Washington Capitals Fan Forum
Talk about Capitals hockey & more! => Washington Capitals & Other Hockey Discussion => Topic started by: alta on Wednesday May 23, 2018, 11:54:56 PM Eastern
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Cup Finals schedule, lots of extra days in the schedule, and Caps now have 5 days off to prepare
Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. Washington Capitals (M1)
Monday, May 28, 8pm: Capitals @ Golden Knights | NBC, CBC, SN, TVA
Wednesday, May 30, 8pm: Capitals @ Golden Knights | NBCSN, CBC, SN
Saturday, June 2, 8pm: Golden Knights @ Capitals | NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVA Sports
Monday, June 4, 8pm: Golden Knights @ Capitals | NBC, CBC, SN, TVA Sports
*Thursday, June 7, 8pm: Capitals @ Golden Knights | NBC, CBC, SN, TVA Sports
*Sunday, June 10, 8pm: Golden Knights @ Capitals | NBC, CBC, SN, TVA Sports
*Wednesday, June 13, 8pm: Capitals @ Golden Knights | NBC, CBC, SN, TVA Sports
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so when is the last time the finals had two teams that never won it before?
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so when is the last time the finals had two teams that never won it before?
Don't recall the exact last time, but if I remember correctly I saw a list that said this has only happened in the NHL like 4 or 5 times before.
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Caps have no chance.
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Wow, all those 2 day breaks. I hate that.
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so when is the last time the finals had two teams that never won it before?
Here is your list
2018 Capitals/Golden Knights; 2007 Ducks/Senators; 1999 Stars/Sabres; 1996 Avalanche/Panthers; 1991 Penguins/North Stars; 1934 Black Hawks/Red Wings
So it's the sixth time in NHL history and the first time in 11 years.
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It's good that the Caps have some days to recover, but shouldn't get rusty!
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Caps have no chance.
Nice!!
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Wow, all those 2 day breaks. I hate that.
I really like the schedule. I like that it starts on Monday. The Knights will have had a 8 day rest, which could make them rusty and it's both a short enough and long enough period for the Caps that I think they'll do well.
The 2 day breaks make sense for when they have to travel across the country. It would be awfully rough if they did not have the extra day.
My Dad lives in Vegas. He said he saw a guy last week that he considers a bum with a ticket to a Knights game. He said the guy paid $2400 for it and was happy that he got a "deal". And we thought Leonsis was greedy.
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Yeah, the 2 day breaks may help the older legs on the Caps. I just hate those long waits lol.
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I don't understand the two day breaks, you know full well these teams are flying charter, which means they get in and out of the airports in about 20 minutes, on a direct flight, that most likely has real seats in it that fit real humans. Flying charter is a hell of lot more comfortable than comercial is, even in first class, and as a charter they have much greater flexibility on which airport they use.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203897404578076574126494236 (https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203897404578076574126494236)
http://www.pjsgroup.com/team-sports/ (http://www.pjsgroup.com/team-sports/)
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Now is a good time to welcome all of our new members :wackysmile:
If you haven't noticed we can be a sarcastic bunch, but we don't bite. Well, unless asked to.
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Caps have no chance.
How would you know? Last time Caps played for Stanley Cup you were not even around yet.
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Now is a good time to welcome all of our new members :wackysmile:
If you haven't noticed we can be a sarcastic bunch, but we don't bite. Well, unless asked to.
Dentist appointment........
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How would you know? Last time Caps played for Stanley Cup you were not even around yet.
Popcorn???
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Caps have no chance.
I know you are being facetious and superstitious here, but I just heard a blog from Alan May commenting on the key things the Caps need to do in the upcoming series. I think he might have made a slip-up at the end of his commentary that indicates his true assessment of the Caps/Vegas series. After discussing the keys to victory (defensive coverage/PK/PP) he concluded by making a comment very much like this: "If the Caps can accomplish these key things, they may have a chance to beat the Golden Knights."
Note he didn't say that if the Caps do these things they will be "tough to beat," "in good shape," or any reasonably positive assessment. He sees them, if they do what he says, "having a chance." He sounded as if Vegas is what I have said to others that they are: Not a Cinderella by any means, but simply as good as any team in the NHL this year, and a solid to prohibitive favorite to take the Stanley Cup.
