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(https://galactichub.com/caps/StanleyCupFinal2018-3.png)
(https://galactichub.com/caps/Golden Knights @ Capitals.gif)
Round 4: Stanley Cup finals: Game 4
Series: Capitals Lead 2-1
Monday June 4 Las Vegas Golden Knights vs. Washington Capitals
Place: Capital One Arena
Time: 8:00 p.m.
TV: NBC, CBC, SN, TVAS
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, Capitals Radio 24/7
NHL.COM (https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/2017030414) for Live Box Score
Last Game: June 2 Capitals won Game 3 3-1 in regulation.
8-Ovechkin 92-Kuznetsov 43-Wilson
13-Vrana 19-Bäckström 77-Oshie
65-Burakovsky 20-Eller 10-Connolly
18-Stephenson 83-Beagle 25-Smith-Pelly
9-Orlov 2-Niskanen
6-Kempny 74-Carlson
44-Orpik 29-Djoos
70-Holtby (starter)
31-Grubauer
-- SCRATCH --
39-Chiasson
79-Walker
72-Boyd
63-Gersich
64-Pinho
28-Jerabek
22-Bowey
1-Copley
-- 1st Powerplay Unit --
77-Oshie 19-Bäckström 92-Kuznetsov
8-Ovechkin 74-Carlson
-- 2nd Powerplay Unit --
13-Vrana 10-Connolly 20-Eller
2-Niskanen 9-Orlov
Referees: Kelly Sutherland (#11), Chris Rooney (#5)
Linesmen: Derek Amell (#75), Greg Devorski (#54)
Standby Referee: Marc Joannette (#25)
Standby Linesman: Matt MacPherson (#83)
Series Supervisor: Don Van Massenhoven
Las Vegas' Expected Lineup
Forwards
Jonathan Marchessault - William Karlsson - Reilly Smith
Alex Tuch - Erik Haula - James Neal
Tomas Tatar - Cody Eakin - Ryan Carpenter
Ryan Reaves - Pierre - Edouard Bellemare - Tomas Nosek
Defensemen
Brayden McNabb - Nate Schmidt
Deryk Engelland - Shea Theodore
Luca Sbisa - Colin Miller
Goaltenders
Marc - Andre Fleury (starter)
Maxime Lagace
Malcolm Subban, the Golden Knights’ usual backup goaltender, remains day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Golden Knights Coach Gerard Gallant said he expects Subban to return at some point during the Stanley Cup series, but he did not specify when that may be.
(https://washingtoncapitalsfanforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fgalactichub.com%2Fcaps%2Fscoring_summary.gif&hash=a5539380153e9a0902e0b6fc1ce40d49d66becf2)
1st Period
09:54 PP GOAL 77-Oshie, assists 92-Kuznetsov & 19-Bäckström 1-0 WSH
16:26 GOAL 43-Wilson, assisys 92-Kuznetsov 2-0 WSH
19:39 GOAL 25-Smith-Pelly, assists 2-Niskanen & 8-Ovechkin 3-0 WSH
2nd Period
15:23 PP GOAL 74-Carlson, assists 92-Kuznetsov & 77-Oshie 4-0 WSH
3rd Period
05:43 VGK GOAL Neal, assists Haula & Miller 4-1 WSH
12:26 VGK GOAL Smith, assists Marchessault & Sbisa 4-2 WSH
13:39 GOAL 6-Kempny, assists 19-Bäckström & 77-Oshie 5-2 WSH
18:51 PP GOAL 10-Connolly, assists 19-Bäckström & 92-Kuznetsov 6-2 WSH
FINAL: 6-2 WSH
(https://galactichub.com/caps/The Washington Post.gif)
by Isabelle Khurshudyan, Roman Stubbs, Jesse Dougherty, Scott Allen, Dan Steinberg and Neil Greenberg June 4 at 1:34 PM
2018 NHL Stanley Cup finals: Golden Knights-Capitals Game 4
(https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/EGZVaj_ENVAQzMXLNqyPD733s3I=/1484x0/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/D6J6YG4MKI77RGL2SLUIZNLJDY.jpg)
Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals look to build on their 2-1 series lead. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)
Stanley Cup finals: Game 4
Las Vegas Golden Knights at Washington Capitals
Series: Capitals Lead 2-1
Monday June 4, 8:00 p.m. ET, Capital One Arena
TV: NBC, CBC, SN, TVAS
Remaining schedule
Game 5: at Las Vegas, 8 p.m. Thursday June 7
Game 6 (if necessary): at Washington, 8 p.m. Sunday June 10
Game 7 (if necessary): at Las Vegas, 8 p.m. Wednesday June 13
- Top story lines: Washington has blocked 62 shots over three games, including 26 in Game 3, while Vegas has just 34 for the entire series. (Read more (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2018/06/04/2018-nhl-stanley-cup-finals-golden-knights-capitals-game-4/?utm_term=.e87b4136be5a#story))
- News and notes: Vegas forward Tomas Tatar will make his Stanley Cup finals debut in Game 4. (Read more (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2018/06/04/2018-nhl-stanley-cup-finals-golden-knights-capitals-game-4/?utm_term=.e87b4136be5a#news))
- Players to watch: Backed by an improving defense, goaltender Braden Holtby has been stellar over the past two games. (Read more (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2018/06/04/2018-nhl-stanley-cup-finals-golden-knights-capitals-game-4/?utm_term=.e87b4136be5a#players))
- Pregame reading: The Capitals are getting consistent secondary scoring from an underrated supporting cast. (Read more (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2018/06/04/2018-nhl-stanley-cup-finals-golden-knights-capitals-game-4/?utm_term=.e87b4136be5a#links))
Top story lines
Blocked shots: The Capitals’ overwhelming defensive effort in Game 3 was highlighted by 26 blocked shots, including 15 in the first period alone. Washington had 13 different players block at least one shot, while Vegas finished with just 22 shots on goal. It had recorded just nine of those through the midway point of the second period. It was emblematic of Washington’s improved defense throughout the postseason, beginning with captain Alex Ovechkin, who has made a series of strong defensive plays over the past two games. It has required more desire than skill, and it’s trickled down throughout the lineup.
“Plain and simple, there’s no technique. Just be there if you can,” Washington Coach Barry Trotz said. “You can’t win in the playoffs without heavy commitment. If you think you can, you’re just fooling yourself. Everybody’s in. Alex being our leader is in.”
• Star power: Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov continued to produce like the household names that they are in Game 3, each providing goals in the second period. Ovechkin has 14 goals this postseason, tied for a franchise record, while Kuznetsov has more postseason points than any other player with 27. While Washington’s stars have delivered all postseason long, Vegas’s lack of star-power has been glaring throughout a series in which its top three lines have struggled immensely.
Gallant shakes up Vegas’ lineup: Golden Knights Coach Gerard Gallant is inserting Tomas Tatar into the lineup Monday, hoping Tatar will inject some life into an offense that has scored just three goals across the last two games. The Golden Knights acquired Tatar in a February trade with the Detroit Red Wings, and Tatar had 16 goals and 12 assists in 60 games before joining his new team. He played the final 20 games of the regular season and has since become a regular healthy scratch during the postseason (with two appearances in each series of the Western Conference playoffs, and none in the first three games of the Stanley Cup finals). Gallant would not confirm who comes out of the lineup for Tatar, but Monday’s morning skate indicated that David Perron will be the scratch. Tatar skated with Cody Eakin and Ryan Carpenter on the Golden Knights’ third line, and rookie forward Alex Tuch bumped up to the second line with Erik Haula and James Neal.
“As soon as it’s the playoffs, all the person feelings goes aside,” Tatar said Monday of if it’s been hard to sit during the playoffs. “We are all here for one goal and that’s to win. It doesn’t matter who is in or who is out. Everybody’s pulling for one [thing] and that’s to win.”
Players to watch
Braden Holtby: While Washington’s defense through the last two games has helped clear traffic in front of the net and help Holtby’s sight-lines, the 28-year-old goaltender has had a string of remarkable performances to move Washington two wins from a Stanley Cup title. He followed up his memorable Game 2 performance – in which he made 39 stops and delivered “The Save” – with another solid showing in Game 3. He’s never played this deep into a season before, but he assured reporters on Monday that he has never felt better physically.
“I always feel better when I play more. I definitely feel better now than I did throughout the year, playing less throughout the year. It’s just the way my body works,” Holtby said. “Obviously, there’s wear and tear on you, but it’s your job to fight through that.”
Shea Theodore: While Tatar has been swapped into the Vegas lineup to kickstart the offense, 22-year-old defenseman Shea Theodore needs to improve on the Golden Knights’ blue line. Theodore was on the ice for four of the Capitals’ six total goals in Games 2 and 3 (the Knights’ first back-to-back losses of the playoffs) and made two critical mistakes in a 3-1 defeat in Game 3. The first one led to an odd-man rush for the Capitals and, eventually, a goal for Evgeny Kuznetsov to make it 2-0. The second was a defensive-zone turnover that led to Devante Smith-Pelly’s game-sealing score in the third. Theodore has flashed his ability and potential during this series — most notably with his point pass that set up Tomas Nosek’s game-winning goal in Game 1 — but has since become a liability on defense. And while Gallant was quick to defend Theodore when pressed on his play Sunday, it is clear that the Golden Knights need much stronger play from their young defenseman.
