We unleashed the table throwing lady too early, I tried to warn you guys...you have to hold her until it's a must win. Jinxed the whole game, possibly the series.
GDT: Lloyd vs Canes
- Thread starter Dr John Carlson
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The bright side of this loss is that one of two different outcomes is likely here now:
We either come back and take the series in 6 or 7 by playing our game, wearing them down and being more sharp on the puck ourselves...
or
They continue to run circles around us and send us packing in 4 or 5 games, leaving us with a very clear picture of what our weakness is and what we need to do to fix it over the next year plus.
Bottom line is when two of your top 5 players (Ovi and JC) are old and really slow, and our top two centers are also not exactly speed merchants themselves. Speed will always kill you. Speed has always been a differentiator in hockey, because you can't hit what you can't catch. All our size is nullified if we can't keep up with them. So in Game 2, we either skate with them and keep our passing crisp, or we watch them put up ~100 shot attempts again and hope we get lucky.
We either come back and take the series in 6 or 7 by playing our game, wearing them down and being more sharp on the puck ourselves...
or
They continue to run circles around us and send us packing in 4 or 5 games, leaving us with a very clear picture of what our weakness is and what we need to do to fix it over the next year plus.
Bottom line is when two of your top 5 players (Ovi and JC) are old and really slow, and our top two centers are also not exactly speed merchants themselves. Speed will always kill you. Speed has always been a differentiator in hockey, because you can't hit what you can't catch. All our size is nullified if we can't keep up with them. So in Game 2, we either skate with them and keep our passing crisp, or we watch them put up ~100 shot attempts again and hope we get lucky.
Mac isn't going to get 20 minutes in place of AA though. Losing Fever hurts more than we realize, just in how the minutes are getting redistributed. The remaining 5 D are all playing more than they're used to this season and its starting to wear on the older ones (JC74).
g00n
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These are the top 15 regular season scorers for each of the 2 teams the Caps have faced so far.
Which one is CAR and which is MTL?
Frank and his speed could be useful.
I advocated trying out different players at 3C as the season wound down, but that was blasphemy apparently. I'm afraid we're stuck with Eller at 3C.
caps4cup
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g00n
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Exactamundo.
And how did the Caps overcome this same basic bullshit from MTL? All the crap I said before.
What got them in trouble? All the lame crap they did last night.
They can fix it.
wickedwitch
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I'd take Carlson off PP1 to reduce his minutes.
God please yes.
Chychrun belongs on the point. He's a shooting threat that Carlson just isn't anymore.
Chokingdogs
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- Apr 18, 2006
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Also agreed.
As an aside, and this may blow a mind or two, I’d much rather they play the penguins all four rounds, with Pierre between the benches, than endure one more game with Ray.
caps4cup
Dynasty
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That play by Eller when Leonard was wide open and screaming/slamming his stick for it was maddening. Eller was a complete liability (as was Dowd). The play just absolutely dies on his stick. I know that line was overall good against MTL too, but how many times has Eller skates pucks from the slot, and instead of making a play or shooting it, he proceeds into the corner/around the net and turns the puck over seconds later. Seems like it’s at least once a game, if not more. He is awful.
Lucky to walk away from that one with a 2-1 OT loss, Canes could have quite easily had 4 or 5. Whole team owes LT a beer after that one, he was fantastic. Need to find a way to deal with the forecheck and get the puck into the attacking zone. We had next to no sustained pressure the entire game and the PP as a whole was really bad in G1. Not writing us off yet, but we need to make some adjustments or this will be a short series. I have faith in Carbery.
Langway
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- Jul 7, 2006
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Facts: MTL's top line also dominated them in possession and through six playoff games only Leonard is on the positive side of the Corsi ledger. The difference between Montreal and Carolina is not so much production but the degree with which they control play and defend 5v5.
There are still not nearly enough play drivers on this team (and, yes, that's in part due to where 8/74 are in their careers as core pieces). I'm inclined to cut those two slack but they're still defining limitations to work around 5v5. It's made all the more difficult by Strome being closer to prime yet also slow and not a big play driver either. That's as sluggish a contending core as one is likely to find and a remarkable coaching statement IMO that they've managed to make it as successful as they have. Because in practice their main advantage in a contending environment is probably just goaltending IMO. Nominal lines 2/4 are overtasked defensively then the cushier 1/3 lines don't do remotely enough despite more favorable deployments. It's a thin recipe and not multi-dimensional enough.
They'll have some money and perhaps assets to acquire a higher quality middle six center if they want to have three stronger scoring lines and perhaps drive play a bit more. Cristall can at least be in the mix to add more flair, dynamism and creativity. But they're seemingly unlikely to control play for prolonged periods of this series. It's still not who they are really. It's going to have to be about being opportunistic, leaning on Thompson, hunkering down, blocking shots, getting in their kitchen and winning ugly. They did some good things defensively in terms of structure. The PK did its job and they blocked a lot of shots (their 32 blocks is only bested in these playoffs by NJD's vs. CAR last round in a 2OT game). But obviously they've got to do much better territorially and when pushed to their limits they have such gaps in their game.
There are still not nearly enough play drivers on this team (and, yes, that's in part due to where 8/74 are in their careers as core pieces). I'm inclined to cut those two slack but they're still defining limitations to work around 5v5. It's made all the more difficult by Strome being closer to prime yet also slow and not a big play driver either. That's as sluggish a contending core as one is likely to find and a remarkable coaching statement IMO that they've managed to make it as successful as they have. Because in practice their main advantage in a contending environment is probably just goaltending IMO. Nominal lines 2/4 are overtasked defensively then the cushier 1/3 lines don't do remotely enough despite more favorable deployments. It's a thin recipe and not multi-dimensional enough.
