nobody replied to me when I said it before but I'll say it again. what is our record leading after the 2nd period?
- martox

nobody ask or answer this the rest of the playoffs. I'm just a little stitious during the playoffs

Are we pro-Orpik suspension or do we want him playing? I think it will be a help to us with him out of the game.
- sditulli

Orpik isn't very good anymore but he's still one of their four best defensemen and as we saw tonight is always a danger to injure someone. Orlov, Schmidt, or Chorney playing in the top 4 with Niskanen would be very very good for us.

No, Victoro jinxed it
- Guile

well you are both the same person. you being his alt account and all that

nobody ask or answer this the rest of the playoffs. I'm just a little stitious during the playoffs

- all-pgh

ok

HBK line has been amazing. Bobby Bo is starting to look like a guy this team has been missing for a long time.

well you are both the same person. you being his alt account and all that
- martox

Please, he is the alt... and that is out of the kindness of my heart to not cut him loose as his own enigma.

need to thank you for giving us chicagos development coach
- martox

Give him back! We need him now more than ever!

Orpik isn't very good anymore but he's still one of their four best defensemen and as we saw tonight is always a danger to injure someone. Orlov, Schmidt, or Chorney playing in the top 4 with Niskanen would be very very good for us.
- Victoro311

That's my thinking. Orpik is still good positionally. I like our speed against their depth guys.

Much much better game. I think that snagged some of the mo back. Still think we need to do a better job in regards to establishing cycles in the offensive zone in order to drive to the net and get at Holtby, but hopefully we can take this momentum back home and put this thing on heat. If we play like we did tonight next week this series won't make it to 7.

And luckily I didn't jinx it. Ovi was invisible tonight. Him and Kuznetzov need to step it the (frank) up the Caps are gonna have a chance at this.

Brooks Orpik potentially getting a suspension would be huge. I'd love to see Schmidt, Orlov, or Chorney have to play top 4 minutes. Luckily we have the depth to compensate for losing Maatta if he is indeed out. Washington not so much in regards to Orpik I think.
- Victoro311

Malkin>OV; Malkin outworked Ovechkin for the puck there and then made a nice center to Fehr. Sure Ovechkin gets some big hits in but when it comes time to really dig he isn't so tough.

letang was amazing that whole game. except really on the PP where everyone struggled and was indecisive.

but at actual defense, he was a monster. people that still say he's a one way defenseman need to fix their lazy narrative.

crosby was engaged. pressing at times, but very engaged. had a beauty of a feed that sheary couldnt finish. it wasn't a good day for sheary, but it happens. im not ready to dump him off of that line.

HBK like. they are great together. thought kessel had a good game, even if nothing really showed for him.

maatta has been struggling, but down to 5 defenseman really put lovejoy into an elevated role that he simply can't hang in. daley has been very bad lately too. dumo was quietly very impressive in my mind.

murray was a rock.

I am pro Orpik... hes still one of my favorite players... but yeah, 1-2 games, the NHL really needs to stop ignoring this stuff.
- Guile

I'm expecting 1-2 games myself. Though Maata may be out for a while from that hit. Maybe the entire playoffs. Should be a 5-10 game suspension but that will never happen.

Yes capitals lack dman depth.

Thought Sully's idea of putting Kessel with Malkin for a bit in the 3rd was a nice look

Malkin>OV; Malkin outworked Ovechkin for the puck there and then made a nice center to Fehr. Sure Ovechkin gets some big hits in but when it comes time to really dig he isn't so tough.
- Thunderbolt

alkin really cleaned the pck away by lifting the stick. Malkin made that goal happen to Fehr all the way from turnover to set up for the deflection.

