Washington Capitals Fan Forum
Talk about Capitals hockey & more! => Washington Capitals & Other Hockey Discussion => Topic started by: alta on Wednesday April 20, 2022, 06:14:41 PM Eastern
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April 20 at Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena
Time: 10:00
TV: NBCSW
Radio: Caps Radio 24/7, 106.7 FM, 99.1 FM
Vegas Golden Knights 41-31-5
Washington Capitals 43-23-10
Caps anticipated lines:
Ovechkin 8 - Kuznetsov 92 - Wilson 43
Johansson 90 - Backstrom 19 - Sheary 73
Mantha 39 - Eller 20 - Oshie 77
Larsson 22 - Dowd 26 - Hathaway 21
Fehervary 42 - Carlson 74
Orlov 9 - Jensen 3
van Riemsdyk 57 - Schultz 2
Samsonov 30
PP1: Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, Oshie, Backstrom, Carlson
PP2: Mantha, Wilson, Johansson, Schultz
scratched:
Vanecek 41 - backup
McMichael 24
Johnsson-Fjallby 45
Kempny 6
Irwin 52
LTIR:
Hagelin 62 - eye
Snively 91 - wrist
Vegas anticipated lines:
Marchessault 81 - Eichel 9 - Stone 61
Pacioretty 67 - Stephenson 20 - Dadonov 63
Janmark 26 - Karlsson 71 - Amadio 22
Leschyshyn 15 - Roy 10 - Kolesar 55
McNabb 3 - Theodore 27
Hutton 17 - Pietrangelo 7
Martinez 23 - Whitecloud 2
Lehner 90
tonight’s zebras:
Frederick L’Ecuyer 17, TJ Luxmore 21
Trent Knorr 74, David Brisbois 96
https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/caps-visit-vegas/c-333184078 (https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/caps-visit-vegas/c-333184078)
scoring summary
1st period:
Kuznetsov(24) from Ovechkin(40) and Jensen(15) at 6:18
Martinez from Whitecloud and Janmark at 13:51
2nd period:
Ovechkin(49) from Kuznetsov(53) and Johansson(19) at 2:57
3rd period:
Dadonov from Theadore at 2:05
Stephenson PPG from Pacioretty and Pietrangelo at 2:54
Ovechkin(50) from Orlov(23) at 13:36
OT:
Theadore from Dadonov and Karlsson at 2:09
Caps lose 4-3
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To me, it would make some sense to switch Sheary and Wilson, to balance out the "heaviness" of the lines. But maybe the team is doing it this way to try to create specific matchup issues, and anyway, I'm not a hockey coach.
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Hopefully I can catch up with ya'll before it's over! Gonna get a late start on watching it.
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Vegas must win tonight if they still want a chance at making the playoffs, they aren’t out of it yet, but damn close
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Morning. :yawn:
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GOOOOAAAAALLLLLL
and Kuzy steals another one from OV
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Hello!!!!!!
That was ovi's goal until Kuzy added his unneccesary tuppence. :raspberry:
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Morning. :yawn:
are you just staying up all night for this one or what
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:poop:
:clown: :O=
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GOOOOAAAAAAALLLLL
CARLSON
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are you just staying up all night for this one or what
I'll try....
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under review for offsides :raised-eyebrow: …
of course it is, it’s the Caps
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I think I'm a little behind.
must be the jet lag.
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GOOOAAAAAALLLLL
OOOOOOOVECHKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN
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YEAH BABY! :super:
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Evenin'!
Ovi should have 2 tonight..
Why'd Vegas switch goalies?
