2018-2019 General Lightning Discussion - Part 2

[T REX]

I dont think its crap. These guys play 82 games a year. Tough to get up and play 60 mins for each game. Despite our poor play we are still collecting points. Whether we like it or not these guys are trying to save something for the playoffs. Just how it goes my friend.

I'm guessing if we see a repeat of last year's playoffs then we'll need a new plan because this one sucks.

 

[LightningStrikes]

I'm guessing if we see a repeat of last year's playoffs then we'll need a new plan because this one sucks.

February games with a 13 point cushion ahead of the 2nd best team in the conference are nothing like playoff games, and especially elimination games. You are right we saw the same last season. Yet they came out flying in game 1 of the playoffs.

Let’s just hope they are prepared to face the skilled, strong and well-coached teams in later rounds this time. Because that’s the only thing the players and coaches should really be worried about: not repeating games 6 and 7 against the Caps last year.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

I dont think its crap. These guys play 82 games a year. Tough to get up and play 60 mins for each game. Despite our poor play we are still collecting points. Whether we like it or not these guys are trying to save something for the playoffs. Just how it goes my friend.

This is an assumption. Nobody knows this.

What player or coach has come out and said "yeah, we're trying to win but we're not playing all out because we're trying to save it for the playoffs."

That's not exactly how it works...

 

[CupsOverCash]

This is an assumption. Nobody knows this.

What player or coach has come out and said "yeah, we're trying to win but we're not playing all out because we're trying to save it for the playoffs."

That's not exactly how it works...

Its clear when you watch them. They dont look like they are putting the same effort now as they were earlier in the season. Plus you will never see a player or coach come out and say that.

 

[CupsOverCash]

February games with a 13 point cushion ahead of the 2nd best team in the conference are nothing like playoff games, and especially elimination games. You are right we saw the same last season. Yet they came out flying in game 1 of the playoffs.

Let’s just hope they are prepared to face the skilled, strong and well-coached teams in later rounds this time. Because that’s the only thing the players and coaches should really be worried about: not repeating games 6 and 7 against the Caps last year.

It happened last year. It happened the year we lost to the Pens in the ECF. Remember looking awful in February but we still got some points. Team absolutely has a switch and they turn it on when they want. Now that doesnt mean they cant get outplayed/outcoached again in the ECF again or any series for that matter. I still think despite our point cushion we still arent that much better than the next best team in the east. The regular season just doesnt paint the picture well enough on who will actually be top team in east when its all said and done. Unfortunately for us, we wont be able to see how much this team has gotten better or worse since last year until we are back in the playoffs again. Makes this time of year not very fun as a fan. You will see me post a lot from here on out, is it the playoffs yet??

 

[T REX]

Let's just raise the damn cup and be done with this crap.

 

[God King Fudge]

People need to stop with the Switch.

If there was a Switch, they wouldn't have been no shows in multiple game 7's over the last few years and that's not to take away from the Caps. It was clearly their year. TB had absolutely zero fight in games 6 and 7. None. The bar was raised by the opponent and they failed spectacularly to match. It was honestly a small miracle it even made it to game 7 because TB was holding on for dear life that entire series.

Yes, it's clear to me that by design, they take their foot off the gas this time of year.

The issue is that design sucks. It encourages the team to develop bad habits and is, in my opinion, the biggest reason they haven't been able to close the deal. I don't give a damn how many goals they score in December. Or how many wins they have through January or what points pace they're on.

If they can't win the Cup, it all means nothing, and some team that was willing to play all season as opposed to the plan of jumping out to as big of a lead as you can muster and then coasting into the playoffs will lift the Cup while we get lip service again about how they know they didn't compete like they should have.

I'm tired of hearing that song and dance.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

ya lets just all quit we will never win hell we only had 14 shots in game six and 15 in game seven that were like in the prime scoring areas...

we suck we will always be dominated in playoffs like washington did to us why even show up and then yep its all coopers fault and our guys choke and cant score when it counts

 

[Rschmitz]

This is an assumption. Nobody knows this.

What player or coach has come out and said "yeah, we're trying to win but we're not playing all out because we're trying to save it for the playoffs."

That's not exactly how it works...

I get your point that we don't "know" this, but no coach or player is going to say what you just said, despite the reality. Enough people associated with the team say it for them to know what's going on.

 

[Hoek]

There's a reason why no team has broken Montreal's record for most points in a season despite outpacing them in the first half a few times. We aren't that special that we should be throwing a tantrum for not living up to that feat.

 

[Tamfastic]

Anton Strålman och Brayden Coburn,

 

[Tamfastic]

Anton Strålman och Brayden Coburn,

Useless as ever

 

[Tamfastic]

I have my moments thank you

 

[AlphaCatalyst]

Anton Strålman och Brayden Coburn,

Useless as ever

I have my moments thank you

 

[DFC]

Arguably our worst stretch of the season.

...And we have points in 6 straight.

 

[CupsOverCash]

People need to stop with the Switch.

If there was a Switch, they wouldn't have been no shows in multiple game 7's over the last few years and that's not to take away from the Caps. It was clearly their year. TB had absolutely zero fight in games 6 and 7. None. The bar was raised by the opponent and they failed spectacularly to match. It was honestly a small miracle it even made it to game 7 because TB was holding on for dear life that entire series.

Yes, it's clear to me that by design, they take their foot off the gas this time of year.

