Should Washington fire Boudreau?

[zow2]

I live in DC. It's hilarious listening to the talk radio this morning. This is really bad. They never thought they'd lose this series. Some of the talk show hosts are talking about firing Boudreau but it seems like most of the fans think he is safe, for now. I personally think he should be fired. Not getting out of the 1st round with that club is flat out failure.

 

I wish Miller could have done what Halak did these past 3 games. It's not even about Washington acquiring a "great" goalie. The playoffs are more about having any old goalie get scorching hot at the right time. It's also about getting on a roll with your PP and PK. those three things all worked for Montreal as they did with most of the first round winners.

[Stoner]

Best offense is a great defense. I didn't think the Caps would go in the first round, but I honestly did not think they would make it past the 2nd. I know they were the highest scoring team in the NHL this year, but they also gave up a number of goals. Defense wins championships. As hot as Tuuka is right now I think the Bruins will be in the Stanley Cup Finals. They'll then get destroyed by whatever team comes out of the West.

 

No it doesn't.

[notwoz]

Sabres problem is their top forwards, Washington's problem is goaltending.

 

Their situations may seem similar, but really there isn't much of a comparison between the two.

 

Washington stats on top playoff performers and goalies :

 

Ovechkin : 5 goals 5 assists for 10 pts in 7 GP

Backstrom : 5 goals 4 assists for 9 pts in 7 GP

Knuble : 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 pts in 7 GP

 

Varlamov : 2.41 GAA and .902 SV%

Theodore : 3.70 GAA and .875 SV%

 

Buffalo stats on top playoff performers and goalies :

 

Pominville 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 pts in 6 GP

Ennis : 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 pts in 6 GP

Vanek : 2 goals 1 assist for 3 pts in 3 GP

 

Miller : 2.34 GAA and .926 SV%

 

Conclusion :

 

Washington did enough offensively to win, when you look at the numbers. Buffalo came nowhere near.

 

Out of Buffalo's top 3 in points, one is a rookie another played less than half the series. Washington's number one in points is their superstar forward, right where he's expected to be.

 

Washington firing their coach doesn't make much sense. Their GM trading for a goalie would make perfect sense.

 

I probably should have been clearer in my post. The interesting parallel, in my opinion, is the clamor for the coach's head following a playoff disappointment. I didn't think the teams were similar.

 

Nonetheless, we're agreed on a number of points:

Firing Boudreau doesn't make sense.(I'll leave the Lindy question to the other threads).

Caps' trading for a goalie does.

Buffalo's problem is with the top forwards; Caps' weak point was goalie.

 

However, the Caps' offense -- which was formidable in the regular season, fizzled when it was needed most. They scored one goal in each of the last three games. Boston scored eight in those three games. The Caps's power play vanished; Semin looked a lot like Connolly (that is invisible.)

 

So the teams are not similar, but there is a parallel: Both teams did well in the regular season and flopped in the post-season.

[spndnchz]

 

 

We was dis close.

[notwoz]

 

 

We was dis close.

:lol:

[theend]

 

Washington did enough offensively to win, when you look at the numbers.

 

 

 

However, the Caps' offense -- which was formidable in the regular season, fizzled when it was needed most. They scored one goal in each of the last three games.

 

 

notwoz nailed it - all the numbers you point to were from games 2-4, when Washington scored 6, 5, and 6. They only needed one more game with that output, and the series would've been over. But they couldn't pull it off.

[Eleven]

I live in DC. It's hilarious listening to the talk radio this morning. This is really bad. They never thought they'd lose this series. Some of the talk show hosts are talking about firing Boudreau but it seems like most of the fans think he is safe, for now. I personally think he should be fired. Not getting out of the 1st round with that club is flat out failure.

 

I wish Miller could have done what Halak did these past 3 games. It's not even about Washington acquiring a "great" goalie. The playoffs are more about having any old goalie get scorching hot at the right time. It's also about getting on a roll with your PP and PK. those three things all worked for Montreal as they did with most of the first round winners.

 

No, it's not really bad. You're living in a DC where hockey at least is part of the conversation. When I was there (97-04), the team was a complete nonstarter, even with players like Kolzig, Bondra, and Jagr. I could not give away playoff tix to the first round in 98, and I had THIRTY of them to give away (I've explained this on this site before). The second round was barely attended, and the third, wow, they started showing up. By the time the city took notice, though, the Cup was gone.

 

I'm glad that hockey is on the DC radar. But I'm smart enough, and I know that community well enough, to know that as soon as the Redskins and Wizards are good teams again, well, the Caps will go by the wayside. They always did. It's sad, because they've had some good teams and some great players. And some good fans. The lower bowl always was at least half-full with Caps fans, even in the playoffs. Same with the upper ring. The rest of the rink, well, it always was empty, unless a team with significant diaspora was around (Buffalo, NY, NY, Philly, Pitt, etc.).

 

I have to look at my former home (and it WAS home; I bought and sold my first home within the DC city limits) as a fair-weather hockey city. At BEST!

 

Hope I'm wrong, and that the game continues to thrive there. Until then, hey, go United, and go Nats (I was an Expos fan as a kid and as a young adult, so I can do that!).

[deluca67]

If this series proved anything it may be that Miller is the third best goalie in the division.

 

When it came to crunch time Miller got lit up by Miro Satan and the frigg'n Bruins for 4 goals. Halat stopped 50+ against the best offense in hockey.

[SwampD]

If this series proved anything it may be that Miller is the third best goalie in the division.

 

When it came to crunch time Miller got lit up by Miro Satan and the frigg'n Bruins for 4 goals. Halat stopped 50+ against the best offense in hockey.

That may be, but it still wasn't why they lost. 0-fer on the PP. I just can't get over that. I only have one person to blame for that.

[deluca67]

That may be, but it still wasn't why they lost. 0-fer on the PP. I just can't get over that. I only have one person to blame for that.

The power play is no excuse for the overtime goal. He looked like Lalime on the play.

[SwampD]

The power play is no excuse for the overtime goal. He looked like Lalime on the play.

If our PP scored on it's opportunity earlier in the OT it would have never come to that.

[deluca67]

If our PP scored on it's opportunity earlier in the OT it would have never come to that.

But it did come to that moment and he failed horribly. Like the Winter Classic and the Gold Medal game.

[SwampD]

But it did come to that moment and he failed horribly. Like the Winter Classic and the Gold Medal game.

I know what you are saying but, NEWS FLASH: Ryan Miller is not Dominic Hasek. He's still really good though. Dom was a world beater and still couldn't win it all without help. Miller made saves in this series I didn't think he had in him.

[Kristian]

notwoz nailed it - all the numbers you point to were from games 2-4, when Washington scored 6, 5, and 6. They only needed one more game with that output, and the series would've been over. But they couldn't pull it off.

 

Which is why I wrote "when you look at the numbers".