Wilson's charging penalty wasn't a penalty -- or at least, it wasn't charging. It didn't meet the definition.I wouldn't have called it a charging but there is no doubt he made contact with his head. He deserved a 2 min penalty, nothing more. And that's what he got. You could question the Burakovsky penalty too. Did he really trip Jones or did he loose an edge. You can't vquestion Kuzys penalty but you could question that the Columbus player should have gone too. If the score was different those calls might not have been made. Or if Columbus didn't get a lot of penalties early in the game some of the calls might not have been made against us. It seems to be the way NHL officials are taught to officiate. You know if one team gets a lot if penalties the refs will try to even up the calls. We also know if you have a lead in the 3rd period that you are probably going to get some borderline calls against you. The NHL has always officiated like this and happens almost every game. I'd like to see the officiating to be more consistent. The score shouldn't determine who gets the next penalty. Or because one team has had a number of penalties shouldn't mean the other team gets the next one.
Charging is defined as taking more than 3 strides to deliver a hit without gliding. Watch the video: Wilson glided the last 15 feet before he hit the guy. And the only reason he hit the guy high was that for some reason he started to drop down just as Wilson got to him. I don't know if he got entangled with Ovechkin somehow, who was behind him, or what caused him to suddenly "lose altitude", but Wilson was caught in no man's land, getting ready to hit a guy who all of a sudden was a foot lower than he was a split-second earlier. Those are the reasons that the league office, despite Wilson's "history", never even considered meting out supplemental punishment to him. There really wasn't much of anything there. And it wasn't like all the other boarding calls in the early playoffs for which games off were handed out. Wilson approached him directly from the front -- no hitting from behind.
Not sure I liked how they singled out Wilson and Burakovsky for dumb penalties and didn't mention the dumb penalty from Kuznetsov. The Caps just happened to kill that penalty. Just as dumb though.
Not sure why Vrana is a healthy scratch tonight. I thought he played well last game and his speed was a factor. I would have put smith-pelley on the 4th line and scratched chaisson myself.I think he is very important for secondary scoring, he can be very agile. I guess loosing safely is Trotz style.
Not sure why Vrana is a healthy scratch tonight. I thought he played well last game and his speed was a factor. I would have put smith-pelley on the 4th line and scratched chaisson myself.Actually Vrana had a bad game. He did set up the DSP goal but he made quite a few bad mistakes during that game. He was involved in the play on both of the Columbus even strength goals.
Actually Vrana had a bad game. He did set up the DSP goal but he made quite a few bad mistakes during that game. He was involved in the play on both of the Columbus even strength goals.It was his first playoff game.
Does anyone know a good website to steam the game tonight?
We couldn’t hold a two goal lead , . . , so the dress Connolly tonight.
Jesus a 4 goal lead won’t be safe :rofl:
Welcome to the Forum!
This usually helps me find a good stream.
https://www.reddit.com/r/NHLStreams/ (https://www.reddit.com/r/NHLStreams/)
Here's tonight's game Home Feed
http://www.sportshd.me/nhl/2017030132/h (http://www.sportshd.me/nhl/2017030132/h)
Or this one looks good, but it appears to be about 20 seconds behind the first stream
http://rjh.fun/play.html?league=NHL&date=2018-04-15&id=59816603&pk=2017030132 (http://rjh.fun/play.html?league=NHL&date=2018-04-15&id=59816603&pk=2017030132)
You laugh, but you're right, even a 4 point lead makes me nervous at times.Heh emojis or even words cannot accurately reflect that my cynicism and anger can only be protrayed by laughter . . . .
Welcome aboard!!
Thanks. I've been reading the boards for years but could never sign up for the one on the caps website. Rarely miss a game and usually go to at least a couple games a year in various cities. Nothing better than seeing your team win in another teams barn.
Welcome and nice too see anther Canadian here.
Thanks. I've been reading the boards for years but could never sign up for the one on the caps website. Rarely miss a game and usually go to at least a couple games a year in various cities. Nothing better than seeing your team win in another teams barn.
Nice deflection from Beagle.
