Does Tampa have what it takes to win the Cup?

[txpd]

That puts it better than anything I've seen before. We tend to see our team do the same things over and over and over, long past the point where it's obviously not going to work. We made very few, if any, changes in that Washington series. We kept skating through mud in the neutral zone, dumping the puck, and Washington would then fairly easily beat us to it and head the other way. It was infuriating to watch.

All that said, we've seen Cooper adapt on the fly a lot better this year than in years past.

The thing there is puck retrieval on the dump in. Not the dump in itself.

 

[BHD]

That puts it better than anything I've seen before. We tend to see our team do the same things over and over and over, long past the point where it's obviously not going to work. We made very few, if any, changes in that Washington series. We kept skating through mud in the neutral zone, dumping the puck, and Washington would then fairly easily beat us to it and head the other way. It was infuriating to watch.

All that said, we've seen Cooper adapt on the fly a lot better this year than in years past.

These playoffs should tell a lot.

 

[CupsOverCash]

You hope that your biggest issue was coaching. If your biggest issue was an assistant coach, I don't know what to say. Did the Caps beat the Lightning because they had Reirden?

I think the Capitals won that series because they physically destroyed the Lightning. They just had nothing left in the tank at the end.

How will the Lightning translate their regular season game to the playoffs? A lot of what works in the RS wont in the playoffs. The thing to focus on is the difference in the actual game in the playoffs vs regular season. Its not just intensity and desire that ramps up. The style of game that you have to play often changes.

I'm not saying that you guys won because of the assistant coach. Just saying it was an internal problem we had all year. Much of which seem to be gone this year. Is it because Bowness is gone or did Coop wise up to some things? We are pretty much the same roster minus a few players but we have a much better record. Thats not the sole reason for that either. Stamkos is playing like an elite player again. Point is better. McDonagh is playing much better than he did last year when we first acquired him. The one thing I will say that is different from last years team is Cernak has stepped up bigtime into our top 4. He is a physical presence that should help if we play heavier team. I guess Erne can help in that department too since we didnt have him in that series last year. But those are two rookies basically. So who knows how much they help us against a physical team. I would rather have them than not.

It will be interesting to see if we play the Caps again how we do this time. You guys dont have Trotz anymore it would be interesting to see if coaching was the biggest thing or if it was indeed you guys just physically wore us down. If I'm guessing it was both.

 

[txpd]

I'm not saying that you guys won because of the assistant coach. Just saying it was an internal problem we had all year. Much of which seem to be gone this year. Is it because Bowness is gone or did Coop wise up to some things? We are pretty much the same roster minus a few players but we have a much better record. Thats not the sole reason for that either. Stamkos is playing like an elite player again. Point is better. McDonagh is playing much better than he did last year when we first acquired him. The one thing I will say that is different from last years team is Cernak has stepped up bigtime into our top 4. He is a physical presence that should help if we play heavier team. I guess Erne can help in that department too since we didnt have him in that series last year. But those are two rookies basically. So who knows how much they help us against a physical team. I would rather have them than not.

It will be interesting to see if we play the Caps again how we do this time. You guys dont have Trotz anymore it would be interesting to see if coaching was the biggest thing or if it was indeed you guys just physically wore us down. If I'm guessing it was both.

The main thing that Trotz brought after the structure was being able to manage the team's mental damage done by losing. They didn't collapse like many thought they would. Most seem to think that the Caps program and their adjustments in game and in series came from Reirden. Not sure how much not having Trotz will matter.

The main problem I see for Tampa matching up against Washington is the increasing impact of Tom Wilson. You have to put your best d pair on the ice against Ovechkin and having Wilson on the same line scoring now at a 30 goal pace is just miserable for a long series. In fact if you looked at all 4 of the Caps series, they closed them out with a win streak after battling the first 4 games. A sure sign of wearing the opposition out.

