GDT: 5/23/18 - 8:00PM EDT - #1M Washington VS #1A Tampa Bay [ECF GAME 7]

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Sky04

Registered User
Jan 8, 2009
28,955
17,896
I've read till the 20th page. You guys are pathetic. Bolts were "swept" in 3-4 series! Fire everyone, break the core, because one player couldn't point a puck into an empty net.
Washington is just a better team for these 7 games only.

I will root for Washington in SCF because they deserved it for domination in the league in regular seasons for many years. The Vegas' outcasts story is very cool, but this whole league will be pathetic when any expansion team can win the cup from the first try, just proving Stanley cup winner is coincidence of a good coach, couple of suddenly progressing players, star goalie and luck. It's almost the same any dead team can get the very next season without year after year building a core.

God you're pathetic only wanting Washington to win to marginalize the loss.

Considering the last 9 years were won by teams with the "same core" who were contenders for year still shows winning requires a strong core year after year. All those teams had good coaching, sudden players stepping up, good goaltending and luck how does Vegas winning with the exact same thing make the league look bad again?
 
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Coopers Gum

Extend Andrej Sustr
Mar 6, 2012
9,366
1,573
water spicket
"Good coaching, sudden progressing players, good goaltending, and luck..."

So what you're saying is, good teams win the Stanley Cup. Ok.

That comment is almost as one I got earlier this year. "The only reason Tampa is good is because of all their all-stars."

... Uh huh?
 

The Macho King

Back* to Back** World Champion
Jun 22, 2011
48,605
28,842
I think a few things need to be pointed out about hockey as a sport, especially in the NHL.

There isn't much talent difference between the top teams (let's call the top teams the 8 best teams in the NHL). Even looking at the rosters going into this series - we had an advantage at D pretty much because we have a Hedman and they don't, and any advantage at forward we had was fairly minimal, with goaltending being a wash. I think you can look at the rosters of the other final 8 teams and come to a similar assessment - we were probably the most talented team in the NHL, but it's hardly Globetrotters v. Generals level of talent disparity.

Add into that - NHL is especially prone to luck. Just the nature of a game played with an irregular object on ice with sticks. Bounces happen and can have an outsized effect on an individual event, and because of the low scoring nature of the sport, an individual event can have tremendous weight in the overall outcome. This weakens the effect that having a more talented team can have on the outcome of a series.

Finally - since the talent disparity is small and there is a large piece of randomness involved, other factors weigh in significantly. Effort, attention to detail, some minor systems-based tactical decisions - that's where the difference in a series happens. That's what determines who wins late in the playoffs. I don't think it's a shock that the two teams left are great at the attention-to-detail game, and I don't think any team comes close to Vegas when it comes to effort, and we surely didn't match Washington in that regard. Systems and tactics? Eh - probably an exaggerated effect and easy to monday-morning quarterback, but it's still there.

But effort and attention-to-detail need to be there to win a Cup. No team is so talented in today's league to ignore those factors. Look at every post-Cap Cup winning team and you'll see each of them excelled in those to features of the game. Pitt last two seasons - despite a meh D corps - played a very solid defensive game and didn't waste possessions. The Blackhawks personified that to a T. The Kings suffocated you by never being out of position, same as the Bruins. The Red Wings, the Ducks...

All of those teams played that way. We have for stretches - but I think we can all look at the last two ECF losses and say "yeah - we didn't have the compete or the focus we needed to win."

Bringing in XYZ player isn't going to change that. It needs a buy in from the team and a loud and clear message + accountability from the coaching staff.
 

Hoek

Legendary Poster A
May 12, 2003
11,382
8,703
Tampa, FL
Hey I just want to give you guys a tip of the cap for being a good group of fans/posters through the series. The threads on the main boards were fun and didn't get annoying or obnoxious like they sometimes do. I know how disappointing it is when you have a really good team and high expectations and keep falling short but try to stay positive, this team is good and will break through eventually. And hopefully it won't take them as long as it took Ovechkin and the Caps.
You guys are a classy bunch overall. If any of us were obnoxious it's mostly as a defense mechanism against the Pens and Bruins fans and the like. :)
 
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FinnLightning26

Death and no taxes
Sep 16, 2007
7,165
2,936
Lapland
Hey I just want to give you guys a tip of the cap for being a good group of fans/posters through the series. The threads on the main boards were fun and didn't get annoying or obnoxious like they sometimes do. I know how disappointing it is when you have a really good team and high expectations and keep falling short but try to stay positive, this team is good and will break through eventually. And hopefully it won't take them as long as it took Ovechkin and the Caps.
Get that Cup for Ovi. He deserves it after all the shit he's taken over the years.
 

