Smoke and Mirrors?

[justwincaps]

It'll be interesting to see how the Caps respond after the break and two pretty ugly road games against Arizona and VGK.


Looking at the standings we are 7th overall in the league in points earned, just two points behind VGK for second [Tampa Bay comfortably ahead of the pack].  We are 10th in points earned percentage, which I guess factors in the number of games played.   I realize stats don't always tell the whole story, but we are:
10th in goals for per game
18th in goals allowed per game
18th in PP percentage
22nd in PK percentage
16th in shots allowed per game, and
dead last in shot attempts per game.


Those are some pretty average stats for the record we have.  It's like we don't doing anything particularly well, but aside from shots per game, we don't do anything particularly poorly.


Is this encouraging because there's so much upside?  Or is it more concerning because we seem to be outperforming record wise considering how we've played?

[alta]

the ability to find the talent we knew they still had was encouraging, except for the last two trips out west. So after the latest no show I now must wait to see if they can/will rebound from it. I don't like the schedule this January either, the last time this team had two weeks off at this stage of the season they never showed back up.

[DC_1908]

It'll be interesting to see how the Caps respond after the break and two pretty ugly road games against Arizona and VGK.


Looking at the standings we are 7th overall in the league in points earned, just two points behind VGK for second [Tampa Bay comfortably ahead of the pack].  We are 10th in points earned percentage, which I guess factors in the number of games played.   I realize stats don't always tell the whole story, but we are:
10th in goals for per game
18th in goals allowed per game
18th in PP percentage
22nd in PK percentage
16th in shots allowed per game, and
dead last in shot attempts per game.


Those are some pretty average stats for the record we have.  It's like we don't doing anything particularly well, but aside from shots per game, we don't do anything particularly poorly.


Is this encouraging because there's so much upside?  Or is it more concerning because we seem to be outperforming record wise considering how we've played?

Little column A, little column B


Bottom line is that this team is designed to score, and have Beagles group and Holtby do the heavy lifting.


So when the “talent” players, are not only not producing goals on a consistent basis, and are liabilities when they are not and/or trying to be,  you’re assuridly going to see “smoke and mirrors”.  The reason being, they win by blowouts, or games they shouldn’t


Prime example, shots on goal.  Is it because you don’t have to because you’re holding a leads, or because you can’t get a shot off because of commuting turnovers with toe drags, no look passes, and losing board battles?


What those stats say, is our best player is between the pipes.  Now granted, Hots numbers are down, and he’s let in (for him), many he should of had.  But look at the mess in front he has to protect him.  If you put  90% of the other goalies in the league in front of him, we could very easily be battling for a lottery pick right now.

[Capsfanva]

I'm ok losing some games.  In fact I would like to see us ose a few more and get just barely into the wildcard spot.  Year after year we are the top in the division because we play hard throughout the regular season, and then fizzle out when we get to the playoffs.  Let us barely be playoff contenders and hopefully that drive at the end will carry momentum through the playoffs.  Just a theory and a thought.

[DC_1908]

Last night game is a good example of this post.


The Rags and Hens, in particular, have success playing against us by (essentially) using a passive D focusing on stock play and generating turnovers to be turned into odd man rushes.  While most teams do this, it works particularly well against us.


The reason is the skill/finesse Euro style we insist on and will not or cannot adapt from. 


If it wasn’t for Grubbys performance last night. it’s unlikely we’d of won based on the turnover/sloppiness alone.

[ArJunaZ]

Last night game is a good example of this post.


The Rags and Hens, in particular, have success playing against us by (essentially) using a passive D focusing on stock play and generating turnovers to be turned into odd man rushes.  While most teams do this, it works particularly well against us.


The reason is the skill/finesse Euro style we insist on and will not or cannot adapt from. 


If it wasn’t for Grubbys performance last night. it’s unlikely we’d of won based on the turnover/sloppiness alone.

A month ago it appeared that Trotz had finally gotten through to the team that they need to play down and dirty and we were getting a fair number of gritty goals.  Suddenly we're back to the pretty boy finesse scoring or no scoring at all and we're losing as a result.  It's baffling that they seem unable or unwilling to change it up as needed.  Are the elite players that hard for the coach to smack around and teach or is the coach unable to see or address the problem?  There are times I wonder if I know a damn thing about hockey when I see them fail to do the obvious.