162 replies to this topic

[You Play to Win the Game]

They played a much tighter game tonight, finally. Vitek deserved a shutout. He really did. He was phenomenal. But the defense was a ton better too.

[JeremyStrain]

They played a much tighter game tonight, finally. Vitek deserved a shutout. He really did. He was phenomenal. But the defense was a ton better too.

I thought the pregame pairs were pretty good. Was flipping through their stats last night to see who the real problems have been. The worst of the worst has been like Orlov. Our top line has been awful defensively but the 3rd line has been really bad too.

[You Play to Win the Game]

That's interesting. They played great tonight finally.

Man, I really wanted that shutout for Vanecek badly. Damn. Such an unfortunate play that cost him there.

[JeremyStrain]

That's interesting. They played great tonight finally.

Man, I really wanted that shutout for Vanecek badly. Damn. Such an unfortunate play that cost him there.

Yeah I was worried it’s gonna start eating at his confidence soon if we can’t start helping him out.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I see this coach you complain about has led 3 different teams to Cup appearances and won 1 of them. Not too shabby.

[JeremyStrain]

I see this coach you complain about has led 3 different teams to Cup appearances and won 1 of them. Not too shabby.

Yeah but any coach can do that. If the players get there, they do. With a rookie goaltender, if you don’t protect him, it’s going to be one of those one and done in the playoffs. This year with the playoff format they might not even get there. 4 teams get in and there are 5 teams that should.

A lot of times coaches get credit for what their teams did. Sometimes they take the blame for what their teams did. But meddling in the staffing and then that is directly a flaw of your team is on him.

[Mashed Potatoes]

Yep. They made the right move signing a big named D tonsure things up. But making that an offensive minded Schultz instead of Schenn, Hamhuis, Pietrangelo was a mistake. I also really do t like when coaches get hung up on LH on L side. Cause you end up playing inferior players to try to get the matchups you want.

My daughter is a Lefty, but if she was playing right midfield it’d still be better than having a worse player on the right and a better player on the bench.

 

Is she ready for the big leagues yet?

[JeremyStrain]

Is she ready for the big leagues yet?

Ha. Wrong sport, she's in soccer, but no, she's got her hands full with U11 Travel still.

[You Play to Win the Game]

I see this coach you complain about has led 3 different teams to Cup appearances and won 1 of them. Not too shabby.

If he had the right players for his system in Washington, I'm sure it'd be fine. But the personnel doesn't match the system and the overall product isn't as good as it should be. I can't stand it when coaches aren't agile enough to capitalize with the talent they have.

[JeremyStrain]

If he had the right players for his system in Washington, I'm sure it'd be fine. But the personnel doesn't match the system and the overall product isn't as good as it should be. I can't stand it when coaches aren't agile enough to capitalize with the talent they have.

The error was that they thought if they plug him in, it's a win now thing. But like you said, the roster didn't fit how he likes to play. So takes time to adjust that.

 

I don't think he's a bad coach. I think he's not as good of a fit as they thought right now. He's got a rookie goalie, his D was already kinda spotty, but the moves he made to fix them are head scratchers, which is partly why they went crazy and signed so much depth. At a time they needed an elite defensive presence to secure things back there and help out a young goalie, they went with a recent injury guy that is totally offensive focused. Why? You already had a PP1 and PP2 QB in Carlson and Orlov) The depth signings have worked out, but Chara has been our best defensemen overall (sorry, John, but lots of turnovers buddy) so far.

 

Had we resigned Holtby, and signed maybe Pietrangleo or Chris Tanev I think we may have been a more rounded team. Even Fehverary in the minors is more of a defensive kinda guy than some we have. The guys really getting roasted right now are like Carlson, our entire top line, so even strength with our top line out is a problem. Panik and Eller have both been big time minuses, but they did play well last night.

[You Play to Win the Game]

I dunno. Holtby is getting rocked in Vancouver.

[JeremyStrain]

I dunno. Holtby is getting rocked in Vancouver.

I think he would have been better here. But honestly, even as much as VV has gotten shelled a little here, his numbers are still decent. His GAA is about a goal higher than you want, but he's got a .906 SV% cause he's facing SO many shots. Not sure what it does for his long term development, or Sammy's either for that reason...but then again Holts went through the same thing earlier in his career and it didn't break him.

[You Play to Win the Game]

I think he would have been better here. But honestly, even as much as VV has gotten shelled a little here, his numbers are still decent. His GAA is about a goal higher than you want, but he's got a .906 SV% cause he's facing SO many shots. Not sure what it does for his long term development, or Sammy's either for that reason...but then again Holts went through the same thing earlier in his career and it didn't break him.

I like what I see out of Vanecek. He is just getting abused. But when he doesn't, he holds it together pretty good. I think they should focus on defense, get the young goalie some confidence, then start to open it up more in mid-March or so.

Any word on Samsonov's return?

[JeremyStrain]

I like what I see out of Vanecek. He is just getting abused. But when he doesn't, he holds it together pretty good. I think they should focus on defense, get the young goalie some confidence, then start to open it up more in mid-March or so.

Any word on Samsonov's return?

Yeah, I just wish they'd trust their forwards to get the job done instead of running the whole offense through the point. I mean why are we paying skilled guys on the 3rd and 4th lines so much if they get marginalized by the offensive D. And a risk of running offense through the D is turnovers at the point, they are easy SH chances or at least odd man rushes, and would explain why the top line has such nasty plus minus numbers if you've got turnovers from Carlson up top.

[Mashed Potatoes]

Ha. Wrong sport, she's in soccer, but no, she's got her hands full with U11 Travel still.

 

Start on the right, cut back to your left around the top of the box, deadly!

[JeremyStrain]

Start on the right, cut back to your left around the top of the box, deadly!

She’s working on a move just like that now. She’s a bruiser of a physical defensive mid, and she’s been trying to find a move that works with her quick burst down the left. Right now it’s go outside, cut in to the right at the top of the box and cross to the far post. Still a work in progress but she’s got a couple assists that way.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Balt Sun: Washington Capitals hitting stride in coach Peter Laviolette’s new system

[BSLChrisStoner]

Washington Post: Surging Caps prepare for Bruins

https://www.washingt...returns-boston/

[You Play to Win the Game]

Caps are locked in right now. Another really nice win, this time in a shootout over Boston. Rask was phenomenal late in OT. Vanecek was better in the shootout, blanking them in all 3 frames. I would LOVE to be wrong about Lavs. 

[ivanbalt]

They seem to have moved beyond the "no lead is too big" phase of the season.