G45 Capitals @ Flyers 7:30pm Wed Jan 8, 2020 NBCSN

[PUCKNRUSH]

Great, another PP coming up.. 

Mick, buddy, I’ve got to say, this is looking like one of those games, that if I was down there in Florida with you,  I might have to suggest riding in that orange, box-shaped, car, (the thing), with ya!!
 It’s just one of those damn nights I think !!


Rush

[Mickstix]

Mick, buddy, I’ve got to say, this is looking like one of those games, that if I was down there in Florida with you,  I might have to suggest riding in that orange, box-shaped, car, (the thing), with ya!!
 It’s just one of those damn nights I think !!


Rush

Yea.. Been feeling that way from the drop unfortunately.. PP is just pathetic. Hopefully someone on the staff can think of a wrinkle to add. Cause everyone standing in place, passing, or switching Ovie and Carlson, doesn't seem to be cutting bait.

[alta]

pathetic pp

[Mickstix]

Wilson been looking like a fine 4th line grinder here of late.. 

[apace41]

It would be hard to overstate how overrated this team looks tonight. Just awful.

[alta]

Flyers are being awfully chirpy towards the zebras, I'm amazed they are putting up with it

[alta]

fukin Orlov

[apace41]

Game, set and match.

[ArJunaZ]

A well deserved Loss!
 

[BarfingMonkey]

This game made me mad!

[ArJunaZ]

1st Period
03:24  Flyers GOAL Konecny, assist Couturier   1-0 PHI
07:11  GOAL 19-Bäckström, assist 43-Wilson   1-1 TIE
12:34  GOAL 13-Vrana, assists 92-Kuznetsov & 6-Kempny   2-1 WSH
18:18  Flyers GOAL Hagg, assists Raffi & Myers   2-2 TIE

2nd Period
17:59  Flyers SH GAOL Hayes, unassisted   3-2 PHI

3rd Period
None

FINAL:    3-2 PHI

[Mickstix]

Gonna be an easy out come playoff time. Every eastern team makes us look like chumps. 

[alta]

I don't think tonight could be blamed on the flu, or the back to back. It was just bad, but that does happen every now and then even to the best teams. On the bright side, the Caps played a majority of their road games, and the big west coast trips, in the first half of the season. They have an easier schedule, plus that dumbassed bye week, in the 2nd half. Which means they shouldn't be as tired/worn out as the rest of the teams that make the playoffs, and at this point I see no reason why they don't make the playoffs

[PUCKNRUSH]

So much for that hoped for “spark”!
 The caps just happened to “feel“ like playing well the last two periods of the Ottawa game!!
Lucky us!!😤
Holtz still sub-par.
Wilson, and Carlson have been quiet for way too long now!


 Stupid game to lose!


Rush

[apace41]

In 2018 they trended up as the season went along. There's still time but right now they are trending down.  They need to turn it around to be able to make a serious push at the end.  Trotz proved he could get the team to dig down when they needed it.  We'll see if Rierden has anything in that regard.  Right now, they are really struggling on the back end because Jensen is far and away the 6th D.  Got benched for large part of the first  Can't have that.

[BlackIce]

Interestingly, from a couple of months ago J.J. Regan, beat writer for the Caps, has been saying consistently that the team couldn't keep up their early pace, and fans shouldn't be surprised when (not if) the team has a January/February slump. Not that he knows anything more than anyone else, but we might be well served to set aside the prophesies of doom for awhile and see how the rest of the regular season plays out. 


That being said, this team does have holes and no clear way of filling at least one of them because of salary cap limitations.  It does appear that the Caps' forays into the bargain basement bin for defensemen has resulted in one true bargain (Kempny) and one misfit garment - Jensen.  The current version of Holtby isn't going to get it done, but he does have a history of rejuvenation, so let's see what happens as the playoffs approach.  And the team does have an at least intriguing option to turn to in Samsanov.  And I think Ovie may be wearing down -- it's getting more and more obvious the wisdom of his skipping the all-star festivities.  We'll see if he gets rejuvenated after that, but the team is really overusing him.  A 34 year old with his mileage and the type of physical game he plays should not be averaging 20+ minutes a night.

[Mickstix]

A 34 year old with his mileage and the type of physical game he plays should not be averaging 20+ minutes a night.

I don't think they have a choice. Outside of Oshie, Vrana and Ovie, they don't have 2 hands -total-, between the other 5 wingers..

[richkrt99]

I don't think they have a choice. Outside of Oshie, Vrana and Ovie, they don't have 2 hands -total-, between the other 5 wingers..

Somewhat true but...



I'd say that's probably one of the good things about our 3rd and 4th lines.  They may not help a lot on the score sheet (or as much as we would like), but they do occupy some ice time.  They certainly don't seem to be hurting the caps while they are on the ice.  Also, the Eller line seems to be stepping up a bit this past month and the 4th line is always a good energy line.


One of the problems is we seem to be playing most games from behind (Puck strikes again!), so you top scoring lines get more ice time because you need to score.
IF we could manage to play a game for a full three periods and manage to get a lead early, you might be able to spread out the ice time better and rely on your "non-scoring" lines to occupy more ice time


But you probably right, the wear and tear, especially on the older guys, catch up as the games pile up....especially if you manage a playoff run.  I think we witnessed some of that after our Cup year...the guys just couldn't muster the energy to overcome the Canes.

[richkrt99]

fukin Orlov

agreed, but the guy totally embellished it.  Orlov got his stick between the guys legs and you can see him squeeze his thighs together to hold the stick and just fall to the ice.  From the refs point of view, you have to call it, but watch the replay in slo-mo and you see why Orlov is upset on the call.


Stupid penalty anyway, but we know Orlov is prone to stupidity on occasion.  Bad timing though.


Should not have mattered at that point.  Should have been up a couple goals by then with 5 power plays.  O-5 on the PP AND giving up a shortie?  Nobody wins on those figures.


The Caps actually played a decent 2nd period defensively.  I think Flyers had maybe 1 shot on goal the first 15 minutes or something.  (and then get two shots short handed, scoring on one of them).  I looked it up.  Flyers had a total of three shots in the second period - two of them during short handed play.


The Flyers got two shots short handed, one of them a goal, and zero shots in the entire game on their PP
The Caps had ten shots on 5 PP and 1 while short handed.
I'd say the special teams made the difference in this game.


I did some algebra and came up with a formula that proves the Caps loss:


5X PPPP + 1 SHG = F3-C2 




spelled out:  that's 5 PissPoorPowerPlays and 1 ShortHandedGoal = Flyers 3, Caps 2
If you break down (simplify) the calculation the result is:  Caps Lose

[richkrt99]

And Holtby wasn't sharp I don't think.  He wasn't horrible, and not hanging the loss on him, but not sharp.  If he is on his game, we get to overtime at least.