Malkin>OV; Malkin outworked Ovechkin for the puck there and then made a nice center to Fehr. Sure Ovechkin gets some big hits in but when it comes time to really dig he isn't so tough.
- Thunderbolt

until that last sequence, i personally thought malkin was very bland tonight. granted, until that goal his wingers largely floated as well. cant have 3 passengers at once.

ovechkin had some nice passes and stick breakups tonight.

dont get me wrong. love malkin and (frank) OV, but both guys have about 2 more gears they can reach. whichever one does first, look out.

ovenchicken looked like he was doing a lot of cherry picking tonight. I don't know how many times it seemed like he was just standing all by himself waiting for a pass. great job by the D minimizing his opportunities

I'm expecting 1-2 games myself. Though Maata may be out for a while from that hit. Maybe the entire playoffs. Should be a 5-10 game suspension but that will never happen.

Yes capitals lack dman depth.
- sditulli

Sounds about right.

Thought Sully's idea of putting Kessel with Malkin for a bit in the 3rd was a nice look
- DeflatedPucks

Same. I have no issue with double shifting Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel every now and then. Just got pissed on Malkin's first game back where he took the majority of his shifts on Crosby's wing.

until that last sequence, i personally thought malkin was very bland tonight. granted, until that goal his wingers largely floated as well. cant have 3 passengers at once.

ovechkin had some nice passes and stick breakups tonight.

dont get me wrong. love malkin and (frank) OV, but both guys have about 2 more gears they can reach. whichever one does first, look out.
- stayinthefnnet

Not a great game for Geno but you're right, he's dragging Kunitz and Fehr up and down the ice. Kuni especially. He's plain awful. It's hard to make things happen with wings like that. I know it won't happen but Kunitz needs to take a seat.

Great win. The boys deserved it. Outplayed Washington by quite a bit, absent maybe a seven minute stretch. Great to see Fehr score the game winner against his former organization in Washington. Murray with some very big saves down the stretch.

Glad we leave with a split, but it very well should have been a sweep. Need to figure out the power play.

As for Maatta, I'm assuming we see schultz Monday. He isn't as good as a Dman, but he has better speed that Maatta. As for Opik ... hope he is fined and no suspension. Think him playing helps us.

It doesnt make it ok, but it demonstrates that blaming the refs is misdirected. Teams make their own luck and if you finish your chances on the pp then all this talk of bad calls becomes moot.
- david22

And if they dont make bad calls everyone is happy along with the point being moot.

Ovechkin seems to spend a lot of time just standing there and watching what happens after he passes the puck off to someone, instead of finishing the play.

letang was amazing that whole game. except really on the PP where everyone struggled and was indecisive.

but at actual defense, he was a monster. people that still say he's a one way defenseman need to fix their lazy narrative.

crosby was engaged. pressing at times, but very engaged. had a beauty of a feed that sheary couldnt finish. it wasn't a good day for sheary, but it happens. im not ready to dump him off of that line.

HBK like. they are great together. thought kessel had a good game, even if nothing really showed for him.

maatta has been struggling, but down to 5 defenseman really put lovejoy into an elevated role that he simply can't hang in. daley has been very bad lately too. dumo was quietly very impressive in my mind.

murray was a rock.
- stayinthefnnet

Letang was absolutely robbed of being a Norris Trophy finalist. If we end up winning the cup I'd vote for Letang as MVP.

Ovechkin seems to spend a lot of time just standing there and watching what happens after he passes the puck off to someone, instead of finishing the play.
- rjp4120

He's starting to remind me of James Neal. Trying to get into a soft zone and wait for passes. It's good when he's getting the passes, but the Pens pressure so much and aren't allowing him to get the puck. He ends up being idle more often than not.

I got so jittery when neither Crosby, Cullen nor Bonino could win a faceoff to save their life at the end...

Not a great game for Geno but you're right, he's dragging Kunitz and Fehr up and down the ice. Kuni especially. He's plain awful. It's hard to make things happen with wings like that. I know it won't happen but Kunitz needs to take a seat.
- madmike71

We really don't have anyone to take a seat for Kunitz. If Wilson was healthy it would be a conversation. Next 2 guys are sundqvist and maybe Sprong.