That's what I don't get about people like you. I completely understand looking at all the advanced stats, but if you don't account for the score/situation of the game they are meaningless. When the game was tied, it was played pretty evenly. I wish teams would not do this, but as someone who watched hundreds upon hundreds of games every year, I can tell you AS A FACT, that the team that is losing, normally eases up and plays patient and the team that is losing, normally amps up and plays risky give it all you've got hockey.

Unless you can find a way to factor that into your stats, then they don't really tell the story.

That being said, I agree that the Caps carried the play for most of the game, but I'm not so certain that'd be the case if we didn't take a 2-0 lead.

How many times does a coach say post-game "Yeah, we probably deserved a better fate tonight, but ya know.. that's hockey." a season? It happens, and coaches recognize it, why can't fans and bloggers recognize it?
- j.boyd919

Not only that, but what do you want, a boring recap that I stole from someone who actually went to the game? I ain't ever going to do that. My job - as I see it- is just to anaylze what happened. Since it's a Caps blog, doesn't it make sense to point out that the Caps probably win that game nine and a half times out of ten?

Maybe the word 'deserved' juts throws people off - who knows. But in every game there is a winner and a loser and it's not always the team that played best that wins.

When that happens, you have to say 'trust the process' or 'we need to come up with a new strategy' in this case, it's 'trust the process.'

If I was the Penguins blogger, I'd have found some more positives, but I'd be cautioning about not making any adjustments just because the score board was favorable.

When it comes to stats and analytics, I think people truly misunderstand how probability works.

Lets say the team with the best stats wins 55% of the time. That's pretty huge in an even-sum game. But you're still going to be wrong almost half the time.

Advanced stats would be more palatable to people if those people understood how poker works. If you have AK and get your money in against AQ - you're going to lose like one in five times, but you know that you'll make money if you make the same move every time.

In hockey it's the same way. Just because the Senators beat the Bruins despite what Advanced Stats suggested, doesn't mean advanced stats were wrong. They simply told us that if Boston lost, it would be an upset. Every single person who came up with the stats showing Boston was better knew the Senators would still win one in three times.

It's amazing how simple this is, but then again, I saw a poll yesterday that said 25% of Republicans don't consider a problem even if Trump is proven to have committed treason - so essentially 25 % of people are certifiable.

Living in a "should have" or "could have" reality is the definition of insanity. The final score was 3-2 Pens so all this talk about what could have or should have happened is living in a completely illusionary reality....lets just focus on "what happened".....and that was 3-2 Pens. All these fancy stats, ratings and charts really mean nothing when the score board says 3-2 Pens. Lets stay in the present moment and not always focus on what could have or should have happened......The only ones that point out these fancy stats/rating/charts are writers on hockeybuzz that have to write articles when their team losses....so out come the charts and stats. very laughable!!
- Darklight11

That is quite literally not the definition of insanity. Second, you're insane. You came to a hockey site and clicked on a blog, presumably looking for analysis. If all your supposed to do is praise the winning team, what would be the point?

That's what I don't get about people like you. I completely understand looking at all the advanced stats, but if you don't account for the score/situation of the game they are meaningless. When the game was tied, it was played pretty evenly. I wish teams would not do this, but as someone who watched hundreds upon hundreds of games every year, I can tell you AS A FACT, that the team that is losing, normally eases up and plays patient and the team that is losing, normally amps up and plays risky give it all you've got hockey.

Unless you can find a way to factor that into your stats, then they don't really tell the story.

That being said, I agree that the Caps carried the play for most of the game, but I'm not so certain that'd be the case if we didn't take a 2-0 lead.
- bochangs

Score effects do exist. They don't account for an absolute drubbing though, sorry.

Not only that, but what do you want, a boring recap that I stole from someone who actually went to the game? I ain't ever going to do that. My job - as I see it- is just to anaylze what happened. Since it's a Caps blog, doesn't it make sense to point out that the Caps probably win that game nine and a half times out of ten?

Maybe the word 'deserved' juts throws people off - who knows. But in every game there is a winner and a loser and it's not always the team that played best that wins.

When that happens, you have to say 'trust the process' or 'we need to come up with a new strategy' in this case, it's 'trust the process.'

If I was the Penguins blogger, I'd have found some more positives, but I'd be cautioning about not making any adjustments just because the score board was favorable.

When it comes to stats and analytics, I think people truly misunderstand how probability works.

Lets say the team with the best stats wins 55% of the time. That's pretty huge in an even-sum game. But you're still going to be wrong almost half the time.

Advanced stats would be more palatable to people if those people understood how poker works. If you have AK and get your money in against AQ - you're going to lose like one in five times, but you know that you'll make money if you make the same move every time.

