GDT: The Schneiderman's Redemption: ECQF Game 4 - Lightning @ Devils, 7:30 PM

[Cheddabombs]

we should trade for someone with 2048 hits, say an Adam Larsson maybe?

 

[Zezel22]

This is going to be unpopular - but if we are all being honest with ourselves - how upset would we be as a fanbase if the script was flipped and we had nasty, playoff intense players that were physically demoralizing the opponent? I mean Devils fans - myself at the top of the list - celebrate and cherish the memory of Scott Stevens and the carnage he left behind - most notably Kozlov, Lindros. I KNOW - those were clean hits, esp to Devils fans. Well Kucherov was deemed a clean hit as well, technically. I don't believe it was. But many on the outside don't see it that way either.

The Lightning are taking it to the Devils. Period. That's something that needs to be addressed. Whether some of it is dirty or not, on the whole they are just knocking them around and in the playoffs thats how you have to do it. You think Claude Lemieux didn't spear anybody in the groin? I mean be real about that. Our team has been great this year, but still needs to grow as we all agree. This nastiness is an area that needs to grow. It has to. This manhandling can't be repeated.

 

[GameSeven]

we should trade for someone with 2048 hits, say an Adam Larsson maybe?

oooh, you

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Whats the point of players like Boyle and Maroon being on the team if they aren't going to use their size or use that supposed grit to pound someone's skull in for cheap shots?

Maroon can justify his existence. He has some really good hands though lacks speed. He just does not look even remotely as nasty as he has shown himself to be.

They speared Hischier, elbowed Coleman in the head, hit Vatanen in the head, taking run after run at Hall, throw elbow after elbow.

And what is the most that happens? A shove from Wood, a little hug from Boyle and some shit talking.


Maroon and Wood can justify their existence on the team with the skill they can bring, but holy hell do they both look utterly disengaged when both of them have a really nasty streak in their game that for some reason they aren't showing this series.

Tampa is not a tough team when it comes to grit. The majority of their guys will fold like a cheap suit if you actually give it back to them.

Coleman kind of showed that when he pop Stralman in the face once when he was acting way toughter than he has ever shown himself to be. Stralman then backed off and wanted nothing to do with an actual fight.

 

[BenedictGomez]

The hit was clean, i am a Red Wings fan so i have no interest in the series, i understand why you are mad but again that hit was clean.

It was a clean hit................ in 1998.

Try waking up at 1 in the morning and seeing a missed text from a Lightning “friend” that says nothing but “13”. My immediate response was **** you.

LOL

Nobody knows someone who's a Lightning fan.

Stop trying to make up stories to impress people.

 

[MadDevil]

I get wanting to get even, but I think it kind of plays right into Tampa's hands putting them on the PP with retaliatory penalties.

 

[Zezel22]

Whats the point of players like Boyle and Maroon being on the team if they aren't going to use their size or use that supposed grit to pound someone's skull in for cheap shots?

Maroon can justify his existence. He has some really good hands though lacks speed. He just does not look even remotely as nasty as he has shown himself to be.

They speared Hischier, elbowed Coleman in the head, hit Vatanen in the head, taking run after run at Hall, throw elbow after elbow.

And what is the most that happens? A shove from Wood, a little hug from Boyle and some **** talking.


Maroon and Wood can justify their existence on the team with the skill they can bring, but holy hell do they both look utterly disengaged when both of them have a really nasty streak in their game that for some reason they aren't showing this series.

Tampa is not a tough team when it comes to grit. The majority of their guys will fold like a cheap suit if you actually give it back to them.

Coleman kind of showed that when he pop Stralman in the face once when he was acting way toughter than he has ever shown himself to be. Stralman then backed off and wanted nothing to do with an actual fight.

Agree with most of this but we (as a group in new jersey) have to be self conscious about this. Can't talk about how Tampa is not tough when they are literally man handling the Devils. That just does not come off the right way.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Has the NHL officially said no discipline for kucherov yet?

 

[Call Me Al]

my problem is less what the lightning are doing to the devils and more the lack of devils response

 

[billingtons ghost]

This is going to be unpopular - but if we are all being honest with ourselves - how upset would we be as a fanbase if the script was flipped and we had nasty, playoff intense players that were physically demoralizing the opponent? I mean Devils fans - myself at the top of the list - celebrate and cherish the memory of Scott Stevens and the carnage he left behind - most notably Kozlov, Lindros. I KNOW - those were clean hits, esp to Devils fans. Well Kucherov was deemed a clean hit as well, technically. I don't believe it was. But many on the outside don't see it that way either.