Beyond the Caps/McPhee connection, I think this series is fascinating for another reason. The Caps aren't just representing themselves in this series, they are representing the entire other-30-team NHL establishment against the most Johnny-come-lately upstart possible. I am wondering if the NHL isn't secretly hoping that the Caps win this series to avoid the embarrassment of a first-team franchise winning the Stanley Cup.
Why do I term it an embarrassment? Not because of the oft-discussed argument that the expansion draft rules were too favorable to Vegas and they got too good a set of players; but rather, because this set of players, however good they are as a group, jelled into a powerhouse INSTANTLY. This team wasn't just an unimaginably good first-year team; they were unimaginably good from the first WEEK of the season. They came out of the gate like a house afire and never looked back. In NHL thinking, this simply shouldn't happen, because the NHL is a team game where chemistry and team development matters, and any franchise needs to go through tough times to learn how to succeed. A franchise needs to build chemistry and the know-how to do both the obvious and the subtle things to survive both an interminable regular season and the rigors of the Stanley Cup playoffs, which the NHL likes to market as the toughest championship to win in all of sports.
Caps fans have bought into this; fans are talking about "it's our time," as though it's taken the franchise all this time without a championship to finally "get it right". But heck, Vegas pulled players literally from all over the continent, and in the space of a training camp had all the chemistry and know-how they needed to take this league by storm. Their success blows the whole "This league is tough to succeed in and you need to develop the capability to win over time" paradigm out of the water. Their success suggests that gradual growth and development of a franchise ISN'T necessarily the model; get some kind of formula right and you can literally run roughshod over the league starting next week.
The Caps not only represent themselves in this series; they represent the traditional NHL marketing storyline that success isn't easy, that you need to work hard and figure out how to win over time, and eventually your time may come. DC's been talking about this recently, rationalizing the Caps' playoff success this year after he had badmouthed the organization and its players for years. He's been saying that it has happened because the players changed, and finally bought into the argument that you need to knuckle down and find an extra playoff gear if you are going to succeed in the playoffs, a lesson, according to him, that had never sunk in before. The NHL would love him for evangelizing their party line. And maybe the NHL is hoping for a Caps victory to legitimize that party line as well. Because if Vegas wins, that entire marketing story line, the basis of the sport's argument for the greatness of its competition, goes down the tubes. What would they use as a replacement? That the league is easy enough that a new team can be pulled out of thin air and could blast the entire league out of the water?
It seems to me that this is a watershed moment for the NHL. If Vegas wins, they can market it as the greatest out-of-the-blue accomplishment in the history of professional sports, which I think is demonstrably true. But it bursts the balloon on the decades-old glamorization of their sport.
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In this Washington Post article they crunched the numbers based on metrics created by the well known hockey metrics website Corsica the Capitals have a 61% chance to win the Stanley Cup. Add to that the total balls to the wall (sorry ladies) commitment by our boys and I say we have a chance for sure. I feel good about it. I've kind of sensed this would be the final round matchup for quite some time. I also sensed that we will match up well with Vegas.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-stats/wp/2018/05/24/capitals-should-be-favored-over-the-golden-knights-for-stanley-cup-finals/?utm_term=.afa006cbde07 (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-stats/wp/2018/05/24/capitals-should-be-favored-over-the-golden-knights-for-stanley-cup-finals/?utm_term=.afa006cbde07)
Here is a graphic of the computer generated models being run over and over and the odds it came up with.
(https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/QdLFpGVDSPx4HH18Ytsx6M3kQOc=/1484x0/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/WXVZIOX76M5NNIUBT3JWNGRV54.jpg)
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How would you know? Last time Caps played for Stanley Cup you were not even around yet.
Well, since I'm 45 now and I attended game 3 vs the Wings I'd say you're pretty wrong.
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I know you are being facetious and superstitious here, but I just heard a blog from Alan May commenting on the key things the Caps need to do in the upcoming series. I think he might have made a slip-up at the end of his commentary that indicates his true assessment of the Caps/Vegas series. After discussing the keys to victory (defensive coverage/PK/PP) he concluded by making a comment very much like this: "If the Caps can accomplish these key things, they may have a chance to beat the Golden Knights."
Note he didn't say that if the Caps do these things they will be "tough to beat," "in good shape," or any reasonably positive assessment. He sees them, if they do what he says, "having a chance." He sounded as if Vegas is what I have said to others that they are: Not a Cinderella by any means, but simply as good as any team in the NHL this year, and a solid to prohibitive favorite to take the Stanley Cup.
