GDT: 5/6/18 - 3:00PM EDT - #2AT Boston VS #1AT Tampa Bay [ECSF GAME 5]

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Steazy Doo

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Jan 31, 2013
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Had to work for frigs sake. First game this year I never saw live or avoided spoilers and watched later.

Looks like I missed a good one. Anything noteworthy happen?
 

DFC

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I don't think it was "Cup or bust" going in but after New Years we realized we had a team good enough to do it and was somehow even better than the last 3 years. If we do not win a Cup I won't consider it a success because of it. At the same time I feel like it could be an indictment on Cooper. No mistake he's done well but I have to imagine that next year would be his last chance to get it done. Eventually you have to break through and win the big one. Not unless Yzerman is willing to still be patient. If you want to consider the previous summer's revamp to have been the closing of an original championship window then our 2nd window remains open til next year. I cannot imagine Cooper surviving without a championship after next season.

I really do not get this. I've been a big Cooper critic at times, but we just had our best ever regular season. He's still building on success. He's not going to get fired while we're still on the rise.

Coaches tend to get fired when a team begins to fade and "needs a change." I can't think of an instance where a coach gets fired to put the team "over the final hump."
 

DFC

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Had to work for frigs sake. First game this year I never saw live or avoided spoilers and watched later.

Looks like I missed a good one. Anything noteworthy happen?

A complete clinic of 5v5 play, especially on D.
 

Hockey4Life91

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Mar 13, 2018
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After missing the playoffs last year, is it fair to assume this year wasn't "cup or bust"? I think if we lose the ECF in a competitive series, I'm gonna consider the year a success. You guys?

If this roster isn’t “cup or bust,” particularly with the McDonagh/ Miller trade, then I don’t know what is. This is yet another year with Kuch on an insanely under market contract. I have no doubt SY will figure out a magical way to make this all work in the future when Kuch gets his raise. But I imagine our roster will never be as deep and talented as this one plus next year for a very long time, if ever. Of course our window is wide open for years to come. However, it will never be this gigantic. So, in my opinion, it qualifies as such (though that doesn’t mean I am not real proud of what we have accomplished already).
 

These Are The Days

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I really do not get this. I've been a big Cooper critic at times, but we just had our best ever regular season. He's still building on success. He's not going to get fired while we're still on the rise.

Coaches tend to get fired when a team begins to fade and "needs a change." I can't think of an instance where a coach gets fired to put the team "over the final hump."

Not for the NHL no. You're right there. It's not typically customary for that to happen unless within the circumstances you just mentioned. Apples to oranges but for us Tampa residents we have a very big instance where that happened. I don't know if you follow the NFL but the Buccaneers fired Tony Dungy for that very reason despite how much he did for us. I'll leave you to your own devices to fill in the blanks of what that was because it's certainly too long to explain how much he meant to us and how bad we used to be. All you need to know is we won the Super Bowl the next year and Dungy continued to fail in the playoffs for another 4 years until he finally did it in his 5th season as coach of the Indianapolis Colts.
 

DFC

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Not for the NHL no. You're right there. It's not typically customary for that to happen unless within the circumstances you just mentioned. Apples to oranges but for us Tampa residents we have a very big instance where that happened. I don't know if you follow the NFL but the Buccaneers fired Tony Dungy for that very reason despite how much he did for us. I'll leave you to your own devices to fill in the blanks of what that was because it's certainly too long to explain how much he meant to us and how bad we used to be. All you need to know is we won the Super Bowl the next year and Dungy continued to fail in the playoffs for another 4 years until he finally did it in his 5th season as coach of the Indianapolis Colts.

I do think it's apples to oranges. I mean, we could start our decline 4-5 days from now, and it may ultimately result in Cooper getting fired. I just see no way it happens within a year. He's earned a longer leash than that. The year after, if we're suddenly missing the playoffs or getting bounced early? Maybe. But it never comes down to "Cup or your fired" with NHL coaches.
 

These Are The Days

Oh no! We suck again!!
May 17, 2014
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I do think it's apples to oranges. I mean, we could start our decline 4-5 days from now, and it may ultimately result in Cooper getting fired. I just see no way it happens within a year. He's earned a longer leash than that. The year after, if we're suddenly missing the playoffs or getting bounced early? Maybe. But it never comes down to "Cup or your fired" with NHL coaches.

I hope you're right because I do think we can win it all with him. I don't really know what to make of Boston because of just how much I overestimated them but we've had championship effort the whole way through these playoffs. I'm not sure what regular season success (or lack thereof) awaits Jon Cooper but if this is a championship caliber team that gets bored to tears waiting for April. But I'm willing to deal with it if this is what we get when the playoffs start.

The only thing I don't want is to be a team that falls short and never wins it all.
 

Leonardo87

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3 ECF in 4 years, think Coop is safe for at least two more runs after this, even if they are early round exits.
 

Master P

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oD19L.gif
 

Stammertime91

TBL: TEAM OF THE CENTURY
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Yeah. I just feel like, as a fan, I'm gonna remember this season as a good one. Regardless what happens.

