GDT: 4/6/22 - 7:30PM EDT - Tampa Bay @ Washington

[DistantThunderRep]

Might be trickier to rest some of the other players, but Vasy could use some time off, and Elliott's been good lately

I turned off after the second GA. But we can't rest anyone until we clinch.

 

[JFleegs]

Welp atleast we made it a game, lots of bolts fans here tonight representing. We had a good time despite the loss. Boys need to clinch and rest. Get back to practicing structure 5 man defensive play and then a nice clean slate in the playoffs.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

I turned off after the second GA. But we can't rest anyone until we clinch.

For sure. I was agreeing with @bov 's post about once we clinch

So how bad was it?

We got some life after the Cap's 2nd goal, but couldn't sustain it. The biggest hair pulling out moment for me though was the phantom slashing call on Point which led to the Carlson PP goal. Overall not as bad as the Toronto loss, but not the game you want to see after the Toronto loss either. We can't help but to let things snowball. Positives right now are Paul and Colton, but Kuch had his moments too.

 

[The Gongshow]

Team just looks lost in the sauce. A long offseason would do them wonders

 

[Hoek]

Were not beating Florida in the first round so they better figure out how to keep the 3 seed, can’t see us beating Toronto either.

We're getting Carolina as long as they don't pass Florida or we get passed by the Capitals.

 

[These Are The Days]

Team just looks lost in the sauce. A long offseason would do them wonders

More than 2 days off would help too. They're mentally and physically disengaged right now. Especially Vasy. All those long, eternal stretches without games even are finally coming back to bite us in the ass because we're playing pretty much every other night from here on out.

If Coop can rest the guys he needs to rest to end the season, we will probably be okay. Like we're shit right now but if we can literally live in a bubble to win a Cup, this team can mentally overcome almost anything.

 

[OurlordAndSaviorKuch]

This team is playing like hot garbage…….

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

Team just looks lost in the sauce. A long offseason would do them wonders

That's a waste of time. Odds are, next year's roster will be weaker than this year's. This year's roster is already weaker than last year's. With the cap problems not helping anything, time is running out on this core. If they're going to win another Cup, it'll likely have to come in the next season or two, barring JBB having some masterstroke trade that will alleviate our cap problems without sacrificing our Cup contending credentials, anyway.

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

Vasi desperately needs some time off. He's on pace to play 65 games this season, and that's far too many and that he's on that pace at all to begin with should've never happened. Elliott's been serviceable when he's played, which is not something we were able to say about McBackup a year ago. Vasi has been mediocre as hell for over a month now. Whether it's fatigue or whatever, get him out of there for a little bit. We cannot make a Cup run with Vasi as a .900-.905 S% goaltender, and that's what he is right now.

 

[Master P]

We

Team just looks lost in the sauce. A long offseason would do them wonders

We get it, you don’t have faith in the team.

 

[These Are The Days]

We

We get it, you don’t have faith in the team.

In his defense, I don't either right now. There's SOMETHING going on that's got me thinking they're not gonna be able to pull off the threepeat. Like if they got swept, I'm not gonna be shocked. But I'll be lighting the victory cigar anyway and saying "Oh well" because I'm overjoyed that we went back-to-back to begin with. Forget COVID shortened seasons for a minute and realize how many of these guys have played more hockey than anyone else over all these years. That's my hypothesis for the moment. It's hard to not be disappointed but it is what it is. This ain't the 80's here boys. There's a reason why what we're trying to do hasn't been done since then.

But I'm excited regardless. Because if these guys don't threepeat after having the Olympics taken from them, the indignation of that locker room is going to be biblical and the coup JFBB will pull in the offseason will probably be his greatest yet. It makes me giddy thinking how pissed off these guys are gonna be if they don't pull off the threepeat. I've never seen a hockey team that takes things so personally as we do. The way our guys talk about winning is akin to how guys like Jordan and Brady did/do.

 

[DaBolts]

Just bleh. And they are running out of road before the bridge is out.

 

[DFC]

So how bad was it?