Beyond the Caps/McPhee connection, I think this series is fascinating for another reason. The Caps aren't just representing themselves in this series, they are representing the entire other-30-team NHL establishment against the most Johnny-come-lately upstart possible. I am wondering if the NHL isn't secretly hoping that the Caps win this series to avoid the embarrassment of a first-team franchise winning the Stanley Cup.
Why do I term it an embarrassment? Not because of the oft-discussed argument that the expansion draft rules were too favorable to Vegas and they got too good a set of players; but rather, because this set of players, however good they are as a group, jelled into a powerhouse INSTANTLY. This team wasn't just an unimaginably good first-year team; they were unimaginably good from the first WEEK of the season. They came out of the gate like a house afire and never looked back. In NHL thinking, this simply shouldn't happen, because the NHL is a team game where chemistry and team development matters, and any franchise needs to go through tough times to learn how to succeed. A franchise needs to build chemistry and the know-how to do both the obvious and the subtle things to survive both an interminable regular season and the rigors of the Stanley Cup playoffs, which the NHL likes to market as the toughest championship to win in all of sports.
Caps fans have bought into this; fans are talking about "it's our time," as though it's taken the franchise all this time without a championship to finally "get it right". But heck, Vegas pulled players literally from all over the continent, and in the space of a training camp had all the chemistry and know-how they needed to take this league by storm. Their success blows the whole "This league is tough to succeed in and you need to develop the capability to win over time" paradigm out of the water. Their success suggests that gradual growth and development of a franchise ISN'T necessarily the model; get some kind of formula right and you can literally run roughshod over the league starting next week.
The Caps not only represent themselves in this series; they represent the traditional NHL marketing storyline that success isn't easy, that you need to work hard and figure out how to win over time, and eventually your time may come. DC's been talking about this recently, rationalizing the Caps' playoff success this year after he had badmouthed the organization and its players for years. He's been saying that it has happened because the players changed, and finally bought into the argument that you need to knuckle down and find an extra playoff gear if you are going to succeed in the playoffs, a lesson, according to him, that had never sunk in before. The NHL would love him for evangelizing their party line. And maybe the NHL is hoping for a Caps victory to legitimize that party line as well. Because if Vegas wins, that entire marketing story line, the basis of the sport's argument for the greatness of its competition, goes down the tubes. What would they use as a replacement? That the league is easy enough that a new team can be pulled out of thin air and could blast the entire league out of the water?
It seems to me that this is a watershed moment for the NHL. If Vegas wins, they can market it as the greatest out-of-the-blue accomplishment in the history of professional sports, which I think is demonstrably true. But it bursts the balloon on the decades-old glamorization of their sport.
VERY interesting post.
I like a good conspiracy theory........ :P , so I'll bite.
It throws up quite a few questions, for sure. ( I'm still a little overexcited, so take that into account if you would. :wackysmile: )
I will say it AGAIN. I think the Refs in this sport should be independent of the NHL and NOT controlled by them.
Considering WHO the refs have been in the last few games, notably anti-Caps refs, I've been a little surprised at how it's gone tbh. You know when you get a little niggle in the back of your brain, asking that question, but not quite knowing why?
When I see who the refs are before a game, when I see the names O'Halloran/Joanette/and what's his face... ? Meh, I'm so sorry, but you all know who I mean. That Canadian fella.... I just think okay, we're screwed. Willy's gonna spend half the game in the box. Tons of phantom calls against us, whilst the other team gets away with almost everything.
So..... considering the historical record of these refs..... do you think they were instructed to allow us at least the best chance, because we are probably most likely to be the best match up against Vegas?
I somewhat suspect that Trotz (at least) has put in an official complaint about the refs. I can't substantiate that in any way. Like I said.... "suspect".
My concern now will be that the refs will try to officiate in our favour. :-\
From my point of view, I just want the best team to win. If it's us, FANTASTIC. If it's them, it is what it is.
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VERY interesting post.
I like a good conspiracy theory........ :P , so I'll bite.
It throws up quite a few questions, for sure. ( I'm still a little overexcited, so take that into account if you would. :wackysmile: )
I will say it AGAIN. I think the Refs in this sport should be independent of the NHL and NOT controlled by them.
Considering WHO the refs have been in the last few games, notably anti-Caps refs, I've been a little surprised at how it's gone tbh. You know when you get a little niggle in the back of your brain, asking that question, but not quite knowing why?
