ADSF: (2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (3) Detroit Red Wings (Series 3-2 DET)

[odin1981]

Rangers fan here. I'm one of the 70%. Can't believe that TB is doing everything to lose this series. I mean, Detroit should NEVER be disregarded, but for all intents and purposes, TB really should beat them. I mean c'mon, is Mrazek really God's gift to the NHL? With absolutely NO playoff experience? Even the hamburglar has come down to earth. It's about longevity, and apparently Detroit has it going on over TB's supposed talent. Wow. It's not over, but beating Detroit in game 6 should give them automatic game 7 win. But, I wouldn't bet on them winning game 6, not now way, no how.

P.S. Really wanted TB in Eastern finals. They had our number when we didn't have our game together. Even if the Rangers won this year's cup.....I'm sure some people would say they wouldn't have beaten TB (just like last year, that we wouldn't have beaten Montreal with Price) .......don't wanna hear that. Bring it.

Mrazek for the past 2-3 years has been in the top 3 soon to hit the NHL group. Him, Gibson, and Tampa's backup who I am not even gonna try to spell correctly have been commonly regarded as the next three closest netminders to hitting the NHL and making a impact.

Sure all 3 are young and will have some inconsitancy for the next 2-3 years but outside some out of nowhere home run on a dark horse prospect, these 3 players will more than likely be the next batch of big impact goalies entering the league.

 

[jford]

Why are soo many people so surprised to see the Wings doing well? Because they had a mediocre last month of the regular season? People on this sight are so shortsighted.

Datsyuk was out for that entire last month - the Wings best offensive and defensive player, both of their starting goalies were injured and when Howard came back.... he wasn't playing well. Prior to that last month, the Wings were right there with the rest of the top teams in the East, fighting for first overall.

Sometimes I wonder if all the anti-Wings predictions just comes from wishful thinking rather than an actual analysis of the game. I'm guessing a lot of the brilliant folks predicting Lightning in 4 or 5 games are the same people who predict the Wings missing the playoffs year after year, and are constantly wrong year after year.

The series is far from over, but all the people that are so surprised to see the Wings doing well apparently haven't been paying attention to hockey for very long.

I thought the Lightning would win, but in a tough 6 or 7 games series. They seemed to have so much speed and offensive talent. I thought it would come through in the playoffs.

Not so much, I guess.

 

[Nomahe]

Lots of goalies with similar credentials haven't made it. Nothing is guaranteed. But those signs you've mentioned......are good ones.

Absolutely. He could turn into a bust. What I was replying to was you saying this nobody with no experience.

Okay, bad comprison. Awesome that you have a new goalie finally breaking through. Just wondering if he's that good......what took so long? Waiting until the PO's? Dangerous ground unproven, that's all I'm saying. If you haven't noticed, the Rangers have their own "2nd string" goaltender which saved their behinds this season, if not for him.....Presidents trophy would've been "Vice Presidents" at best.

btw, wasnt ragging on Mrazek per sé, more so that TB seems to have not really tested this kid as much as they should be. That is a testament to the Wings good team defensive play. See ya' in a couple of weeks.

Tampa HAS tested him. 44 shots in game one. It's not his fault that Detroit has clamped down and played a 2-way game ever since and Conner doesn't know what to do to adjust.
If you knew the Red Wings, you'd know almost all of them stay down for years whether they were ready to play or not. It may not be the right way but the Wings don't push players into the NHL like everyone else. Mantha is the latest example. It shouldn't be a negative against Mrazak because of the system.

In 2002 we had 9-11 HOF's on the team. That's more than some teams in their history. Datsyuk was on the 4th line even with his dangling skills. It took him years to move up and he's done ok.

 

[odin1981]

I thought the Lightning would win, but in a tough 6 or 7 games series. They seemed to have so much speed and offensive talent. I thought it would come through in the playoffs.

Not so much, I guess.

Interference and obstruction are the playoffs whether the casual fan cares to see it or not is irregardless but Tampa is a young team that hasn't learned what it takes to win in the playoffs.

The Wings are lead by veteran cup winning letter wearing players who combined have over 400 playoff games played. Who are coached by one of the most stingy defensive aware coaches in the game.

Most of the Tampa fans seem upset that progress hasn't been linear so far this year. However what they fail to realize for the most part is that a young core of players gets beat in the first or second round of the playoffs for 3-5 years straight before they get the reps in and get hip to the playoff game.

Most reasonable people thought this series was gonna go 6-7 games. I am surprised with the Wings grabbing 3 games so far. But the goaltending outside of game 2 has been phenomenal. And as many wings fans will tell you over the years all it takes sometimes even if you are outmatched in just about every other category a goalie playing out of his mind can win a series for you.

 

[Reno]

 

[DFC]

Interference and obstruction are the playoffs whether the casual fan cares to see it or not is irregardless but Tampa is a young team that hasn't learned what it takes to win in the playoffs.

The Wings are lead by veteran cup winning letter wearing players who combined have over 400 playoff games played. Who are coached by one of the most stingy defensive aware coaches in the game.

