GDT: 4/30/18 - 7:00PM EDT - #2AT Boston VS #1AT Tampa Bay [ECSF GAME 2]

[Hockey4Life91]

Callahan was an absolute monster last night. He was so impressive. If he elevates his game like that for the rest of the playoffs, I happily carry that awful contract in the regular season cause it'll be worth it when it counts.

Cally's contract undoubtedly is horrible. But come playoff time, he always adds a key dimension to our team. He did this in 2015. When we need a player to make an impossible shot block and make the ultimate sacrifice: we ask Cally to step up. And he is going to forecheck like a crazed man and lay the body. His contract will be horrible until it is fully performed. However, all the value we get from it is earned in the spring. Hopefully his body holds up for several more weeks. There is no other player I want out there for a 5 on 3.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

I'm surprised the ref experts on the main board aren't calling them out for missing this on Krug's shot. My guess is the shot never would have made it off without Marchand going for a skate with McDonagh's stick.

 

[God King Fudge]

I'm surprised the ref experts on the main board aren't calling them out for missing this on Krug's shot. My guess is the shot never would have made it off without Marchand going for a skate with McDonagh's stick.

It's only a tragedy to the game if it doesn't help Boston.

 

[DFC]

Cally's contract undoubtedly is horrible. But come playoff time, he always adds a key dimension to our team. He did this in 2015. When we need a player to make an impossible shot block and make the ultimate sacrifice: we ask Cally to step up. And he is going to forecheck like a crazed man and lay the body. His contract will be horrible until it is fully performed. However, all the value we get from it is earned in the spring. Hopefully his body holds up for several more weeks. There is no other player I want out there for a 5 on 3.

I don't agree with this. Or at least I don't remember it this way at all. If anything, Cally's been, for the most part, undwerwhelming in the playoffs.

Last night is the best game I can remember him having for TB in the post-season. He hit everything he could catch. It reminded me of those really early Callahan days, pre-contract, when he often had shifts that energized the team. I think he led by example last night. Loved every second of it.

 

[Leonardo87]

Cally's contract undoubtedly is horrible. But come playoff time, he always adds a key dimension to our team. He did this in 2015. When we need a player to make an impossible shot block and make the ultimate sacrifice: we ask Cally to step up. And he is going to forecheck like a crazed man and lay the body. His contract will be horrible until it is fully performed. However, all the value we get from it is earned in the spring. Hopefully his body holds up for several more weeks. There is no other player I want out there for a 5 on 3.

Yeah he has had a lot of these type of games with Tampa in the playoffs. More recently, Game 5 against NJ, even Game 2 before he got hurt. Also the 2016 ECF, had a huge Game 4 which pivoted the series to 2-2. Was a beast in the 2015 SCF, had 4 points in 6 games. Also set up two series winning goals against Detroit, one was a brilliant pass to Killorn where he stole the puck from their goalie to set him up. Wish he had scored a goal or at least picked up a point last night, but if he keeps playing like this the production will come.

 

[TeslaCoilFan]

I also think Cally, Paq and Kunitz deserve some recognition for their efforts. Except for chipping in a goal, they played a near perfect game. That line spent most of the game in the offensive zone, cycling and punishing the Bruins, even getting some quality chances on Rask.

Callahan was an absolute monster last night. He was so impressive. If he elevates his game like that for the rest of the playoffs, I happily carry that awful contract in the regular season cause it'll be worth it when it counts.

They were absolutely in Beast Mode last night! Hitting every thing in yellow and black that moved, creating chaos... Was glorious.

 

[T REX]

I thought Leafs fans were the worst. Boy, was I wrong. Bruins fans are a whiny lot. Geez.

 

[Sky04]

Callahan was an absolute monster last night. He was so impressive. If he elevates his game like that for the rest of the playoffs, I happily carry that awful contract in the regular season cause it'll be worth it when it counts.

Nope. Can easily find another guy like that at 1/3rd the cost.

 

[Hockey4Life91]

I don't agree with this. Or at least I don't remember it this way at all. If anything, Cally's been, for the most part, undwerwhelming in the playoffs.

Last night is the best game I can remember him having for TB in the post-season. He hit everything he could catch. It reminded me of those really early Callahan days, pre-contract, when he often had shifts that energized the team. I think he led by example last night. Loved every second of it.

Go back and watch the 2015 playoff tape. He’s not scoring goals. But Cally more often than not looks like he did last night as he did in the 2015 and 2016 playoffs. He does the little things in playoffs games that help you get wins, such as hustling every second he’s on the ice, blocking shots, chipping the puck deep and pinning the puck against the board for sustained periods, effectively cycling and spending a majority of a shift in the offensive zone, effectively forechecking the living hell out of the other team and causing turnovers, making the right plays and never coughing the puck up in dangerous areas. Perhaps unnoticeable to some. He nonetheless adds a tremendous amount of value in ways that don’t show up on the scoresheet.

 

[God King Fudge]

Nope. Can easily find another guy like that at 1/3rd the cost.

Cool.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Nope. Can easily find another guy like that at 1/3rd the cost.

You definitely can but the hard part is getting rid of the bad contract. Lets just be happy that Callahan brings something positive to the table at a time that we need it.

 

[JoVel]

Cool.

You need to remember that guy is getting paid almost 6 mil before saying he's worth the contract. He has 1 point in 5 games in these playoffs.

 

[God King Fudge]

You need to remember that guy is getting paid almost 6 mil before saying he's worth the contract. He has 1 point in 5 games in these playoffs.