Pregame reading
Immerse yourself in the Capitals’ postseason with The Post’s coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs:
The Capitals picked them up for cheap. Now they’re valuable pieces of a Stanley Cup run. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2018/06/03/the-capitals-picked-them-up-for-cheap-now-theyre-valuable-pieces-of-a-stanley-cup-run/?utm_term=.62493eada84b)
Ron Weber will join Caps radio booth for Game 4: ‘We needed to have him be a part of it’ (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2018/06/04/ron-weber-will-join-caps-radio-booth-for-game-4-we-needed-to-have-him-be-a-part-of-it/?utm_term=.42d335ba0145)
Marc-Andre Fleury can’t be blamed for Golden Knights’ deficit (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/marc-andre-fleury-cant-be-blamed-for-golden-knights-deficit/2018/06/03/8eb4b09a-6761-11e8-bf8c-f9ed2e672adf_story.html?utm_term=.604ff76dafdf)
Capitals’ T.J. Oshie and Matt Niskanen describe ‘cool’ fan-packed Metro ride to Game 3 (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2018/06/03/capitals-t-j-oshie-and-matt-nisakenen-describe-cool-fan-packed-metro-ride-to-game-3/?utm_term=.facf6b476579)
Go ahead, Caps fans, get all-the-way excited. This team really is different. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/go-ahead-caps-fans-get-all-the-way-excited-this-team-really-is-different/2018/06/03/bc036f92-6751-11e8-bf8c-f9ed2e672adf_story.html)
The Caps won, and look at the madness outside Capital One Arena (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2018/06/02/the-caps-won-and-look-at-the-madness-outside-capital-one-arena/)
Alex Ovechkin is playing the most complete hockey of his career (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/alex-ovechkin-is-playing-the-most-complete-hockey-of-his-career/2018/06/02/691f1d24-66ae-11e8-a768-ed043e33f1dc_story.html)
Who threw a crab? This Capitals fan required two pairs of underwear to pull it off. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2018/06/03/who-threw-a-crab-this-capitals-fan-required-two-pairs-of-underwear-to-pull-it-off/)
The Capitals outhustled and outworked the Golden Knights to gain an edge in Game 3 (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2018/06/03/the-capitals-outhustled-and-outworked-the-golden-knights-in-game-3-to-gain-edge-in-finals/)
Brooks Orpik returns to Game 3 after brutal hit, prompting scrutiny of league’s concussion protocol (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2018/06/03/brooks-orpik-returns-to-game-3-after-brutal-hit-prompting-scrutiny-of-leagues-concussion-protocol/)
Evgeny Kuznetsov shakes off the pain, delivers haymaker of a goal for Capitals (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/evgeny-kuznetsov-shakes-off-the-pain-delivers-haymaker-of-a-goal-for-capitals/2018/06/03/70c49b12-66a4-11e8-99d2-0d678ec08c2f_story.html)
The Golden Knights have lost two straight for first time in playoffs (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/the-golden-knights-have-lost-two-straight-for-first-time-in-playoffs/2018/06/03/6beb02c0-66a4-11e8-99d2-0d678ec08c2f_story.html)
In the District, this Stanley Cup finals game is as big as it gets (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/in-the-district-this-stanley-cup-finals-game-is-as-big-as-it-gets/2018/06/01/c64fcaa4-65cb-11e8-99d2-0d678ec08c2f_story.html)
For Washington Capitals fans, the moment they have all been waiting for (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/for-washington-capitals-fans-the-moment-theyve-all-been-waiting-for/2018/06/01/4474993c-65c7-11e8-99d2-0d678ec08c2f_story.html)
Washington’s answer to Vegas: Sting, Shaggy, Fall Out Boy and Pat Sajak (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2018/06/01/washingtons-answer-to-vegas-sting-shaggy-fall-out-boy-and-pat-sajak/)
What made Braden Holtby’s save so good? Let Olie Kolzig explain. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2018/06/01/what-made-braden-holtbys-save-so-good-let-olie-kolzig-explain/)
Golden Knights ready to throw some hits, ‘dumb down the game’ in D.C. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2018/06/01/golden-knights-ready-to-throw-some-hits-dumb-down-the-game-in-d-c/)
Capitals rookie Jakub Vrana is due for a big game in the Stanley Cup finals (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-stats/wp/2018/06/01/capitals-rookie-jakub-vrana-is-due-for-a-big-game-in-the-stanley-cup-finals/)
Former Capitals prospect Cody Eakin not exactly the sentimental type (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2018/06/02/ex-caps-prospect-cody-eakin-not-exactly-the-sentimental-type/)
One Caps fan’s new tradition: Celebrating playoff wins by dousing herself with beer (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2018/06/01/one-caps-fans-new-tradition-celebrating-playoff-wins-by-dousing-herself-with-beer/)
This good hockey dog traveled thousands of miles to stand outside the Caps’ arena (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2018/06/01/this-good-hockey-dog-traveled-thousands-of-miles-to-stand-outside-the-caps-arena/)
Caps fans have adopted the National Portrait Gallery steps, and the museum loves it (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2018/06/01/caps-fans-have-adopted-the-national-portrait-gallery-steps-and-the-museum-loves-it/)
With iconic save, Braden Holtby joins John Riggins and Jayson Werth in D.C. sports lore (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2018/05/31/with-iconic-save-braden-holtby-joins-john-riggins-and-jayson-werth-in-d-c-sports-lore/)
Here is every conceivable angle of Braden Holtby’s jaw-dropping save (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2018/05/31/here-is-every-conceivable-angle-of-the-save-by-braden-holtby/)
Braden Holtby’s must-see Stanley Cup finals save had a goalie calling it the ‘greatest’ he’d ever witnessed (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2018/05/31/braden-holtbys-mind-blowing-must-see-stanley-cup-finals-save-shouldnt-be-possible/)
At Capital One Arena, a rowdy, joyful Game 2 celebration for Capitals fans (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2018/05/31/at-capital-one-arena-a-rowdy-joyful-game-2-celebration-for-capitals-fans/)
Turns out Marc-Andre Fleury is human, and the Stanley Cup finals are even (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/turns-out-marc-andre-fleury-is-human-and-the-stanley-cup-finals-are-even/2018/05/31/35110670-6454-11e8-99d2-0d678ec08c2f_story.html?utm_term=.59b91675f588)
‘A little bit bittersweet’: Former Capital Nate Schmidt thriving in Vegas (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/a-little-bit-bittersweet-former-capital-nate-schmidt-thriving-in-vegas/2018/05/29/fbe5d1c0-6366-11e8-99d2-0d678ec08c2f_story.html?utm_term=.828b96bea9a2)
The house doesn’t always win: Las Vegas may lose millions on the Golden Knights (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2018/05/30/the-house-doesnt-always-win-las-vegas-may-lose-millions-on-the-golden-knights/?utm_term=.081c764318e8)
The Capitals and Golden Knights share a road-trip tradition: Mario Kart (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2018/05/29/the-capitals-and-golden-knights-share-a-road-trip-tradition-mario-kart/?utm_term=.8e8d8592b1ff)
The Capitals can’t afford to play wide-open games against Vegas (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/the-capitals-cant-afford-to-play-wide-open-games-against-vegas/2018/05/28/7618df42-62a3-11e8-a768-ed043e33f1dc_story.html?utm_term=.b29a466eb804)
After a Las Vegas show, a hockey game broke out at the Stanley Cup finals (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/after-a-10-minute-las-vegas-show-a-hockey-game-broke-out-in-game-1/2018/05/29/ebe37180-62a1-11e8-a768-ed043e33f1dc_story.html?utm_term=.d9a15fe3ef4d)
A casual fan’s bandwagon guide to the Stanley Cup finals (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2018/05/28/a-casual-fans-bandwagon-guide-to-the-stanley-cup-finals/)
The best photos from the Capitals’ run to their first Stanley Cup finals in 20 years (https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/sports/best-photos-from-capitals-stanley-cup-playoffs/?utm_term=.96d99e9da272&tid=sm_tw_ps)
The Washington Capitals’ path to the 2018 Stanley Cup finals (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2018/05/28/feature/the-washington-capitals-path-to-the-2018-stanley-cup-finals/?utm_term=.55d4b6b12c9b)
The Stanley Cup in sight, Alex Ovechkin is all in as Capitals head to Vegas (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/the-stanley-cup-in-sight-alex-ovechkin-is-all-in-as-capitals-head-to-vegas/2018/05/27/ec5b6f76-61f4-11e8-a768-ed043e33f1dc_story.html?utm_term=.36407466c79c)
George McPhee and Brian MacLellan go back decades. Now their teams are playing for the Stanley Cup. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/george-mcphee-and-brian-maclellan-go-back-decades-now-their-teams-will-meet-in-the-stanley-cup-finals/2018/05/27/e3c7ee90-61fc-11e8-a768-ed043e33f1dc_story.html?utm_term=.081a24fce4f2)
In Stanley Cup finals, Capitals face down yet another familiar foe: Marc-Andre Fleury (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/in-stanley-cup-finals-capitals-face-down-yet-another-familiar-foe-marc-andre-fleury/2018/05/27/6037a732-61fc-11e8-a768-ed043e33f1dc_story.html?utm_term=.b8161dcffa10)
Las Vegas, shaken by tragedy, finds an unlikely rallying point: Its first-year NHL team (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/las-vegas-shaken-by-tragedy-finds-an-unlikely-rallying-point-its-first-year-nhl-team/2018/05/27/a01b08b4-61be-11e8-a69c-b944de66d9e7_story.html?utm_term=.9e91c394e75c)
Remembering the Caps’ run to the 1998 Stanley Cup finals: ‘Nobody wanted to play against us’ (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2018/05/26/remembering-the-caps-run-to-the-1998-stanley-cup-finals-nobody-wanted-to-play-against-us/?utm_term=.c49361b01641)
Evgeny Kuznetsov’s transition to borderline NHL superstar (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/evgeny-kuznetsovs-transition-to-borderline-nhl-superstar/2018/05/25/92a21ff6-6051-11e8-b2b8-08a538d9dbd6_story.html?utm_term=.036c986f04a5)
Capitals Coach Barry Trotz is a pending unrestricted free agent. His value is soaring. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2018/05/25/capitals-coach-barry-trotz-is-a-pending-unrestricted-free-agent-his-value-is-soaring/?utm_term=.7fa9e3d85fa0)
Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom’s long journey together reaches Stanley Cup finals at last (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2018/05/24/alex-ovechkin-and-nicklas-backstroms-long-journey-together-reaches-stanley-cup-finals-at-last/?utm_term=.938d5ae49e4a)
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Will be there as usual, hoping for the same intensity as last game. Go Caps!!
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Glad Orpik is OK.
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Technical comment: Why is the font on the links microscopic? And apparently the WaPo thinks we have suddenly time warped 20k years into the future. Cool.
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Technical comment: Why is the font on the links microscopic? And apparently the WaPo thinks we have suddenly time warped 20k years into the future. Cool.
What are you using to view it? A Phone? I can make them larger if you like. There's been so many of them that I decided to leave them smaller. I can see them just fine and I have a 4K monitor that shrinks everything.
ETA
There you go. Larger links. I finally got the refs for tonight posted too.
The links were the standard post font size BTW. I always made the other text in the OP larger, but I actually did not shrink the link text, I just left it at default size. Are you having trouble with the default post font size too?
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local sports coverage is a joke, I've only heard about a thousand times today what the odds are when a team goes up 3-1 in a series, do they know there is still a game 4 to play?
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Glad we are keeping the same line up. I know we aren't "healthy" by a longshot as I imagine half the line up is playing through something or the other. Fatigue even at this point, for both teams. But this line up has really gelled of late, starting with late last series honestly and just riding on in. Even Andre who I think had the most problems coming in after healthy has started to slot in, play smarter defensively and hustle right. The buy in to Trotz system, for as much credit as we give to Holtby and other aspects of why we are where we are, is also a huge, like monumental factor. Let's not undersell Trotz here folks, he's done amazing these playoffs. The players see the message and what can be accomplished and when you see great team game efforts I think coaching deserves huge praise for it.
Nonetheless, I'm pumped to honestly still be playing so it's hard to have too harsh expectations going forward. I obviously want a win here, because one win away from a Cup with 3 chances, you have to like those odds. It's gives them nearly the best odds of winning. But still have to execute. Tonight is huge. I'm curious to see as well who on our line up steps up and is heroes tonight, minus Holtby of course who has been a huge factor every game.
If we can maintain our mean pace though, I feel like 5v5, it's our series to lose. I feel like there was a moment during the later stages of Game 1, and during Game 2 where Vegas was playing very aggressive, in our face tough. And our boys finally decided to play that style back and haven't looked back. I feel like that was a bad thing for Vegas because even though Vegas does have some mean players, all in all I think our roster is bigger, more physical, and more talented. For all the talk of us playing beyond a threshold, let's not kid ourselves folks here, that is Vegas. Our centers are sure as hell tougher than Cody bloody Eakin, despite all Eakins hard work. We cut that kid for a reason. He can excel in a more prime opportunity but even Beagle out competes Eakin for a center spot in our very deep center group.
The key for us has been giving Vegas the exact amount of respect they deserve, enough to play as hard on them as we need to in order to accomplish. And not get panicked when they forecheck us a little, which we've done a much better job of last two games. But 5v5 if we play to our abilities, we are absolutely the better team, and better equipped for the type of hockey we've been forcing upon them. Just have to keep up the pace and pressure Caps, come on...2 more wins! Let's go Caps!
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I increased the standard post text size from 16 pixels to 18 pixels. Let me know if this is a problem for anyone. I think it makes the phone user's life better. I have been unable to find a usable responsive theme for phone users so this is the best I can do. Maybe one day I will make the effort to create a separate theme for phone users. It's a lot of work that will have to be redone every time a forum update is installed.
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kiGhE6EVViw
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Glad we are keeping the same line up. I know we aren't "healthy" by a longshot as I imagine half the line up is playing through something or the other. Fatigue even at this point, for both teams. But this line up has really gelled of late, starting with late last series honestly and just riding on in. Even Andre who I think had the most problems coming in after healthy has started to slot in, play smarter defensively and hustle right. The buy in to Trotz system, for as much credit as we give to Holtby and other aspects of why we are where we are, is also a huge, like monumental factor. Let's not undersell Trotz here folks, he's done amazing these playoffs. The players see the message and what can be accomplished and when you see great team game efforts I think coaching deserves huge praise for it.
Nonetheless, I'm pumped to honestly still be playing so it's hard to have too harsh expectations going forward. I obviously want a win here, because one win away from a Cup with 3 chances, you have to like those odds. It's gives them nearly the best odds of winning. But still have to execute. Tonight is huge. I'm curious to see as well who on our line up steps up and is heroes tonight, minus Holtby of course who has been a huge factor every game.
If we can maintain our mean pace though, I feel like 5v5, it's our series to lose. I feel like there was a moment during the later stages of Game 1, and during Game 2 where Vegas was playing very aggressive, in our face tough. And our boys finally decided to play that style back and haven't looked back. I feel like that was a bad thing for Vegas because even though Vegas does have some mean players, all in all I think our roster is bigger, more physical, and more talented. For all the talk of us playing beyond a threshold, let's not kid ourselves folks here, that is Vegas. Our centers are sure as hell tougher than Cody bloody Eakin, despite all Eakins hard work. We cut that kid for a reason. He can excel in a more prime opportunity but even Beagle out competes Eakin for a center spot in our very deep center group.
The key for us has been giving Vegas the exact amount of respect they deserve, enough to play as hard on them as we need to in order to accomplish. And not get panicked when they forecheck us a little, which we've done a much better job of last two games. But 5v5 if we play to our abilities, we are absolutely the better team, and better equipped for the type of hockey we've been forcing upon them. Just have to keep up the pace and pressure Caps, come on...2 more wins! Let's go Caps!
