tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14971098.post4258979927752300367..comments2024-03-17T21:09:46.268-04:00Comments on The Peerless Prognosticator: Washington Capitals: When All Is Said and Done, One Thing RemainsThe Peerlesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10293195514553989436noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14971098.post-74267110679242682662016-05-13T16:22:43.548-04:002016-05-13T16:22:43.548-04:00Sorry, but someone has to stand up for what's ...Sorry, but someone has to stand up for what's wrong with this article. Anyone who watched the series knows it wasn't an "if" who scores first in Game 6 OT, it was "when" the Pens would score. And it wasn't as if Game 6 was close; you can throw all the fancystats you want, it wasn't close at all. Part of that was Alzner's absence, but his absence simply allowed the fans to see that the Caps didn't have what they did, and that was depth scoring that could take advantage of the opposing bottom D pair. There were too many soft plays in the corners, too many soft passes along the wall, too little movement above the circles to give the Caps different looks and, worst of all, too few passes to the front of the net - in part because there were too few people crashing the net (maybe because they had no faith that a pass or rebound was coming their way!).<br /><br /> Bottom line, the problem is the inability of too many forwards (and, yeah, that includes Backs) to provide the mobility AND firepower needed down the line so that a third line can - and as is typical in the playoffs - and will win games. <br /><br />In this respect, the Caps were not really competitive in the series, except for Game 5, and Game 5 was really a "score effect" game since the Pens didn't have too much to lose. <br /><br />This is not a small problem, and I sure don't envy GMBM right now.<br /><br />iharryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02008768188504593048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14971098.post-45515921049836596832016-05-13T09:43:14.180-04:002016-05-13T09:43:14.180-04:00Nice post but it is really a glass half full appro...Nice post but it is really a glass half full approach. It doesn't look to a reason for the horrible starts in all of the series' first periods. Even the players admit that they did not have a sense of urgency when they should have. Why was that? I think it's got to be a locker room or coaching thing with the result being, "Oh, well, we'll get 'em next time." But next time did not come all that often. I hate to say it but is that kind of approach tolerated in the locker room? No veteran screaming at the players to kick the level up?<br /><br />Also, what about the speed issue? If you have to be able to beat the team that beats you, shouldn't the Caps be looking for more speed and put together a second line like the Pens had? That is why they lost the series.<br /><br />Finally, you nailed it on the second half season letdown. But I think in the latter part of the regular season, playoff hockey starts to kick in as teams really go all out to make the playoffs. Much closer checking, lane clogging, blocked shots, etc. When that style began to emerge in March/April (or even sooner), this team really struggled. When it was more open with less playoff hockey, they were killers.<br /><br />Someone somehwere somehow really needs to do something but I have no clue what. But players who are a little faster and a little meaner (I thought the Caps lost almost all of the one-on-one battles behind the net and along the walls) would be a great start.<br /><br />Go Caps, 2016-2017.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com