Game 29: Washington Capitals at Philadelphia Flyers; 12/14/23 @ 7 PM, NBCSP

[Howie58]

Greetings:

 

The O and B are mild favorites (-132) which has been the exception this season:

https://www.lines.com/nhl/predictions/capitals-vs-flyers-money-line-dec-14-2023

 

We've taken both meetings this season.  Statistically, these teams are very similar:

https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/phi-vs-wsh/2023/12/14/2023020448

 

I hope the Flyers put the tough loss against Nashville behind them with a convincing win.  

 

 

[SaucyJack]

Who knows?  Are the Flyers playing the Good Capitals that recently defeated the Kings in LA and drubbed the Rangers in DC?  Or the Mediocre Caps that just lost to Dallas at home in OT, and sustained narrow wins in Anaheim and Chicago?  Or the Bad Caps who lost in San Jose then totally got thumped in Las Vegas and Phoenix?

 

Making a wager here is little different than betting on roulette. 

Edited December 14, 2023 by SaucyJack

[Howie58]

3 hours ago, SaucyJack said:

Who knows?  Are the Flyers playing the Good Capitals that recently defeated the Kings in LA and drubbed the Rangers in DC?  Or the Mediocre Caps that just lost to Dallas at home in OT, and sustained narrow wins in Anaheim and Chicago?  Or the Bad Caps who lost in San Jose then totally got thumped in Las Vegas and Phoenix?

 

Making a wager here is little different than betting on roulette. 

Well, that description may apply to the Flyers if they aren't solid defensively or their goalies aren't at the top of their games.  The Caps are better than my expectations.  I thought Ovechkin + Other would show signs of aging and sink to .500.  They're better than "average" but a team past its prime--from my take. 

 

Welcome to the thread and forum.  

[GratefulFlyers]

Flyers finally run into a team with a worse PP% than they have. Caps 8% the Flyers 11%. The Caps' PK isn't so hot either...maybe the Flyers can take advantage their PP has looked a lot better recently. But "looked better" doesn't count on the scoreboard...maybe tonight.

[flyercanuck]

1 hour ago, GratefulFlyers said:

Flyers finally run into a team with a worse PP% than they have. Caps 8% the Flyers 11%. The Caps' PK isn't so hot either...maybe the Flyers can take advantage their PP has looked a lot better recently. But "looked better" doesn't count on the scoreboard...maybe tonight.

 

OV has ONE pp goal this year. There's your reason for their sub-Flyer pp! 

[MaineFlyFan]

29 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

OV has ONE pp goal this year.

WOW! So the league has finally "figured him out"?.....

 

(Damn guy scores the EXACT same PP goal 30+ times a year....and every defensive matching knows where he is going to be, and what shot he is going to take..... and they STILL could never stop him.)

 

But that is a shocking stat.

[Howie58]

3 hours ago, MaineFlyFan said:

WOW! So the league has finally "figured him out"?.....

 

(Damn guy scores the EXACT same PP goal 30+ times a year....and every defensive matching knows where he is going to be, and what shot he is going to take..... and they STILL could never stop him.)

 

But that is a shocking stat.

I saw a good piece on YouTube with Pierre LeBrun earlier today about Berube's firing.  In essence, Doug Armstrong had to admit that part of the problem was keeping a core together too long.  I suspect this may be a problem in Washington as it is in Pittsburgh.   Ovie will keep them "decent" for some time.  But the window may be closing faster than their fans and GM realize.  

[Howie58]

So far, this is a snoozer. We're almost done with the first with 7 total shots. The Flyers are out of synch.

[FD19372]

47 minutes ago, Howie58 said:

So far, this is a snoozer. We're almost done with the first with 7 total shots. The Flyers are out of synch.

Fortunately, so are the Caps.

[Howie58]

The PK is only good for so many chances. Meanwhile, our PP doesn't equalize!

[FD19372]

The Flyers get a 5 on 3 for 46 seconds, The need to get at least one here.

