Series Talk: [M1] Washington Capitals vs [WC2] Montreal Canadiens (WAS Leads 3-1)

[viceroy]

Bandz a Maker Her Dance in 4

Are you having a stroke?

I think Demidov takes Laine spot on the PP1 and do wonders.

Laine has been one of the best players league-wide on the PP, so your idea is to get him off of there? If you had said replace Slafkovsky I would've said maybe.

That's not because of Slaf though. Let's be honest Demidov >>>>>> Slaf

That's not how hockey works. On a good line you often need someone to go into the corners, win board battles and dig out the puck. Slafs is good at that plus has solid offensive skills and chemistry with Suzuki and Caufield.

If only this series happened a year later so we could have the possibility of Hutson vs Hutson

Could happen just next year.

Habs take 2 steps back next season.

Or so you hope.

Tom Wilson effect .. its not his fighting. He kinda sucks at actually fighting imo. Its his non stop hitting and skating.

Props to Anderson, he won. Xhekaj should win too. Those fights after the whistle dont effect the outcome of games.

That's the thing. Earlier this season Tkachuk laid out some dirty hits and Xhekaj invited him to dance. He declined. So Xhekaj went hunting for the Sens' fancier players. That quieted Brady down right quick.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

I think Montreal pulls the upset.

 

[Hank Plank]

Hello right back at you:
View attachment 1016500

 

[SharksFan1992]

Leafs fan here… Habs in 6. They got nothing to lose, and the Habs in the playoffs it’s magic. Some way somehow they always do something crazy and pull of upsets

2011, 2013, and 2017 they didn't so much upsetting.

 

[ovikovy817]

Possibility of only 1 day time game for the Caps. That's a good news.

 

[JustAHabFan]

The Habs has played very well after a break. This 4 days break will beneficial to them greatly.

 

[Caps8112]

Where have I heard that before? Ohhhh yes. From the Caps and Leafs fans.

Funny how "Montreal won't win a game" can translate into a game 7 win, eh?

(I voted Caps in 6, I feel dirty.)

I would bet most Caps fans dont say what you replied too. I think our historic mediocrity in the playoffs has most of us with the beaten dog syndrome. Im more in the boat of how will the caps snatch defeat from the jaws of victory over here. I believe it will be a very tough series because thats almost the only way the Caps know how to do the playoffs. Even in their cup run they went down 0-2 to columbus, the blew a 2-0 lead in the conference final to tampa and had to win games 6 and 7. The caps also never swept a series 4-0, so that can likely be crossed off.

 

[Random Comment]

Neutral fan. Washington overrated #1 seed. They’ll have trouble with Habs who will come in with a lot of energy. Going Habs in 6.

 

[gtrower]

The Habs has played very well after a break. This 4 days break will beneficial to them greatly.

I can see that, but probably a net loss for them overall if it gives Protas and/or Thompson enough time to be full go for G1 for the Caps.

 

[mrv52]

If the Caps play anything like they did tonight they're gonna get smoked by a young hungry Habs team.

Dressing 5d (2 of which were 7&8) 4th string goalie and Beauvillier on top line?

 

[caps4cup]

I see it the opposite way. I think the Habs carry play. They are fast and pesky. But when the Caps gets their chances, Habs D and goaltending is suspect

Only 4 teams had a worse xGF% and only 3 teams had a worse SF% than the Canadiens at 5v5. Not saying they can’t carry the play, but it doesn’t seem like they did so very often in the regular season.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Only 4 teams had a worse xGF% and only 3 teams had a worse SF% than the Canadiens at 5v5. Not saying they can’t carry the play, but it doesn’t seem like they did so very often in the regular season.

Eh don't worry about that too much I know these players. They are going to likely be skating circles around the Capitals as much as they can. They just aren't going to attack the net hard, a lot of it will be permieter and trying to generate chances off the rush.

If the Caps allow rush chances they are cooked. If they don't, they just gotta be patient and let the Habs make their mistakes

 

[HabsQC]

Habs are massive underdogs for sure. Plus we've been playing like crap for the past 4 games at least. With that said, I have seen this situation quite a few times and thwy usually respond well. I think the Bell Centre crowd makes our players play better than they are.

 

[caps4cup]

From the games against the Caps this season, the Habs carried the play and it was Thompson who won the game for the Caps (if my memory still served me well).

The Caps had a combined 64.9 xGF% in the 3 games against the Canadiens. 80.44% the first game, 63.88% the 2nd game, and 48.66% the 3rd game. So the 3rd game was a toss up and the Caps completely out played them in the first two games. Not sure if Thompson played every game, but his save percentage was nothing special if so (.894 SV% at 5v5 for the Caps in those 3 games).

