I keep saying its not even being passive on the PK, its flat out stupid positioning. that pic says it all.
- nastyflyergirl

Two guys down low, looks like MacDonald and Gudas, doing (frank) all. Both forwards along the near wall, one guy is sealing off a pass up the boards, the other is doing nothing-he's not pressuring the puck, not preventing a pass to the guy in the circle and obviously not doing anything to prevent a pass to Ovechkin.

That's the huge issue. Not only is Ovie WFO, Backstrom has a lane big enough to drive an 18 wheeler through, let alone make a pass to him for an easy 1 timer. Shawn Cronin could have had the puck and still found Ovechkin.

I would add raffl to the top line with Giroux and Voracek. They have played well before and I think Raffl's skating and simple game work well with Giroux and Voracek.

Schenn, Simmonds and Laughton would be my 2nd line. They have skill and can play a more physical game.

Cousins, read, Gagner can be a 3rd line.

and then the 4th line.
- J35Bacher

This may be way outside the box thinking, but id like to see laughton on a line with Giroux and Simmonds. Then play raffl with schenn and voracek. if coots didnt get injured id like to see weal in for read, but sitting read leaves a vacancy on our already juggernaut of a penalty killing unit.

If we lose tonight and Hak only makes changes for the first time for Game 4, it's already too late. I love Mason but Would give the Caps a different look and you can be your ass Medvedev should be in and Manning out.

Yes it is such and outrageous suggestion.

I am so glad the Redwings just kept with the same plan.
- J35Bacher

The Red Wings would have won that game regardless of who played. Mrazek is also better than Howard. Mason is a top 10 goalie. You don't take him out unless he's had a prolonged stretch of poor play. Why would you play a worse player?

Resorting to semantics?

- MBFlyerfan

Yes. I'm an bumhole. Move on.

Two guys down low, looks like MacDonald and Gudas, doing (frank) all. Both forwards along the near wall, one guy is sealing off a pass up the boards, the other is doing nothing-he's not pressuring the puck, not preventing a pass to the guy in the circle and obviously not doing anything to prevent a pass to Ovechkin.

That's the huge issue. Not only is Ovie WFO, Backstrom has a lane big enough to drive an 18 wheeler through, let alone make a pass to him for an easy 1 timer. Shawn Cronin could have had the puck and still found Ovechkin.
- Jsaquella

I think that was Read.

I'm not worried about who starts tonight - I expect it will be Mason, mostly because Neuvirth is likely rusty after the injury, but I don't think the "deserves it" argument has any merit.
- wolfhounds

I disagree. Mason lets in one awful goal in a series where otherwise he has been their best player and lets sit him. sorry he deserves the opportunity to play tonight.

The Red Wings would have won that game regardless of who played. Mrazek is also better than Howard. Mason is a top 10 goalie. You don't take him out unless he's had a prolonged stretch of poor play. Why would you play a worse player?
- PhillySportsGuy

Doesn't matter.

Mason is starting.

I disagree. Mason lets in one awful goal in a series where otherwise he has been their best player and lets sit him. sorry he deserves the opportunity to play tonight.
- nastyflyergirl

Simmonds also took an egregiously stupid penalty and Giroux has been invisible. Can we sit them for CMac and Umberger?

Two guys down low, looks like MacDonald and Gudas, doing (frank) all. Both forwards along the near wall, one guy is sealing off a pass up the boards, the other is doing nothing-he's not pressuring the puck, not preventing a pass to the guy in the circle and obviously not doing anything to prevent a pass to Ovechkin.

That's the huge issue. Not only is Ovie WFO, Backstrom has a lane big enough to drive an 18 wheeler through, let alone make a pass to him for an easy 1 timer. Shawn Cronin could have had the puck and still found Ovechkin.
- Jsaquella

Read didn't make matters better with his positioning either. He drifted over and down ....he saw it and tried to recover but was way too late.

Read didn't make matters better with his positioning either. He drifted over and down ....he saw it and tried to recover but was way too late.
- nastyflyergirl

Read didn't read his playbook that he should have read.

I think that was Read.
- J35Bacher

I think it is, as well.

Two guys down low, looks like MacDonald and Gudas, doing (frank) all. Both forwards along the near wall, one guy is sealing off a pass up the boards, the other is doing nothing-he's not pressuring the puck, not preventing a pass to the guy in the circle and obviously not doing anything to prevent a pass to Ovechkin.

That's the huge issue. Not only is Ovie WFO, Backstrom has a lane big enough to drive an 18 wheeler through, let alone make a pass to him for an easy 1 timer. Shawn Cronin could have had the puck and still found Ovechkin.
- Jsaquella

pfft...Kevin Cronin could've done it

Read didn't make matters better with his positioning either. He drifted over and down ....he saw it and tried to recover but was way too late.
- nastyflyergirl

Hakstol has (hopefully) made some tweaks in the PK coverage moving forward. Consisting of "find #8, skate next to him at all times."

Hakstol has (hopefully) made some tweaks in the PK coverage moving forward. Consisting of "find #8, skate next to him at all times."
- MBFlyerfan

Ovechkin is gonna get his points, but yeah, they need to make him earn it a bit more. If there's one guy you don't leave open, he's the one.

Also, this series keeps making me think of the 2008 draft day trade far too much.

Read didn't make matters better with his positioning either. He drifted over and down ....he saw it and tried to recover but was way too late.
- nastyflyergirl

Just an awful, undisciplined and really inexplicable break down of coverage.

pfft...Kevin Cronin could've done it
- Scoob

Take it on the run, Ovie!!!

I disagree. Mason lets in one awful goal in a series where otherwise he has been their best player and lets sit him. sorry he deserves the opportunity to play tonight.
- nastyflyergirl

I don't think changing goalies is the answer...Mason has been just fine. Yes the 2nd goal the other night was one of the worst I've ever seen, but it wasn't the difference between winning and losing. Their PP and PK are the main culprits in this series so far...hope they can fix those starting tonight!

Just an awful, undisciplined and really inexplicable break down of coverage.
- Jsaquella

I was screaming at the TV when I saw Read on the same side of the ice as Giroux was during that sequence...what the hell was he hoping to accomplish by doing that?

What other options are there for Hakstol other than leaving Read in the lineup?

Umberger? Weal? C. McDonald? A corpse, and a couple of minor leaguers. Just leave Read in simply for not having any other legit options.

If Medvedev doesn't play, that would be infuriating.

I don't think changing goalies is the answer...Mason has been just fine. Yes the 2nd goal the other night was one of the worst I've ever seen, but it wasn't the difference between winning and losing. Their PP and PK are the main culprits in this series so far...hope they can fix those starting tonight!
- aantny88

It's been brought up before to try Ghost on the right wall, across from Giroux to see if that works on the PP. I'm not a fan of it, but those 2 are just getting suffocated on the PP right now, I'd spread them out and put Voracek down there; as long as he's just dishing, not dancing through 3 guys.

I think it is, as well.
- Jsaquella

It definitely was Read because I was yelling at him as the play was happening

It definitely was Read because I was yelling at him as the play was happening
- nastyflyergirl

I wasn't sure, because I managed to drink enough to forget it until I saw this today

What other options are there for Hakstol other than leaving Read in the lineup?

Umberger? Weal? C. McDonald? A corpse, and a couple of minor leaguers. Just leave Read in simply for not having any other legit options.

If Medvedev doesn't play, that would be infuriating.
- PLindbergh31

Yeah, I don't think a good argument can be made that Medvedev isn't a better option than at one of the guys they are playing now

Take it on the run, Ovie!!!
- Jsaquella

Flyers gotta roll with [some] changes