GDT: Caps and Bolts @12:30PM EST

[895]

Lucky we have such a big cushion.

It’s not time to hit the panic button yet but we should get the button warm.

 

[Calicaps]

Strome is absolutely a #1C. There are only 10/11 other Cs in the league with more points right now. He's not a *elite* 1C, which is what the fanbase has gotten used to after having TWO of them for most of the past decade. That's not a realistic benchmark to go up against.

That said, if this team struggles to score without emotion or fire behind their games I shudder to think what they're going to look like after Ovi breaks the record.

this doesn’t make sense to me. If the chase was all that’s animating them, you’d expect them to be playing much better rn.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Didn't bother to watch because I knew this loss was coming and the fact I was asleep still(live on west coast and aint gonna watch hockey for breakfast). Nice to see OV score, and besides he only needs one good shot to score a goal every game.

I'm actually glad they have finally lost 3 in a row in regulation. This is some good humble pie and for the team to face some adversity, that anyone can beat them if they don't play well enough as a team. No worries about getting that dang President's Trophy, as it's all yours Jets!

For the Caps, time to go back to the basics and work yourselves hard out of this 3 game slump!

Lucky we have such a big cushion.

It’s not time to hit the panic button yet but we should get the button warm.

Nah, no need to even warm it up. I might add, even the high flying Jets had a losing streak like this earlier in their season. Losing 3 like this is a bad taste in the mouth, but a good lesson to learn from.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Rat face looks pretty injured. Take his name off the trade list.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Rat face looks pretty injured. Take his name off the trade list.

Rat Face?

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Rat Face?

Brad Marchand

 

[Fred22406Capsfan]

Rat Face?

 

[Coldnwindy]

this doesn’t make sense to me. If the chase was all that’s animating them, you’d expect them to be playing much better rn.

They were playing well just after the break, just ran into some relatively hot teams recently. I'm sure their play picks back up again. They'll have a lull in the regular season after the record goal is reached most likely, but they'll have another goal to get fired up for soon enough afterwards. The Cup.

 

[Corby78]

Three games in a row, but at least Ovie is still scoring.

 

[ovikovy817]

At least Ovi scored.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

They’ll be fine, and Ovi is scoring. Next.

 

[Langway]

Strome is absolutely a #1C. There are only 10/11 other Cs in the league with more points right now.

If only it were just about points, particularly power play points. At even-strength Strome is far more pedestrian. Over the past ten weeks, for instance, his production is pretty awful. Less than Dowd even. On the season overall Strome is tied for 51st in the league (right with Ovechkin & McMichael and tied with a certain Brock Nelson who some seem to think isn't very good).

PLD is a better center, more versatile and more of a true play driver than Strome. Strome is too slow and soft to have high expectations he'd prevail in a dogfight. Comparing him to Late Era Backstrom is a bit harsh but...not entirely off base 5v5. Combined alongside Ovechkin & Carlson there's a fair bit of underbelly on display...guys that get pretty ragged out there.

Strome is still useful on the PP and can create some chances 5v5 now and then. Their overall system play is also problematic. They don't really have a power game and their in-zone offense isn't concentrated enough on feeding the slot. Too often it's just perimeter low and high stuff without tips or net drive with the main interest attacking in transition. Take that away from them and they're not that hard to contain.

If they acquire Brock Nelson I'd honestly put Strome at LW because even Eller is more of a play driver IMO. Eller won't create much but he does more build-up work to at least be the stronger possession center.

 

[DWGie26]

Went to the game today. And Tuesday. They are not clicking. And not moving their feet enough. Not enough bodies in front to the net. Those are all fundamentals and can easily come back. They too probably just want to get through TDL and maybe address a couple of contracts. That stuff will settle down.

 

[tycoonheart]

Problem with the top line is that both Ovi and Strome are super inconsistent with their overall play (though Ovi can still score which is nice). So the entire line looks like ass right now. Id hate to break up that 2nd line because they have been our most consistent line all season, but I'd be interested to see what would happen if they swapped PLD and Strome. CMM and Wilson are solid and could lift Strome a bit.

The Dowd line has all but disappeared too. They haven't done anything of significance in a very long time. Dowd did the same thing last year, where he started the season great and looked quite bad towards the end. Hope he can pick up his game.

 

[DWGie26]

Problem with the top line is that both Ovi and Strome are super inconsistent with their overall play (though Ovi can still score which is nice). So the entire line looks like ass right now. Id hate to break up that 2nd line because they have been our most consistent line all season, but I'd be interested to see what would happen if they swapped PLD and Strome. CMM and Wilson are solid and could lift Strome a bit.

The Dowd line has all but disappeared too. They haven't done anything of significance in a very long time. Dowd did the same thing last year, where he started the season great and looked quite bad towards the end. Hope he can pick up his game.

If you are going to put PLD with OV, I would put Wilson up there too:

OV-PLD-wilson
McMichael-Strome-Protas
Mangi-Eller-Frank
Duhaime-Dowd-Raddysh

Definitely enough for an add. Nashville just made their first move. Let’s go get ROR.

Preds have all kinds of space and no retentions. I bet they would Mangi for rest of year tryout along with a pick. But they need players.

 

[ChaosLord]

Three games in a row, but at least Ovie is still scoring.

22 games left to score 19 and claim the most 50 goal seasons record.
Not likely but an outside chance at least.