GDT: 5/18/16 - 8:00PM EDT - #2 Pittsburgh VS #2 Tampa Bay [ECF GAME 3]

[Volodya Krutov]

They already start talking who's gonna lift the cup around Pittsburgh, just in case you were wondering...

 

[Stammertime91]

They already start talking who's gonna lift the cup around Pittsburgh, just in case you were wondering...

I've read the FB comments and apparently we are a classless and disrespectful fan base for a handful of fans leaving early and not allowing visiting jerseys in 500 seats...

But when people were leaving consol prior to 0 on the clock, nobody gave a ****. If we lose, I'm turning into the biggest blues/sharks fan.

 

[Stammertime91]

We'll the CARLSTER was our best pair last night as neither was on the ice for a goal against.

So essentially you value the +/- stat pretty heavily huh?

 

[Coburn and Condra]

I have simply not allowed myself to visit the main board since after G1, but I can easily imagine what's being said. Will also become a huge Blues/Sharks fan if we can't come back...

We've been outplayed handily so far, making them the better team at this point. However, what the **** do we have to do to earn respect around here? Even if we lose this thing 4-1, we're entitled to respect from the rest of the league. Back-to-back years in the conference finals, no other team can say that right now. Been only 12 years since our Cup. This has been one of the more successful organizations in hockey over the past 15 years, this it's really time people treat us as such.

All that said, we are one "Isles G5" game away from evening up this series and stealing all the momentum back. I've always said, if you're going to split a pair of games, the latter game is better to have.

This team is really good when their backs are up against the wall, and we're getting pretty close to that point right now. Thus, I feel surprisingly optimistic for G4 tomorrow night.

 

[wxkid23]

After digesting the hockey display last night

Problems:

Vasy/Murray - I honestly don't think Murray is better than Vasy right now. Problem is we play totally different in front of Vasy. We also really miss Bish ability to move the puck in the zone. Murray is very underrated though... look at hockeydb... this isn't a fluke and he is the future in PIT

Paquette/Vladdy - Paquette is an injury waiting to happen and isn't good. I loved him early on with the series vs MTL but he's just invisible all year. Vladdy I have no idea... very skilled but he is invisible as well. Maybe needs a top 6 spot to shine but with his play I don't know if that will happen on a consistent basis

Playing scared- Team literally looks like they showed up for 10min on fire and then climbed into a clam shell the rest of the game. They look scared and intimidated by PIT and it's obvious. Don't know how you fix this... it's pretty sad because this isn't a GREAT PIT team... it's a good one. I think we can at least play with them and we aren't even doing that

Kuch? This is our best goal scorer and he is invsible this series. Coop? Hello?

Cooper.. don't even know what to say. I've loved Cooper for a long time... great story and he has won everywhere. He looked good the first two round but he is getting lit up this series. We drop this series and have a rough start next year he needs to go. And yeah.. this is somewhat on SY too. This is a makeup of a team that should win a cup

It's sad. This team is built to win a cup and should but (maybe would have last year with a healthy Johnson/Bishop) this isn't then. It's now. That was totally domination last night and we have no reason to be dominated by them and fat phil.

Hope we wake up for game 4

 

[DFC]

I'm gonna get crushed for this opinion, and maybe justifiably, but I think part of the problem is Vasy. Or, I guess, more the fact that Vasy isn't Bishop.

Don't get me wrong, Vasy was outstanding. But where Ben Bishop absorbs 95% of pucks that hit him, Vasy kicks them back out into trouble, and the team gets progressively more tired playing defense. What this winds up looking like is a team that "plays hard" for one goalie and "lazy" for the other. They're not lazy, they're tired, because they've spent the entire game scrambling around their own zone.

The last goalie who gave us this issue was Lindback. The difference is, Vasy stops everything, whereas Lindback gave up goals. But the team looked like garbage in front of both of them, and I think it's because they just don't squash the opponent's momentum with face-off after face-off.

(ADD: Lindback actually INTENTIONALLY put pucks back in play while we were being swarmed, which drove me nuts. With Vasy, it's more that pucks just don't stick to him the way they do Bish.)

 

[Volodya Krutov]

I have simply not allowed myself to visit the main board since after G1, but I can easily imagine what's being said. Will also become a huge Blues/Sharks fan if we can't come back...

We've been outplayed handily so far, making them the better team at this point. However, what the **** do we have to do to earn respect around here? Even if we lose this thing 4-1, we're entitled to respect from the rest of the league. Back-to-back years in the conference finals, no other team can say that right now. Been only 12 years since our Cup. This has been one of the more successful organizations in hockey over the past 15 years, this it's really time people treat us as such.

