GDT: 5/2/22 - 7:30PM EDT - #3 Tampa Bay @ #2 Toronto [ECQF GAME 1]

[JFleegs]

Pretty disrespectful to Toronto if you ask me. You got your asses beat. Saying you gave them a freebie is kinda whiny.

Call it for what it was...an ass kicking and you didn't do your jobs. Freebie? Awful Coop

Cooper always had an arrogance to him that I was never fond of.

Watching the kings oilers game, it’s amazing the effort both teams are giving compared to what we saw tonight. Lightning were giving it about a preseason effort.

 

[Stammertime91]

Pretty disrespectful to Toronto if you ask me. You got your asses beat. Saying you gave them a freebie is kinda whiny.

Call it for what it was...an ass kicking and you didn't do your jobs. Freebie? Awful Coop

Agreed. He should've just said we sucked ass. At least the fans would've laughed at his honesty.

This feels like Washington series Cooper. I feel like just seeing his lines on Wednesday will be enough to tell how the game will go.

 

[T REX]

Cooper always had an arrogance to him that I was never fond of.

Watching the la oilers game, it’s amazing the effort both teams are giving compared to what we saw tonight. Lightning were giving it about a preseason effort.

Hard to judge? He seems completely out of touch with that comment. Scary actually. Detached from reality.

 

[Hoek]

Pretty disrespectful to Toronto if you ask me. You got your asses beat. Saying you gave them a freebie is kinda whiny.

Call it for what it was...an ass kicking and you didn't do your jobs. Freebie? Awful Coop

For what it's worth he's said mostly the same thing when we blow out an opponent. It's absolutely true too, a blowout really doesn't tell you anything useful about either team unless one is just totally outclassed on a fundamental talent level (and we know that's not the case)

 

[nORRis8]

I like Cooper. If he's arrogant, he deserves the right to be. Sharp dresser as well.

Anyways, I expect a different Tampa team Wednesday. Played soft tonite which was surprising.
Game 2 I expect the Bolts to start hitting...often.
These three hate getting hit, Pyjama Boy, Nostrils and his hand-puppet Marner.
Put them right thru the boards.

I friggin' hate the leafs. 54 years looks good on them.

 

[Todd1a]

they absolutely crushed us it wasn’t even close and we did nothing good at all tonight. Only good thing about tonight is it only counts as one loss.

 

[TheFurryPickle]

it was the loss we had to have

 

[CupsOverCash]

I don't like that Coop called it a freebie. As if we need to give them more motivation and bulletin material.

 

[Maelmoor]

I don't agree with your take on Coops comments, think you are looking at it purely from a fan perspective. In sports psychology you want to put the emphasis on you controlling the destiny by your effort and how you play. It doesn't serve any purpose after a game one loss to praise the opponent, you can do such after the series but trying to make the mountain appear bigger than it is, doesn't help us out.

Let us bounce back, if we win the next one we have a series again!

 

[JoVel]

I didn't think this game was necessary any worse than game 1 against the Isles last year. We got dominated just as badly, but Vasi just had an unreal game and we only lost 2-1 in the end. If they don't bounce back in game 2, then I'll jump on the panic button but definitely not yet.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Their PK held the fort early on and after that it was just a perfect game by Toronto. Frustrating to watch our guys watch them wheeling and shooting.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

They gave a half assed effort and I'm being generous.
Toronto walked all over us and I agree with Coop that they would have walked over us even if they didn't play good.
The effort today was brutal, but a kick in the ass is what these guys needed.
I just want to see a good effort in game 2, even if we lose.

 

[The Gongshow]

You would have thought the boys would come out buzzing last tonight.

This is what you've been waiting for isn't it? Regular season means nothing, just coasting till playoffs. Welp. You missed the boat on Game 1 and gave Toronto an easy win. Didn't even make it hard on them.


Game 2 will predict the series because if they come out like they did in game 1 the series is over.

