Clearly we have sputtered in the last month, maybe more. What would you do to try and solve this issue? Who should be moved and where? Who should be played more and less?
IMO: Put Ovechkin on the left flank a la Stamkos, Carlson on the point, Laich as the net presence.
which is better? having Semin working the left half boards to the left post and ovechkin working the left point to left halfboards like it is now or removing Semin entirely by giving Ovechkin his spot and putting Carlson in Ov's spot?
since Semin has 6 ppg's and ovechkin has 2 ppgs and since Semin has scored a ppg in 5 games this season and Ovechkin in 1 game, I would not be moving Semin from his spot to the bench in favor of Ovechkin.
which is better? having Semin working the left half boards to the left post and ovechkin working the left point to left halfboards like it is now or removing Semin entirely by giving Ovechkin his spot and putting Carlson in Ov's spot?
since Semin has 6 ppg's and ovechkin has 2 ppgs and since Semin has scored a ppg in 5 games this season and Ovechkin in 1 game, I would not be moving Semin from his spot to the bench in favor of Ovechkin.
right now that is counter productive.
Regardless, I think Ovechkin needs to be moved from the point. He's a legitimately become a liability there with his decision making. If anything give our PP a new look and make opposing teams adjust. IIRC Ovechkin used to play on the left flank and was successful there. Now if it means removing a hot Semin than I'm opposed to it, but he's been anything but.
right point: 52
left point: 8
left half wall: 28
right half wall: 19
crease: 22 or 21
ask yourself honestly.
is carlson going to be better than ovechkin? is ovechkin going to be better than semin? is carlson going to be better than either of them?
lets put ovechkin in front of the net and see how many times semin carlson and green can hit him with slap shots. that might improve the power play. it really might, but it would do nothing to get ovechkin going again.
facts are that if the Caps are going to get ovechkin going again they are going to have to leave him where he is.
one more thing. Ovechkin plays the same spot on the Caps pp as Stamkos does. Its a rotation play. Ovechkin slides up and down from center point to almost all the way down to the left goal post. The rotation is what sets up the one timer from the left circle. Its the same rotation that tampa bay uses Stamkos is at the TB left point almost as often as Ovechkin is. The main difference is that the Caps rotate to shoot two players from that LW spot(8 and 28) while the Lightning shoot one player from either circle(91 and 4).
In the Caps set up Backstrom doesnt shoot like Vinny does.
Either way the rotation is the same.
Last, Ovechkin has not played the left half wall since around the time Boudreau took over. The alternative was using 28 at the left point and thats proved to be more dangerous and less productive than using 8 there.
right point: 52
left point: 8
left half wall: 28
right half wall: 19
crease: 22 or 21
ask yourself honestly.
is carlson going to be better than ovechkin? is ovechkin going to be better than semin? is carlson going to be better than either of them?
lets put ovechkin in front of the net and see how many times semin carlson and green can hit him with slap shots. that might improve the power play. it really might, but it would do nothing to get ovechkin going again.
facts are that if the Caps are going to get ovechkin going again they are going to have to leave him where he is.
one more thing. Ovechkin plays the same spot on the Caps pp as Stamkos does. Its a rotation play. Ovechkin slides up and down from center point to almost all the way down to the left goal post. The rotation is what sets up the one timer from the left circle. Its the same rotation that tampa bay uses Stamkos is at the TB left point almost as often as Ovechkin is. The main difference is that the Caps rotate to shoot two players from that LW spot(8 and 28) while the Lightning shoot one player from either circle(91 and 4).
In the Caps set up Backstrom doesnt shoot like Vinny does.
Either way the rotation is the same.
Last, Ovechkin has not played the left half wall since around the time Boudreau took over. The alternative was using 28 at the left point and thats proved to be more dangerous and less productive than using 8 there.
You almost act as if people are advocating a permanent change. As is, the PP has been ineffective. It can't hurt to have a different look for ourselves and for opposing teams. If a change proves effective its a win, if not just go back to the original setup. No risk.
Btw on Ovechkin, both of his PP goals were scored on the left flank in the Calgary game, a result of making the goalie go post-to-post.
No more than 3 passes. You get the third pass, you have to shoot.
that would be fine with me. except you know what teh result would be. blocked shots. and more fire boudreau
Quote:
Originally Posted by Appreci8
Btw on Ovechkin, both of his PP goals were scored on the left flank in the Calgary game, a result of making the goalie go post-to-post.
its true and in both cases he was playing the left point. that is sort of my point. you want to move him so he can shoot from that spot and he plays the left point SO that he can shoot from that spot.
the problem is the pk plan has been to follow green and ovechkin whereever the rotation goes and take away there shot. that means that Backstrom and Semin are left open and have to close the deal. If you remove semin for ovechkin, the pk will just follow him from there and it will be backstrom and carlson that will have to score.
