Series Discussion: Caps vs Canadiens de Montréal (Caps win series 4-1)

[twabby]

I guess I'm going:

Ovechkin-Strome-Protas
McMichael-PLD-Wilson
Beauvillier-Eller-Leonard
Duhaime-Dowd-Mangiapane

I'd consider taking Duhaime out since he was awful yesterday.

The D pairs are a bigger question. I don't think they can stick with what they have been rolling with. TVR needs to be getting more minutes, Roy fewer minutes. I also don't think they should be playing Alexeyev only 10 minutes. He's been fine and the rest of the D haven't been fine.

I'd go:

Sandin-Carlson
Chychrun-TVR
Alexeyev-Roy

 

[Kolzilla]

I guess I'm going:

Ovechkin-Strome-Protas
McMichael-PLD-Wilson
Beauvillier-Eller-Leonard
Duhaime-Dowd-Mangiapane

I'd consider taking Duhaime out since he was awful yesterday.

The D pairs are a bigger question. I don't think they can stick with what they have been rolling with. TVR needs to be getting more minutes, Roy fewer minutes. I also don't think they should be playing Alexeyev only 10 minutes. He's been fine and the rest of the D haven't been fine.

I'd go:

Sandin-Carlson
Chychrun-TVR
Alexeyev-Roy

I thought Sandin was pretty garbage last night too. Dewey was doodoo, maybe slide Mango over to 4LW and put Frank in?

 

[Misery74]

I guess I'm going:

Ovechkin-Strome-Protas
McMichael-PLD-Wilson
Beauvillier-Eller-Leonard
Duhaime-Dowd-Mangiapane

I'd consider taking Duhaime out since he was awful yesterday.

The D pairs are a bigger question. I don't think they can stick with what they have been rolling with. TVR needs to be getting more minutes, Roy fewer minutes. I also don't think they should be playing Alexeyev only 10 minutes. He's been fine and the rest of the D haven't been fine.

I'd go:

Sandin-Carlson
Chychrun-TVR
Alexeyev-Roy

I feel like Protas needs to match up against the Montreal top line. They are eating us alive.

Ryan Leonard won’t do anything tethered to the SS Lars Eller. This exercise has been entirely pointless.

Can Beauvillier play center? We seem to lose every big face off anyway.

 

[kicksavedave]

Also waiting on the Capitals to start getting some serious PP time. I believe the Caps only have 5 powerplays through 3 games - whereas Montreal had 5 powerplays in just game 3 alone.

If we start actually getting some calls, Montreal's PK and goaltending without Monty isn't strong enough to defend 4-5 Powerplays from the Caps.

We're not getting any penalty calls until we start moving our feet. Penalties are generated by out working the opponent, forcing them to clutch and grab and trip. Until we start out skating the Habs, the disparity against us will continue. It's not caused by any ref bias at all.

 

[twabby]

Do BlueSky posts get embedded? Lets find out!

This is the amount of time Suzuki line has gone against opposing centers.

Adding Protas will help the Strome line, but I'm not sure it's enough.

The more I think about it the more I want Ovechkin and Strome split up. On the road without the ability to dictate matchups, I'd be inclined to go:

Ovechkin-PLD-Protas
McMichael-Strome-Wilson
Beauvillier-Eller-Leonard
Duhaime-Dowd-Mangiapane

I don't know that Ovechkin and Strome are a workable duo unless they specifically get soft minutes, and they won't get that on the road. PLD and Protas can insulate Ovechkin's defensive deficiencies, McMichael and especially Wilson can insulate Strome. But also both of these lines should be able to generate when not against Suzuki.

It's worth a shot. They are not handling Montreal's top line at all. They can't be patient waiting for things to sort themselves out. Let's see what Carbery comes up with.

 

[ArmadilloThumb]

We were being our resilient comeback selves with the Ovi goal.

The Dewey own goal was fluke and and those things happen. It did throw ourselves off though and then when it rained, it poured.

The bounce back from here has to be the right mindset, which this team knows how to do.