Beat the Caps in 5 or you are trouble

 

[CupsOverCash]

The main thing that Trotz brought after the structure was being able to manage the team's mental damage done by losing. They didn't collapse like many thought they would. Most seem to think that the Caps program and their adjustments in game and in series came from Reirden. Not sure how much not having Trotz will matter.

The main problem I see for Tampa matching up against Washington is the increasing impact of Tom Wilson. You have to put your best d pair on the ice against Ovechkin and having Wilson on the same line scoring now at a 30 goal pace is just miserable for a long series. In fact if you looked at all 4 of the Caps series, they closed them out with a win streak after battling the first 4 games. A sure sign of wearing the opposition out.

Beat the Caps in 5 or you are trouble

They play 3 times in the next month. Should be interesting games to see. Not that they would represent what would happen in a 7 game series but it will be fun to watch nonetheless.

 

[txpd]

They play 3 times in the next month. Should be interesting games to see. Not that they would represent what would happen in a 7 game series but it will be fun to watch nonetheless.

I am not sure what value will come from those games. I can tell you from experience that if the Caps win them, you will say that the Lightning have nothing to play for. Which would be true. Just as a for instance.

A quick check of the schedule shows that the 1st and 3rd of those games are in Tampa. The 2nd game is the only home game but the back end of a back to back. The lightning are rested for all 3 with the game in Washington the front end of a back to back. TB should win all 3 of those. Don't you think?​

 

[CupsOverCash]

I am not sure what value will come from those games. I can tell you from experience that if the Caps win them, you will say that the Lightning have nothing to play for. Which would be true. Just as a for instance.

A quick check of the schedule shows that the 1st and 3rd of those games are in Tampa. The 2nd game is the only home game but the back end of a back to back. The lightning are rested for all 3 with the game in Washington the front end of a back to back. TB should win all 3 of those. Don't you think?​

As I said above it wouldnt represent a 7 game series, which is all that really matters. We will still get to see them after last years series. You know both teams will play hard even under the reckless schedule the regular season can be. It will also be will get an early peek at some possible match ups if we see each other in the playoffs. Maybe get a look at how TB handles Ovi and Wilson. I'm interested at least if we dont get to play you in the playoffs.

 

[Aoko]

They're playing their best hockey ever right now.

I hope it continues.

 

[RussianGuyovich]

The main thing that Trotz brought after the structure was being able to manage the team's mental damage done by losing. They didn't collapse like many thought they would. Most seem to think that the Caps program and their adjustments in game and in series came from Reirden. Not sure how much not having Trotz will matter.

The main problem I see for Tampa matching up against Washington is the increasing impact of Tom Wilson. You have to put your best d pair on the ice against Ovechkin and having Wilson on the same line scoring now at a 30 goal pace is just miserable for a long series. In fact if you looked at all 4 of the Caps series, they closed them out with a win streak after battling the first 4 games. A sure sign of wearing the opposition out.

Beat the Caps in 5 or you are trouble

but we don't have a tom wilson. guess we'll just have to enter these playoffs with the undisputed best team of the modern era and hope for the best.

 

[txpd]

but we don't have a tom wilson. guess we'll just have to enter these playoffs with the undisputed best team of the modern era and hope for the best.

As a Caps follower the best team of the modern era doesn't really impress. The Caps had that fairly recently and didn't win. Its fun to watch your team win all its games. It, however, makes it that much harder when you don't win.

Have fun.

 

[DistantThunderRep]

Hypothetical, not thinking we win, but seeing all these threads, what excuses will other fan bases make if Tampa wins the cup?

A) Well they didn't play "X" team.
B) Got easy matchups.
C) "X" player was injured and if he wasn't they wouldn't have stood a chance.

Just want to add, I think some sort of complaint regardless will come from Leaf fans or Bruins just due to the nature of the playoff structure. It's kind of inevitable to prepare for that maelstrom.

 

[ICanMotteBelieveIt]

Nope. My money is on the Senators this season!

What the f*** is this, are you trolling? They're the most stacked team in the league. Yeah, they got what it takes obviously. Will they do it this season however? Impossible to say.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Luck? TB had two chances to win their series with the Caps. They lost 4-0 and 3-0. Ovechkin scored a goal at 1:06 of the first period in game 7. What about that was luck??

