GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Washington Capitals - 7:00pm EST - Mon. Oct. 11th, 2010

SpezDispenser wrote:

PKC wrote:

shabbs wrote:Alfie says he hopes to be in the lineup on Thursday.

The star players need to start putting some points up on the board. Spezza, Alfredsson, Michalek, Gonchar, Kovalev, Karlsson and Fisher have combined for 3 points in 3 games. Combined.

That is appalling.

Just as appalling is a powerplay clicking at 0% with all that talent on the roster. Dumbfounding start to the season.

I only watched the game against Toronto, so I could be way off, but the powerplays we had in that game had no one going to the net. I know we don't really have many big bodies willing to go there, but it should become a staple of the powerplay to really take advantage of our defensemen's offensive skills.

beerandsens wrote:I only watched the game against Toronto, so I could be way off, but the powerplays we had in that game had no one going to the net. I know we don't really have many big bodies willing to go there, but it should become a staple of the powerplay to really take advantage of our defensemen's offensive skills.

All 3 teams, the Sabres, the Leafs and especially the Caps simplified their PK against us. All 3 teams broke their boxes and attacked the defence paying little to no attention to the wings. As soon as Karlsson or Gonchar got the puck, they were right on top of them, not allowing them for any time to survey the situation.

When the pass was finally made to an 'open' D-man, the teams were close enough to them that it was in their shin pads.

I noticed this after the TO game, but thought it was Ron Wilson getting lucky. Now that Boudreau has done it as well, it's obvious that we'll have to be prepared for that on Thursday. This should make Jason Spezza upset IMO, they're not giving him any respect. If he gets the puck down low while they're up on the D-man, he'll make a play to score most of the time - which is what I think we'll see on Thursday.

Now I know what to watch for during Thursday's game. I'm betting they'll finally get a powerplay goal.

beerandsens wrote:Now I know what to watch for during Thursday's game. I'm betting they'll finally get a powerplay goal.

That was just my opinion. Did anyone else on here notice the Caps players attacking the D-men on the PP? I watched pretty close and they seemed intent to key in on Gonchar and Campoli/Karlsson - and it worked.

SpezDispenser wrote:

beerandsens wrote:Now I know what to watch for during Thursday's game. I'm betting they'll finally get a powerplay goal.

That was just my opinion. Did anyone else on here notice the Caps players attacking the D-men on the PP? I watched pretty close and they seemed intent to key in on Gonchar and Campoli/Karlsson - and it worked.

Shouldn't be a surprise that the PKers are honing in on Gonchar. It's his job to draw people to him, create space for others, and distribute the puck and drive it through traffic and onto the net in face of that pressure. Right now, tho', the forwards aren't really helping him out, at all.

Still, definitely early in the season.

SpezDispenser wrote:

beerandsens wrote:Now I know what to watch for during Thursday's game. I'm betting they'll finally get a powerplay goal.

That was just my opinion. Did anyone else on here notice the Caps players attacking the D-men on the PP? I watched pretty close and they seemed intent to key in on Gonchar and Campoli/Karlsson - and it worked.

That's what happens when you add a big shot to your blueline.

PKC wrote:
Apparently they had a players only meeting yesterday led by Alfredsson.

I was right!!! That was my pick in the poll

SpezDispenser wrote:

beerandsens wrote:Now I know what to watch for during Thursday's game. I'm betting they'll finally get a powerplay goal.

That was just my opinion. Did anyone else on here notice the Caps players attacking the D-men on the PP? I watched pretty close and they seemed intent to key in on Gonchar and Campoli/Karlsson - and it worked.

The reason everyone thought the PP would click is because Gonchar would draw all that attention and then Spezza, Alfredsson, Kovalev, Michalek, Regin and Fisher would have all that space to move around down low. The problem is they haven't been contributing enough so the PKers can key in on the defense (which is very dangerous to the PP because it could lead to odd man rushes going the other way.)

I wouldn't worry yet about the PP, it's more a chemistry thing that will probably get better by the game.
The 3 points combined is definitely allarming though, but the worst stat?
-14 for the top 6

marakh wrote:I wouldn't worry yet about the PP, it's more a chemistry thing that will probably get better by the game.
The 3 points combined is definitely allarming though, but the worst stat?
-14 for the top 6

Not worried, so much as ticked off.

But at least the PK is getting better -- 5 for 5 against the Caps is not too shabby.