Near 10:00 last night I had a singing Little Orphan Annie stuck in my head:
The sun will come out, tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow, there’ll be sun
Jus’ thinkin’ about, tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow
‘Til there’s none
Annie, though generally not commonly channeled for her thoughts on the Stanley Cup playoffs, was a red-head. And Cristobal Huet wishes it were merely cobwebs in his goal crease as opposed to a swarm of Philadelphia Flyers. Instead, there’s plenty of sorrow there.
Were Annie following this playoff series “tomorrow” for her wouldn’t refer to Thursday’s game 4 but rather next year, for the Caps. The Caps this April have some not-so-ready-for-prime-time players on their roster — including the planet’s greatest hockey player and most particularly his center. I also thought this last night: didn’t Sidney Crosby’s young (sorta) Penguins manage to win just one playoff game last spring against Cup-finalist Ottawa in their maiden postseason appearance as a rebuilt club?
Lest you think this is merely a 2-1 deficit for the Caps to climb out of, know this: of the series’ nine periods played the Flyers have been in thorough control for eight of them. They take penalties but pay no price for taking them, as their penalty killing acumen is elite. They are following their coach’s strategems perfectly. They are in synch. And they are in complete control of this series largely because they have experience in this mission.
Miracles can happen, and larger deficits in playoff series of course have been overcome (don’t we in D.C. know about that), but generally youth doesn’t serve them. You can just tell that Scott Hartnell’s been through this before. Ditto for Daniella Briere. And while Derian Hatcher is largely a pylon at this stage in his career, he’s a very springtime-tested one. Youth is being served in orange and black in the form of Mike Richards. What a stud.
In the interest of making it as tough as possible for the Flyers to prevail I would like to see Gabby tinker a bit more with his lineup. It was right to remove the overmatched Tomas Fleischmann and re-insert Eric Fehr. And I’m with JP: I’ve seen enough of John Erskine, and I want to see a heck of a lot more of Steve Eminger.
There is some good news for Caps’ fans this week: Alexander Semin, whom most in hockey thought would be brutalized by the Flyers’ aggression tactics in this series, is the Capitals’ best forward, and likely only to get better. Do you know how many hockey players there are on planet Earth who can stand on one leg and basically decapitate a well armored netminder?
This would be a more interesting series were warrior Chris Clark a part of it, but that’s spilled milk. No matter how healthy the Caps roster this spring, some brutally tough postseason lessons would have to be learned by the dozen in Caps’ sweaters who’d never participated in them. However aberrational 6-14-1 was last fall, it just isn’t the calendar season stuff of Lord Stanley. I suspect most Caps’ fans recognized this even in the delirium of last Friday night. ‘85 Villanova types generally don’t get their names etched on the Big Silver: that trophy requires eight weeks of excellence, not 40 minutes. And its winners overwhelmingly are comprised of players who’ve slogged through seasons’ worth of hockey’s springtime marathon — one that bears little resemblance to its regular season.
For Game 4 tomorrow I’m attending a late-afternoon Capitol Hill game-watch barbeque with a Sea of Red set under a forecast of springtime perfect skies. For a few minutes late last night I thought about a somberness settling in over our planned picnic, but my friends will read this and I trust be persuaded that tomorrow’s game, and however many more follow before we pack it in this hockey season, is an occasion to celebrate. We in hockeyWashington were orphans from postseason dreams present and future just last fall; now we’re mezzanine ticket holders headed toward orchestra seats.
64 Comments
I think Alexander Semin will “break out” in one of the two games ahead.
“We in hockeyWashington were orphans from postseason dreams present and future just last fall; now we’re mezzanine ticket holders headed toward orchestra seats.”
Not if Erskine and Jurcina are still working as ushers.
@maruk, that was funny.
I agree with pucks and JP as well. Erskine should be shoving bodies around. If he’s not going to do that, let’s have a more capable defenseman in Eminger in there.
As a long time Cap fan…I am not giving up! But I am also realistic…I think to win this series we need to replace huet and bring in kolzig..he has been with the club for many years..he deserves a chance. And of course OVIE needs to get his head out of the sand and start SHOOTING…As a team we need to shoot the puck more. I thought when Semin almost took out the other goalie…that was are chance to pepper him with shots ang make him scared…did you see him….he turns his head away after every shot semin takes.
