Washington Capitals - Playoff Hockey - Next Season Guys! Congrats!

[royallypwned]

I like you, but I'm still ready to :sword:

bring it!!!

[Springfield]

bring it!!!

This is you: :handicap:

And me: :finger:

All taken from the OFFICIAL REDSKINS MESSAGE BOARD.

[ixcuincle]

Everything seems so dull and boring now without the Caps to excite me. I had Caps flu. They were winning, everyone was feeling good, etc. Now that they're out I've lost so much of my energy. You all saw me in the chat, all fired up yelling and prodding on the Caps in Caps lock most of the time lol...I just can't get as excited or fired up anymore.

So what now...back to baseball and the NHL conference finals. Damn...not really much for me to get really excited about till August. Yes, I get excited for meaningless preseason games.

[PokerPacker]

The only thing I'm gonna say tonight regarding the game is that the officiating didn't suck. I'll probably have more to say tomorrow, but I don't even want to think about it right now.

[DButz65]

I wouldn't mind keeping Theo as a vet backup. You never know Varly could be a fluke and hes still an experienced netminder. Maybe trade Neivurth(sp?)for a quality defender.

If Varly might be a fluke, why trade way our 2nd best goalie? (possibly)

The one thing that makes the Caps elimination even worse is that it makes the wait for for the football season even longer.

Its a shorter wait than last year and the what, 4 years before that...

[Springfield]

The only thing I'm gonna say tonight regarding the game is that the officiating didn't suck. I'll probably have more to say tomorrow, but I don't even want to think about it right now.

Probably a stance I should have taken in the middle of the second period.

[hail2skins]

And so it goes on......last time a major DC pro sports team even made the conference championship round was the Caps in '98.

If the 1975-85 period was a golden age in DC-area sports, the period since '98 has been a low point.

[TheGoodBits]

The Caps-Pens rivalry will be intense in the coming seasons. This was just Chapter 1. Both teams should be good for the next 5-10 years at least. I expect to face them almost every year in the playoffs. We'll win some and lose some, but hopefully we do more winning. I hope our players feel as crappy and bitter about this game as I do, because it will just add fuel to the fire for them this offseason. I can't wait until hockey season starts again for the Caps.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Ouch.

Not much else to say there, but the Penguins were the better team. No excuses about refs or pp's, there was a reason there was such a difference in penalties

A few observations from the series

1) The Penguins really controlled the entire flow of this thing from the first period of the first game. The difference between tonight and Game 1 was that Varly stood on his head, until game 4 where it looked like he started to wear down.

The only time the Caps ever really controlled play this entire series was about 5 minutes in game 3 where Ovechkin got 2 goals. That is pretty much it. The rest was the Penguins and Varly saving us

2) Mike Green was definitely injured. The problem with that was nobody on the D was good enough to move the puck up ice. If you recall, when Green was out during the season in November that was the one point during the year where the Caps really struggled (the 4 game losing streak in early March I just blame to having a 17 point lead in the division)

Without a fully healthy Green the breakouts were awful and the team was pinned in the entire series playing defense. By the time they could move into the offensive zone, they were gassed

3) Adding to that, Varly still needs to work on playing with the puck. Several times he could have killed a Pens forecheck if he could play the puck well and pass it to a D who could start the breakout

4) The lack of garbage goals. If a 5-11, 190 Sidney Crosby can score goals from 2 feet away from the crease, our 6'0+ guys should be able to do the same. It really is an attitude and none of our forwards really have that attitude in front of the net. GMGM MUST address this in the offseason

5) Real vocal leadership from someone who has been there. Feds is a leader, but he isn't quite what Dave Anderchuck was the Lightning in 2004 (a vet guy who had been there done that, was the Captain and a vocal guy) A trade for a Bill Guerin would have been great and could have been the difference in this series

6) Where to improve? Its obvious, the scoring forwards are set. Ovechkin, Backstrom (who really showed up and proved what a great player he is) Semin are your big guns. Flash may turn the corner, but to me was inconsistant. Brooks Laich has proven he is a guy you keep around.

The guys like Fehr, and Gordon will need to be looked at and what they bring. Steckel is a good energy 4th line center but doesn't add to much more, despite the goals he had in this series.

An almost brand new D corps. I think Schultz and ShaMo need to be shown the door. Alzner brought up. Another top line veteran D-man to pair with Green. Essentially this

vet dman-Green

Poti-Alzner

Pothier-Jurcina

Erskine

Another true "puck" mover would be nice, but really Poti, and Potheir should be able to fill those roles

And enjoy the ride, tonight sucks hard but hey, championships aren't won overnight.

As silly as it may sound I remember another rival of ours, the Cowgirls losing a playoff game in 1991 38-6 to the Lions in the 2nd round. That game motivated the heck out of them for 4 years.