Why do I see you in every Bolts thread? Enjoy your cup and stop being insecure.

 

[OilerTitanFan]

Elite scoring, elite defense, elite goaltending.

You forgot elite choking.

 

[OilerTitanFan]

Why do I see you in every Bolts thread? Enjoy your cup and stop being insecure.

How is he insecure when the caps got a cup? This tbay group has many of the same casts that choked. Eg stamkos and hedman.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

We were division rivals for years, I'll never forget Martin St.Louis wrap around goal in OT to knock out the Jagr caps. And Tampa Sweeping us in Round 2 of the Young Guns era.

You guys have an awesome roster this season. Best of luck

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

boston over tampa, sadly my leafs are too soft.

 

[flying squirrel]

Boy, seems like yesterday when the triplets (Kucherov, Johnson, Palat) arrived for the Lightning, but here we are. The Lightning peaked way ahead of schedule back then, have had a few deep playoff runs since reaching the finals too, and I'm hoping all that playoff experience gained helps this group on their quest to win a "Cup".

Seems like the Lightning have more attitude this season with the likes of McDonagh, Cernak, Erne, Joseph, and others bringing it. Paquette can bring it also! They'll need that toughness to go along with their skill for playoff hockey. There's no easy road in the playoffs and the Lightning will have to beat 4 solid teams to achieve the ultimate prize.......

 

[ovythegiraffe]

Haven't watched them play a lot this season, but last night against the jets their game speed felt just insane. Anything can happen in the playoffs but their confidence level looks to be off the charts on all levels of the game. Maybe if you play extremely physical and dirty against them with hard hits all over the ice you might crack their confidence, but simply out-playing them doesn't seem like much of an option

 

[MasterDecoy]

If the ‘77 Canadie— I mean Tampa can’t do it this year, when will they ever?

 

[libertarian]

The Caps winning it last year might mean that the Caps win it this year. Right? They both cant win it. Might well be that to get to the finals they will have to beat the Capitals.

Yes, the Capitals did win it last year. This after not getting past the 2nd round with 3 dominating President's Trophy teams. The Caps were legit contenders in other seasons in the Ovechkin era as well and failed.

A reality is that the failure creates a weight that a team has to carry into competition. In the Caps case that weight of failure and their choker reputation was a bigger obstacle than the teams they faced. Look at what is happening in Columbus. They load up with enough star power at the deadline that some were posting them as a cup contender. Look what the pressure is doing to them.

For Tampa they have to prove to themselves that they can get over the hump when the history of this group is that they cant

Good post. If TB plays like they can in the PO's like they are in the regular season they will win the cup. But the pressure to win it all for TB is at a all time high. Anything other then a cup win will be seen as a failure for the team. How they handle this pressure to win it all will be the difference between winning it all or going out of the PO's early.

 

[txpd]

Good post. If TB plays like they can in the PO's like they are in the regular season they will win the cup. But the pressure to win it all for TB is at a all time high. Anything other then a cup win will be seen as a failure for the team. How they handle this pressure to win it all will be the difference between winning it all or going out of the PO's early.

Agree. Also worth noting that regular season hockey and playoff hockey are different games. The skill set needed is often quite different. Playing the regular season schedule and playing the same team for as many as 7 games calls for different skills also from both the players and coaches. An effective way to win a best of 7 series might not work in the single game schedule of the regular season.

 

[Master P]

Can someone tell me if playoff hockey is different from regular season hockey? I don't think I've seen anyone mention this.

 

[Master P]

You forgot elite choking.

You really don't know what choking is do you? I don't blame you since you're an oilers fan though. How long has it been since you were in a position to choke?

 

[The Macho King]

You really don't know what choking is do you? I don't blame you since you're an oilers fan though. How long has it been since you were in a position to choke?

They choked to 3rd in the 2014 draft instead of their typical 1st overall.