If anyone watched the game on Sunday versus the Blackhawks, you understand why hopes are so high for this team. If you're a hockey fan in general I think you hope to see the Caps go all the way. Is there another team in the NHL as exciting to watch as the Caps.
Sunday's game started at 12:30 pm. 11:30 central time, 10:30 before daylight savings time. A morning game, which NHL players aren't used to. And you could tell the Caps were tired. It was probably the most lackluster performance given all year... Well for two periods. After the second period the Caps were down 3-0 and looked done for. Ovechkin was out for the game and none of the lines could get it together. Defense was continuing to let the goaltending down.
And then something happened between the second and third period. I don;t know if it was that their coffee kicked in or just their bodies finally woke up, or if Boudreau gave his players the yelling of their lives but the Caps game out in the third and put up 3 goals to steal momentum from the Hawks. In overtime it was the Caps with this win. They stole a point and stole a win.
The Caps haven't looked the same since the Olympic break. Ovechkin is clearly not playing the same. The game against Tampa Bay on Friday was the worst game the Caps had played all season. The trade deadline saw the Caps make a lot of moves and not give up that much. They added experience on both offense and defense (including a Stanley Cup winner) and gave up a couple of mid round picks and Brian Pothier. The problem with not having to give up players is that your roster is too full.
Which has been a problem these past couple of games for the Caps. Boudreau has been switching his line-up and lines every game since the trade deadline. And I get it. You're trying to see what players work best together, who you want to have going forward as your starters for the playoffs. But you need to have consistency going in to the playoffs and you have to be playing your best going into the playoffs. This isn't happening right now.
It's a shame that players like Matt Bradley will probably be left out of the starting line-ups going into the playoffs. Players that have been a pivotal part of their success this year. But they need to go with what works and they brought in Walker and Belanger for this run. I'd like to see in the next two to three games Boudreau finalize his starting lines. You want to give them 5-10 games to gel together and be clicking as they roll through the playoffs.
Defense has been an issue and although at moments it seems to be better the defense is letting the goaltending down. The Caps should probably let Tyler Sloan and Carl Alzner head down to Hershey for the AHL playoffs and to work down their. SLoan has been a thorn in the defense every game he's played and even though Alzner has played well, if you're going to go with a young guy on your squad it's going to be John Carlson. John Erskine is out there as the big enforcer but if it's possible to roll without him... I might do it.
Which bring us to goaltending. If anyone thinks Theodore isn't going to be your starter in the playoffs you need to wake up. He's been far better then Varly since the break and he was by far better the Neuvirth while he was in DC. Yes, Varly was amazing in the playoffs last year until game 7 and yes he was great early on the in the season. But Varly's been hurt a long time and there just aren't enough games between now and the playoffs to get Var up to snuff. I would probably continue to rotate the goalies until the playoffs. You might need Var to step up in the playoffs and you don't want him going in cold. But Theodore's going to be your man in goal. The only thing I might do is call Neuvirth up from Hershey for one game and see if you might want to go with him or Varly in the playoffs as Theo's backup. My minor issue with that is you don't completely want to shake Varly's confidence but you're looking at the probability of Varly and Neuvirth as your goaltenders for next year.
The Caps have the Southeast division wrapped up and hopefully will put together some wins to get home ice throughout the playoffs. Looking forward to a great Cup Run this year,
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