They'll have some money and perhaps assets to acquire a higher quality middle six center if they want to have three stronger scoring lines and perhaps drive play a bit more. Cristall can at least be in the mix to add more flair, dynamism and creativity. But they're seemingly unlikely to control play for prolonged periods of this series. It's still not who they are really. It's going to have to be about being opportunistic, leaning on Thompson, hunkering down, blocking shots, getting in their kitchen and winning ugly. They did some good things defensively in terms of structure. The PK did its job and they blocked a lot of shots (their 32 blocks is only bested in these playoffs by NJD's vs. CAR last round in a 2OT game). But obviously they've got to do much better territorially and when pushed to their limits they have such gaps in their game.
Jags
Mildly Disturbed
All motor, no finish. They tried twice to trade for polish and finish, but those guys don't want to play Rod's relentless style (or pay state income tax). Rod is the reason they're so competitive, and the reason they don't get over the hump. The same type of thing Dale had us doing the year he coached.
That style is great to force the fundamentals and build the intangibles, but it also makes most of your team hate you or the game. Not sustainable, and probably won't win Cups in the modern game.
Post of the year candidate. We spent all night reacting to them, didn't/couldn't play our game at all. Every player had a solid shift or two, but never at the same time. There's a bunch of words for it, but discombobulated is the most fun to say.
Given that our goal didn't change much for us, it might've been better if we'd never scored, because I think eventually we may have opted to just give them the lumber. We can kill penalties, and their PP doesn't scare me. We'd have been better off, even in a loss, making the Canes earn it physically. Didn't even do that though.
It's not a strategy for the next game because we need to get focused on our game, but if they get us on our heels again? Yeah, switch gears and just beat on them for a while. If seeing blood is what it takes to prove they're human and get our confidence back, give 'em the lumber.
Nah. I like him a lot, but that type of speed isn't our problem. We've got guys that can run up ice. We just aren't stringing passes together to even BEGIN to play a meaningful transition game. If we can get that going, we'll be fine as-is.
I'd move Protas up and Beauvy back. I'd also go 72/26/9 to get Lenny away from Eller. Leonard is making things happen, just doesn't have the right kind of support. Those two would complement him well.
And if it's gonna be Eller/Duhaime, might make sense to swap Raddysh in for 88 and just make it the 4th line in every sense. Make it a hustle, forecheck line and hope for the best. No one's helping leverage anything Mangiapane is good at anyway.
ArmadilloThumb
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Love this team.
This is adversity, Carbs and group can re-group, refame and win. That the only way to win Championships. They can do this... execute.
This is adversity, Carbs and group can re-group, refame and win. That the only way to win Championships. They can do this... execute.
I really want Protas back with Dubois and Wilson, it felt like that line dominated their opponents every night. The problem is that CMM didn’t really have chemistry/fit with Ovi and Strome.
That’s why I’d try these lines, at least at home:
Ovi-Strome-Leonard (lots of O-zone starts)
Protas-Dubois-Wilson (vs. Aho)
CMM-Eller-Beauvillier (3A)
Duhaime-Dowd-Mangiapane (3B)
That’s why I’d try these lines, at least at home:
Ovi-Strome-Leonard (lots of O-zone starts)
Protas-Dubois-Wilson (vs. Aho)
CMM-Eller-Beauvillier (3A)
Duhaime-Dowd-Mangiapane (3B)
ArmadilloThumb
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If they are not going to immediately adapt and they lose game two I want to see:
Ovi - Strome - Leonard
CMM - PLD - Wilson
A. Protas - I. Protas - Beauvillier
Duhaime - Dowd - Mangiapane
Give it a shot. If it doesn't provide a magic spark, it will be at least illustrative as to next steps.
Maybe they should just do this anyways for game two...
Ovi - Strome - Leonard
CMM - PLD - Wilson
A. Protas - I. Protas - Beauvillier
Duhaime - Dowd - Mangiapane
Give it a shot. If it doesn't provide a magic spark, it will be at least illustrative as to next steps.
Maybe they should just do this anyways for game two...
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There's a lot of overthinking going on. My guess is that Carberry simply swaps Beauvillier and Protas with a small chance that Bear or McIlrath draws in for AA. That's probably it for game 2.
Also, I realize this is a slim silver lining, but the Caps actually did a good job guarding against high quality shots. Pulling from Gulitti:
Also, I realize this is a slim silver lining, but the Caps actually did a good job guarding against high quality shots. Pulling from Gulitti:
And that was despite an overall edge of 94-34 in shot attempts.
Agreed. Sometimes change isn’t best. Ferraro puts hockey fans to sleep in a playoff game. The panel are clowns too.
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Hate to pile on JC74, but I think he's officially a pumpkin. He looked so bad in the MTL series. Next year he needs to have even less TOI and critical roles. Really wish we could acquire a less old (27-30 y/o) stopgap RD that can do everything decently well (e.g., Rasmus Andersson).
wickedwitch
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He was good in the regular season, which makes me think this is either an injury or too much playing time. Regardless, what they're doing with him in the playoffs is not working.
This is another one of those ideas that seems to make sense to us, but it is never going to happen. Its just not. For starters, PP minutes, especially at the point, are the least strenuous minutes in a hockey game. He's practically standing still most of the time.
g00n
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This is true but it's hard to get out on the front foot when you spend so much time reacting to 90 low-calorie shot attempts.
Caps have to get out of that mindset and "set the f***ing tone"
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