Most of the Tampa fans seem upset that progress hasn't been linear so far this year. However what they fail to realize for the most part is that a young core of players gets beat in the first or second round of the playoffs for 3-5 years straight before they get the reps in and get hip to the playoff game.

Most reasonable people thought this series was gonna go 6-7 games. I am surprised with the Wings grabbing 3 games so far. But the goaltending outside of game 2 has been phenomenal. And as many wings fans will tell you over the years all it takes sometimes even if you are outmatched in just about every other category a goalie playing out of his mind can win a series for you.

TB fan in 100% agreement.

 

[odin1981]

TB fan in 100% agreement.

Funny how you also use to cheer for the Wings before you went traitor.

But I do know you have seen what is needed for many years and know it doesn't happen overnight (outside of L.A. they where a bit of a outlier).

 

[Nomahe]

I wish this were Reddit so I could upvote you so much for that

 

[DFC]

Funny how you also use to cheer for the Wings before you went traitor.

But I do know you have seen what is needed for many years and know it doesn't happen overnight (outside of L.A. they where a bit of a outlier).

I went traitor with Yzerman. Although it was more like I realized I was cheering for the core of that old team--grind line era, which spans a lot--and then suddenly they were just all gone. I went through a couple of years where I just sort of loosely followed and then TB swept me up when Yzerman was hired, but it was mostly because Steven Stamkos was mesmerizing to watch that got me hooked. I'd also been following TB for Marty St. Louis anyway (ironic, I know, wrt MSL/Yzerman) for years, because I saw a lot of his AHL career live. So it was a fit.

But yeah, cheering for the Wings through that era gave you a much different perspective on winning and losing than I think most fans have. Some of those disappointments were crushing, to say the least. I still have a hard time seeing Chris Osgood on the Wings' broadcast without remembering the night vs. San Jose. But man, did all those failures make victory feel sweet.

 

[Dotter]

I knew Mrazek was going to dominate and was looking to Zetterberg to having a big game. He shut down his opponent nicely.

That said, I think we're going to see a desperate Tampa team come out firing at the Joe. Wings need not celebrate anything yet. They still have lots of work to do.

That said, I miss Franzen.

 

[odin1981]

I went traitor with Yzerman. Although it was more like I realized I was cheering for the core of that old team--grind line era, which spans a lot--and then suddenly they were just all gone. I went through a couple of years where I just sort of loosely followed and then TB swept me up when Yzerman was hired, but it was mostly because Steven Stamkos was mesmerizing to watch that got me hooked. I'd also been following TB for Marty St. Louis anyway (ironic, I know, wrt MSL/Yzerman) for years, because I saw a lot of his AHL career live. So it was a fit.

But yeah, cheering for the Wings through that era gave you a much different perspective on winning and losing than I think most fans have. Some of those disappointments were crushing, to say the least. I still have a hard time seeing Chris Osgood on the Wings' broadcast without remembering the night vs. San Jose. But man, did all those failures make victory feel sweet.

I was just giving you a playful jab its ok mate.

I just think quite a bit of your HF fan base had unrealistic expectation given that your team is exceptional in the long preseason. They need to have first hand experiance of what it takes a few times to understand how to win come real season time.

Granted most of the eastern team fan bases underrate the Wings greatly. But they don't really know how they roll yet.

You specifically understand more than anyone else that the Detroit Red Wings while they aren't top tier cup contenders any longer are not the easy out many fan bases of eastern teams seem to think.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

I knew Mrazek was going to dominate and was looking to Zetterberg to having a big game. He shut down his opponent nicely.

That said, I think we're going to see a desperate Tampa team come out firing at the Joe. Wings need not celebrate anything yet. They still have lots of work to do.

That said, I miss Franzen.

Even though he floats (most of the time) Id rather have an invisible guy then a guy that gives the puckaway every single shift

 

[SpookyTsuki]

I was just giving you a playful jab its ok mate.

I just think quite a bit of your HF fan base had unrealistic expectation given that your team is exceptional in the long preseason. They need to have first hand experiance of what it takes a few times to understand how to win come real season time.

Granted most of the eastern team fan bases underrate the Wings greatly. But they don't really know how they roll yet.

You specifically understand more than anyone else that the Detroit Red Wings while they aren't top tier cup contenders any longer are not the easy out many fan bases of eastern teams seem to think.

Some duck fans and Chicago fans are like

Lol, You guys are counting the wings out, Yall gunna be mad soon

 

[DFC]

I was just giving you a playful jab its ok mate.

I just think quite a bit of your HF fan base had unrealistic expectation given that your team is exceptional in the long preseason. They need to have first hand experiance of what it takes a few times to understand how to win come real season time.

Granted most of the eastern team fan bases underrate the Wings greatly. But they don't really know how they roll yet.

You specifically understand more than anyone else that the Detroit Red Wings while they aren't top tier cup contenders any longer are not the easy out many fan bases of eastern teams seem to think.