Orpik with absolutely no pressure and can’t clear the puckBut he did the primary apple on the Beags goal so....
But he did the primary apple on the Beags goal so....
Nah, you're right. I cussed him on that play too.
Doesn’t excuse a veteran with plenty of time not clearing the puck. Hell, he passed it right to a Blue Jacket.
It was a nice pass though. Hit him right on the tape.
Doesn’t excuse a veteran with plenty of time not clearing the puck. Hell, he passed it right to a Blue Jacket.
Nah, you're right. I cussed him on that play too.
RavenCap, how do you say, "Your Mother" in Russian.We'll save it for Malkin!:) It's just super offensive! Bob is a good guy!
I know Kuzya is talking smack to Bob!
Eller is such a good playoff player. The hustle, compete and work ethic all over the ice. Even finishes a forecheck on Jones while on the PK. I so wish we had a real size hard working playoff player to put with him on that third line.
snice when did the Norris stand for points and ice time??NHL needs to add an award for best Offensive D-Man, the Bobby Orr Award.
We'll save it for Malkin!:) It's just super offensive! Bob is a good guy!
If Kuzy says anything to Malkin he may lose his shit again. He rampage the last time we played he said was because Kuzy was talking to him in Russian while Kuzy was on the bench - as if that justifies his total loss of composure.
snice when did the Norris stand for points and ice time??The Norris more often than not is awarded to an offensive defence man. Burns won it last year and he is a pylon in the defensive zone. Karlsson also won his for his offense as did several over the years. The award is a bit if a joke.
How does Eller miss the net from there?In this day and age of big goalies the only way to score is pick a corner, go bar down, or be a half inch inside the pipe.
Only the Caps play a great period, give up a late goal, and come out feeling deflated.
You can’t lose your focus the way this team doeswith 1 minute left in the period.
In this day and age of big goalies the only way to score is pick a corner, go bar down, or be a half inch inside the pipe.In today's game Bobrovsky isn't a big goalie.
He was going for the snipe.
You can’t lose your focus the way this team does with 1 minute left in the period.
this is Butters, she’s a fosterThat is cute.
(https://washingtoncapitalsfanforum.com/webkit-fake-url://8235144f-99cb-4b57-a1de-acede647095b/imagejpeg)
this is Butters, she’s a foster
(https://washingtoncapitalsfanforum.com/webkit-fake-url://8235144f-99cb-4b57-a1de-acede647095b/imagejpeg)
Wouldn't that be Smith-Pelly?
it’s not a time thing, it happens every single time there is a two goal lead, regardless of the clock
Only the Caps play a great period, give up a late goal, and come out feeling deflated.It is still a lead, and Caps keep pressure on.
Carlson with a lazy play and then icing.He lost control of the puck and panicked.
Beags gets thrown out on 3 out oh 5 draws.Apparently he cheats on faceoffs.
Beags gets thrown out on 3 out oh 5 draws.Which is how you’ve supposed to do it. . . BUUUTTttttt, when no one else on the team can win a face off, he really can’t be doing that
Well hope the PK is getting ready. . .Yup we have had one more pp than Columbus and we are up by 2 goals. The NHL rulebook says the Caps get the next penalty.
. . . What the hell was that?Looked liked all our forwards got caught. Both dmen were back but there was too many guys to cover. I don't even know how many guys Columbus had on that rush. At least 3, maybe even 4. Didn't get ca good look at what started that rush.
Looked liked all our forwards got caught. Both dmen were back but there was too many guys to cover. I don't even know how many guys Columbus had on that rush. At least 3, maybe even 4. Didn't get ca good look at what started that rush.Oh I know, I was alluding to how a playoff team would do that to themselves
Oh I know, I was alluding to how a playoff team would do that to themselvesI agree. That is unacceptable.
Here we go again. A dumb penalty and the game is tied. Wtf was Wilson thinking. He knows we were going to get the next penalty and hge knows he has a target on his back.
It's laughable at this point. It really is. It's impossible to expect anything, but the worst from this group.
It's laughable at this point. It really is. It's impossible to expect anything, but the worst from this group.