 

[GRob83]

The Capitals have had nothing to play for since the 4 Nations Tournament when they already had the Metro Division lead by a country mile. They've also been without Protas and Thompson who were playing the best hockey of their careers. Montreal barely edged out Columbus for the 8th seed by beating Carolina who rested Aho, Jarvis, Staal and Slavin among others while the Blue Jackets won their final 6 games. They are absolutely lucky to even be in the playoffs. As a Capitals fan, I would be much more concerned if they were facing CBJ after Saturday and Sundays results.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

The Habs rookies and young stars will get 4 super valuable games of playoff hockey experience. So it's a win.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

Habs have looked outta gaz the last few games but if we can get some energy back it will be a good series but most importantly valuable games for our young team

 

[DueDiligence]

Need Wilson to pound Hutson and Demidov and the Caps win easily.

 

[NyQuil]

Need Wilson to pound Hutson and Demidov and the Caps win easily.

To me it has less to do with "pounding anyone" and whether they can keep him from dominating the area around the Habs net.

They'll probably have to use Guhle in that role. Xhekaj is big and strong but Wilson isn't a plug and he could victimize him with skill I think.

 

[Michelangelo]

LFG

 

[Prettyisland]

I think it all depends on how the Canadiens handle the “mission accomplished” vibe of making the post season. They looked tight down the stretch. Maybe they play more freely and it bodes well?

I think the Ovi chase was a huge rallying point for the caps. They played like “well what now?” Team right after.

Either way it’ll be fun. Habs in 6

 

[Cole Caulifield]

My Dad was French Canadien who loved the Habs and that part of me is happy for Habs nation and will be cheering them on but the nucks fan who's gutted says how did a team 17th in GF, 23 in GAA and 21 on the PP and a negative goal differential pull this off?

Oh well go Habs and the hardcore fans, not the ones who stick with ther team I'm excited for you guys but the tank thread guys just like in Vancouver last year can suck a big one

Probably because we got blown out a lot at the start of the year.

 

[GlitchMarner]

Last year, people made a big deal of the fact that the Capitals had such a poor goal differential for a playoff team.

Well, this season, Montreal was -20 in GD. I give the Habs credit for putting together a good run late in the season to get into the playoffs, but the team isn't ready for a deep run.

The only thing that concerns me is that the Capitals were ass and played by far their worst hockey in the last ten or so games. I'm sure they simply weren't interested by that point, and obviously there was a lot of attention on Ovechkin and the goal chase. I have a feeling they may not be able to return to form as soon as the series starts. But I do think they'll find their game... or least play well enough to get the win in six games (max).

 

[MarkovsKnee]

The Capitals have had nothing to play for since the 4 Nations Tournament when they already had the Metro Division lead by a country mile. They've also been without Protas and Thompson who were playing the best hockey of their careers. Montreal barely edged out Columbus for the 8th seed by beating Carolina who rested Aho, Jarvis, Staal and Slavin among others while the Blue Jackets won their final 6 games. They are absolutely lucky to even be in the playoffs. As a Capitals fan, I would be much more concerned if they were facing CBJ after Saturday and Sundays results.

Montreal went 7-1-2 in last 10 games, which is a better record than Columbus who went 7-3. Montreal also had a 6 game win streak which was broken by Ottawa. Their final week they had a brutal schedule which isn't a factor in the playoffs because they don't play back-to-backs or 3 games in 4 days, or 6 games in 8 days.

Columbus also played a shitty Caps team with half their roster out, an AHL goalie in one game and Lindgren doing his best AHL goalie impression in another. Those 2 games are meaningless, other than CBJ was able to get 4 points from them.

In their last 5 games, Columbus played no team that actually cared to be competitive.

The reality is Montreal was 6 points back of Columbus at 4 Nations break. They eventually got it to where they were 8 points up on Columbus. A 14 point swing in a quarter of a season.

Montreal did that by playing hard & fast everything on the line hockey, especially by their top players. Eventually that wore them down. This rest will do them good.

2 of 3 of Caps games were during Montreal's worst team in the league effort in October and November. The 3rd game Montreal was playing much better hockey and they won it. They deserved it, too.

It'll be competitive. Whether or not Thompson plays will be a big factor because Lindgren is awful.

 

[JianYang]

Habs are the youngest team to make it in the history of the nhl.

Gallagher is the only guy to play in the playoffs with that bell center crowd.

That being said, there is some experience. Suzuki is entering his 7th postseason round, and Anderson has more than that.

Caufield tasted the finals run, and savard of course has a Stanley cup. Matheson has mere 20 games under his belt.

On the other hand, Dvorak finally gets a playoff taste. I don't think he's ever had one. And it's pretty much all green from there down the lineup.