Maybe they should, you know, not remain stationary? It's just kinda stale at this point.
that was my 1st thought: movement movement movement. set plays overloading to one side forcing the defense to either commit more bodies to that side or leave someone wide open.
the goal the Devils scored on us the other night caught my attention. the guy bottom of the right circle draws defenders then bumps it back about 9 feet to the man coming off the 1/2 wall, stepping right into a 1-timer.
a few more set plays like that could help, or at least be something different.
movement is certainly part of the fix, but it also requires willingness to give up what the pk is trying to take away.
when ovechkin rotates down toward the circle and gets a pass. they take the shot and the pass back to green away. they give him the pass down low which is not a scoring area.
thats what i see. the caps are not going to get shots from the arc. they have to take that pass down low and jam the net. its low percentage, but they have the players to score it in their. it dumbs the PP down and likely reduces it in ability.
but they wont get any space for ov and green til they score consistantly from laich and knuble territory with plays created from down low.
they are just not going to get point shots thru to create rebounds. semin and backstrom need to skate the puck out of the corner and try and stuff it in. the pk is going to give them that all night
that was my 1st thought: movement movement movement. set plays overloading to one side forcing the defense to either commit more bodies to that side or leave someone wide open.
the goal the Devils scored on us the other night caught my attention. the guy bottom of the right circle draws defenders then bumps it back about 9 feet to the man coming off the 1/2 wall, stepping right into a 1-timer.
a few more set plays like that could help, or at least be something different.
you really cant watch other teams pp's and see much for the caps. opposing pk's stay on 8 and 52. they dont move away when the puck is passed to 19. quick puck movement almost never opens up 8 or 52 because their check stays right there. pk's will take the 3 on 2 down low against 19 21/22 and 28.
watch. when the pp is set up the pk gives backstrom all the room he wants. they stay right with the point men.
which is better? having Semin working the left half boards to the left post and ovechkin working the left point to left halfboards like it is now or removing Semin entirely by giving Ovechkin his spot and putting Carlson in Ov's spot?
since Semin has 6 ppg's and ovechkin has 2 ppgs and since Semin has scored a ppg in 5 games this season and Ovechkin in 1 game, I would not be moving Semin from his spot to the bench in favor of Ovechkin.
right now that is counter productive.
I agree but you act like Laich has to be on the powerplay.
OV and Semin on the halfboards, Backstrom in front, Carlson and Green on the points.
We'd lose Backstrom's set up ability from the halfboards but since this wouldn't be permanent so not a big deal.
More shots would be put on net without being blocked.
Over the long term I don't think it'd be a better answer but it would provide a different look.
The PP won't be lethal until Ovechkin finds his shot. I say move him to Semin's spot and let Carlson and Green run the points. Take 28 off it altogether. I thought they did that for a shift against Carolina and moved the puck extremely well.
The PP won't be lethal until Ovechkin finds his shot. I say move him to Semin's spot and let Carlson and Green run the points. Take 28 off it altogether. I thought they did that for a shift against Carolina and moved the puck extremely well.
The downside of that is you're taking away Semin's saucer pass, which further reduces Backstrom's potential from the side of the net. Not an issue for the right setups, so fine for a short term shot in the arm, but I don't think it's something they'd stick with for too long.
More Carlson. Stop wrong siding when its a logical time to shoot. Let Ovi be more dynamic. Versus 24/7 as our left point that slips down for one timers (that just dont work anymore.) Let Ovi do the movement folks are clamboring for. He will force the defenders to move opening up lanes.
Tell Carlson to not feel like he has to just move the puck along. His throws to the net just seem to create good chances. The dude can score, we need him unleashed. We need him to get lots of work to be able to carry the load if Green can't come April. That is more important than solving the december drought.
Lets all send George our resumes. 10000+ posts!!1!
The downside of that is you're taking away Semin's saucer pass, which further reduces Backstrom's potential from the side of the net. Not an issue for the right setups, so fine for a short term shot in the arm, but I don't think it's something they'd stick with for too long.
Semin's saucer pass is less reliable than Semin doing something ****fancy with the puck.
Ovechkin's shot is weak right now but he can still work the boards and pass fairly well. Also, moving him to the side-wall opens up the shooting lanes for Green and Carlson.