Sweet, ripe for a late 2nd period goal!
Sweet, ripe for a late 2nd period goal!
Are ya happy? You got what you wanted.
Are ya happy? You got what you wanted.
Sure, I've been a fan since thew 70's too but it's like you all root for the worst.
After 30+ years i know what to expect...
Strangely, I feel better now that we're losing. I think we have a better chance like this. :wackysmile:
Sure, I've been a fan since thew 70's too but it's like you all root for the worst.
Sure, I've been a fan since thew 70's too but it's like you all root for the worst.
I don't blame anybody but the boys on the ice. It just strikes me as a strange way to support your team to say, "Here it comes again."
Nobody is “rooting” for it. Just expecting it. Big difference. You want to blame us — enjoy yourself.
I just see it coming.
I just see it coming.
Anyone with a brain does. We KNOW what's coming. It's why I don't ever get hyped for the playoffs anymore. It WILL be a first or second round elimination EVERY year. It's not a mystery.
It just strikes me as a strange way to support your team to say, "Here it comes again."
:cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :O=
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:lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl:
Won't happen here. In fact I wouldn't be shocked in the next year or two to see him just go back to Russia. The players that have been here long term HAVE to be sick of this. It's an emotionally broken team.
I may get some flame for this...but I don't think it's wrong.
While the team has been playing a bit let down....I honestly put a few of those goals on Gruby. Like seriously. Does the guy not have a glove hand? 3 of those goals were glove side, only one of those 3 was a deflection, the other two HOLTBY would of stopped.
That isn't to say Holtby is better, only that the shots they are shooting on Grub are clearly his weakness, and it's a weakness that happens to be Holts strength, the glove hand.
If this isn't the best third period this team has ever played by the way then as far as I'm concerned the season is already over, and we should sell the farm. Enough. The laughing stock of the playoffs shit needs to end. You either have the pride to not act like a deflated child who didn't get his toy on the trip to the store, and you fucking man up and accept that in order to win a Stanley Cup hell in order to even make it past the first or second fucking round, you need to dig deep and go out there and find another gear. That is what is always the bummer about this Caps team in the playoffs. There is no "playoff" gear. There needs to be one to have success. It's as simple as that.
Won't be shocked to see Holtby start the 3rdWhy bother now? This exactly what I predicted would happen if we started Grubauer. He isn't the answer. And now we are on the verge of being down 2 games and they are going to ask Holtby to bail us out. Nothing like putting the pressure on a guy.
:cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :cross: :O=
(https://washingtoncapitalsfanforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fgalactichub.com%2Fcaps%2F8-holding-up-the-cup.gif&hash=7952b6b22d46e16d43453523a7117373)
:lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl:
Won't happen here. In fact I wouldn't be shocked in the next year or two to see him just go back to Russia. The players that have been here long term HAVE to be sick of this. It's an emotionally broken team.
Where the hell is Lil?
Is this the year?
Oh I absolutely realize I'm in the minority here! I totally understand that virtually everyone else is saying they are resigned to another Caps playoff shortfall.
You may find it strange but you DO realize you are in the vast minority and that virtually everyone else is saying that they are resigned to the fate that befalls this team every season? So long as you aren't pointing at me and suggesting I'm all alone on a ledge on this.
I may get some flame for this...but I don't think it's wrong.
While the team has been playing a bit let down....I honestly put a few of those goals on Gruby. Like seriously. Does the guy not have a glove hand? 3 of those goals were glove side, only one of those 3 was a deflection, the other two HOLTBY would of stopped.
That isn't to say Holtby is better, only that the shots they are shooting on Grub are clearly his weakness, and it's a weakness that happens to be Holts strength, the glove hand.
Alright, boys. Hope you can bring home a win. I'm going to fire up the iPad with Friends and smile a little. Caps are too depressing for me. Cheers.
I may get some flame for this...but I don't think it's wrong.I agree with most of your post except I think Holtby is a lot better than Grubauer. People got hung up on Grubauer numbers in the regular season against a lot of weak competition.
