Outcoached by Hitchcock and Bylsma
So far I don't see anything positive from Hunter. The team worked hard in the game against St. Louis, in old times it alone would be enough, but Hitchcock's trap suffocated them.
In between we read about Hunter's defense first approach. Here come Pens and in the first they penetrate Caps Swiss cheese defense like hot knife through the butter, but Caps can't do the same favor to Pens. It changed a bit in the second and third, but still Pens were able to pass neutral zone and attack with ease. Call it 1-2-2 or whatever, but it was clear Bylsma was better prepared than Hunter. His system worked, Caps system was virtually non-existent.
Now what? Now we are told to wait because it takes a long time to install Hunter's system. Alrighty then, we'll wait.
Ward, Chimera, Erskine and Ovi talk to the the media after a 1-2 loss to Pens
Like I said before Ovi looked a lot like old Ovi in the game vs Blues because he had a jump. In the game vs. Pens he didn't show anything spectacular except one good defensive back-check and several good hits. But as Ovi himself said, his job is not about hitting people, it's about scoring.
Ovi's stats after 1st:
total ice time 06:20, 7 shifts, average 00:54, even 06:20, 1 shot on goal, 5 hits, 1 giveaway
After 2nd:
total ice time 11:54, 13 shifts, average 00:54, PP 02:30, even 09:24, 1 shot on goal, 5 hits, 1 giveaway
Total:
total ice time 19:22, 21 shifts, average 00:55, PP 02:30, even 16:52, 1 shot on goal, 10 hits, 1 giveaway
Ovi had 1 shot on goal in the first period and for the whole game, no attempts blocked or shots missed. Now Jason Chimera has scored more goals (10) ans is +8. Ovi has 8 goals and is -6.
Something surreal is going on, like someone's bought Ovi's doll and did some voodoo. Crazy stuff.
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14 comments:
Finally. The silly "Ovechkin scores big time" thread nonsense is off the top of the page of this blog. IMO that thread is an indictment of where Ovie's head and heart are at.
Sorry, I'm still too frustrated and disappointed the day after yet another Caps loss. It's very depressing and draining. I want to be patient, I want to give Ovie and the Caps more time to adjust to a new coach and a new system. I want to give Hunter time to get better results. But IMO there are no moral victories in "only" losing by 2-1 scores compared to blowout 7-1 and 5-1 losses.
Most of all, I want to see Ovie get the fire back in his game again. I want to see the pride and joy return PLAYING HOCKEY. I don't give a s**t how much pride and joy he expressed in his latest tweet. Sorry, but pride and joy about his off-ice antics means diddly squat. I haven't given up completely, I want to believe in Ovie and the Caps getting their act together.
But Ovie, I need some evidence of a spark of life please, something on which to place my faith. Start to show you really care about hockey if in fact you still care. Tomorrow night against the Sens is as good a time as any.
I don't think Ovi was showing off or having a pride burst. I think he was just being cute and making things clear.
I don't understand why people think she is the cause of his slump. There are a lot of players with girlfriends and wifes in the NHL so I don't understand why having a girlfriend is only a problem for Ovi.
Also, I think he should distract from all the negative things that are being said about him so he can concentrate and work out what is actually wrong with him.
@Devi: I never said Ovie's girlfriend is the cause of his slump. He has to find his own game, and that means putting as much effort and passion into playing hockey as he does with his relationships. Sorry if that offends some, but if he allows his off ice distractions to prevent him from playing better, it's his responsibility to get his priorities in order. I know this is difficult for some Caps fans to hear, but it is what it is.
And I still think he was showing off, the latest in the parade of Russian blondes on his arm. Again, sorry if that offends some and if it's not what you want to hear, but it is what it is.
I also want to make clear I'm stating my opinion. Someone else can have a different opinion.So we can just agree to disagree if we're not seeing the same things.
@BobbyG:
The second part of my comment wasn't for you. It's just something that I said for everyone in general because there are a lot of people saying that he should be scoring more on the ice instead of you know where. I think is silly and disrespectful for Ovi and his girl and some people are starting to sound like that perv of Mike Milbury who said that he "wanted to see how much Crosby scores in bed." People need to get off his case because is something else that is bother him.
"And I still think he was showing off, the latest in the parade of Russian blondes on his arm."
Really? Because the first thing I thought was that he was being cute and not a show off. I know he is not an angel, but I know he is not the devil either. He is a guy and he is going to have serious and not that serious relationships just like other guys.
Did you remember that picture of Ovi with those girls in a night club and one of them was wearing sunglases inside and Ovi was like "WTF is she wearing sunglases for?" I would say he was showing off in that picture than in this one. Here is more like he is presenting his new love. After all he had to present her sooner or later and post pictures of her. I mean is not like he was going to keep his relationship secret.