Oh well I am not saying wait until next year yet….And If there are any old time Bullets fans out there they will remember this…”IT’S Not Over Until The FAT Lady Sings”
I’m right there with you Curtis Henning. I thought after the second period last night Kolzig should have started the third. Granted, I don’t think that the goals are all Huet’s fault - we’re giving up way to many odd man breaks and turning the puck over right in his face - but the Flyers are killing him. Put in Olie and let him have a chance to stand on his head for this team (probably one last time).
As for our blue line…oh god. Can we please just keep Green and Poti and dump the rest after the season is over? The excuse that it’s a young group doesn’t hold any water in my book. Are there not opposing players on the ice in the AHL? Because the only way I’d buy that this is growing pains was if this is the first time any of them had seen someone on the ice who didn’t play for them. Who told them that clearing the puck towards the middle of ice was a good idea? That person needs to beaten…badly.
I’m sure you guys don’t want to hear from a Penguin fan, but I read this blog every day and enjoy it.
I think Pucks is right on with this entry, all teams seem to need to lose in the playoffs before making some noise. Heck, I think the Pens still need to lose the conference finals before truly learning what is takes to win the Cup.
Thus, I think it’s a 3 year process, but what do I really know…
So true….You would think after they’ve done it ….OH 7 8 9 times someone would tell them something!!!! Jeez…to many give aways!!!
If you sit Erskine for Emminger then who are you going to replace the pile that we call Schultz with? He looked bad in Game 2 (his first game) and he looked worse in Game 3 (all 5 shifts for 2:23). Thank god that Fedorov can play D!
Juice was definitely shaky in the first period. He picked it up a little in the second, but by then — and in spite of the Caps’ goals after the first — Philly had clear control of this contest.
I expect Eminger to be in the lineup in place of Schultz.
If the Caps can’t take adequate advantage of their Power Play chances tomorrow, they’ll lose this series on Saturday. I say put Brooks Laich on the top unit in place of Federov to park in front of the net. Keeping him on the top unit with Backstrom keeps the PP out to the perimeter. It yields slick passing; it also yields minimal shots. Worse, it allows 2 (even 3) penalty killers to collapse on the puckhandler (even from behind the net).
The Caps need to reshuffle the lines at even strength — nothing’s clicking now. Each line should have a legit scoring threat (ie - a decoy), a playmaker, and the net crasher that will make Martin Biron most uncomfortable.
How about…
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Laich
Semin-Federov-Cooke
Brashear-Kozlov-Fehr
Steckel-Gordon-Bradley
Thoughts?
Curtis — I actually had a Fat Lady t-shirt in ‘78. A very veteran Bullets’ club, though, you’re recall.
Hey who let him in!
Kidding……But you should owe some sort of cover charge.
puckandbooks…I admit I had a t-shirt also. I was 10 at the time when they won it all!
So keep your heads up Cap fans! I know there are a lot of fat women in philly…but none can sing…at least not yet!
OK everybody, take a deep breath and come off the ledge
(you too pucksandbooks). Yeah, the Caps have been outplayed for most of this series, but these aren’t the ‘76 Canadiens there playing. In other words, they’re a very beatable team. Let’s not forget, despite the fact the Flyers were at the top of their game last night and the Caps were far from it, it was still only a one goal game with four minutes to play. And if you don’t think that means anything, just ask San Jose who was in the same spot last night and won in regulation. So what would I do to fix this? First, I’d beat my defensemen with a big stick the next time they try and clear the puck up the middle. If the Flyers are going to score, make them work for it. Next, I’d sit Erskine who is basically a pylon. Eminger is coming back because of Schultz’s injury so I’d bring up Lepisto or maybe Boomer. Third, I’d move Federov up to the first line. Part of the reason Ovie is having problems is Nik just isn’t getting him the puck at the right times. Backstrom is going to be great, but he’s clearly overmatched right now. And finally, the next time the Flyers get a penalty for runnning over Huet, I’d use that poweplay to have Laich steamroll Biron at full speed. Maybe then the Flyers will get the message that there will be retribution for their actions. Despite the hue and cry, this series is far from over. And if you think I’m being totally polyanna in my outlook, consider this stat. In the history of seven game series in preliminary rounds, the team that is up 2-1 only wins game four 48% of the time. So sit back and relax. I’ve got a feeling this one is going seven.
b.orr — your optimism, which is exceptionally well expressed, is welcomed here 12 months a year. I wouldn’t have you modify it one bit. But . . . I think a more salient statistic re. seven-game playoff series is that the game 3 winner of a 1-1 start goes on to prevail a gaudy 69 percent of the time. I didn’t mean for this morning’s file to be a call to wear all black; hardly — remain in Red!