I am hoping tonight does the same to our boys

[Springfield]

And so it goes on......last time a major DC pro sports team even made the conference championship round was the Caps in '98.

If the 1975-85 period was a golden age in DC-area sports, the period since '98 has been a low point.

You shouldn't talk like the Caps are a part of the rest of DC sports. I know many people in here do, but it just shouldn't be done. The Caps are exponentially better than anything else DC has to offer right now.

The Caps-Pens rivalry will be intense in the coming seasons. This was just Chapter 1. Both teams should be good for the next 5-10 years at least. I expect to face them almost every year in the playoffs. We'll win some and lose some, but hopefully we do more winning. I hope our players feel as crappy and bitter about this game as I do, because it will just add fuel to the fire for them this offseason. I can't wait until hockey season starts again for the Caps.

I have a feeling that you are precisely correctly. This is the next age of the Caps/Pens rivalry. Hopefully, the Caps bring it a lot harder next time.

[SkinsHokieFan]

And lets not forget this team has so much depth in the system. . Alzner and Carlson joining the D. Varlamov and Neuvirth tending the nets. Kugryshev being the next Russian to join. The Osala, Perrault, Bouchard line taking their show to DC. Have faith Caps fans, the future is very very bright.

[NoVaSkins21]

The Caps, despite the loss, are still progressing and hopefully next year will be better than this year. I think this loss taught them a lesson and that is that they're not yet on the same level of teams like the Penguins or the Red Wings. I believe for them to get to that next level, they'll have to beat the Penguins in the playoffs and I think that can happen if they get the right pieces to surround Ovie.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Another thing is, you simply do not win big with such a young d-corps and an under 25 goalie.

If you have a 20 year old keeper, you want to have a veteran D. Maybe you have a vet goalie to help out a young D

Kinda like a young QB with a veteran o-line or vice versa

GMGM needs to bring in a veteran piece to the D this summer

[PokerPacker]

Ah, well this is discussing what we need to do. That is something I am willing to discuss tonight.

Where to improve? Its obvious, the scoring forwards are set. Ovechkin, Backstrom (who really showed up and proved what a great player he is) Semin are your big guns. Flash may turn the corner, but to me was inconsistant. Brooks Laich has proven he is a guy you keep around.

Flash will become a good player yet. He had a bad second half of the season, but a good second half of the playoffs. When his head is in the game, he's someone to watch out for.

The guys like Fehr, and Gordon will need to be looked at and what they bring. Steckel is a good energy 4th line center but doesn't add to much more, despite the goals he had in this series.

I'd like to see better from Fehr. I'm not so sure on his future with the team. Maybe he'll pick it up like we were starting to see from him at the end of the season. As for Gordon, he's a big-time defensive forward and the leader of our PK unit. He stays

An almost brand new D corps. I think Schultz and ShaMo need to be shown the door. Alzner brought up. Another top line veteran D-man to pair with Green. Essentially this

vet dman-Green

Poti-Alzner

Pothier-Jurcina

Erskine

Should be interesting to see what happens with the D next year. ShaMo probably won't be back. Schultz will stick around for a while. He will develop, and he will be beast. Juricina has really started to come into his own this season. It started about the time Alzner was first recalled and placed as his linemate. I wouldn't mind seeing them playing together next year.

?-Green

Alzner-Juricina

Pothier/Poti/Erskine

We keep Erskine mainly for his playoff presence.

Another true "puck" mover would be nice, but really Poti, and Potheir should be able to fill those roles

I don't think Poti's really done the job of an offensive defenseman on the team. Pothier looks like he could be able to do it, but we'll have to see how sturdy he is. Perhaps we'll see more of Staffen Kronwall as he seemed decent. And of course, we have the offensively minded John Carlson who will probably be in limbo between AHL and NHL next year the same way Alzner was this year.

[SkinsHokieFan]

from Tarik:

Green, Ovechkin, Semin and Poti All Hurt

Coach Bruce Boudreau didn't want to use injuries as an excuse in the postgame press conference and offered up few details about which of his players were battling injuries, only vaguely acknowledging that Mike Green and Alex Ovechkin were hurt.

I'm hearing at least seven Caps, including several of the team's best players, were playing through various ailments in this round.

Green had a bum shoulder, the same one he hurt in Anaheim. Tom Poti had a broken foot, which he suffered in Game 1 of this series. Ovechkin was battling a groin injury. Alexander Semin was also hurt, though I'm not certain of his injury. I did hear, however, that the injury likely would have sidelined him in the regular season.

Boudreau told reporters he would go into detail about the injuries on Friday, which will be breakdown day.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Ah, well this is discussing what we need to do. That is something I am willing to discuss tonight.

