire him

hes not perfect but the oh so perfect Trotz is currently 9th in the standings

We could hire a monkey and put him behind the bench and this team will still be at the top of the standings because of pure talent (i'm pretty sure thats what we did). Just compare the kind of players we have with any other team, we are above all of them talent wise, there isn't a team that's more talented than the Caps in terms of pure player talent.

Trotz's team has literally a fraction of the talent we have, so that's not really a valid comparison. I would put them in the bottom half of the league talent wise, yet they're consistently in the top 10. Not too shabby for a team full of no name players.

This team still plays like their coach, lifeless and clueless. Even if by some miracle they win the majority of their games this year, they will get utterly outcoached and outplayed in the first round yet again. It's a shame because two darn good coaches are available and our management didn't have the guts to go get them. There's a reason why teams like the Pens win multiple cups and we dont... they make changes when they need to. we on the other hand don't... We had a good coach and instead of paying him what he's worth, we let him go for no reason other than to be cheap.

 

[BackToTheBasics]

Tampa lost to Detroit in a shootout after beating Boston. It happens. Just gotta take this point and hope they show a better effort next game.

 

[troyerlaw]

Caps lose to a keeper who hasn't seen the ice for his team's previous 18 games? Brilliant!

Yah but he did make a couple stellar stops. The kicksave when Ovie tried to stuff a rebound, and then sliding across to deny Kovy after the sweet, sweet dish by Kuz. Plus he is like 8 feet tall. Takes up a lotta damn net in SO

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

Tampa lost to Detroit in a shootout after beating Boston. It happens. Just gotta take this point and hope they show a better effort next game.

If it were a one time thing I would completely agree. Any one loss in a 82 game schedule is not a big deal. The problem is that they lost because of all the same bad habits. It isn't who they lost to but more how they played. We are a .500 team for the last half of the season.

 

[McVechkin]

Tampa lost to Detroit in a shootout after beating Boston. It happens. Just gotta take this point and hope they show a better effort next game.

except it happens all too often with this team. While Tampa had a slow start, they are playing relatively consistent over the last 3/4 of season. Not a comparative at all

 

[troyerlaw]

Panik is 1 for 7 and they pick him?

This. I’d have picked Eller first or Carly or even a gamer type, like Dowd (who feels like a workman guy who might rise to occasion). Then again, i know what they were thinking with Panik. He does have hands and a bag of tricks. You see them every once in a blue moon during a game. Like the time he dropped it back to his skate and then kicked it back ahead to stick as he crossed the crease in tight.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

except it happens all to often with this team. While Tampa had a slow start, they are playing relatively consistent over the last 3/4 of season. Not a comparative at all

The Bolts have lost 6 of their last 9 which includes a 4-game losing streak. Should we talk about that or just let it slide so we can continue painting false narratives?

 

[Fallschirmyager]

I believe I had plenty of positive posts tonight thank you very much.

Positively negative doesn't count. lol

Yeah 90 points in the standing. Fire him

hes not perfect but the oh so perfect Trotz is currently sitting one point back from 9th in the standings

Do you think the Isles have anywhere as much talent on their roster? I don't. The 90 points is more of a function of a great first half. The last 6? weeks have been horrendous and the coach can't or won't fix the problems.

Tampa lost to Detroit in a shootout after beating Boston. It happens. Just gotta take this point and hope they show a better effort next game.

Not going to hold my breath on that one.

 

[troyerlaw]

Soft call but I’ll take it

Agreed. Soft as hell. That’s why i’m not overly upset to lose in OT. We were damn lucky to get even the 1 pt. Holts sold the call

 

[kicksavedave]

In other developments, 2nd straight game allowing less than 3 goals in 60. Baby steps, ya'all, baby steps.

 

[McVechkin]

The Bolts have lost 6 of their last 9 which includes a 4-game losing streak. Should we talk about that or just let it slide so we can continue painting false narratives?

since when is 6 of 9 as bad as 500 hockey over 30 games? I was fine to give caps the benefit of the doubt back in January.. but this is in another universe compared to a bad last 10 games

 

[troyerlaw]

Kovalchuk getting lots of chances

TR keeps giving him opportunities - spot-shifting him on top line after a PK, playing him in OT, sending him in SO. I wish he’d start to cash in. That was a gorgeous feed across slot by Kuz

 

[Capsman]

Maybe they won’t come out slow against Detroit now that they saw what happens when you come out like that vs a bad team - I hope so

Do you really believe the Caps go into a game saying “eh. I’m going to relax”?

 

[troyerlaw]

Really loving where Kovy goes in the O-zone. Right in the guts.
Ovi went straight to the bench after that close scoring chance and Hagelin jumped on... was weird.

Yes, i worried about that. Do we think he got hurt? Wrist? He’s not one to depart when we’re buzzing in O zone and in midst of comeback

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

TR keeps giving him opportunities - spot-shifting him on top line after a PK, playing him in OT, sending him in SO. I wish he’d start to cash in. That was a gorgeous feed across slot by Kuz

That was actually Larry Eller who made that nice backend pass to Kovi in the slot. Very Kuzy-esque of Lars.

 

[troyerlaw]

Ovechkin didn’t play in that OT.. that’s NHL coaching?

Do we think maybe he got hurt on that rush toward end of 3rd where he shot wide and then immediately headed for bench? I know he went in SO, but still. Then again, not playing in OT could’ve also been related to us spending 2 min on PK and having a hard time even keeping possession of puck.

 

[McVechkin]

Do you really believe the Caps go into a game saying “eh. I’m going to relax”?

absolutely I do. Lots of sports teams get that complacent/ play down to their competition. It makes this team hard to judge and hard to tell who to put the bulk of the blame on.

 

[Capsman]

since when is 6 of 9 as bad as 500 hockey over 30 games? I was fine to give caps the benefit of the doubt back in January.. but this is in another universe compared to a bad last 10 games

Exactly. We’ve been incredibly healthy this year, there are really no excuses. For this long a period either this is who we are talent-wise or we’re not a particularly well coached team.

 

[McVechkin]

Do we think maybe he got hurt on that rush toward end of 3rd where he shot wide and then immediately headed for bench? I know he went in SO, but still. Then again, not playing in OT could’ve also been related to us spending 2 min on PK and having a hard time even keeping possession of puck.

If he was hurt, fine. But if not, no excuse to not get him out early in OT when caps get possession.

 

[Sam Spade]

Agreed. Soft as hell. That’s why i’m not overly upset to lose in OT. We were damn lucky to get even the 1 pt. Holts sold the call

Sabres were lucky Ullmark was insane in the last ten minutes and the shootout as well.

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

Do we think maybe he got hurt on that rush toward end of 3rd where he shot wide and then immediately headed for bench? I know he went in SO, but still. Then again, not playing in OT could’ve also been related to us spending 2 min on PK and having a hard time even keeping possession of puck.

Last OT game Reirden didn't play OV until the 4th shift. I think OV would have hopped on next if Orlov didn't take the penalty. Still, the way OV was buzzing he should have been the first or second line out there.

 

[troyerlaw]

That was actually Larry Eller who made that nice backend pass to Kovi in the slot. Very Kuzy-esque of Lars.

Good point. And it was a beautiful pass. (Apologies, Lars!)

 

[McVechkin]

Last OT game Reirden didn't play OV until the 4th shift. I think OV would have hopped on next if Orlov didn't take the penalty. Still, the way OV was buzzing he should have been the first or second line out there.

ya. TR doesn’t like playing him in OT. He gets maybe one shift. I get the possession game and ovie isn’t the greatest at it, but you need to create chances to get the best goal scorer in the game on the ice with that much space..