I don't need to remember anything. I know what he makes, and I stand by my statement. We are stuck with Callahans contract barring a buyout. That's the beginning and end of it. If he can turn it up like this in the playoffs, I'm fine with carrying that hit for what he'll bring in the postseason when it actually matters.

You can disagree and that's great. That's why we're here on a message board.

 

[JoVel]

I don't need to remember anything. I know what he makes, and I stand by my statement. We are stuck with Callahans contract barring a buyout. That's the beginning and end of it. If he can turn it up like this in the playoffs, I'm fine with carrying that hit for what he'll bring in the postseason when it actually matters.

You can disagree and that's great. That's why we're here on a message board.

He can contribute to our team but not as a scorer anymore. He's a fine fourth line energy player but that's not enough for a 6 mil player. If guys like Palat and Johnson came down to Callahan's level, I doubt anyone would be saying they are worth their contracts, and they make less than Cally. We're just used to him being a non-factor and that's why any success we see from him is nice.

 

[Sky04]

He can contribute to our team but not as a scorer anymore. He's a fine fourth line energy player but that's not enough for a 6 mil player. If guys like Palat and Johnson came down to Callahan's level, I doubt anyone would be saying they are worth their contracts, and they make less than Cally. We're just used to him being a non-factor and that's why any success we see from him is nice.

Well with the cap crunch year coming up, will sure be fun to see how who we move to keep that 6m anchor. Btw if last nights game were his normal standard of play in the playoffs then sure, but it's clearly not hence the praise he's getting from it.

 

[The Macho King]

Well with the cap crunch year coming up, will sure be fun to see how who we move to keep that 6m anchor. Btw if last nights game were his normal standard of play in the playoffs then sure, but it's clearly not hence the praise he's getting from it.

TBF we only have one year of him on the cap for our cap crunch years. I think we could move him for negative value with one year left or - failing that - buy him out.

 

[Master P]

Some interesting stats imo.
Game 1: We actually won the faceoff battle. Also Boston managed to block 21 of our shots.

Game2 : Again, won the faceoff battle, by a good margin this time. We are also out hitting Boston by quite a lot.

Basically, I'm pretty happy with how we've been playing, game 1 was them finding their legs imo. I know its no excuse but I think we'll only see game 2 Lightning from here on out and its only a matter of time till Kuch finds the back of the net, and once that happens look out.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Some interesting stats imo.
Game 1: We actually won the faceoff battle. Also Boston managed to block 21 of our shots.

Game2 : Again, won the faceoff battle, by a good margin this time. We are also out hitting Boston by quite a lot.

Basically, I'm pretty happy with how we've been playing, game 1 was them finding their legs imo. I know its no excuse but I think we'll only see game 2 Lightning from here on out and its only a matter of time till Kuch finds the back of the net, and once that happens look out.

Yea I think we have played very well for the most part. I think had we played the top line of the Bruins tighter like we did game 2, game 1 could have been very different. Also Rask is the difference in the series right now. If Vasi had been playing as well as Rask the series would be 2-0 Bolts.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Good but
zero for our 1st line too?
Even Coop may be thinking they(our 1st line) will not challenge him if they are told to play w/ somone else now.

Could always change that 3rd man but keep 91 & 86 together.

he could bite glass, too as he proved it last night.

He took quite the licking last night. I don't think there was one opportunity passed up to finish a check on him.

 

[DFC]

Go back and watch the 2015 playoff tape. He’s not scoring goals. But Cally more often than not looks like he did last night as he did in the 2015 and 2016 playoffs. He does the little things in playoffs games that help you get wins, such as hustling every second he’s on the ice, blocking shots, chipping the puck deep and pinning the puck against the board for sustained periods, effectively cycling and spending a majority of a shift in the offensive zone, effectively forechecking the living hell out of the other team and causing turnovers, making the right plays and never coughing the puck up in dangerous areas. Perhaps unnoticeable to some. He nonetheless adds a tremendous amount of value in ways that don’t show up on the scoresheet.

He did little things, but he wasn't providing those "high energy" moments like he was last night. He threw several big hits.

 

[DFC]

Yea I think we have played very well for the most part. I think had we played the top line of the Bruins tighter like we did game 2, game 1 could have been very different. Also Rask is the difference in the series right now. If Vasi had been playing as well as Rask the series would be 2-0 Bolts.

The team being outshot is gonna have a big advantage in blocks. We outplayed them in both games. Their top line just doesn't need a whole lot of chances to kill you.

 

[CupsOverCash]

The team being outshot is gonna have a big advantage in blocks. We outplayed them in both games. Their top line just doesn't need a whole lot of chances to kill you.

No they dont. They are very opportunistic. One mistake could lead to it being in the back of your net.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Tampa has dominated possession at even strength so far, even with a Kucherov being a ghost, it wasn't really close. In all honesty, I certainly didn't expect that, Boston gives a lot of space in their zone space their forecheck hasn't impressed me at all, Pastranak aside. Puck possession should be more challenged in Boston, FOs are going to be even more important but we got a lot better in this area this year.

The key to the series remains Vasy to me, if he can take the goalie position out of the equation just by more or less mirroring Rask's SV%, I'm optimistic. Otherwise it's going to be decided by the flip of a coin over a 7 games series.

As a side note, Palat has been huge last night, the complete package at both end of the ice.

 

[JFleegs]

I thought Leafs fans were the worst. Boy, was I wrong. Bruins fans are a whiny lot. Geez.

They also appeared to have thought the series was over after game 1 and were discussing how they were going to beat the pens.

 

[Hockey4Life91]

He did little things, but he wasn't providing those "high energy" moments like he was last night. He threw several big hits.

Your recollection is incredibly hazy, then - that’s literally all he does.