|
Post by ivanbalt on Jan 15, 2021 12:07:10 GMT -5
Caps start the season off with a nice win despite some defensive deficiencies. And get to play in Buffalo again tonight.
Going to be an interesting season with the division changes and only playing divisional opponents for the shortened season. Eastern division definitely the toughest of the four.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2021 13:18:23 GMT -5
The offense looked vastly better than last year. Got the ball into the zone with much more ease, and lots of pucks on net. Defense definitely a work in progress, but Laviollette has a proven system, and they'll be fine. Seeing Charo out there was pretty awesome. This team has a nice mix of size and speed, they are going to be contenders.
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on Jan 18, 2021 7:28:31 GMT -5
Rookie goalie looked good Friday in the win. Yesterday was disappointing, but at least they got a point.
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on Jan 22, 2021 7:22:55 GMT -5
Covid strikes the Caps. Ovi, Kuznetsov, Orlov, and Samsanov out four games in quarantine.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2021 14:30:48 GMT -5
Meanwhile the Caps are yet to be defeated in regulation Pretty remarkable considering how shorthanded they've been.
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on Jan 28, 2021 15:26:22 GMT -5
Defense continues to be an issue, but 2 wins and 1 OTL while Wilson and the Russian Federation are out is pretty good.
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on Jan 29, 2021 7:28:58 GMT -5
Rough first period, but 6 unanswered cured that.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2021 9:21:52 GMT -5
That was one heck of a display of offensive firepower in the second period. This without two of their top weapons on offense.
I don't know about you, but this team looks like the deepest, most talented Caps team they've ever had. I don't know how they afforded so many big new names, but whatever, I'll take it. Sheary, Shultz, Chara, VanRemsdiek, etc. These guys are all contributing right away. Vanicek looks like a solid backup to Samsonov, and I like having Andersen for veteran presence and depth. It's a shame Lunquist has his heart issue, I felt he had a few more years in the tank and really could have been a steadying presence.
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on Jan 29, 2021 10:07:51 GMT -5
That was one heck of a display of offensive firepower in the second period. This without two of their top weapons on offense. I don't know about you, but this team looks like the deepest, most talented Caps team they've ever had. I don't know how they afforded so many big new names, but whatever, I'll take it. Sheary, Shultz, Chara, VanRemsdiek, etc. These guys are all contributing right away. Vanicek looks like a solid backup to Samsonov, and I like having Andersen for veteran presence and depth. It's a shame Lunquist has his heart issue, I felt he had a few more years in the tank and really could have been a steadying presence. I'm impressed that the defense finally held and gave up no goals in the 2nd and 3rd. If they can build on that, the offense will take care of the rest especially on the power play with the big boys returning.
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on Jan 29, 2021 10:08:44 GMT -5
And the Islanders player bouncing off Chara towards the end was pretty awesome.
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on Feb 17, 2021 10:33:43 GMT -5
Back in the win column and finally a good defensive performance.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2021 13:38:02 GMT -5
Back in the win column and finally a good defensive performance. They are really struggling on defense all year. They've had a couple of good efforts sprinkled out, hoping this one is the start of them "getting it".
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2021 8:34:34 GMT -5
Samsonov back in goal, let in two *really* leaky ones to start off, but really settled down and played well, including a game saver at the end.
Caps in first place, and rolling.
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on Mar 1, 2021 9:15:06 GMT -5
Defense starting to come together. I'm no longer worried they'll blow every 3rd period lead.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2021 8:54:08 GMT -5
Defense starting to come together. I'm no longer worried they'll blow every 3rd period lead. It was stellar last night! And Vanecek has really been a great surprise. Big win against the B's, happy for Chara, he seems like a good guy. That kid Frederick is an idiot, and it was hilarious when Ovi finally gave him a stick to the junk. Stupid moron kept trying to get Ovi and Wilson to fight. Did he not see what happened to Svnetznikov two years ago when he did the same, and Ovi finally had enough and knocked the living crap out of him?
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on Mar 4, 2021 9:07:17 GMT -5
That was a fierce game with big hits all around. When you can win a defensive struggle against a great team, things are looking real.