When I see who the refs are before a game, when I see the names O'Halloran/Joanette/and what's his face... ? Meh, I'm so sorry, but you all know who I mean. That Canadian fella.... I just think okay, we're screwed. Willy's gonna spend half the game in the box. Tons of phantom calls against us, whilst the other team gets away with almost everything.
So..... considering the historical record of these refs..... do you think they were instructed to allow us at least the best chance, because we are probably most likely to be the best match up against Vegas?
I somewhat suspect that Trotz (at least) has put in an official complaint about the refs. I can't substantiate that in any way. Like I said.... "suspect".
My concern now will be that the refs will try to officiate in our favour. :-\
From my point of view, I just want the best team to win. If it's us, FANTASTIC. If it's them, it is what it is.
Let me clarify one thing at the outset: I'm not proposing a conspiracy here to help the Caps win the Cup. I'm simply saying that the NHL may be HOPING that that is the outcome.
Since I heard Alan May give his three keys that would allow the Caps to "have a chance," let me propose my three keys that give the Caps the best chance to win.
(1) Holtby needs to negate Fleury. To this point Fleury has had the greatest postseason in the history of the NHL, save %-wise. The Caps either need to use their shooting prowess (and they have been one of the top shooting teams in the NHL for the last decade, regular season at least) to bring him down to Earth some, or Holtby has to elevate his game a little so that the goalies are essentially offsetting each other.
(2) Eller's line may be the offensive key to this series from the Caps' point of view. That line has the potential to be a really productive line facing the bottom of Vegas' forward lineup, and if the Caps can get reasonably consistent production from them the scales may tip in their favor. Part of this has to do with point 1. Connolly and Burakovsky are both sneaky snipers; if they can get some room and shooting lanes, they could help bring Fleury back to Earth.
(3) The one thing that I think could be most crucial to Caps' success is if they can turn this into a men-vs.-boys series by continuing their hitting. They have 3 of the top 4 hitters in the playoffs in Ovie/Wilson/Orpik, and Smith-Pelly, Orlov, Niskanen, Oshie, Eller, and even Backstrom can add to the physicality. Vegas picked up Reaves from the Pens to give them a substantial physical presence, but he is basically a 6-8 minute player most games; he can't enforce pacificity when physicality comes from everywhere, and in fact, the more he is on the ice the better it probably is for the Caps. It won't be easy to turn this into a physical series, because Vegas is tough to catch. But if the Caps can wear them down and slow them down over the duration of the series, that might give them the best opportunity to knock them out in the end.
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after game 7 ended the other night I watched that Vegas Strong thing, efing remote was sitting next to the tv, anyway, it's was a good story, almost had me rooting for them and feeling sorry this is what the Caps are up against
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after game 7 ended the other night I watched that Vegas Strong thing, efing remote was sitting next to the tv, anyway, it's was a good story, almost had me rooting for them and feeling sorry this is what the Caps are up against
Did your avatar just blink at me? ???
Where can I find that Vegas Strong thingammy?
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I'm looking for the Vegas Stong program, if I recall it might have been an hour long,
found this though, I don't know he couldn't be a fan favorite no matter where he plays
https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/video/one-on-one-with-schmidt/t-282798380/c-60462303 (https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/video/one-on-one-with-schmidt/t-282798380/c-60462303)
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I know I come across as somewhat flippant most of the time, but every now and then I come out with something relevant. At least I'd like to think so.....
I don't think Petal (Fleury) will be as much of an issue as you seem to think.
I think the battle will be at the blue line and in the neutral zone.
Don't get me wrong, Fleury isn't exactly a walkover, however our boys know him well enough by now.
I think they will clog up center ice and if we can get through that, we will have some really good chances.
Fleury is due for a meltdown. I'd like to see the Fleury from a few years ago when he was actually pulled for Vokoun. He was putting pucks in his own net.
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for the previos three years altasbrotherinlaw had been asking the guys on the Hens board when flurey was gonna shit the bed,
I he actually had some reply’s that expected it at any time. Flurey is a different player this year though, except for the injury he’s looked solid all year.