While the team has been playing a bit let down....I honestly put a few of those goals on Gruby. Like seriously. Does the guy not have a glove hand? 3 of those goals were glove side, only one of those 3 was a deflection, the other two HOLTBY would of stopped.
That isn't to say Holtby is better, only that the shots they are shooting on Grub are clearly his weakness, and it's a weakness that happens to be Holts strength, the glove hand.
If this isn't the best third period this team has ever played by the way then as far as I'm concerned the season is already over, and we should sell the farm. Enough. The laughing stock of the playoffs shit needs to end. You either have the pride to not act like a deflated child who didn't get his toy on the trip to the store, and you fucking man up and accept that in order to win a Stanley Cup hell in order to even make it past the first or second fucking round, you need to dig deep and go out there and find another gear. That is what is always the bummer about this Caps team in the playoffs. There is no "playoff" gear. There needs to be one to have success. It's as simple as that.
Why bother now? This exactly what I predicted would happen if we started Grubauer. He isn't the answer. And now we are on the verge of being down 2 games and they are going to ask Holtby to bail us out. Nothing like putting the pressure on a guy.
Oh come on, what did you all expect?
On a sad note R Lee Ermey just passed. One of my favorites:
"I will give you three seconds, exactly three fucking seconds, to wipe that stupid grin off your face, or I will gouge out your eyeballs and skull-fuck you!"
that sure looked like boardingAbso fucking lutely
that sure looked like boardingIt sure did. I was surprised Carlson got up from that.
*pic of obese woman in a thong*
(https://chelseaunfiltered.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/fat-girl-shaun.jpg)
Why on the national TV always someone else homers?Nobody likes the Caps except us.
Holtby looks confident!
Biggest pp of the season...
Really?
Won't score
Won't score
Won't score
Caps got all 4 PP in the 3rd. C-Bus will get an early one in OT and end it. Be ready.....it's coming,That could very well happen. I hope Trotz tells these guys no more stupid penalties.
That could very well happen. I hope Trotz tells these guys no more stupid penalties.He prolly tells em' that everytime, but w/o any accountability nobody ever really gets the message..
Rat in a drain ditch...You know better but I know him!
You know better but I know him!
Rat in a drain ditch...
It's a good old Grateful Dead tune, steal yer face right off yer head!
why are we insulting drain ditches?
why are we insulting drain ditches?
Nothing left to do but smile smile smile!
Cat on a tin roof....
Nothing left to do but smile smile smile!
It's a good old Grateful Dead tune, steal yer face right off yer head!
It's a goal... Night folks.
I hope not to Trotz in the next season.
that explains that, I could never get into the Dead cept for their 4 songs that hit the charts
my blood pressure went down quit a bit when I stopped caring about danny boy running a once great franchise straight into the ground, I imagine it will go down even more after one more season of this crap on ice
I wish it were that simple. He will be fired along with a bunch of the team, but this has been through multiple coaches over multiple years. It's with different casts of characters. It's not Ovie. I hate to say it but I really do believe in curses at this point. This franchise has gotten the big fucking voodoo doll shoved right up its collective asses. The Hockey Gods have taken a big, fat permanent shit on the Nation's Capital and we are just here to enjoy the stench.
I wish it were that simple. He will be fired along with a bunch of the team, but this has been through multiple coaches over multiple years. It's with different casts of characters. It's not Ovie. I hate to say it but I really do believe in curses at this point. This franchise has gotten the big fucking voodoo doll shoved right up its collective asses. The Hockey Gods have taken a big, fat permanent shit on the Nation's Capital and we are just here to enjoy the stench.
4? Lol
It must be getting early the clocks are running late.
no such thing as curses, if there were then the Red Sox just fukin suck since beating theirs
I wish it were that simple. He will be fired along with a bunch of the team, but this has been through multiple coaches over multiple years. It's with different casts of characters. It's not Ovie. I hate to say it but I really do believe in curses at this point. This franchise has gotten the big fucking voodoo doll shoved right up its collective asses. The Hockey Gods have taken a big, fat permanent shit on the Nation's Capital and we are just here to enjoy the stench.
