Game 78 - Get some and lock up the East

[SherVaughn30]

We reaaally don’t want to see 52 play in the postseason. Let’s see AA play some now.

Let us get something straight here. Mac is in the lineup because he has the respect of the players and coaches on the team, while being a veteran player. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think Mac was the Bears team captain. Alexeyev hasn't been in the lineup in a long time, plus I have to trust the coaches here. There must be something that Alexeyev is not showing in practice that says to the coaches, "this guy isn't showing enough to scratch someone else." The only way Alexeyev is getting into the lineup, will be in these last 4 games and if there is multiple injuries on the back end(knock on wood). I also think Alexeyev will sign with another team this offseason even though he's a RFA, as I feel he won't be qualified by the Caps. He just hasn't panned out the way the Caps were expecting when they drafted him.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I can’t see who everyone is arguing with since I probably ignored them a while back, but I have a good idea of who that might be. Why be so negative at this time? This has been an awesome season all around!

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Let us get something straight here. Mac is in the lineup because he has the respect of the players and coaches on the team, while being a veteran player. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think Mac was the Bears team captain. Alexeyev hasn't been in the lineup in a long time, plus I have to trust the coaches here. There must be something that Alexeyev is not showing in practice that says to the coaches, "we need to put this guy in the lineup!" The only way Alexeyev is getting into the lineup, will be in these last 4 games and if there is multiple injuries on the back end(knock on wood). I also think Alexeyev will sign with another team this offseason even though he's a RFA, as I feel he won't be qualified by the Caps. He just hasn't panned out the way the Caps were expecting when they drafted him.

I love DMac, but we don’t want to see him play in meaningful games if we can avoid it. I’m just saying AA needs a little time also to knock the dust off.

 

[um]

Leonard needs some stick glue.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Felt like Dubois's best game in a while, even beyond the goal. He has to be their best centre every night if they're going to go places.

 

[John Price]

 

[Devil Dancer]

Leonard was 2nd in xGF, 1st in SCF%, and is doing this despite no longer getting sheltered zone starts or the best linemates.

He also got a healthy dose of TOI at 16:35, with no special teams time.

I'd really like to see him start accumulating points, but he looked really good today, and Carbs is giving him some rope.

 

[John Price]

 

[Lou Sassole]

50 wins on the season! PLD with 20 to give the Caps another 20 goal plus scorer.

He was really good this game, so good along the boards and I love it when he plays with an edge and drives the net.

 

[HTFN]

Wilson’s power move was one of my favorite goals of the year

 

[ovikovy817]

Nice W.
F the Canes.
East is ours.

 

[Fred22406Capsfan]

Toxic Positivity is the name of my Midnight Oil cover ban

Nice W.
F the Canes.
East is ours.

Sums up the regular season nicely!

 

[RandyHolt]

I watched an old Carolina game and saw Ovi hitting last night j/k... I miss Ovi hitting.

I wonder if he wasn’t hitting in recent years, to make sure he could stay healthy enough to break the record.

Physical play was a huge factor in us winning the cup. No one will ever convince me otherwise.

 

[ovikovy817]

I know what Stromer will be doing after his playing career. ... He'll be on hfb arguing about everyone's stats

 

[Neil Racki]

Felt like Dubois's best game in a while, even beyond the goal. He has to be their best centre every night if they're going to go places.

Yeah hes been quiet lately.

Between him, Pro, CMM .. theyre prone to streakiness, one or 3 of them need to be "on" to be the straw that stirs our drink.

Strome, Ovi and Tom are consistent night in night out

We are a solid team 1 through 23

 

[Ridley Simon]

It's what little children do.. so makes sense.

Pot, meet Kettle ….

 

[max21]

Sorry I was a downer last night, I was absolutely fired up to watch that game and they certainly didn’t come out with the intensity I hoped for. I think spittinchiclets got me even more fired up for the game. I was thinking it would be like the Rangers game after the Panarin incident, that was a wild game

 

[Ridley Simon]

I certainly don’t mind people being negative about any one game. They are all human and we don’t always see “their best”, as that’s normal and frankly expected. People kvetching about that, is also to be expected.