All that said, we are one "Isles G5" game away from evening up this series and stealing all the momentum back. I've always said, if you're going to split a pair of games, the latter game is better to have.

This team is really good when their backs are up against the wall, and we're getting pretty close to that point right now. Thus, I feel surprisingly optimistic for G4 tomorrow night.

It's all about selective perception. Had we faced the Panthers in the 2nd round, people would've sung a different tune regarding the supposed weakness of our opponents. Florida were considered solid from the get go. Too bad they were eliminated by a better team, a team that had a 100 points season, which automatically put them in the solid opponent category. The Isles series was a lot closer than the final score indicates, they caused a lot trouble, but our experience and mental toughness prevailed. Seeing how those 2 things disappeared after game 1 against Pittsburgh maybe it's time to admit we were the ones being cocky and thought the series would be over quickly.

As opposed to many, I think tomorrow's game is going the first "must win" game of our playoffs campaign. We didn't face any prior to that. I'm personally not overly optimistic but these guys earned the chance we still have faith in them.

Let's see how they respond.

 

[wxkid23]

I'm gonna get crushed for this opinion, and maybe justifiably, but I think part of the problem is Vasy. Or, I guess, more the fact that Vasy isn't Bishop.

Don't get me wrong, Vasy was outstanding. But where Ben Bishop absorbs 95% of pucks that hit him, Vasy kicks them back out into trouble, and the team gets progressively more tired playing defense. What this winds up looking like is a team that "plays hard" for one goalie and "lazy" for the other. They're not lazy, they're tired, because they've spent the entire game scrambling around their own zone.

The last goalie who gave us this issue was Lindback. The difference is, Vasy stops everything, whereas Lindback gave up goals. But the team looked like garbage in front of both of them, and I think it's because they just don't squash the opponent's momentum with face-off after face-off.

It's very much a difference of Bishop/Vasy. Anyone can see this. I like Bishop and wish he would stick around long term but he breaks every year late... what do you do?

 

[HoseEmDown]

So essentially you value the +/- stat pretty heavily huh?

No but when your team gives up 4 goals and you're not on the ice for any of them it says something. They haven't been the reason we're trailing in the series, they aren't the reason we're winning either. There's many more disappointing defenders in this series then them right now.

 

[dbieon12]

Lightning will lose the next two games. Bishop will never win a cup because he's not going to remain healthy.

 

[Lemieux66]

They already start talking who's gonna lift the cup around Pittsburgh, just in case you were wondering...

Well whoever is doing that is an idiot. I'm from the burgh and been watching for 30 years, and one thing I've learned is overconfidence is never a good thing.

While I'm happy the pens woke up, I'm not sitting here thinking anything is in the bag. I do think tho that the first game was how it was since Washington was simply such a grueling matchup, beating probably the best team in hockey this year was somethin that took a few years off my life watching. But I think that took a chunk out of the pens and they just weren't ready for the first game 100%

If we do win tomorrow then yea I think Tampa is in trouble, but at 2-1 anything can happen still.

 

[Hockeyfan02]

Vasy/Murray - I honestly don't think Murray is better than Vasy right now. Problem is we play totally different in front of Vasy. We also really miss Bish ability to move the puck in the zone. Murray is very underrated though... look at hockeydb... this isn't a fluke and he is the future in PIT

I think we've made it way too easy for him. His save percentage for the series is below .900 and he's let in a few stoppable shots along with giving out some big rebounds. We're trying to make too many fancy plays instead of just peppering this guy with shots. Feels like we're treating him like he's playing out of his mind and only a perfect play will beat him. I don't know how many times on rushes we didn't shoot and instead made a pass that was broken up or off the mark.

 

[Hoek]

I'm gonna get crushed for this opinion, and maybe justifiably, but I think part of the problem is Vasy. Or, I guess, more the fact that Vasy isn't Bishop.

Don't get me wrong, Vasy was outstanding. But where Ben Bishop absorbs 95% of pucks that hit him, Vasy kicks them back out into trouble, and the team gets progressively more tired playing defense. What this winds up looking like is a team that "plays hard" for one goalie and "lazy" for the other. They're not lazy, they're tired, because they've spent the entire game scrambling around their own zone.

The last goalie who gave us this issue was Lindback. The difference is, Vasy stops everything, whereas Lindback gave up goals. But the team looked like garbage in front of both of them, and I think it's because they just don't squash the opponent's momentum with face-off after face-off.