Do we keep Holt as a goalie for the next game? Probably.
I think we'll win next two games!:)
Yes. 4. High likelihood of a sweep at this point. Team has very little resilience and these two games will have taken what they have. Sad but true but it will put Caps fans out of our collective misery.
I'll be surprised if we don'tSure! Just a reality check!
It's not a curse. Playoff consistency comes from understanding what makes good playoff hockey teams. Good GM's understand that, and Trotz is a good playoff hockey coach doing the best he can with the tools he's given. Brett Connolly doesn't ice on a roster that is playoff ready. It's as simple as that. Neither does Vrana, or Jerabeck, or likely Kempny. Hell Stephenson even though he's had some hustle, was playing with Nicky/Oshie during that stretch.
I think we'll win next two games!:)
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Loved your earlier post so that gives me the right to disagree on this one. EVERY team in the playoffs has holes. In a free agency era with a cap you can't afford to plug all the holes (especially in an expansion year -- losing Schmitty hurt a lot). You can't put consistent OT losses on "the way the franchise was built" or at least I don't. All of that is 20-20 hindsight. We've had teams that were "built for the playoffs" like last year - out in the 2nd round. Teams that overachieved like this one -- looking like out in the first round. You can't account for that with the organization other than by second-guessing based on the results.
I don't know if I really believe in "curses" but we do get more than our share of bad luck and unfortunate bounces. And, of course, a lot of missed opportunities and mistakes at key moments. But we do it with different players year after year and I find it hard to imagine our coaches are telling Burakovsky to take an O-zone penalty with 5 minutes left up a goal in game 1. Or telling Wilson to garner more roughing penalties than one can imagine and then miss an open net in OT.
It's different guys all the time but I don't buy the "no built to win" crap. The Pens do it with guys they bring up with no pedigree whatsoever who shine in the playoffs. They are just such better hockey people than we are? I don't see it.
Yes. 4. High likelihood of a sweep at this point. Team has very little resilience and these two games will have taken what they have. Sad but true but it will put Caps fans out of our collective misery.
Respectfully have to disagree with you here. I feel like you basically out argued yourself in this situation.
Look at your last words, you said "The pens do it with the guys they bring up with no pedigree whatsoever who sine the playoffs. They are just such better hockey people than we are?"
You literally just laid out the evidence. Despite all the different roster shuffles, our core group of guys and our methods to building a franchise around them has constantly garnered the same results. Meanwhile the Pens, or the Kings, or the Hawks not so long ago or the Wings of old...you could keep listing...once those teams start seeing consistency in playoff success, that becomes the evidence.
They build and make teams for playoff results, not regular season ones. While the make up of a lot of the last Cup winning teams has changed, I promise you even though they had some holes...they were far less glaring and weaker then our own. Which even then, is only part of the problem. There is a giant elephant in the Capitals dressing room known as "the playoff problem." It effects the very core of this locker room, it does, you can tell me all the bullshit about not knowing what goes on in the room. But you can see it on the faces of the players when adversity comes. Ovechkin MOST resembles this, and god love him it's part of his charm but he's also a big child as well. Go watch in OT of this game we had a chance to score when Wilson fanned I'm sure you saw that. Watch Ovechkin near the front of the net, when Wilson fans...what does he do? He looks to ceiling, he reacts. He may be "in the game" emotionally, but he himself the player isn't. He isn't looking to keep playing, he was hoping it was over and is visibly reacting that it isn't. We have so many examples of this across our bench too.
It's not that you can't be invested in the chances or the winning, but not when your on the ice in the play and can help influence it. That elephant though has always been a problem. I think some of it has to do with Ovie being the C and haven't won anything. Like really. The hockey players in the world don't measure their personal successes they measure their team ones. Look at the past Cup winners. Even the ones that have had consistent success. You notice a trend? Canadian Olympians in notable spots. Olympians who have countless golds, and now also Stanley Cups. It's called knowing how to get the job done when the stakes are their most highest.
