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

[Kobe Armstrong]

I disagree because all 3 were actively aggressive on the forecheck yesterday, and I saw with my own eyes Laine and Newhook win battles for loose pucks that they or their teammates dumped in.

Your point is you don't like Newhook or Laine, and don't have the maturity to admit they played decent despite not scoring. So you have to invent things that didnt happen to get a point across.

I'll disagree, I'm sure the possession numbers were atrocious with that line on the ice. They basically did cardio their entire time on the ice and you could count the completed passes between them on one hand.

It's tough competition of course, but all that line did was lose the face off, give up possession, and get hemmed in the defensive zone for their entire shifts. They don't have anyone who can break up the play and take the puck away unless one of the defenders steps up. I think Heineman is destined to move up

 

[Mats NAslund]

So now you went from Hutson and Guhle had to chase pucks for Newhook and Laine (implying that they didn't do it) to how successful were they? So basically, you know you were being full of it and are now just moving the goal posts?

I don't have metrics to point to, but my impression last night was that Newhook, Laine, and Demidov fought hard for loose pucks that they dumped in.

I don't think anyone here is in a position to know whether the were "faking it". Sounds like you just want to believe what you want to believe.

Agreed, but I think the posters intention there was to point out that the intensity isn't there to go in and finish a hit. That's not Laine's game nor is it Demidov's or Newhook and that's the issue, that line has no one to do the dirty work.

I will continue to post the lines someone else on here suggested because I think it brilliant

Caufield Suzuki Slaf
Gallagher Dvorak Anderson
Armia Evans Demidov
Laine Newhook Heineman

 

[Andy]

I'll disagree, I'm sure the possession numbers were atrocious with that line on the ice. They basically did cardio their entire time on the ice and you could count the completed passes between them on one hand.

It's tough competition of course, but all that line did was lose the face off, give up possession, and get hemmed in the defensive zone for their entire shifts. They don't have anyone who can break up the play and take the puck away unless one of the defenders steps up.

again, you are shifting goal posts from:

Laine and Hutson had to get their pucks

to

They were faking it

to

Did they actual win battles

to

I bet their possession numbers werent good and they just cardio

These are all different things to deflect from the fact that you tried to insinuate that they lost all their battles and didn't even fight for loose pucks when I saw the opposite with my actual eyes.

 

[Andy]

Agreed, but I think the posters intention there was to point out that the intensity isn't there to go in and finish a hit. That's not Laine's game nor is it Demidov's or Newhook and that's the issue, that line has no one to do the dirty work.

I will continue to post the lines someone else on here suggested because I think it brilliant

Caufield Suzuki Slaf
Gallagher Dvorak Anderson
Armia Evans Demidov
Laine Newhook Heineman

Armia Evans and Heineman do a lot of heavy lefting defensively. Breaking them up in the playoffs to add a rookie with 3 nhl games is just silly.

You basically go from one line that can't play heavy match ups to two lines that can't play heavy matchups.

 

[Saundies]

their second goal was arguably high sticking as well and would likely have been challenged if the nhl invested in decent camera angles.

Yeah, if it's regular season we probably challenge but I'm kind of glad we didn't as we never really get the borderline call (at least I don't feel like we do, maybe we do).

 

[Adriatic]

We take the loss but damn that was some awful officiating.

 

[Rapala]

True and we will have all summer to discuss it.......... but in the mean time we have a playoffs serie to win....... now let's discuss what kind of adjustment should be done for the next game.

I would insert X , switch Slaf and Demidov, switch Evans and Newhook and give Caufield his office back on PP1 with Demidov on the board, Laine on PP2

Would love to ear your opinion. Mr Deebs.

Switching Slaf and Demidov won't work Ivan isn't ready for top line responsibilities.

 

[417]

I bet the players, coaching staff, all feel much better about their games than most fans in here do.

 

[That Habs Fan]

their second goal was arguably high sticking as well and would likely have been challenged if the nhl invested in decent camera angles.

Yeah, the only secondary angle being shown being a couple inches off the ice was absolutely hilarious to me.

 

[Andy]

Switching Slaf and Demidov won't work Ivan isn't ready for top line responsibilities.

Also, there is an underappreciation of all the dirty work Slaf does to open up ice for Cole and Nick.

Cole's goal doesn't happen without Slaf disrupting in front of the net. Neither does Nick's.

Slaf is often deep in the defensive zone sending transition passes to Nick and Cole. He's also constantly fetching pucks for them as well.