It’s the poster (like an @mad4comp) that preach the sky is falling when said less than “their best” moments happen. Sure, they aren’t playing well, but that doesn’t mean they are a crap team, or a paper tiger, or will automatically be first round fodder for the 8th seed.

That kinda shit — constantly — is annoying as f***. It’s like someone sitting and just *waiting* for something bad to happen, so they can crow about being right about the team being shitty or whatever. Basically, their narrative is the team isn’t good, and anything that highlights that negative, is crowed upon.

As flawed as that narrative has proven to be over the year(s).

Then you throw in the insults (I haven’t been called “little” by anyone — at least to my face — in some 40yrs. I’m a large person, so it’s pretty funny…..but it’s stupid), and it’s a waste of time/energy/space.

Anyway, off my soapbox.

 

[zappa4ever]

well if Heavy Hitting OV is what we get for the Playoffs, I'm in!

Single-handedly turned the game around throwing those hits

 

[NoVaCapsFan]

I certainly don’t mind people being negative about any one game. They are all human and we don’t always see “their best”, as that’s normal and frankly expected. People kvetching about that, is also to be expected.

It’s the poster (like an @mad4comp) that preach the sky is falling when said less than “their best” moments happen. Sure, they aren’t playing well, but that doesn’t mean they are a crap team, or a paper tiger, or will automatically be first round fodder for the 8th seed.

That kinda shit — constantly — is annoying as f***. It’s like someone sitting and just *waiting* for something bad to happen, so they can crow about being right about the team being shitty or whatever. Basically, their narrative is the team isn’t good, and anything that highlights that negative, is crowed upon.

As flawed as that narrative has proven to be over the year(s).

Then you throw in the insults (I haven’t been called “little” by anyone — at least to my face — in some 40yrs. I’m a large person, so it’s pretty funny…..but it’s stupid), and it’s a waste of time/energy/space.

Anyway, off my soapbox.

With great respect for folks who have been here longer and contributed more than I have to this board, that insult-fest exchange last night was annoying and detracted from the experience of sharing a game in real time with other fans of the team. Maybe that’s what happens when you get passionate people (or trolls, I suppose) but it would be more fun (for me at least) in the moment without the extracurriculars.

 

[HeyMattyB]

Reading this thread, and this scene keeps coming to mind.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Just caught up on the game. I watched the pre game Ovie celebration. I love that man hes always my captain

 

[Ridley Simon]

With great respect for folks who have been here longer and contributed more than I have to this board, that insult-fest exchange last night was annoying and detracted from the experience of sharing a game in real time with other fans of the team. Maybe that’s what happens when you get passionate people (or trolls, I suppose) but it would be more fun (for me at least) in the moment without the extracurriculars.

It’s my fault for engaging. I honestly should just use “ignore”, but I am loathe to do so, as that feature is saved for one special poster, only.

Anyway, sorry for my part in it, I need to act my age (55), and not my shoe size (13).

 

[Neil Racki]

We really gotta get a HF tailgate together

Just get drunk and go at it

(in a violent way, not sexual ..)

--------

edit - ive been getting a lot of DMs over this, did not expect that

We can start violent and then see what happens? Is that acceptable? So the sex stuff is not "off" the table but it wont be the initial focus and we will see what happens organically

 

[Kazer]

Was glad to see people talking about AA not being in over McIlrath (which also pushed TvR to LHD though he is admittedly very solid on the left side). The only thing I can add to what has already been said is that going McIlrath over AA would've made more sense to me if Sandin or particularly Fehervary had been the guy out, as you'd want someone who could take defensive minutes. Chychrun is generally sheltered, so I'm pretty stunned that the team went TvR-McIlrath instead of AA - TvR. It does not seem like AA will be on the team next year, even if he is under team control (RFA).

On the game itself, one of the most frustrating first periods I've seen in a long time, but it was nice to see the Caps bounceback in the 2nd and 3rd. And yes, I include the 3rd despite blowing the lead as I thought the Caps had quality chances that they did not finish.

Final thought, I don't know what the referees were thinking on that 2nd Carolina goal. Not going to argue that it should have been goalie interference (they got that part right), but Lindgren clearly has the puck secured prior to the collision. The play should have been dead at that point, which makes the collision and puck going in after irrelevant. I doubt even Carolina thought they were going to get a goal out of that play.