If there is anyone out there reading this that didn’t enjoy the game they are more ‘hockey homers’ than they are ‘hockey fans’.
Anyone who has read my posts know I don’t complain about the referees very much at all. It’s a very tough job and decisions have to be made in a second. They don’t get a chance to stop play, rewind, stop action it forward (like I did)… they make the call. But, as exciting as the game was last night, the ‘wrong’ calls went the Capitals way.
Referees don’t like being upstaged and that’s why when referees review the game play (which they all do) making a wrong call isn’t as bad as a player playing them.
For as much heat as Crosby gets as a diver… the Ovechkin, ballet danseur, pirouette move with Kunitz are ones that…
that refs don’t go for. The call on Letang was a blown call BUT calls like that happen to both sides… they do tend to even out – you just live with them. The trip of Cooke… same thing – except if Cooke was covering the point where he should have been he wouldn’t have been tripped and maybe no goal scored… at least not that open of a shot. Malkin’s was accidental but had to be called… but Ovechkin’s ballet danseur multiple rotation pirouette move… holding his face like he was high sticked (while it worked) was clearly upstaging the officials. I have said many times this guy is a tremendous hockey player but plays more like a Harlem Globetrotter putting on a show. That’s why he is being quoted now as saying “It’s not about me now.” Think of why he’s feel’s the need to include the word “now” and you get the more complete picture of Ovechkin.
The GOOD… When you lose there’s not much good. Even with the PP going 2 for 5 and getting more shots on goal the PP didn’t come up big when it had to. Both games could have gone to either team. So far, it’s the Ovechkin show and Semin, Backstrom, and especially Green haven’t shown up. Stats show that being down 0 – 2 doesn’t bode well… however, these are the Capitals we are playing and stats also show the last time they were in a 2nd round and up 2 – 0 the Lightning stuck them down. There is also Penguin history which is why (I guess) I feel pretty confident the series will be tied 2 – 2 when we head back to WASH DC. Any Pen’s fan feel differently?
The BAD… Player’s not stepping it up. Particularly Sykora. Again ZIPPO shots on goal. Sykora is hurting Malkin’s line in my humble opinion. That line is Fedotenko, who’s raised his intensity as a two-way player but that line when playing at even strength is playing (like) with only 2 forwards. This has to be fixed and the answer isn’t fixing it with Satan. How long does a crew take to pick up the hats? I know the the Capitals fans are not used to this stuff and it’s kind-of like the circus when the Florida Panthers would throw the rats on the ice but this crew looked to be picking them up one by one!
The UGLY… Puck Possession starts in the face-off circle and Staal was our best at 41%. The Capitals won 62%. The PP while better looked to have PenguinPOOPed-out because of Gonchar being totally spent. I’ve suggested two power plays units which would also provide fresher legs in 5 on 5 play. Is it Gonchar’s fault for staying out too long or is it Blysma’s for leaving them out there so long. It doesn’t matter because that’s three games where he was clearly out of gas yet on the ice fumbling with the puck in our own end.
It’s back home to the friendly confines of the Igloo and until we lose a game in our own building I don’t have too much of a concern…
I did pick the Pens in 7.
This is DR Hook… carry on
[Kult Skater says: League rules no suspension for Kunitz. Boudreau says they slowed down the tape and clearly he sees Kunitz going for Varlamov’s throat. Varlamov when asked where he was hit points to his ear!]
OK, so Varlamov gets crosschecked on his ear, IE. the side of his head, and the league doesn’t do anything about it? The Pens are truly Bettman’s Beotches… FLYERS107X was right on the money with that call… If Matt Bradley did the same thing to Fleury, he would have been gone for five games AND fined… The officiating in the NHL is joke… Serious about blows to the head my ass…
[Varlamov was not hurt on the play.]
And that makes it OK?… Well, if and when the CAPS run Fleury or crosscheck him in the head, I don’t want to hear a peep about it here or anywhere else…
[“Can you imagine if he gave (Varlamov) an injury, what are we going to do?” Ovechkin said. “If it’s not going to be called it’s going to be a terrible decision and I’m going to be (mad) about it.”
WHY DON’T YOU STAMP YOUR FEET YOU WHINING, DIVING CRYBABY! DO YOU WANT YOUR MOMMIE? ROTFLMAO. This guy has turned into a total fool.]
You have a player in Crosby who whined about hats on the ice after an Ovechkin hattrick, and is the undisputed NHL king of whining and crying, and you call A.O. a fool? ROTFLMFAO!!!!!
[Da Cheez says: Ovechnik’s prima-ballerina routine can tee-off referees . . . there was another situation where he took a dive. I can’t wait to hear it called.]