Flash will become a good player yet. He had a bad second half of the season, but a good second half of the playoffs. When his head is in the game, he's someone to watch out for.

Flash is too inconsistent. Maybe he turns the corner next year? There are times he is great, other times he is invisible and he is awful at finishing

I'd like to see better from Fehr. I'm not so sure on his future with the team. Maybe he'll pick it up like we were starting to see from him at the end of the season. As for Gordon, he's a big-time defensive forward and the leader of our PK unit. He stays

Fehr is certainly at a crossroads in his career in particular seeing that he was picked between Parasie and Getzlaf, both of whom are front line players. As for Gordo, I love the kid, but you can't specialize in today's NHL with simply a faceoff/PK guy. You need a guy who can also be an offensive threat, which Gordo isn't right now

Should be interesting to see what happens with the D next year. ShaMo probably won't be back. Schultz will stick around for a while. He will develop, and he will be beast. Juricina has really started to come into his own this season. It started about the time Alzner was first recalled and placed as his linemate. I wouldn't mind seeing them playing together next year.

Shamo is gone IMO. Schultz has shown absolutley 0 in terms of being a "beast" He relies on his reach, doesn't hit anybody and is soft, and has no offensive game. Jurcina I think is a good 5/6 guy, I don't see him as a consistent top 4 player, although he has improved quite a bit

?-Green

Alzner-Juricina

Pothier/Poti/Erskine

We keep Erskine mainly for his playoff presence.

I

don't think Poti's really done the job of an offensive defenseman on the team. Pothier looks like he could be able to do it, but we'll have to see how sturdy he is. Perhaps we'll see more of Staffen Kronwall as he seemed decent. And of course, we have the offensively minded John Carlson who will probably be in limbo between AHL and NHL next year the same way Alzner was this year.

Certainly agree that Carlson will be the guy who is called up and sent down quite a bit next year. He could be a top guy in 2-3 years time.

GMGM will need to go outside the organization and bring in a veteran top line d-man. Either by dangling Semin or Nuevy or making some move. You can't rely on a defense like this to do much more then they did

[Springfield]

Please don't get rid of Semin.

Deal whoever you want, just don't get rid of Semin. He's a playmaker.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Please don't get rid of Semin.

Deal whoever you want, just don't get rid of Semin. He's a playmaker.

Semin is also enigmatic and was totally invisible in this series

If you have the right deal and the right package, move him while his stock is very high and he is affordable.

He is going into a contract year, so we'll see what happens

[PokerPacker]

GMGM will need to go outside the organization and bring in a veteran top line d-man. Either by dangling Semin or Nuevy or making some move. You can't rely on a defense like this to do much more then they did

Semin goes nowhere. Nuevirth remains until we have the entire goaltending situation figured out.

[Springfield]

Semin is also enigmatic and was totally invisible in this series

If you have the right deal and the right package, move him while his stock is very high and he is affordable.

He is going into a contract year, so we'll see what happens

I love Semin. (take it to the TOOC thread *******s)

I think he showed up in this series. He may have not scored goals like we expected, but I think that he led this team forward. He made hits (which wasn't expected of him) and was a huge pass carrier.

I think that Semin did a lot for the Caps that wasn't directly attached to him. I think that he is one of three players that we don't get rid of.

[jrockster21]

Ugh. That's pretty much it. Ugh.

[SkinsBry]

I wish at least one of the games would've gone three or four periods into overtime. Yes, I'm a huge Redskins fan and a huge Penguins fan, that's just who I am.

For what it's worth, I virtually shake the hand of each and every Capitals fan that accepts it.

I'm now pulling for the Hershey Bears (Caps' farm team) to win the Calder Cup.

[SkinsHokieFan]

I urge everybody in this thread to do the same.

I'm thinking I'll start a Caps thread in here before the season starts. I am amazed by how much attention the Caps get. I think they should get more involved the regular season. The Caps are, in my opinion, second to the Redskins.

We had game day threads for each game in the Caps forum

Come on down there sometime!

[PokerPacker]

We had game day threads for each game in the Caps forum

Come on down there sometime!

yup, that's where all the cool kids hung out before the playoffs started.

[SkinsHokieFan]

I love Semin. (take it to the TOOC thread *******s)

I think he showed up in this series. He may have not scored goals like we expected, but I think that he led this team forward. He made hits (which wasn't expected of him) and was a huge pass carrier.

I think that Semin did a lot for the Caps that wasn't directly attached to him. I think that he is one of three players that we don't get rid of.

The thing is though, Semin's job IS to score goals. I am glad he amped up the physical play, but if he isn't hitting twine, well he isn't the guy we need

The big problem is when your superstar all world player is your physical presence and hardest hitter. We need more grinders willing to hit