Game Thread: Let's Play Two | Pens V Caps | Home & Home

[pixburgher66]

No need to mess with a recipe for success!

He gets something that I think a lot of guys that play with Sid don't...they try to do too much and make big things happen, when in reality that's not why they're on Sid's line. He gets Sid the puck in the neutral zone, plays with speed, plays hard. The recipe for success is to work hard, skate hard, and give Sid the puck. Honestly I'm not sure how well a star winger would really work with Sid long term. I'm sure it'd be great, but that guy would need to check their ego at the door a bit, and be willing to not carry the puck much, and just get open. You know who did a GREAT job of adjusting their game TO Sid? Hossa. It was rough for a month or so, then he adjusted, and that line in the playoffs was locked and loaded.

 

[dare2be]

Puke assist?

Stempniak would've gotten a star if I was handing them out. That rush he had was sick. I think it's funny that he said after the last game, basically, "I just get Sid the puck", which is literally how he's gotten all his Penguin points thus far.

Tongue fully in cheek, in reference to negative comments made by someone when the trade was announced. Keep in mind "puke" is used as a compliment.

 

[thedddd]

He gets something that I think a lot of guys that play with Sid don't...they try to do too much and make big things happen, when in reality that's not why they're on Sid's line. He gets Sid the puck in the neutral zone, plays with speed, plays hard. The recipe for success is to work hard, skate hard, and give Sid the puck. Honestly I'm not sure how well a star winger would really work with Sid long term. I'm sure it'd be great, but that guy would need to check their ego at the door a bit, and be willing to not carry the puck much, and just get open. You know who did a GREAT job of adjusting their game TO Sid? Hossa. It was rough for a month or so, then he adjusted, and that line in the playoffs was locked and loaded.

Yep and going on my joke post above seriously think back to Bob Errey thats exactly what he did when he played with Lemieux. Different era but same philosophy for that type of player.

 

[Darkstone42]

He gets something that I think a lot of guys that play with Sid don't...they try to do too much and make big things happen, when in reality that's not why they're on Sid's line. He gets Sid the puck in the neutral zone, plays with speed, plays hard. The recipe for success is to work hard, skate hard, and give Sid the puck. Honestly I'm not sure how well a star winger would really work with Sid long term. I'm sure it'd be great, but that guy would need to check their ego at the door a bit, and be willing to not carry the puck much, and just get open. You know who did a GREAT job of adjusting their game TO Sid? Hossa. It was rough for a month or so, then he adjusted, and that line in the playoffs was locked and loaded.

I think that's why Dupuis and Kunitz are so good on his line. Neal also looks good most of the time he's on Sid's line, probably because he knows he's just the trigger man. And a good one at that.

 

[thedddd]

Tongue fully in cheek, in reference to negative comments made by someone when the trade was announced. Keep in mind "puke" is used as a compliment.

Seriously with Stempniak I am not sure how anyone could complain about that trade. No players lost and Shero's track record in mid rounds drafting the odds of that pick having any value is zero to none.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I can't believe Alexander Ovechkin has 44 goals and is a -27 - I've never seen that disparity before

 

[pixburgher66]

I can't believe Alexander Ovechkin has 44 goals and is a -27 - I've never seen that disparity before

That defense tho. Their D wasn't awful tonight at all, but man it just completely disappears at times.

 

[Cobiemonster]

That defense tho. Their D wasn't awful tonight at all, but man it just completely disappears at times.

The only thing the Caps have going for them is the power play and he himself gets a lot of the goals on the PP - so he must be extremely awful defensively to be a -27

They need a complete wash - get rid of GMGM, get rid of guys like Mike Green and start trading some guys - that team will never win anything with that group

 

[thedddd]

I can't believe Alexander Ovechkin has 44 goals and is a -27 - I've never seen that disparity before

Different era but go back and look at the first few years of the Caps and the 80's Jets teams. Some pretty bad +/- on all of those and Dale Hawerchuk had a good 40 plus goals and was a minus 30.

For the Caps though that is more of a testament of the team than AO. But he has had his moments like the other day that highlight of Giroux beating him pretty bad on that one goal.