I am intrigued by the idea of giving the big-bodied Olie a start, perhaps as soon as tomorrow night. Partly to try and jump-start some new MoJo, but moreso to get his big-framed combativeness in the crease. Let’s see what Briere brings to that endeavor. I am also very intrigued by your idea of bumping up Feds to line one. Tomorrow night’s pretty much a must-win, and we saw what Feds did the last time he confronted that.
pucksandbooks- you’re right, the game three winner does prevail in the series a high percentage of the time. However, like all stats that can be misleading. If the game three winner is the team with home ice advantage, overall they win the series a whopping 77% of the time while the team with three home games wins 60% of the time. In the preliminary rounds, those numbers change to 71% and 59% respectively. The one number that is consistent is that the winner of game three loses game four the majority of the time. I’m not saying this is what will happen on Thursday, but I’m trying to give a little hope to those that feel all is lost. Here’s the link for the site where I’m getting these numbers:
http://www.whowins.com/tables/up21.html
No disrespect to Huet… but its time for Olie. I personally believe we need a spark. And the leadership on this team needs to step up; like it or not, he’s a team leader.
(speaking of leader’s look at Donnie he has 2 points in 3 games - enough said)
Backstrom’s hit his rookie wall. It happens to the best. I break up the first line. Maybe switch Feds and Backi?
Semin’s playing balls out but can’t hit the net.
And I think I’ve expressed my feelings on the D not stepping up for Huet. Erskine, you know your roll, if you wont do it, who will?
With all this bitterness aside on my part… I have to agree with Pete (I will beat myself to a tizzy for agreeing with a #@!$pens fan). We need to lose in the playoffs to succeed in the playoffs. At least we’re in the playoffs.
I just don’t want them to go out like a bag of dirt. I want them to go out guns blazing.
I BELIEVE.
Just remember, no matter what, we still win, as they have to live in Philadelphia!
This a fantastic conversation and some great analysis and thoughts by everyone.
This is exactly the kind of dialogue we want on OFB. We may provide the initial thought or talking point, but you, the reader, help propel further discussion and very likely new posts.
Bravo to all.
Clock management? We made the dumbest of plays with less than 1:30 left in the first and with less than 1:00 left in the second. If the Caps were smart they could have won a real playoff-style hockey game 3-2.
The Caps have been dominated in this series in all aspects of the game. Thats the bad news. But the good news is that, by winning game 4 on Thursday, they put themselves right back in the drivers seat. Winning would reclaim both home ice advantage and momentum in the series. And as has been pointed out above, despite the Flyers domination, all the games have been close. I feel like the Flyers have played their best hockey and its good enough to win, but not to blow us out. We’ve played some of our worst hockey and we’ve still been competitive. We may not win, but it seems to me that there is still some serious upside to this series for us.
On a separate note, I love Kolzig like the rest of us, but he’s not the goalie here anymore. He won’t solve our problems, and anyone who thinks that Huet hasn’t played brilliantly so far simply hasn’t watched the series. Huet has to start tomorrows game, and I’m confident he will.
two…to one. Not 3-to-1, not 3-0.
If the Caps win tomorrow, they tie the series and regain home ice advntage and would — nominally — be in control of the series.
To hear and read commentaries this morning (some of it my own), you’d think the Flyers were playing to sweep tomorrow night, that the task for the Capitals was already hopeless.
@ TG — Thanks for the laugh. I do feel a bit better.
>On a separate note, I love Kolzig like the rest of us, but he’s not the goalie here anymore. He won’t solve our problems, and anyone who thinks that Huet hasn’t played brilliantly so far simply hasn’t watched the series. Huet has to start tomorrows game, and I’m confident he will.
I’m not sure how I feel about it overall, or in the microcosm of playoffs, but I’ll point to Calgary in this instance. You cannot convince me that CuJo is the goalie of the Flames. And yet, after three goals in the first three minutes — you can’t really expect a goalie to defend against a four on none — against Kiprusoff (one of the league’s best), that’s what they did. Put in CuJo for Kiprusoff. And shocker of shocks, the Flames rallied behind that (and a crunch to Marleau), and wound up winning the game.
So while Kolzig may not be the goalie here, he’s still the goalie here. Who knows? Maybe Briere tries to freight-train him and Kolzig cold-cocks him.
