Thursday, February 22, 2007

Thursday Roundup/Sharks 3, Caps 2 (SO)

[NHL.com Recap]

Due to an early meeting and a dentist appointment, the recap of last night's game might have to wait until never. Feel free to use this as an open thread to discuss the disappointing loss to San Jose, who the NHL's most underrated (Henrik Zetterberg) and overrated (Joe Thornton) players are, and any trade rumors or other NHL news. Enjoy.

Daily Awards
  • Hart: Henrik Zetterberg (2G, including the game-winner, +3, 3 SOG, 3 hits)
  • Ross: Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Duncan Keith, Bryan Smolinski (2 points each)
  • Norris: Nicklas Lidstrom (A, +4, 5 SOG in 4-2 win)
  • Vezina: Dominik Hasek (W, 2 goals allowed on 28 shots against)
  • Richard: Henrik Zetterberg (2G)
  • Calder: Brent Seabrook (A, 3 hits)
  • Aiken: Tuomo Ruuto (-4, 0 points, 0 SOG in 4-2 loss)

13 comments:

faux rumors said...

1) The show-case continues to go well with Heward having another pretty good game. Hopefully a team shows interest in the now red-hot Brian Sutherby
2) Perhaps time to adjust lines Hanlon? May not have a choice if Clark is hurt, but maybe AO and Zubrus shouldn't be an automatic pairing? Something obviously needs to be done to shake things up.
3) Speaking of which why not try something different on the PP. Why not play/reward Donald Brashear with some PP time. His huge frame in front of the opposing net could cause havoc. (It couldn't be any worse than what we've been seeing!)

Abhinav said...

1) I'm with Faux on this one
b) I'm fearing for Ovy's happiness
Three) While a day without hockey is a day not worth living, I'm counting down the days to the end of this one.
IV) I miss regulation games (and OT wins).

JP said...

1) Sure
2)
3)
The power-play is trying something relatively new
4) I agree - playing out the season might be painful

JP said...

For reasons unbeknownst to me, Blogger's not letting me link to this Vogel post (http://dumpnchase.wordpress.com/2007/02/22/a-life-sentence/) that makes me think that you won't see the top-line broken up any time soon.

faux rumors said...

1) As far as shoot outs go, perhaps its also time to change things up here as well. AO shouldn't be automatically penciled in. He looked clueless on SO's all year.
2) Are they practicing this? Seems like a trivial activity until you see that the Caps have lost quite a few possible points this year!
3) On paper, with AO and Semin they should be MUCH better!

faux rumors said...

1) Perhaps they have tweaked the PP unit, but the results so far are much the same.
2) Its looking more and more that this years version of the Caps will have FEWER points than last season. This despite having added a 40 goal scorer! Hanlon's job should NOT be as secure as it unfortunately is

Unknown said...

I'm tired of the trap: It robs the Caps of their (and 8's and 28's) best asset: Team speed.

Tarik didn't mention 17's injury in the gamer.

Several times in the third period the Caps had only ONE centerman on the ice for defensive-zone faceoffs. That's two things: Dumb coaching and indicative of Hanlon's inability to trust any Cs but 9 and 15 late in the d-zone. MUST be addressed via free-agency.

JP said...

The fact that Zubrus got kicked out of a late-defensive zone faceoff and Semin had to take it was a point that I had meant to mention - thanks for noting it, Tyler. That's an inexcusable mental lapse from the bench.

And I couldn't agree more about the trap. Not only on a strategic level, but on a psychological one - what does it say to your team when you are forcing a system on them not necessarily because it gives you a better chance to win, but rather to avoid embarassment?

I understand trapping when you have a lead. I understand trapping when half of your blueline is attending the game in civies, forcing a bunch of kids to match-up against some of the League's best. But the team (with one notable exception) is healthy now.

Ditch the trap, let A&A have fun and let the fans watch exciting hockey, not 4-shots-on-goal periods.

End of rant.

Unknown said...

Half of the d-line is off the ice because the Caps have decided to showcase 4 and 6. I gotta think that after the deadline 52 and 44 are back in the lineup. Right? I hope?

JP said...

44 yes, I would think.

52 is down for the stretch run and playoffs in the A, I have a feeling.

JP said...

And the WTimes notes that "Caps captain Chris Clark left the game in the third period with an upper body injury."

Unknown said...

The WT might as well have said that 17 left the game because after being hit by a Shark he believed that he was on the planet Bluto.

CD said...

i think we're all missing the far biggest point of this thread.

What the heck is wrong w/ JP's choppers?

The Cavity Creeps are not to be taken lightly.