Can't argue with any of that analysis, Joe. Vegas is incredibly fast in transition and has a goalie that specializes in getting hot come playoff time. Caps played them way back in January (?). In the first period I felt like I looked away for a few minutes and when I came back it was already 3 - 0 Knights.

Neither team is really feeling the pressure, IMO. Let's see who gains emotional momentum and who bounces back best from setbacks.

I was being neither facetious nor sarcastic as I found there to be a certain degree of irony in the fact.

Has the makings of one helluvan interesting series.

Cheers
JB

It will be interesting to see if the speed of Vegas has an immediate impact on a somewhat weary Washington . It will also be interesting if the fairly long rest for Vegas has made an impact on that speed AND on their goaltender . I am hoping for a great finals run but my gut still tells me it's over in 5 - 6 .

yes indeed the lay off has a fine line separating rested and stale. I'd bet Vegas comes out storming either way.

I just read online that if Vegas wins the Cup the Vegas bookies stand to lose 5 million dollars . I guess this is based on folks that made some bets when the franchise was awarded or early on when the odds were 500 - 1 . As of last night the Caps were considered the underdog but they could be the real team of destiny . Can't wait for this all to get started !!!

I bet (pun intended) there are a lot of bookies with a nervous twitch right about now.
https://www.nhl.com/news/stanley-cup-final-staff-predictions/c-298776254?tid=297173160

OBTW, don't take too much stock in the predictions. If you look at their start of the year picks or last year's pick for the cup finals, they aren't too great on winners.

OK boys and girls, the final series starts in about an hour.
Vegas or Caps? Any last minute thoughts?

No matter what, I hope for good hockey, close games, and dear Lord, please let there be good officiating where the guys in stripes don't affect the outcome.

Ugh! My rat terrier just barfed on my Caps throw blanket. Bad omen...:eek:

Worse still, Holtby barfed up that first soft goal.
2-2 after 20 minutes - awesome hockey

well the GAAs are shot to heck. What a ding dong that was!

Holtby says HE was rusty.

https://www.nhl.com/news/braden-holtby-struggles-in-washington-capitals-game-1-loss/c-298827552?tid=297173160

I only saw 10 minutes of the game was in the ER for the 2nd time in a week with my wife who is waiting to give birth to her first kidney stone :( But what I did see and reading online this morning the defense including goalies was off/rusty while offense for both teams was full speed ahead . The speed of Vegas is just amazing they always seem to be able to get a stick/redirect at either end of the ice . Caps better bring their A game on Wed. or they will be in trouble .

I thought the Caps were playing decent, but the Knights are exceptionally fast. Holtby wasn't getting as many lucky bounces as he did in game 6 / 7 of the last series, and he ended up looking human. In particular he looked slow moving side to side to adjust to their speed, including from the back of the net.

The Caps throw blanket is now washed. Assuming the dog doesn't barf on it again, we should be good :)

If Wilson's hit on Marchessault was any later, he'd got him in the post game showers. I know the guy 'plays-on-the-edge',
but that was rubbish - fell just barely short of a hit requiring disciplinary action.
I am sure Ryan Reaves will be having an in-depth conversation regarding this matter with him next game.

Fleury & Holtby did not have the best of games but were good enough plus some luck to keep their respective squads in the game.
It's gonna be fun!

Cheers
JB

The first goal that Holtby let in should have been stopped. Since it was basically a 1 goal game (put aside the empty netter), that could be what cost them the game.

Both teams were playing in warp speed. When Vegas plays that fast and can go side to side there is nothing any goalie can do unless he gets help from his D. Tampa did that to the Bruins in the 2nd round. Both teams went full out offense. Exciting game for the fans. A trainwreck for the coaches.

I think that the Caps have plenty to be encouraged by:
-they didn't crush under being behind most of the game.
-they proved that Fleury can be beaten (interesting stat: although the Pens have killed the Caps every post season since the Clinton administration, Fleury's save percentage and GAA with the Caps and Ovi in particular are really fair to poor. The only reason the Pens kept winning is cause the Caps didn't have a goalie.
-they kept it a one goal game even though they were the away team.

Caps main concern: Holtby rebounds! :eek::eek::eek:

Based on last night's game, I'll make one of my world famously low accuracy predictions and say this will be a 6 or 7 game series and either team will take it. I also expect the next game to be the opposite of Monday night and be a 1-0 or 2-1 game. If the Caps can take game 2 they will have cleared the mental hurdle of Vegas being unbeatable and they will have home ice last change.

p.s. If Wilson keeps going they way he has, he will end up getting more reputation penalties and be in the doghouse like Marchand.

Side question: I thought that Vegas' opening presentations were a little cheesy and appealed to 10 year old video gamers but I give them credit for doing something different that fits the atmosphere of the city. My wife said it was just plain goofy.
What say ye?

fixed it for you.

goofy, I turned it off

Really dislike the way he plays. I thought that BS was out of NHL? Oh well, hope he gets whats coming to him and rides the pine.

Exciting hockey, looking forward to the next game, I hope they can maintain this level.

Amen. Their opening show is way over the top for me. It is "Vegas" in so many ways (although the female "extras" weren't too shabby :cool:).

But hey, it's their house. They can do all the cheese they want.

Wilson is a paradox. He's got talent, he can score, and he's not really a meathead. His "heavy play" (as long as it's legal) is a big part of the Cap's physical play - the other team knows when he's on the ice. But then he'll step too far over the line and put his team in a bind. Or as Joe says he may just get close to the line and get a reputation penalty, fairly or not. As of now I don't see any NHL news about DPOS reviewing that hit last night, which surprises me, frankly.

The cross check right in front of Holtby by Reeves was complete crap. He doesn't score if the Cap's D isn't laying on his face on the ice.

I also agree that Wilson's hit was bad.

I'd like to see Reeves and Wilson fight and get booted, they are both borderline dirty players.

I doubt however, that either of them will lick anyone's face....

Louis, who will now be referred to as "Holtby" for the duration of the series, has been sufficiently chastened and agrees to stop barfing up soft goals.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1527628981.jpg