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Why'd Vegas switch goalies?
no reason has been given yet
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https://novacapsfans.com/2022/04/20/alex-ovechkin-scores-49th-goal-of-the-season-passes-teemu-selanne-for-most-goals-by-a-player-aged-36-or-older/ (https://novacapsfans.com/2022/04/20/alex-ovechkin-scores-49th-goal-of-the-season-passes-teemu-selanne-for-most-goals-by-a-player-aged-36-or-older/)
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https://novacapsfans.com/2022/04/20/alex-ovechkin-scores-49th-goal-of-the-season-passes-teemu-selanne-for-most-goals-by-a-player-aged-36-or-older/ (https://novacapsfans.com/2022/04/20/alex-ovechkin-scores-49th-goal-of-the-season-passes-teemu-selanne-for-most-goals-by-a-player-aged-36-or-older/)
I wonder who comes up with the perimeters for some of these stats? Why 36, not 35?
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Samsoftnov again.. :-\
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Oh FFS Sammy!
:bad:
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:poop: :poop: :poop:
:clown: :O=
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Then he drops his stick for the 400th time this season.. :clown: :poop:
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Last time vs Toronto Sammy gave up a baby shit soft goal and they spiraled.. Seems familiar. :-\
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50 baby!!! OVI!!!!!
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OOOOOOOOVECHKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN
#50
:clap:
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:B:
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How privileged are we. :koolaid:
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joy, it’s OT
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joy, it’s OT
That's okay with me. I've gone through the sleep wall already...... :P
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:raised-eyebrow:
phukin overtime
:O= :poop:
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First time I've noticed Oshie in a couple weeks.. :clown: :poop:
Ovi got 50 and we get a point. Guess it could be worse.
See ya Friday!
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If it wasn't for Kuzy being a selfish dumbass, Ovi would have had a hattie tonight.
Sammy is one more step closer to the volcano.
But..... we got another point on the road.
And
50!!!!!!!!!!!! :clap: :clap: :clap:
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They're going to have to live or die with Vanacek because they have no chance with Samsonov. I don't want to see him anymore. Oshie did a good imitation of a statue on that game winner.
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They're going to have to live or die with Vanacek because they have no chance with Samsonov. I don't want to see him anymore. Oshie did a good imitation of a statue on that game winner.
Maybe it's all the shots to the head he's taken in the last few games. I reckon they're trying to beat the Native out of him. ... Or they think he's too pretty. Which, let's face it, he is. :snicker:
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They will need more out of Oshie. He has just been lost these last 10 games. He's never been fast, but he somehow got himself in the right positions with a good amount of hussle. We need that again.
Mantha - he must think he is Kuzy now. He glides around and makes some great moves but I'd like to see him a little more energetic and grinding it a bit as well.
Sammy - won't be in the league in three years.
Lavi - why won't he start Dowd in OT to get the faceoff? If he wins it, then he can get off for Kuzy. If he loses it, he is a much better defender than Kuzy anyway. Just boggles my mind...
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Ovie with another line on his resume to claim the title of greatest goal-scorer ever. Now 9 fifty-goal seasons PLUS a 49-goal season PLUS two other shortened seasons where he was certainly on pace to score 50. This season was the one he needed to now become IMO more likely than not to eclipse Gretsky. 30 goals per season for the next 4 will do it, so he has quite a bit of room for age regression and would still be able to pull it off. Probably his biggest obstacle now is serious injury.
Wayne and Beagle are getting to one of the two cruxes of the playoff picture, but I think of it differently. Given the Caps' limitations, they are likely going to be in trouble at some point(s) during the playoffs. So who do you want to start, with the other available to turn to when you get in trouble? Do you start the steadier but less capable Vanacek and if you get behind in a series, turn to the wild card Samsonov? Or do you start Samsonov hoping he gets hot and if/when he doesn't, or cools off, have the steadier hand to bring in in reserve?
Or could LaViolette actually take the real gamble and continue rotating them in the playoffs, trying to play them off against each other and motivate each to shine while keeping them relatively fresh? Yeah, yeah, I know: That's not the way it's done in the playoffs -- you pick a horse and go with him unless/until circumstances force you to change. But this team is a real longshot for a championship anyway. Is this a year to roll the dice on a novel approach?
