James Tanner: Capitals Prepare for Leafs after Huge Beat-Down The defense is whack

I think the Leafs lose myself...their D/tending is nothing to gloat about either.

Just a gut feeling - bet on the Caps.

I think the Leafs lose myself...their D/tending is nothing to gloat about either.

Just a gut feeling - bet on the Caps.
- Garnie

I don't really see what's so bad about the Leafs defense. 1-6 they're pretty solid. Certainly the Caps are going to dress three guys minimum who couldn't make the Leafs right now.

It's the NHL and anything can happen, but the capitals are huge underdogs for this game.

The lack of defensive depth was certainly a big factor in the game against the Flyers but so was the schedule. 3 games in 4 nights for the Caps and the 2nd game of a back to back against a team that hadn't played in a few days. Grubauer wasn't exactly stellar in net either. Losing Niskanen is a big blow to the Caps.

Caps will win this one

capitals have really been fortunate injury wise the past few seasons, seemed like they were always near the bottom in terms of man games lost...they are way over due for some injuries.

I think the Leafs lose myself...their D/tending is nothing to gloat about either.

Just a gut feeling - bet on the Caps.
- Garnie

Goaltending doesn't matter, because goalies don't take or prevent shot attempts, which is the only way to judge who won a game.

Did you know that the Capitals actually won last year's playoff series against the Penguins?

Goaltending doesn't matter, because goalies don't take or prevent shot attempts, which is the only way to judge who won a game.

Did you know that the Capitals actually won last year's playoff series against the Penguins?
- jmatchett383

Well this is just appallingly sophistic. Goalies are unpredictable, and since whether or not you face a hot or cold one is almost completely random, teams that want to win and analyze their play should not factor goaltending into their game plans.

The Penguins starting goalie was injured and their backup came in and stole two back to back games. While it's great he did it, there is almost no precedent of this ever happening. I would say the odds of the Capitals winning once Murray went down were probably over 90%.


I mean seriously man, have you ever played poker? If I call your bluff with two Aces, and you happen to turn over 7-2 and hit a full house, does that mean you made a good play? Or did you just get extremely lucky? An amateur poker player can beat a professional on one hand or one tourny, but over time? Not a chance, because given enough time, people who can do math will destroy people who don't.

Safe betting the over on this game?

Well this is just appallingly sophistic. Goalies are unpredictable, and since whether or not you face a hot or cold one is almost completely random, teams that want to win and analyze their play should not factor goaltending into their game plans.

The Penguins starting goalie was injured and their backup came in and stole two back to back games. While it's great he did it, there is almost no precedent of this ever happening. I would say the odds of the Capitals winning once Murray went down were probably over 90%.


I mean seriously man, have you ever played poker? If I call your bluff with two Aces, and you happen to turn over 7-2 and hit a full house, does that mean you made a good play? Or did you just get extremely lucky? An amateur poker player can beat a professional on one hand or one tourny, but over time? Not a chance, because given enough time, people who can do math will destroy people who don't.
- James_Tanner

Hey that's great James.

Well this is just appallingly sophistic. Goalies are unpredictable, and since whether or not you face a hot or cold one is almost completely random, teams that want to win and analyze their play should not factor goaltending into their game plans.

The Penguins starting goalie was injured and their backup came in and stole two back to back games. While it's great he did it, there is almost no precedent of this ever happening. I would say the odds of the Capitals winning once Murray went down were probably over 90%.


I mean seriously man, have you ever played poker? If I call your bluff with two Aces, and you happen to turn over 7-2 and hit a full house, does that mean you made a good play? Or did you just get extremely lucky? An amateur poker player can beat a professional on one hand or one tourny, but over time? Not a chance, because given enough time, people who can do math will destroy people who don't.
- James_Tanner

People who have common sense know that a 7 game playoff series isn't about doing math or what would happen statistically over a long period of time but it is about right now and about who scores the most goals and who wins the most games in that 7 game series. Teams and good coaches always factor goaltending into their game plans. Specifically tendencies and weaknesses of a goalie.

