G41 Islanders @ Capitals 1:00pm Tue Dec 31, 2019 NBCSWA, ESPN+, MSG+

[Mickstix]

Reirden needs to tell em', if your going to take a penalty, take a fucking penalty!! The "touched his hand" type bullshit needs to either stop, or take a fucking wrist with you..    Oh, happy new year.. 

[ArJunaZ]

 

Two sweet goals by Kuzy!

[ArJunaZ]

 
Can Holtby stop ANYTHING today!!!!

[BlackIce]

And game by game, evidence keeps accumulating that will affect the franchise's decision about who to keep as the starting goaltender.  The decision is going to have to be made within the next 6 months. As of 7/1/20 Holtby will either be resigned or he will be a UFA and will likely be signed not too long after that, by somebody.

[ArJunaZ]

And game by game, evidence keeps accumulating that will affect the franchise's decision about who to keep as the starting goaltender.  The decision is going to have to be made within the next 6 months. As of 7/1/20 Holtby will either be resigned or he will be a UFA and will likely be signed not too long after that, by somebody.

It was interesting that they did not announce a starting goalie for today's game until an hour before game time.  A message IMO.

[ArJunaZ]

 


 

[BlackIce]

Could also conceivably have something to do with the illness working its way through the team, AJ.


Our TOI looks a little strange at this point.  Hagelin and Panik have the most TOI among the forwards, and Siegenthaler has the most among the defensemen, while Kempny as at the bottom.  I wonder if this team is continuing to play short-cylindered.

[ArJunaZ]

Could also conceivably have something to do with the illness working its way through the team, AJ.


Our TOI looks a little strange at this point.  Hagelin and Panik have the most TOI among the forwards, and Siegenthaler has the most among the defensemen, while Kempny as at the bottom.  I wonder if this team is continuing to play short-cylindered.

Nice catch on that.  I think you might be right.

[BlackIce]

Also, Carlson seems to be struggling today, at -4.  I.e., he's been on the ice for all the Isle's goals, and none of the Caps.  We just don't know who may be affected physically and who is simply having an off-day.

[Mickstix]

Team D sucks, starting with the goalie. 4 goals against today, already.. Holtby wouldn't even be the #1 in Hershey playing like that. Time to give him a nice rest and see if Sammy can handle the load, imo.  We've had a regulation lead, in the last 4 games, for a total of 3 minutes I think.. 

[ArJunaZ]

Illness may be the reason the Caps appear to be pansies in the puck battles, not giving it back to the Isles. Though it has picked up as the game progressed.  Still not as physical as I expected.

[alta]

this is an overall improvement from the last two games

[ArJunaZ]

this is an overall improvement from the last two games

Offensively for sure, but defense still sucks.

[ArJunaZ]

1st Period
07:13  Islanders GOAL Cizikas, assists Mayfield & Komarov   1-0 NYI
10:39  Islanders GOAL Nelson, assists Leddy & Beauvillier   2-0 NYI
10:53  GOAl 92-Kuznetsov, assist 9-Orlov   2-1 NYI
14:17  GOAL 43-Wilson, assists Bäckström & 8-Ovechkin   2-2 TIE

2nd Period
00:44  GOAl 92-Kuznetsov, assist 77-Oshie   3-2 WSH
04:27  Islanders GOAL Cizikas, assist Martin   3-3 TIE
12:34  Islanders GOAL Kuhnhackl, assists Barzal & Lee   4-3 NYI

3rd Period
None

FINAL:    4-3 NYI

[ArJunaZ]

Have a safe and Happy New Year everyone!

[Mickstix]

Finally!! Got that back to back regulation loss streak out of the way.. 

[alta]

boys kinda fell apart in the last 5:00

[zerofox]

Well, losing definitely sucks. That said, not super worried considering their performance could conceivably be blamed on injuries/illnesses. That said, I am worried about a couple of things outside of known injuries or illnesses:

1. Ovechkin hasn't seemed as sharp as usual. While 24 goals in 41 games is still a ridiculous pace, Ovechkin just hasn't been Ovechkin-like recently. I think he may be nursing some sort of injury. It seemed like his goal scoring fell off a cliff after that DET game when he scored that hat trick and that fucking DET retard plowed into him. Absolutely unnecessary and dangerous play, and I think it may have tweaked something.

2. Holtby just isn't super sharp right now. Maybe that's also due to illnesses or something, but I still think (and have thought since the beginning of the season) that Sammy should be given many more starts. The reasons are as follows:

• Holtby will likely command somewhere in the ballpark of $10 million a year on a contract with some decent amount of term, given that his comparables have signed similar contracts. I fully believe Holtby will be paid based on his Cup and Vezina wins.
• While Holtby will likely command a $10 million a year salary, I don't think he's worth the price. He's a good goalie, although runs hot and cold occasionally. I think he's just not the same guy without Mitch Korn, period. He's not 10x better than Samsonov who has played admirably at less than $1 million per year.
• Given the above, the Caps should probably NOT entertain keeping Holtby past the end of this season. Available cap space should first and foremost go towards Ovechkin and Backstrom, as they should be kept. Their next contracts would be part keeping two really great players and part appreciating two Caps lifers who have done so much for the franchise. So yeah, even if they're aging and on the decline we should be willing to pay up a bit as thanks to those two, but not necessarily Holtby.
• Therefore, it probably makes sense that Sammy will be our starter next year. If he's going to do that, he needs to get more starts this year. The other alternative is to find another solid goalie at $3-5 million per, and have them split starts with Sammy as a 1a and 1b. Goalies in the $3-5 million range include Varly, Gruby, Ben Bishop, Matt Murray, Binnington, and even Vasilevsky (though I'm sure he'll get a big contract soon). Either way, giving Sammy some more starts now, especially since we've got plenty of points under our belts, will be beneficial to us in a post-Holtby future.