Our captain and core has never ever not once never done that. Never. Not even close. Not even in the same league. Blown out of the water. Do you see what I'm getting at? Where as literally everyone of those teams had leadership positions dedicated the players known for doing it most. LA? Doughty. Pens have Crosby as well as Letang in leadership positions. Chicago had Toews and Keith. Old Detroit had Yzerman, Shanahan, I mean geeze they were littered with leaders.
I just think that elephant on the shoulder requires us to replace it with too much. We literally everyone not in our core and in and around it to have the work ethic of Jay Beagle and TJ Oshie and provide finish to make up for it. Otherwise inevitably this team rides on the up and down waves far too much. It's been our biggest problem since forever. We ride the wave when we play good, and then when we make a mistake and it ends up in the back of the net we play worse for a stretch. We let it get to us. We always have.
I think if we play with as much heart as we mustered today for the next two games we can do it. We outplayed them so far. We missed so many opportunities to score and we had too many DUMB penalties. A few minor tweaks and patience we can come back here on serve.4 goals should be enough to win a playoff game. Dumb penalties, defensive breakdowns and mediocre goaltending lost it. We owned this team tonight.
Do we keep Holt as a goalie for the next game? Probably.Not sure it matters now
amin
Respectfully have to disagree with you here. I feel like you basically out argued yourself in this situation.
Look at your last words, you said "The pens do it with the guys they bring up with no pedigree whatsoever who sine the playoffs. They are just such better hockey people than we are?"
You literally just laid out the evidence. Despite all the different roster shuffles, our core group of guys and our methods to building a franchise around them has constantly garnered the same results. Meanwhile the Pens, or the Kings, or the Hawks not so long ago or the Wings of old...you could keep listing...once those teams start seeing consistency in playoff success, that becomes the evidence.
They build and make teams for playoff results, not regular season ones. While the make up of a lot of the last Cup winning teams has changed, I promise you even though they had some holes...they were far less glaring and weaker then our own. Which even then, is only part of the problem. There is a giant elephant in the Capitals dressing room known as "the playoff problem." It effects the very core of this locker room, it does, you can tell me all the bullshit about not knowing what goes on in the room. But you can see it on the faces of the players when adversity comes. Ovechkin MOST resembles this, and god love him it's part of his charm but he's also a big child as well. Go watch in OT of this game we had a chance to score when Wilson fanned I'm sure you saw that. Watch Ovechkin near the front of the net, when Wilson fans...what does he do? He looks to ceiling, he reacts. He may be "in the game" emotionally, but he himself the player isn't. He isn't looking to keep playing, he was hoping it was over and is visibly reacting that it isn't. We have so many examples of this across our bench too.
It's not that you can't be invested in the chances or the winning, but not when your on the ice in the play and can help influence it. That elephant though has always been a problem. I think some of it has to do with Ovie being the C and haven't won anything. Like really. The hockey players in the world don't measure their personal successes they measure their team ones. Look at the past Cup winners. Even the ones that have had consistent success. You notice a trend? Canadian Olympians in notable spots. Olympians who have countless golds, and now also Stanley Cups. It's called knowing how to get the job done when the stakes are their most highest.
Our captain and core has never ever not once never done that. Never. Not even close. Not even in the same league. Blown out of the water. Do you see what I'm getting at? Where as literally everyone of those teams had leadership positions dedicated the players known for doing it most. LA? Doughty. Pens have Crosby as well as Letang in leadership positions. Chicago had Toews and Keith. Old Detroit had Yzerman, Shanahan, I mean geeze they were littered with leaders.
I just think that elephant on the shoulder requires us to replace it with too much. We literally everyone not in our core and in and around it to have the work ethic of Jay Beagle and TJ Oshie and provide finish to make up for it. Otherwise inevitably this team rides on the up and down waves far too much. It's been our biggest problem since forever. We ride the wave when we play good, and then when we make a mistake and it ends up in the back of the net we play worse for a stretch. We let it get to us. We always have.
Not sure it matters now
You’re God Damn Right!!!
Respectfully have to disagree with you here. I feel like you basically out argued yourself in this situation.
Look at your last words, you said "The pens do it with the guys they bring up with no pedigree whatsoever who sine the playoffs. They are just such better hockey people than we are?"
