That game looked like a game played between grownups and some spoiled teenagers.
When you play Detroit - in Detroit - you can’t give them 5 power plays with stick based penalties. Everyone knows that. Read this blog post to see some good notes from the game.
Detroit scored twice on the power play, one with 6 minutes left to take the lead and then they do what great and experienced teams do, they put the sleeper hold on us and just won like it was a playoff game 3-2. Boring and hyper efficient.
We have much to learn from a perennially great team like the Red Wings: Mostly don’t believe the press clippings; play hard, play disciplined; have everyone contribute on playing good D; and hold on when you get a lead.
We have left a couple of points on the table the last three games. We don’t use excuses of playing on the road against great teams to start the season. If we stay out of the box, we have more points. Points matter at the beginning of the season as much as at the end of the season. We are learning how far we have to go to execute and truly become a good team.
As I have said before, miles to go before we sleep.
ukryezh, what has been done? There has been no change on D since they signed Poti, what three years ago? They are looking for the young D to mature, which is fair enough but some of these guys are just not going to be top 4 guys. There is no offense at all, I mean just pitch in a goal here or there besides Green. There is no toughness besides Erskine and unfortunately that is the only reason he is still there. They are all NHL caliber d-men unfortunately on a Cup caliber team they are mostly 3rd pair d-men outside of Green and Mo.
But forget D for a minute my biggest concern might be this lack of discipline. They say there’s an easy fix but it has been going on for a long time now.
Oh no you didn’t Nick Beam! Ovi does play defense. Have you ever noticed there’s no job on the ice he won’t do? He’s just a hockey player, he’s not magic or something. Have you ever noticed how he brings the puck down, brings it in, passes only to have it passed back, shoots, gets his own rebound, and shoots again…. Then he’s down the other end getting it back. where the F are the other 4 caps? He’s not selfish, he’s tired. But you’re right, it is a team sport. Maybe his teammates could help him out instead of being so dependant.
I Know that ovie is a great player, or should i say goal scorer, because a great player will do all the little things that help his team win and those things don’t get recognized by the media. Until ovie wants a cup and not just being on espn kicking field goals or the top ten plays, i am afraid the caps will always be close, but a certain kid in pittsburgh will have more rings.
Ted
I’m an artist and member of the 60+ GERIHATRICKS who played during the CAPs intermission last year, and I’m over in Edinburgh UK this fall on a fellowship. You have to come see the Edinburgh CAPITALS. This town is ready to go hockey mad, and they need YOU. In any event you’d love it here. Write me for more details.
Freddy the Center on Gerihatricks, Old Geysirs & Grumpy Old Men
Why is it when the Caps play “powerhouse” teams such as Philly, Detroit or Pittsburgh those teams always seem to be taking the play to them? It’s well and good to praise these teams but why can’t the Caps who are purported to be such an elite team themselves now dictate the play more? As a fan I’d like to see greater puck possession and a higher shot total for starters. I felt like they were hanging on against the Red Wings and the score could have been more lopsided.
It is only 4 games people. I am disappointed at giving away points(Boyd Gordon two offensive zone penaties late in game), but is only 4 games. I know the D needs something. Remember, as openly pourous as the D has been, we took the Stanley Cup champions to game 7. We are not that far away. Every team, even Detroit, has lulls during a season. This team finds ways to win, they have plenty of heart. Lets not throw them under the bus after 4 games. They will be fine.
Have you ever noticed that your most prized possession doesn’t back-check or play any type of defense?
I went to the caps-pens game in washington last year and you know how many times I saw Ovechkin behind his own blue line back-checking and helping the D?? Not even ONE time! Maybe you should start to teach your star player how to help his teammates instead of being so selfish – that might be a good start for the future.
I admire Semin’s offensive skills as much as anyone. But I am really, really tired of his laziness and undisciplined stick penalties. Everyone keeps waiting for him to “mature” into a more well rounded player. But he’s no kid any more. One wonders if it will ever happen.