Maybe next time Thoresen tries to start a shoving match, a Capitals takes the penalty and just takes a full swing below the belt (heck, even non-hockey fans know about the shattered cup).
Maybe after seeing Kolzig stand up for himself, Laich crashes Biron play after play.
Never know what’ll motivate a team or spark them to play better.
But what we really need is for them to remember how to skate and pass to each other and shoot. When they do that (see Brashear), good things happen. When they don’t do that(see Jurcina), good things don’t happen.
And if all the other guys step up the way they did at the end of the season, then let the Flyers use the man-power to stifle Ovechkin and Green. Because the step-ins will do enough scoring that it won’t matter.
I have watched all three games and I think Huet has been a little soft….I would like him (if he starts tomorrow) to beat down whomever gets in his crease!! show a little more aggression! It’s the playoffs spark the team do something….but on the other hand I still think Kolzilla should be in goal on Thursday.
I live in Philly and (other than the Flyers fans) its a great city.
Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes, play Eminger over Erskine. But as has been said here, there is more than one weak link in the D now (and #91 can’t fill them all himself).
And I’ll add to the chorus of “start Olie.” He’s one of the few “playoff battle-tested” guys we have and he’s bigger in net and harder to push around. Perhaps also he gets more respect from the refs and we avoid another BS coincidental roughing call for orange-clad blockheads running our goalie.
I can’t disagree with pucks’ sobering file, but the locker room message now has to be “if not now, when?” Sometimes as an athlete you only get one chance. That might be as a 40 year old vet or it might be as a rookie.
My reasoning for Olie playing is mainly, they’ll stop trying to run the goalie at that point. And if they do, they’ll be PUNISHED in the Hextall like manner the flyers are use to. Nobody will be upset, they’ll understand but most importantly nobody will try it again. The flyers will then turn around and try to beat us another way.
In my opinion our team is playing scared right now. Philly rattled them.
BUT– Peerless is right. If they somehow find a way to win tomorrow night; Anything can happen.
and for that reason, I believe.
I say let’s get Olie in goal tomorrow. I like Huet but I definately think he’s been soft this series. Plus we all know Olie won’t be pushed around in his own net. Not only that but I get the feeling that he is more aggressive then Huet and maybe that would rub off on the rest of the guys out there. I definately think that some line changes are in order. I would want to put a grinder on each line to protect guys like Backstrom, Semin and Ovechkin (not that this team has stood up for each other much this series). Backstrom is skilled and talented but may need to move down a line or two b/c he’s getting pushed around and there is something missing on the first line right now. Erskine sucks and I can’t stand him so I’m all for putting Eminger in and even calling one of the guys up from Hershey to fill in for Shultz injury sounds good to me. This is a frustrating time but I don’t know how I feel about the idea of having to lose to win is. I think this team has enough talent to go all the way but they aren’t playing with any fire in their bellies. Is that because of the stress etc of being in the playoffs or is that because of the long run we had at the end of the year? I don’t know.
“If the game three winner is the team with home ice advantage, overall they win the series a whopping 77% of the time while the team with three home games wins 60% of the time.” - b.orr4
“Never tell me the odds.” - Han Solo
Far be it for me to be Mr. Optimism, but take a look here (http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Eastern/Southeast/Capitals_ChanceWillMakePlayoffs.html) and check out how many days all year the Caps’ chances of making the playoffs were as good as 40%. We obviously all know how that turned out.
I’ve said ad nauseum that this team plays best with its back against the wall, which is where it is now. Couple that with the fact that they have been absolutely dominated and yet still “in” every game.
The Caps haven’t played their best game yet, not by a long shot. The Flyers have. Probably twice.
Don’t stop believin’.
@vt caps fan “I just don’t want them to go out like a bag of dirt. I want them to go out guns blazing.”
I agree with that statement. I’m so frustrated and upset with the play of the Caps in the Playoffs so far.
I also have to reflect on what has been pointed out from others today. At Thanksgiving, the Caps were toast. Playoffs were not even on the radar. Bruce came in and shook things up, and all of the sudden mid-March, DC is talking about the Playoffs. GMGM acquired some new guys to give the Caps that one last nudge to make the Playoffs. Well here we are now, in the Playoffs.
Let’s step back and think about that. Thanksgiving, no playoffs to now. I have to congratulate the team, the fans, the organization on the accomplishments, support, and events of this season. Regardless of how it turns out, DC will have an amazing team to watch for next season and beyond. I am proud to be a newly converted Caps Season Ticket Holder for next season.
