Back to, you know ... hockey.
Thoughts on Game 5 and the Series ...
I knew Vegas would push back hard on Washington's increasing control of the pace of the series. After all, they got great push in the early stages of every game, even those that the Caps ultimately wrestled back. So I wasn't surprised at the furious pace of the first period ... only that nobody managed to score. What did kind of surprise me was that after Washington got the opening goal, the whole affair sort of reverted back to the utter chaos of Game 1. Both teams swinging from their heels with very little concern for things like positional discipline. When that took hold, you HAD to figure that Vegas was going to win the game. That's exactly what they want and exactly what they've done to everybody else this post season ... reduce the game to a never ending series of rushes and scrums, be the aggressor instead of the reactor, and clean up the loose change.
Nope. The Caps fought their way through the briars and came out the the big shiny reward. Good on 'em too. That team is built to hurt you on the power play and to otherwise ground out possession, but ... forced to change things up and play a rough and tumble game, they figured out a way. Given that, it was fitting that Eller got the deciding goal on a wild scramble when he was the only guy to see the puck behind Flower and react. That's the kind of goal Vegas thrives on, turned against them. Moral of the series ... you need at least two gears. For me, Washington won because they could win games playing their way and could survive in games playing Vegas' way. Vegas couldn't score enough to win when the Caps dictated tempo and flow, but when it mattered they couldn't win the most crucial game even when they got their preferred style.
Resilience and fortitude. Congrats to the Champs.
Thoughts on Game 5 and the Series ...
I knew Vegas would push back hard on Washington's increasing control of the pace of the series. After all, they got great push in the early stages of every game, even those that the Caps ultimately wrestled back. So I wasn't surprised at the furious pace of the first period ... only that nobody managed to score. What did kind of surprise me was that after Washington got the opening goal, the whole affair sort of reverted back to the utter chaos of Game 1. Both teams swinging from their heels with very little concern for things like positional discipline. When that took hold, you HAD to figure that Vegas was going to win the game. That's exactly what they want and exactly what they've done to everybody else this post season ... reduce the game to a never ending series of rushes and scrums, be the aggressor instead of the reactor, and clean up the loose change.
Nope. The Caps fought their way through the briars and came out the the big shiny reward. Good on 'em too. That team is built to hurt you on the power play and to otherwise ground out possession, but ... forced to change things up and play a rough and tumble game, they figured out a way. Given that, it was fitting that Eller got the deciding goal on a wild scramble when he was the only guy to see the puck behind Flower and react. That's the kind of goal Vegas thrives on, turned against them. Moral of the series ... you need at least two gears. For me, Washington won because they could win games playing their way and could survive in games playing Vegas' way. Vegas couldn't score enough to win when the Caps dictated tempo and flow, but when it mattered they couldn't win the most crucial game even when they got their preferred style.
Resilience and fortitude. Congrats to the Champs.
