C-A-P-S

[Kel Varnsen]

Not sure why the Hurricane are the favorites as we had the best record in the east and are now healthy. I'm thinking the game is Sunday night due to conflicts at the arena but that was speculation. We are going to the beach on Sunday so this will be fun, love watching big games while on vacation.

It would have started Sunday if the Blues and Jets didn’t have game 7 today. I don’t know about conflicts at Capital One arena, but while trying to find when the games would be scheduled, I stumbled across a hurricanes thread and in Raleigh, they have concerts Friday and Sunday. So the series there could only be played on Thursday, Saturday and Monday. I believe that is why game 1 was pushed to Tuesday and not Monday so the league could stay on an every 2 day schedule throughout the series.

 

[skinsmarydu]

Yeah, it's a TV thing.

I'm so happy right now. Wore my ROCK THE RED shirt and Caps hat to the track (Road ATL) yesterday.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Terrible game tonight. The Caps looked like they were sleepwalking with the puck most of the game. Thompson was fantastic all night, but Carolina’s game plan of throwing pucks to the net is what works in OT. That goal barely squeaks under the pad, but the Caps were just hoping for a lucky bounce or break in OT to win the way they played tonight. They have to be better with the puck and also challenge the Carolina goalie more. They can’t win playing like they did tonight.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Much better game tonight. It started similar to the other night, but the Caps really picked up the tempo and played Capitals hockey. Just a few hiccups in the 3rd, but otherwise a great rebound game. Wilson was all over the ice tonight, so I’m glad he got the empty netter.

 

[skinsmarydu]

Much better game tonight. It started similar to the other night, but the Caps really picked up the tempo and played Capitals hockey. Just a few hiccups in the 3rd, but otherwise a great rebound game. Wilson was all over the ice tonight, so I’m glad he got the empty netter.

Thanks, I didn't watch...was grillin' salmon with my friend and watching motorcycle racing that I missed on the track Saturday. (I needed to leave earlier than the race I wanted to see.)

I'm waaaay into it now...Kayla Yaakov is on the Ducati team, and at 17 years old, she's kickin' ass out there with the big boys.

I kept checking the score, tho...I have to have divided attention nowadays.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

Much better game tonight. It started similar to the other night, but the Caps really picked up the tempo and played Capitals hockey. Just a few hiccups in the 3rd, but otherwise a great rebound game. Wilson was all over the ice tonight, so I’m glad he got the empty netter.

Yep the season was saved. Getting the first goal was huge, for a period and a half it was just like Game 1 with the Caps not even trying to mount offense from the defensive zone, they were simply trying to clear the puck. Then in the 2nd they turned back into the Washington Capitals and passes they were missing started hitting the tape again. Tom Wilson was fantastic last night, he deserved that empty netter that he played a big role in creating by staying onsides.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Brutal last 30 minutes of the game tonight. Carlson was dreadful on defense on 2 of the first 3 goals. But what’s really frustrating is it looked like they had figured out how to counter what the hurricanes were doing, only to stop doing it and let the hurricanes retake control of the game.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

Brutal last 30 minutes of the game tonight. Carlson was dreadful on defense on 2 of the first 3 goals. But what’s really frustrating is it looked like they had figured out how to counter what the hurricanes were doing, only to stop doing it and let the hurricanes retake control of the game.

Not sure what that was. Was it bad coaching? Bad execution? Looked like a little of both.

The first period seemed good from some measures but even there, I didn't like the physical side. It just looked like G1 from the physical side, where they were taking way too many hits vs being able to deliver any. Eventually, it wears you down, especially if you have O-Zone time and don't bury anything in the meantime.

They will have to forget and move on. THIS team, I believe it can still win this series. Just made it a lot harder for themselves, but still a winnable series. They need to toughen up though and play that way for 60. Ovie is definitely showing his age though, and again - this is a result of the type of game the Canes play - in May it is that much tougher too.