@Devi: I admit I'm letting off steam, out of frustration about how Ovie and the Caps are playing. I had to get some things off my chest, out in the open.
And yes, really, I think Ovie was showing off. IMO he enjoys the attention that his personal life brings him. He likes to flaunt what he has, what other men can only wish for. This doesn't make him a devil, it makes him a flawed human being just like the rest of us. So be it.
As I said earlier, if someone has a different opinion and sees things differently than I do, we can agree to disagree.
Oh and don't get me started on Mike Milbury. I hit the mute on my remote when he comes on the air.
@BobbyG: I respect your opinion, but I still think the other way around. I guess only time will actually tell if he is being serious or just showing off like you said. Anyways, I hope he post more pictures with her because I like to see him happy on and off the ice.
@Devi: I respect your opinion as well. Yes time will tell if Ovie is really serious or not. Don't get me wrong, I want Ovie to be happy in his personal life just like you do, just like most fans would. But I want him to be happy playing hockey too, even more. In the meantime I'm just hoping he and the Caps can get going soon, preferably tomorrow night vs. the Ottawa Senators.
@BobbyG
In my opinion, Ovi is really happy and proud of his new girlfriend. Maybe he's really truly in love for the first time ever, so he wants to share it with fans. I don't see him posting a pic of them together as being a show-off. Just a happy guy maybe in love and wanting to share that with the world.
Maybe I'm wrong, but it's been quite awhile since Ovi has officially admitted to being in a relationship, right? He never posted any pics of Valeria on his twitter did he? So I feel like Maria means more to him, but I could be wrong.
I think Maria could be a good influence on him, she's an athlete working out and training and not spending her days partying and not doing anything much. I like her a lot more than Backstrom's new girl, who seems to be a huge partier back in Sweden, and dated other hockey players (SEL).
@AB: IIRC when Ovie was with Valeria his Twitter account was still inactive. He didn't resurrect it until March of this year, and by then he and Valeria were history. So I don't think his Twitter pic with Maria means as much to me as it does to you. I mean, he also tweeted pics of himself with Michelle Obama and Mike Tyson LOL. Just kidding. :)
Seriously, as I said earlier, my opinion is he was showing off, but I could be wrong. I agree with you about her being a hard working athlete, not into partying. Whether she will be a good influence on him or not remains to be seen. Time will tell how far this goes.
On the topic of Caps hockey and coaching, maybe the third time will be the charm for Hunter. I have my fingers crossed he and the Caps will get the job done against the Sens.
too much worry about this relationship. it is what it is. serious or not. he needs to find a way to be happy on and off the ice. she's a total cutie btw. so good for him if it's going well.
I side with BobbyG. Ovechkin has another woman. Who cares? SOMETHING has been effecting his game in a big, bad way. Other players have girlfriends, wives and still play their game and care about the team. Ovechkin needs to ditch the teenager crap and get back to work.
Hunter wasn't outcoached in those games. He and the team were learning about each other and he seemed to be using the time to see what he had on the ice. It was a relief to see the other teams' scoring held in check.
As for Ovi, although I wouldn't say he's showing off per se, this is a VERY new relationship and we've seen with all the others how he jumps in with his full heart. Ovi in love still reminds me of middle schoolers being gloriously in love. It's an emotional drugging high with little to sustain it yet. He's riding the emotion again. Giddy on having a girlfriend again. It's happened EVERY TIME. (Remember Valeria ended up in a dvd about his life after he only knew her for less than a month.) He is still impulsive when it comes to females who catch his eye.
(@Devi, about why we get nervous when he has a new girlfriend, when they have shown up in DC he has gotten distracted in the past and on the ice he tries to hard to impress her (shows off) and he goes into a playing slump as a result. Since he's been in a slump for over a year this won't be noticed.)
Only time will tell if this has foundations to build on or if it is only a hollow shell hidden by the glory of new love like his other relationships have been.
He is already being contradictory about refusing to talk about her in interviews although he boradcast her on Twitter. Public or private? He still hasn't learned how to handle his relationships in public.
When he's in a new relationship, he still sounds like a kid and not like a man.
@O:
The internet girl only lasted like two weeks, the dancer never went to Washington because he didn't invited her or something like that (I don't know) and the broom I have no idea how much she lasted with Ovi. Is the broom the same girlfriend from last year or was another one? I did heard that he was having troubles with his girl, but I thought his slump was caused by his bad shape not by his ex.
Well, he looks happy now so there is nothing to worry unless he gets all EMO about it hahaha!
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