Post-Game Talk: Capitals win game 1, lead series 1-0

[Rapala]

Laine pisses me off, such a f***ing softie

Yup not getting the puck in deep to begin with was minor league.

 

[donghabs98]

That icing call is just not acceptable. That should have been taken to centre ice. This is the NHL, in the playoffs; in no way is that acceptable.

I wish we could have challenged it. A game should never end due ro a blown icing call

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Great game. Nice 3rd period push.

Same thing tonight on comments with Caufield as there was with Slaf the other night. It’s like people don’t watch the actual game. Great game from Cole.

Full marks to the Capitals and glad we kept pushing back. Ovechkin is a God.

Awesome game from Montie. It could’ve got out of hand early but he kept us in. Terrific game from him.

 

[Luigi Habs]

Once again people looking for a scapegoat and it seems to fall on Laine and Matheson.

Laine had a solid game. Matheson not so much.

You want to know who also had a bad game? Our golden boys Demidov and defensively Hutson as well.

Some people have really pathetic takes.

Overall a great first game.

 

[HabsMD97]

This is invaluable experience for this young group. I thought Hutson had an up and down game. For the life of him he was completely unable to tie up any sticks the entire night and it finally came back to bite him on the winning goal.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

Laine Newhook Demidov doesn’t work, regardless if it’s icing or not they’re a liability

Bieksa already brought up moving Demidov to Suzuki's line and he's right. We've got arguably the most talented pure scorer on a line with a streaker and a powerplay merchant.

Only thing I hate is moving Slaf down to their line.

 

[JoelWarlord]

Caps look beatable, dunno if we'll pull it off but Carolina is beating them in 3 games lol

 

[AyyoCully]

Linesmen were terrible tonight aside from the non icing call.

Kicked someone out of almost every faceoff and nitpicking someone having a skate in the circle like drop the f***ing puck.

Pretty fun game though, should be a good series even if i’m not expecting us to win, but it’s hard to bet against these guys.

 

[NobleSix]

Brutal icing call. The last line you want on the ice in that situation is the Newhook line. Since Laine never touched it how is that not interference or a crosschecking penalty then? It's crazy how many calls the Leafs got last night against Ottawa, and how much these refs ignored penalties. Unbelievable favoritism for the Leafs.

However, game pretty much went as expected. Washington came out hitting and forechecking hard in first & 2nd period. Montreal waited it out. The #1 line got us back into in 3rd.

Matheson is just awful at offensive blueline. Idk, how many offensive zone time he f***ed up, but it seemed like a lot. Plus, he couldn't hit the net. He had the potential winning shot late in 3rd & did zip with it. We definitely need an upgrade on him.

Overall, I can't be too upset with this game. I just hope Montreal can play a better overall 2nd game & tie this series up.

Totally f***ing jobbed man. Can't believe that was even allowed to happened.

You would NEVER see that happen to the Leafs.

 

[Erika]

MSL will have to do something about the Newhook line. Demidov may have to sit. If they can’t generate offense they can’t be a liability.

Rotenberg, is that you ?

 

[sukimono]

Meanwhile in LA, weirdest anthem ever

 

[Wats]

Post truth era strong here.

He had 2nd most hits with 3 after 2nd period.

It's a mix of preconceived notion and needing a scapegoat. They really need Demidov to magically be ready to take over that line to have any hope of secondary scoring.

 

[Schooner Goon]

Bench has to complain vociferously I did't see them squawwwwwk .

Laine was complaining about it.

 

[Miller Time]

Post truth era strong here.

He had 2nd most hits with 3 after 2nd period.

Hot takes with no basis in fact or reality is becoming endemic around here unfortunately

 

[Captain97]

They need to scratch Laine and or Slafkovsky and find someone who can actually be useful in some part of the game.

Both players are waste of a spot on the playing roster.

Salf was instrumental on the 2nd goal and Laines shot rebounding caused the 1st

 

[EveryDay]

Demidov looked way better when Armia was on his wing and not Laine. I don't understand the people in the Laine thread that think he's a good hockey player.

He's not, he suck. Get Demidov back with a true center.

Heineman-Evans-Demidov
Newhook-Kapanen-Armia

Laval: Laine

 

[Apoplectic Habs Fan]

Laine is so stationery and slow, reminds me too much of Douglas Murray's skating

I dont think Murray skated as much as drifted

Like a glacier

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Ovie scoring with Demi on the ice...That line on defensive zone......eesh...

Icing call. We couldn’t swap them out.

 

[OnTheRun]

He seems to always be in the wrong spot chasing the puck and being a step or two behind the play

Perfectly normal, he's not fully attuned to the NHL pace. He probably won't take long to get there tho.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Everyone and their dog knows that the second line has been the biggest problem in the world all year , there's nothing to do we just gotta live with it and battle through it.

And for Demidov he didn't get much touches , I'd like him to be tried somewhere else but line 3 and 4 play some hard ass minutes so the only option is Slaf and first line is the only line that works right now. MSL is in a tough spot with the second line

 

[Lycanthrope]

Brutal 1st period but to be expected. Overall i liked their game today, please Xhekaj for game 2.

Even to have him on the bench would have an effect.

 

[nhlfan9191]

I guess you missed the penalty he took

How many forechecks did Laine just turn back and float away from in this game when Washington was bullying us in the first couple of periods?

 

[Habsawce]

It is what it is, the icing itself didn't cause the goal either way.

Players who can't forget and keep dwelling on the past are bound for failure.

It was a terrible play after the faceoff by everyone involved, all 6 on the ice.

It was a scramble play with a puck knocked out of mid air. Not really the point, these are supposed to be the best officials in the world and that icing was a travesty.

Honestly, all game the linesmen were brutal. How many faceoffs are they holding the puck and tossing guys. It's too much, just do your job.

Just doesn't sit well with me, for the boys to battle back like that and have just a ridiculous icing call cost them a game.

 

[Gally11]

Any line with Newhook does not work. The guy can't make any play for his teammates. All individual plays that lead to missed shot.

And he was brutal on key face offs whether it be in o zone or d zone, even though I don’t fully blame him on that last faceoff the support didn’t come but that speaks to the line. Unfortunately they’re going to need to mix up bottom three lines if they want secondary offense generated from ok defense

 

[Marioesque]

Hot takes with no basis in fact or reality is becoming endemic around here unfortunately

Totally out of hand now.