The issue is that design sucks. It encourages the team to develop bad habits and is, in my opinion, the biggest reason they haven't been able to close the deal. I don't give a damn how many goals they score in December. Or how many wins they have through January or what points pace they're on.

If they can't win the Cup, it all means nothing, and some team that was willing to play all season as opposed to the plan of jumping out to as big of a lead as you can muster and then coasting into the playoffs will lift the Cup while we get lip service again about how they know they didn't compete like they should have.

I'm tired of hearing that song and dance.

I think people confuse switch with ok we can outplay everyone when we are on type switch. No its not like that. Its the team has a way of turning off the intensity and when you do that in this league it kills you. When we are playing with intensity we are one of the best if not the best in the league. However that doesnt mean that you still cant get outplayed or outcoached. Hockey is such a game of momentum swings and teams are really not that different as far as talent goes. Yes some are way better than others but there arent necessarily scrubs on the other side. They are professional hockey players and are some of the best athletes in the world we are talking about.

So when I say "switch" I mean their intensity isnt on. The reason why they turn it off is because its a long season. Almost impossible for these guys to give a shit 100% of the time in a long season. Especially when you are 10-15 points ahead of everyone else. When you turn off that intensity you will get burned 9 times out of 10. Its like playing with fire. We will pick up the intensity here and there. I thought we did this weekend. We will look like crap again this month and people will freak out about it but give it a little time, once March comes around the intensity will be more consistent.

 

[DFC]

I think people confuse switch with ok we can outplay everyone when we are on type switch. No its not like that. Its the team has a way of turning off the intensity and when you do that in this league it kills you. When we are playing with intensity we are one of the best if not the best in the league. However that doesnt mean that you still cant get outplayed or outcoached. Hockey is such a game of momentum swings and teams are really not that different as far as talent goes. Yes some are way better than others but there arent necessarily scrubs on the other side. They are professional hockey players and are some of the best athletes in the world we are talking about.

So when I say "switch" I mean their intensity isnt on. The reason why they turn it off is because its a long season. Almost impossible for these guys to give a **** 100% of the time in a long season. Especially when you are 10-15 points ahead of everyone else. When you turn off that intensity you will get burned 9 times out of 10. Its like playing with fire. We will pick up the intensity here and there. I thought we did this weekend. We will look like crap again this month and people will freak out about it but give it a little time, once March comes around the intensity will be more consistent.

I agree with everything except the getting burned 9 times out of 10. I honestly think we turned the intensity down a month ago, and we're just good enough to get away with it... in the regular season. When we're running on all cylinders, we're relying on hard work more than skill. When we're coasting, we're relying on skill more than work.

And yeah, we're not so good that we can't be out-coached, or shut down. There are no guarantees.

 

[CupsOverCash]

I agree with everything except the getting burned 9 times out of 10. I honestly think we turned the intensity down a month ago, and we're just good enough to get away with it... in the regular season. When we're running on all cylinders, we're relying on hard work more than skill. When we're coasting, we're relying on skill more than work.

And yeah, we're not so good that we can't be out-coached, or shut down. There are no guarantees.

Agree. Yea most teams you turn off the intensity you will get burned 9 times out of 10. I think this team has the ability to churn out points when they are half asleep. Like how Kuch sneezes points when he isnt on either. It still will affect even this team when we turn it off though. We just have an amazing goalie, good D, and the depth to score when others go cold so we see stretches like we saw where we probably should have lost games but ended up with points instead.

Also think the "switch" is more natural turn off due to grind of long season. Not always something they always consciously do. Which is also a reason why they try to manage it.

 

[AlphaCatalyst]

There is a switch and it works.





On Paper.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

that moment the pie is hit in face as you look over the worth of team and realize looking at 5-5 deep stats coburn and killorn are our best players lmfao oopsie by me for sure im off the coby dislike train guess got to join the girardi one now karlsson is tops in league though which would be a help yep the two mentioned in top 15 in league lol no one else there shows their worth imho a lot better....

 

[LTIR Trickery]

I'm guessing if we see a repeat of last year's playoffs then we'll need a new plan because this one sucks.

I have a feeling nothing will actually make you happy unless we somehow pull the 70s broad street bullies out of retirement and make the playoffs with them.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

that moment the pie is hit in face as you look over the worth of team and realize looking at 5-5 deep stats coburn and killorn are our best players lmfao oopsie by me for sure im off the coby dislike train guess got to join the girardi one now karlsson is tops in league though which would be a help yep the two mentioned in top 15 in league lol no one else there shows their worth imho a lot better....

Wouldn't be surprised to see that being the case because they're playing against the talent level they should be, the second and third lines of teams.

 

[T REX]

I have a feeling nothing will actually make you happy unless we somehow pull the 70s broad street bullies out of retirement and make the playoffs with them.

How about a cup? If Coop can't do it at least give someone else a try. You won't find out until you make a switch. Maybe Coop will shut me up finally.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

How about a cup? If Coop can't do it at least give someone else a try. You won't find out until you make a switch. Maybe Coop will shut me up finally.

Do you want to give that a shot or are you going to bitch that we only beat florida by 3 goals and that he needs to be fired in the middle of a season?

 

[DFC]

How about a cup? If Coop can't do it at least give someone else a try. You won't find out until you make a switch. Maybe Coop will shut me up finally.

And you could find out another coach can't win this much with this group.