 

[ArmadilloThumb]

Part of me wants

Ovechkin-PLD-Protas
McMichael-Strome-Wilson
Mangiapane-Beauvillier-Leonard
Duhaime-Dowd-BIG MAC

And put the Habs trying to be the tough guys to an end without prejudice.

Big Mac would only play as "needed" and have Mangiapane also do duty with Dowd and Duhaime.

Remember, I'm old, Canadian, and grew up watching frequent bench clearing brawls and liked 'em.

LFG

 

[twabby]

And yeah honestly a lot of it is players just need to play better. No reason the PLD line should have been caved in at 5v5 despite not matching up against their top line. No reason for a million unforced turnovers.

 

[crab]

The loss of Fehervary had been amplified by Carlson hitting his yearly seasonal pumpkin phase.

 

[Langway]

I'd go:

Protas - PLD - Wilson
McMichael - Strome - Beauvillier
Ovechkin - Eller - Leonard
Duhaime - Dowd - Mangiapane

On the road anyway. The D pairs are going to be rough either way. In theory Chychrun-Carlson should work but in practice? Shrug. They really should have at least attempted loading up Chychrun with some PK time and some heavier defensive usage before extending him. At least kick those tires first rather than just paying up for snipes. One injury to Fehervary and they're unprepared for shifting roles.

Overall they're fortunate to be ahead in this series given their negligible consistent chemistry and sound details/execution. All of the slacking down the stretch did them no favors and gets to the heart of the lack of any standard beyond eeking Ws out. That's what happens with such an old core at the top-end, though. There's not enough prime talent in the mix, esp. with Protas out. They need a lot more from PLD, esp. on the road when he's not being tasked with shutdown duties. Maybe it's not easy shifting so wildly based on home/road but he's a key player for them. They need more than zone entries and generally sound composure.

 

[Kazer]

We were being our resilient comeback selves with the Ovi goal.

The Dewey own goal was fluke and and those things happen. It did throw ourselves off though and then when it rained, it poured.

The bounce back from here has to be the right mindset, which this team knows how to do.

This is my view. We obviously got outplayed and deserved to lose, but this wasn't a 'burn the tape' CBJ or Carolina game effort. Caps weathered the storm early, got the lead, gave up a late period muffin, went down, rallied, went down again, and rallied one more time. It unraveled in the end, but the game was 3-3 with 16 minutes to play. That's not a curb stomping.

Was also happy to see the third line finally produce a goal even if Chychrun was the one who did it.

 

[Misery74]

Part of me wants

Ovechkin-PLD-Protas
McMichael-Strome-Wilson
Mangiapane-Beauvillier-Leonard
Duhaime-Dowd-BIG MAC

And put the Habs trying to be the tough guys to an end without prejudice.

Big Mac would only play as "needed" and have Mangiapane also do duty with Dowd and Duhaime.

Remember, I'm old, Canadian, and grew up watching frequent bench clearing brawls and liked 'em.

LFG

I actually like these lines, except Raddysh instead of Big Mac.

 

[g00n]

View attachment 1023173

Do BlueSky posts get embedded? Lets find out!

This is the amount of time Suzuki line has gone against opposing centers.

Adding Protas will help the Strome line, but I'm not sure it's enough.

The more I think about it the more I want Ovechkin and Strome split up. On the road without the ability to dictate matchups, I'd be inclined to go:

Ovechkin-PLD-Protas
McMichael-Strome-Wilson
Beauvillier-Eller-Leonard
Duhaime-Dowd-Mangiapane

I don't know that Ovechkin and Strome are a workable duo unless they specifically get soft minutes, and they won't get that on the road. PLD and Protas can insulate Ovechkin's defensive deficiencies, McMichael and especially Wilson can insulate Strome. But also both of these lines should be able to generate when not against Suzuki.

It's worth a shot. They are not handling Montreal's top line at all. They can't be patient waiting for things to sort themselves out. Let's see what Carbery comes up with.

