GDT: 4/27/16 - 7:00PM EDT - #4 New York VS #2 Tampa Bay [ECSF GAME 1]

[CourtneyDagger50]

I am pretty excited to watch this game now that I know more about the players and lines. Thanks guys

 

[VinikToWinIt]

I ventured to the main board thread. Big mistake.

 

[Stormbreaker]

Let's do this, go !!!

 

[MattM92]

Crucial game. Considering how bad we've been on the road against the Isles in recent years, winning the home games is so, so, so important.

 

[DaBolts]

Labatt's is on ice. Bacon wrapped Halibut with Jalapeno is on the grill at 6.

Let's do this.

 

[PhysicalGraffiti]

According to Isles fans on the main board, Greiss matches or beats Bishop, Tavares is unstoppable and miles better than Kucherov and the Bolts defense is laughable... All considered the Bolts have about a -300% chance against the group of supermen in Islander uniforms.

God do I hope that the Lightning shut them up. If anything was proven last year it's that this team should be called the Tampa Han Solo's "Never tell me the odds"!!

Greiss greater than or equal to Bishop? That's funny.

Tavares though is tough. Overall I think most would take JT over Kuch anyday, but Kuch is really showing his ability these past two seasons.

 

[MattM92]

Greiss greater than or equal to Bishop? That's funny.

Tavares though is tough. Overall I think most would take JT over Kuch anyday, but Kuch is really showing his ability these past two seasons.

Tavares is a better forward than anyone on our team. He's a legit superstar. Stamkos used to be, but he isn't anymore. They are out to lunch about Bishop vs. Greiss though.

 

[DaBolts]

Tavares is a better forward than anyone on our team. He's a legit superstar. Stamkos used to be, but he isn't anymore. They are out to lunch about Bishop vs. Greiss though.

Amen on that. And Hedman is the beast and best on the ice for D this series. I think our advantage is overall team speed, experience, and coaching. This is where the rest helps Tampa over the Islanders because that Panthers series was seriously physical.

 

[MattM92]

Amen on that. And Hedman is the beast and best on the ice for D this series. I think our advantage is overall team speed, experience, and coaching. This is where the rest helps Tampa over the Islanders because that Panthers series was seriously physical.

Rest won't play a factor. Teams have 2 days off between each of the first 3 games. I'm of the belief that the big 3 of a team are the major factor in playoff success. Our big 3 is Bishop, Hedman, Kucherov.

Bishop > Greiss

Hedman > Leddy

Kucherov < Tavares

I think our offensive and defensive depth is close enough that it's nearly a wash, though I would give us the slight edge in both once Stralman is back. Team speed is pretty similar. We have the definite edge in experience. Since Blashill was a rookie coach and it isn't as if Cooper coached circles around him, I think coaching is also pretty even until Cooper proves otherwise.

 

[MattMartin]

Apparently we have Roberto Luongo as our starting goalie.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=2070371

View attachment 89761

Fixed, sorry did the GDT at 3 am after getting off work. Was a little tired.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

Isles fan Checking in. Awesome GDT , main boards bring out the worst in people. Just an JYI, Dont believe Josh Bailey traveled with the team.

What strategy will Tampa employ? I've already beat the dead horse on our 4th Line forechecking but outside of Kucherovs brilliance and Drouin, Isles fans are kind of in the dark in regards to your other players. . .

we are kinda clueless ourselves lol no idea what lines are even lol as sad as that sounds

hedman is better than leddy all around is a wash offensively especially if we get stralman back we have really tightened up our game plan as did last year and have a devasting pk right now or so far and very good like yours this season. the one thing is stralman at least to me was our top pk player

garrison has a big shot coburn plays decently matt carle has earned a new home when was a healthy scratch for a very long time he is playing with hedman getting top pairing minutes and playing well actually sustr makes you cringe at times but he has been very adequate for second half of season nesterov to me can make some mistakes but also makes a lot of really good plays at times getting on the rush holding puck in making decent decisions etc..

think top line will be drouin filppula and palat
is not the line i would choose drouin is noticeable each shift and totally dangerous hes a mixture of backstrom and kane but hasnt broken out on goals yet and i say yet because hes going to sooner rather than later

filppula is more of a facilitator and great two way forward center at like 60 percent in faceoffs for playoffs i think he will pass first though but will shoot on occasion and if scores a goal is usually a big goal

palat we make a joke they forgot drej he does everything one of smarter players in league totally north south guy hits goes to dirty areas defensively when on ice i figure other team cant score or wont score if was a center would be in selke conversation every year imho

second line killorn - major playoff guy ups his scoring from a 0.5 to a 0.7 basically clutch guy hits boards very fast from harvard very smart he flat out is a mismatch for most teams using speed size agility etc.. is a swiss army knife can play him primarily any position any line not great at center but serviceable and weve used him on the rare occasion kucherov is a beast offensively defensively etc.. is nothing he doesnt do well

tyler johnson well back in day when was ufa undrafted he kinda shut down tavares which was very impressive last year till injury he was the best player in the playoffs this year seems right back to same form big time player big moments just like tavares heart for miles

thats your top six the thing is the speed of the top six is crazy fast and all can score at that high flying pace which is fun to watch you give them space you will have a long night

our shut down line is callahan paquette brown when comes back but now vladislav namestnikov similar player to filppula but shoots the puck can play top center/forward to fourth line he has a unique ability to make other people around him better players hes done this in past with kucherov panik connolly this year did his best playing with killorn and stamkos his stats are wayyyyyyyyyyyy better than filppulas this year

