Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

Yeah pens!

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

It’s been a hard fought series and chippy but he definitely left his feet for a cheap shot there. Didn’t really land it.

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

Love Guentz. Wanted to name my son after him in March.

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

:lorraine

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

He’s so god damn timely. Irritates the shit out of me :lol

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

Have Captain America pummeling Canada on replay. Letang should have picked s more favorable fight

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

:lol I think Jake can handle it. Look how excited he is to get to the games!

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

Kuhnhackl played one hell of a game.

Pens still not getting any secondary scoring.

Wild there were 0 shots taken between Ovi and Sid.

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

Kid came out of no where. 3rd round pick i think.

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

This series is tied 2-2 with just one line producing. Actually just Sid and Jake. And no Malkin for two games. (1 healthy line?) Gotta wonder if kessel is hurting

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

That’s 2 comments from each of us. Duel melt.

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

I’ll never forget the video of his dad’s reaction when he scored his first goal in his first game.

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

:lol Beavis

The bolded gives me the slightest bit of confidence going forward. If only the Caps can figure out Sid and Guentz.

The 0 shots thing is nuts. For Sid too, but especially for Ovie. Honestly I thought Top Line Devante did not work so well for the Caps. Ovie and Kuznetsov were ghosts 5 on 5. Lines 2 and 3 were by far the best for the Caps.

It’s just wild what he’s done in the playoffs

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

:lol :lol :lol

:lol

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

I mean this has described this series for the past 2 years.

Caps dominating yet still falling short teh bounez

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

Caps need to move Vrana to top line instead of DSP

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

I can remember a whole lot of contributors in the past two series that weren’t 87 or 59.

Nick Bonino still haunts my dreams

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

Agreed. I like Devante but he’s not a good fit on a top line. He’s just not that guy

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

This isn’t really to throw shade at Geuntzel but I think his rise is due to Crosby for the majority of the time. He had a sick handle in game 3 leading to Crosby’s goal so the talent is there in some aspect

Crosby just creates so many opportunities that this is a classic thing where Pens let him go and he doesn’t really produce at the same rate with another team

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

Very true. Pens depth won in for them in the past 2 series

I would argue that that Caps did a better job at limiting the Pens top lines in the past 2 years. Reason Pens are in it this year is because of the top line

Caps second line needs to limit the chances. That line needs to be better defensively If that’s how Trotz wants to align

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

DSP mimics Wilson’s game better than Vrana but I think with all things considered they new to move Vrana to the top line

I was also very upset with the lack of play time for the Caps depth.

I think Eller & Beagle lines can produce with fresh legs just as much as the top lines

Gersich had 2 very good looks in the first period and got very little ice time

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

The thing is for the most part, I think whoever’s been out against those two have done mostly ok, but it’s just the slightest error against those two and it’s in the net. Or they create indefensible magic, like the game 3 goal. Could the backstrom be better against them? Probably yes, but at the same time, the backstrom line has been productive in its own right. So it’s tough. It’s just one of those things where those two are in synch so well right now that it’s almost impossible to eliminate completely

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

Trotz is terrible at optimizing his roster. No doubt. I noticed the Gersich chances and then the subsequent lack of minutes. As for DSP, he may mimic Tom better than Vrana but DSP is no Tom Wilson and I think it’s a classic Barry Trotz Pipe Dream to think he can be. Just optimize the lines, and try to match the Pens speed. In other words, put fucking Vrana on the top

But Trotz has always favored veteran status. It’s frustrating as hell. I don’t get it.

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

Crosby has done such a good job at creating high chance 5v5 chances

Backy-Osh-Sthephson I think are play well but at what point do you put another line in there? Which line was matched up against them 5v5 in years past? Mimic that and you hope to shutdown the the only line for the Pens that has been producing

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

I think the best thing the Caps can do is don’t overthink it. Not a lot for them to be disappointed about tonight other than the result. Fix the top line. That didn’t work. Otherwise, keep playing the game and stick with it. No reason to think they can’t win game 5.

Well, other than the fact that it’s the Caps of course

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

I meant to put a post before this game about how Trotz is too old school

On the other hand Trotz has chose Djoos over other and Gersich over Boyd, so with those decisions can you really not say he’s trying something different?

Trotz has been better in forward thinking and the fact the Caps have been better in the series shows.

Move Vrana to the top line - move Gersich to the third and put DSP on the 4th. Or at least make in game adjustments, which Trotz actually has been doing so far this playoffs

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

Fair enough. Good point about Djoos. And boy has he been good. I just hope he fixes the top line thing. Doing that again hinders Ovechkin which is the best thing they’ve got going. Let’s hope he gets it right.

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

I agree. Top line has produced so far every game in these playoffs. Put Vrana on top line to unleash the potential vs Pens

Caps didn’t lose this game like they did in Game 1 with the string of bad plays

Don’t play to game flow go out there and just score

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

Patrick Laine’s beard is something else

Re: The NHL Thread (Hot takes! 3elieve!)
 

I’m sure you noticed in Game 3 but Trotz put Backstrom on top line for the GWG

Caps are more talented in the front 12 and back 9 just need to find the right adjustments

I also want to say something about the backstop but I’ll hold it for when the series is over