The Playoffs Thread
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cmaleski2
Well-known member
Yeah, where the heck did that game come from? Shocking as a 6-5 OT playoff game might seem, Tampa was the highest scoring team in the league (3.16 Goals per game) and the Rangers were the 3rd highest scoring team in the league this year (3.02 Goals per game). The Rangers were also 3rd in the league in Goals allowed per game (2.28), Tampa was 12th (2.51).
These offenses actually have scoring breakouts in them, just so rare to see a game like that in the playoffs now-a-days.
These offenses actually have scoring breakouts in them, just so rare to see a game like that in the playoffs now-a-days.
HeyKurtz
Well-known member
I was in New York on business last night, went to see my Mets at Citi Field (ugh...they got crushed), and then took the 7 train back to Manhattan and my hotel next to Bryant Park. When I walked up from the subway, I heard a huge roar...a big screen was set up in Bryant Park and a huge crowd was watching the Rangers-Lightning game, and I got there just after Boyle scored the tying goal late in the third. What an atmosphere!
Of course, the mood changed pretty significantly not too much later...
Of course, the mood changed pretty significantly not too much later...
CanadaCanes
Well-known member
I admire all those young, offensive guns the Bolts have acquired/drafted and developed. Stamkos, Johnson, Palat, Killorn, Kucherov...not to mention Droiun, Namestnikov, Marchessault...quite an arsenal of great young players.
JamesNorthern
Active member
I was always wondering how they were going to manage after Lecavalier and St. Louis passed the torch, with 'just' Stamkos. Not at all. Steve Yzerman has done a great job in a short time to improve their team.
cmaleski2
Well-known member
Agreed and this is where you look at the Canes roster and see where its gone all wrong. We have Lindholm, Skinner, Rask, Nestrasil, Faulk, Murphy and ... Terry? And its not like the league is quaking in their boots at the thoughts of us unleashing McGinn, DiGuiseppi, Tolchinsky, and Justin Shugg on them in coming seasons.
Its a process and we have SOME good prospects/young players (and will get another one here shortly via the draft), but we need our young players to be better and for there to be more better young players in the pipeline. Part of that is actually getting our veteran players to be better too as their success makes your younger players better. You drop Elias Lindholm in the middle of that Tampa roster and I suspect he is a 25 goal 55 point guy already.
Yeah ... it's been a slow burn for Stevie. He made some attempts at the quick fix early on and then settled into slow build mode. That's worked out a lot better for them as they've done a great job of drafting/scouting and developing their youth. I suspect if there's one young GM that Francis is most similar to in terms of overall approach, it's Yzerman. Ronnie is setting us on much the same path, IF he has the guts to get something out of his vets before their contracts expire.
Big if ... remains to be seen.
CarolinaPen
Active member
I hope the success of the Bolts resonates with Francis. The Lightning would not be playing right now if they had extended Lecalvier and not traded St. Louis. When a GM falls in love with the past, they usually screw the future. Francis is yet to break that mold.
Tampa took a weird game last night 2-0 on two quick markers that really came against the run of play. Up until the Bolts scored late in the 2nd, New York looked vastly more likely to take a lead. But they just couldn't convert, Bishop was on fire and Tampa took advantage of their chances when they came. Bing, bam, boom ... 3-2 series lead heading back to the Gold Coast.
Couple of softies by Andersen let them back in. The tying goal from Toews was inexcusable. And the winner was scored on a play we saw all too often with the Canes this year...failure to get the puck deep with the defense changing behind you. Ducks picked it up at the blue line and got a 2 on 1 and Crawford spit out a brutal rebound.
Kind of an ugly game, but still a classic in it's own way. Even when one of these two get a decent lead, there's just so little between them that anything can happen. Neither team will back down, nor should they. This series is just everything you want in playoff hockey. Brilliant stuff.