callahan will be our biggest hitter with paquette can score at net like paquette both are exceptional pk players and paquette is one of those guys who drive your players and fans insane both block shots in all situations and both can hit the scoreboard vladdy has a higher offensive skillset and can be dangerous

fourth line is boyle condra usually blunden tonight will be marchassault it looks like which to me is odd

since have last change assume you will get a big dose of the callahan pac man line to slow down and contain tavares

boyle is a very good fourth line player is playing at net on power play and is one of the better pk players in the league imho

condra is hard nosed enough nothing special hard worker can get a goal or help set up a goal here and there good motor just brown is much faster guy and better skillset overall

blunden is a big guy 6-4 works really well with boyle and condra slow at times to me but a lot like pouliot for edmonton meaning has some nice hands skills and on another team could be a pretty good addition and score at a really decent pace

jonathan marchassault is a total wild card can score at a very high pace should be a very good top six player for someone undersized but gets dirty and great on power play at scoring goals or on rushes etc.. impact player for his minutes for sure


bishop usually doesnt give over 2 points per game a majority of the season playoffs etc.. last few years its impressive so usually have a chance to win every game he has had some stinkers but its a major rarity

 

[Iceman]

Biiishop stay strong play good no softies

thxcya

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

Rest won't play a factor. Teams have 2 days off between each of the first 3 games. I'm of the belief that the big 3 of a team are the major factor in playoff success. Our big 3 is Bishop, Hedman, Kucherov.

Bishop > Greiss

Hedman > Leddy

Kucherov < Tavares

I think our offensive and defensive depth is close enough that it's nearly a wash, though I would give us the slight edge in both once Stralman is back. Team speed is pretty similar. We have the definite edge in experience. Since Blashill was a rookie coach and it isn't as if Cooper coached circles around him, I think coaching is also pretty even until Cooper proves otherwise.

disagree they are equals right now and kucherov has 3 more years to outplay tavares peak season now nothing bad on tavares hes the real deal i basically feel he is top 5 center in game

last year kucherov was getting under 15 minutes while tavares was getting 21

i think kucherov is already better defensively and only going to get better

kucherov better shooting percentage by 1 percent

nod goes to kucherov by a few points on corsi and fenwick

stats even hits and blocks

tavares takes away puck and turns over a lot more but he has the puck on his stick a lot more tavares shoots more 240 to like
200
pp favors kucherov goals assists but not by enough to matter

playoff play is even except shooting percentage kucherov right now is double 33 percent over tavares so unatteniable lol but the rest is equal even overtime goals over playoffs last few years

they are so close its a draw to me

 

[CarpeNoctem]

We should be the favorite but it'll be tough, obviously. The possession game should help us a lot.

 

[berlin]

I ventured to the main board thread. Big mistake.

I'm convinced the main boards are all the same a-holes who comment on yahoo. Never go full main board....... never.

 

[MattM92]

disagree they are equals right now and kucherov has 3 more years to outplay tavares peak season now nothing bad on tavares hes the real deal i basically feel he is top 5 center in game

last year kucherov was getting under 15 minutes while tavares was getting 21

i think kucherov is already better defensively and only going to get better

kucherov better shooting percentage by 1 percent

nod goes to kucherov by a few points on corsi and fenwick

stats even hits and blocks

tavares takes away puck and turns over a lot more but he has the puck on his stick a lot more tavares shoots more 240 to like
200
pp favors kucherov goals assists but not by enough to matter

playoff play is even except shooting percentage kucherov right now is double 33 percent over tavares so unatteniable lol but the rest is equal even overtime goals over playoffs last few years

they are so close its a draw to me

Kucherov is a fantastic hockey player, but Tavares is just better. He is an absolute stud. Tavares is what we all hoped Stamkos would be.

 

[DaBolts]

Rest won't play a factor. Teams have 2 days off between each of the first 3 games. I'm of the belief that the big 3 of a team are the major factor in playoff success. Our big 3 is Bishop, Hedman, Kucherov.

Bishop > Greiss

Hedman > Leddy

Kucherov < Tavares

I think our offensive and defensive depth is close enough that it's nearly a wash, though I would give us the slight edge in both once Stralman is back. Team speed is pretty similar. We have the definite edge in experience. Since Blashill was a rookie coach and it isn't as if Cooper coached circles around him, I think coaching is also pretty even until Cooper proves otherwise.

I disagree. We had a lot of little nagging injuries and some sort of flu to deal with. Those extra days may have helped us recharge back to almost full strength with the players we have.

 

[Hoek]

I don't get the obsession of comparing a winger to a center, they are close enough production wise that I'm not surprised to see many pick the center.

 

[Matthew Carle]

5/5 GDT, as always. This is going to be great series. I predict this is going to be decided in Game 7. Go Bolts!

 

[berlin]

Wish i could say what i wanna say, but if i do i know i'll jinx it.

 

[chasespace]

I'm excited for us to score on that 4th line I keep hearing so much about

 

[GrandmaSlices51631]

Don't wanna bloat ur thread so I won't quote but thanks for the player analysis. Maybe it's unjustified, but for some reason I worry about Namestnikov, kind of guy who would score vs us. I think Filpulla is a poor mans Frans Nielsen but maybe that's just the homer goggles. Here's to a good one!

 

[Flat Ronnie]

Lightning 101:

Score first, we win.

Get scored on first, 50/50 shot.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

Kucherov is a fantastic hockey player, but Tavares is just better. He is an absolute stud. Tavares is what we all hoped Stamkos would be.

The reason why Kooch is >/= Tavares is because of his outstanding D. He's a full notch or two above JT in that.

 

[Maelmoor]

Quite nervous actually, a different feeling than against Detroit..I think getting a win tonight will be huge for this series, so I hope they will be ready for the task.