And I mean, somebody in the mainboard thread had a great line about TB being the Benjamin Button of the NHL: We keep getting younger and our window keeps getting longer.

Lol pretty much. Nice prospect pool coming up and by the time we possibly lose somebody, we can tap into that.

This is off to a good start though. We spanked the Devils. We bent over the Booins for a spanking and I think if we did fall short, that's probably my biggest highlight of the year. I was pretty bummed that MSL and Vinny wouldnt probably go that far again together, and they didnt, so knocking them out makes me happy knowing they were probably laughing and smiling their asses off today.
 

DFC

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Lol pretty much. Nice prospect pool coming up and by the time we possibly lose somebody, we can tap into that.

This is off to a good start though. We spanked the Devils. We bent over the Booins for a spanking and I think if we did fall short, that's probably my biggest highlight of the year. I was pretty bummed that MSL and Vinny wouldnt probably go that far again together, and they didnt, so knocking them out makes me happy knowing they were probably laughing and smiling their asses off today.

I honestly feel like NJ was a tougher opponent for us. We were good against NJ, but this series was an absolute clinic.

Most series have swings, ebbs and flows, momentum changes you can feel. This one did that once: After Game 1. After that, it felt like there was just nothing Boston could do. We were in control at all times.
 
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Stammertime91

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I honestly feel like NJ was a tougher opponent for us. We were good against NJ, but this series was an absolute clinic.

Most series have swings, ebbs and flows, momentum changes you can feel. This one did that once: After Game 1. After that, it felt like there was just nothing Boston could do. We were in control at all times.

For sure. I kept trying to remain level headed in the midst of my joy to keep from thinking that, this is really all they have to offer? In the end, Vasy was better, we were too deep and too physical for them. They looked like pretty much every team they've played against the last 5-10 years while we looked like them, typically. They moaned about the refs, publicly, and pretty much got manhandled by us bar a few Chara hits and two periods where it was typical Bruins hockey. We didn't panic in our zone, we clogged the neutral zone, etc. The devils at least entered the zone and hemmed us in for stretches at a time. I think is give Boston 3 periods out of 15, and that's generous on the 3rd one. Devils with Hall made us look like toddlers at times. Certainly for a short time, but they put in a better effort.

Their depth of Heinen, Debrusk, Backes, Gionta, Nash did pretty much nothing for them outside of game 1. Not like they didn't try either, we just made them look like a practice team.
 

pursuit81

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Apr 12, 2018
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3 ECF in 4 years, think Coop is safe for at least two more runs after this, even if they are early round exits.
Kind of curious discussion to be having don't you all think? Personally, I've never been a huge fan but right now he's the guy pushing the buttons and I think we would all have to agree, so far, so good.
 
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Stammertime91

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Nice. I'm honestly pretty shocked that it all played out like this. I'm sour I missed the final blow though. Maybe I'll watch it anyway.

We knocked these f*** faces out and you're not gonna watch this game? I don't think I'll remove it from my dvr. Matter of fact, I need my legal zoom lawyer to add it in my will that someone throws my receiver in the casket with me 95 years from now.
 

Hoek

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That said I'm still a believer in our offseasons building for the long term and not just stacking up for one year. You want as many cracks at it as you can. Cooper still good in my book.
 
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Steazy Doo

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We knocked these **** faces out and you're not gonna watch this game? I don't think I'll remove it from my dvr. Matter of fact, I need my legal zoom lawyer to add it in my will that someone throws my receiver in the casket with me 95 years from now.
I just gotta work so much. It's like all i do is work and write about an lowly bruins fans online. Trust me tho im flipping mad i missed this. I punched a couch cushion today when my boss called and me said he needed his best worker in today. I said then what the h are you calling me for??? He had a chuckle and said to get my ass into work or the whole place goes belly up. So that's why I missed the game
 

UseYourHedman

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Mar 17, 2018
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Had to watch late AGAIN. Just finished up. Here's my takeaways FWIW in no particular order:
- Last to start CSF and 1st into the CF. Hope the layoff isn't as long this time and that they learned from the rusty start in game 1.
- That late PK was HUGE! When McD lost his edge and tripped Pastrnak I was biting what was left of my nails. Cally was on the man on that PK.
- Nice to see Stralman ice it with the EN with 1:29 left. Made the last stretch stress free.
- Please no complaining about the officials from Bruins fan. They were less than stellar in most of the games, but it's clear the better team won.
- The Bruins flopped all series (trying to take advantage of TB's poor PK) and I think it may have worked against them. Maybe the refs noticed and hesitated to call a few legitimate penalties because of it.
- I LOVE this Bolts team. They are so deep. I can't think of a single player that hasn't had an impact at some point during the playoffs so far (except backup G). I didn't worry much during the stretch of poor play in the 2nd half of the season, but it's been good to see them turn it on in the playoffs. They're set to be good for many years too. Gotta love SY.
- Can't wait for ECF but I'm gonna enjoy watching Wash/Pit in game 6 and maybe 7.
- Stay healthy and hungry Bolts!
 
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