Ultimately though, I don't think the goalie situation makes a lot of difference unless officiating changes for the playoffs and allow teams to play a much heavier game. That's the only way the Caps are going to be able to stay with some of these racehorse teams over an extended series -- try to lean on them and wear them down.
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In OT the one thing you must have is SPEED. Backstrom and Oshie should never see the ice, ever. Ovie is going to play of course. Otherwise, I'd use Kuz, Sheary, Johannson, Wilson and maybe Hathaway or Dowd if you get in a scrum. Orlov and Jensen would see plenty of ice time instead of Carlson. You'd think Laviolette could figure this out.
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They got issues.. Big contractual issues..
Oshie and Backstrom should be making no more than 3 mil a year. And that's being generous for what we've seen this year. It sucks and I love those guys, but they're passengers getting paid way too much money. It's like we have 3 Ellers out there.
Mantha can be great one game and a ghost the next 3.
The goalies are wildly inconsistent. But I'd love to see a new goalie coach have an offseason with them, before throwing them in the volcano. They both get beat off bad angles just about every game. And they're not being beat by Ovechkin's.. Every single "good" shot seems to beat them. And the dropped sticks? I rarely watch games that don't include the Caps, but they have to have a 10:1 ration of dropping their stick, compared to whoever we play? Seems shit like that could be fixed, but who knows...
Anyway, when they're -all- playing 100% they can make noise. Just gonna be hard to do that for 7 games at a time, vs top competition, imo.
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Ovie with another line on his resume to claim the title of greatest goal-scorer ever. Now 9 fifty-goal seasons PLUS a 49-goal season PLUS two other shortened seasons where he was certainly on pace to score 50. This season was the one he needed to now become IMO more likely than not to eclipse Gretsky. 30 goals per season for the next 4 will do it, so he has quite a bit of room for age regression and would still be able to pull it off. Probably his biggest obstacle now is serious injury.
Wayne and Beagle are getting to one of the two cruxes of the playoff picture, but I think of it differently. Given the Caps' limitations, they are likely going to be in trouble at some point(s) during the playoffs. So who do you want to start, with the other available to turn to when you get in trouble? Do you start the steadier but less capable Vanacek and if you get behind in a series, turn to the wild card Samsonov? Or do you start Samsonov hoping he gets hot and if/when he doesn't, or cools off, have the steadier hand to bring in in reserve?
Or could LaViolette actually take the real gamble and continue rotating them in the playoffs, trying to play them off against each other and motivate each to shine while keeping them relatively fresh? Yeah, yeah, I know: That's not the way it's done in the playoffs -- you pick a horse and go with him unless/until circumstances force you to change. But this team is a real longshot for a championship anyway. Is this a year to roll the dice on a novel approach?
Ultimately though, I don't think the goalie situation makes a lot of difference unless officiating changes for the playoffs and allow teams to play a much heavier game. That's the only way the Caps are going to be able to stay with some of these racehorse teams over an extended series -- try to lean on them and wear them down.
People forget that Ovie missed the entire 2004-05 season with the lockout. There were about 10-12 games lost in 2019-20 due to covid and 26 off the schedule last year. So, you're talking about another 110-115 games Ovie would have played. That's another 65-70 goals at his career pace. Then you're looking at about 840 goals right now and he's a shoo-in to pass Gretzky. I think he does it anyway but, without the lost games, there would be no question.
As for the goaltending, Samsonov just doesn't have it. He'll play the occasional 1-2 really good games but then stink it up for the next 4-5. He plays too wild a style flopping around, losing his stick and letting in costly soft goals like last night. They should ride Vanacek the rest of the way and just go wherever that takes them. In the end, they don't have the horses to beat the likes of Florida, Toronto or the Rangers in a 7 game series and the goaltending is a big part of that. The team needs to make some tough decisions during the offseason with guys like Backstrom and Oshie for starters. I'm not sure I have that much faith in a FO that traded Vrana for Mantha, however.
