GDT: 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs & Bandwagon Thread

[BowDownToVasilevskiy]

Eeeeewww, that goal by Hertl looks pretty soft. OT shortie. Gross, Fleury, gross.

Shorthanded goal in double overtime to force game 7. That is amazing

 

[TeslaCoilFan]

The Dallas Stars win over the Preds in OT and Bishop makes 47 fricking saves!

Good to see Bish doing so well as I still have a huge soft spot for the big lug.

 

[Sky04]

Bishop rarely has back to back bad games.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Lots of favorites faltering (Tampa, Calgary, Nashville, Winnipeg and [Pittsburgh] out, Caps taken to game 7, Sharks taken to game 7). Kinda eases the pain a bit as a Lightning fan. Also shows ya that the regular season is pretty much meaningless except for finishing among the final 8 per conference.

I'm really happy for Bish and Dallas. I really like that group and they have a first line that shows up and gets results.

 

[FinnLightning26]

I want Carolina or Colorado to go all the way, especially Carolina as Sebastian Aho is my favourite player in the league outside of the Lightning. They have other likeable players too like Justin Williams and Teuvo Teräväinen.

 

[Maelmoor]

These playoffs are certainly turning things upside down. Only Caps remain of the Division winners and they are heading into a game 7. Most of the top 10 teams will be knocked out in the first round.

 

[BoltsFanPinellasPark]

Im on the "sports is a scam" bandwagon.

The whole concept in sports that playoffs are different than regular season has me irked. To me what that means is that the games are more intense and emotional. Not that games are played with modified rules.

At least in the NFL officiating and playing by the rules is a joke all year so come playoff time it doesnt really change the game.

Baseball is the even less of a rule change.

Basketball meh, not watching much of that to know.

Im all for parity in sports, but again look at the nfl. Pretty much one team you can count on to always win in spite of inconsistent officiating (or maybe because of).

For all the problems exposed by this historic season for the Bolts, the biggest glaring thing that will have an impact on me is how I watch sports.

What is the point of the regular season if the rules change in the playoffs so much that dominating with talent, skill, and superior effort and gameplan gets tossed in the garbage because you cant play the same game come playoffs?

To me, it feels like a scam.

 

[LightningStrikes]

The Blues would be nice since they have never won a Cup yet and they're on an insane run since around February. But I really like the Dallas group, great team, all players buying into the system and supporting each other, great top-6 and of course Ben Bishop is there, healthy and performing.

 

[Felonious Python]

Im on the "sports is a scam" bandwagon.

The whole concept in sports that playoffs are different than regular season has me irked. To me what that means is that the games are more intense and emotional. Not that games are played with modified rules.

At least in the NFL officiating and playing by the rules is a joke all year so come playoff time it doesnt really change the game.

Baseball is the even less of a rule change.

Basketball meh, not watching much of that to know.

Im all for parity in sports, but again look at the nfl. Pretty much one team you can count on to always win in spite of inconsistent officiating (or maybe because of).

For all the problems exposed by this historic season for the Bolts, the biggest glaring thing that will have an impact on me is how I watch sports.

What is the point of the regular season if the rules change in the playoffs so much that dominating with talent, skill, and superior effort and gameplan gets tossed in the garbage because you cant play the same game come playoffs?

To me, it feels like a scam.

The way that I contextualize the regular season is that (besides being the main source of revenue due to its length) its function is to determine which teams qualify for the playoffs. President's Cup/divisional/conference leaders are individual team drama.

It may be why I don't buy the argument that the NWHL or CWHL playing 16 or 24 regular season games delegitimizes them. The regular season isn't an end unto itself.

It is total nonsense that penalties don't get called in the playoffs, but that's the way it is.

 

[LightningStrikes]

The way that I contextualize the regular season is that (besides being the main source of revenue due to its length) its function is to determine which teams qualify for the playoffs. President's Cup/divisional/conference leaders are individual team drama.

It may be why I don't buy the argument that the NWHL or CWHL playing 16 or 24 regular season games delegitimizes them. The regular season isn't an end unto itself.