I think we traded Eakin for Mike Ribeiro. He’s had and still having a solid career, he may be small but he plays like he’s 6’3. . . I say he’s tougher than Eller and Kuzy despite them both being hot right now
Here’s a good example, didn’t fair all that well but did better than expected after going right after Jerome Iginla
https://youtu.be/u1f1hg2oTmY
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I think we traded Eakin for Mike Ribeiro. He’s had and still having a solid career, he may be small but he plays like he’s 6’3. . . I say he’s tougher than Eller and Kuzy despite them both being hot right now
Here’s a good example, didn’t fair all that well but did better than expected after going right after Jerome Iginla
https://youtu.be/u1f1hg2oTmY (https://youtu.be/u1f1hg2oTmY)
He may be tougher than Kuzy, but Kuzy has taken some injures and bumps these playoffs and played through them, and is obviously a way more skilled player. I don't buy him being tougher than Eller. He's been matched up against Eller a lot this series and Eller has looked far superior. Forechecks harder, has better defensive coverage/stick work. I'm not saying Eakin doesn't work his heart out, he does, but he's a smaller less physical version of Jay Beagle. Why not just get Beagle instead? Eakin is playing way above his minutes with Vegas and even they know that. Once they stock up on more centers he'll be slotted in more of a Jay Beagle role for that club anyway imo.
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As expected, I just flipped over to NBC and the damned NBC goons are plugging Vegas and having oralgasm after oralgasm about their chances. :poop:
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Ron Weber is in the arena with Watlon
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kiGhE6EVViw (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kiGhE6EVViw)
Awesome tune Alta
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As expected, I just flipped over to NBC and the damned NBC goons are plugging Vegas and having oralgasm after oralgasm about their chances. :poop:
CBC seems to be bias for the Caps. They had Kolzig join the panel and they discussed the 98 playoff run and they also discussed the save by Holtby. Then after that they interviewed Carlson. Now they are interviewing Schmidt and they called him the exCapital.
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How do you like Rockin the RED TEXT for the rest of the Stanley Cup Finals?
ETA
Never mind. I changed it back.
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finding the appropriate music that isn't either played out or too cliché is not as easy as you'd think
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kiGhE6EVViw (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kiGhE6EVViw)
I saw Ted Nugent at the Capital Center back in I think 1976. I was very close to the stage on the right side next to a wall of speakers that had to be 30-40 feet high and 20 feet wide. My hearing was screwed for a week.
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Hello all! Fingers crossed for a strong, smart game tonight right out of the gate! Trying to temper overblown optimism but the vibe on the radio all day seemed to be highly positive... Heard Jeremy Roenick this a.m. on the Junkies and enjoyed him very much--v. funny, grounded, seemed like a nice guy (the anti-analyst type).
Go CAPS!!
Fans outside look pumped! Sea of red!
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Fuck Fleury shooting the puck down... let's go boys. Don't let up!
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LOL, Fleury shot a puck into the Caps goal at the end of the warmup. I guess they wanted to remember what it felt like to score a goal. :wackysmile: :lol:
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CBC interviewed the original wonder woman, Lynda Carter. Had no clue she was a Caps season ticket holder.
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Let’s go CAPS!
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(https://galactichub.com/caps/Go_Caps.gif)
(https://galactichub.com/caps/Cat-Caps-Sweater.jpg)
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Who was the band that was playing outside?
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Weber is going to do the call with Walton for at least the 1st!!
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Who was the band that was playing outside?
Fall Out Boy??
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(https://galactichub.com/caps/Go_Caps.gif)
(https://galactichub.com/caps/Cat-Caps-Sweater.jpg)
That picture is hysterical!!! (As funny as the one I saw last season--someone posted a hilarious pic of a black cat sitting in front of the tv watching the hockey game and the players looked liked ants and the cat looked gigantic.)
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Whew
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Whew
Yeah, too close!
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Play our game not theirs!
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There’s been a lotta posts already
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WOW
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What just happened?
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Ya don’t get much luckier than that
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YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!
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puck luck baby
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We are getting lucky.
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Great PK! That means you too post
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This vegas team tonight is gonna do outmost to win the match,our team must be very focused and determined to kick their ass there!
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This vegas team tonight is gonna do outmost to win the match,our team must be very focused and determined to kick their ass there!
Yep, it’s like they’ve been on the PP all game
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Great PK! That means you too post
That damn post stole some goals from Oshie last game!
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Need to score PP!
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(https://galactichub.com/caps/Ovie-i-dont-always-shoot-the-puck-but-when-i-do.jpg)
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:wackysmile: We having fun yet?
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Yaaaa Baby!!!
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(https://galactichub.com/caps/its-a-pp-goal.gif)
:77z:
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OCHIE!!!!!!!
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Pour it on bitches. Let’s go up 3-1.
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pierre on the bench (I'm just gonna lean in and cop a feel)
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nice check by 44
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(https://galactichub.com/caps/footonknightsthroat.gif)
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Anyone see Marchacheaut slash the shit out of Wilson? ‘Cause the f’n NHL “best” refs missed it.
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:43z:
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WILLLLYYYYYYY
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Goallllllllllllll!!!!!!!
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Beautiful!
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Aaaaaaaaaaa,fuck
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:25z:
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Bury them boys. Bury them!
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HOLY SCHNIT
HOLY SCHNIT
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Pour it on!
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A fairly good start I think! :wackysmile: :wackysmile: :wackysmile:
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This the biggest combo of hot and luck I’ve ever seen
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What the hell os going on...who is this team? :wackysmile:
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This is unbelievable and insane period I’ve ever seen,amazing result so far!!
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Bout now? :wackysmile:
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Wow!! I don't want to hear about 'crazy carems'...our guys are finally in the RIGHT places to take advantage of those bounces. I think we've earned our puck luck, for pete's sake.
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Unfukinbelievable
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This the biggest combo of hot and luck I’ve ever seen
You can beat good.
You can beat lucky.
But you can’t beat good and lucky.
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If you throw away the goals, DSP's numbers aren't all that impressive. Takes penalties, -1 plus minus, etc. But wow, he does deliver!
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Wow!! I don't want to hear about 'crazy carems'...our guys are finally in the RIGHT places to take advantage of those bounces. I think we've earned our puck luck, for pete's sake.
Fluery doesn't need to give up the rebounds. That's killing his game.
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You can beat good.
You can beat lucky.
But you can’t beat good and lucky.
But good and lucky can beat themselves so let’s hope they don’t do anything stupid
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Goallllllllllllll!!!!!!!
And Pierre is drooling. We all know he loves Willies!
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Wow!! I don't want to hear about 'crazy carems'...our guys are finally in the RIGHT places to take advantage of those bounces. I think we've earned our puck luck, for pete's sake.
I agree. They have earned every bounce and break they've gotten.
Keep working boys! No let up!!!
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And Pierre is drooling. We all know he loves Willies!
Surprised he didn’t say “he’ll get suspended for that”
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But good and lucky can beat themselves so let’s hope they don’t do anything stupid
Point taken
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When you work hard and play with a heart,the results are fantastic,well done guys just keep going!
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This the biggest combo of hot and luck I’ve ever seen
Agreed. I think the misses chances by Vegas gave us momentum.
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it's like all the bad luck and bad bounces against the capitals over the years all combined and then converted into a reverse polarity to create a reverse cosmological double whammy
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If you throw away the goals, DSP's numbers aren't all that impressive. Takes penalties, -1 plus minus, etc. But wow, he does deliver!
He also plays physical and plays with an edge. No complaints about DSP. People nay find it odd that he produces better on the 4th line than he did when he was on the top line with Ovi and Kuzy. He is a perfect 4th line winger.
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Can't be that damn lax with the puck Orpik.. Jeez.
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At least it wasnt a dumb penalty.
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:pk:
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Excellent PK what a play!
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At least it wasnt a dumb penalty.
That was a great penalty.
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That was a great penalty.
Yes it was.
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3 cross checks and guess which one gets called
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Even luck wants a CAPS to win a CUP :cross:
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Rule 43
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(https://galactichub.com/caps/PhuckTheRefs2.gif)
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Don't like all these power plays....grrrr
Asking a lot of our penalty kill guys.
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(https://galactichub.com/caps/PhuckTheRefs2.gif)
Yup Schmidt dove.
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With the score 3-0 we won't be getting any pps
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AWESOME PK !!!!!!!
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Good pk... sucks more life out of them.
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Bout the only thing to like lately is the score.. Come on boys, keep moving your feet!! Play hockey!!
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My God, even Emerick is starting to piss me off.
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Fuck you emerick. The hockey gods owe Vegas jack shit. Shut the fuck up douchebag
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:fon2:
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The announcers seem to believe we might be using an undersized goal. They jest. I think.
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(https://galactichub.com/caps/PhuckTheRefs.gif)
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So whos this one on? :wackysmile:
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Better be on James Neal. Two hand viscous slash.
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Orpik chirping Neal while he's on his back. I'll take aggressive crease clearing penalties. Lets go boys. Kill it!
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. . . does anyone need or want another Mission Impossible movie?
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I thought the ref was pointing to the Knight on the ice? I could be wrong..
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Neal for diving??
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Better be on James Neal. Two hand viscous slash.
lol I assumed it was on Orpik. Let's go PP.
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Oh, I thought they called it on us.
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WTF is 74 shooting at ??
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(https://galactichub.com/caps/PhuckTheRefs.gif)
Lol. Not this time!
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Didn’t know you could slash someone on a backhand but we’ll take it
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:74z:
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GOOAAAALLLLLL
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Fuck you Fleury!
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Loving this
Loving this
Loving this!
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Yeahhhhhhhhhhh!
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. . . does anyone need or want another Mission Impossible movie?
yes, one where the fudgepacker dies....
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IKbLquqxBAQ
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Well, Doc we started at 1 for 7 and now we are 3 for 9. Happy now?
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That fuckin John Ovechkin!! Love that dude! :rofl:
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Looks like Reeves did that on purpose
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Maybe we should let the announcers call penalties? They seem to spot every infraction the Caps commit.
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Shoot that shit OV!
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Maybe we should let the announcers call penalties? They seem to spot every infraction the Caps commit.
but just like the jackass zebras they miss every one Vegas commits
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but just like the jackass zebras they miss every one Vegas commits
Vegas is behind so they can't afford to commit penalties. If Vegas is ahead, the have no reason to commit penalties. Ergo, Vegas doesn't commit penalties.
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Looks like Reeves did that on purpose
Reaves snapped his head back as if he got highsticked but on the replay it didn't look like the stick touched him.
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uh oh, coach is mad at something
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Vegas is behind so they can't afford to commit penalties. If Vegas is ahead, the have no reason to commit penalties. Ergo, Vegas doesn't commit penalties.
yea yea, heads I win tails you lose
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Reaves snapped his head back as if he got highsticked but on the replay it didn't look like the stick touched him.
Well, he did spend some time in Pittsburgh - no doubt they coached him up.
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LOL. Keith Jones said Vegas should take the rest of the night off and get ready for game 5. LMAO!!!!! :wackysmile: :rofl: :lol:
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Walton is gonna interview Bonsai after the break!
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It did look suspect.. Im talking about whoever it was that shot Reaves. :wackysmile: Poor dude may never be the same..
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BTW the CBC panel discussed the James Neal embellishment when Orpik got called for a highstick. Elliot Friedman said a former ref spoke with him about Neal and said the refs know that Neal has a reputation for embellishment and they are going to watch for it.
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Yes, I would start the backup. Fluery's confidence has to be shaken.
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Ah yes, the obligatory second intermission Crosby mention.
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I'm very disappointed in this Vegas team. They bare soft and they are divers. Even their tough guy is a diver. They are the baby Pens.
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LOL. Keith Jones said Vegas should take the rest of the night off and get ready for game 5. LMAO!!!!! :wackysmile: :rofl: :lol:
.
Not the whole team ... just Fleury lol.
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I'm very disappointed in this Vegas team. They bare soft and they are divers. Even their tough guy is a diver. They are the baby Pens.
Fuck them.
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Fortunately I am in Canada for this game so i don't have to listen to the NBC commentators at least for this one... Nice change of pace...
-
.
Not the whole team ... just Fleury lol.
I thought he said Galant should "Give his guys a rest and get ready for game 5".
Makes more sense what you said.
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Fortunately I am in Canada for this game so i don't have to listen to the NBC commentators at least for this one... Nice change of pace...
CBC is so much better than NBC. Hope you enjoy the coverage.
