04-29-2010, 11:11 PM
Am I disappointed? Definitely. Am I surprised? Not at all. This is what the Caps do. They choke in the playoffs. They have never been able to play against a trap defense very well and it showed. Halak played well, but he wasn't superhuman. All they did was take perimeter shots with a sprinkle of shots from the slot and in front of the net. When the first 41 shots dont go in because half of them are blocked and the other half are stopped because the goalie had a clear line of sight what did they do? Take 41 more shots expecting something different to happen. (look at the box score: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://stats.washingtonpost.com/nhl/boxscore.asp?gamecode=2010042823&home=23&vis=10&sid=ST2010042805929">http://stats.washingtonpost.com/nhl/boxscore.asp?gamecode=2010042823&home=23&vis=10&sid=ST2010042805929</a><!-- m --> - 41 saves, 41 blocks. Just in case you missed that, 41 BLOCKED SHOTS! In one single game, WTF?) The same thing with their powerplay. They were 1-33 or something like that. They had more short handed goals (2) in this series than powerplay goals (1). Thats not just the powerplay unit failing, thats poor coaching or inability to change your game plan. Switch up the personnel on your lines but go out there and play the exact same style? C'mon...
With Philly and Boston getting ready for their 2nd round series of boxing matches and Pittsburgh, I'm sure has watched the game tape and will adjust to playing the trap, I think what hurts me the most though is we have essentially just given the Penguins a free ride to the Stanley Cup finals. I just hope whichever team comes out of the West destroys them. Unless its Detroit. Then I'm hoping for that meteor to hit the arena which never happened the previous two years.
I'll end with some positive though. The Caps are still good. They'll win... eventually. They have the talent, they just need to learn how to close the deal. And they're really deep. They still have a TON of talent in their farm system. I'd bet that the Hershey Bears probably could've finished with a better record than Toronto or the Islanders this year.
and if you didn't read this story, check it out:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2010/04/brooks_laich_changes_a_tire_af.html">http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2010/04/brooks_laich_changes_a_tire_af.html</a><!-- m -->
all class, what a standup guy.
Good season guys. April 2011 isn't too far away, right?
With Philly and Boston getting ready for their 2nd round series of boxing matches and Pittsburgh, I'm sure has watched the game tape and will adjust to playing the trap, I think what hurts me the most though is we have essentially just given the Penguins a free ride to the Stanley Cup finals. I just hope whichever team comes out of the West destroys them. Unless its Detroit. Then I'm hoping for that meteor to hit the arena which never happened the previous two years.
I'll end with some positive though. The Caps are still good. They'll win... eventually. They have the talent, they just need to learn how to close the deal. And they're really deep. They still have a TON of talent in their farm system. I'd bet that the Hershey Bears probably could've finished with a better record than Toronto or the Islanders this year.
and if you didn't read this story, check it out:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2010/04/brooks_laich_changes_a_tire_af.html">http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2010/04/brooks_laich_changes_a_tire_af.html</a><!-- m -->
all class, what a standup guy.
Good season guys. April 2011 isn't too far away, right?
1994 Ford Ranger
2004 Honda S2000
2007 BMW X3
2004 Honda S2000
2007 BMW X3