We have all set the bar extremely high for the Caps, I don’t think it’s fair to attack the club because of poor play now, when at Thanksgiving we were ready to throw in the towel for the season.
But to all the other points and @vt caps fan comment, the disappointing thing is that we have all seen what this team can do, and it’s very frustrating to see the type of play they are showing now. I’m not giving up hope on the team in the playoffs. I have faith that they can pull out some minor miracles and rise above the challenges. So grab your Rock the Red towels, go back to the Phone booth on Saturday, and LETS GO CAPS!
I am in the “Don’t Panic” camp; it is true that the Caps have been outplayed in most periods played to date, but the fact remains, as has been pointed out, that the Flyers are beatable. There were long stretches of time that the Caps spent on the attack in the Flyers’ zone that ended with a puck off a post, blocked shot, etc. that - when things are going right - would have ended in an arms-raised celebration. In other words, it is clear - at times - that the Caps can and do “compete” and “dominate” and all those other things that Pierre Maguire likes to say.
Their undoing - sad to say - has been untimely goals against. I’m not saying that these goals are all Huet’s fault; there are Beer League teams that would demote Jurcina to waterboy on the road hockey squad for coughing up the puck the way he consistently has. I have been struck, however, by the impression that Huet seems to be making himself smaller, rather than larger when he is going to the ice (legs behind his torso, arms bunched tightly in against his body, hands in front of his chest), with the result that some of the goals, particularly Briere’s second last night, Umberger’s (in Game One, I think) and Richard’s goal on the penalty shot as three examples have seemed a little on the soft side, if not exactly stinkers. Instead of coming up with the big game-changing save, then, Huet has allowed the Flyers to pop the momentum balloon with goals like these.
Kolzig has probably earned the right to start Game Four on history alone. If he’s shaky early, Huet comes in as a hero to clean up after him.
The other major adjustment that needs to be made is more pressure on the Flyers’ powerplay unit, which seems to be moving the puck at will particularly around the perimeter in the Caps’ zone, with no real threat that loose pucks or bobbled passes will be recovered by Washington’s PK unit. I know they’ve not really been burned badly for goals yet by the Flyers’ power play, but with that puck movement and control, it is just a matter of time.
Back to the basics; off the boards and out in the defensive zone, everyone needs to make better choices moving the puck in the neutral zone and the Caps must generate offensive speed at the Flyers’ blue line. Ultimately, more shots at Marty Biron are required.
For those of you that are crying about Huet right being soft, I ask one question…were you also the same people that were complaining throughout the season about how Olie has lost a step and shouldn’t start another game because blah, blah, blah?
Huet is putting up numbers that are just slightly lower then Olie’s regular season! Huet has also faced 95 shots so far compaired to Biron’s 70! That is basically an additional game worth of shots.
If we are going to have any chance it is not Olie or Huet that will make the difference, it’s going to have to be the D and Backcheckers that make the difference. ALSO, We need to get more shots on net, we always had trouble when our shot count was in the mid 20’s, and 3 games into the playoffs we are not really even hitting MID-20s.
The Caps are listening. Federov to top line, per Tarik:
Fedorov On Top Line
Just got to Wachovia Center and and there’s been another round of line scrambling. The Biggest change involves Sergei Fedorov, who has been moved to the top line, where he’s centering centering Alex Ovechkin and Viktor Kozlov.
Fedorov has stepped in for rookie Nicklas Backstrom, who has struggled and at times looked overwhelmed in his first NHL playoff series. Backstrom, meantime, has been dropped to the second line and is skating between Brooks Laich and Alexander Semin.
Here’s how they are lined up:
Ovechkin-Fedorov-Kozlov
Laich-Backstrom-Semin
Cooke-Steckel-Bradley
Brashear-Gordon-Fehr
Also, defenseman Jeff Schultz (undisclosed injury) is not out there, so it looks like Steve Eminger will get back into the lineup.
Maybe I’m way off base here, but hasn’t Huet stopped somewhere around 10,000 odd man rushes? The Caps D has let him down and he’s still managed to stop a large number of those anyway. The Flyers scored 6 goals yesterday (puke!) and the only one that looked bad to me was the slapshot from the point that went in. But even on that one he was moving across the crease and may have been screened. Every other goal they’ve scored was on some sort of odd man rush. For example, have you noticed that the Flyers haven’t yet scored on the power play? In fact, their best chances in odd man situations have been when we’ve been on the power play, and Huet has stopped all of them. Sorry for the long post, but if something needs to change, to me its on defense. (And better passing wouldn’t hurt either.)
