Comments on: Shutout Number Nine: Caps Embarrassed at Home, 6-0

By: We Almost Turned Off the TV Box Score | Capitals Outsider

We Almost Turned Off the TV Box Score | Capitals Outsider — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 04:47:27 +0000

[...] the Caps beat the Islanders, 3-2, Saturday, after going down 2-0, and only one night after a pathetic 6-0 loss to the Rangers at home. We here at Capitals Outsider didn’t even bother boxing that one as it [...]

By: LJO

LJO — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 23:30:34 +0000

This is an understatement, but NYR has their number this season. Normally, I watch a game in its entirety. If I can’t, I am checking the score. Had to completely walk away after the 2nd and haven’t even read the gamer. Everyone except Ovie looked like they were skating in quicksand with cement skates. If they cannot figure out how to workaround Nicky’s thumb, then he needs to go on the IR. It hurts more than it helps.

So has anyone figured out what GMGM was studying so intently in his box last night during the 2nd intermission?

That all said, I still have faith that this team will figure it out.

By: Greg

Greg — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 20:18:08 +0000

Game was a disaster. Also, on the point of the chances of them being shutout twice by the Rangers… obviously that’s not true since they have a 1 in 1 chance of that happening so far, since it did.

Statistics that project those type of things and stats in the future are pretty meaningless.

I thought Ovie played great… Backstrom’s injury was clearly an issue, and Greeny getting fouled and the NYR scoring 2 seconds later with no penalty called didn’t help get the Caps going in the right way.

By: J.P.

J.P. — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 18:40:37 +0000

Embarrassing for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which is that nobody stood up for Greenie. If the players are too clueless to exact a little revenge, then the coach has to greenlight the payback. Unfortunately, it’s another moment in a season-long series of poor coaching moments from BB. W/out a major trade before the deadline, or BB getting canned, these guys aren’t emerging from the quicksand they currently find themselves swimming in.
The current incarnation of the Caps ain’t getting it done. And since they haven’t been getting it done all year, there’s not much hope of a meaningful post-season run unless something changes to shake things up. The talent level on this so-called “team” shouldn’t really be up for debate. It’s there. What’s not there are all the other things:
Chemistry.
Desire.
Work ethic.
Confidence.
Intangibles.
In other words, all things related to team management. While BB has made some pretty good tactical decisions several times this year – the slowdown against Tampa Bay; the overall game simplification for the Winter classic – he’s been curiously bad with motivating his own team, and has been even worse with his lack of breaking up a pitiful PP unit that should’ve been blown the frack up months ago. Considering how many line changes he’s made this year, the heavy leaning on the non-functioning PP unit currently employed is very perplexing. We saw how last year’s team did w/out a PP in the playoffs, and yet we still don’t have one that works properly. Opponents will continue to take liberties against the Caps as they’ve nothing to fear while being at a man disadvantage. Not good.
If something doesn’t change soon, these guys will be one-and-done, and BB and GMGM will be seeking the services of employment giant Monster.com…….
Sorry, I’m a glass half full kinda guy today. I’m desperately hoping for a turnaround but not really believing that it’ll happen. Oh, and perhaps someone should poke Alex Semin with a sharp stick to see if he’s still breathing…..

By: What Do All These Shutouts Mean For The Caps?

What Do All These Shutouts Mean For The Caps? — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 18:27:34 +0000

[...] 6-0 drubbing by the Rangers was the ninth time the Capitals have been shutout this season. Washington is now well on their way [...]

By: RedArmyLine

RedArmyLine — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 16:20:25 +0000

I ran a shutout sim a few weeks ago, and the Caps with their shots/gm and sh% numbers then should get shut out roughly 5-6 times a season (standard deviation I got was 2.27). So over the last ~20 games the Caps one would expect will get shut out once or twice. Book it.

By: Igor

Igor — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 16:01:30 +0000

@Neil – So, with 9 shutouts in 62 games, and 20 more chances to “earn” one, the probability of the Caps joining the exclusive club of 10+ shutouts in a season is approximately 95.7%… Great, we are in the two sigma territory now!

By: 28ISGREAT

28ISGREAT — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 15:54:58 +0000

Great night for my visiting Rangers fan father. At one point he deadpanned, “So where’s all this fury that’s supposed to be unleashed?”

It was a humiliating experience. It’ll be awhile before I head back north.

In the meantime, can someone PLEASE send a message to the Caps that beating the Rangers IS JUST AS IMPORTANT as beating the Pens? Or the Lightning? Or anyone else for that matter!

By: DarkStranger44

DarkStranger44 — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 14:50:40 +0000

I agree with Sonja and Em. I wondered why they gave the Caps so much time off from practice. I understand giving them Tuesday off since the team was stuck in Pittsburgh due to the weather. But, for the life of me, don’t understand why they got Wednesday off as well.

By: deann

deann — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 14:42:24 +0000

I just can’t figure out how this team can play a game like they did against Tampa a few weeks ago where they did everything right as if they really had a hold on what they needed to do both offensively and defensively to win games. Then they come out and sh*t the bed. This team is bipolar in play. I wouldn’t expect every game to be like the Tampa or Winter Classic game, but how do you go from those type of games to these blowout games. We’ve certainly had our share this year of not only shutout but blowouts that were caused by sheer lack of effort. Is the coaching style of days off, optional practices, and apparently not much effort in the video room (by Boudreau’s own comments) killing the Caps and allowing them to be lazy? Because the only real reason I can come up wtih is that they are just an undisciplined team. I don’t buy into the “defense first” mentality has killed this team. Defense first doesn’t mean you don’t crash the net and not complete passes.