Pre-Game Talk: So We Meet Again

[Mogo]

We're winning this series in 6 games.

That game 1 deflated me so much. I just felt went back 15 years again and I expect a 4-0 sweep.

I really really hope they prove me wrong. That 1rst game was so bad all around except Bob

 

[letsgrowcactus]

I know the "we don't have playoff experience" argument feels like an excuse... Except it's true, especially against a veteran team in Washington.

Reinhart is 26, yet he has just played his first professional playoff game ever AND his first playoff game since 2014/15 WHL playoffs (he played at some WCs at least, but that's a somewhat different animal). Lundell also just played his first NHL playoff game; same for Luostarinen.

Let's look at our key players. Barkov and Huberdeau - both with 17 career NHL playoff games, including the "play-ins". Ekblad - 11 career NHL playoff games (again, including the "play-ins"). Weegar, also with 11 games. If we stick to the D: Forsling, 19 NHL playoff games. Gudas, 27 NHL playoff games. Montour, 28 career NHL playoff games. Chiarot is by far our most experienced D with 57 games and the only guy on defence who played over 30 games in the playoffs.
Verhaeghe has been in 17 NHL playoff games; Duclair has just played his 7th NHL playoff game; same for Marchment and Lomberg. Bennett with 36 NHL playoff games is our second most experienced top 9 forward playoff-wise, Giroux takes the lead with 86 games. Of course Hornqvist (97) and Thornton (186) have a lot of experience, but both are just depth guys at this point; Thornton didn't even dress in Game 1.

Shockingly, Giroux and Bennett were the two forwards to get on the scoresheet.

To put this in perspective, Washington's biggest star is Ovechkin has played 142 NHL playoff games. Kuznetsov has 82 playoff games under his belt; Wilson has 83 games, Backstrom has 134, Oshie has 97, Eller has 91, I could go on. Their n.1 D Carlson has 118 NHL playoff games under his belt. After the first game, our entire forward group without Horqvist has combined for 197 NHL playoff games; if you substract Giroux as well, you get to 111. Carlson alone has more played playoff games than our entire D group sans Chiarot; with Chiarot, it's 118 playoff games (Carlson) vs. 153 playoff games (our entire defence).

In Game 1, Washington dressed three skaters who don't have at least 20 NHL games under their belt: Larsson (1st NHL game; 4LW); Fehervary (3rd NHL game, 2018 2nd rounder, top pairing D) and Mantha (6th NHL game; 3LW). We dressed 12 guys with < 20 NHL playoff games: our entire first line, our 2LW, our entire 3rd line, our 4LW and 4C; our 1D, 2D and 3D.

We do have the experience in net if it's Bob (42) vs. Vaněček (2), but we also have a rookie head coach in Brunette (1 playoff game) vs. a Cup winner and two-times runner-up in Laviolette (149 games).

I still believe we will beat Washington, but it definitely won't be easy.

 

[PanthersHockey1]

We gave up so many of our first round picks just to fall flat in round 1 again?

 

[Mogo]

We gave up so many of our first round picks just to fall flat in round 1 again?

We had about 10% the fights in us in game 1 than we did any playoff game last year

If we come out like this again in game 2 and play the same. If you cant blame Bruno then who can you?

 

[needforspeed]

Weird. Was really nervous before the first game and now feeling pretty calm. We didn't play a good game and still were really close of winning. It was a slap in the face, nothing more and it should woke up the guys.

It will be our game tonight, let's take the drivers seat on the series with convincing win!

 

[FrolikFan67]

We’ve seen them play flat this year and mostly we’ve seen them take care of business. It was game 1, a wake up call, we’re good at home, it was a 1 goal game despite us not playing well, I’m going to have faith in them that they’ll get up and do what they’ve been doing. And once they do, we’ll be feeling a lot better and in control

 

[InTheBiz]

My big fear is that we get bad Bob tonight. That and Bruno having some plan for this 1-3-1, but Washington comes out in a completely different look, we can’t adjust on the fly and find ourselves down 1-0 after 1.

 

[KW]

How do they reverse the trend of 1) giving up the first goal, 2) falling behind early in sog, 3) taking the first penalty, 4) giving up a goal on the first 5 or so shots?

Skate hard. Don’t let a few boneheads make a few boneheaded plays. Shoot the puck. Get o-zone faceoffs. Cover for odd man rush.

Simply put: not being stupid and lackluster. This should not be difficult for this team.

 

[iam76]

How do they reverse the trend of 1) giving up the first goal, 2) falling behind early in sog, 3) taking the first penalty, 4) giving up a goal on the first 5 or so shots?

Skate hard. Don’t let a few boneheads make a few boneheaded plays. Shoot the puck. Get o-zone faceoffs. Cover for odd man rush.

Simply put: not being stupid and lackluster. This should not be difficult for this team.

don't do that bad stuff and do the good stuff. get a bounce or two.. and then step on their neck. and my god weegar just play hockey.. stop trying to be orsling

 

[iam76]

we just need to flat out win. if Edmonton, Tampa can do it so can we. need momentum

 

[GigaChad]

I'm so damn nervous.
We have to win.

 

[Chessarmy]

All the game one losers (except Boston) responded last night.

It's our turn.