You literally just laid out the evidence. Despite all the different roster shuffles, our core group of guys and our methods to building a franchise around them has constantly garnered the same results. Meanwhile the Pens, or the Kings, or the Hawks not so long ago or the Wings of old...you could keep listing...once those teams start seeing consistency in playoff success, that becomes the evidence.
They build and make teams for playoff results, not regular season ones. While the make up of a lot of the last Cup winning teams has changed, I promise you even though they had some holes...they were far less glaring and weaker then our own. Which even then, is only part of the problem. There is a giant elephant in the Capitals dressing room known as "the playoff problem." It effects the very core of this locker room, it does, you can tell me all the bullshit about not knowing what goes on in the room. But you can see it on the faces of the players when adversity comes. Ovechkin MOST resembles this, and god love him it's part of his charm but he's also a big child as well. Go watch in OT of this game we had a chance to score when Wilson fanned I'm sure you saw that. Watch Ovechkin near the front of the net, when Wilson fans...what does he do? He looks to ceiling, he reacts. He may be "in the game" emotionally, but he himself the player isn't. He isn't looking to keep playing, he was hoping it was over and is visibly reacting that it isn't. We have so many examples of this across our bench too.
It's not that you can't be invested in the chances or the winning, but not when your on the ice in the play and can help influence it. That elephant though has always been a problem. I think some of it has to do with Ovie being the C and haven't won anything. Like really. The hockey players in the world don't measure their personal successes they measure their team ones. Look at the past Cup winners. Even the ones that have had consistent success. You notice a trend? Canadian Olympians in notable spots. Olympians who have countless golds, and now also Stanley Cups. It's called knowing how to get the job done when the stakes are their most highest.
Our captain and core has never ever not once never done that. Never. Not even close. Not even in the same league. Blown out of the water. Do you see what I'm getting at? Where as literally everyone of those teams had leadership positions dedicated the players known for doing it most. LA? Doughty. Pens have Crosby as well as Letang in leadership positions. Chicago had Toews and Keith. Old Detroit had Yzerman, Shanahan, I mean geeze they were littered with leaders.
I just think that elephant on the shoulder requires us to replace it with too much. We literally everyone not in our core and in and around it to have the work ethic of Jay Beagle and TJ Oshie and provide finish to make up for it. Otherwise inevitably this team rides on the up and down waves far too much. It's been our biggest problem since forever. We ride the wave when we play good, and then when we make a mistake and it ends up in the back of the net we play worse for a stretch. We let it get to us. We always have.
It's one of two things, the front office is beyond incompetent, or not only is winning the Cup is not the priority, but they are taking "having a chance" to the bank.
Loved your earlier post so that gives me the right to disagree on this one. EVERY team in the playoffs has holes. In a free agency era with a cap you can't afford to plug all the holes (especially in an expansion year -- losing Schmitty hurt a lot). You can't put consistent OT losses on "the way the franchise was built" or at least I don't. All of that is 20-20 hindsight. We've had teams that were "built for the playoffs" like last year - out in the 2nd round. Teams that overachieved like this one -- looking like out in the first round. You can't account for that with the organization other than by second-guessing based on the results.
I don't know if I really believe in "curses" but we do get more than our share of bad luck and unfortunate bounces. And, of course, a lot of missed opportunities and mistakes at key moments. But we do it with different players year after year and I find it hard to imagine our coaches are telling Burakovsky to take an O-zone penalty with 5 minutes left up a goal in game 1. Or telling Wilson to garner more roughing penalties than one can imagine and then miss an open net in OT.
It's different guys all the time but I don't buy the "no built to win" crap. The Pens do it with guys they bring up with no pedigree whatsoever who shine in the playoffs. They are just such better hockey people than we are? I don't see it.
