GDT: 3/22/18 - 7:00PM EDT - Tampa Bay @ New York Islanders

[Coopers Gum]

Lack of aggressive forechecking concerns me.
I've seen the team skating parallel with the opponents like a figure skating partner or simply chasing them...I've seen the opponents do more forechecking than us.
I do see Yanni does that but the defense usually work as a team. Need more than a couple of players doing individual work.

I agree. We are not as hard on the puck carrier as we should be. Take for example last night, there was an Isles player in a 1 on 3 situation. Lightning D had him surrounded. But he just skated right through them all and found himself all alone on Vasy. No one collapsed around him.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

We have an ON switch, an OFF switch, and nothing in between.

Once we were up by only a goal, we suddenly took over again. The team just coasts when it doesn't feel threatened. Playing with fire.

I'm reserving judgment until the playoffs, because we still seem to be able to find that switch when we need it. I think this is the case of a team looking ahead to the playoffs that is still stuck in the regular season.

My concern is that they're developing bad habits. If that switch isn't on 100% of the time in the playoffs, I'll be upset.

 

[T REX]

All the things you need to do to win in the playoffs we are doing poorly right now. Scoring goes way down and you have to grind out wins. I'm not digging that idea at all.

 

[LonLon Lei]

I agree. We are not as hard on the puck carrier as we should be. Take for example last night, there was an Isles player in a 1 on 3 situation. Lightning D had him surrounded. But he just skated right through them all and found himself all alone on Vasy. No one collapsed around him.

yea, that's pretty much what we've been doing lately, sadly. And can't forget the stupid penalties. The TMMOTI killed the momentum last game IMO. Things especially like this should be easily fixable.

 

[The S5]

I'll say it. The defense has been terrible since McDonagh got here. He himself however, has not been terrible. I don't get it.

I've watched almost every Tampa game since McDonagh has been in the lineup and he has consistently been the Bolts best defenseman. What is it you are trying to insinuate?
The guy will play with whomever you pair him with and in any situation without missing a beat. He is a great team mate and leader. What exactly would you like to see out of him?

 

[Coopers Gum]

I've watched almost every Tampa game since McDonagh has been in the lineup and he has consistently been the Bolts best defenseman. What is it you are trying to insinuate?
The guy will play with whomever you pair him with and in any situation without missing a beat. He is a great team mate and leader. What exactly would you like to see out of him?

Uh, did you read my post?

 

[LonLon Lei]

I've watched almost every Tampa game since McDonagh has been in the lineup and he has consistently been the Bolts best defenseman. What is it you are trying to insinuate?
The guy will play with whomever you pair him with and in any situation without missing a beat. He is a great team mate and leader. What exactly would you like to see out of him?

I agree Mac's been doing everything he can.
I interpreted him saying no matter how well Mac plays, the team D is still bad and wonders what can be done to improve the team D. At least his response to my comment is about the team effort that's been lacking.

 

[Matt Watson]

I've watched almost every Tampa game since McDonagh has been in the lineup and he has consistently been the Bolts best defenseman. What is it you are trying to insinuate?
The guy will play with whomever you pair him with and in any situation without missing a beat. He is a great team mate and leader. What exactly would you like to see out of him?

I don't think he was insinuating anything. Certainly nothing negative about McD. Just that, for whatever reason, the chemistry is not working. Yet.

IMO, the D failures are coaching failures more than individual player failures. Esp the PK.

 

[The Macho King]

You know what we should do?

#FireBowness

 

[The S5]

Sorry for that, just thought the implication was that McDonagh was somehow responsible for the defenses bad play. FWIW, it kills me to see my teams old players on a new team, but admit that the Bolts are a tough team to dislike . I know fans have concerns, but if you look around the league, all teams have concerns. The Bolts are in a good spot!

 

[MattM92]

This PK needs to be fixed about 3 months ago. It WILL cost us a series in it's current state. Teams in the playoffs are too good to be spotting them 1 or 2 PP goals every game.

 

[Bolt 45]

You know what we should do?

#FireBowness

We should fire him out of a circus cannon every time we're forced to sit through Sustr & Coburn's Travelling Clown Show. It would make for a nice grand finale.

 

[LightningStrikes]

You know what we should do?