In hockey it's the same way. Just because the Senators beat the Bruins despite what Advanced Stats suggested, doesn't mean advanced stats were wrong. They simply told us that if Boston lost, it would be an upset. Every single person who came up with the stats showing Boston was better knew the Senators would still win one in three times.

It's amazing how simple this is, but then again, I saw a poll yesterday that said 25% of Republicans don't consider a problem even if Trump is proven to have committed treason - so essentially 25 % of people are certifiable.
- james_tanner1

So much the bolded. Sullivan says it day after day "Play the right way"

Some of you guys are really pissed over the word "deserved" oh my

Ya I agree with statistical analysis over a large sample size. I'm actually have my bachelors of mathematics with major in statistics.

I agree that over the course of this season, the Caps have been the better team statistically overall, but to make these conclusions based on 1.5 periods of hockey, when a team is losing 2-0 is useless.

I believe that if Crosby never scored and the game remained 0-0, the play would have been much more even in the second half of the game.

Maybe the word 'deserved' juts throws people off - who knows. But in every game there is a winner and a loser and it's not always the team that played best that wins.
- james_tanner1

This is where you're wrong. A million times out of a million, the team that plays the best wins. Because they won. Because playing the best means doing the exact thing you need to do at the right time to win the game. None of the other times in the game matter. And that's the problem with fancy stats. Useful tools perhaps, but they're not the be-all and end-all of athletic competition.

This is where you're wrong. A million times out of a million, the team that plays the best wins. Because they won. Because playing the best means doing the exact thing you need to do at the right time to win the game. None of the other times in the game matter. And that's the problem with fancy stats. Useful tools perhaps, but they're not the be-all and end-all of athletic competition.
- Kineada

People always ask me how do I put up with being called an idiot so much. This ^ is why.

Sometimes great teams just cannot get over the hump.

Buffalo Bills, 4 chances 4 fails. really good teams
Utah Jazz had some great teams, but Bulls had Jordan.



Caps and their fans deserve a cup, its just 1 loss, but the Caps have 2 white whales Pens/Rangers. Hopefully they can somehow overcome it.

People always ask me how do I put up with being called an idiot so much. This ^ is why.
- james_tanner1

What is why? You continue to make no sense.

That is quite literally not the definition of insanity. Second, you're insane. You came to a hockey site and clicked on a blog, presumably looking for analysis. If all your supposed to do is praise the winning team, what would be the point?
- james_tanner1

James, the definition of insanity is doing the same over and over expecting a different result. So writing about would have or could have is writing in a sense of insanity because you keep writing in would have or could have tones and backing it up with these ever increasing insane charts that just go to show that charts mean nothing....it really is a laughable cycle you live in!! :-)

Only thing that matter is the SCOREBOARD!!!!!!!!!

So sorry Tanner!

Not only that, but what do you want, a boring recap that I stole from someone who actually went to the game? I ain't ever going to do that. My job - as I see it- is just to anaylze what happened. Since it's a Caps blog, doesn't it make sense to point out that the Caps probably win that game nine and a half times out of ten?

Maybe the word 'deserved' juts throws people off - who knows. But in every game there is a winner and a loser and it's not always the team that played best that wins.

When that happens, you have to say 'trust the process' or 'we need to come up with a new strategy' in this case, it's 'trust the process.'

If I was the Penguins blogger, I'd have found some more positives, but I'd be cautioning about not making any adjustments just because the score board was favorable.

When it comes to stats and analytics, I think people truly misunderstand how probability works.

Lets say the team with the best stats wins 55% of the time. That's pretty huge in an even-sum game. But you're still going to be wrong almost half the time.

Advanced stats would be more palatable to people if those people understood how poker works. If you have AK and get your money in against AQ - you're going to lose like one in five times, but you know that you'll make money if you make the same move every time.

In hockey it's the same way. Just because the Senators beat the Bruins despite what Advanced Stats suggested, doesn't mean advanced stats were wrong. They simply told us that if Boston lost, it would be an upset. Every single person who came up with the stats showing Boston was better knew the Senators would still win one in three times.

It's amazing how simple this is, but then again, I saw a poll yesterday that said 25% of Republicans don't consider a problem even if Trump is proven to have committed treason - so essentially 25 % of people are certifiable.
- james_tanner1

You are such a putz!!!! PROVEN????? EVERYTHING Trump does is bashed and called TREASON! Where is the proof , I haven't heard a thing on networks about TREASON, and we all know that they report every fart, burp, or hiccup Trump has

Everything is the Trumps and the Republicans fault!!!!!???? Get your head out of your arse

How bout Obama allowing TERRORISTS to go free and lying to America saying they were petty criminals.....all so he could get a horrible deal done w/ Iran, not to mentin the 500 million dollar pay off.!!!!

Get of your high horse, and STOP, STOP, STOP bringing up politics !!!! You insult good hard working people who want nothing but a better country! NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR POLITICS!!!