You really should cut the word "lucky" from your vocabulary. It seems you don't have a strong grasp of the word...

Well this is just appallingly sophistic
- James_Tanner

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It's early in the season and teams are still getting their footing. The Leafs do have a lot of scoring forwards, and this has helped them overcome some lax play. That said, nothing is a given this early, and either one of these two could win by a large margin if the other doesn't show up.

You really should cut the word "lucky" from your vocabulary. It seems you don't have a strong grasp of the word...
- hefnerta

Please enlighten me about how I use the word wrong and what it really means. And please tell me, when you go to the doctor, do you also give him medical advice?

I don't really see what's so bad about the Leafs defense. 1-6 they're pretty solid. Certainly the Caps are going to dress three guys minimum who couldn't make the Leafs right now.

It's the NHL and anything can happen, but the capitals are huge underdogs for this game.
- james_tanner1

Caps have the better goalie; much better.

Caps win this one.

People who have common sense know that a 7 game playoff series isn't about doing math or what would happen statistically over a long period of time but it is about right now and about who scores the most goals and who wins the most games in that 7 game series. Teams and good coaches always factor goaltending into their game plans. Specifically tendencies and weaknesses of a goalie.
- MJL

Goaltending is completely unpredictable. Tanner just told us this.

It is complete and utter coincidence that some goalies are consistently better than others and have better overall careers. It is therefore irrelevant.

Only shots towards the goal matter.

Goaltending is completely unpredictable. Tanner just told us this.

It is complete and utter coincidence that some goalies are consistently better than others and have better overall careers. It is therefore irrelevant.

Only shots towards the goal matter.
- Aetherial

Not only is it unpredictable, it's completely irrelevant as goaltending doesn't contribute to your CA/CF%, which is the only way to truly measure if a team is good or not. In fact, most teams that win the Stanley Cup don't even have a goalie, they just shoot the puck towards the net every time they get it.

Goaltending is completely unpredictable. Tanner just told us this.

It is complete and utter coincidence that some goalies are consistently better than others and have better overall careers. It is therefore irrelevant.

Only shots towards the goal matter.
- Aetherial

This kind of thing makes me want to smash my head into the wall. Which of course, is probably why you wrote it. I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're trolling because the alternative is almost unimaginable for someone who clearly is capable of writing in coherent sentences.

Please enlighten me about how I use the word wrong and what it really means. And please tell me, when you go to the doctor, do you also give him medical advice?
- James_Tanner

When he goes to the Doctor he is talking to an expert in the field with credentials and a medical license. Seems to be an obvious distinction but still needed explaining evidently.

This kind of thing makes me want to smash my head into the wall. Which of course, is probably why you wrote it. I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're trolling because the alternative is almost unimaginable for someone who clearly is capable of writing in coherent sentences.
- James_Tanner

You're getting really good at the use of logical fallacies!

Not only is it unpredictable, it's completely irrelevant as goaltending doesn't contribute to your CA/CF%, which is the only way to truly measure if a team is good or not. In fact, most teams that win the Stanley Cup don't even have a goalie, they just shoot the puck towards the net every time they get it.
- jmatchett383

This really cracked me up. Well done!

With how the Leafs have been playing I feel it's difficult to really predict how things will go, other than the fact that Matthews will play fantastic.
If the Leafs can actually play some half decent defense and Andersen doesn't poop the bed, I can see the Leafs with the win.

Caps only need to crawl into a play off spot (which they will) and then they can solidify the D before the TDL. I think Bowey is good enough to keep a spot and then with Niskanen, Carlson and Orlov you have 4 good Dmen. Adding Djoos and Green (assuming Detroit is out of a play off spot, I think they will surely go for him) will give them a solid back end

Caps only need to crawl into a play off spot (which they will) and then they can solidify the D before the TDL. I think Bowey is good enough to keep a spot and then with Niskanen, Carlson and Orlov you have 4 good Dmen. Adding Djoos and Green (assuming Detroit is out of a play off spot, I think they will surely go for him) will give them a solid back end
- DutchSenators

Need to have some cap space to help with that. Right now, they're not banking any.