#FireBowness

I always wonder about this stuff. I mean is Bowness solely in charge here? Can't Cooper overrule him? I'm sure they watch the games and a lot of tapes after the games, look at stats, talk to the players, hear comments from analysts, players, the media and even fans. How can Coburn-Sustr even be an option anymore?

 

[CupsOverCash]

We have an ON switch, an OFF switch, and nothing in between.

Once we were up by only a goal, we suddenly took over again. The team just coasts when it doesn't feel threatened. Playing with fire.

Yea they are playing with fire because if they get used to this kind of play then they aren't going to be ready for these team's who have been fighting for their spots for the last couple of months when we just kind of coasted. It's a different situation to be in compared to the last couple of times we made the playoffs because if you remember we kind of did something similar and then played almost a different game when the playoffs came.

I remember you even commenting that we were doing things a little different when the playoffs arrived. I mean all team's do to an extent but it does make me wonder about their play now and how different it could be come playoffs. It would make sense to save some energy and also save some different looks for the playoffs. I don't think you want to play like shit on purpose but part of me says it's a small price you pay and if you can flip a switch to make up for it could explain things. I guess this is is my possible positive explanation.

 

[The Macho King]

@DFC is right - when's the last time we had an "even" period? We either score 4 or give up 4.

 

[Werewolf]

This club has like three more gears than the one they are on now. Even with that ... they are 8 - 2 in last 10 games (basically March). And were 9 - 4 - 1 in February. This team finds a way to win and munch points. People are too focused on how we do it. The only game I didn't see them fight back was the Boston game. Other than that ... this team claws their way to keep getting points and wins. This team is battle tested, has deep playoff experience, and knows what it takes to win. Playoffs aren't going to be a cakewalk .. but who wants that anyways?

The one adjustment I'd make is to pressure way up high near the blue line. Leaves the cross pass and the middle of the ice wide open. The pressure points are off.

 

[The Macho King]

This club has like three more gears than the one they are on now. Even with that ... they are 8 - 2 in last 10 games (basically March). And were 9 - 4 - 1 in February. This team finds a way to win and munch points. People are too focused on how we do it. The only game I didn't see them fight back was the Boston game. Other than that ... this team claws their way to keep getting points and wins. This team is battle tested, has deep playoff experience, and knows what it takes to win. Playoffs aren't going to be a cakewalk .. but who wants that anyways?

The one adjustment I'd make is to pressure way up high near the blue line. Leaves the cross pass and the middle of the ice wide open. The pressure points are off.

So I want to agree with you, and I do think the fact that we're still finding ways to win is a positive, but I still think it's a big concern.

I look at it like this - if it were different things failing us each night, but we were still munching points, I'd say "eh - ironing out some kinks but come playoff time it'll be fine". The problem is *it's the same issue every game*. Our PK gives up cross ice passes and doesn't tie up the guy in front. We have problems clearing the zone. We give up the blue line too easily (McDonagh has been a real strength here though).

But despite all of that - I still think we have like the 3rd best GA/G in the East. Our saving grace is - outside of Boston - this is a very flawed conference. Metro lacks a true powerhouse (Caps are meh - although the Pens are the Pens), and Toronto has the same problems we have with less talent up front. So even this flawed team can make a run.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Time of the year for a President trophy contender where it's hard to keep the adrenaline up. Under these circumstnaces, we're not up to to the standards for sure, but we find a way to win games. Numbers imply this team might be the best one we had under the Yzerman era. Playoffs are a very different beast. "Game 1" is a whole new season, they're going to get focused as hell when it really matters. I'm personally very optimistic.

 

[Bolt 45]

Pittsburgh is the present measuring stick, and I can't say they look flawless. They look pretty scrambly on defense at times, too. And while I've felt like our PP has been pretty underwhelming lately, we were tied with them in PP goals as of the other night. And without looking it up, my suspicion is they've gotten a few more cracks at it over the course of the season than we have. So, we've got stuff to shore up, but we're close to where we need to be, I think.

I agree that there's a gear or two we haven't seen yet.

 

[Sky04]

Pittsburgh has one style of play and one straight forward system, get everyone on page and they're golden. I feel like not everyone's on the same page on the Lightning we have the deepest lineup in the league but it doesn't feel like they're playing as a team yet.

They were at the beginning only the year with that high octane play but now it's just winning off talent alone, some guys play slow when others are playing fast, some guys are playing fast while others go for line changes, defense has forgetting how to move the puck despite being deadly at it to start the season.

