Capitals are Slumping

OldHillcrestGuy

Well-Known Member
Very bad time of the year to start playing sloppy hockey. Went to the game tonight, they are playing very sloppy first periods, getting in a hole and cant get out of it, although they did go ahead for a little while. The lines seem to out of sink, maybe missing Brook Liach(sp) isnt helping. Maybe trying to get the new guys and the old guys playing time is a problem. Corvo(sp again its late Im tired) has not looked sharp at all. Next 4 games are really going to be tough playing Boston and Atlanta twice with both of those team fighting for the one last playoff. Then the Caps will proably end up playing one of them in the first round of the playoffs. I'd prefer it be Atlanta, and looking further down the road the way Ottawa is playing and Caps recent history with them I dont know if I like playing them either.
 

BuddyLee

Football addict
missing Brook Liach(sp)
^This.

Liach is a leader on the ice. The Bruce has made some significant changes to the lines due to Laich being out. I think the guys are still trying to gel with each other. That's no excuse by any means, however.

I think they pick it up before the season is over.
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
It doeesn't matter who they play and when they play 'em; if they're going to win a cup, they gotta play, and beat 'em all anyway.

Caps look the same to me; a video game where they score amazing goals, skate and play hard and don't have a button that says "D"

:shrug:
 

Peter Forsberg

New Member
The game winning goal in OT was terrible positioning by threeormore in the Sens game. That was a terrible angle to score from. Why was Semin, Ovie and Backstrom all on the same line?
 
Last edited:

SoMdDude

New Member
Yea but so are most of the other elite/good teams this year...check this out...



Interesting Nugget: In their last 10 games here how other elite teams have faired as far as gaining points.

Caps: 13-20
Penguins: 11-20
Devils: 11-20
SJ: 9-20
Chicago:8-20


The Caps are on cruise control right now and not worried about things..I'm not either..the teams that know they are making the playoffs have the throttle down ½ way..while the teams still jockeying for a playoff spot are at full throttle. You can see it in the way we are skating around, even Ovechkin..i was yelling at him the other night for being so lazy. But they have been playing a compressed schedule because of the Olympics..they are just resting up of sorts for the playoffs
 

BuddyLee

Football addict
CSNwashington: Loose Pucks

By Michelle Scalise
CSNwashington.com


Hard To Find Motivation

With the overtime loss to the Senators, the Caps have now lost their last three in a row. Out of their 14 games in March, seven have needed extra time, out of those seven, three went to a shootout.

With the Caps so far ahead, clinching both the Eastern Conference and Southeast Division and six points ahead of second ranked San Jose Sharks, its hard to find motivation before the playoffs.

"We have to get back to playing high-energy hockey, Bruce Boudreau said this afternoon. “We've been sort of sitting back and letting the other team dictate the play and then saying, 'Hey, I guess we have to turn it on right now.'"

“I am not happy with the loss last night in OT,” Owner Ted Leonsis echoed on his blog today. “I know you all aren’t either. I apologize. I empathize. The players aren’t happy and the coaches aren’t happy. We are short handed. We aren’t playing at 110 percent intensity and we aren’t as motivated as we should be since we clinched the Eastern Conference crown. It is human nature and it is a challenge to stay “up” these last six games. But… We did get a point. We now have 110 points with 6 games left to play.”

Notes from Practice c/o Corey Masisak:

-Brendan Morrison, Scott Walker and Brooks Laich skated at practice today. Eric Belanger did not. Belanger never left the game last night but according to Corey was a little banged up. John Carlson also did not practice.
 

OldHillcrestGuy

Well-Known Member
The game winning goal in OT was terrible positioning by threeormore in the Sens game. That was a terrible angle to score from. Why was Semin, Ovie and Backstrom all on the same line?

I was there last night and that was the end of the rink where we were sitting, I was facing that shot and it did look like Theo could have closed up the space between the goalpost and himself. Six of the goals were scored in that end last night. Was a long delay on that Backstorm penalty I saw the guy go down and looked for the refs arm to go up and the ref right there in the corner beside play didnt do anything, was called by a ref out by the blueline. Had bad feeling to with like 38 seconds to play when that penalty was called and faceoff in our zone. They need Brooks Liach and Brendan Morrison back the 2nd and 3rd lines are out of sink with them missing.
 

cattitude

My Sweetest Boy
I was there last night and that was the end of the rink where we were sitting, I was facing that shot and it did look like Theo could have closed up the space between the goalpost and himself. Six of the goals were scored in that end last night. Was a long delay on that Backstorm penalty I saw the guy go down and looked for the refs arm to go up and the ref right there in the corner beside play didnt do anything, was called by a ref out by the blueline. Had bad feeling to with like 38 seconds to play when that penalty was called and faceoff in our zone. They need Brooks Liach and Brendan Morrison back the 2nd and 3rd lines are out of sink with them missing.

I won't accept mediocrity from this team. They are too good. Ya know, I love Ovie..but why is this team better without him? :cds:
 

MinorThreat

New Member
I won't accept mediocrity from this team. They are too good. Ya know, I love Ovie..but why is this team better without him? :cds:

That's crazy! Prove it! It boils down to goaltending and sloppy play. Corvo looks like crap and I think he was on the ice for every goal against last night. Theo can not be counted on especially for the playoffs. Ovie has nothing to do with the Caps problems. He is second in the league with points and he has a +43 rating (best in the NHL) Do you even know what that means? Your statement is ludacris!
 

cattitude

My Sweetest Boy
That's crazy! Prove it! It boils down to goaltending and sloppy play. Corvo looks like crap and I think he was on the ice for every goal against last night. Theo can not be counted on especially for the playoffs. Ovie has nothing to do with the Caps problems. He is second in the league with points and he has a +43 rating (best in the NHL) Do you even know what that means? Your statement is ludacris!

:lol:
 

BuddyLee

Football addict
That's crazy! Prove it! It boils down to goaltending and sloppy play. Corvo looks like crap and I think he was on the ice for every goal against last night. Theo can not be counted on especially for the playoffs. Ovie has nothing to do with the Caps problems. He is second in the league with points and he has a +43 rating (best in the NHL) Do you even know what that means? Your statement is ludacris!
The Caps are better with Ovie. However, they play as a team better without him. Ovie is an amazing player, yet sometimes he does or is asked to do too much. He's only one man, one player.

They are 7-3 without him I believe. 5 of those they scored 5 or more goals. 3 of those they scored 7 or more.
 

Agore

New Member
Caps will be fine. Theo gets the start in net for the playoffs (every goalie has a few bad games). He's still #1 IMO.
 
Top