And even in absence of those details, the line is working. No one in their right mind would break that up.

 

[LaP]

Laine struggles 5 on 5 and has all year (53 games) why is he still in a top 6 role?

He is not really. Do people watch games?

The 2nd line has been Dvorak's line for a long while now. Laine is one of the least used player at 5v5. Using Laine even less wont make Anderson, Gallagher, Armia and Pezzetta more skilled.

The reality is this team doesn't have a 2nd line and while it worked in the regular season it will eventually cost the team games in playoffs. Yesterday was one of those games where a 2nd line could have helped a lot.

Giving more TOI to 3rd line players wont solve that problem. This is what MSL has been doing for a long while anyway.

EV TOI Last 2 months of the season

Suzuki 16:57
Caufield 15:36
SLaf 15:18
Dvorak 14:15
Newhook 13:38
Anderson 13:18
Gallagher 13:09
.....
Laine 10:24

EV TOI first game of playoffs

Suzuki 19:10
Caufield 19:02
SLaf 17:48
Newhook 13:46
Dvorak 13:36
Gallagher 12:53
Armia 12:40
Evans 12:13
Anderson 12:10
Laine 11:32

 

[Andy]

Yeah, the only secondary angle being shown being a couple inches off the ice was absolutely hilarious to me.

I can't believe that was the only angle they had. It's such a shit league for that stuff.

 

[teamfirst]

Switching Slaf and Demidov won't work Ivan isn't ready for top line responsibilities.

Not so sure about that, the kid needs players who can feed him and make plays out of his passes, yesterday's game he was obviously nervous like most of our young guy's but i expect him to be way more visible starting tomorrow.

 

[domiwroze]

It gives me hope for next year, once we have a #2C and we fix the LD/RD playing their side

Hutson was obviously scared early game, he settled in after the first 10. After 40, he came back to his normal self, he absorbed hits to make plays and didn’t try to roll every hits. He’s adjusting so fast this kid will be incredible for 15years.

Suzuki / Cole, slow start like everyone, but they took over in the 2nd and never looked back. They are playoffs performers. Slaf 3rd was great.

Evans line played well and the control freak Armia has logged on.

Dvorak’s line was the only one skating with the Caps early, as expected. Anderson did a nice job of hitting back and Gally did get a 4minutes uncalled against him that could have change the game earlier if the Refs weren’t so ass. So he was doing a fine job of getting PPs. Dvorak was good on the dot.

Guhle overall was good. Carrier was shaky early but then settled in the 3rd. Don’t get me started with Matheson. Savard can be nasty in front so I don’t mind him. Struble had no impact whatsoever, hard to see Xhakej doing worse with 10min TOI and lots of nastiness uncalled.

And then the real problem, the « 2nd line ». It sucks that we can’t even call them a 2nd 3rd line. Laine showed some willingness in this game at least, but he still takes shift off here and there. My real problem is Newhook. He was maybe the worst player yesterday and no one is talking about it. 25% FACEOFF!! 25! He had 0 good impact offensively and he kept losing his man in the defensive zone.

next year this team will be dangerous with a real 2nd C. Bring me Crosby. At least Horvat.

Monty was good.

It’s a very winnable series.

 

[Rapala]

their second goal was arguably high sticking as well and would likely have been challenged if the nhl invested in decent camera angles.

Later in the game Gallagher made a great play picking a puck out of the air on a breakout and even though the puck contact was actually lower they made that call.

 

[BLONG7]

We take the loss but damn that was some awful officiating.

The entire game.........how bout the cross check to the face of Gally..............ref standing right there......right there.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

He’s not Scott Stevens, it’s not really Xhekaj’s game either.

In fact he’s struggled the most when he overtly tries to be physical. That’s what got his ass benched in the first place because he kept chasing for hits.

He’s at his most effective when he’s sound positionally, using his body to separate the puck from the player and moving the puck quickly.


Struble or Xhekaj, doesn’t matter, they don’t play enough for the amount of impact people think they have on the ice.

I think the Habs lost and people just want to see changes.

But it’s also Ok to not panic…the team played a good game and it could have gone either way.

Swapping out #6 Dmen isn’t going to change the pendulum

I agree with your last point.

BUT, for many, Xhekaj is a rare type of players who brings something no one else brings. He's young and it takes longer for dmen to fully mature. We could reasonably expect Xhekaj to become a solid bottom pairing guy who brings a Wilson element from the back end. Not every team has that, they're rare players even if they're not huge difference makers they give you a versatility when the going gets rough that is important.