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Now CBC is interviewing Mike Gartner
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This has to be the biggest momentum game I’ve ever seen, (at least with one having seven Hall Of Famers on it).
Everything going right for the Caps, nothing going right for Vegas . . .
It’s not a coaches battle or calls, . . . Just posts Vince’s, inched here and there. . .
Gonna be interesting to see how the third will end up
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Need to score!
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ANOTHER DIVE!!!!
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Well, the dive gets rewarded.
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Freebie goal granted by the refs
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Another fuckin gift from the refs - that was not icing.
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The announcers are rambling now...so annoying with miscellaneous stats and just random comments. They can still describe the action on the ice, can't they?
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The announcers are rambling now...so annoying with miscellaneous stats and just random comments. They can still describe the action on the ice, can't they?
They’re as stunned ... and bummed ... as the VGK.
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Oh well, Holts didn't want a shutout anyway... (Ō_ƆŎ)
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It’s time to put Neal on his ass.
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They’re as stunned ... and bummed ... as the VGK.
I'm sure. I just wish these sports analysts/broadcasters/talking heads would remember that their job is to be above, separate from the events, not to be a part of them or sound like they are invested in a particular outcome.
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Oh! I'd love to see Wilson beat Neals ass before the night is over!
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Oh well, Holts didn't want a shutout anyway... (Ō_ƆŎ)
Rob Carlin must've tweeted about another shutout coming
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Oh! I'd love to see Wilson beat Neals ass before the night is over!
I think the only reason it hasn't happened yet is the scoreboard
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I'd love another goal here.
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Caps look dejected, must've been trying for the shutout
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OMG only four shots on goal for Caps. There must be something wrong. But Vegas only has three shots on goal. That's fine.
-
Caps look dejected, must've been trying for the shutout
:wackysmile:
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Damn. Missed Pierre!
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Oh, the life of a Caps fan.
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Caps are being lazy. let's not do this guys!!
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Caps let up
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Well shit.... we gotta get back on our horse!!!
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Rut-roh
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before that last goal pierre sounded like his gelding died, all of sudden he sounds like he's holding a dork again
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Shit,now it’s gonna be nervous ..
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. . . I was wondering when that would happen
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So Reeves just got a free pass on the stick to the face,
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:6z:
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FUCK YOU NHL
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Aaaaaaaaa what a response by Kemp!!!!
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WOOOOOO!!!!! KEMPNY!!!
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Just what the doctor ordered! A knife in Vegas's heart
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That’s it....I am buying some Oshie gear!
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Miller tried to fake a hit to the face and it cost them a goal. LOL :rofl:
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B
E
A
Utiful.
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Fuck you Vegas!
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If miller played instead of trying to sell the penalty.... maybe a different outcome.... on miller because he felt like playing the bitch card instead of skating....
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Shoot that shit OV!
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I think we play pretty well in those 4 on 4 situations...we seem to like that arrangement.
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Ovi could already score 2 goals..why he didn’t shoot?!
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I think we play pretty well in those 4 on 4 situations...we seem to like that arrangement.
More open ice. Better for European players.
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Oshie got him again lol.
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:BOOM:
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If miller played instead of trying to sell the penalty.... maybe a different outcome.... on miller because he felt like playing the bitch card instead of skating....
I agree. Miller has to toughen up. I thought the hit by Oshie was good.
The hit was clean. Miller hit his nose on Oshies helmet.
This Vegas team is absolutely pathetic. Whining and diving all series. This team completely disgusts me. Miller is a fucking embarrassment.
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Come on Ovi! Must score tonight!
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LMAO, Willy laughing in Engelland's face.. Rubbing it in.
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I think Miller lost a nose tampon on that hit!
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Willy is gonna beat some ass, it's coming. Maybe not tonight, might even happen next season. But England and Reeves are gonna got their teeth handed to them.
Maybe sooner if Vegas keeps playing dirty
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This vegas team is silly,give second tampon in Miller’s nose
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John Walton talking about McNabb and nasty hits along the wall... refs have to address his hits...
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Caps gonna have to man up and stand up to em
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That's bulkshit, Oshie should not have been tossed
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This is awesome!
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:10z:
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CONNO!!!!!!
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That’s the way how we respond! :P
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TAKE THEIR SOUL!!!!!!!
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Can’t believe either of them got 10s. . . This league is getting so pansy
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IN YOUR FACE VEGAS DOUCHE BAGS!!!!
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Fuck Gerard gallant - putting Reaves out there to PK.
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:wof3:
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Heh well Gallant did play with Probert and Koucer Their luckey they got out with no injuries
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I gotta say, when this series started I actually had respect for Vegas. Had is the key word.
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Great Win! Finally showing some killer instinct!
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Good morning, good afternoon, and goodnight Vegas. Goodnight Ron Weber and Ms. Twiddle!
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WoW ,what a game,what a performance by our guys,just 1 left for CUP win it’s unbelievable!
Congratulations to all of us with a win!
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Hmm.. Vegas acting like some little bitches. (Ō_ƆŎ) 1 mo boyz!
-
I gotta say, when this series started I actually had respect for Vegas. Had is the key word.
Golden Goons, definitely not Knights!
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In house three stars...
#3-Holts
#2-Kuzy
#1 star of the game is number 77 T.J. Oshieeee
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again, finding good music that hasn't been overplayed can be difficult.....
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OM7zRfHG0no (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OM7zRfHG0no)
:lol: :rofl:
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:cwz:
This is so awesome!
(https://galactichub.com/caps/one-goal-stanley-cup.gif)
-
Can’t believe either of them got 10s. . . This league is getting so pansy
refs had to do something, Vegas is getting out of hand
-
Enjoyed the cameraman catching the little girl in the stands who had the interaction with Connolly earlier in the season. Very cute. Also fun to see some Nationals there at the game...unfortunately not much support from other teams in this town (unless I missed them).
Team looked confident tonight, not letting mistakes get to them, no hanging their heads, no anxious moments, rattling Fleury, still harassing Vegas on defense and swiping at the puck, chasing them. Very consistent, I think throughout this series--to my untrained eye, they look like the same team from game to game (a change from previous playoff series, I think). Effort has been consistent throughout, too which I think translates to better performance over time, too.
My only wish is that we reduce the penalties in the next game--that could work against us a lot on their ice.
So fun to watch the crowd outside--happy people celebrating their team.
-
I'm still trying to absorb this. I knew this team had this in them. So fun to see them actually do it. Hitting on all cylinders and running on JPA fuel.
-
OMG! Galant is crying like a baby about the non-call on Oshie. Claimed Oshie broke his nose. VGK are CRUSHED that their run hit a brick wall.
-
Gallant is whining about the Oshie hit on Miller saying his nose is broken from an elbow by Oshie. I saw the replay in slowmition. It looked like Oshie shouldered him in the chest and the contact made his head snap forward and he hit his nose on Oshies helmet.
-
I'm still trying to absorb this. I knew this team had this in them. So fun to see them actually do it. Hitting on all cylinders and running on JPA fuel.
While this feels awesome. It is not over. The toughest game of the season coming up. The chance to truly slay the choker demon.
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OMG! Galant is crying like a baby about the non-call on Oshie. Claimed Oshie broke his nose. VGK are CRUSHED that their run hit a brick wall.
There was no call on the play because it wasnt a penalty. The refs explained to Gallant that they didn't think there was an infraction on the play.
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OMG! Galant is crying like a baby about the non-call on Oshie. Claimed Oshie broke his nose. VGK are CRUSHED that their run hit a brick wall.
This is ridicules,after tonight game I don’t have any respect to Vegas team at all!
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(https://washingtoncapitalsfanforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fgalactichub.com%2Fcaps%2Fscoring_summary.gif&hash=a5539380153e9a0902e0b6fc1ce40d49d66becf2)
1st Period
09:54 PP GOAL 77-Oshie, assists 92-Kuznetsov & 19-Bäckström 1-0 WSH
16:26 GOAL 43-Wilson, assisys 92-Kuznetsov 2-0 WSH
19:39 GOAL 25-Smith-Pelly, assists 2-Niskanen & 8-Ovechkin 3-0 WSH
2nd Period
15:23 PP GOAL 74-Carlson, assists 92-Kuznetsov & 77-Oshie 4-0 WSH
3rd Period
05:43 VGK GOAL Neal, assists Haula & Miller 4-1 WSH
12:26 VGK GOAL Smith, assists Marchessault & Sbisa 4-2 WSH
13:39 GOAL 6-Kempny, assists 19-Bäckström & 77-Oshie 5-2 WSH
18:51 PP GOAL 10-Connolly, assists 19-Bäckström & 92-Kuznetsov 6-2 WSH
FINAL: 6-2 WSH
-
We are up 3-1. History says we should win this series. But for a non call on a cross check in game 1 this could have been a Caps sweep. It sucks that we will win our first cup on enemy ice, but this team is legit and they won't stop. We will win the cup. Keep up the pressure Caps.
-
Gallant is whining about the Oshie hit on Miller saying his nose is broken from an elbow by Oshie. I saw the replay in slowmition. It looked like Oshie shouldered him in the chest and the contact made his head snap forward and he hit his nose on Oshies helmet.
Think maybe the coaches should watch the film in slow motion before commenting--unless the goal is to just gain sympathy for your team. For so many of these penalties, watching a replay in slow motion is the only way to see accurately what really happened.
-
Unbelievable...just realized my son has another end-of-year-school banquet thing on THURSDAY night!! ARGH. I am so tethered to school events and all I ask for is a few nights in the spring to be glued to the tv...sigh. Oh well, will have to join the forum late on Thursday.
Okay, just saw Ryan Kerrigan interviewed after the game, so, good for him he was there!!
-
We are up 3-1. History says we should win this series. But for a non call on a cross check in game 1 this could have been a Caps sweep. It sucks that we will win our first cup on enemy ice, but this team is legit and they won't stop. We will win the cup. Keep up the pressure Caps.
I expect this way they will have a huge street party with the Cup and the whole team when they get back. Probably on Saturday.
-
We bent a little this game, but still not close to broke. Gallant and the Knights whined a lot for some bullshit, refs weren't great don't get me wrong but a few of the things they whined on weren't penalties and were their supposed "tough structured team" simply playing weak and bad.
We have to keep the pressure on the throat and win this. Holtby has been too good, combined with the puck luck and our team game being so good we can't let it slip up. 3 chances to win one hockey game and take the Stanley Cup to this long deserved fan base. Come on Caps, we have faith in you, let's do this!
-
Unbelievable...just realized my son has another end-of-year-school banquet thing on THURSDAY night!! ARGH. I am so tethered to school events and all I ask for is a few nights in the spring to be glued to the tv...sigh. Oh well, will have to join the forum late on Thursday.
Okay, just saw Ryan Kerrigan interviewed after the game, so, good for him he was there!!
I am so sorry for that. My Son has been ahead of everything for me all his life, but I can't imagine missing the cup final for anything. Maybe you can find another parent to stand in for you. Make a photo of your face and poke a couple eye holes in it for your stand in to wear.
:wackysmile:
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1 win away huh? Toughest game is still to go. Time to show some sack and killer instinct. Screw the "weather the storm" mentality in game 5 because Vegas is desperate. Make your own storm and bury them early!
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Just back from the game.
It looked like, finally, in this game, Vegas suffered from not having a true shut-down defensive pair. Their coverage was pretty spotty, and the entire game they had no defensive answer for Kuznetsov. Team defense is fine, but when a team can work the puck around like the Caps are doing now, you really have to have a strong blueline. For all DC likes to claim that Schmidt is better than anyone we have on the blueline, that just isn't so. I think he would have been a great partner for Carlson this season, but alas, that's water under the bridge. Heck, if we could have kept Schmidt to pair with Carlson, we might have had a chance at the Cup!
oops .......
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Watched 1st period, Vegas was very strong first 10 min, we had a luck they didn't score!
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While this feels awesome. It is not over. The toughest game of the season coming up. The chance to truly slay the choker demon.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rQqiuynMwCQ
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Just back from the game.
It looked like, finally, in this game, Vegas suffered from not having a true shut-down defensive pair. Their coverage was pretty spotty, and the entire game they had no defensive answer for Kuznetsov. Team defense is fine, but when a team can work the puck around like the Caps are doing now, you really have to have a strong blueline. For all DC likes to claim that Schmidt is better than anyone we have on the blueline, that just isn't so. I think he would have been a great partner for Carlson this season, but alas, that's water under the bridge. Heck, if we could have kept Schmidt to pair with Carlson, we might have had a chance at the Cup!
oops .......