[GratefulFlyers]

Wowza from the blue line! Tippett thru Sanheim’s legs and in the net…great work by Sanheim and Frost even better by Tippett with that wicked turnaround wrister. Crazy.

[FD19372]

Nice shift by Frost. His play with the puck leads to the tying goal by Tippett. The Flyers are playing good hockey tonight.

[GratefulFlyers]

Yeah Frost has played well all night, real good work controlling the puck on that shift that wasn’t easy.

[GratefulFlyers]

Seems the Flyers still haven't learned that 3-on-3 OT is all about puck possession. They gave it away early and aside from Atkinson’s breakaway they haven’t had a sniff at it again….

[FD19372]

What a move by Brink, to fake Lindgren out of his skates, in the shootout. Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.

[GratefulFlyers]

The Philadelphia Flyers are now 3-0 in the shootout this season…all 3 wins with Ersson in net. 

[SaucyJack]

9 minutes ago, GratefulFlyers said:

Seems the Flyers still haven't learned that 3-on-3 OT is all about puck possession. They gave it away early and aside from Atkinson’s breakaway they haven’t had a sniff at it again….

But they win the shootout in the end.  Flyers dominate at end of regulation, edge to Caps in OT.  About as close as one would suspect.

 

Dylan Strome (along with Tom Wilson) are two keys of any successes the Caps have enjoyed this year.  That said…

 

…Strome’s shootout attempt was just awful.

Edited December 15, 2023 by SaucyJack

[GratefulFlyers]

It was. You can see why he’s 0-8 in his career. Strange how some otherwise really good players like Strome just can’t connect in the shootout.

 

meanwhile Oshi is still money ever time… pretty much automatic.

 

Edited December 15, 2023 by GratefulFlyers

[SaucyJack]

8 hours ago, flyercanuck said:

OV has ONE pp goal this year.

Ya know what else?  He’s missed his last six shootout attempts.  Why Coach Carbery left him off the shootout list tonight.  Can’t deke worth a damn any more.  
 

PP drought is different.  I often can only watch the 3rd periods per late  dinner time responsibilities so I can’t judge if his once superb one-timer has abandoned him.  Something to watch for in future games.

[GratefulFlyers]

Something is obviously bothering #8. He wasn’t invisible tonight but he’s clearly not the same Ovechkin.

[Howie58]

This game had two acts.  The first two periods and the first 10 of the third were semi-snooze with competent goaltending.  Then things opened up.  If we can win in the OT or SO, it really is a "New Era of Orange."  

 

Our youngsters may be gaining confidence.  They certainly know how to compete. 

 

 

[FLYERS67]

9 hours ago, GratefulFlyers said:

The Philadelphia Flyers are now 3-0 in the shootout this season…all 3 wins with Ersson in net. 

That's great, I remember when they would go to a shoot-out it was almost an automatic loss, with the exception being vs the Rangers in 2010.

[GratefulFlyers]

Ha yeah it was "almost automatic" they would lose if the game went past regulation - if not in OT then in the SO. 

 

Swapping Poehling and Laughton worked well last night. Farabee - Poehling - Atkinson were good together it was great to see Farabee make that strong move to the net and wrap one in.

 

Farabee is 2nd on the team in goals (TK 16, JF 11) and he gets zero PP time. Tortorella gave him credit in the post-game last night, said after benching him he "just shut his mouth and played" and meant it as a sincere compliment. But Farabee needs to get PP time. He's too good to sit and the PP really needs help finishing a.k.a. scoring. Another 0-for last night...0-5 incl almost a minute 5 on 3.

[OccamsRazor]

12 hours ago, GratefulFlyers said:

Something is obviously bothering #8. He wasn’t invisible tonight but he’s clearly not the same Ovechkin.

 

It's called age and not working out enough in the offseason.

 

On top of being 38 and his testosterone has has more likely went from 800-900 ng/dl to maybe around 300-400 at his current agebwill make a huge difference in performance and energy as well as mood.

 

Low T in men is real. It's what makes us men.