Pre-Game Talk: 2018 NHL Playoffs Round 1: (1) Tampa Bay Lightning vs (WC2) New Jersey Devils

[Steazy Doo]

Our PP and PK percentages add up to exactly 100%

I meant an fun stat, not an boring stat stat

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

What's the point of adding up the PK and PP percentages?

Theoretically, the higher your combined power play and penalty kill percentages are, the better your overall special teams game is.

 

[TeslaCoilFan]

More boring stat type stats. Was curious as to exactly how much PO experience our ex-Rangers veterans have. So here it is just for funzies.

Ex-Rangers
Girardi 122 GP 6 G 27 A 33 P -1 3 GWG
Callahan 104 GP 18 G 18 A 36 P +5 2 GWG
McDonagh 96 GP 10 G 31 A 41 P +3 2 GWG
Stralman 87 GP 5 G 16 A 21 P +5 0 GWG
Miller 40 GP 1 G 15 A 16 P +4 0 GWG

That's a pretty significant amount of playoff experience, with our D in particular!!

 

[Lightning1995]

Just watched an NHLN preview show. Their picks varied from Nashville to Boston with a mix of Penguins. Some respect for Winnipeg. A mention of the Kings.

Really no consideration for the Bolts. Screw em. Make them eat their words

 

[Bolt 45]

Just watched an NHLN preview show. Their picks varied from Nashville to Boston with a mix of Penguins. Some respect for Winnipeg. A mention of the Kings.

Really no consideration for the Bolts. Screw em. Make them eat their words

Yeah, nothing new. They talk us up all year, but then start backing off when the playoffs arrive. One loss and they'll really start throwing NJ love, hammering the upset angle. Screw 'em is right.

 

[Matt Watson]

Eh, the Hockey Guy's not that bad. Does some pretty decent analysis of games and tries better than most to be unbiased. But he does always go for the underdog. He's got some favorite teams, one of which is the Bruins which disturbs me, but he's usually realistic about team performances and he absolutely hates it when Marchand plays dirty. He loves Point and Gourde in particular (even made a special vid just for Yanni's "underdog story") and has sung the praises of the Lightning many times on various previews/reviews. He just saw - like many here did - that our performance decline after the All-Star break and so has been much more skeptical of the Bolts lately.

Agree on all points. I thought it was fair. The Lightening (as our NJ friend likes to call them) now have to prove that they are as good as they are on paper and that the past two plus months was just them looking ahead and saving themselves. I don't buy it, but would love for them prove me wrong.

 

[LonLon Lei]

Man, i’m already nervous. Playoffs are hard to relax and enjoy if your teams in it.

seriously, this waiting time is some torture.
I believe quite a few of us here need a therapy room. was surprised there wasn't already one where they give advice to those who are having trouble taking care of their hearts. We've survived OTs and SOs during the regular season but C'mon..

please forgive me if I start drinking at the parking lot alone during the game.

 

[RDTBay4]

 

[Master P]

That was great.

 

[2020 Cup Champions]

Theoretically, the higher your combined power play and penalty kill percentages are, the better your overall special teams game is.

But they don't measure the same things.

 

[Stormbreaker]

TB talk starts around 5 minutes

 

[Stammertime91]

Wait wait wait Imma let you finish but I gotta know, is that really our PA guy?

 

[SniperHF]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking at putting together a sort of fan vs fan perspective writeup for our work in progress articles section:
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/articles/

Is anyone here interested in writing a 3 paragraph-ish post for us about what you think of the match up, who will win, players to watch, or whatever is on your mind? It can even be a post you were gonna write anyway.

You get trophy points when you contribute an article if that floats your boat

Quote me with the post you'd like to use or send it to me via conversation if you're interested.

Thanks,

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

Main board is fun right now. Devils fans are eating everything we say up.

 

[JoVel]

Main board is fun right now. Devils fans are eating everything we say up.

That's part of the playoffs. A little bit of chirping doesn't hurt anyone.

 

[snowden]

lol Lightning are gonna get swept if they play like they have the last few weeks. Better hope this team actually comes out trying.

 

[Master P]

lol Lightning are gonna get swept if they play like they have the last few weeks. Better hope this team actually comes out trying.

3/10

 

[HoseEmDown]

Not a hotel. My pops lives down here so he has Comcast. Thanks for the help. Saves me a lot of yelling

Was in Naples this past weekend, they showed the Panthers vs Sabres instead of the Lightning vs Canes game. So they have the south Florida feed, if the Heat or Marlins play you may get that instead of the Lightning but since it's the playoffs they may show them? Any bar will have a sports package most likely.