 

[ScottyMascotty]

I know the "we don't have playoff experience" argument feels like an excuse... Except it's true, especially against a veteran team in Washington.

Reinhart is 26, yet he has just played his first professional playoff game ever AND his first playoff game since 2014/15 WHL playoffs (he played at some WCs at least, but that's a somewhat different animal). Lundell also just played his first NHL playoff game; same for Luostarinen.

Let's look at our key players. Barkov and Huberdeau - both with 17 career NHL playoff games, including the "play-ins". Ekblad - 11 career NHL playoff games (again, including the "play-ins"). Weegar, also with 11 games. If we stick to the D: Forsling, 19 NHL playoff games. Gudas, 27 NHL playoff games. Montour, 28 career NHL playoff games. Chiarot is by far our most experienced D with 57 games and the only guy on defence who played over 30 games in the playoffs.
Verhaeghe has been in 17 NHL playoff games; Duclair has just played his 7th NHL playoff game; same for Marchment and Lomberg. Bennett with 36 NHL playoff games is our second most experienced top 9 forward playoff-wise, Giroux takes the lead with 86 games. Of course Hornqvist (97) and Thornton (186) have a lot of experience, but both are just depth guys at this point; Thornton didn't even dress in Game 1.

Shockingly, Giroux and Bennett were the two forwards to get on the scoresheet.

To put this in perspective, Washington's biggest star is Ovechkin has played 142 NHL playoff games. Kuznetsov has 82 playoff games under his belt; Wilson has 83 games, Backstrom has 134, Oshie has 97, Eller has 91, I could go on. Their n.1 D Carlson has 118 NHL playoff games under his belt. After the first game, our entire forward group without Horqvist has combined for 197 NHL playoff games; if you substract Giroux as well, you get to 111. Carlson alone has more played playoff games than our entire D group sans Chiarot; with Chiarot, it's 118 playoff games (Carlson) vs. 153 playoff games (our entire defence).

In Game 1, Washington dressed three skaters who don't have at least 20 NHL games under their belt: Larsson (1st NHL game; 4LW); Fehervary (3rd NHL game, 2018 2nd rounder, top pairing D) and Mantha (6th NHL game; 3LW). We dressed 12 guys with < 20 NHL playoff games: our entire first line, our 2LW, our entire 3rd line, our 4LW and 4C; our 1D, 2D and 3D.

We do have the experience in net if it's Bob (42) vs. Vaněček (2), but we also have a rookie head coach in Brunette (1 playoff game) vs. a Cup winner and two-times runner-up in Laviolette (149 games).

I still believe we will beat Washington, but it definitely won't be easy.

Forsling had only 6 NHL playoff appearances before this series, 13 games was played for Rockford in AHL.

 

[Gentle Man]

Lol these lines

 

[FlaPanthers11]

Lol these lines

All those line combinations we messed with late in the season and this is where we landed by game 2. But were lines 2 and 3 here ever even tried?

 

[Mogo]

Lol these lines

Bruno's adjustments?

 

[Gentle Man]

All those line combinations we messed with late in the season and this is where we landed by game 2. But were lines 2 and 3 here ever even tried?

Yeah idk how or what happened for him to arrive at Giroux being a 3rd liner is the answer lol

But that 3rd line is candidate for the slowest line we have used all year.

Only beat by any line that has had Thornton on it

 

[Panteras]

Sigh

 

[floridada]

Lol these lines

 

[Fern111]

Keeping Weegar and Ekblad is the question.

Sitting Lomberg is not the answer.

 

[Mogo]

Yeah idk how or what happened for him to arrive at Giroux being a 3rd liner is the answer lol

But that 3rd line is candidate for the slowest line we have used all year.

Only beat by any line that has had Thornton on it

Feel like we got no plan here. Just throw out diffferent line combos.

Will we see a new strategy against the 1-3-1 or it just putting Huby-Barkov together 10 minutes into the first period?

 

[letsgrowcactus]

Lol these lines

Interesting...? Was this ever tried at all?
Why is G at line 3? Is it an attempt to have three dangerous lines?
Huh. Not what I'd go with but who knows, maybe it'll work great.

Keeping Weegar and Ekblad is the question.

Sitting Lomberg is not the answer.

I'm fine with replacing Lomberg with Acciari - he's a solid 4th liner with plenty of playoff experience, including a trip to the Finals. The rest of it... not so sure about that.

 

[ShootIt]

Would of rather seen Mamin over Acciari, but can get the reasoning.

Don't get the 3rd line, but I guess we'll see how long this lineup lasts tonight.

 

[zeroG]

Lol these lines

i knew acciari would be in.

rest of the line changes.... whatever. top 9 are almost interchangeable. i'm sure they'll all go into the blender anyway once the game starts.

i'm most concerned about weegar's state of mind right now.

Interesting...? Was this ever tried at all?
Why is G at line 3? Is it an attempt to have three dangerous lines?
Huh. Not what I'd go with but who knows, maybe it'll work great.

lundell was a non-factor. maybe an attempt to help acclimate him to the pace/pressure?

 

[Panteras]

How Bruno keeps Weegar there is baffling. Maybe Weegar told him ok ok mister, I won’t make those mistakes again. Weegar would be lucky to dress tonight if Q was in charge.