You have the personification of diving and whining in Sidney Crosby, and you’re here crying about Ovechkin… One thing is sure – A.O. hasn’t made a career of those things, while Crosby sure has… I see not a single mention of Crysby crying and whining about all the hats on the ice after A.O.’s hattrick… Never in my life I’ve I heard a player complain to the officials about that… Too damn funny!! The king of whiners strikes again, and yinzers ignore it like it didn’t even happen… That’s even more amusing…
[Da Cheez says: Nothing like a site where (while concerned) everyone here appears to be confident.]
Concerned? Yinzers are shocked, because you believed the Pens mighty offense and alleged better defense and goaltending would walk all over the CAPS… To be honest, I pretty much thought the same thing myself… And do the CAPS get any credit for putting up two solid efforts so far? Nope… They get lambasted as whiners, divers, and cheaters… Yea, this is a Helluva site… A haven for Homers…
Sykora…I don’t think I’m ready to call him washed up yet. He just doesn’t seem to fit well with HCDB’s system…He’s slow and doesn’t play 2-way hockey. I’m really curious as to what will become of him in the off-season. Will we sign him with the intention of trading him? Let him walk for nothing? Tough calls all around.
It also looks to me like HCDB is getting out-coached a bit. I hate to say it, but Boudreau is pretty good.
The pens haven’t been able to make the necessary adjustments in this series. Whether it be defensive responsibilities, the structure of the power play, even mental preparedness…they just haven’t done it.
The series is still young and it’s still too early to throw anyone under the bus…plus you have to give the CAPS some credit, Varlamov has been red hot and Ovechkin is finally scoring meaningful goals.
the most difficult stat to deal with (in my opinion) is that in the past 4 games, only 1 penguin forward not named crosby has scored a goal.
League rules no suspension for Kunitz. Boudreau says they slowed down the tape and clearly he sees Kunitz going for Varlamov’s throat. Varlamov when asked where he was hit points to his ear! LOL. But the best is after all the talk about Crosby being a diver and a whiner Ovechkin has to attempt to upstaged that. This guy has no limits. Ovechkin whined and compared the Kunitz/Varlamov to Brashear/Betts. What a joke. Varlamov was not hurt on the play.
“Can you imagine if he gave (Varlamov) an injury, what are we going to do?” Ovechkin said. “If it’s not going to be called it’s going to be a terrible decision and I’m going to be (mad) about it.”
WHY DON’T YOU STAMP YOUR FEET YOU WHINING, DIVING CRYBABY! DO YOU WANT YOUR MOMMIE? ROTFLMAO. This guy has turned into a total fool.
I doubt if they brought up Caputi however I’m pretty sure they can send Satan down because he’s a Baby Pens roster player. I’d have no problem doing that as the Baby pens need help too.
Here’s two problems I have. The first is with Petr Sykora. Folks, put a fork in him this dude he’s cooked. This isn’t a slump this is a player that has totally lost it. The second is Bylsma has already recognized that Satan isn’t the guy and that’s why we put him on waivers. Bringing Satan back, benching Sykora for Satan wasn’t and isn’t the answer. And then, replacing him with Sykora doesn’t do much but show how much trouble we have on Malkin’s line. One could argue that Kunitz and Guerin aren’t scoring on Crosby’s line and they would be correct except they haven’t disappeared like a fart in the wind the way Satan and Sykora have.
I don’t have an answer but neither would be in my lineup tomorrow. Godard couldn’t be more invisible. Bylsma coached at WB/S, does that mean he doesn’t think we have a player down there that would fit better? Possibly fit better? I’d rather see Talbot moved up to RW again or put him at center and Malkin on the RW. How about Malkin on Crosby’s RW and have Talbot center Fedotenko and Guerin. Someway Bylsma and Shero have to figure this out before tomorrow’s game. Maybe we bring someone up. BTW, Gogaloski had a brain cramp in the Pens/Bear game that cost a goal. Anyone have a word on Letang’s injury? Maybe Caputi comes up and gets put on a third or 4th line. Something has to jump-start that second line (maybe Caputi goes there) because right now it isn’t a threat whatsoever. Yinz seem way more comfortable than I am.
This series could be a history maker and Varlamov getting the third star was well deserved. Ovechkin and Crsoby get hat tricks and you still think maybe they don’t get the first two stars. The Pens have nothing to be ashamed of and the series comes home. I.m looking (and hoping)for it turning into the best of 3. This series in 2 games has lived up to all the hype.
Ovechnik’s prima-ballerina routine can tee-off referees . . . there was another situation where he took a dive. I can’t wait to hear it called. Nothing like a site where (while concerned) everyone here appears to be confident. Let’s go Pens!