On a different note didn't we face a red hot out of nowhere backup two years ago in Greiss who was gonna show he was for real and shut us down? Didn't he get pulled at least twice and is now one of the worst starters in the league? Kinkade is gonna be exposed as a fraud.

 

[FinnLightning26]

Can't the playoffs start already? This waiting is killing me.

 

[These Are The Days]

Man, i’m already nervous. Playoffs are hard to relax and enjoy if your teams in it.

The only time I worry is when trailing in a series. Otherwise it's not so bad. I can't find myself to get worked up in a scenario such as when we have a 2-0 series lead. A loss is not the end of the world if we lose the next game. The only time I worry about a tied series is if the series is tied going into game 5 or 7 for obvious reasons

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking at putting together a sort of fan vs fan perspective writeup for our work in progress articles section:
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/articles/

Is anyone here interested in writing a 3 paragraph-ish post for us about what you think of the match up, who will win, players to watch, or whatever is on your mind? It can even be a post you were gonna write anyway.

You get trophy points when you contribute an article if that floats your boat

Quote me with the post you'd like to use or send it to me via conversation if you're interested.

Thanks,

Tampa Bay and New Jersey will play in the first round. Tampa Bay finished with the best record in the East while New Jersey took the final wild card spot. New Jersey swept the season series, 3 games to 0. However I predict Tampa Bay to win this playoff series.

Of course, the attention in the series will be on Taylor Hall. He led the Devils in scoring by a wide margin and is among the favorites for the Hart (MVP) Trophy. Tampa Bay's defense will have their hands full. Expect Hall to see quite a bit of Ryan McDonagh and Anton Stralman. The two former Rangers dmen are paired up and are the bolts best chance at shutting down Hall. Expect Brayden Point to be on the ice against the Hall unit as well. He has been Tampa Bay's matchup center all season long. On New Jersey's end, Sami Vatanen and co. will have a tough time. Nikita Kucherov is one of the best players in the NHL and a constant offensive threat. He will be on a line with 2 time Rocket Richard winner Steven Stamkos and deadline acquisition JT Miller. That trio has proved to be deadly in the season and should be able to score at will vs a Devils d corps lacking a true #1. It will be interesting to see which Devils forwards are unfortunate enough to take this matchup. Both of these teams should have the depth scoring to survive when the stars aren't scoring. Players like Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, Yanni Gourde, Alex Killorn, and Anthony Cirelli will be against the likes of Travis Zajac, Pavel Zacha, Blake Coleman, Miles Wood, and former Bolt Brian Boyle.

New Jersey did sweep the season series but were outshot in all three games. Their wins were based on goaltending (a poor outing from Peter Budaj and stellar performances coming from Eddie Lack and Keith Kinkaid). Presumably in this series Kinkaid will start and face Vasilevskiy. Neither of these goalies has significant playoff experience, but Vasilevskiy played in the 2015 cup finals and 2016 conference finals and was stellar. Vasilevskiy also was the better goalie this regular season so it is safe to assume Tampa Bay has the goalie battle won.

One concern that people have with Tampa Bay is the penalty kill. This is a valid criticism and if they lose the series the PK will likely be to blame. However many of the players the team uses on the PK tend to step up in the playoffs (such as Ryan McDonagh). Add in the fact that referees tend to call less penalties in the playoffs and I see no reason that the PK should cost the bolts too much in the series.

My prediction for the series is Tampa Bay in 5 games. While NJ does have speed, talent, and the dynamic duo of Hall and Hischier, it won't be enough to make up for their lack of a defender to shut down Kucherov. And Tampa has shown this season that even if Kucherov is shut down they have the ability to win games.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Dom why am I not reading anything about New Jersey's abundance of 10+ goal scorers?? But good job, nice article! Have you thought about starting a blog?


No seriously, good job!

 

[Steazy Doo]

Man, i’m already nervous. Playoffs are hard to relax and enjoy if your teams in it.

Yeah but the feeling after a win is pretty great. Maybe some of the parents on here can chime in, but I'd say it's something similar to the birth of a child?

 

[Steazy Doo]

Wait wait wait Imma let you finish but I gotta know, is that really our PA guy?

I think he just does the commercial spots.

 

[Blue Liner]

Don't know if you boys and girls saw this on the Playoffs board yet but if you choose to participate I'm a steal with the 3rd Overall pick.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threa...d-that-is-a-completely-original-idea.2475841/