GDT: 1/4/19 Stars v Crapitals ('em I rite?) 7pm

[SaintAngerBH]

Yes. Benn was horseshit tonight.

[ScubaSteve]

Spezza injured or healthy scratch?

[One_Timer]

Khudobin’s post game interview said it all. Good Piece.

The dives won, so here we go. Only 4 points from first.

[ScubaSteve]

Khudobin’s post game interview said it all. Good Piece.

The dives won, so here we go. Only 4 points from first.

Also only in the playoffs by 4 points. Calm your *poo poo*.

[#JTONTFJTGM]

[SaintAngerBH]

The text doesn't do it justice. His tone of voice indicated extreme anger. I bet he chewed them out badly after the game.

[One_Timer]

Khudobin’s post game interview said it all. Good Piece.

The dives won, so here we go. Only 4 points from first.

Also only in the playoffs by 4 points. Calm your *poo poo*.

Calm as a Navy fighter pilot, Bud. The race in the central is heating up and I’m glad the Stars are in it.

[wonko80]

So I was only able to watch the condensed game. Did Val stick with the top line? Was he noticeable? He was in one highlight in the condensed game where he carried it I to the zone and threw a weak shot on net. Not even sure why that made the cut.

[ToddM]

The first line was pretty much invisible after the opening frame. Pitlick jumped on that spot in the third but they were even worse.

[SaintAngerBH]

Every game now razor says “this is the perfect time for Val to get that elusive first one...”

As if there would be a second.....

[One_Timer]

They desperately need a second line center. Zibanejad?

[SaintAngerBH]

I hear Mike Richards doesn’t have a job...lol

[Troy McClure]

So I was only able to watch the condensed game. Did Val stick with the top line? Was he noticeable? He was in one highlight in the condensed game where he carried it I to the zone and threw a weak shot on net. Not even sure why that made the cut.

He was with them for most of the first until he left about two thirds of the way through with some sort of equipment problem or injury or diarrhea. He was back out with them through most of the second. That line did nothing five on five. The only chances those guys had was on the PP where Nichushkin was replaced with Spezza or Faksa.

In the third, Nichushkin was demoted to the third line and was replaced by Pitlick and then Hintz as Monty was trying to find anyone to help generate offense. Those changes didn't help much. The Caps dominated possession and chances throughout the second and third. Every line was struggling to get the puck out of the zone, and none of them managed to get meaningful scoring chances as the game went on.

How did Nichushkin look? The usual. Lots of skating to the boards and looking to pass. No good shots on net. There was one time where he showed off his speed when he dumped it from the neutral zone to the right of the goal. He beat out the potential icing call and beat the defenders to the puck on the boards behind the net. Sounds great, right? Well, he lost the puck battle when the first defender to get back there took the puck from him and passed it up to exit the zone.

[SaintAngerBH]

The fact that Val sucked in the KHL was enough for me. We shouldn't have even brought him back.

[Troy McClure]

The fact that Val sucked in the KHL was enough for me. We shouldn't have even brought him back.

Or don't bring him back, over pay him, and then pencil him in as a second liner. If they wanted to give him checking line money and a checking line role and maybe then don't also sign Comeau to a three season deal, then it would have been fine.

The problem with signing him was his contract and the expectation. Nill essentially spent $5.3 million of cap space on two free agents to do the same exact job when he signed both Nichushkin and Comeau. Those two signings used up the last of the team's cap space and filled up two forward roster spots. It's partly why Nill has no cap space left now to make any trades to help this team.

[SaintAngerBH]

Another reason Lites is wrong about Nill.

Nill fucked that up royally. He should have known Val would have little offensive output given his time in the KHL.

[ScubaSteve]