Post-Game Talk: Washington Capitals vs Phil McKrakens - 9pm EST

[Capsman]

Solid effort to close out the road trip. We need to get healthy fairly soon though, cannot count on Ovi winning the game for us every night.



They're a little bit green. They have the right reflexes defensively and they make smart plays, but none of them have a nose for the net yet. McMichael in particular looks like he hasn't figured out how to score at the NHL level yet.

I agree on the defense. Tonight, I thought McMichael especially struggled with the speed Seattle played with. It’s possible he was fatigued like everyone, but he looked like a rookie tonight. I’m hoping he can work on his skating, he’s not fleet of foot by any means.

 

[traparatus]

I agree on the defense. Tonight, I thought McMichael especially struggled with the speed Seattle played with. It’s possible he was fatigued like everyone, but he looked like a rookie tonight. I’m hoping he can work on his skating, he’s not fleet of foot by any means.

McMichael desperately needs a bit more separation speed. Defenders get glued to him and there is nothing much he can do about it. Very smart player, though. Just has to work on those first couple of steps.

 

[ovikovy817]

Cholowski played less than 10 minutes and he had a shift with 3+ minutes in the 1st

 

[895]

Don't have a good feeling about this one.

Saw this loss coming a mile away

We're on to Montreal.

 

[txpd]

I thought Cholo looked pretty good for a guy who had not played a game yet. Longterm healthy scratch duty seems like it would be harder to stay sharp during, as opposed to games in Hershey.

Cholo moves pretty well, seems to have confidences and composure

Remember Taylor Chorney? Being a regular healthy scratch is a job thats only right for a certain kind of person. Some get depressed or angry. Some lose focus. Some are not mentally prepared to go from life as a spare to being thrown into a high leverage game. A young guy isnt cut out for that but the Caps clearly want to keep him.

 

[txpd]

I totally missed it. What happened to Sheary? I saw Cho in the game at the beginning and was stunned when I realized that Sheary was out. What the hell?

 

[txpd]

Saw this loss coming a mile away

We're on to Montreal.

Laviolette said it before the game. 7th game in 11 days. He knew about the new injury situation and knew the guys were gas*-

 

[txpd]

liking protas on the wall on this pp

On the halfwall? Why? That position controls all the puck movement on the pp. No way Protas should be doing that

 

[txpd]

VV gives up lots of juicy rebounds.

Ok. There is a new technique with equipment pioneered by Lundqvist on the rebounds that Vitek appears to be using. That said, the first 4 I saw him give up were 2 deflections, a cross ice two on one pass and a shot 15ft straight up the slot. I didnt see a rebound

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Passed out after the first. 5 pts on this road trip is impressive, especially considering losing Lars right as it started. They have the most GP in the division by anywhere between one and four games but they only have one more B2B until February so hopefully the schedule becomes more manageable for them as it becomes more compressed for everyone else.

The guys should feel good about themselves. Really impressive what they've done this season thus far.

 

[txpd]

Passed out after the first. 5 pts on this road trip is impressive, especially considering losing Lars right as it started. They have the most GP in the division by anywhere between one and four games but they only have one more B2B until February so hopefully the schedule becomes more manageable for them as it becomes more compressed for everyone else.

The guys should feel good about themselves. Really impressive what they've done this season thus far.

The problem with having games in hand is that the only way to catch up is with a compressed stretch of the schedule like what the Caps dealt with the play more games. 7 games in 11 days. The other teams will have their stretch.

 

[Corby78]

Burn the tape and move on. Hopefully we start getting healthy and the injuries don't continue. I'm a little disappointed they brought TJ back if he wasn't 100% versus SJ. I hope that didn't set him back too much.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

The problem with having games in hand is that the only way to catch up is with a compressed stretch of the schedule like what the Caps dealt with the play more games. 7 games in 11 days. The other teams will have their stretch.

The other problem with games in hand is you actually have to win them in order for them to matter.

 

[crazy8888]

The problem with having games in hand is that the only way to catch up is with a compressed stretch of the schedule like what the Caps dealt with the play more games. 7 games in 11 days. The other teams will have their stretch.

True but those other teams still have to win most of the games during those stretches to reach within striking distance. Correct me if I'm wrong but it looks like even if all those teams below Caps win all of their extra games they are still trailing Caps by 2-4 points. I really like where the team is now standings wise. Even through all the injuries they are still comfortably in the front, but not comfortable enough that they start sleeping.

 

[txpd]

True but those other teams still have to win most of the games during those stretches to reach within striking distance. Correct me if I'm wrong but it looks like even if all those teams below Caps win all of their extra games they are still trailing Caps by 2-4 points. I really like where the team is now standings wise. Even through all the injuries they are still comfortably in the front, but not comfortable enough that they start sleeping.

Thats my point. When you have games in hand your team has been more rested in the games they already have played and face back to backs and 4 games in 6 night stretches where the make up games are harder to win. One game in hand can be money in the bank 3 or 4 is trouble.

 

[txpd]

The other problem with games in hand is you actually have to win them in order for them to matter.

a lot of people just assume a team will win those extra games and never consider that the make up games are back ends of back to backs against good teams.

The Caps having the point % they have after jamming all those games in gives them the upper hand

 

[usiel]

Smoken Al was asked before the road trip how many points would be considered a successful trip with the double back to back and he said 5 points which I agreed with. I sort of looked at this game like lets see if we can steel another point if there is enough in the tank.

 

[crazy8888]

Thats my point. When you have games in hand your team has been more rested in the games they already have played and face back to backs and 4 games in 6 night stretches where the make up games are harder to win. One game in hand can be money in the bank 3 or 4 is trouble.

I think i misunderstood you and thought you meant that games in hand for other teams is an advantage. Thats my bad

 

[chilimac]

Definitely not sweating last night's loss. it was their first(!) loss this season by more than one goal and considering the injuries and the compressed schedule lately, I refuse to dwell on it. Bring on Montreal...

 

[Midnight Judges]

The TVR-as-winger experiment was a complete failure.

Understand the coaches were put in a tough position with Oshie and Sheary unexpectedly unavailable.

Cholowski didn't look good, but this wasn't really a fair indicator seeing as how the team was juggling personnel.

Need to get players back.

 

[txpd]

So Sheary got hurt pulling on his uni? Did he skate the warmup? Lavy said after the game it was something that came up "really late"

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Remember Taylor Chorney? Being a regular healthy scratch is a job thats only right for a certain kind of person. Some get depressed or angry. Some lose focus. Some are not mentally prepared to go from life as a spare to being thrown into a high leverage game. A young guy isnt cut out for that but the Caps clearly want to keep him.

Many of us prefer to forget about Chorney as a player.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Definitely not sweating last night's loss. it was their first(!) loss this season by more than one goal and considering the injuries and the compressed schedule lately, I refuse to dwell on it. Bring on Montreal...

Exactly. What they did on that road trip was remarkable. I can't imagine being Ovy's age and playing 5 games in a week.

 

[txpd]

Exactly. What they did on that road trip was remarkable. I can't imagine being Ovy's age and playing 5 games in a week.

5 games. 6 points.

 

[Holtbyisms]

Exactly. What they did on that road trip was remarkable. I can't imagine being Ovy's age and playing 5 games in a week.

I am ovi's age and one weekend beer league game a week about kills me anymore...lol