Post-Game Talk: Caps 3, Pens 1 - NOW Geno is Playoff Ready

[Ryder71]

According to my eyeballs and to this site: Games - Natural Stat Trick

We had 12 high danger scoring chances for, 11 against.
We had 18 medium danger scoring chances compared to 11 against.

You can do the math all day, and in however manner you wish. Or you can simply observe. The conclusion is the same. Our goalie was significantly worse then the other goalie. Yes you can point at defensive breakdowns (which contribute to the high danger chances) and I agree we need to shore that up. But at the end of the day grubhub made some key saves. The shot between Maatta's legs is very stoppable. Yes it's harder, and personally I *hate* those shots against. However, an NHL goalie should be able to pick that puck up.

The tip from wilson, yes you can argue about it just being a great tip. What *I* did not like about it is the same thing with the goal mentioned above. Murray's tracking was off in this game. He should have tracked that thatpuck was going wide and going at wilson. He should then be square to wilson, but was not. He was still in position as if the shot was coming on net from the point.

Watch a game a while back when Murray just stoned the sharks, it was one of his best games he's played. That game had a ton of tips on net, he would read the shot and track it to the guy tipping it and he stopped a bunch of those. So we know he can do it. I thought his tracking against montreal was much better. Hopefully this is just a wobble as he continues to improve. If not we are out in the first round, all while out chancing and out shooting our opponent most likely.

Murray was worse than Grubauer yesterday. But context is important and a lot of our chances were derived from the PP. We had a lengthy 5 on 3 and had multiple grade A chances. I don't think that's an indictment against the Caps though. The circumstances there dictated we'd be afforded a lot of quality chances.

I also wouldn't fault MM on Wilsons goal, sometimes the other team makes a good play. The Orlov goal was bad despite the Maatta screen. But that's one game, and over the last few weeks our defense has given up far too many chances. Again we gave up three or four breakaways to the Habs on Saturday and we're turning the puck over at a ridiculous rate. If you're not seeing that I don't know what to tell you.

I'm not saying MM doesn't need to be better, he does. But the vast majority of the goals that we give up stem from poor defensive play and not make prudent decisions with the puck in the neutral and defensive zone.

 

[Joejosh999]

MM definitely < Grubber but having said that, Grub was outstanding and MM OK, but not great.
The Pens have a maddening way of making backups look like HOFers and HOFers look like backups.
But we have to assume that Grub, or the backup/the trainer/the towel guy wearing pads, will still play like they're on crack. And we'll hit every post and so on.

Bottom line, MM has to play a whole level better.

 

[KIRK]

I would give Malkin some blame for not matching Oshie's speed he should have been more aware, but Hunwick's positioning is absolutely laughable

Oh, I wasn't absolving Malkin.

Once Hunwick slid over, then I 100% agree Geno needed to adjust. Problem is, he's pointed inward, to take away what would have been the higher passing lane IF Hunwick had been in position. At the same time, Oshie is going full speed. No way to recover there for someone with Geno's relatively slow first stride or two once Hunwick moved over and opened up a that passing lane to hit Oshie coming over the blueline.

So, he needed to adjust. I just don't know if there was enough time even if he recognized what Hunwick was doing and the implications thereof immediately instead of a few seconds after the fact.

BTW, the sequence is a lot easier to see on the replay from Murray's viewpoint, because that's where you see Hunwick inexplicably sliding over.

 

[BHD]

Further discussion can be taken to the other threads.