Post-Game Talk: Game 2: USA Caps vs. Canada Syrup Foliage

[Langway]

It's not a cure-all, but dressing Schmidt needs to happen. There's no way you can say with a straight face that he's a worse option than 27 or 74 right now. They are simply brutal in both zones right now.

Trotz doing that on the road? Not going to happen. That man is planning for seven games and this is one of many non-starters. It's bunker time.

 

[Jags]

Everyone misunderstands me.

Let's consider a hockey video game, and maybe that will help people to understand:

If this is how you see it, it's no wonder people misunderstand you.

It's not a matter of a 95 team vs a 71 team. It's not even remotely as simple as that.

Our offensive streakiness is a known thing. It's been going on for a couple years now.

In a league with this much parity, it helps to know that there really aren't any 95 teams. So if your metaphor is useful at all, it's far more like we're an 87 team playing a well-coached 75 team whose strengths match up pretty well with our weaknesses. And our 87 team has a penchant for becoming a 65 team offensively without notice because we have a conservative coach and players that occasionally take months-long breaks.

You can see how your simple metaphor gets way more complicated and falls apart when you start thinking of it as something performed by actual living humans and not a video game that works off a spreadsheet.

 

[twabby]

Trotz doing that on the road? Not going to happen. That man is planning for seven games and this is one of many non-starters. It's bunker time.

I agree, "should" and "will" are quite different answers in this case. Both true answers are equally obvious.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Disappointing result obviously. The sun will come up tomorrow.

Win the next game in Toronto.

 

[EroCaps]

Trotz doing that on the road? Not going to happen. That man is planning for seven games and this is one of many non-starters. It's bunker time.

I've always hated this mentality. Boudreau had it too. It's how losers think. You get what you plan for. If you expect a long series, it will be a long series. It's not a coincidence that both of those guys routinely go 6-7 games, regardless of circumstances.

 

[Bananas]

Free Nate Schmidt

 

[ovikovy817]

Stop the panic. It sucks to lose in 2OT but don't panic.

What is our goal? Win the SC. It's not to sweep Toronto and lose in the 2nd round. If we need to play all 28 games, it's not a problem.

For those who says it's should/could be 2-0 for Toronto, I want to say it also should or could be 2-0 for us and if it's the case, you all would talking differently today. It's the NHL, it's the playoffs, it's close between every teams, every details counts. We had plenty of opportunities to finish it in 3rd/1OT.

For those who anticipate already a 2nd round exit against Pens. I'm pretty sure against Pit it will be different, just because of the rivalry since 2005.

If you want to post stupid comments, please comment on facebook and stay away from this board. A debate is welcome, but don't write stupid things.
Fire the coach in the playoffs? oh yeah, and what next? take 20 games to learn how to play with a new coach/system. Well maybe if it's a golf coach, why not.

 

[TimeZone]

Leafs fan who happens to be a HUGE ovechkin fan coming in peace.

What the hell is wrong with him? his play comes off so uninspiring and depressing lately. Is their something going on? The guys had so many positions were i was like no way he misses this and he would. Guys play is SHOCKING

He's fat and can't skate anymore. Still a very good player with an amazing shot, but yea...dude isn't what he used to be.

 

[Melkor]

(mod) Dont know what the hell people were thinking while talking about 4 or 5 games blowout. Leafs are exactly what Caps can't play against properly. Details and determination are what gonna bring the win to either side in a 7th game of this series. Buckle up for heart-hurting games.

 

[Roughing]

Trotz certainly talks about things he wants to improve on. Never doubted he wants to, say, play better 5 on 5. Problem is that somewhere between planning strategies to succeed and demanding accountability something is missing. That's what playoff coaching is about. Regular season is a different animal, not that much specific game planning for one team.

He's not a good coach. Same old horrible mistakes over and over and over. He should have been fired after last year's playoff fiasco.

 

[Lindemann]

Morning after thoughts

Leafs are playing great hockey, let's give credit where credit is due

However, if we have to give credit to the Leafs, that shouldn't stop us from talking about how terrible we are playing

Way too many defensive errors, Holtby is terrible, Trotz is a terrible playoff coach and is getting out coached again, etc

This team just seems all fine and dandy and calm with business as usual after the loss saying the same old spew

You are paid professional athletes in the postseason for the greatest trophy in sports and if you can't excited or pissed or play with any type of urgency then something is wrong with this team

I know people watch the Pittsburgh series, just watch the difference between us and them. That's why they win and we don't. Yes I hate them too but Pittsburgh is actually taking care of their opponent and we are fighting for our lives

 

[Sam Spade]

We are all smart people here I assume so why are we all so down about this team?

I assume we all knew they wouldn't sweep, they just don't happen to many teams, especially the Caps.

They are going on the road to play two and I wouldn't be shocked if they win both, but if they split so what, this series was always going five or six, the Leafs played the Caps as well as anyone this season.

Maybe the Leafs have some nerves playing front of their rabid fans, anything can happen.

Stop comparing this team to the Pens and you will be ok.

I would consider putting Schmidt in next game the problem is how to tell Carlson or Alzner they are out? It shouldn't be Orpik because honestly he has been pretty good.

 

[RandyHolt]

In a league with this much parity, it helps to try to do everything we can to win a game.

TOs bottom 6 were roughing us up last night, with Babs getting the matchups he wanted for those 2 lines. I give Barry credit for bumping Willy for a shift, otherwise have not been impressed thus far.

Toronto's weakness is their defense. Outside of Orpik on Polak, they got another free pass last night. If we keep losing faceoffs, we have to force turnovers. The best way to do that is hitting.