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Well...good for Ovi. It was pretty much a one man show last night.
Sammy....this dude. Last game he was pretty great. Last night...um...no. He LOOKED like he was fighting it even before he let in what I consider a softie. And he loses his stick more than any GT I can remember ever.
I was surprised he started two in a row.....thought Lavi must have decided Sammy was it. Now what?
I don't think either can get us a cup...not that this team is anything but a super long shot anyway.
And Jesus...Backy is S-L-O-W. Watching him struggle to chase down a puck in OT was painful.
Caps looked good in the first, but part way through the second they looked tired and uninterested. Vegas desperately needed the win and the Caps...meh not really. I figured it was over then, but I forgot about the Ovi factor. Glad to see him get the 50
Hope we can leap frog Shitssburg...just cause....well it's Shittsburgh. That and I'd rather not face Florida to start. Not that facing the Rangers or Carolina is going to be much better, but Florida is a stretch better I think.
Congrats Ovi.
Go Caps
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They got issues.. Big contractual issues..
Oshie and Backstrom should be making no more than 3 mil a year. And that's being generous for what we've seen this year. It sucks and I love those guys, but they're passengers getting paid way too much money. It's like we have 3 Ellers out there.
Mantha can be great one game and a ghost the next 3.
The goalies are wildly inconsistent. But I'd love to see a new goalie coach have an offseason with them, before throwing them in the volcano. They both get beat off bad angles just about every game. And they're not being beat by Ovechkin's.. Every single "good" shot seems to beat them. And the dropped sticks? I rarely watch games that don't include the Caps, but they have to have a 10:1 ration of dropping their stick, compared to whoever we play? Seems shit like that could be fixed, but who knows...
Anyway, when they're -all- playing 100% they can make noise. Just gonna be hard to do that for 7 games at a time, vs top competition, imo.
Backstrom and Oshie need to go, period. They're taking up space that could be occupied by some good young players. There's no room for sentimentality here. It's all about winning. Next year, we need to see lots of McMichael, Snively, Leason, Protas, Malenstyn, etc. to see what we really have in those guys. If Laviolette doesn't like it, he can go, too.
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Backstrom and Oshie need to go, period. They're taking up space that could be occupied by some good young players. There's no room for sentimentality here. It's all about winning. Next year, we need to see lots of McMichael, Snively, Leason, Protas, Malenstyn, etc. to see what we really have in those guys. If Laviolette doesn't like it, he can go, too.
I agree. I just don't see how you move them w/o retaining a ton of contract or they get bought out? I'd love to see Nicky retire, but he's got like 28 million on the table..
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I have a question about Backstrom. He missed several months of time with a hip injury, then didn't have training camp when he came back. Is it possible that with an offseason to rest AND REHAB after the first playoff round (I can't imagine them winning a round), he might come back closer to normal speed next season? He's never been a speed burner, but if he can get back close to what he was he can still be an asset at 2C.
I just don't know if his injury is something that can be recovered from longer-term, or if it's a Laich-type situation.
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I agree. I just don't see how you move them w/o retaining a ton of contract or they get bought out? I'd love to see Nicky retire, but he's got like 28 million on the table..
Unfortunately, they did what San Jose did which was to sink a ton of money into aging veterans, No way Backstrom and Oshie should have been getting 8 year deals or whatever it was at their ages. There's just too much risk of injury or that they go downhill quickly. Backstrom, in particular, looks totally finished. Give him a nice send off with a jersey retirement but stop wasting a roster spot on him.
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Watched that OT and saw the Backy - Eichel "race". Heard someone describe it as "it looked like the ice was melting under Backstrom". That was painful to watch.
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C'mon fellas. You know Backy will pick it during the playoffs (like he always does) and be like our top point getter and all this S-L-O-W talk will be forgotten
And Oshie will never have another concussion, and he will never miss a game due to injury for the rest of his contract.
