oh-for-seven...
That is the Capitals' power play success in the first period over the first three games...one chance in Game 1, four chances in Game 2, two chances in Game 3.
No goals.
More to the point, the Caps are oh-for-six in the first period in the two games they lost and ended up outscored by a total of 5-1 in those two first periods.
For all the talk about the Flyers' physicality and making themselves a nuisance, the games have just as likely turned on the Capitals' inability to take advantage of early opportunities to put the Flyers behind the eight-ball.
Fail on the power play, give the team a lift, let them score, find yourself playing catch-up. That's been the script of the last two games. What the Capitals need is to bury those early chances...and we're betting they'll get some again, tonight.
No goals.
More to the point, the Caps are oh-for-six in the first period in the two games they lost and ended up outscored by a total of 5-1 in those two first periods.
For all the talk about the Flyers' physicality and making themselves a nuisance, the games have just as likely turned on the Capitals' inability to take advantage of early opportunities to put the Flyers behind the eight-ball.
Fail on the power play, give the team a lift, let them score, find yourself playing catch-up. That's been the script of the last two games. What the Capitals need is to bury those early chances...and we're betting they'll get some again, tonight.
And this is where I think BB has been outcoached to this point. He has not put players that will do the dirty work on the power play and let's Ovechkin stay out way too long.
ReplyDeletehopefully the changes made tonight will do it. I just would have rather seen it last game after all the talk regarding trash goals and clearing the crease.
The lack of an effective power play has really been the Caps undoing this series...I think even moreso than been outworked by the Flyers at points in games. Particularly crippling was the 0 for 4 that they put up in the first period last Sunday. If they had scored one measly goal, I suspect that the character of the entire series would be different. Why the Caps think they will be able to score without a strong net presence on the power play is beyond me. Maybe it is all part of the learning process for a young team and inexperienced (at the NHL level) coach.
ReplyDeletewilbur