At the start of the year we were rebuilding. We have fast tracked our rebuilding process with this playoffs appearance but we should still keep in mind that these playoffs are there to get our future core some invaluable playoffs experience. I consider Xhekaj part of that more than Strubble. Strubble to me is not a player that is hard to acquire at the trade deadline. I would like to see Xhekaj replace Strubble for developmental purposes. Not because I think it will majorly change the outlook of these playoffs.

 

[Rapala]

Not so sure about that, the kid needs players who can feed him and make plays out of his passes, yesterday's game he was obviously nervous like most of our young guy's but i expect him to be way more visible starting tomorrow.

Go watch the OT goal again he isn't ready for prime time just yet.
It's a next year thing.

 

[le_sean]

He is not really. Do people watch games?

The 2nd line has been Dvorak's line for a long while now. Laine is one of the least used player at 5v5. Using Laine even less wont make Anderson, Gallagher, Armia and Pezzetta more skilled.

The reality is this team doesn't have a 2nd line and while it worked in the regular season it will eventually cost the team games in playoffs. Yesterday was one of those games where a 2nd line could have helped a lot.

Giving more TOI to 3rd line players wont solve that problem. This is what MSL has been doing for a long while anyway.

EV TOI Last 2 months of the season

Suzuki 16:57
Caufield 15:36
SLaf 15:18
Dvorak 14:15
Newhook 13:38
Anderson 13:18
Gallagher 13:09
.....
Laine 10:24

EV TOI first game of playoffs

Suzuki 19:10
Caufield 19:02
SLaf 17:48
Newhook 13:46
Dvorak 13:36
Gallagher 12:53
Armia 12:40
Evans 12:13
Anderson 12:10
Laine 11:32

2nd line in an absolute killer. I’m not sure why Marty doesn’t make a change.

If you get caved in defensively, you should at the very least provide offence, like the 1st line at times. Or if you don’t produce offence, just don’t get caved in defensively, like the 3rd and 4th lines. They can’t manage either.

 

[BLONG7]

I bet the players, coaching staff, all feel much better about their games than most fans in here do.

Keep saying.........playing with house money guys. We may not win this series, I hope we do, but there is some serious developing and learning on the job going on here.
We are the youngest team to have made the playoffs.

 

[Soaker]

I bet the players, coaching staff, all feel much better about their games than most fans in here do.

Seems to be a lot drama over a game that could have gone either way,I'm just pissed at the officiating more than anyone else.

 

[teamfirst]

Go watch the OT goal again he isn't ready for prime time just yet.
It's a next year thing.

Like i said, he'll get better starting the next game imo.

 

[le_sean]

Keep saying.........playing with house money guys. We may not win this series, I hope we do, but there is some serious developing and learning on the job going on here.
We are the youngest team to have made the playoffs.

I hope one of the people learning is Kent. He should see who doesn’t contribute and who sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

[StCaufield]

Correction: the 1st line shit pumped them. The rest did nothing. Like in the regular season.

That and their team D stepped up

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

again, you are shifting goal posts from:

Laine and Hutson had to get their pucks

to

They were faking it

to

Did they actual win battles

to

I bet their possession numbers werent good and they just cardio

These are all different things to deflect from the fact that you tried to insinuate that they lost all their battles and didn't even fight for loose pucks when I saw the opposite with my actual eyes.

Actually, everything you or I have mentioned is related to intensity and physicality

You think that line did a good job winning their battles and fighting for loose pucks, that's okay, we disagree.

I'm fine with everything I've said and if you've played sports you know everyone has a different mentality when it comes to winning. Some are truly dedicated to competing and leaving it all on the ice, some are more concerned with individual battles (not getting hurt or embarrassed, looking cool, $$$).

When I played I had a bad reputation about getting back on defense, but I learned pretending to get back on defense was easy enough without actually having to risk the potential pain of a fully committed defense. You can skate in for the forecheck without any intention of actually winning the puck. You can go down for a block and pray the shot misses you. You can break a half second late for a loose puck so you only have to play the passing lane and not lay down a body check. For a trained faker like me it is easy to spot these signs, which is why I was so unhinged about Barron being on the team.

Hutson and Guhle are true gamers, and when they go in for a battle they have every intention of winning it even when they are at a disadvantage. I'm confident Demidov will get there too, and I don't think he's a faker so much as he has a lot more to worry about with his role on the team and making mistakes.