Re: massive line shuffling, that seems like more of a panic move to me.
Re: Huet, you can’t possibly call him ‘brilliant’ this series. In fact I think his marginal goals have outnumbered his amazing saves.
Is there any way Karl Alzner is not on this team next October?
I think Huet has made a number of great saves. Maybe brilliant is a bit too strong, but I don’t think he’s the problem. And if shuffling the lines is a panic move, then switching goalies is jumping off a bridge.
What was WITH the Caps’ passing last night, anyway? When I saw them live last month at Verizon, they’d thwack that puck hard enough for the puck to make a sound when it arrived at the receiving player’s stick. Last night, their passing looked like they were playing shuffleboard, particularly in the first period.
Juan-John, your comment was an insult to all shuffle boarders. I’ve seen 90 year-olds in Miami hit the disc harder than Jurcina did last night.
I don’t think Huet is the goat at all, but changing four lines is a heck of a lot more disruptive than a goalie. Do you think Kiprusoff was totally at fault when he got lit for three goals in 3 minutes the other day? I think Huet should have been yanked at the end of period 1. Regardless of who is to blame you can’t have that type of implosion. With realistic expectations, at least give Kolzig a chance to spin some magic one final time.
@JR — that’s my reasoning. Don’t look at it as ‘Huet you’re playing like crap’
its more of a ‘HEY ENTIRE TEAM, YOU’RE PLAYING LIKE CRAP AND LEAVING YOUR GOALIE OUT TO DRY’
Whoever’s in net tomorrow night and the rest of the team:
I BELIEVE!
I still have this feeling that Alexander Semin will break out.
I keep hearing that the “Caps aren’t playing their best hockey” as if this is a choice they’re making. The Caps aren’t playing well because the Flyers aren’t allowing them to play well. The Flyers are certainly beatable, as are even the meteoric Penguins, but let’s be honest here: 1 solid period of play out of 9 just isn’t going to get it done. And don’t blame Huet - him and Ovechkin are the only reason the Caps aren’t golfing…
From Corey:
UPDATE: The Caps are practicing the power play right now. Brooks Laich has replaced Alexander Semin on the top unit. Sergei Fedorov and Mike Green are on the points with Laich, Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom up front.
About friggin’ time.
Ok Ok…we can all calm down take a breath…whewww ….2-1…that’s where we stand> But…Since when is it a bad thing to change goaltenders? These guys are grown men…they can take a little constructive criticism…Changing goalies is a good thing Bring in Kolzig and have him show us to the promise land…or at least another win before Saturday.
Go caps
@SovSport-I agree. I have no complaints with Semin’s play (outside of hitting that post in game two).
SovSport- I hope you’re right. I love Semin and it seems like a lot of fans give him a lot of crap for lazy penalties (he does need to watch his stick) and not so great defensive play (getting better) but he really is a great player and I’d love to see him get some mention and admiration. I’ll be watching to see if you’re right….I trust your opinion since you always have the inside scoop!
Very nice. Note the Flyers PP always has 1 and sometimes 2 guys in front. They also get a lot of good, quick shots. The Caps PP has been brutal to watch and any scoring they’ve done is a result of raw talent, not the scheme.
mattymatty: Understood, but that’s almost like saying, “Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?”
Pens fan here again….
Has anyone floated the “spent themselves trying to get into the playoffs” argument?
(Not that they’re out, of course.)
Ok come on….you need to knock before you come in here again Pete!
Can we just focus on winning tomorrow’s game rather than talk about the season ending. We can win tomorrow and settled down nicely in the last 2 periods of last night’s game. Tomorrow’s game is there for the taking. We can win this series.
Pete - no. Besides they had 6 days off before the playoffs started.
I will float the “got soft playing against the POS Southeast division for three straight weeks” theory.
The thing about Huet is that he’s small in the net. Putting Ollie in isn’t just about a message to the team, it’s a tactical response to the Flyers running our goalie and/or planting themselves right atop the crease.
And, look, “don’t panic” is fine as a motto, but these guys have looked AWFUL the last two games. Awful. They need some pretty drastic and dramatic changes, or they’re going down 4-1… with barely a whimper.