Yeah. Last year I think the Lightning learned that the playoffs are just different. Higher pace, etc etc. But this year they learned that even if they can beat a team at that game--pace, speed, intensity--the other team can still adjust and take that away from them too. ("Just when you think you have all the answers, we change the question!" -- I think that's from pro wrestling too.)

I feel like in a lot of ways we're seeing Jon Cooper's baptism by fire every bit as much as the team's though. He came into the post season saying he wasn't going to make adjustments based on the opponent. He was going to let the opponent adjust to us. Well, the opponent did. They adjusted very well. Now the ball is in Cooper's court and I'm not sure he knows how to deal with it.

I think this series has exposed some pretty major flaws in Cooper (our third line... again) but he's also shown a little bit of progression. The fact that he's making desperation moves now, late in games, is actually a step forward. Usually he just goes down with whatever decisions he made pre-game.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Tampa's doing about what I expected of them. Looking like a team learning as they go and not ready for a deep run. That said I stand by my Tampa in 7 pick. If the Wings take the series it's obviously one of the biggest upsets in recent years. And don't give me no "it's not an upset 'cause it's Detroit". No one gave them a chance, most didn't even think they'd make it to 6 or 7 games. Goes for both fans and 'experts'.

 

[SchultzSquared*]

Tampa's doing about what I expected of them. Looking like a team learning as they go and not ready for a deep run. That said I stand by my Tampa in 7 pick. If the Wings take the series it's obviously one of the biggest upsets in recent years. And don't give me no "it's not an upset 'cause it's Detroit". No one gave them a chance, most didn't even think they'd make it to 6 or 7 games. Goes for both fans and 'experts'.

You can never discount the work output that a vet laden team will bring against a very young one in the NHL playoffs... sure key DET forwards are under 25... but the core of the club is still Zetterberg Datsyuk Kronwall and Helm... Quincey Zidlicky and Cole have also chipped in at clutch moments... this is a team that could reach the ECF should they remain healthy down the middle

 

[gretskidoo]

AHL coaches don't always translate so well into being NHL coaches. I would kill to have a coach like Babcock. It took almost five games for Cooper to move Stamkos off the first line. I'm not saying Cooper is a bad coach as his regular season record speaks for its self but his adjustments in two playoffs series so far has been minimal. He scratched one of our best players in Nesterov for ****s sake to get Morrow and Namestnikov in who both have been complete non-factors for this team.

Daniel Cleary.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Daniel Cleary.

Todd Bertuzzi

 

[Larrybiv]

Absolutely. He could turn into a bust. What I was replying to was you saying this nobody with no experience.





Tampa HAS tested him. 44 shots in game one. It's not his fault that Detroit has clamped down and played a 2-way game ever since and Conner doesn't know what to do to adjust.
If you knew the Red Wings, you'd know almost all of them stay down for years whether they were ready to play or not. It may not be the right way but the Wings don't push players into the NHL like everyone else. Mantha is the latest example. It shouldn't be a negative against Mrazak because of the system.

In 2002 we had 9-11 HOF's on the team. That's more than some teams in their history. Datsyuk was on the 4th line even with his dangling skills. It took him years to move up and he's done ok.

From afar, I've admired the Red Wings and their system of NOT rushing players into the NHL. Yes, I've known that, and opposed to ALL the other teams that have rushed some kids to the NHL prematurely and ruining some careers. In order not to rush them, you have to be patient. It helps that you're team is successful while waiting, so you don't "have to make rash decisions". You're NHL team has to be set, (meaning no black holes/underacheivers) while stockpiling and nurturing good young talent. For years, they were the closest thing to "keeping a team together" like way back in the 70's. These days with the cap and all, it's much more difficult, if not impossible to do. So kudos to that your organization, an organization of stability, which those 24 years pretty much encapsulates.

That being said, I admit my knowlege of your kid was minimal, just like many who may never have known who Cam Talbot was before his very well known "2 months of fame" covering for the injured Henrik.

In the red.......lmao

 

[CupsOverCash]

I just hope the Lightning play a great game on Monday. Even if they lose they went out playing good playoff hockey and look like they have learned something. It's something to hang your hat on over the offseason. If not your wondering if they will ever be able to translate to playoff hockey. Hopefully Detroit gave them the learning lesson they have needed to grow up.

 

[benusmc]

What kind of idiots make these signs?

I like them!

 

[Larrybiv]

Some duck fans and Chicago fans are like

Lol, You guys are counting the wings out, Yall gunna be mad soon

That's funny, was thrilled to finally get Detroit in the East (where they should've been) and would love nothing more than make an original 6 rivalry with you guys. Ig took a year for the Wings to get accjstomed to the East, and you still made the PO's despite all of last years injuries. Knew the Wings would come back strong this year, and in no way i thought you'd be "easy" for any team that plays you. (Except when you play NYR) haha, a little levity here. See ya' in a couple of weeks.

P.S. Take those bums out from Canada, more so Montréal, less hate for Ottawa.

 

[King Mapes]

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