Oh what the hell ever. Carlson IS JUST A FOURTH FORWAD THAT CAN SKATE BACKWARD. Who FINALLY in his overrated career hasn’t lost us games and showed up. He shouldn’t even be listed as a defenseman, I don’t care what is “trendy these days”
Schioth is on their shutdown line because he actually plays defense, Carlson is on powerplays and not routinely against top scorers
So let me know when Carlson breaks up a two on one against two of the hottest scoress in the playoffs in a lost game
Until ten that bullshit you like like claim, “just isn’t so”. It’s just homer fandom lacking proper analysis, or just an attempt to agitate me.
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Wowie Zowie, a win away from the big prize.
I actually read a comment from a whiny vegoose fan talking about the Caps having to play like thugs because they didn't have the finesse players to match the knites. Sheesh, get yer head outta yer ass.
I'm a bit upset that we missed the extra point.
Let's Go CAPS!!!!
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Wowie Zowie, a win away from the big prize.
I actually read a comment from a whiny vegoose fan talking about the Caps having to play like thugs because they didn't have the finesse players to match the knites. Sheesh, get yer head outta yer ass.
I'm a bit upset that we missed the extra point.
Let's Go CAPS!!!!
That's interesting. I would say the 'thuggery' started in Game 1 with Reaves pushing Carlson. Period. I'm glad we've given up the completely fancy passing game (beautiful to watch but clearly doesn't work in the playoffs) and shooting the puck from the perimeter all the time and I do not see us as a 'thuggish' team, either.
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I don't remember who said it, was a sportswriter I think and may have been pregame. But they said that Vegas has great sports fans, but they don't know anything about hockey. If Vegas fans thinks the Caps are the dirty team I'd have to agree.
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Oh what the hell ever. Carlson IS JUST A FOURTH FORWAD THAT CAN SKATE BACKWARD. Who FINALLY in his overrated career hasn’t lost us games and showed up. He shouldn’t even be listed as a defenseman, I don’t care what is “trendy these days”
Schioth is on their shutdown line because he actually plays defense, Carlson is on powerplays and not routinely against top scorers
So let me know when Carlson breaks up a two on one against two of the hottest scoress in the playoffs in a lost game
Until ten that bullshit you like like claim, “just isn’t so”. It’s just homer fandom lacking proper analysis, or just an attempt to agitate me.
Sorry DC but I disagree with your assessment on Carlson. He has turned into a pretty solid dman, even in the defensive zone. He has had a good season and a good playoff. I have no issues with him.
As for Schmidt. He is good too but he isn't the stud people make him out to be. His strength is his skating. The rest of his game is nothing special.
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Sorry DC but I disagree with your assessment on Carlson. He has turned into a pretty solid dman, even in the defensive zone. He has had a good season and a good playoff. I have no issues with him.
As for Schmidt. He is good too but he isn't the stud people make him out to be. His strength is his skating. The rest of his game is nothing special.
Sorry Maaco, but I think many have gotten so use to Carlson’s D being terrible to substandard at best, when he is effective, he just looks that much better.
Still, defense is not his strength, nor is he relied on to keep a top scorer off the score sheet. Yet Schmidt, playing against a the two top scorers in the playoffs, in a series when down 3-1 and out scored 6-11, is a -1, Now normally I hate that ‘stat’, but in this case it’s an efficient snap-shot to show he’s shutting them down even strength. (Carlson other hand is only a +1 with 3 ES points). This is all while Schmidts team is playing their worst, and Carlson and his team are playing their best ever.
So a comparison to a Dman that can and does shut down top players , along with playing a 200ft game, pretty much comes down to what a Dman is/should be.
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I really don't think Schmidt is great defensively. He is good at covering the initial rush when the team is entering the zone. But once the zone has been established I don't think his defensive play is anything spectacular.
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The Caps have sure inflated Fleury's numbers. His GAA is now higher than Holtbys
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Schmidt, same age and similar career path to Orlov.. Makes half the salary. :wackysmile: I think his downfall as a Cap priority, was he didn't speak Russian? :raspberry:
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i kept thinking about how backstrom is invisible and it kind of makes me sad. he used to be the guy. I'm not sure what he does
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i kept thinking about how backstrom is invisible and it kind of makes me sad. he used to be the guy. I'm not sure what he does
3 assists last night. I'll take that sort of invisibility. ;D
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1 win away huh? Toughest game is still to go. Time to show some sack and killer instinct. Screw the "weather the storm" mentality in game 5 because Vegas is desperate. Make your own storm and bury them early!
Exactly. Kick their asses out of the box. Break their will and bury them. I also love that Vegas is whining. That's the sign of a team about to make their golf reservations. Oshie made a great play on Miller and that was NOT an elbow despite what Gallant says. I also like how they started crying about the first PP team being out there with us up 5-2. So, I guess there are mercy rules in the NHL and you just quit because the other team's feelings are hurt. Laughable. Also, the crosscheck by McNabb on Oshie was a real dirtball hit. Hopefully, somebody takes care of him Thursday.
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i kept thinking about how backstrom is invisible and it kind of makes me sad. he used to be the guy. I'm not sure what he does
Yes, he is the guy! Just Kuzya is rocking this post season and Vrana is not producing. Also where would be Caps when Kuzya left the game and Backstrom and Lars took over?
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I really don't think Schmidt is great defensively. He is good at covering the initial rush when the team is entering the zone. But once the zone has been established I don't think his defensive play is anything spectacular.
Fair enough but you may be in the minority on that one. . .
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The best thing they can do right now is NOT retaliate. Instead stay the course and smile as big as they can as they shake their hand on Thursday night.
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Schmidt, same age and similar career path to Orlov.. Makes half the salary. :wackysmile: I think his downfall as a Cap priority, was he didn't speak Russian? :raspberry:
I'd love to keep them both, also I don't think it was a mistake to stay with Orlov. Nate was unprotected. Addition to loosing so many good players due salary cap, we have lost Nate.
Schmidt is great at rush, but so Orlov. Orlov is better in passing starting from own zone, may be not everyone notices it, but makes O much more agile. In D zone, Orlov seems better, too.
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1 win away huh? Toughest game is still to go. Time to show some sack and killer instinct. Screw the "weather the storm" mentality in game 5 because Vegas is desperate. Make your own storm and bury them early!
I fear confidence can easily turn into over-cofidence and could become our undoing.
SCF history or not, The Caps still have blown 3-1 series leads before. We have also seen this same team play sloppier and dumber than 12yo-coed rec-league teams this season (and before), so going back to that possible even if unlikely.
Play safe, play smart, and nothing show off and/or stupid. It really could take just one failed toe drag, missed assignment, bad pass, etc. to loose all the momentum/mojo we have going, and give it off to a pissed off team.
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The best thing they can do right now is NOT retaliate. Instead stay the course and smile as big as they can as they shake their hand on Thursday night.
That's one thing.
LV were kicking great, but were out of luck in the first, then got deflated, but still pushing hard in second. How they didn't score in first 10 min, it's jaw dropping. If they scored, it could be a different outcome.
The Caps have to be better to win, luck is a bitch.
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Fair enough but you may be in the minority on that one. . .
Yeah I'm with you. Carlson has been "fine" in these playoffs, and these finals, but mostly offensively he's been better than anything. He hasn't been awful defensively by any means, but I think Nate Schmidt is a better defensive player than Carlson. Than Niskanen? No. Than Kempny the way Kempn has been playing? Debatable, but probably no.
Honestly guys if you've been watching the series it's offensively where Schmidt hasn't looked great 5 on 5, and part of that is because our team defense is such a priority most of Vegas defenders can't help the forecheck. They try to, and get caught because we have back checkers and men at the line clogging. It's a big reason Maaco Carlson actually looks "better" defensively. It's easy to look better when two passes are deflected in neutral by Backy then Oshie then Vegas barely dumps it in with no bodies because their entire break out is messed and John Carlson only has to beat one man in and get it to his D partner to get it out. If Carlson had to handle the puck under pressure as much as Schmidt we'd be seeing the same type of stuff that their Shea Theodore has been giving to us for glorious scoring chances imo.
That said I think there is a realm here that isn't just homerism. We've been the better 5v5 hockey team most of this series imo. But it's really down to depth/support more than anything else, not one individual player trumping their one individual player in a lot of cases. I think there has been some zeroes on Vegas side for sure, Eakin especially to me still stands out. When I see Orlov, Carlson, hell even Burt and Connolly out forechecking Eakin on the boards and watching how he easily falls. That is kind of the problem right now for Vegas. They were a structured team game that stunned people because they weren't willing to bend the system. We play just as structured as they do, and as we are a better team to boot. And better team to do it as well. Vegas has a lot of guys playing a system that while it isn't necessarilly against their playstyle isn't exactly the best fit as we are to it. We have bigger bodies, better for forechecking and doing dirty work on the boards than they do. It's why Gallant plays nothing but the fourth line half the game, because the rest of his line up is having trouble being counted on 5v5 making us work. Which is a huge problem for them imo.
Vegas has had streaks and stretches as a team, but they remind me of the old us in that way. They go for it can't get the puck luck and bury it and hang their heads. We used to do that in the old playoff rounds tons. Now instead if we miss a shot on 4 5 rebound attempts, guess what? We score on the 6th. It almost feels like the growing pains of the playoffs have done more to the experience and pysche of our boys and I think it has put us in a better position than Vegas thus far this series. At least from what I've been seeing.
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Play safe, play smart, and nothing show off and/or stupid. It really could take just one failed toe drag, missed assignment, bad pass, etc. to loose all the momentum/mojo we have going, and give it off to a pissed off team.
Exactly, if Caps hold them in first, they'll get really nervous and start make mistakes.
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The best thing they can do right now is NOT retaliate. Instead stay the course and smile as big as they can as they shake their hand on Thursday night.
We aren't able to retaliate. Reaves gave Willie probably his worst loss ever, and outside of Willie no one could take England, Smith, Sbisa, McNabb etc. Hell Im surprised Gallant didnt take this route earlier.
Its pretty god damn embarrassing.
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We aren't able to retaliate. Reaves gave Willie probably his worst loss ever, and outside of Willie no one could take England, Smith, Sbisa, McNabb etc. Hell Im surprised Gallant didnt take this route earlier.
Its pretty god damn embarrassing.
I mean for all the praise you give to Reaves, Matt Niskanen has put him on his but 4 or 5 times this series. Obviously that is less grit in terms of fighting prowess and more Reaves not being the only big body out there. But I feel like we've handled some of their meanest players on the board play and physically fine. Every player you named was whining, complaining, diving, or getting put on their keester at some point this series by Wilson, Orpik, Ovie, Eller, Oshie, or Niskanen.
I wouldn't be so quick to assume we can't fight them if we wanted to, but we don't want to. It makes no sense. Even if we were just standing our ground, chances are the way this series is the refs give us more penalties than not on it. Wilson sadly is going to get called for anything the moment he crosses the line now that Gallant is whining like a little bitch. The Miller hit on Oshie was one that was so sad to see him whine about though. Like how can you defend that? Miller can in like a baby, tried to get a hit on Oshie then when the counter hit created a situation where his own hit hurt him, he was whining like it should be suspension. That is garbage and you know it bud. For all the "tough credit" you give this team, it'd be nice if you owned up and went "hey they are being bitches" when they are. I guess that doesn't fit the narrative of Caps have to choke?
I'm not saying we can't choke. But you can't make EVERYTHING about that. Your known for calling what you see and I always like that about you, your seeing us play good mean hockey and out work and out hit them too, don't see you calling that.
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We aren't able to retaliate. Reaves gave Willie probably his worst loss ever, and outside of Willie no one could take England, Smith, Sbisa, McNabb etc. Hell Im surprised Gallant didnt take this route earlier.
Its pretty god damn embarrassing.
What is embarrassing? That we are up 3 to 1. We just need to stay the course and not get caught up in the extracurricular nonsense. Let them take stupid penalties and we will retaliate by putting the puck in their net.
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Obviously respect your opinion and all that jazz DC, I think your on the money a lot of the time. But I do think you can't not be proud of our group at this point. Vegas had a pretty mean forecheck coming into this series and while structurally we have neutered it, we've always owned up and starting playing a grittier physical team brand of hockey that has to earn this team some favor.