It is total nonsense that penalties don't get called in the playoffs, but that's the way it is.

That's probably the biggest knock on the current model (seeding rules aside). There are essentially two rulebooks, one for the reg and one for the playoffs.

 

[Sky04]

The way that I contextualize the regular season is that (besides being the main source of revenue due to its length) its function is to determine which teams qualify for the playoffs. President's Cup/divisional/conference leaders are individual team drama.

It may be why I don't buy the argument that the NWHL or CWHL playing 16 or 24 regular season games delegitimizes them. The regular season isn't an end unto itself.

It is total nonsense that penalties don't get called in the playoffs, but that's the way it is.

They do get called - we got a ton of PP's last year, we got a ton in 2015, completely didn't earn PP's this year that's not a knock on the league it's a knock on the team.

 

[Felonious Python]

They do get called - we got a ton of PP's last year, we got a ton in 2015, completely didn't earn PP's this year that's not a knock on the league it's a knock on the team.

Penalties do get called, but it's a much looser standard. What the Lightning can't do is hope that the refs are calling penalties. Where the skill+grind game works is that it's flexible enough to play a skill game if the refs call penalties, but when they aren't, they are willing and able to outmuscle their opponent.

Get yourself a team that can do both.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Penalties do get called, but it's a much looser standard. What the Lightning can't do is hope that the refs are calling penalties. Where the skill+grind game works is that it's flexible enough to play a skill game if the refs call penalties, but when they aren't, they are willing and able to outmuscle their opponent.

Get yourself a team that can do both.

I don’t know about the actual possession numbers but it sure looked like we did a lot of dump and chase that went wrong (puck ended up on a BlueJay stick) or dump and change. You won’t draw a lot of penalties without or chasing the puck.

 

[Stormbreaker]

Good night Canada

 

[These Are The Days]

I know we choked. We deserve all the mockery we can get but the Leafs can't even win a series. Lol Babcock is done in Toronto

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

Boston is down in their series too....

Welp, so much for that.

We're only one upset win by the Hurricanes away from the Bruins being the runaway favorites to win the Cup. F*** you, Maple Leafs.

 

[JoVel]

Toronto's season ends in a game 7 against Boston. GWG scored as a result of a Gardiner f*** up in the defensive zone. Gardiner -3 in the end. It's almost poetic.

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

I mean, look, the Maple Leafs want to be like we are, right?

Well, winning Game 5 only to lose Games 6 and 7 is right out of the Lightning's playbook. So, congrats. You'll catch up to us one of these years.

 

[DaBolts]

I know we choked. We deserve all the mockery we can get but the Leafs can't even win a series. Lol Babcock is done in Toronto

It makes my misery about our post-season feel just a tad better. At least they had series leads and blew it. That hurts worse. HFB is smelling fresher already with the Dead Leaves gone. Gotta pull for Dallas and Bishop now or Carolina. Need some fresh blood in there.

 

[These Are The Days]

It makes my misery about our post-season feel just a tad better. At least they had series leads and blew it. That hurts worse. HFB is smelling fresher already with the Dead Leaves gone. Gotta pull for Dallas and Bishop now or Carolina. Need some fresh blood in there.

At least they didn't win 62 games

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

Feels damn good haha

 

[DaBolts]

At least they didn't win 62 games

Maybe Cooper called Babcock and gave him advice for game 7....

 

[JoVel]

Fun fact: 3 of the 6 teams that have advanced to the 2nd rounds weren't playoff teams last season; Dallas, St. Louis, Islanders. If Carolina makes it it'd be 4/8.

 

[These Are The Days]

Maybe Cooper called Babcock and gave him advice for game 7....

Lol they would have won. At least we can beat Boston. I have a gut feeling we could have swept the CBJ but we would have just gotten injured again and again. It is the Lightning way and only 2017-2018 was the exception

 

[Hoek]

I think I would be more pissed as a Leafs fan than I am at the Lightning. Literally the same result every year. That is frustrating af.