Christ people, the last place to point fingers on this team is goaltending, Devise gets its, and I first said it bout 3 or 4 years ago, this squad will not win The Cup with OV as captain. He just doesn’t have that level of leadership. There is a core problem in the locker room, and just like the Skins I highly suspect it starts in the front office
Christ people, the last place to point fingers on this team is goaltending, Devise gets its, and I first said it bout 3 or 4 years ago, this squad will not win The Cup with OV as captain. He just doesn’t have that level of leadership. There is a core problem in the locker room, and just like the Skins I highly suspect it starts in the front officeBut the goalies are such a convenient sacrifice to The Peoples Temple of DC. . .
But the goalies are such a convenient sacrifice to The Peoples Temple of DC. . .
Yep, and no consequences is all part of the culture (or ponsy scheme, cult of personality, CIA test on mimd control, or toe-dragging circus depending on how pissed off you are at the time). . .
I don't know if I'd go as far as to say we won't win with Ovie as the Captain. However I do fundamentally agree with what your saying. I wasn't trying to say only Canadian players have that by the way, with my last post. Tons of great leaders and proven winners from tons of different countries. DC brings up us having Federov for example, and I think Kozlov too helped during that stretch.
The problem with Ovie is he doesn't just need a mentor. Which is what we thought initially when we brought a name or two to help, even recently with someone like Justin Williams. It's that our core locker room needs to be surrounded by guys who are proven winners, and leaders, and can get done in the playoffs. It's sad, but that s the reality of the levels of mental shake up it appears this group needs. The worst part too, they may not even need it for many seasons.
As much as I don't think there is a "curse" I also think, realistically there are consequences to the playoff failures of the Caps. Nobody on our core, has ever gone deep. That is why this hurts so much, because even if we went to Round 3 or 4, that extra experience, those deep runs, help our core guys understand the valuables it takes to win in these scenarios. It doesn't get said enough but the NHL playoffs are probably the hardest thing to win all of sports, I earnestly mean that.
It's why I hope nobody considers these posts as overly critical or not being a fan. I'm not denying that the guys put their heart out, they do. It's more that in this light, in this vein of competition, the true best of the best get it done when all the marbles are down. And none of our guys have enough experience with ever doing that, yet we constantly wonder why they can't seem to mentally handle the pressure. They haven't endured it enough, seasoned through it and worn it on the other side like a lot of the other stars on these Cup winning teams.
Like Crosby was not the dealbreaker he is now right off the get go, in 2007-08 when the Penguins made the finals the first time with him and lost to Detroit for example. He wasn't stellar that season, and still struggled to score much in the playoffs despite more assists. But that Penguins team was filled with leaders. Even earlier then the Pens management got it. Get this kid the playoff experience he needs as soon as possible, get him deep even if you don't win. Build playoff teams around him and Malkin etc. It just makes sense. The only way to truly understand and grow as a playoff hockey player, is to endure that trial by fire for as long as frequent as you can.
Unfortunately that also sometimes means you need to sacrifice players, and it's something our management doesn't like doing. Everyone gets second and third chances, and we rarely trade big names they either leave due to FA/salary or due to age/retirement.
Anyway I've rambled enough, but I rightfully am just getting sick and tired of seeing the disappointment. It's not even the on ice product that is the problem either, it's watching the guys. It's watching the emotional post locker room videos with guys near tears. I get it, they are pouring their hearts out but that is what it god damn takes. Like go listen to Gretzky after he lost the Islanders the first time in the finals. His team was barely bruised or touched and had lost, yet the winning Isles were covered in shot blocks and bruises. This is not the regular season. I don't know how much this has to be stressed enough to our roster, but it just isn't. Wanting it isn't enough. You can't get away with playing very good for stretches, and sleeping for others. Our playoff gear just far too often looks like a mix of our best and worst regular season ones. And that isn't enough to do it in this league. It never will be.
Yep, and no consequences is all part of the culture (or ponsy scheme, cult of personality, CIA test on mimd control, or toe-dragging circus depending on how pissed off you are at the time). . .
Which, is why a nuclear option is the only option left. By which I mean MASSIVE turnover in upper management mid-management, coaching staff, NHL,AHL, ECHL, players and even fire the fuckin bus driver, doorman, janitors, and dishwashers just to make the point loud and clear to everyone (but not the peanut vendors, Willie needs all the help fighting he can get)