 

[dare2be]

The only thing the Caps have going for them is the power play and he himself gets a lot of the goals on the PP - so he must be extremely awful defensively to be a -27

It'd be an even worse stat if more of his 44 goals were even strength (meaning that if he had 44 even strength goals and still was a -27, then that would be an even worse disparity)

 

[pixburgher66]

The only thing the Caps have going for them is the power play and he himself gets a lot of the goals on the PP - so he must be extremely awful defensively to be a -27

They need a complete wash - get rid of GMGM, get rid of guys like Mike Green and start trading some guys - that team will never win anything with that group

I think Jaro Halak broke this team. The irony of him being on the team now is palpable. I mean, I personally HATE using the +/- stat, because there's so much underlying it. ENG, defensive flubs, soft goals from the goalie, etc. It's a bit hard to consider Corsi to represent OV too, because as we all know, he loves to take shots. This is generally regarded as a good thing, and with a sniper like OV, it IS a good thing, but I tend to think it skews the data a little bit when it comes to shot selection, etc. ExtraSkater.com has soooo many cool stats. I don't understand a lot of it, but a lot of just cool stuff. The PP thing is interesting. He has 17-14-31p on the PP, 20-6-26p on 5 on 5. That's insane. Just insane. 54% of his points. Now, a lot of other players make bank on the PP, but for an elite player, that's a bit of an issue.

 

[pixburgher66]

OV total shots: 330. 192 of those are 5 on 5. 117 on the PP.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I think Jaro Halak broke this team. The irony of him being on the team now is palpable. I mean, I personally HATE using the +/- stat, because there's so much underlying it. ENG, defensive flubs, soft goals from the goalie, etc. It's a bit hard to consider Corsi to represent OV too, because as we all know, he loves to take shots. This is generally regarded as a good thing, and with a sniper like OV, it IS a good thing, but I tend to think it skews the data a little bit when it comes to shot selection, etc. ExtraSkater.com has soooo many cool stats. I don't understand a lot of it, but a lot of just cool stuff. The PP thing is interesting. He has 17-14-31p on the PP, 20-6-26p on 5 on 5. That's insane. Just insane. 54% of his points. Now, a lot of other players make bank on the PP, but for an elite player, that's a bit of an issue.

The problem is that they don't have enough depth after OV in terms of guys who can put the puck in the net - I like guys like Joel Ward and Troy Brouwer but those guys are 20 goal guys max, they don't have any 25-30 goal scorers after OV and that's why they have trouble scoring 5 on 5 - and of course defensively it doesn't help their cause either - if they were half decent offensively 5 on 5 their +/- stats might not be so bad

I think whoever the goalie is on this team is screwed - their team defense is horrendous - Mike Green is done as an elite d-man, if he was ever that guy - they need to rid him and go for a tough as nails top four d-man - and then they need to start ridding a few of their forwards as well

 

[pixburgher66]

The problem is that they don't have enough depth after OV in terms of guys who can put the puck in the net - I like guys like Joel Ward and Troy Brouwer but those guys are 20 goal guys max, they don't have any 25-30 goal scorers after OV and that's why they have trouble scoring 5 on 5 - and of course defensively it doesn't help their cause either - if they were half decent offensively 5 on 5 their +/- stats might not be so bad

I think whoever the goalie is on this team is screwed - their team defense is horrendous - Mike Green is done as an elite d-man, if he was ever that guy - they need to rid him and go for a tough as nails top four d-man - and then they need to start ridding a few of their forwards as well

Another sweet stat from extraskater: 5 on 5 close, and 5 on 5 tied. Example, in tied games OV is a -6, as well as in "close" games. OV is merely an example there. But, if you're a Caps fan DO NOT go look at that stat. Hokie is right on about their choking habits if you look at that. Only guys who are +? ...Martin Erat, Troy Brouwer, Patrick Wey, Wellman, Brouillette, Oleksy.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Another sweet stat from extraskater: 5 on 5 close, and 5 on 5 tied. Example, in tied games OV is a -6, as well as in "close" games. OV is merely an example there. But, if you're a Caps fan DO NOT go look at that stat. Hokie is right on about their choking habits if you look at that. Only guys who are +? ...Martin Erat, Troy Brouwer, Patrick Wey, Wellman, Brouillette, Oleksy.

Yeah the entire team just doesn't come up big - but I guess that stat about +/- in close games does make sense in that a lot of those goals against comes in games where they're getting blown out, so the +/- is really low because of that

Out of those guys you mentioned who are the only ones that are +/-, Troy Brouwer is the only credible player on that list

 

[dash]

Too bad Stemps didn't bury this one...and later just missed on the bunt single.

 

[dare2be]

Yep, I forgot to comment on his crossbar crossbow shot when it happened.

He had another good game. 3 points in 4 games so far.

 

[pixburgher66]

Too bad Stemps didn't bury this one...and later just missed on the bunt single.

I nearly lost it on that move. I wasn't sure who it was skating for the first half there, and man I wanted him to bury that. Would've been absolutely brilliant.