To quote Ovi from a few weeks ago… Just play a simple game. That really seems to work. It seems the more we try to strategize, the uglier it gets. Control the puck, no turn overs in nuetral zone, score goals, DEFENSE, and for God’s sake stay out of the box! I never want to see us playing defense on our power play again!!
They didn’t play well, but they are turning the corner. This was a lot better game than the Ranger or Flyer game. With the effort they had Saturday they beat 80% of the teams in the NHL, mostly because they don’t need to take those 5 stick fouls against a Minnesota, Anaheim or Tampa Bay. The Red Wings did take advantage of their power plays and the two PP goals they scored were just about perfect shots that even Martin Brodeur when he’s playing like, well, MARTIN BRODEUR, won’t make a save on.
It’s getting better….
Until the Caps start letting opponents know that there will be big, painful men in their way, the opponents are just going to keep skating the Caps silly.
alagarts, things were done to bring some force on a D, but this is a salary cap era… If Nyls and Jose are traded, Tom Poti can go to Hershey (he is just lacking the speed nor can position himself) and Alzner can come up. Semin is great, but him and Ovechkin are trying to do too much together. I played some puck back in a day and can assure you this is a great team, with some minor tweaking they can win a Stanley Cup. When I got my season tix, Hanlon was a coach and talent was misused, but at least they were trying. Now they think too much of themselves and want to get wins on talent, but not work. As soon as this mentality changes– you will see some results. Otherwise I won’t renew next year.
When you build the team around youngsters then you have to expect immature mistakes – give them time and the mistakes will diminish.
Actually believe the press clippings. For a couple of years now the weakness of the Caps has been the D and nothing has been done about it. It’s good but not anywhere close to Cup winning good.
I agree with a lot of what you just wrote. The Caps are still an immature team and have a lot to learn to truly compete for the Cup. Hopefully they will learn from their losses.
Ted: I wish that the boy’s parents would haul them back to earth. They need to be told that the media (Sport’s Page) is to attract readership not their readership. Just because the print and voice media have deemed them a great team does not mean that they are…yet. They have a lot of hard work and practice before them in order to get great and sustain it. “Sustain it” is the phrase they need to understand. One good game here and there is not the hallmark of a great team. Often, when interviewed, they talk about how much “fun” it is being on the team. That is all well and good but it is also a job. A job playing professional sports should be like any other job and that requires keeping your nose to the grind. We have great players WHO NEED TO BECOME A GREAT TEAM. Ted, thanks for your hard work and devotion to our team.
It was disappointing to say the least. Caps can execute better.
Last year the Caps often failed to play a 60-minute game and continually left points on the board. They took stupid and lazy penalty after stupid and lazy penalty. The coach was Hanlon-Helpless then. He’s Hanlon-Helpless now.
Watching games against Detroit are the most boring games you can watch, All they seem to do is back check and wait for penelties but you cant say they’re not good cause they are.
I watched the Lightning game after first period cause it was to boring to watch, the Lightning realy have an intresting team this season.
Hi Ted,
my name is Jan and I live in Prague in Czech Republic. Im big fan of Caps, I watch on europe.espn360.com every Caps game and I absolutely agree with you. Mike Green and Alex Sjomin are great players but why they use stick for hooking, slashing…so often. I would have Sjomin in the team for other years but please consider his weak penalties during negotiation about his new contract.
In Czech republic now playes one really good player, his name is Roman Cervenka from Slavia Prague. He might be good choice for second line / third line center for future.
BR
Jan
Best Regards,
Jan
Ted,
Why don’t you step in and get this Nylander situation resolved. I know you don’t like to meddle, but this is ridiculous. Play him, trade him, or cut him.
Don’t blame/punish him for this dilemna. WE signed him to this 4 year deal.
The way we are dealing with it its like we have one less roster spot than the rest of the teams in the league.
Please step in!!
You cannot win Stanley Cup in October but you can lose it.