The Lightning are taking it to the Devils. Period. That's something that needs to be addressed. Whether some of it is dirty or not, on the whole they are just knocking them around and in the playoffs thats how you have to do it. You think Claude Lemieux didn't spear anybody in the groin? I mean be real about that. Our team has been great this year, but still needs to grow as we all agree. This nastiness is an area that needs to grow. It has to. This manhandling can't be repeated.

Great post. I'm entirely with you.

I think plenty have pointed out here that we are a bit of a 'soft' team, and lack a bit of snarl. Pitt is lucky because Malkin is pretty tough and Sid is dirty and gets all the calls - but they still had Orpik and others to add some grit.

You don't want to carry an enforcer (unless Reaves is available) - you really just want to have guys who can handle themselves and initiate rough stuff if there is going to be any, and be able to take it if it is being dished out.

Nico will grow, and Hall can kinda take care of himself (although you don't want him doing so). Palms can take care of himself. Boyle, Coleman, Noesen, Wood and Maroon can take care of themselves. The rest?

It is really the backline that can't.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

my problem is less what the lightning are doing to the devils and more the lack of devils response

I really think this is a lack of playoff experience. They are clearly affraid of taking a penalty and it's guiding their choices on ice.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Not sure where in Florida you live, but I lived in FL for 6 years, and I never met a Lightning fan outside of Pinellas County. Dead serious.

Gotta' be the most localized fan base in NHL hockey. I dont think Lightning fans are allowed to leave Pinellas, maybe Hillsborough County at most. LOL .

And I lived in Volusia County, Seminole County, and Orange County, so it's not like I was THAT far from Tampa. Never knew a Bolts fan. Not a one.

I live about an hour and a half south of Amalie. You are correct though, the only fans I’ve met down here are ppl who moved from up north and then converted to Tampa fans because they were local. Nothing like being a Pittsburg fan and bailing on them when their hey day ended just to lose out on watching Sid and Malkin... too bad this one friend of mine couldn’t just hang in during the tough times of not having elite talent on the team. The “fans” I do see this far down are the typical ones that I never knew watched hockey until they find out I’m a Devils fan and they start to act tough. When they get eliminated they will just start to concentrate on the great upcoming Bucs season... notice I completely ignored the Rays

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Agree with most of this but we (as a group in new jersey) have to be self conscious about this. Can't talk about how Tampa is not tough when they are literally man handling the Devils. That just does not come off the right way.

They aren't tough. The Devils just are playing like cowards at this point. That's a huge difference. Like I said, as soon as anyone actually showed some grit and responded, Kucherov didn't dare try to do anything to Wood and got out of that scrum very fast. Stralman backed off Coleman when popped in the mouth.

None of them on Tampa actually want to deal with having to stand up for their dirty shit. The Devils are just letting them walk all over them, and I wouldn't be shocked iff the dipshit behind the bench just told them play your game, ya know, the same game that had them trailing and getting ran left and right.

 

[guitarguyvic]

my problem is less what the lightning are doing to the devils and more the lack of devils response

Well they aren't mutually exclusive. I think Tampa has been dirty but the Devils have failed to respond. I can stomach losing the series considering expectations going in, but to end what was a really positive season on this note (where they are getting pushed around by a team that shouldn't be considered tougher than them)...that's a real disappointment. It's kind of embarrassing actually.

I also don't get this idea that they are not responding because they don't want to take penalties. Um, you can make big hits and intimidate the opponent without stooping to their level of goonery. Just finish every check with big, painful, legal hits.

I don't get it. I never thought this team would fold physically like this, at least not to another skilled speedy team.

 

[Emperoreddy]

They need to focus on winning a game Saturday. Not all this other rubbish.

The best payback is to force Tampa to have to get back on a plane.

 

[MullerBrotenVerbeek]

If they want to sign me to a 1 game contract I'd be happy to put that punk Kucherov in the hospital for the cheap shots he's thrown this series.

 

[Bleedred]

Not sure where in Florida you live, but I lived in FL for 6 years, and I never met a Lightning fan outside of Pinellas County. Dead serious.

Gotta' be the most localized fan base in NHL hockey. I dont think Lightning fans are allowed to leave Pinellas, maybe Hillsborough County at most. LOL .

And I lived in Volusia County, Seminole County, and Orange County, so it's not like I was THAT far from Tampa. Never knew a Bolts fan. Not a one.

I live in Pinellas County and I see a lot of people wearing Lightning apparel around here, but it's hard to tell who is and isn't a bandwagon fan. I have friends down here that I made through my best friend who lives down here. He's a pretty loyal Lightning fan and watches every game like I do the Devils. Of everyone else I know here, most don't really like hockey. I have friends down here that I made back when I used to vacation here like 20+ years ago. They're locals and they don't give a shit about hockey. They watch a little baseball and maybe some Bucs during the football season. They've lived here their whole lives.