Yes, for sure, overconfidence can kill us, it's always been a killer for us. The moment the narrative shifts to our favor we start to believe the hype too much. I totally agree with you on that. But ignoring all that, we've still been a heck of a hockey team these playoffs and I think there is a lot of guys on our roster who had much needed gut check moments who are now playing way more to their, not skill, size and determination. More people saw what Beagle and Oshie were doing out there and realized that it's that type of hard work above all that has to be there. I have to respect that myself. Even more so when I see Reaves and that 4th line forechecking and watching Kempny not get out manned on the puck or Nisky drop Reaves on a counter hit and stare at him. The frustration we saw out of Vegas at the end of last nights game was just as much about their inability to dicate the 5v5 play of this series. Even in a world where the bounces in the first 10 minutes of the game go in, the rest of that hockey game Vegas was still far too streaky. They aren't playing the way to they are expecting and it's because we are frustrating them and not letting them dictate, even when they get physical.
Obviously still lots of hockey to be played. But I feel like your just ignoring the grit our boys have showed at some point is all. Like nobody could take Engelland, Smith, Sbias Mcnabb etc? Come on. What even etc. are you talking about if Vegas fights with Reaves or McNabb they lose two key players. That is huge for them. Their fourth line and top shutdown pair have literally been the only good things for them on the ice most of this series. But regardless, Orpik has fought and won these playoffs and he's had a return to form playoffs that for me is likely signalling near the end of his career in terms of peak. You see that sometimes. But I'd easily say Orpik could hold his ground or take any of the players not named Reaves you just mentioned. Ovie has fought before, although once but with his leadership he hasn't backed down during scrums. Oshie too. Nisky too, who has fought and delivered big hits on star players in the past. Let's not get wild here. We aren't a bunch of small babies. We have shown that this series. Vegas is smaller than us on the whole, that is just facts. Ryan Reaves for all his grit and size is still only 6'1. Lars Eller is 6'2 at that rate. Wilson towers of Reaves, and the only reason for the big loss during that fight and in general is because Reaves literally trains fighting. But in terms of top fighters left in the NHL Wilson is probably top 3 to Reaves 1 lets be real here. He'd have a chance if he stood his ground.
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Also wowsa, if we are debating defenders in these playoffs and looking at our group. Just looking back through the stats from lsat nights game.
Niskanen Orpik and Kepmny had 15 blocks and 9 hits between them with 0 giveaways. Carlson had 2 giveaways himself. Come on Maaco, we know who the D are who are laying down and getting those shot blocks. Carlson gets a few here or there. But our real D listed there are shot blocking leaders right now for us, defensive leaders, not throwing the puck away unless on an off night etc. I know your a Carlson lover, and he's been much better these playoffs but the people are supporting him better as well. It has a factor, you have to see it.
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I fear confidence can easily turn into over-cofidence and could become our undoing.
SCF history or not, The Caps still have blown 3-1 series leads before. We have also seen this same team play sloppier and dumber than 12yo-coed rec-league teams this season (and before), so going back to that possible even if unlikely.
Play safe, play smart, and nothing show off and/or stupid. It really could take just one failed toe drag, missed assignment, bad pass, etc. to loose all the momentum/mojo we have going, and give it off to a pissed off team.
I don't see how any long term Caps fan doesn't still have that little whisper of "choke" left. This team has shown itself to be different so far. One more game to exorcise the choking dogs demon. No doubt they can do it, the question is will they?
I posted before, this team is finally doing all the things a team needs to do in the playoffs - pretty much without any let up. Most importantly as a team - I couldn't be any happier with how this team is playing right now.
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I mean for all the praise you give to Reaves, Matt Niskanen has put him on his but 4 or 5 times this series. Obviously that is less grit in terms of fighting prowess and more Reaves not being the only big body out there. But I feel like we've handled some of their meanest players on the board play and physically fine. Every player you named was whining, complaining, diving, or getting put on their keester at some point this series by Wilson, Orpik, Ovie, Eller, Oshie, or Niskanen.
I wouldn't be so quick to assume we can't fight them if we wanted to, but we don't want to. It makes no sense. Even if we were just standing our ground, chances are the way this series is the refs give us more penalties than not on it. Wilson sadly is going to get called for anything the moment he crosses the line now that Gallant is whining like a little bitch. The Miller hit on Oshie was one that was so sad to see him whine about though. Like how can you defend that? Miller can in like a baby, tried to get a hit on Oshie then when the counter hit created a situation where his own hit hurt him, he was whining like it should be suspension. That is garbage and you know it bud. For all the "tough credit" you give this team, it'd be nice if you owned up and went "hey they are being bitches" when they are. I guess that doesn't fit the narrative of Caps have to choke?
I'm not saying we can't choke. But you can't make EVERYTHING about that. Your known for calling what you see and I always like that about you, your seeing us play good mean hockey and out work and out hit them too, don't see you calling that.
Well last night Lady and I looked this up:
https://youtu.be/lT5-2q-aIPs
But, yes we are out working them and out hitting them, I have said this best hockey they've ever played . . . However, I doubt that would last if the proverbial and literal gloves came off. They simply have better fighters the are more violent than we do.
For the other point, yes, Vegas was pentaly selling, and it sucks. But I don't believe they are The Hens that will even dive in an exhibition game, but see they are down and trying to get the game stoped, get an extra time out, and go on the powerplay for an opportunity to get back in the game. While a desperate and sad bitch tactic, I haven't seen them do this any significant extent, (every team unfortunately does it)prior to this series and given the fact The Caps are not the 70s Flyers or are they know for their vicious hitting or causing injuries, its pretty safe to say its a desperate tactic as opposed the natural effeminate spinelessness of The Hens.
As I said last night, that game and this series is an example of one team playing their worst ever, and one team playing their best ever, which we've been on the end opposite end far to much.
I am just not convinced that this permanent, "the real Caps", the first year of a dynasty, best team ever etc.. There is just to many examples and instances of this team going from excellent to terrible far to easily. Which is why I am highly cautious and conservative of the rising emotional high that is coming from this playoff.
The fans and the organization as a whole can not get to high on being on the brink of a Cup, particularly with this teams and fanbases history of doing so and the upsets that follow.
This is probably my "coachs son" and former athlete side, but its not the time to party, engrave the Cup and plan a parade yet. Its a time to be cold, calculating, minimal if not utterly emotionless, and objective about achieving victory the potential weakness that may be exploited by either team.
Then we have a month or so to get drunk before going back to work for rookie camp :devil:
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Well last night Lady and I looked this up:
https://youtu.be/lT5-2q-aIPs (https://youtu.be/lT5-2q-aIPs)
But, yes we are out working them and out hitting them, I have said this best hockey they've ever played . . . However, I doubt that would last if the proverbial and literal gloves came off. They simply have better fighters the are more violent than we do.
For the other point, yes, Vegas was pentaly selling, and it sucks. But I don't believe they are The Hens that will even dive in an exhibition game, but see they are down and trying to get the game stoped, get an extra time out, and go on the powerplay for an opportunity to get back in the game. While a desperate and sad bitch tactic, I haven't seen them do this any significant extent, (every team unfortunately does it)prior to this series and given the fact The Caps are not the 70s Flyers or are they know for their vicious hitting or causing injuries, its pretty safe to say its a desperate tactic as opposed the natural effeminate spinelessness of The Hens.
As I said last night, that game and this series is an example of one team playing their worst ever, and one team playing their best ever, which we've been on the end opposite end far to much.
I am just not convinced that this permanent, "the real Caps", the first year of a dynasty, best team ever etc.. There is just to many examples and instances of this team going from excellent to terrible far to easily. Which is why I am highly cautious and conservative of the rising emotional high that is coming from this playoff.
The fans and the organization as a whole can not get to high on being on the brink of a Cup, particularly with this teams and fanbases history of doing so and the upsets that follow.
This is probably my "coachs son" and former athlete side, but its not the time to party, engrave the Cup and plan a parade yet. Its a time to be cold, calculating, minimal if not utterly emotionless, and objective about achieving victory the potential weakness that may be exploited by either team.
Then we have a month or so to get drunk before going back to work for rookie camp :devil:
Let’s be honest, shall we?
A team being playoff successful or not has never inhibited your ability to get drunk.
#notfakenews
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Let’s be honest, shall we?
A team being playoff successful or not has never inhibited your ability to get drunk.
#notfakenews
. . . it helps :devil:
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I don't think a fight from four years ago has any bearing on Toms ability now. Honestly I think the only thing saving a few of the Nights from a beat down is the scoreboard. These guys have good memories and will play each other twice next year. Watch for some unsettled scores next season. Unless the NHL revamps the schedule, which they should do. Having every team play each other twice in the regular season is stupid and takes away from divisional battles that were the mainstay of past rivalries.
If the Caps lose Thursday the world isn't going to end, it just means they will win it at home
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Let’s be honest, shall we?
A team being playoff successful or not has never inhibited your ability to get drunk.
#notfakenews
hey, it's after 5:00 somewhere :wackysmile:
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hey, it's after 5:00 somewhere :wackysmile:
AM or PM?
. . . lets be honest, AM or PM doesn't matter. . . .gettin drunk before the sun comes up in morning rules!
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AM or PM?
. . . lets be honest, AM or PM doesn't matter. . . .drunk in morning rules!
Yeah sometimes it's fun if the UFC has fights on in another country early in the morning to get up at 8 am and crack a cold beer instead of a coffee and just dig into a long drunken day off haha. I imagine if the Caps win I'll have a few, but who am I kidding with the run they've had I'll probably be drinking regardless after the investment from all this.
But I hear you regarding us playing to the best and them playing to the worst. Obviously on that scale, we don't want to overlook our boys or presume dynasty. I was more meaning that a lot of the "heart" and "club kettler" terms are pretty much erased for some of our core. And I think it's a been a big off-season for some of BMGM's key acquisitions. We all agree Shattenkirk didn't pan out, and I was worried like you that following that blunder he'd be too worried about making a big splash to make up for that.
However if you look at some of our grittiest players and key playoff performers, a high majority of them are not gambles but instead sound underrated signings/heart and soul pieces made to bolster our roster intentionally for these playoffs. BMGM at least acknowledged we had mental pysche problems and the players he brought in are players that have helped change that narrative. Specifically looking at his two big FA signings, Nisky/Orpik both had more history of winning than our club and have been clutch in this deep run. Oshie was a gamer and he got him signed long term and he's absolutely a factor for us in these playoffs. Eller same thing, another underrated signing that is a playoff type player that we knew we needed more of. Kempny was a slick acquisition that is probably doing better than even he thought, but again he was focused more on the mentality and toughness of these players than just how good they were. That is what he was trying to acquire, and in hindsight some of that has paid off and I think BMGM and scouts should get credit for looking for players who could actually help us get through some of our problems.
That was the thing, we didn't need players to "carry" the Caps in the playoffs, we needed players who could help show and mature our core into melding as a team in the post-season. Beating Pitt finally removed the anvil mentally on the core players we hadn't that didn't believe or maybe weren't as keen to pull on that team rope as before because they had assumed that they needed more pieces etc. It just seems to me now that our "playoff gamers" have the impact and freedom to assert their will every game, while our non assumed gamers and core no longer need to be carried. They have find roles and ways to help whether it be scoring etc.
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Yeah sometimes it's fun if the UFC has fights on in another country early in the morning to get up at 8 am and crack a cold beer instead of a coffee and just dig into a long drunken day off haha. I imagine if the Caps win I'll have a few, but who am I kidding with the run they've had I'll probably be drinking regardless after the investment from all this.
But I hear you regarding us playing to the best and them playing to the worst. Obviously on that scale, we don't want to overlook our boys or presume dynasty. I was more meaning that a lot of the "heart" and "club kettler" terms are pretty much erased for some of our core. And I think it's a been a big off-season for some of BMGM's key acquisitions. We all agree Shattenkirk didn't pan out, and I was worried like you that following that blunder he'd be too worried about making a big splash to make up for that.
However if you look at some of our grittiest players and key playoff performers, a high majority of them are not gambles but instead sound underrated signings/heart and soul pieces made to bolster our roster intentionally for these playoffs. BMGM at least acknowledged we had mental pysche problems and the players he brought in are players that have helped change that narrative. Specifically looking at his two big FA signings, Nisky/Orpik both had more history of winning than our club and have been clutch in this deep run. Oshie was a gamer and he got him signed long term and he's absolutely a factor for us in these playoffs. Eller same thing, another underrated signing that is a playoff type player that we knew we needed more of. Kempny was a slick acquisition that is probably doing better than even he thought, but again he was focused more on the mentality and toughness of these players than just how good they were. That is what he was trying to acquire, and in hindsight some of that has paid off and I think BMGM and scouts should get credit for looking for players who could actually help us get through some of our problems.
