Game Thread: Caps @ BJ's

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Washington Capitals
Overall record: 22-17-8, 52 points (55.3%)
Road record: 8-9-4
Last 10: 3-3-4
Streak: -3
GFA: 2.81
GAA: 2.87
PP%: 24.7%
PK%: 80.8%
Projected lineup:
L1: Brooks Laich - Mikhail Grabovski - Alexander Ovechkin
L2: Eric Fehr - Nicklas Backstrom - Troy Brouwer
L3: Jason Chimera - Marcus Johansson - Joel Ward
L4: Aaron Volpatti - Jay Beagle - Tom Wilson
D1:Karl Alzner - John Carlson
D2: Dmitri Orlov - Mike Green
D3: John Erskin - Connor Carrick
G: Phillipp Grubauer

Columbus Blue Jackets
Overall record: 22-20-4, 48 points (52.2%)
Home record: 11-9-2
Last 10: 7-3-0
Streak: +4
GFA: 2.74
GAA: 2.83
PP%: 17.8%
PK%: 79.5%
Projected lineup:
L1: Matt Calvert - Brandon Dubinsky - Cam Atkinson
L2: Boone Jenner - Artem Anisimov - Nathan Horton
L3: Nick Foligno - Ryan Johansen - RJ Umberger
L4: Derek MacKenzie - Mark Letestu - Corey Tropp
D1: Jack Johnson - James Wisniewski
D2: Nikita Nikitin Ryan Murray
D3: Fedor Tyutin - David Savard
G:Sergei Bobrovsky

Series notes
All-time: Capitals lead series 11-3-1
Season series: Capitals lead series 2-0-0
Last meeting: 11/12/2013 @ Verizon Center, Capitals won 4-3 in OT

Doob's take: Capitals have been on the decline while the Blue Jackets have been on a hot streak. Also don't like the Capitals' chances on the road. Seems like the whole Capitals offense revolves around Ovechkin and I could see the Blue Jackets' defense converging on him and shutting him down. Doob picks the Blue Jackets to win 3-2.

 

[elocomotive]

Doob's take: Capitals have been on the decline while the Blue Jackets have been on a hot streak. Also don't like the Capitals' chances on the road. Seems like the whole Capitals offense revolves around Ovechkin and I could see the Blue Jackets' defense converging on him and shutting him down. Doob picks the Blue Jackets to win 3-2.

Caps have 9 guys with 7 or more goals. Pens only have 8. Just sayin'.

It's too bad nobody this year has thought of the strategy "let's try and stop Ovechkin."

 

[KennyBanyeah]

Pens have 5 guys with 10+ goals, Caps only have 3 guys with 10+ goals, what's your point?

His point is that the Caps have plenty of other scorers.

Backstrom, Johansson, Brouwer etc. are all capable of generating offense.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

His point is that the Caps have plenty of other scorers.

Backstrom, Johansson, Brouwer etc. are all capable of generating offense.

There's a 23 goal differential between Ovechkin (34 goals) & the 2nd leading scorer on the Capitals (Nicklas Backstrom with 11). How many other teams have a player that accounts for 25% of his team's total goals?

 

[forty_three]

Caps have 9 guys with 7 or more goals. Pens only have 8. Just sayin'.

It's too bad nobody this year has thought of the strategy "let's try and stop Ovechkin."

I just emailed the Blue Jackets and told them that this might work.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I just emailed the Blue Jackets and told them that this might work.

It'll work, they have the personnel for it. Really just funnel him into the slot, he'll try to take on 3 Blue Jackets by himself.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Anyways, Doobster stands by the 3-2 prediction, I'll also add that Ovechkin scores both of the Caps' goals.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

Anyways, Doobster stands by the 3-2 prediction, I'll also add that Ovechkin scores both of the Caps' goals.

Will one of then be an ENG?

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Will one of then be an ENG?

OF COURSE!

 

[hokiehi21]

I have such little faith in the Caps winning anymore, would love to be pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately 3-2 sounds about right, with the Jackets scoring the dagger with about 3 minutes left.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I have such little faith in the Caps winning anymore, would love to be pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately 3-2 sounds about right, with the Jackets scoring the dagger with about 3 minutes left.

My theory is heavily dependent on the belief that OV will carry the scoring load. If others contribute, I say 4-3 Caps.

So the parameters are,

3-2 Blue Jackets - 4-3 Capitals

95% confident

 

[forty_three]

I just got an email back from the Jackets coaches.

Dearest Forty_Three,
Thanks for the helpful suggestion in your email dated 1/17/2014. We met about the idea and discussed it at great length. We think it's a fantastic idea, however given that the game is in less than an hour, we felt that we simply did not have enough time to implement such a complex and multi-faceted gameplan, and decided we would stick with our previous game plan of "Let Ovechkin play and stuff". We have however shared your defensive scheme with most other coaches in the league and while everyone seems taken aback by it's complexity at first, it seems like with commitment and practice in a few years, someone might just be able to implement it. I guess the level of complexity is why no one has come up with it yet. You must be a hockey mastermind.

Thanks for the suggestion, and as always GO JACKETS!

Love, Toddy R and the boys.

P.S. We will be faxing you a coupon for one life size boomer plush figure (8") free of charge.

 

[esls79]

Long live the fax machine!

 

[hokiehi21]

Jackets have a long 4 on 3 coming. Uh oh here comes a goal

 

[hokiehi21]

Easy call on the goal. 1-0 Jackets

 

[hokiehi21]

orLOLov. good try bro. 2-0 Jackets with 51 seconds left.

 

[elocomotive]

His point is that the Caps have plenty of other scorers.

Backstrom, Johansson, Brouwer etc. are all capable of generating offense.

^That, that was my point.


Nice job by Green just standing there watching the 'Jackets pound rebounds on the net.

I never like to see the Caps losing... but I do root for the BJs to do well.

 

[hokiehi21]

Looks like i can get started on my friday night. later all.

 

[forty_three]

For far too long the Jackets fought and fought and always gave up a late goal.

Nice to finally come out flat and come away with a 2-0 lead.

 

[elocomotive]

There's a 23 goal differential between Ovechkin (34 goals) & the 2nd leading scorer on the Capitals (Nicklas Backstrom with 11). How many other teams have a player that accounts for 25% of his team's total goals?

How many other teams have the league's leading goal scorer?

The Capitals problem is NOT scoring depth. It's defensive consistency.