My best friend is also from Jersey and he doesn't really follow hockey like I do. He's gone with me to some Devils/Lightning games during the regular season. He's more into basketball, baseball and football than hockey. I work with a lot of people that have lived here their whole lives and they don't seem to even be aware that the local hockey team is in the playoffs. They're aware that they exist and that's it.

 

[MartyOwns]

This is going to be unpopular - but if we are all being honest with ourselves - how upset would we be as a fanbase if the script was flipped and we had nasty, playoff intense players that were physically demoralizing the opponent? I mean Devils fans - myself at the top of the list - celebrate and cherish the memory of Scott Stevens and the carnage he left behind - most notably Kozlov, Lindros. I KNOW - those were clean hits, esp to Devils fans. Well Kucherov was deemed a clean hit as well, technically. I don't believe it was. But many on the outside don't see it that way either.

The Lightning are taking it to the Devils. Period. That's something that needs to be addressed. Whether some of it is dirty or not, on the whole they are just knocking them around and in the playoffs thats how you have to do it. You think Claude Lemieux didn't spear anybody in the groin? I mean be real about that. Our team has been great this year, but still needs to grow as we all agree. This nastiness is an area that needs to grow. It has to. This manhandling can't be repeated.

i have no problem with hard, legal hits. miller was running people over, lovejoy got legally rocked twice in 30 seconds. i have a problem with the headshots, i have problems with nutshots, i have problems with boarding

 

[billingtons ghost]

I really think this is a lack of playoff experience. They are clearly affraid of taking a penalty and it's guiding their choices on ice.

You're right - And btw, I remember having this same conversation after 1994 as well.

The Rags initiated the rough stuff, we lost our heads and took the penalties and didn't command respect yet from the refs.

The next year, Stevens, Dano and the rest ALL knew *exactly* what to do and handle themselves.

 

[Bleedred]

I live about an hour and a half south of Amalie. You are correct though, the only fans I’ve met down here are ppl who moved from up north and then converted to Tampa fans because they were local. Nothing like being a Pittsburg fan and bailing on them when their hey day ended just to lose out on watching Sid and Malkin... too bad this one friend of mine couldn’t just hang in during the tough times of not having elite talent on the team. The “fans” I do see this far down are the typical ones that I never knew watched hockey until they find out I’m a Devils fan and they start to act tough. When they get eliminated they will just start to concentrate on the great upcoming Bucs season... notice I completely ignored the Rays

Haha I actually know more people who care about the Rays here than the Lightning. I know a lot of people who are fans of other teams too. The Phillies Spring Training facility is fairly close to here, then there's the Jays up in Dunedin, which isn't too far from me. There's also the Yanks facility in Tampa. There's a lot of Yankees fans here (like my best friend), but they're also transplants, also like my best friend.

We get pretty cheap tickets for the Rays when the Yankees come to town though. He usually brings the whole family and we take two vehicles and go. It's a pretty cheap night out. I'm not big on domed ballparks, so I don't care much for Tropicana Field. Love going to Citifield when I'm up home visiting in August and Coors Field in Denver when I visit out there every August.

And just like the Panthers games (and even the Lightning games, but to a smaller extent), The Trop is filled with Yankees fans when they come to town.

 

[OmNomNom]

Has the NHL officially said no discipline for kucherov yet?

basically - when two legit beat writers state it, then it's all but confirmed

 

[StvBroDan]

Great post. I'm entirely with you.

I think plenty have pointed out here that we are a bit of a 'soft' team, and lack a bit of snarl. Pitt is lucky because Malkin is pretty tough and Sid is dirty and gets all the calls - but they still had Orpik and others to add some grit.

You don't want to carry an enforcer (unless Reaves is available) - you really just want to have guys who can handle themselves and initiate rough stuff if there is going to be any, and be able to take it if it is being dished out.

Nico will grow, and Hall can kinda take care of himself (although you don't want him doing so). Palms can take care of himself. Boyle, Coleman, Noesen, Wood and Maroon can take care of themselves. The rest?

It is really the backline that can't.

Same

 

[BenedictGomez]

I work with a lot of people that have lived here their whole lives and they don't seem to even be aware that the local hockey team is in the playoffs. They're aware that they exist and that's it.

That's about my perception as well. Floridians treat having an NHL team like most folks would treat having an ECHL team. LOL They know it exists, but they've probably never been to a game and couldn't care less either way.

In an environment like that, I wouldnt be surprised if the Lightning really cater to their STH in a major way to keep them happy.

 

[OmNomNom]

 

[Devilsgrl35]

They need to focus on winning a game Saturday. Not all this other rubbish.

The best payback is to force Tampa to have to get back on a plane.

Exactly, win a road game and bring it back home. If we're being blown out in the 3rd then beat them up. Until then focus on winning a game.