That was the thing, we didn't need players to "carry" the Caps in the playoffs, we needed players who could help show and mature our core into melding as a team in the post-season. Beating Pitt finally removed the anvil mentally on the core players we hadn't that didn't believe or maybe weren't as keen to pull on that team rope as before because they had assumed that they needed more pieces etc. It just seems to me now that our "playoff gamers" have the impact and freedom to assert their will every game, while our non assumed gamers and core no longer need to be carried. They have find roles and ways to help whether it be scoring etc.
Oh I agree, and DSP, Kempy and the others have been great. . . But its not the first time we've brought in or signed players of that type and who that have had major impacts, or have massive playoff resumes in. . who performed, but the others didnt. . . Williams is about the ultimate playoff performer, Hendricks played his ass off as much as anyone, Winnick was solid, Arrnott had the resume . So the new acquisitions are panning out in the last six games and for 9 or so before then.
Its the same formula the Caps have always used. But the formula the Caps use relies heavily on the "stars" while delegating other players to smaller "roles" with icetime and situations distributed accordingly.
So while what youre saying is correct, this structure simply relies heavily on Ovie getting points, Nick doing everything, and Holtby filling up highlight reels with saves . . .like they are doing now.
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Oh I agree, and DSP, Kempy and the others have been great. . . But its not the first time we've brought in or signed players of that type and who that have had major impacts, or have massive playoff resumes in. . who performed, but the others didnt. . . Williams is about the ultimate playoff performer, Hendricks played his ass off as much as anyone, Winnick was solid, Arrnott had the resume . So the new acquisitions are panning out in the last six games and for 9 or so before then.
Its the same formula the Caps have always used. But the formula the Caps use relies heavily on the "stars" while delegating other players to smaller "roles" with icetime and situations distributed accordingly.
So while what youre saying is correct, this structure simply relies heavily on Ovie getting points, Nick doing everything, and Holtby filling up highlight reels with saves . . .like they are doing now.
Actually, the Caps offense relies as much on Ovie drawing attention as Ovie getting points, but that's neither here nor there.
Because of the salary cap, MOST teams rely heavily on their stars while getting smaller contributions from the balance of their roster. The team with the last two Stanley Cups is certainly exhibit A of that approach.
The point is, our roster is playing well now. That's all there is to it, really. Either that, or ALL the other teams in the playoffs are/were playing worse than we are, which is a disguised way of characterizing our current situation as the best of a bad lot. I don't think the NHL would like that, and I certainly don't agree with it.
The question is, are you going to continue to, at least relatively speaking, badmouth some of the major contributors to this roster, including management, unless/until we actually win the Cup, and maybe even beyond?? To tell the truth, I was hoping that winning the Cup, if it happens, would get you to relent on thinking that large parts of this organization either don't know what they are doing or are too blasé or individually focused to care. It appears that such may not be the case.
There IS one thing I agree with you on - this series is NOT over. The team needs to continue the grind and crank out one more victory, and it won't be easy. Frankly, what might make it easiest is if Vegas comes out all crazed and trying to overcome with sheer speed. They really need to take a step back and look at how they can intelligently counter the brick wall the Caps are throwing at them for the most part. Because they are a first year team and have been built to play one way, maybe it's too late for them to be able to try to do that now.
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i kept thinking about how backstrom is invisible and it kind of makes me sad. he used to be the guy. I'm not sure what he does
Backstrom has 22 points in 19 games and he is usually responsible for shutting down the other teams top line. Nothing wrong with Backstroms game.
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Fair enough but you may be in the minority on that one. . .
You know Schmidt is one of those soft, puck moving defenseman that you usually don't like. I'm surprised you give him so much praise.
I think Schmidt is good but I just don't see him as a shutdown dman. Vegas relies on a team defensive system. You know that as well as anyone.
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Actually, the Caps offense relies as much on Ovie drawing attention as Ovie getting points, but that's neither here nor there.
Because of the salary cap, MOST teams rely heavily on their stars while getting smaller contributions from the balance of their roster. The team with the last two Stanley Cups is certainly exhibit A of that approach.
The point is, our roster is playing well now. That's all there is to it, really. Either that, or ALL the other teams in the playoffs are/were playing worse than we are, which is a disguised way of characterizing our current situation as the best of a bad lot. I don't think the NHL would like that, and I certainly don't agree with it.
The question is, are you going to continue to, at least relatively speaking, badmouth some of the major contributors to this roster, including management, unless/until we actually win the Cup, and maybe even beyond?? To tell the truth, I was hoping that winning the Cup, if it happens, would get you to relent on thinking that large parts of this organization either don't know what they are doing or are too blasé or individually focused to care. It appears that such may not be the case.
There IS one thing I agree with you on - this series is NOT over. The team needs to continue the grind and crank out one more victory, and it won't be easy. Frankly, what might make it easiest is if Vegas comes out all crazed and trying to overcome with sheer speed. They really need to take a step back and look at how they can intelligently counter the brick wall the Caps are throwing at them for the most part. Because they are a first year team and have been built to play one way, maybe it's too late for them to be able to try to do that now.
Yes to clarify, getting points includes drawing attention and/or decoying.
But on the other hand, to take at face value, that each is player is definitely this good, that GMBetaMale had a masterfully intricate plan on who to get to do specific roles and not just the most popular player and/or the best that we can afford, and that Trotz had the blue prints for his old Nashville system all along (like I said we needed against The Hens all along) and was just waiting for the time to roll it out. Both of which equate one of the all greatest teams in history, is just fantastical drama for entertainment purposes only.
Yes, I think that we caught the three conference teams off-guard and over confident. Which given the history and performance of this team over the past 10 years and this season, for them to be terrified of this tbem, or show then any more than the minimal considerations is unprobable.
But what I did say (not in specific words), is for this group to win the Cup, Holtby would need to be a god, Ovie would need to be at his best, and the would to play a real system, and smarter than they ever have, and an extreme amount of “luck”.[size=78%]All of this seemed highly unlikely, particularly when luck/fortune/help whatever has always been against us[/size]
While this can apply to most teams, the.Caps needed unheard of levels of play from two elite players and unheard of levels of “luck” . . Both of which we got.
Now don’t get me wrong, this is great and all, but it comes down to a team that needed unheard of luck, help, and multiple players performing multiple times over what they have ever done, Lightning in a bottle. and they caught it.
So on the 10th year of a 3yr plan after not getting past the second round. It took lightning in a bottle in a perfect storm after hopes and prayers. . , while teams like the Hawks, Kings, Hens who all had a similar time plan 10yrs ago and now have multiplte Cups as they did it right, but, we didn’t and needed lighting in a bottle during a perfect storm.
So I’m enjoying the Final, but I have nothin to repent for. Fortune, amd luck can work great when “anything can happen”, but it can’t be counted on.
We do agree on Vegas though, but I gotta finish dinner so I’ll save that for another post
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I fear confidence can easily turn into over-cofidence and could become our undoing.
SCF history or not, The Caps still have blown 3-1 series leads before. We have also seen this same team play sloppier and dumber than 12yo-coed rec-league teams this season (and before), so going back to that is possible even if unlikely.
Play safe, play smart, and nothing show off and/or stupid. It really could take just one failed toe drag, missed assignment, bad pass, etc. to loose all the momentum/mojo we have going, and give it off to a pissed off team.
Good to remember all of your points. I've been trying to temper happiness all day and am covering my ears when hearing about victory parades. The thought occurred to me that Vegas may rally if they even sniff overconfidence among Caps and may gain an edge if they commit to winning on their home ice (i.e., if they have the mindset that losing in DC is one thing, but losing the final game in front of their supportive fans is another). I hope Caps will be ready to shut down the kind of go-all-out play that may come from that kind of thinking. :smirk:
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Yes to clarify, getting points includes drawing attention and/or decoying.
But on the other hand, to take at face value, that each is player is definitely this good, that GMBetaMale had a masterfully intricate plan on who to get to do specific roles and not just the most popular player and/or the best that we can afford, and that Trotz had the blue prints for his old Nashville system all along (like I said we needed against The Hens all along) and was just waiting for the time to roll it out. Both of which equate one of the all greatest teams in history, is just fantastical drama for entertainment purposes only.
Yes, I think that we caught the three conference teams off-guard and over confident. Which given the history and performance of this team over the past 10 years and this season, for them to be terrified of this tbem, or show then any more than the minimal considerations is unprobable.
But what I did say (not in specific words), is for this group to win the Cup, Holtby would need to be a god, Ovie would need to be at his best, and the would to play a real system, and smarter than they ever have, and an extreme amount of “luck”.[size=78%]All of this seemed highly unlikely, particularly when luck/fortune/help whatever has always been against us[/size]
While this can apply to most teams, the.Caps needed unheard of levels of play from two elite players and unheard of levels of “luck” . . Both of which we got.
Now don’t get me wrong, this is great and all, but it comes down to a team that needed unheard of luck, help, and multiple players performing multiple times over what they have ever done, Lightning in a bottle. and they caught it.
So on the 10th year of a 3yr plan after not getting past the second round. It took lightning in a bottle in a perfect storm after hopes and prayers. . , while teams like the Hawks, Kings, Hens who all had a similar time plan 10yrs ago and now have multiplte Cups as they did it right, but, we didn’t and needed lighting in a bottle during a perfect storm.
So I’m enjoying the Final, but I have nothin to repent for.
We do agree on Vegas though, but I gotta finish dinner so I’ll save that for another post
I agree for sure about the Holtby comment. When Holtby went in his slump and Grubauer got on a bit of a hot streak against some mediocre competition. The regular season wasnt even over and most here wanted us to ride Grubauer through the playoffs. I said at that time that our only chance of going anywhere in the playoffs was to ride Holtby and that has turned out to be true. He has been very steady for the most part and at times has been spectacular. He likely won't win the con Smythe but he is as deserving as anyone.
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Well last night Lady and I looked this up:
https://youtu.be/lT5-2q-aIPs (https://youtu.be/lT5-2q-aIPs)
But, yes we are out working them and out hitting them, I have said this best hockey they've ever played . . . However, I doubt that would last if the proverbial and literal gloves came off. They simply have better fighters the are more violent than we do.
For the other point, yes, Vegas was pentaly selling, and it sucks. But I don't believe they are The Hens that will even dive in an exhibition game, but see they are down and trying to get the game stoped, get an extra time out, and go on the powerplay for an opportunity to get back in the game. While a desperate and sad bitch tactic, I haven't seen them do this any significant extent, (every team unfortunately does it)prior to this series and given the fact The Caps are not the 70s Flyers or are they know for their vicious hitting or causing injuries, its pretty safe to say its a desperate tactic as opposed the natural effeminate spinelessness of The Hens.
As I said last night, that game and this series is an example of one team playing their worst ever, and one team playing their best ever, which we've been on the end opposite end far to much.
I am just not convinced that this permanent, "the real Caps", the first year of a dynasty, best team ever etc.. There is just to many examples and instances of this team going from excellent to terrible far to easily. Which is why I am highly cautious and conservative of the rising emotional high that is coming from this playoff.
The fans and the organization as a whole can not get to high on being on the brink of a Cup, particularly with this teams and fanbases history of doing so and the upsets that follow.
This is probably my "coachs son" and former athlete side, but its not the time to party, engrave the Cup and plan a parade yet. Its a time to be cold, calculating, minimal if not utterly emotionless, and objective about achieving victory the potential weakness that may be exploited by either team.
Then we have a month or so to get drunk before going back to work for rookie camp :devil:
I watched that fight on YouTube a few days ago. There is no doubt that Reaves is a tough guy but he isn't much of a hockey player. Wilson is pretty tough himself and is 10 times the player Reaves will ever be.
I don't hate Reaves but I lost a lot of respect for him when he was battling with Orpik behind our net and he got hit with his own stick and was whining for a penalty. Come on Reaves, you are supposed to be a tough physical player. Not a diving and whining diva.
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Yeah sometimes it's fun if the UFC has fights on in another country early in the morning to get up at 8 am and crack a cold beer instead of a coffee and just dig into a long drunken day off haha. I imagine if the Caps win I'll have a few, but who am I kidding with the run they've had I'll probably be drinking regardless after the investment from all this.
But I hear you regarding us playing to the best and them playing to the worst. Obviously on that scale, we don't want to overlook our boys or presume dynasty. I was more meaning that a lot of the "heart" and "club kettler" terms are pretty much erased for some of our core. And I think it's a been a big off-season for some of BMGM's key acquisitions. We all agree Shattenkirk didn't pan out, and I was worried like you that following that blunder he'd be too worried about making a big splash to make up for that.