 

[SkinsOrlando]

We gotta play hard in the defensive zone, sloppy tonight , grind them down, carolina is built on chippy hard play, maybe we need some better strength and conditioning? We looked gassed all game

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Not sure what that was. Was it bad coaching? Bad execution? Looked like a little of both.

The first period seemed good from some measures but even there, I didn't like the physical side. It just looked like G1 from the physical side, where they were taking way too many hits vs being able to deliver any. Eventually, it wears you down, especially if you have O-Zone time and don't bury anything in the meantime.

They will have to forget and move on. THIS team, I believe it can still win this series. Just made it a lot harder for themselves, but still a winnable series. They need to toughen up though and play that way for 60. Ovie is definitely showing his age though, and again - this is a result of the type of game the Canes play - in May it is that much tougher too.

The thing about Ovechkin is that they can use him strategically to maximize what he can do and minimize his weaknesses. In this series, the style of play does not fit his current game. So he hasn't been very effective at all. The real problem though is that with Carlson, he's still getting top defensive minutes and he too is overmatched by the style of play. There is no way to hide him or minimize his weaknesses. He was slow to cover Svechnikov on the first goal and was complete turned around on the third goal. He's been bad with the puck this series as well. There is no one else to replace him either, so we can only hope he turns it around. Both of these guys are at the end of their careers and father time is still undefeated and it's showing through 3 games of this series.

 

[Slotball]

Last night was poor, but not all that surprised by the result. Canes matchup well with the Caps, and will be a tough out for anyone in the playoffs. Caps were unable to take advantage of their chances early, and that let the Canes back into the game.

Carlson and Sandin are not a strong defensive pairing, and that’ll have to be addressed this offseason…along with adding some speed. Missing Fehervary on the back end. Monday’s game now becomes a must win.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

The thing about Ovechkin is that they can use him strategically to maximize what he can do and minimize his weaknesses. In this series, the style of play does not fit his current game. So he hasn't been very effective at all. The real problem though is that with Carlson, he's still getting top defensive minutes and he too is overmatched by the style of play. There is no way to hide him or minimize his weaknesses. He was slow to cover Svechnikov on the first goal and was complete turned around on the third goal. He's been bad with the puck this series as well. There is no one else to replace him either, so we can only hope he turns it around. Both of these guys are at the end of their careers and father time is still undefeated and it's showing through 3 games of this series.

100% agree; Carlson and Ovechkin both need to be worked around. If Backstrom and Oshie were out there, well, the Caps wouldn't make it to the playoffs, a la the Pens. Ovechkin whiffed on one point blank shot on Andersen (the one that ended up rolling to his pads eventually). They (those two, collectively) really need to bury opportunities given the other liabilities they represent. I believe part of the Canes strategy is to be extremely physical with the Caps and maybe in particular O and Carlson, because over time you can see their effectiveness just diminish. It takes a toll on any player but in particular those two. The strategy from HCSC, he really needs to encourage a lot more physicality. I felt they had that in G2 and went away again in G3. Need to be more consistent there, but what do I know? Haha. It just seems that way to me.

Last night was poor, but not all that surprised by the result. Canes matchup well with the Caps, and will be a tough out for anyone in the playoffs. Caps were unable to take advantage of their chances early, and that let the Canes back into the game.

Carlson and Sandin are not a strong defensive pairing, and that’ll have to be addressed this offseason…along with adding some speed. Missing Fehervary on the back end. Monday’s game now becomes a must win.

Yes, the Canes and Jets are the two hardest matchups in the NHL for the Caps, and I don't think it's particularly close (and yes, I think the Canes are the hardest). Continuing the proud Caps tradition of meeting their hardest matchup in round-2. So annoying.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Yes, the Canes and Jets are the two hardest matchups in the NHL for the Caps, and I don't think it's particularly close (and yes, I think the Canes are the hardest). Continuing the proud Caps tradition of meeting their hardest matchup in round-2. So annoying.

