Last Six in Fenwick: Games 22-27

With the back to back, I waited an extra game before publishing the new Fenwick review.

Game 20299 Capitals 0 @ Devils 5
Game 20309 Capitals 3 @ Hurricanes 2
Game 20327 Lighting 0 @ Capitals 6
Game 20345 Hurricanes 2 @ Capitals 3 (SO)
Game 20361 Capitals 4 @ Blues 1
Game 20371 Capitals 1 @ Stars 2

It should be noted the Capitals were a -14 Corsi against the Blues and a +25 against the Stars.

Click for larger. You probably won't need to, though.

First, these last six games:



Looks like Boyd Gordon, Matt Hendricks, and David Steckel had a rough last six games on the whole. Marcus Johansson, like we thought, keeps improving and improving. I think Nicklas Backstrom is suffering a bit from not having any hot wingers around him right now.




Bradley has been having a slightly tougher time as of late, as has Semin. Ovechkin was good, but surprisingly, Fehr and Knuble were the leaders for the Capitals. I didn't expect that. I guess Knuble always either gets to play with Ovechkin or Laich (who leads the team in Corsi Rel) or Semin-Johansson (who have worked decently well together), and benefited. As for Fehr, he still looks a bit lackluster offensively. Maybe he's just playing better defense or cycling better. I'll watch out for that against Atlanta.

All I have to say is: ouch, Schultzie, ouch! Ouch Schultzie! Ouch! Schultzie! That really hurt!

And that John Carlson continues his quick climb to fame, and Green looks like he might be hurt. He's not getting the results he should. Then again, only six games, but with that Corsi blowout against Dallas you'd have liked to see a better Fenwick%. It was only 50%, not nearly good enough (but then again, he and Schultz got killed against St. Louis when they had +10 zonestart, which I'd never seen before in my life).

Now, year-to-date numbers:



Carlzner and Green-Schultz stand out. No one else does, really. Still, I'd like to see a bit more dominance. Perhaps limiting chances both for and against would help--it seems like Boyd Gordon can get away with a Corsi event every 90 seconds of 5-on-5 TOI, but Ovechkin has twice as many if not more in that same period of time. Slow it down, boys.

Wow, look at Semin's numbers. Those are kinda good. We'd like to see better from Bradley after he was so good last year--then again, last season he wasn't playing with Matt Hendricks, who among fighting and PKing isn't a very good Corsi player and shouldn't be in a shutdown role like the fourth line normally is.

Centers last. GMGM needs to find a second line center. Without a significant puck-possession upgrade in the top-6 forwards the Caps are toast.

I'd like to see someone's Fenwick/60 go above 10. I mentioned in the first post that Marian Hossa was getting +25 or so per 60. Not even getting 40% of that is kind of sad for a team that considers itself elite.

Grades

Goaltending: A

Take away the first game and it's A+.

Special teams: B

Power play didn't get much chance to operate, but when it did, it was connecting. The PK probably got too many chances against Dallas, but it really didn't cost the Caps at all. Neither did it come up big.

Even-strength play: B

The Caps did a terrible job of drawing penalties, but didn't take all that many themselves either. The outscored opponents and no doubt score effects played into the rather mediocre Corsi. Then again, last years' Hawks were above 50% even when leading by one goal.

Overall: B+. Getting there. Not really a lackluster effort aside from the New Jersey blowout, and all were pretty consistent. Losses will help this team grow as long as they keep trying hard.