I feel like the play was pretty even. We just get really sloppy sometimes, especially the stars (looking at Point this time), and Vasy was the second best goalie again.

 

[RussianGuyovich]

did all of the "they cant just flip a switch" posters watch kucherov in the last five minutes of that game?

 

[Hoek]

did all of the "they cant just flip a switch" posters watch kucherov in the last five minutes of that game?

That is an encouraging data point. That was pretty insane at the end there.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Rest Vasi. We are going to play Carolina or Rangers, unless we completely f*** it then it's the Panthers. Just rest players

 

[LightningStrikes]

All those other teams are already planning their parade after a regular season game win. Meanwhile them Tampa boyz be chillin’ and healin’ up like mad. #threepeatswag

 

[Crunchrulz]

Before we sound to much of an alarm over this season, we need to remember that, until they are knocked out, the Lightning are the two time defending Champions. Good or bad, once the season ends we can look back and make comments about where the "bumps" were during the season and how to correct them moving forward.

 

[JFleegs]

Before we sound to much of an alarm over this season, we need to remember that, until they are knocked out, the Lightning are the two time defending Champions. Good or bad, once the season ends we can look back and make comments about where the "bumps" were during the season and how to correct them moving forward.

I agree, this is a bump in the road until proven otherwise. Once the playoffs starts it’s a clean slate, and to be honest I’d rather go through the metro anyway.

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

Rest Vasi. We are going to play Carolina or Rangers, unless we completely f*** it then it's the Panthers. Just rest players

In his last 14 games, Vasi has a .902 S%. This might be the worst stretch he's had since the '16-'17 season. It's been rough and, clearly, having him try to "play through his problems" isn't working right now. Get him off the ice more. There's no reason Elliott should only be playing when there's a back-to-back.

 

[The Gongshow]

In his defense, I don't either right now. There's SOMETHING going on that's got me thinking they're not gonna be able to pull off the threepeat. Like if they got swept, I'm not gonna be shocked. But I'll be lighting the victory cigar anyway and saying "Oh well" because I'm overjoyed that we went back-to-back to begin with. Forget COVID shortened seasons for a minute and realize how many of these guys have played more hockey than anyone else over all these years. That's my hypothesis for the moment. It's hard to not be disappointed but it is what it is. This ain't the 80's here boys. There's a reason why what we're trying to do hasn't been done since then.

But I'm excited regardless. Because if these guys don't threepeat after having the Olympics taken from them, the indignation of that locker room is going to be biblical and the coup JFBB will pull in the offseason will probably be his greatest yet. It makes me giddy thinking how pissed off these guys are gonna be if they don't pull off the threepeat. I've never seen a hockey team that takes things so personally as we do. The way our guys talk about winning is akin to how guys like Jordan and Brady did/do.

This. I think the boys have lost their motivation. After winning b2b cups regular season means nothing to them. They lose their chance at the 3peat they remember the feeling of winning it all twice.... they gonna be rightfully pissed off and go scorched earth next season to get back to that cup final. Theyve played alot of hockey and look gassed. They deserve rest as well.

 

[The Gongshow]

I agree, this is a bump in the road until proven otherwise. Once the playoffs starts it’s a clean slate, and to be honest I’d rather go through the metro anyway.

Rangers is such an interesting matchup... will their vezna winner goalie stand on his head the whole series? Team doesn't have alot of playoff experience, especially not all together on that roster... theyve got enough grit tho. Would be an interesting matchup.

 

[Crunchrulz]

I agree, this is a bump in the road until proven otherwise. Once the playoffs starts it’s a clean slate, and to be honest I’d rather go through the metro anyway.

Doesn't it switch back to regular divisions after the first round? I thought (scary idea) that is what I had read.

 

[Hoek]

Doesn't it switch back to regular divisions after the first round? I thought (scary idea) that is what I had read.

Nope wildcards stay in the bracket they're placed in. No reseeding.

 

[Crunchrulz]

Nope wildcards stay in the bracket they're placed in. No reseeding.

Perfect, thank you. Found that out after I posted.