(ADD: Lindback actually INTENTIONALLY put pucks back in play while we were being swarmed, which drove me nuts. With Vasy, it's more that pucks just don't stick to him the way they do Bish.)

I actually think Vasi has done a decent job of limiting rebounds. For him at least. He's no Bishop but he's been markedly better over his regular season performances.

 

[Hoek]

Well whoever is doing that is an idiot. I'm from the burgh and been watching for 30 years, and one thing I've learned is overconfidence is never a good thing.

While I'm happy the pens woke up, I'm not sitting here thinking anything is in the bag. I do think tho that the first game was how it was since Washington was simply such a grueling matchup, beating probably the best team in hockey this year was somethin that took a few years off my life watching. But I think that took a chunk out of the pens and they just weren't ready for the first game 100%

If we do win tomorrow then yea I think Tampa is in trouble, but at 2-1 anything can happen still.

I'm shocked that user name was still available.

 

[Lemieux66]

I'm shocked that user name was still available.

Lol yea Same. I've always been a reader, but felt I should finally join...Couldn't believe it was available

 

[DFC]

I actually think Vasi has done a decent job of limiting rebounds. For him at least. He's no Bishop but he's been markedly better over his regular season performances.

Pittsburgh is getting a lot of 2nd and 3rd chances. Don't get me wrong--that's on our defense. But, with Bishop, those just don't exist.

When you look at the games we've been dominated in this year, Vasy has been in for a lot of them. (At least, off the top of my head.) Even against really bad teams. We had the exact same issue with Lindback (beyond the issue that he sucked). I think we're exhausting ourselves playing D, because we can't stop the swarm. Bishop stops swarms. We get a line change and all is right with the world.

 

[dechire]

Pittsburgh is getting a lot of 2nd and 3rd chances. Don't get me wrong--that's on our defense. But, with Bishop, those just don't exist.

When you look at the games we've been dominated in this year, Vasy has been in for a lot of them. (At least, off the top of my head.) Even against really bad teams. We had the exact same issue with Lindback (beyond the issue that he sucked). I think we're exhausting ourselves playing D, because we can't stop the swarm. Bishop stops swarms. We get a line change and all is right with the world.

The "getting tired" idea might work late in the 3rd period but the team was absolutely dominated starting like 5-10 minutes into the 1st period. Blaming Vasy's rebound control for that doesn't make sense.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Well whoever is doing that is an idiot. I'm from the burgh and been watching for 30 years, and one thing I've learned is overconfidence is never a good thing.

Just to make sure it wasn't the fruit of my imagination I saw Kovacevic and Malkin, both separately, talking about the Cup today.

 

[CupsOverCash]

I think they play a lot better next game but I don't know if that will be enough to stop the Pens. They are clicking on all cylinders. While we look like we're trying to figure out how to play hockey again.

 

[Lemieux66]

Just to make sure it wasn't the fruit of my imagination I saw Kovacevic and Malkin, both separately, talking about the Cup today.

Ah on Twitter or something? I don't do twitter or twatter, or any of that social media stuff so can't say. And if it was mentioned here then I didn't see it somehow. Was thinking just fans or other post areas that people were jumping that gun.

I love Malk but if he was saying that he just needs to slow his roll..
I'm not a fan of over confidence in sports, seen it way to many times with my steelers and pens.

 

[DaGoose]

Figured I would ask here. Can you bring a cooler to Thunder Alley to watch the game outside?

 

[LTIR Trickery]

Figured I would ask here. Can you bring a cooler to Thunder Alley to watch the game outside?

Yes on the cooler, no to cocktails

 

[DaGoose]

Yes on the cooler, no to cocktails

So vodka in water bottles with some sodas will work?

 

[VinikToWinIt]

So vodka in water bottles with some sodas will work?

It's times like these I wish I lived in Tampa. That sounds like a kick*** time. I've always wanted to catch a game there but if I was driving all the way over to Tampa I would buy a ticket to the game.

 

[DaGoose]

It's times like these I wish I lived in Tampa. That sounds like a kick*** time. I've always wanted to catch a game there but if I was driving all the way over to Tampa I would buy a ticket to the game.

I just moved to Clearwater from Michigan a couple of months ago. Wings are my #1 team, Bolts #2. I went to two Bolts regular season games, had a blast. Amalie Arena has the best setup I've ever seen in terms of an NHL setup. Of course the weather helps, but man is it fun down there.

I will have a ride home tomorrow, I found a place to park for $10 with a short walk. Can't beat it if you ask me.