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I'm looking for the Vegas Stong program, if I recall it might have been an hour long,
found this though, I don't know he couldn't be a fan favorite no matter where he plays
https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/video/one-on-one-with-schmidt/t-282798380/c-60462303 (https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/video/one-on-one-with-schmidt/t-282798380/c-60462303)
Thanks for that! 8)
I absolutely ADORE that guy. Not just his hockey skills, but his personality and dedication too.
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I know this may sound a little weird, but I really want us to win because we deserve it and not because the refs, or the NHL (same thing) help us/make us/want us to.
IF we win, it has to be because we're the better team.
The NHL created the monster that is Vegas. Now they just need to let it play out. For better or worse, they need to just let it be.
I still find it a little bizarre to hear all those "talking heads", that have bashed us all these years, now start saying nice things about our team. It all seems very strange and more than a little false.
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By HFBoards poll, neutral fans are heavily (around 75%) pro Caps, mostly because of Ovie.
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By HFBoards poll, neutral fans are heavily (around 75%) pro Caps, mostly because of Ovie.
Some people also feel an expansion team shouldn't win the cup.
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Here's what the Caps need to do in order to win:
1. We have a distinct height and weight advantage on VGK based on roster averages. They need to take advantage of this by playing very physically, most importantly in the offensive zone. Wear down their defensemen and prevent the type of fast breakouts VGK likes to generate.
2. Stay aggressive on the puck and don't give Schmidt, especially, a lot of skating room. VGK likes to play a very aggressive forechecking game and play in the other team's end. That's a winning formula and what it means is that we need to forecheck as much or more than they do. Make them play in their own end, not ours. We can do this by bringing our size advantage to bear. Winnipeg failed at this but we can succeed.
3. Make our shots count and take lots of them. Fleury has only allowed 18 goals in 15 games. We also need as many high quailty chances as possible. Perimeter shots are unlikely to go in. Needless to say, we need to be efficient on the PP.
4. As part of the above, we also need to be clogging the neutral zone. VGK likes a fast skating game and the way to disrupt that is to not let it get started. Break up their skating lanes and do not let their defensemen carry the puck unmolested.
5. In our own end play aggressively as well. Go to the puck carrier. No huddling in a box out in front of Holtby. Force VGK to make quick decisions. If we let them skate with it in our end too much, they will score. We also need to hold our own on the PK which seemed to be getting better late in the TB series.
6. Shut down VGK's top line. They are very skilled. The rest of their forwards aren't that worrisome.
All in all, we need to focus on scoring more than preventing scores. If we do that, the other part will fall into place. VGK can't score 150' from our goal.
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Here's what the Caps need to do in order to win:
1. We have a distinct height and weight advantage on VGK based on roster averages. They need to take advantage of this by playing very physically, most importantly in the offensive zone. Wear down their defensemen and prevent the type of fast breakouts VGK likes to generate.
2. Stay aggressive on the puck and don't give Schmidt, especially, a lot of skating room. VGK likes to play a very aggressive forechecking game and play in the other team's end. That's a winning formula and what it means is that we need to forecheck as much or more than they do. Make them play in their own end, not ours. We can do this by bringing our size advantage to bear. Winnipeg failed at this but we can succeed.
3. Make our shots count and take lots of them. Fleury has only allowed 18 goals in 15 games. We also need as many high quailty chances as possible. Perimeter shots are unlikely to go in. Needless to say, we need to be efficient on the PP.
4. As part of the above, we also need to be clogging the neutral zone. VGK likes a fast skating game and the way to disrupt that is to not let it get started. Break up their skating lanes and do not let their defensemen carry the puck unmolested.
5. In our own end play aggressively as well. Go to the puck carrier. No huddling in a box out in front of Holtby. Force VGK to make quick decisions. If we let them skate with it in our end too much, they will score. We also need to hold our own on the PK which seemed to be getting better late in the TB series.
6. Shut down VGK's top line. They are very skilled. The rest of their forwards aren't that worrisome.
All in all, we need to focus on scoring more than preventing scores. If we do that, the other part will fall into place. VGK can't score 150' from our goal.
On the Vegas forechecking we need to slow them down entering the zone. Our dmen also need to move the puck quickly and efficiently and our forwards need to give our dmen some puck support. We have done a good of that so far but I think Vegas will be a tougher test.
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Some people also feel an expansion team shouldn't win the cup.
Agree. Some people think NHL gave to much advantage to Vegas, other their fans didn't suffer enough to be there.