 

[LordZapp]

We got embarrassed and shut out last night, but you just know game two will be a bloodbath. I just cant see the ineptitude i saw last night continuing for another game.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

We got embarrassed and shut out last night, but you just know game two will be a bloodbath. I just cant see the ineptitude i saw last night continuing for another game.

After about the third goal, I decided that a good old-fashioned ass kicking might be what we needed. 5-0 may be more motivating for us than 3-1 or 4-2.

Now let's see if this team has any pride left, or if we've grown fat and happy with our success. I think this team has too many competitors to lay down and die.

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

Now let's see if this team has any pride left, or if we've grown fat and happy with our success. I think this team has too many competitors to lay down and die.

Also, maybe this is just something I'm telling myself in order to feel better, but if we ourselves can sense a bit of a "time is running out" feeling with this core to make any more Cup runs, then odds are they can sense it too. Barring some real craftiness from JBB - which you can't rule out, of course - odds are the 2022-'23 roster will be weaker than this one. This one is already weaker than the 2020-'21 roster. And everybody's only getting older, too. Pushing for the Cup in the next season or two is only going to get harder, not easier. So whether this team still has what it takes to be able to make a Cup push, who really knows, but I can't imagine they'll go down meekly knowing all the future obstacles that lay ahead.

Anyway, all I'm going to say is that, besides the first game against Boston in 2018, I can think of other recent NHL examples where a team won Game 1 convincingly and failed to win the series, and often times failed to win another game. Toronto came out with a really good punch last night, and it sure as hell staggered us. Making sure they can't land that good of a punch again is the next challenge. Doesn't matter if we lose Game 1 5-0 and win Game 2 2-1 on an OT goal, it would be a split and that would be a success because I don't see Toronto winning both games in Tampa...I don't see us winning both games in Tampa either though so a split is pretty paramount for our chances. We all know home cooking has never been what's fueled this team in the playoffs; it's often been their downfall if anything.

 

[Fabiobest]

Also, maybe this is just something I'm telling myself in order to feel better, but if we ourselves can sense a bit of a "time is running out" feeling with this core to make any more Cup runs, then odds are they can sense it too. Barring some real craftiness from JBB - which you can't rule out, of course - odds are the 2022-'23 roster will be weaker than this one. This one is already weaker than the 2020-'21 roster. And everybody's only getting older, too. Pushing for the Cup in the next season or two is only going to get harder, not easier. So whether this team still has what it takes to be able to make a Cup push, who really knows, but I can't imagine they'll go down meekly knowing all the future obstacles that lay ahead.

Anyway, all I'm going to say is that, besides the first game against Boston in 2018, I can think of other recent NHL examples where a team won Game 1 convincingly and failed to win the series, and often times failed to win another game. Toronto came out with a really good punch last night, and it sure as hell staggered us. Making sure they can't land that good of a punch again is the next challenge. Doesn't matter if we lose Game 1 5-0 and win Game 2 2-1 on an OT goal, it would be a split and that would be a success because I don't see Toronto winning both games in Tampa...I don't see us winning both games in Tampa either though so a split is pretty paramount for our chances. We all know home cooking has never been what's fueled this team in the playoffs; it's often been their downfall if anything.

It depends on many factors.
Considering last night game, next year will be easier because it's almost impossible to play worse than that.
We have to consider also the off season, to talk about next season: we'll see some trades and some players will say goodbye (Palat maybe...and others too). We'll see who will replace these guys and what the new team can produce on the ice: I think it's impossible, right now, to say if it'll be easier or harder to win the cup next year.

 

[T REX]

After sitting on it for a day...all the we are waiting for the playoffs to start was baloney wrapped in BS. If we were waiting for that...we are freaking in massive trouble. Coop sounded lost without answers as well. Fatigue? Mental fatigue?