Strome was 20% on faceoffs. That doesn't help.

Ignoring the part about destroying our goaltender, too

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Surprised today was an optional after last nights showing.

 

[RandyHolt]

Willy is out 5K for his "bench" brawl.

I miss the days of the max fine being $100.

 

[Blades of Steel]

Willy is out 5K for his "bench" brawl.

I miss the days of the max fine being $100.
View attachment 1023247

I just have a strange feeling that he's going to be just fine

 

[wickedwitch]

This is the amount of time Suzuki line has gone against opposing centers.

Adding Protas will help the Strome line, but I'm not sure it's enough.

The more I think about it the more I want Ovechkin and Strome split up. On the road without the ability to dictate matchups, I'd be inclined to go:

Ovechkin-PLD-Protas
McMichael-Strome-Wilson
Beauvillier-Eller-Leonard
Duhaime-Dowd-Mangiapane

I don't know that Ovechkin and Strome are a workable duo unless they specifically get soft minutes, and they won't get that on the road. PLD and Protas can insulate Ovechkin's defensive deficiencies, McMichael and especially Wilson can insulate Strome. But also both of these lines should be able to generate when not against Suzuki.

It's worth a shot. They are not handling Montreal's top line at all. They can't be patient waiting for things to sort themselves out. Let's see what Carbery comes up with.

At minimum, they need to switch to this when they have a lead, perhaps even if the game is tied in the 3rd.

I'd also split up Carlson/Chychrun on the road.

My other change is a minor one, because they aren't getting PPs, but keep Carlson off PP1. His minutes need to come down.

 

[MW6]

I just have a strange feeling that he's going to be just fine

Even I could handle paying a fine of .00055% of my yearly income.

 

[Langway]

I'm just a simple caveman but it seems problematic to me that their best possession units so far are the third line and third D pair. They need a lot more from PLD/Wilson and pretty much the whole top 4 D

The whole sort of bully mentality also comes up thin when they so easily wilts against pressure. Firm up and make better puck plays first and foremost or get used to coming up short.

 

[Naslundforever]

Hey Montrealer here; Caps are making the habs grow up fast; feels like men against boys.. great energy, so entertaining. Cheers. I hope Thompson is ok and the series goes far, we haven’t had any playoff fun in a long time up here.

 

[Bacchus1]

Hey Montrealer here; Caps are making the habs grow up fast; feels like men against boys.. great energy, so entertaining. Cheers. I hope Thompson is ok and the series goes far, we haven’t had any playoff fun in a long time up here.

Agreed. It has been crazy entertaining! Good luck!

 

[CapsSkins]

Ovie-Strome-Protas
Mikey-PLD-Wilson
Duhaime-Eller-Mangiapane
Leonard-Dowd-Beauvillier

Protas gets the top line going and Dowd-Beauvillier unlock Leonard. Let Duhaime and Mangiapane languish in the Eller Black Hole

 

[um]

I’m not into splitting up Ovie and Strome. Those two have been tearing it up for a while. Protas will help them defensively.

Also, it’s one bad game for Duhaime. Don’t split up him and Dowd, they’ve been a dominant 2 thirds of a 4th line.

 

[TheSmokingMan]

I feel like Protas needs to match up against the Montreal top line. They are eating us alive.

Ryan Leonard won’t do anything tethered to the SS Lars Eller. This exercise has been entirely pointless.

Can Beauvillier play center? We seem to lose every big face off anyway.

On the road, I think the putting Pro with Strome line makes sense. The Habs have been using last change to get their top line away from Dubois and targeting the Strome line.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Sounds like Protas will be good to go for Game 4! Probably unpopular opinion, but I would scratch Leonard from the lineup. No way is Eller being scratched, Duhaime had a rough game but I think he could bounce back, plus his skating is needed. If Leonard skating is better to match up against the Habs, then maybe Raddysh is the scratch?

Do we put the Protas with OV/Strome?

I wondering about the D pairs. Will they get switched up a bit? Man, this is the wrong time of the year to not have a Fever!