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Here's what the Caps need to do in order to win:
1. We have a distinct height and weight advantage on VGK based on roster averages. They need to take advantage of this by playing very physically, most importantly in the offensive zone. Wear down their defensemen and prevent the type of fast breakouts VGK likes to generate.
2. Stay aggressive on the puck and don't give Schmidt, especially, a lot of skating room. VGK likes to play a very aggressive forechecking game and play in the other team's end. That's a winning formula and what it means is that we need to forecheck as much or more than they do. Make them play in their own end, not ours. We can do this by bringing our size advantage to bear. Winnipeg failed at this but we can succeed.
3. Make our shots count and take lots of them. Fleury has only allowed 18 goals in 15 games. We also need as many high quailty chances as possible. Perimeter shots are unlikely to go in. Needless to say, we need to be efficient on the PP.
4. As part of the above, we also need to be clogging the neutral zone. VGK likes a fast skating game and the way to disrupt that is to not let it get started. Break up their skating lanes and do not let their defensemen carry the puck unmolested.
5. In our own end play aggressively as well. Go to the puck carrier. No huddling in a box out in front of Holtby. Force VGK to make quick decisions. If we let them skate with it in our end too much, they will score. We also need to hold our own on the PK which seemed to be getting better late in the TB series.
6. Shut down VGK's top line. They are very skilled. The rest of their forwards aren't that worrisome.
All in all, we need to focus on scoring more than preventing scores. If we do that, the other part will fall into place. VGK can't score 150' from our goal.
First and foremost, we need to play smart, and with minimal mistakes.
This team will be all over bad passes, toe drags, telegraphed passesto the office, all that garbage will fully exploited against these guys.
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First and foremost, we need to play smart, and with minimal mistakes.
This team will be all over bad passes, toe drags, telegraphed passesto the office, all that garbage will fully exploited against these guys.
Agree. The key is making smart plays coming out of our zone. I don't care for toedrags either, especially in the neutral zone or at the offensive blue line. Turnovers when a player trying to be cute pisses me off.
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Thanks for that! 8)
I absolutely ADORE that guy. Not just his hockey skills, but his personality and dedication too.
Easily amazed and easy to adore... Be careful, girl. They can get ya across the Atlantic.
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Some people also feel an expansion team shouldn't win the cup.
Agreed. We all know who that one people is.
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VGK likes to play a very aggressive forechecking game and play in the other team's end.
I admit I do not know hockey as well as some people on the board. However, the best aggressive fore-checking game I saw in my life came from Pittsburg last year and the year before. Do you think Vegas is better at this than Pittsburg?
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I don't necessarily agree with the "the fans haven't suffered" line. How long has that city been trying to get a pro team, in any sport?
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I don't necessarily agree with the "the fans haven't suffered" line. How long has that city been trying to get a pro team, in any sport?
Its not about suffering. Its about Vegas didn't really earn anything. I admit the team has overachieved but the lame expansion rules gave them a pretty decent team right out if the gate. Some proven vets, some good young players, a few prospects and some draft picks acquired in trades.
I believe in building a team. This team built nothing. People think Mcphee is a genius for his picks. Any moron could have picked a pretty decent team. So what if you didn't select a particular player from a certain team. It didn't matter much because there was another player just as good. Every team left a few decent players or prospects available. It was a no lose situation.
In my opinion the Caps are a bigger Cinderella story than Vegas is.
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I don't necessarily agree with the "the fans haven't suffered" line. How long has that city been trying to get a pro team, in any sport?
Love this joke
There three men were talking about the sad state of their local club;
The first fan blamed...: "I blame the manager; if we could sign better players, we'd be a great club."
The second fan blamed...: "I blame the players; if they made more effort, I'm sure we would score more goals."
The third fan blamed...: "I blame my parents; if I had been born in a different town, I'd be supporting a decent team."
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I admit I do not know hockey as well as some people on the board. However, the best aggressive fore-checking game I saw in my life came from Pittsburg last year and the year before. Do you think Vegas is better at this than Pittsburg?
I wouldn't necessarily say better but they have been more consistently successful with it than any of the other teams this season. It's the game Gallant likes to play and we have to neutralize it.
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It's really pretty simple.. Holtby needs to stand on his head and the team needs to play responsible defense while scoring some goals. :wackysmile:
Not sure what their PP looks like, but staying out the box would be nice too.. :raspberry:
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Our PP converts 1 out of 4, approximately; theirs, 1 out of 6.
