GDT: Caps and Pens 7:30 PM

[Calicaps]

Their goalie outplayed ours….

Sucks too because Chucky made some 10-bellers, but he missed a couple that needed to be saved.

They weren't all in on this one. I also really see them missing JC6. His dynamics from the blueline are sorely lacking. Lastly, Jake the Snake deserves to sit a long while after that third period. BARF.

 

[Calicaps]

In other news, @StrikingDistance and @Ridley Simon, Lucky B's SUCKED. It was lively as a morgue and smelled like bad car air freshener. Me:

I'm hoping it just lost it's mojo since you were there. Otherwise, I'm taking this personally.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

We have to figure this PowerPlay out, and I’m looking at Ovechkin

Last ranked in the league and haven’t scored in like two weeks

What were the fancies on Lapierre. Eye test was he lost the puck, fell, and had some turnovers, but also made some good plays. Feel like he can’t catch the game right now.

Sounds like a young player making the jump

 

[trick9]

Dominant 2nd period followed by an absolute dud 3rd. Tie game vs. A tired team and they gave up.

Sucks but it happens, moving on.

 

[ovikovy817]

Why the worst game of the season has to be against Pittsburgh.

If you switch Mangiapane's and Malkin's goal the game would be so PITvsWSH during the 10's years.
They take the lead and we can't even tie the game but close enough to do so.

 

[crab]

Not really concerned.

Definitely not their best game but they still look like a different team than last year. Felt they had the edge in play but Blomqvist was the difference maker.

PP needs to be fixed though.

 

[kicksavedave]

One goalie is 3-4, 2.76 gaa, .897 sv%, the other goalie is 6-0, 2.81 gaa, .903 sv%. As a coach, which goalie would you go with?

For me, Thompson has had more steadiness towards the end of games than Lindgren. Lindgren was our MVP last season, but so far he hasn't played as well as last season. Was it a career year for Lindgren or is he having an adjustment period from the newer players and more scoring from the team?

Given the guy who has the lower gaa also has the losing record, you can chalk this up to the variability of the Caps offense.

How many games are we going to win all year scoring just 2 goals? Barely a handful, but this early it makes the goalie w/l record a bit distorted.

If we bury the normal amount of our high danger chances this game, it's probably a 5-3 win.

 

[MW6]

I think they should put Protas below Ovechkin on the PP, closer to to goal line and occasionally try to direct play from there. Then PLD and Carlson can either play 2v1 with both of them able to shot directly or have one of Ovi, Willy and Protas on the far side with one of them open If the D commits 2 players to Carly/PLD.
It’s always more uncomfortable for the D to defend with multiple players to cover behind you.
Ovi would also have another easier passing option if he can’t release his one timer.
I think it would open up space for PLD to shot more as well if Pro can control/hold onto the puck some. Plus Pro and Wilson is better at retrieving the puck on dump ins/rebounds/screening the goalie.

 

[StrikingDistance]

In other news, @StrikingDistance and @Ridley Simon, Lucky B's SUCKED. It was lively as a morgue and smelled like bad car air freshener. Me:

I'm hoping it just lost it's mojo since you were there. Otherwise, I'm taking this personally.

Yeah, it's been...10 years since I was there? Maybe they started using the new aromatics after I left?

Speaking of dead sports bars. I went to 4 local places last night in search of the game and only 1 place had espn+/hulu. Wtf is the NHL doing putting the game on a service not a lot of places carry? And yes, I've watched Caps games at these places before.

 

[zappa4ever]

I blame this loss on CAR, left PIT embarrassed coming to town against a team they easily get motivated for

and Blomqvist saved PIT's bacon many times (is he the grandson of our Timo Blomqvist or something? )

 

[caps4cup]

For some perspective, a bad game for this team where they looked noticeably disjointed and I would say even lethargic at times, resulted in a one goal loss where they had 3.46 xG’s at 5v5 and a 56% xG%. They may not have dominated, but the Pens goalie absolutely stood on his head.

A bad game for them last year was struggling to get 20 shots and getting absolutely caved in at 5v5. That’s not saying they’re a Stanley Cup contender, but they’re a genuinely good team and are miles better than last year. This isn’t regressing to what they are, this is just the ebbs and flows of a season. They played bad against Carolina and the last 2 periods against CBJ. They’ve been fine the last 2 games, they’ve just scored 5 actual goals on 10 xG’s.