I’m glad you said this. My family last night was saying that the Canes are like the Penguins in the playoffs. I told them no way because the Caps and Pens have playoff history going back to 1990. The Caps and Hurricanes have played 1 time in the playoffs before this year, and it was a game 7 OT series. So this is nothing like the Penguins who have dominated the Caps in the playoffs for the better part of 35 years. But the Canes are a very tough matchup and you are correct about always having to play the toughest matchups. That’s probably where the frustration is from my family and other fans. I get that frustration and it seems the Caps are rarely taking it to the other team in the playoffs, but it’s the playoffs and eventually, you have to beat the other teams in the playoffs to advance.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

This series is in the second round and last year was in the first round, but they are starting to feel similar. Don't get me wrong, last year's was worse, the team just couldn't get anything going, but this series is going pretty awry here. There are rumors that Mitch Love is getting looks, there are rumors that Kirk Muller is getting looks... you have to wonder if they can't take a step forward without one or both of them.

The defense (Love) and the PP (Muller) have both been pretty subpar in my opinion. I get that Fehevary is out and JC74 has had a bad series, and even that Alexeyev poor play has put them in a bad position on top of all of that, but it just feels to me the coaches are not getting the best play out of their players right now. Maybe the "looks" have them planning their futures? I don't know, it just doesn't feel right after the season they had. They aren't playing "their game." If they lost while doing that, so be it, but this looks really off, in particular on defense and I think it's beyond Fehevary there.

 

[Slotball]

 

[burgold]

I think this team lost its focus in chasing the record. Ovechkin’s goal turned out to be their ring.

 

[SkinsOrlando]

Our lack of speed on defense has been apparent against Carolina, Carolina has dictated the pace almost every game, not a good recipe for success. Last time we came back from a 3-1 deficit was 09 against the Rangers, not that most teams come back from 3-1 but that was a long time ago and that team could score goals in bunches.

 

[Highway]

Carlson and AA a complete show. Hopefully 74 retires saves 9 mil

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I think this team lost its focus in chasing the record. Ovechkin’s goal turned out to be their ring.

I felt the team lost focus at the end of the regular season. But the way they played against Montreal showed that was not the case at the start of the playoffs. They could have folded after game 3 of that series, packed it in and said we got the goal record, let’s go home. But they took it to the Canadiens in game 4 and 5 to win the series. Fans may think the goal record is the big achievement for the season, but not a single player in that locker room wants to settle on that. It’s why they were so frustrated last night as they thought this was their bounce back game. But when they could get any traction in the game, the players were visibly angry. The Hurricanes a tough matchup and are dictating the games. They have dictated all 5 games. The Caps don’t look as overmatched as they did in games 1 and 2, but Carolina is still the aggressor and have controlled most of the games. When they haven’t controlled, Andersen has been shutting the door. Carolina is just a better team that had played better and has deserved to win. I believe it really is that simple.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

I felt the team lost focus at the end of the regular season. But the way they played against Montreal showed that was not the case at the start of the playoffs. They could have folded after game 3 of that series, packed it in and said we got the goal record, let’s go home. But they took it to the Canadiens in game 4 and 5 to win the series. Fans may think the goal record is the big achievement for the season, but not a single player in that locker room wants to settle on that. It’s why they were so frustrated last night as they thought this was their bounce back game. But when they could get any traction in the game, the players were visibly angry. The Hurricanes a tough matchup and are dictating the games. They have dictated all 5 games. The Caps don’t look as overmatched as they did in games 1 and 2, but Carolina is still the aggressor and have controlled most of the games. When they haven’t controlled, Andersen has been shutting the door. Carolina is just a better team that had played better and has deserved to win. I believe it really is that simple.

Yes and I also think losing Fehevary with a couple of Caps being older and looking their age in this series isn't helping. Carolina's style of play is particularly tough on those dudes, and I think their strategy has worked unfortunately well. When you have a couple of older players who get a lot of minutes or key positions on your roster, they can become targets if they have some gaps in their game, or they are subject to fatigue; especially if you leave those exposed. Good coaches find ways to poke at those. Fehevary helped cover up some of that quite well.