LightningStrikes

Champa Bay Lightning
Nov 24, 2009
26,061
9,771
I think a few things need to be pointed out about hockey as a sport, especially in the NHL.

There isn't much talent difference between the top teams (let's call the top teams the 8 best teams in the NHL). Even looking at the rosters going into this series - we had an advantage at D pretty much because we have a Hedman and they don't, and any advantage at forward we had was fairly minimal, with goaltending being a wash. I think you can look at the rosters of the other final 8 teams and come to a similar assessment - we were probably the most talented team in the NHL, but it's hardly Globetrotters v. Generals level of talent disparity.

Add into that - NHL is especially prone to luck. Just the nature of a game played with an irregular object on ice with sticks. Bounces happen and can have an outsized effect on an individual event, and because of the low scoring nature of the sport, an individual event can have tremendous weight in the overall outcome. This weakens the effect that having a more talented team can have on the outcome of a series.

Finally - since the talent disparity is small and there is a large piece of randomness involved, other factors weigh in significantly. Effort, attention to detail, some minor systems-based tactical decisions - that's where the difference in a series happens. That's what determines who wins late in the playoffs. I don't think it's a shock that the two teams left are great at the attention-to-detail game, and I don't think any team comes close to Vegas when it comes to effort, and we surely didn't match Washington in that regard. Systems and tactics? Eh - probably an exaggerated effect and easy to monday-morning quarterback, but it's still there.

But effort and attention-to-detail need to be there to win a Cup. No team is so talented in today's league to ignore those factors. Look at every post-Cap Cup winning team and you'll see each of them excelled in those to features of the game. Pitt last two seasons - despite a meh D corps - played a very solid defensive game and didn't waste possessions. The Blackhawks personified that to a T. The Kings suffocated you by never being out of position, same as the Bruins. The Red Wings, the Ducks...

All of those teams played that way. We have for stretches - but I think we can all look at the last two ECF losses and say "yeah - we didn't have the compete or the focus we needed to win."

Bringing in XYZ player isn't going to change that. It needs a buy in from the team and a loud and clear message + accountability from the coaching staff.
Reminds me of this piece:

 

Hoek

Legendary Poster A
May 12, 2003
11,382
8,703
Tampa, FL
If it's about luck then you want to keep this intact as long as you can to get as many rolls of the dice as possible.
 

JoVel

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Jan 23, 2017
19,181
26,364
If it's about luck then you want to keep this intact as long as you can to get as many rolls of the dice as possible.
Hockey is so much luck compared to some other major sports. It doesn't make sense to go all-in in one season and ruin your future in hockey. We had the pieces to make the McDonagh trade.
 
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LonLon Lei

Registered User
Feb 27, 2018
2,187
950
Anyone watch Kuch's interview? It was like he doesn't give a ****, Also said he wasn't injured and Stamkos said he was feeling good.
This interview, right?

well, he is smiling a lot here. Certainly this is the most amiable exit interview you could have?
I'm feeling it's due to him being younger...not really seeing him giving an interview after the loss like this a few years later with a possible letter A on his jersey.
just sounds like an innocent shy boy who only sees a game as a game, something to enjoy win or lose.
 
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Todd1a

Kucherov or prospect
Jun 19, 2014
16,389
2,747
orlando, fl
This interview, right?

well, he is smiling a lot here. Certainly this is the most amiable exit interview you could have?
I'm feeling it's due to him being younger...not really seeing him giving an interview after the loss like this a few years later with a possible letter A on his jersey.
just sounds like a innocent shy boy who only sees a game as a game, something to enjoy win or lose.

maybe he was told by his agent he was getting a 8 year contract extension for 8.5 per year avv by the lightning on july 1st 2018 ?
 

Stammertime91

TBL: TEAM OF THE CENTURY
Dec 13, 2011
12,958
11,352
Tampa: NHL's Newest Dynasty
That Kucherov interview was pretty ridiculous. He should've just done some improv and laughed a few more times. His attitude looks no different than how he played this series. Pretty disappointing even he bought Cooper's "Not our time" line. That and "We will prepare so we don't make the same mistakes." What are you going to do? Instead of taking 50% of the season off, take 75% of the season off?

No extra hockey last year, take half the season off (even Cooper admitted to how hard it is keeping them interested after they clinched), and hope to somehow then get it done? Disappointing we mailed in half a season only for players to still take off part of the postseason as well.
 

Sky04

Registered User
Jan 8, 2009
28,955
17,896
Why does staying motivated seem like such an issue for this team? that's right, coaching.
 

Bolt 45

Registered User
Oct 19, 2015
1,598
819
Meh. Kuch did his part this year. This was his worst postseason by far, and he still led the team in points. Kind of highlights how bad the rest of the team was, too.
 
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