Series Thread: Second Round: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals

[puckhead]

nice.

 

[Krusheasy]

 

[Dacks]

Missed most of the game tonight except the 3rd... did the Caps outplay the Pens again and find a way to lose? Or was the game closer in terms of the ice tilt than the shot stats indicate?

Just seems like we're not getting the bounces and Holtby has been pedestrian is the summary of this series so far. Never want to be down 2-0, but still don't feel like we're out of the fight yet either. Obviously have to win game 3.

The first was about as one sided as a game can be. Pretty rough for the Caps not to come away with a goal. After that, not sure about the stats, but felt like quality chances were evenly split.

Holtby didn't let in a bad goal, but at this point, they want more from him. I will say that the first three Pens goals - Cullen / Kessel / Guentzel - came on better looks than anything the Caps had tonight. I don't remember them having any real clean breaks or two on one opportunities.

 

[elocomotive]

once the Pens scored the shorty, Craps took a dive...no heart. Pens will roll these turds.

Swampworthy.

 

[dare2be]

Swampworthy.

Pukeworthy. Some will remember the reference.

Caps dominated most of the play for the 1st and most of the second, but I wouldn't say the Pens didn't show up at all. They did a good job on the backcheck and clogging up shooting lanes. Most of the Caps' shots were low-percentage and Fleury did make some quality saves. I don't recall many if any odd-man breaks for the Caps, with the Pens keeping the play in front of them and blocking a gazillion shots.

The 2nd period was the killer, and can be summed up as: 3 odd-man breaks for the Pens, 3 goals.

 

[dash]

Pukeworthy. Some will remember the reference.

I always liked Lee Stempniak

 

[dare2be]

Missed most of the game tonight except the 3rd

Also, you didn't record the game? Shame on you.

 

[BGDave]

nice.

Didn't know Hacksaw Jim Duggan was a Caps fan!

 

[dash]

Didn't know Hacksaw Jim Duggan was a Caps fan!

Makes sense though based on some of Hacksaw's ring entrances.

 

[BGDave]

Another one of those weird dreams.

Woke up this morning, dreamt that:

Anderson and Lundquist combined to give up 11 goals, and
Holtby was pulled.

 

[forty_three]

After the way the Werenski injury in the Columbus series played out, I would be pissed that the refs stopped play here if I was a BJ fan.

I was out last night at an event for the kid and came home and this happened literally the instant I turned on the TV.

I was not kind in my choice of words. Hope Hainsey's okay.

What the shot blocks also say is the defensive positional game is superb. Keep the odd-man rushes to a minimum and force offensive zone shots through a crowd. Speed kills.

This is exactly what the Pens did to the Jackets. They played positionally perfect hockey and waited for mistakes to use their speed and counterpunch.

Caps dominated most of the play for the 1st and most of the second, but I wouldn't say the Pens didn't show up at all. They did a good job on the backcheck and clogging up shooting lanes. Most of the Caps' shots were low-percentage and Fleury did make some quality saves. I don't recall many if any odd-man breaks for the Caps, with the Pens keeping the play in front of them and blocking a gazillion shots.

The 2nd period was the killer, and can be summed up as: 3 odd-man breaks for the Pens, 3 goals.

Again, that's what the Pens do. You can punch, punch punch, but they are going to hang back and fuck you up when you make a mistake. They bend, but no one's made them break yet.

 

[dare2be]

Again, that's what the Pens do. You can punch, punch punch, but they are going to hang back and fuck you up when you make a mistake. They bend, but no one's made them break yet.

The break will probably come in the form of a broken ankle from a blocked shot.

 

[forty_three]

The break will probably come in the form of a broken ankle from a blocked shot.

And to be fair, the other huge strength of the Pens is that when someone goes out, they always find someone else to slot in with little to no drop off. The whole organization is on the same page.


God dammit.

 

[dare2be]

I must amend my statement about 3 odd-man breaks, 3 goals. The 2nd goal was not an odd-man break, but Sid nullified 3 defenders making it look like an odd-man break.

 

[Dacks]

Pukeworthy. Some will remember the reference.

Caps dominated most of the play for the 1st and most of the second, but I wouldn't say the Pens didn't show up at all. They did a good job on the backcheck and clogging up shooting lanes. Most of the Caps' shots were low-percentage and Fleury did make some quality saves. I don't recall many if any odd-man breaks for the Caps, with the Pens keeping the play in front of them and blocking a gazillion shots.

The 2nd period was the killer, and can be summed up as: 3 odd-man breaks for the Pens, 3 goals.

I don't know if I would say they were "low-percentage". When I think of that, I think of a team sending shots from bad angles with nobody in front. Think Tyler Kennedy. The Caps had much more dangerous opportunities than that, but they were rarely clean looks. A lot of traffic in front, mad scrambles, etc... just never got the puck in the back of the net. But if you replay that first period 100 times, I think the Caps score at least one more often than not.

 

[forty_three]

 

[elocomotive]

Also, you didn't record the game? Shame on you.

Who still has a DVR? Give me a call on your landline and we'll talk about it, Dare.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Wut?

 

[elocomotive]

Wut?

OV is reckless... he's injured like 5 players know by knowing precisely how to angle it off their own stick and connect with a head shot.

 

[pixburgher66]

OV is reckless... he's injured like 5 players know by knowing precisely how to angle it off their own stick and connect with a head shot.

Please don't listen to Dejan for anything. Gosh I hate that guy.