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on Mar 8, 2021 12:25:10 GMT -5
Friday was rough and now Wilson out for 6 more games. Nice performance against Philly last night though after a slow first period.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2021 14:29:17 GMT -5
Friday was rough and now Wilson out for 6 more games. Nice performance against Philly last night though after a slow first period. The Wilson suspension is a joke, and should hopefully be appealed. That was a clean hit, both players squared up and on the numbers. No penalty in the game. I think these suspensions that come on non-penalties need to stop, unless it's really blatant and the refs miss it. In this case, they were looking right at it, and saw no penalty. It's unfortunate for the player getting his bell rung against the glass, but it's not Wilson's fault that he didn't try and protect himself, and kept his head down looking at the puck knowing full well he was about to get shellacked - that's a rookie type mistake. Really nice game last night though.
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on Mar 16, 2021 6:30:56 GMT -5
5 in a row. Big game against the red hot Islanders tonight.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2021 7:49:58 GMT -5
Great game against the Isles! Don't look now, but the Caps lead the league in points
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2021 15:18:24 GMT -5
The Caps have just acquired forward Anthony Mantha from the Red Wings for forwards Jakub Vrana and Richard Panik, a 2021 first round pick and a 2022 second round pick.
Man. Jake The Snake gone. I really liked him, especially his speed. Panik never really lived up to expectations, guessing he's pretty much on the downside anyway. Supposedly 2021 is going to be a horrible draft year, so that's not a big deal, but still, this seems rather expensive. Mantha is a great talent, but I don't like losing Vrana who was really great here - though he's in his last year of contract, and would very likely be too expensive to keep.
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on Apr 13, 2021 5:11:25 GMT -5
Yeah Vrana being in that deal was pretty surprising.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2021 7:44:12 GMT -5
Yeah Vrana being in that deal was pretty surprising. Kinda hurts really. He was one of my favorites, and someone I thought they could build around beyond Ovi. However, I get it. They plan on keeping the current core together for another five years or so, and there was no way they could afford Vrana's new contract. Timing is just off. Production wise he and Manthra are similar, and Manthra is a former first round pick that does have a ton of upside that maybe Vrana doesn't given his size. Manthra really is quite a beast.
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on Apr 14, 2021 5:11:32 GMT -5
1 game, 1 goal, 1 assist. Not a bad start for Mantha.
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on Apr 28, 2021 5:43:57 GMT -5
3 straight wins against the Islanders plus a Chara fight. Hopefully that momentum continues against Pittsburgh.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2021 7:23:31 GMT -5
3 straight wins against the Islanders plus a Chara fight. Hopefully that momentum continues against Pittsburgh. These games against the Pens will likely decide the division. How about Mantha's breakaway shot? Wow that dude is just a beast, what a great addition he has been! Would have been nice to see the puck make it through, but that was really impressive.
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on May 6, 2021 6:28:05 GMT -5
Turned last night's game on 4 minutes late and was viewing fight #6. Insane game with 141 total penalty minutes and Oshie capping it off with a hat trick.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 6, 2021 7:30:42 GMT -5
Turned last night's game on 4 minutes late and was viewing fight #6. Insane game with 141 total penalty minutes and Oshie capping it off with a hat trick. That was my favorite reg season game of all time I got teared up watching Oshie after he scored his hat trick. Rangers and their fans have become such whiny babies as of late. Then again, I guess they always have been. Kind of hilarious watching the Rangers "boys" getting their butts whipped by men that they picked fights with
|
|
|
Post by ivanbalt on May 6, 2021 7:58:07 GMT -5
Turned last night's game on 4 minutes late and was viewing fight #6. Insane game with 141 total penalty minutes and Oshie capping it off with a hat trick. That was my favorite reg season game of all time I got teared up watching Oshie after he scored his hat trick. Rangers and their fans have become such whiny babies as of late. Then again, I guess they always have been. Kind of hilarious watching the Rangers "boys" getting their butts whipped by men that they picked fights with Yeah, they were whining about Wilson's cheap punch and now the one guy may be facing suspension for a cross check to Mantha's face.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 12, 2021 9:58:59 GMT -5
Caps - Bruins starts this weekend.
Tossup series IMO. Bruins were the pre-season fav, so I'd be hard pressed to be a homer and pick the Caps in this series. I like the Caps roster, but goalie is a pretty major question mark for the Caps, and a decided advantage for the Bruins. As for other matchup, I think the Pens will easily dispatch the Isles, in 4 or 5.
|
|