Biggest Test of the Year Tomorrow vs. Caps

[K-9]

I say this because we are a young team coming off a sweep of the always very difficult FLA hitch and coming home with a day off today. I wonder where their collective psyche is as they are doing their own thing this afternoon and evening. Are they hungry, focused, and determined to make a statement after getting killed 18-6 in their last three at home? Or are they looking at the standings and thinking they actually accomplished something last night? Will it be yet another home game let down or an emphatic announcement that we intend to stay in a playoff position and continue to move up in the standings? Will they punch a struggling opponent that must win in the mouth or let them off the hook? 

We haven’t had a game in this type of situation for a long time. 

[Taro T]

6 minutes ago, K-9 said:

I say this because we are a young team coming off a sweep of the always very difficult FLA hitch and coming home with a day off today. I wonder where their collective psyche is as they are doing their own thing this afternoon and evening. Are they hungry, focused, and determined to make a statement after getting killed 18-6 in their last three at home? Or are they looking at the standings and thinking they actually accomplished something last night? Will it be yet another home game let down or an emphatic announcement that we intend to stay in a playoff position and continue to move up in the standings? Will they punch a struggling opponent that must win in the mouth or let them off the hook? 

We haven’t had a game in this type of situation for a long time. 

Remains to be seen, but fully expect them to play their best game at home in a LONG time tomorrow.

Caps are in a pretty good game against the Rags right now.  Hopefully they end up gassed.

[steveoath]

The caps are nothing to fear.  They have shut down.  I think, like they have in the past, the team will rise to occasion and run up TD.

Edited February 25, 2023 by steveoath

[shrader]

17 minutes ago, steveoath said:

The caps are nothing to fear.  They have shut down.  I think, like they have in the past, the team will rise to occasion and run up TD.

Home ice is certainly something to fear though. 

[K-9]

18 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Remains to be seen, but fully expect them to play their best game at home in a LONG time tomorrow.

Caps are in a pretty good game against the Rags right now.  Hopefully they end up gassed.

 

19 minutes ago, steveoath said:

The caps are nothing to fear.  They have shut down.  I think, like they have in the past, the team will rise to occasion and run up TD.

It’s not about fearing the Caps or whether the Caps are gassed after playing today. It could be any opponent and I’d still think tomorrow would be the biggest teat of the year. It’s strictly about how we respond to the challenge of being home after a successful road trip that saw us move into a playoff spot. And I think that response largely depends on how they’re “preparing” on a day off. My concern is that they’re thinking they actually accomplished something last night vs. the realization that last night was strictly the beginning of getting something accomplished. Will last night serve to fuel higher aspirations or are they satisfied? Given how often we’ve fallen flat after successful outings this year, especially at home, I think my concern is valid. 

Young teams need to learn to manage success every bit as much as failure. Perhaps even more.

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, K-9 said:

 

It’s not about fearing the Caps or whether the Caps are gassed after playing today. It could be any opponent and I’d still think tomorrow would be the biggest teat of the year. It’s strictly about how we respond to the challenge of being home after a successful road trip that saw us move into a playoff spot. And I think that response largely depends on how they’re “preparing” on a day off. My concern is that they’re thinking they actually accomplished something last night vs. the realization that last night was strictly the beginning of getting something accomplished. Will last night serve to fuel higher aspirations or are they satisfied? Given how often we’ve fallen flat after successful outings this year, especially at home, I think my concern is valid. 

Young teams need to learn to manage success every bit as much as failure. Perhaps even more.

And this kid thinks the Sabres will play their best home game of the current calendar year tomorrow.  It doesn't have anything to do wihtt the Caps being gassed, but the Sabres feeling it.  And right now, they are.

The Caps possibly being gassed is merely gravy.

[K-9]

4 minutes ago, Taro T said:

And this kid thinks the Sabres will play their best home game of the current calendar year tomorrow.  It doesn't have anything to do wihtt the Caps being gassed, but the Sabres feeling it.  And right now, they are.

The Caps possibly being gassed is merely gravy.

I certainly hope you’re right, but this kid has been fooled too many times this season by thinking the youngest team in the league has finally learned some lessons about managing success, especially at home. 

Don’t get me wrong, the FLA sweep was huge, especially last night’s game and what winning it meant in the standings. And we all need to feel great about that as we should. But it was just the start of something and I will need to see that they understand that and tomorrow will be very telling in that regard, imo. 

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, K-9 said:

I certainly hope you’re right, but this kid has been fooled too many times this season by thinking the youngest team in the league has finally learned some lessons about managing success, especially at home. 

Don’t get me wrong, the FLA sweep was huge, especially last night’s game and what winning it meant in the standings. And we all need to feel great about that as we should. But it was just the start of something and I will need to see that they understand that and tomorrow will be very telling in that regard, imo. 

Which is why it remains to be seen, but it had nothing to do with the Caps being possibly gassed.  That would merely be a bonus.

But if UPL is between the pipes, all bets are off.  His issues are in his head, and not sure that he'll have the demons back in check by lunchtime tomorrow.

[Sidc3000]

5 hours ago, steveoath said:

The caps are nothing to fear.  They have shut down.  I think, like they have in the past, the team will rise to occasion and run up TD.

They have just beat the Rangers 6-3. I watched the game and they didn’t look like rhey shut anything down

4 hours ago, Taro T said:

And this kid thinks the Sabres will play their best home game of the current calendar year tomorrow.  It doesn't have anything to do wihtt the Caps being gassed, but the Sabres feeling it.  And right now, they are.

The Caps possibly being gassed is merely gravy.

They’ve played like crap all season at home, why will tomorrow be different?

[Buffalonill]

Buffalo will get  Blown out it will be ugly say good bye to playoffs .

And tage wont do ***** tomorrow 

[Sidc3000]

4 hours ago, Taro T said:

Which is why it remains to be seen, but it had nothing to do with the Caps being possibly gassed.  That would merely be a bonus.

But if UPL is between the pipes, all bets are off.  His issues are in his head, and not sure that he'll have the demons back in check by lunchtime tomorrow.

UPL always gets this way eventually

[sweetlou]

Comrie in net?

[Taro T]

5 minutes ago, sweetlou said:

Comrie in net?

That's the hope.  We shall see.

[Doohicksie]

3 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

Buffalo will get  Blown out it will be ugly say good bye to playoffs .

And tage wont do ***** tomorrow 

Don't ever change, @Buffalonill






Who am I kidding?  Stop being a pathetic worrywart! 🙃

[PerreaultForever]

I don't think it's the biggest test, the Florida trip was that so far. This is just the next have to win game in what has to be a long series of must win games if you want to make the playoffs. Washington has given up to some extent and Orlov being gone hurts them a lot so it's winnable and they might lose interest if we get an early lead. They are old and slow. SKATE and we can win. 

[Doohicksie]

So how do you think they did?

 

😉

[K-9]

9 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

So how do you think they did?

 

😉

Passed with flying colors. I think the injury situation served to galvanize their resolve, the team leadership rose to the occasion, and the rest followed that lead. 

[steveoath]

On 2/25/2023 at 7:05 PM, steveoath said:

The caps are nothing to fear.  They have shut down.  I think, like they have in the past, the team will rise to occasion and run up TD.

Called it