However if you look at some of our grittiest players and key playoff performers, a high majority of them are not gambles but instead sound underrated signings/heart and soul pieces made to bolster our roster intentionally for these playoffs. BMGM at least acknowledged we had mental pysche problems and the players he brought in are players that have helped change that narrative. Specifically looking at his two big FA signings, Nisky/Orpik both had more history of winning than our club and have been clutch in this deep run. Oshie was a gamer and he got him signed long term and he's absolutely a factor for us in these playoffs. Eller same thing, another underrated signing that is a playoff type player that we knew we needed more of. Kempny was a slick acquisition that is probably doing better than even he thought, but again he was focused more on the mentality and toughness of these players than just how good they were. That is what he was trying to acquire, and in hindsight some of that has paid off and I think BMGM and scouts should get credit for looking for players who could actually help us get through some of our problems.
That was the thing, we didn't need players to "carry" the Caps in the playoffs, we needed players who could help show and mature our core into melding as a team in the post-season. Beating Pitt finally removed the anvil mentally on the core players we hadn't that didn't believe or maybe weren't as keen to pull on that team rope as before because they had assumed that they needed more pieces etc. It just seems to me now that our "playoff gamers" have the impact and freedom to assert their will every game, while our non assumed gamers and core no longer need to be carried. They have find roles and ways to help whether it be scoring etc.
I think BMAC has done a super job of building this roster and can’t be given enough credit. He has taken a lot of flak, undeserved IMO, for what happened this past off season with the expansion draft and trading Marcus so it is great to see the team’s success this post season hopefully culminating with a Stanley Cup.
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I didn't like some of the decisions BMac made but it seems to have paid off for now. The only guy we lost that I had a bit of a problem with was Schmidt. I could care less about losing Shittenkirk, Alzner, Williams, Winnick or Johansson. I thought BMac overspent a bit resigning some players and got us in cap trouble. That could hurt us long term.
Considering the cap situation GMBM did a decent job.
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i kept thinking about how backstrom is invisible and it kind of makes me sad. he used to be the guy. I'm not sure what he does
He had 3 assists last night.
The reason he is invisible is that he is usually feeding Ovie and the goals get the glory or, as what happened last night, he had 3 assists but Kuzy had 4.
Always overshadowed but never unappreciated.
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The best thing they can do right now is NOT retaliate. Instead stay the course and smile as big as they can as they shake their hand on Thursday night.
Welcome to the forum.
Yes, rub it in hard.
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Yes, rub it in hard.
That's what she said.
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The reason this Caps team is winning is not luck, lightning in a bottle, or catching the other teams off guard. We are winning because each and every player is 100% all in and committed to never letting up. They are also well coached. Based on what I saw in the first three series I had faith that coaching would correct any issues in the first game, which I correctly predicted we might lose. I had no doubt in this series that our guys were going to dominate. In fact, I have been strangely peaceful and confident this entire post season for some reason I can't explain. I watched Vegas play earlier in the playoffs and I was sure we could shut them down the same way we did two other very fast teams. This Capitals team is winning because they all found their heart and realized the level of grit it takes to win in the playoffs. Besides having skilled players you have to be hungrier than the other team. Skill we always knew we had, We just never saw it materialize consistently and across the board, especially in the post season. I'm still having trouble digesting the fact that the Caps have so dramatically found THE SWITCH this post season.
One more game boys!
This is going to be very emotional for me as I know it will be for all of you.
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I know I said it early R3, this is the first time I've seen the playoff gear from this team in the OV era
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cheesus man, where the hell is my AGW??? It's fukin cold today
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I know I said it early R3, this is the first time I've seen the playoff gear from this team in the OV era
Yep and yep. It's a beautiful thing. I've already said it too. Refreshing to see, playing with tenacity, balls, and as a TEAM. Taking care of the crease and each other. Team defense is a thing of beauty - pack mentality - nastiness.
It is pretty amazing how this seemed to materialize from practically out of nowhere. I just hope they stick to it and keep upping it.
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Yep and yep. It's a beautiful thing. I've already said it too. Refreshing to see, playing with tenacity, balls, and as a TEAM. Taking care of the crease and each other. Team defense is a thing of beauty - pack mentality - nastiness.
It is pretty amazing how this seemed to materialize from practically out of nowhere. I just hope they stick to it and keep upping it.
Yep, ergo “lighting in a bottle” . . . There has been 10 attempts at this, and as you said, ‘out of nowhere’ here is the joint attitude and effort from about the most unlikely group in that time. . .
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Yep, ergo “lighting in a bottle” . . . There has been 10 attempts at this, and as you said, ‘out of nowhere’ here is the joint attitude and effort from about the most unlikely group in that time. . .
Or maybe it wasn't the most unlikely group to get the right attitude, precisely BECAUSE it isn't the most talented group. Having lost some of the supposed talent and depth that was perhaps thought to be sufficient to win a championship, it finally sank in to this group of players that they had to find some other way to win than simply trying to outskill the opposition.
I happen to think that this series is not over by a longshot, and it isn't because I think that this team is all of a sudden going to discard what got them here. My thinking is that Vegas is good in its own right (if a little bit of a one-trick pony maybe), and the problem with hockey is that it is a largely random game. It happens all the time that the team that is better, or plays better on a particular day, still doesn't win the game. If Fleury suddenly finds his mojo again, this series could end up being very iffy again.
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I absolutely agree. It is by no means finished and I'm not really more comfortable than I'd be if they were down in the series. I'm encouraged by their game as a whole but yes, things can turn in a hurry.
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Following are the Top 10 markets for last night's Stanley Cup Final Game 4 on NBC:
1 Washington, D.C. 22.90
2 Las Vegas 20.48
3 Baltimore 12.39
4 Richmond 10.54
5 Buffalo 8.88
6 Pittsburgh 6.92
7 Minneapolis 6.53
8 Denver 5.13
9 St Louis 4.60
10 Nashville 4.50
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I'm glad the next game is away. For whatever reason, they are playing better away. Less distractions on the road I guess. They also have the long change during most of the game and players need to more careful.
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I'm glad the next game is away. For whatever reason, they are playing better away. Less distractions on the road I guess. They also have the long change during most of the game and players need to more careful.
Uh, no. Both the home and visiting teams have their long change in the 2nd period (and the first overtime period, if it happens). They defend opposite goals AND sit on opposite sides of the red line, so the periods of long change are the same for both teams.
The reason I am uneasy is that, being at game 4, it felt like an anomaly. The knights missed (literally) several good chances. The Caps, to their credit, generated a lot of blown coverage by the Vegas defense and wide-open looks -- and about 2/3 of them ended up in the net, because the Caps also shot the puck extremely well. Hockey is truly a game where you are never as good as you look when things are going good, nor as bad as you look when things are going bad.
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Uh, no. Both the home and visiting teams have their long change in the 2nd period (and the first overtime period, if it happens). They defend opposite goals AND sit on opposite sides of the red line, so the periods of long change are the same for both teams.
The reason I am uneasy is that, being at game 4, it felt like an anomaly. The knights missed (literally) several good chances. The Caps, to their credit, generated a lot of blown coverage by the Vegas defense and wide-open looks -- and about 2/3 of them ended up in the net, because the Caps also shot the puck extremely well. Hockey is truly a game where you are never as good as you look when things are going good, nor as bad as you look when things are going bad.
I was going to comment on the long change but you already did it.
I'm uneasy about every game. Its the Caps so anything can happen.
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Or maybe it wasn't the most unlikely group to get the right attitude, precisely BECAUSE it isn't the most talented group. Having lost some of the supposed talent and depth that was perhaps thought to be sufficient to win a championship, it finally sank in to this group of players that they had to find some other way to win than simply trying to outskill the opposition.
I happen to think that this series is not over by a longshot, and it isn't because I think that this team is all of a sudden going to discard what got them here. My thinking is that Vegas is good in its own right (if a little bit of a one-trick pony maybe), and the problem with hockey is that it is a largely random game. It happens all the time that the team that is better, or plays better on a particular day, still doesn't win the game. If Fleury suddenly finds his mojo again, this series could end up being very iffy again.
Depends what you mean by talented. This group was built for stats and primarily entertainment purposes, on basis of 6 of the “top 9” being one way offensive players, with one popular shoot-out specialist, with Backstrom to clean up the mental mistakes and Willie to makeup for all their lack of physicality. So lack of skill wasn’t the issue.
But somehow, they are playing with the attitude, intensity and hustle that Beagle, Wilson, Stephenson, and DSP show naturally. Hell I’d go as far as to say Bura, Varna, and Connelly playing like this is more unlikely and improbable than Beagle dangling through two defenders, then doing a toe drag, spin,backhand flip over the goalies shoulder, knocking the Gatorade bottle up and then catching it himself. So possible however extremely, very unlikely
Whatever got a big portion of a group to care more about the Stanley Cup than the World Cup (or whatever that other tournament is), agree, and learn to play a system that will in the playoffs, and at the intensity needed is a mystery.
Did Ovie finally say “This is my fuckin team, this is how we’re gonna play, follow me”? Did Trotz make it clear to Bura, Connolly, Varna, etc., that they can easily be replaced by players who would do what tells them? Both? Who knows, but I can almost guarantee most of this team just didn’t turn to playoff mode like a Wilson, Beagle, Stephenson, or DSP does naturally.
As for Vegas, Maaco did predict a Fluery meltdown, which we saw. Now the bet is which Fluery will we see now. As for them changing things up, Gallants been giving us a gift.
What got them here as worked great up til now, but that can run out. VGK is loaded with players with IQ that have played different systems. To assume that they couldn’t tweek the system, the lines, the matchups to adjust to what we’re doing, leaves few things other than stubbornness as an explication.
One of those could very well be fatigue. They played three series against teams that were to a man bigger, stronger, and meaner than anyone we did.
This leaves a dangerous opponent. If Fleury comes back to form, Gallant plays a chess game, and that results in them owning the tempo. . . It may not be pretty
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I was going to comment on the long change but you already did it.
I'm uneasy about every game. Its the Caps so anything can happen.
It’ll be interesting to see what Gallant does with the long/last change amongst other things. He hasn’t appeared to be very willing to mix things up, let alone adjust on his end
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Caps have the desire and determination. Vegas has desperation.
When desperation meets determination it quickly turns to frustration.
Close 'em out boys.
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Depends what you mean by talented. This group was built for stats and primarily entertainment purposes, on basis of 6 of the “top 9” being one way offensive players, with one popular shoot-out specialist, with Backstrom to clean up the mental mistakes and Willie to makeup for all their lack of physicality. So lack of skill wasn’t the issue.
But somehow, they are playing with the attitude, intensity and hustle that Beagle, Wilson, Stephenson, and DSP show naturally. Hell I’d go as far as to say Bura, Varna, and Connelly playing like this is more unlikely and improbable than Beagle dangling through two defenders, then doing a toe drag, spin,backhand flip over the goalies shoulder, knocking the Gatorade bottle up and then catching it himself. So possible however extremely, very unlikely
Whatever got a big portion of a group to care more about the Stanley Cup than the World Cup (or whatever that other tournament is), agree, and learn to play a system that will in the playoffs, and at the intensity needed is a mystery.
Did Ovie finally say “This is my fuckin team, this is how we’re gonna play, follow me”? Did Trotz make it clear to Bura, Connolly, Varna, etc., that they can easily be replaced by players who would do what tells them? Both? Who knows, but I can almost guarantee most of this team just didn’t turn to playoff mode like a Wilson, Beagle, Stephenson, or DSP does naturally.
As for Vegas, Maaco did predict a Fluery meltdown, which we saw. Now the bet is which Fluery will we see now. As for them changing things up, Gallants been giving us a gift.
What got them here as worked great up til now, but that can run out. VGK is loaded with players with IQ that have played different systems. To assume that they couldn’t tweek the system, the lines, the matchups to adjust to what we’re doing, leaves few things other than stubbornness as an explication.
One of those could very well be fatigue. They played three series against teams that were to a man bigger, stronger, and meaner than anyone we did.
This leaves a dangerous opponent. If Fleury comes back to form, Gallant plays a chess game, and that results in them owning the tempo. . . It may not be pretty
I agree with this post. Always thought we had the talent. Thought we needed more guys that played with heart. We did add a couple of those type of players. But the difference us this team us buying in. Everyone is playing fairly well. Everyone is playing the system. It seems getting past the Pens made this team believe they can win.
BTW before the season started a lot if people didn't think this team would even be a playoff team. I always thought this team would gave to go through some growing pains with some new players and some rookies. But I never had a doubt that this team wouldn't be a contender. However they have exceeded my expectations. Just fucking finish it tonight.