That's a significant advantage, if trends hold true -- DEPENDING on how the series is refereed. I would hope that we will play a heavy game to try to slow them down and wear them down. That carries penalty risks.
What I don't understand is why a lot of people are saying that the Caps should be/are favored to win this series. Vegas had a hot start to their inaugural season, and never looked back. They never lost more than 3 games in a row the entire regular season, and they blew through the Western Conference with a 12 - 3 record in the playoffs so far. They have the single most dominant player to this point in the playoffs in Fleury. The only way it seems the Caps could be favored in this series is to assume that Vegas somehow regresses over the next two weeks. There's no logical reason to think that the Caps will handle what Vegas has been to this point any more than anyone else has.
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LoL. That's kinda what I was thinking, Caps need to score more than they allow, seems easy enough
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Our PP converts 1 out of 4, approximately; theirs, 1 out of 6.
That's a significant advantage, if trends hold true -- DEPENDING on how the series is refereed. I would hope that we will play a heavy game to try to slow them down and wear them down. That carries penalty risks.
What I don't understand is why a lot of people are saying that the Caps should be/are favored to win this series. Vegas had a hot start to their inaugural season, and never looked back. They never lost more than 3 games in a row the entire regular season, and they blew through the Western Conference with a 12 - 3 record in the playoffs so far. They have the single most dominant player to this point in the playoffs in Fleury. The only way it seems the Caps could be favored in this series is to assume that Vegas somehow regresses over the next two weeks. There's no logical reason to think that the Caps will handle what Vegas has been to this point any more than anyone else has.
Agreed.
There can be no reliance on luck our the opponent beating themselves at all. They are smart and play a tight defensive system that has shut down every one in the playoffs, and this is in front of a goalie that is having a near historic playoff run.
Momentum, swagger, mojo, entitlement, and cockiness need to be checked at the door by players and fans a like. This a hungrier team on a mission that has steam rolled their way through a tougher Confrence.
Not saying it’s impossible, but it will take 4 games playing better than we’ve played so far.
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Our PP converts 1 out of 4, approximately; theirs, 1 out of 6.
What I don't understand is why a lot of people are saying that the Caps should be/are favored to win this series.
Couldn't agree more. The pundits seem to make their predictions based on regular season anyway. Vegas had more points than Caps in the regular season, they beat Caps both times during the regular season, their main goalie beat Caps more than once in play-offs.
End of story. We are the underdog and the whole world outside of Nevada should root for us.
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Outside of Nevada and Western PA. If folks in Pittsburg start supporting us for the duration of this series... well... that will make me feel creepy.
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It's the game Gallant likes to play and we have to neutralize it.
Since I am effectively anti-KitFisto I will chime in like this... Beating Pittsburg and their extraordinary for-check made us immune to whatever any team in this league can throw at us from their for-checking department.
12 out of 14 NHL analysts predicted Tampa's victory and the only reason the series went to game 7 is because of their excellent power play. We know how to counter aggressive for-checking and generate odd man rushes.
There, I said it. If we lose to Vegas I jinxed it.
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this is the Vegas Strong program that was on after game 7 a few days ago. Like I said, it would have me cheering for them to win if not for the Caps...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n4buhg_l4Hs
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this is the Vegas Strong program that was on after game 7 a few days ago. Like I said, it would have me cheering for them to win if not for the Caps...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n4buhg_l4Hs (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n4buhg_l4Hs)
Ya man, this is movie/storybook shit.
Shooting, first pro team, an insane fan base, record setting, march through the playoffs . . . This is damn near a Hollywood script.
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this is the Vegas Strong program that was on after game 7 a few days ago. Like I said, it would have me cheering for them to win if not for the Caps...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n4buhg_l4Hs (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n4buhg_l4Hs)
Thanks for posting that. Brought a tear to my eye.
Whoever wins it will piss the NHL off, methinks. :P
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Only need to worry about the first 4 games. We are getting swept.
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Beyond my earlier commentary about having personal investment in other sports activities involving me and family more than the Caps, I am starting to get really PO'd about something. It's the ever-increasing whining of other teams about Tom Wilson.
Wilson has a talent that is pretty rare. He is very efficient at leveraging his body mass when hitting someone. That's why he tends to hit people harder than almost all other NHL players hit people. And that is why, in conjunction with his projectable hockey skills, that he was drafted #16, significantly higher than he would have gone otherwise, by that GM who didn't know an effective hockey player if he saw one, George McPhee (If you listen to lots of cranky fans.)