James, the definition of insanity is doing the same over and over expecting a different result. So writing about would have or could have is writing in a sense of insanity because you keep writing in would have or could have tones and backing it up with these ever increasing insane charts that just go to show that charts mean nothing....it really is a laughable cycle you live in!! :-)
- Darklight11

No, it's actually not. That's a lame cliche taken from 1970s Narcotics Anonymous and isn't the definition of anything.

You are such a putz!!!! PROVEN????? EVERYTHING Trump does is bashed and called TREASON! Where is the proof , I haven't heard a thing on networks about TREASON, and we all know that they report every fart, burp, or hiccup Trump has

Everything is the Trumps and the Republicans fault!!!!!???? Get your head out of your arse

How bout Obama allowing TERRORISTS to go free and lying to America saying they were petty criminals.....all so he could get a horrible deal done w/ Iran, not to mentin the 500 million dollar pay off.!!!!

Get of your high horse, and STOP, STOP, STOP bringing up politics !!!! You insult good hard working people who want nothing but a better country! NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR POLITICS!!!
- rrentz

Clearly you do.

You are such a putz!!!! PROVEN????? EVERYTHING Trump does is bashed and called TREASON! Where is the proof , I haven't heard a thing on networks about TREASON, and we all know that they report every fart, burp, or hiccup Trump has

Everything is the Trumps and the Republicans fault!!!!!???? Get your head out of your arse

How bout Obama allowing TERRORISTS to go free and lying to America saying they were petty criminals.....all so he could get a horrible deal done w/ Iran, not to mentin the 500 million dollar pay off.!!!!

Get of your high horse, and STOP, STOP, STOP bringing up politics !!!! You insult good hard working people who want nothing but a better country! NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR POLITICS!!!
- rrentz

There is so much wrong with what you said, but this is a hockey board and politics shouldn't be brought up.

Clearly you do.
- james_tanner1

Just don't get why you feel its ok to insult people who feel differently from you.


You are always the one to bring up politics, but when others disagree, you insult them and call them idiots!

It must be so hard being so smart and insightful like you are!

There is so much wrong with what you said, but this is a hockey board and politics shouldn't be brought up.
- simethos

Actually, Everything about Iran that I mentioned has been admitted by congress, and senate, and Obama's own team.

How am I wrong?

Clearly you do.
- james_tanner1

If I were you, I would just write the blog for the Caps and be done with it. Don't waste your time defending what you wrote... right or wrong, it's all opinions anyways... as I surmise many of these responders are just trying to get a rise out of you.

GO PENS !!

If I were you, I would just write the blog for the Caps and be done with it. Don't waste your time defending what you wrote... right or wrong, it's all opinions anyways... as I surmise many of these responders are just trying to get a rise out of you.

GO PENS !!
- skridscousin

Wrong...

Clearly you don't know Tanner!

He writes these things for the sole purpose of getting a rise from those who disagree with him!

No, it's actually not. That's a lame cliche taken from 1970s Narcotics Anonymous and isn't the definition of anything.
- james_tanner1

your best post ever

Wrong...

Clearly you don't know Tanner!

He writes these things for the sole purpose of getting a rise from those who disagree with him!
- rrentz

Maybe...

but to get in an argument with someone using a keyboard means y'all have too much free time, or you're probably neglecting something more important in REAL life.

You should surprise mom and paint her basement for her.

GO SENS !!!!!!

Actually, Everything about Iran that I mentioned has been admitted by congress, and senate, and Obama's own team.

How am I wrong?
- rrentz

Because not everything was Obama's fault. That poop is comical. Same before him it was all Bush's, and Clinton's, and so on. Same with The Orange Bastard. Our government is entirely to blame. From the top down. The entire House and Senate should NOT get a pass. Both sides of the aisle, every congressman, every senator, and the white house is to blame. (Especially Mitch McConnell)

As for the treason issue, there is plenty of smoke regarding conflicts of interest, Russian ties within his own administration, and a litany of other scandals that are reported on a daily basis from journalists across the globe. Don't blow sunshine up our asses that the current administration isn't shady as hell. You're delusional.

If I were you, I would just write the blog for the Caps and be done with it. Don't waste your time defending what you wrote... right or wrong, it's all opinions anyways... as I surmise many of these responders are just trying to get a rise out of you.

GO PENS !!
- skridscousin

Yeah man you are feeding the trolls ( i feel like if you are a pens fan arguing with a caps blogger on his own page you MUST be labelled a trolls..sorry).

To me the game was one of 2 halves. I will take the first 30 minutes and feel comfortable that the penguins will have a 50/50 or better shot at winning. But after that the caps MURDERED the penguins. Very similar to game 3 last year. I wouldn't be bothered as a Caps fan today. If the whole series goes like this game, there's very little chance the penguins wining. I think we can all agree with that, right?