:-|
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In OT the one thing you must have is SPEED. Backstrom and Oshie should never see the ice, ever. Ovie is going to play of course. Otherwise, I'd use Kuz, Sheary, Johannson, Wilson and maybe Hathaway or Dowd if you get in a scrum. Orlov and Jensen would see plenty of ice time instead of Carlson. You'd think Laviolette could figure this out.
Wayne - you are absolutely right! I would start Dowd, Kuzy and either Jensen or Orlov. The faceoff thing is just infuriating and you 100% have to start Dowd. Backstrom and Oshie just embarrassed themselves last night.
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So after this year, we have three more years of Backy at $9.2 million. I screamed long and loud when they did that contract and it will be our worst deal ever.
Oshie also has three more years, but at $5.75 million. If that was our only bad contract, it wouldn't be so bad.
Carlson has four more years after this at $8 million.
Ovi has four more at $9.5 million.
The 24/25 season is gonna be a disaster, but maybe that will get us the number one pick.... how old will Ovi's kid be??
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So after this year, we have three more years of Backy at $9.2 million. I screamed long and loud when they did that contract and it will be our worst deal ever.
Oshie also has three more years, but at $5.75 million. If that was our only bad contract, it wouldn't be so bad.
Carlson has four more years after this at $8 million.
Ovi has four more at $9.5 million.
The 24/25 season is gonna be a disaster, but maybe that will get us the number one pick.... how old will Ovi's kid be??
Yeah these contracts are definitely going to hurt. Carlson at 8 mill was too much even at his best but that contract was pre-Covid and nobody know there was going to be a cap freeze, so it's ugly, but everyone expected there to be more cap room moving forward.
Backy ...I'm just hoping that he is not yet fully rehabbed and he will actually get better. If THIS is as good as he is ever going to be, he is going to be a liability out there. Not that speed was really ever his game, so I'm hoping he can find ways to still be useful. But he will never be worth 9.5m again, and I can't see him playing three more years if he is actually as bad as he looks out there right now. You'd be better off buying him out and giving the roster spot to McMichael or Snively or anybody. Plus McMichael needs to be playing. Playing a washed up Backy hurts in more ways than one.
Oshie - I think we all knew at the Beginning of his deal the last few years of it would be painful, and I honestly think he could have gotten more $$ at the time of the deal. It happens....that's why players sign long term deals - they know their value decreases as they age.
As for Ovi....his value is at a whole different level. The Caps are committed to Ovi breaking Wayne's record, and doing it as a Capital. And good for both the Caps and Ovi - Ovi pretty much made hockey what it is in this town. Ovi sells tickets and brings attention to this team - no matter where he is playing. He's good for hockey and this team so...I don't really have a problem with paying 9.5m to one of the best players in the history of the game - he is truly a once in a generation type of athlete. Plus, he IS still performing. 50 goals and 90 points is pretty damn good.
The Caps are hamstringed by these contracts, but I think they knew it and just decided to keep the band together and sell tickets. Despite what everyone says publicly, I think they all know there very little hope of actual playoff success with this team over the next 5 seasons.
Problem is, you are wasting the best years of guys like Wilson, Mantha & Kuzy, plus some good development and playing years for a number of younger guys whose roster spots are taken by the overpaid Geritol group. BTW - Wilson and Mantha are both UFA's end of 2023-24 Season. Ouch.
Most of the "core" of this team is set for next year, but there are 5 UFA's at the end of the season:
Mojo, Larsson: both these guys are basically budget players - not sure we see either back next year unless they are willing to play for peanuts
Shultz, Kempny, Irwin....Shulz has been better than I actually thought he would over his term, but do you want him back for 4m? Kempny...I think is done, Irwin....meh they might sign him for another 750k just as a fill in.
Also - both GT need contracts (or walking papers). NO idea what we are going to do for GT next year.
I think this team has but one goal over the next three years...