 

[Blades of Steel]

I don't think most of us are panicking, we are pissed that this same ****ing result happens over and over. Watching full seasons of hockey is a lot of commitment by a fan to have no emotion as a result

 

[ChaosLord]

He's fat and can't skate anymore. Still a very good player with an amazing shot, but yea...dude isn't what he used to be.

Wow. Sounds like you're talking about Phil Kessel.

 

[John Price]

I remember riding the Metro back from Game 1. It was eerily quiet. Someone commented he thought the Caps had lost. It's quiet because*The series should be more lopsided towards the Caps. Instead, the Caps continue to baffle with poor turnovers, shots that just won't go in, bad luck, and officiating.*

The officiating wasn't the main reason the Caps lost last night. But some penalties could have helped. It wasn't exactly their best day yesterday for sure. Multiple missed calls, multiple Caps players taken down without a single blow of the whistle. But again, real championship teams have to overcome bad officiating and rely on talent to win games. And right now, there isn't that talent gap between the Caps and the Leafs. Babcock is coaching a great series so far and the Leafs are definitely in this series.*

There are no excuses this time. This team was touted as "deep" with strong goaltending. All the holes from prior years were allegedly fixed. This team went into the playoffs with a hot record, including massive defense of home ice and the "best home ice record in the history of the Capitals regular season". All that advantage from the President's Trophy was put on hold last night with mediocre on-ice performances.*This team needs to fix what they're doing and start taking control. Because over two games, they haven't done that. They haven't shown they're that team that won the President's Trophy. There is no exertion of dominance. There is just crap play and turnovers. Step it up, win game 3. Erase any notion of hope for Toronto.

 

[ChaosLord]

We are all smart people here I assume so why are we all so down about this team?

I assume we all knew they wouldn't sweep, they just don't happen to many teams, especially the Caps.

They are going on the road to play two and I wouldn't be shocked if they win both, but if they split so what, this series was always going five or six, the Leafs played the Caps as well as anyone this season.

Maybe the Leafs have some nerves playing front of their rabid fans, anything can happen.

Stop comparing this team to the Pens and you will be ok.

I would consider putting Schmidt in next game the problem is how to tell Carlson or Alzner they are out? It shouldn't be Orpik because honestly he has been pretty good.

The Pens are playing well, no doubt, but lets face it, the Blue Jackets are pretty much the biggest frauds in the playoffs right now. NO WAY is their 3rd seeding in the Metropolitan an indication of their current level of play and/or talent. They are a bunch of sleepwalking zombies right now. No gas in the tank whatsoever. Ask yourself this, if the Leafs and Jackets were playing in a series, who would be winning? Probably the Leafs, 2-0, with about an 8 point goal differential. That's not much of an exagerration.

 

[John Price]

Also, to put things into perspective, Chicago is down 0-2 in their series to Nashville, the last game on a 5-0 rout. The Caps are at least trying here. But Toronto is playing very well and Andersen is making ridiculous saves.

I think if they win Game 3 they can really start to focus on the dagger. Win Game 3 and game 4 and all this worrying is moot. Many projected this series to go 5 anyway, and it still could.

That being said, based on their play the first 2 games, you've got to be somewhat worried. They were lucky to win Game 1 and should have won game 2.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Was at the game and here are my thoughts the morning after:
1. The Leafs have reached yet another level, they're even better than they were in game 1
2. The issue is with our defense. The Leafs forwards put a lot of pressure on them on the forecheck, so they keep putting it off the boards or off the glass to get it out. Naturally, the Leafs' F3 or D picks it off all the time. That's not how we normally breakout, we normally have the D wheeling as far as possible and then the D releases the pressure to the forwards coming in support.
3. Burakovsky and Ovechkin had a poor game, Connolly is invisible/useless.
4. We blew some amazing scoring chances in the 3rd and OT1 and it bit us in the ass.

Move on, get some rest and win game 3. All the pressure will shift back to the Leafs if we go up 2-1 in their barn.

Let's go Caps!!

 

[Blades of Steel]

Vrana in over Connolly as I said before, we literally would lose nothing by doing this.

Schmidt needs to be in somehow, someway.

 

[peterthegreat12]

I realize he scored last night but Ovechkin should be much more dominate against this Leafs D. No disrespect to them, but they really don't have any shut down D to speak of. I think that is where people are frustrated with Ovechkin right now.

 

[Langway]

Also, to put things into perspective, Chicago is down 0-2 in their series to Nashville, the last game on a 5-0 rout. The Caps are at least trying here. But Toronto is playing very well and Andersen is making ridiculous saves.

I think the better comparison is Minnesota given what both teams gave up at the deadline and have achieved lately. It's the playoffs and you never know but at least that Chicago fanbase has witnessed a lot of playoff success lately. The difference between Minnesota and Washington, though, is that Minnesota remains stacked with prospects: Kunin, Kaprizov, JEE, Greenway & Tuch are about as good a five as there is league-wide. The Caps roll with Samsonov (?, still), Vrana, Bowey, Siegenthaler and Johansen. The answers from an offensive standpoint aren't likely there internally. Gersich is maybe the next best thing up front but he could walk next year and another at least somewhat decent player in Pinho seems to be headed toward doing so as well. Organizational strategy only seems marginally better than under McPhee...more well-rounded but still lacking.

It's now or never for this team and they don't seem to understand that fact. They haven't developed anything close to the urgency that the situation requires and I don't expect that backbone to form on the road when Toronto ought to have even more energy. This is going at least six games and the way they're playing they may just casually exit stage left due to their own ineptitude.

 

[g00n]

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