The NHL front office has been continually reining in the latitude with which Tom Wilson operates. And as far as engagement of an opponent's head, I'm fine with that. But it is getting ridiculous, and this latest whining about his hit on Marchasseault last evening is especially nonsensical. There was NOTHING technically wrong with the mechanics of that hit. It might have been a little late, and worthy of an interference penalty, but that is what penalties are for, NOT suspensions. Vegas needs to shut up and play, facing the fact that Wilson is a pretty unique Capitals asset whose capabilities Vegas is going to have to overcome if they want to win the Cup. They CAN do it; I've said over and over that my view is they are the favorites in this series. This constant whining to try to further and further restrict what Tom Wilson is allowed to do, or more of interest, to try to get him suspended and take away the Capitals' asset, is getting very, very old. "Boo hoo, Tommy hit me too hard."
Wilson's primary problem, I think, is that in his first few years he was primarily a 4th liner, so he was most often engaging with other limited-minutes, limited-skills players. Now as his hockey skills are developing and he has been moved to the first line, his attentions are much more often targeted toward the glamour players on opposing teams, and they don't like having their time and space taken away in the manner Wilson employs. Wilson HAS refined his techniques as the NHL has clamped down on predatory hitting, but this constant whining about hits that are clean mechanically is nothing but self-serving and begging to negate an advantage that an opponent is too cowardly to face up to.
Whatever happens with regard to disciplinary behavior, no one can take away Tom Wilson's unique capability to leverage his body mass. Tom, keep playing the way you are. If the NHL is going to cave to opponents' woe-is-me attitude toward you and try to make you obsolete, that is their problem, not yours.
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Beyond my earlier commentary about having personal investment in other sports activities involving me and family more than the Caps, I am starting to get really PO'd about something. It's the ever-increasing whining of other teams about Tom Wilson.
Wilson has a talent that is pretty rare. He is very efficient at leveraging his body mass when hitting someone. That's why he tends to hit people harder than almost all other NHL players hit people. And that is why, in conjunction with his projectable hockey skills, that he was drafted #16, significantly higher than he would have gone otherwise, by that GM who didn't know an effective hockey player if he saw one, George McPhee (If you listen to lots of cranky fans.)
The NHL front office has been continually reining in the latitude with which Tom Wilson operates. And as far as engagement of an opponent's head, I'm fine with that. But it is getting ridiculous, and this latest whining about his hit on Marchasseault last evening is especially nonsensical. There was NOTHING technically wrong with the mechanics of that hit. It might have been a little late, and worthy of an interference penalty, but that is what penalties are for, NOT suspensions. Vegas needs to shut up and play, facing the fact that Wilson is a pretty unique Capitals asset whose capabilities Vegas is going to have to overcome if they want to win the Cup. They CAN do it; I've said over and over that my view is they are the favorites in this series. This constant whining to try to further and further restrict what Tom Wilson is allowed to do, or more of interest, to try to get him suspended and take away the Capitals' asset, is getting very, very old. "Boo hoo, Tommy hit me too hard."
Wilson's primary problem, I think, is that in his first few years he was primarily a 4th liner, so he was most often engaging with other limited-minutes, limited-skills players. Now as his hockey skills are developing and he has been moved to the first line, his attentions are much more often targeted toward the glamour players on opposing teams, and they don't like having their time and space taken away in the manner Wilson employs. Wilson HAS refined his techniques as the NHL has clamped down on predatory hitting, but this constant whining about hits that are clean mechanically is nothing but self-serving and begging to negate an advantage that an opponent is too cowardly to face up to.
Whatever happens with regard to disciplinary behavior, no one can take away Tom Wilson's unique capability to leverage his body mass. Tom, keep playing the way you are. If the NHL is going to cave to opponents' woe-is-me attitude toward you and try to make you obsolete, that is their problem, not yours.
At the heart of the issue is the NHL itsel, particularly the intentional subjective nature of the language, enforcement, and penalties/discipline.
This creates a method that is not unlike lobbying on Capitol Hill, where owners, GMs, players, and worse of all media , complain to get calls, and/or suspensions in their favor.
It is pretty clear that “by the book”, “legal”, etc doesn’t really exist when complaints, mandate, and hype will determine the outcome regardless.