[DC_1908]

Well, losing definitely sucks. That said, not super worried considering their performance could conceivably be blamed on injuries/illnesses. That said, I am worried about a couple of things outside of known injuries or illnesses:

1. Ovechkin hasn't seemed as sharp as usual. While 24 goals in 41 games is still a ridiculous pace, Ovechkin just hasn't been Ovechkin-like recently. I think he may be nursing some sort of injury. It seemed like his goal scoring fell off a cliff after that DET game when he scored that hat trick and that fucking DET retard plowed into him. Absolutely unnecessary and dangerous play, and I think it may have tweaked something.

2. Holtby just isn't super sharp right now. Maybe that's also due to illnesses or something, but I still think (and have thought since the beginning of the season) that Sammy should be given many more starts. The reasons are as follows:

• Holtby will likely command somewhere in the ballpark of $10 million a year on a contract with some decent amount of term, given that his comparables have signed similar contracts. I fully believe Holtby will be paid based on his Cup and Vezina wins.
• While Holtby will likely command a $10 million a year salary, I don't think he's worth the price. He's a good goalie, although runs hot and cold occasionally. I think he's just not the same guy without Mitch Korn, period. He's not 10x better than Samsonov who has played admirably at less than $1 million per year.
• Given the above, the Caps should probably NOT entertain keeping Holtby past the end of this season. Available cap space should first and foremost go towards Ovechkin and Backstrom, as they should be kept. Their next contracts would be part keeping two really great players and part appreciating two Caps lifers who have done so much for the franchise. So yeah, even if they're aging and on the decline we should be willing to pay up a bit as thanks to those two, but not necessarily Holtby.
• Therefore, it probably makes sense that Sammy will be our starter next year. If he's going to do that, he needs to get more starts this year. The other alternative is to find another solid goalie at $3-5 million per, and have them split starts with Sammy as a 1a and 1b. Goalies in the $3-5 million range include Varly, Gruby, Ben Bishop, Matt Murray, Binnington, and even Vasilevsky (though I'm sure he'll get a big contract soon). Either way, giving Sammy some more starts now, especially since we've got plenty of points under our belts, will be beneficial to us in a post-Holtby future.

Our salary cap is to fucked up for us to keep Holts, without making moves (IE Kuzy) that would make sense and let us keep one of the top goalies in the league.


This is why I think Holts is somewhat mailing it in this season, cause if I where him, I’d be pissed as hell with The Caps given Kuzy and Carlson those video-game contracts and all but telling Holts that an a goalie, playing with poor defenseman, using the worst systems for a goalie, put out a PK that finished dead last and still was an elite goalie/top 3 goalie that also won a cup is not worth a one-way player who does an idiotic bird dance.


So yeah, I’d say fuck it, don’t get hurt, cause my resume alone will still get me almost 10mil.


So unless NYI trades Varly and signs Holts, I’m betting the first call he gets is from Yzerman.  Wings will have tons of cap space and desperately needs a top goalie

[richkrt99]

Ooh-Fah.


Just watched the 8 minute condensed version of the game


Don't blame Holtby.  Someone should have announced more than 1 hour prior to game time that he was the starter, so that he could have the proper amount of time to prepare mentally, get his Hockey is for everyone sweater on, get his pride mantra centered on his being, and so on.   


Oh, they should have told him it was a matinee too....cause he sure as hell did not show up when the game started. 


2 goals on three shots...Ooh-fah.  Don't blame him for the first goal with the high-slot deflection.  He was screened on the second, but....you got to stop some of those.


And at least one, probably TWO of the goals should have been stopped. 


I am not putting the whole game on Holtz, and he did come up with some big breakaway saves, but he let in a couple softies and you just can't do that and win against a decent team.


I agree Ovie has not looked quite himself for a while.  Hoping there's a reason and hence his absence from the circus (which I could care less if he went or not)


Glad to see Willie score, and Kuzy too.  Need to get Jake back on the score sheet soon. 


I'd say the team definitely has some minor health/sickness issues - too many guys just not quite right, and the ice time all whacked.


I agree Sammy got to get some more games....just so you can find out IF you can live without Holtby.  And if you decide you can't....too bad, you can't afford him anyway, so you might as well get Sammy 30+ games this year.  I'd say give him half the remaining games.


I'm not a Holtby hater, but he did not have a good game and I do not believe the Caps can afford him at 10M which I believe he will get.


Go Caps.