Must win for game 2

 

[VinikToWinIt]

Also, maybe this is just something I'm telling myself in order to feel better, but if we ourselves can sense a bit of a "time is running out" feeling with this core to make any more Cup runs, then odds are they can sense it too. Barring some real craftiness from JBB - which you can't rule out, of course - odds are the 2022-'23 roster will be weaker than this one. This one is already weaker than the 2020-'21 roster. And everybody's only getting older, too. Pushing for the Cup in the next season or two is only going to get harder, not easier. So whether this team still has what it takes to be able to make a Cup push, who really knows, but I can't imagine they'll go down meekly knowing all the future obstacles that lay ahead.

Anyway, all I'm going to say is that, besides the first game against Boston in 2018, I can think of other recent NHL examples where a team won Game 1 convincingly and failed to win the series, and often times failed to win another game. Toronto came out with a really good punch last night, and it sure as hell staggered us. Making sure they can't land that good of a punch again is the next challenge. Doesn't matter if we lose Game 1 5-0 and win Game 2 2-1 on an OT goal, it would be a split and that would be a success because I don't see Toronto winning both games in Tampa...I don't see us winning both games in Tampa either though so a split is pretty paramount for our chances. We all know home cooking has never been what's fueled this team in the playoffs; it's often been their downfall if anything.

Since 2015, the Lightning have a losing record (9-10) in game 1s, but they have a 15-4 record in series.

They're 7-3 in series where they've dropped game 1.

Like you, I'm not ready to dismiss them on one game, but they better get their house in order really quickly or the Leafs will make them pay. Hopefully they see the same urgency that you do.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

After sitting on it for a day...all the we are waiting for the playoffs to start was baloney wrapped in BS. If we were waiting for that...we are freaking in massive trouble. Coop sounded lost without answers as well. Fatigue? Mental fatigue?

Must win for game 2

Flipping the switch is a 2-game process.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[Zwui21]

I don't like that Coop called it a freebie. As if we need to give them more motivation and bulletin material.

If I learned something from the past 2 playoff runs, with videos from Coop in the room, is that what Coop tells to the media doesn't always represent what he says to the guys in the locker room. I'm pretty sure he wasn't happy about the effort and made it clear to the guys.

 

[The Gongshow]

After sitting on it for a day...all the we are waiting for the playoffs to start was baloney wrapped in BS. If we were waiting for that...we are freaking in massive trouble. Coop sounded lost without answers as well. Fatigue? Mental fatigue?

Must win for game 2

But everyone on here was telling me they'd magically fix all their errors and just suddenly be amazing in the playoffs. Like the months we saw of sloppy, lazy, unmotivated play and bad habits would be solved with a snap of their fingers?!?!?

 

[Zwui21]

What worries me, even tho Tampa losing game 1 in a series is definitely not something new, is that
1) One thing is losing, it's another thing to get absolutely embarassed. Last night was a shitshow from top to bottom.
2) This win for the Leafs is an absolute morale boost for the entire series. They now know they are able to clown us if we don't play well enough, and that gives them mental fortitude for the entire series.

Only way to calm them down immediately is put up an absolute clinic tomorrow night. Personally I already see game 2 as a must win game for the boys, or Toronto will get way too galvanized and the momentum will keep them going.

At the same time, now our guys know they gotta pull their head out their asses, and having them know that at the beginning of the series is definitely better than play mediocre but hang with the competition and get blown out on the games that count the most towards the end of the series.

Game 2 = MUST WIN.
I expect the boys to come out swinging and to show why this team is B2B champs. If not, it's lights out.

 

[LordZapp]

After about the third goal, I decided that a good old-fashioned ass kicking might be what we needed. 5-0 may be more motivating for us than 3-1 or 4-2.

Now let's see if this team has any pride left, or if we've grown fat and happy with our success. I think this team has too many competitors to lay down and die.

I agree. That's the only silver lining that I can see. Getting shutout 5-0 hopefully outs a chip on everyone's back for game 2.