Longtime, die-hard Flyers fan here and a first-time reader. I’ll be the first to say I’m a homer and expect most other fans to be as well but I’ve gotta admit everyone here seems to have some insightful, honest views on this series.
To give you guys more hope, you should know that every time Ovechkin touches the puck, we squirm. Every time Semin fires the cannon, we wince. Every time Green joins the play, we have nightmares of Game 1. Philadelphia and its fans are cursed with the fear that no matter how good it is right this second, it’s just a matter of time before the other shoe drops. Your offense is deadly and with smart management will remain so for a very long time. While I agree that the Flyers have more or less dominated (for one reason or another) this series, every game has been nerve-wracking (read: enjoyable) to watch.
Either way it turns out, I don’t want to have the Flyers run into you guys again next year. Best of luck.
Interesting. Radbytrade sounds like how many of us Caps fans felt whenever we faced the Pens in the playoffs. And we know how all (but one aberration) of those series turned out. Just sayin.’
What is this rubbish?
We’re only down 2 game and we had plenty of chances to tie it up last night. What’s with this eulogy crap? We can easily win tomorrow’s game and have bounced back from the dumps. After losing to Toronto one weekend and losing to Boston and Pittsburgh, we came back strong. We settled in nicely the last 2 periods and I expect a really strong 1st period tomorrow. It’s 1 game tomorrow and we can win it. Seriously you people speaking like the series is over need to stop being into “feeling good” and realize that there is business to finish this series, and that there is nothign devastating about being down 2 games to 1.
“If we are going to have any chance it is not Olie or Huet that will make the difference, it’s going to have to be the D and Backcheckers that make the difference.”
Amen brother, amen. I’ve never been particularly happy all year with the D, particularly Shultz.
Ken - I certainly don’t feel like it’s over. Not by any stretch.
But, any objective look at the last two games… Hell, even Game 1 prior to The Mike Green Experience… We have been outplayed. Bottom line. While Shots on Goal is a shaky measure of overall performance, it sure tells you SOMETHING. And, right now, we’re being pummeled in that category. 19 shots on goal in game 3. Something’s WRONG.
And, in each of the three games, we’ve put ourselves in a 2 goal bind. That’s just not getting it done.
Can we correct? Oh, yeah, sure. But not be just putting the same lines out there. Bruce has proven to be a good COACH not just a smiling straight talker. Time to coach…
@radbytrade
Nice to have some good dialog with an opposing fan that isn’t the typical flaming that can ensue, heh.
The line shuffling does seem a bit panicky at this stage but at the same time there would be complaining about BBs lack of moves if everything stayed the same.
Semin has looked good in the series he is just snake bitten or just a smidge off on his shots due to being new to playoff intensity.
Not like this series is over…but regardless of how the series goes it is still amazing what this team accomplished this season and getting their playoff cherry busted will only help the young players on the team.
Forget the series, we’ve got 60 damn comments and counting. That’s got to be an OFB record, right?
b.orr4,
Your comment #60 was the record breaking comment. The previous high was 59 comments on the post announcing the Ovechkin contract. Other high comment totals rounding out the top 5 are 56, 51, and 48 comments.
This has been great to read and we love the participation. We hope that 50+ comments and great dialouge becomes the norm.
Thanks to all.
Long time reader, first time commenter here. I got inspired by the record-breaking post count, I guess.
I know Huet hasn’t been quite up to the level of play we saw out of him in the regular season, but let’s remember that Kolzig isn’t suddenly the answer just because Huet’s suddenly vulnerable. 37’s regular season numbers were abysmal; I say stay the course with 38.
Oh, and get John Erskine out of here. Maybe not today, maybe not this season, but please. Think of the children.
@ automatic (for the people?):
Thanks for chipping in. I think a reason to consider Kolzig is that he, unlike Huet, won’t take as much abuse from the Flyers. Or if he does, he’ll pay them back in kind. I was hoping to see Kolzig come in after the first period last night — sometimes a goaltender change can invigorate a team regardless of whether he’s “better” or not.
As for Erskine, agreed — he’s not hitting or clearing the crease, and if he’s not doing those things well then he shouldn’t be on the ice.
@ radbytrade:
Opposing-team fans are always welcome to join a dialog . . . if they’re as well-reasoned as you are.
Thank you for contributing.
Is anyone awake…hello..must all be driving to philtheee dellpheaaa…Go Caps
Wow 64 post!
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