I think they'll pick it up in the playoffs with more urgency but even if not we're still talented enough to scrape by a couple wins playing shitty, were probably talented enough to get by the first round even at 75%.

 

[DFC]

This club has like three more gears than the one they are on now. Even with that ... they are 8 - 2 in last 10 games (basically March). And were 9 - 4 - 1 in February. This team finds a way to win and munch points. People are too focused on how we do it. The only game I didn't see them fight back was the Boston game. Other than that ... this team claws their way to keep getting points and wins. This team is battle tested, has deep playoff experience, and knows what it takes to win. Playoffs aren't going to be a cakewalk .. but who wants that anyways?

The one adjustment I'd make is to pressure way up high near the blue line. Leaves the cross pass and the middle of the ice wide open. The pressure points are off.

I sort of agree, but the Boston performance was pretty alarming. I do think we'll hit a different gear in the playoffs--we usually do--but Boston just shut us down like old times.

 

[Steazy Doo]

This club has like three more gears than the one they are on now. Even with that ... they are 8 - 2 in last 10 games (basically March). And were 9 - 4 - 1 in February. This team finds a way to win and munch points. People are too focused on how we do it. The only game I didn't see them fight back was the Boston game. Other than that ... this team claws their way to keep getting points and wins. This team is battle tested, has deep playoff experience, and knows what it takes to win. Playoffs aren't going to be a cakewalk .. but who wants that anyways?

The one adjustment I'd make is to pressure way up high near the blue line. Leaves the cross pass and the middle of the ice wide open. The pressure points are off.

I'm a Lightning fan, but, unlike you, one who actually knows a thing or two about hockey from on ice experience at a high level. Unless something changes dramatically, this team will be playing golf in May. I'm not wishing for it, but, as has been noted here many times, it's not a switch you turn on and off. So, enjoy the big win tonight against a generationally bad defense, it doesn't mean a damn thing. What does mean something is that our PK can't stop an ECHL PP now.

 

[DFC]

I'm a Lightning fan, but, unlike you, one who actually knows a thing or two about hockey from on ice experience at a high level. Unless something changes dramatically, this team will be playing golf in May. I'm not wishing for it, but, as has been noted here many times, it's not a switch you turn on and off. So, enjoy the big win tonight against a generationally bad defense, it doesn't mean a damn thing. What does mean something is that our PK can't stop an ECHL PP now.

Well, I think they have shown they can turn the switch on and off, aside from the PK, which is always off. The question is whether or not they'll leave it on all the time in the playoffs.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Well, I think they have shown they can turn the switch on and off, aside from the PK, which is always off. The question is whether or not they'll leave it on all the time in the playoffs.

One reason why I’m somewhat positive about the pk is that to be a good pk you sacrifice a lot and play a physical aggressive style. Maybe we are sitting back here to not risk injuries. We all but locked up our top seed. Maybe they believe if they give a half ass effort in that area and use their talent to win which could happen without having to sacrifice too much and you can get to the playoffs fresh and somewhat injury free. Less toll on the body to say. I’m not saying this is what is happening or using this as an excuse, I’m just saying this is a possibility and we’ve seen it happen before.

All I can say for sure is I’m ready to see how they play in the playoffs. If they flip a switch then all is good. If not then I am in agreement with some others in saying we have some real issues that may be the end of them. We can’t come back every game in the playoffs or let teams come back and get momentum like that. Just doesn’t work in the playoffs. But this team has been to the playoffs before and they know this. We just need to see it.

 

[Werewolf]

I'm a Lightning fan, but, unlike you, one who actually knows a thing or two about hockey from on ice experience at a high level. Unless something changes dramatically, this team will be playing golf in May. I'm not wishing for it, but, as has been noted here many times, it's not a switch you turn on and off. So, enjoy the big win tonight against a generationally bad defense, it doesn't mean a damn thing. What does mean something is that our PK can't stop an ECHL PP now.

I haven't played hockey at a high level, that part is right. But I played Division 1 soccer collegiate D1 and professionally for 3 years in the 90s. So I do know about high level competitive sports. And you absolutely can turn it on and off. You can turn it on during a game even. Somebody fouls you or something happens and you can tap into a focus you didn't have before. So your high school "high level" experience or whatever is absolutely wrong. Whatever motivation you use can absolutely 100 percent be turned on. I doubt you played any sports if you don't know that.