Eastern Conference QF: Columbus Blue Jackets vs Tampa Bay Lightning

[Theo Von]

3rd lowest percentage to make it to the 2nd round according to moneypuck. interesting.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

One thing I can promise from myself:

Even though I don't think we have a chance in hell of winning this series, it won't be due to lack of trying or lack of resiliency. I have on more than one occasion counted out the team thinking they would fold because the going got to tough or because they were just going to "Blue Jacket" it up. And while they still do love to piss away leads, I will now stop doubting their team wide mental fortitude. They have at the least earned that from me. They battle and never quit, even when everyone counts them out (myself included).

 

[ClevelandUke]

They have way better depth than Toronto does and have more firepower than we do. Top end talent isn’t even close (even with those injuries). They severely out do us in forwards, we out do them in Defense, and goaltending is theirs.

Unlike Toronto however, there is the revenge factor. They’re going to be licking their lips going into this series, and I’m pretty sure we don’t have the horses to stay with them this time.

Our powerplay being as bad as it is really hurts any odds of us advancing. I do agree it is SIMILAR to the Toronto series, but I think Tampa plays an overall better team defense Than Toronto does. Plus, they’re battle tested and have a good special teams.

youre confusing last years TB team with this years.

last years TB had a +104 GD. this years? 49.

their goalie had a .925 save% on 2.40 GAA, this year is down to .916 and up to 2.56

this year they were on pace to be a 50 win team at best, not the 62 win monster they were last year.

Kucherov, Point and Stamkos got their points, outside of them, no one else was a serious threat on offense this year

 

[ViD]

youre confusing last years TB team with this years.

last years TB had a +104 GD. this years? 49.

their goalie had a .925 save% on 2.40 GAA, this year is down to .916 and up to 2.56

this year they were on pace to be a 50 win team at best, not the 62 win monster they were last year.

Kucherov, Point and Stamkos got their points, outside of them, no one else was a serious threat on offense this year

But that was due to them having an awful start: I think they were a clear top 3 team in the league in the second half

 

[CBJWerenski8]

youre confusing last years TB team with this years.

last years TB had a +104 GD. this years? 49.

their goalie had a .925 save% on 2.40 GAA, this year is down to .916 and up to 2.56

this year they were on pace to be a 50 win team at best, not the 62 win monster they were last year.

Kucherov, Point and Stamkos got their points, outside of them, no one else was a serious threat on offense this year

I think Tampa coasted through large amounts of the regular season, still reeling in what happened last year. The offensive depth isn't better than last years Tampa team, but I think its better than Toronto's. Plus, like I said, I think their defensive play improved even if their goaltending numbers got worse.

 

[ClevelandUke]

I think Tampa coasted through large amounts of the regular season, still reeling in what happened last year. The offensive depth isn't better than last years Tampa team, but I think its better than Toronto's. Plus, like I said, I think their defensive play improved even if their goaltending numbers got worse.

if they costed in a year that they HAD to show improvement, then we will sweep again, it shows they dont have the mentality to win playoff games.

 

[majormajor]

One thing I can promise from myself:

Even though I don't think we have a chance in hell of winning this series, it won't be due to lack of trying or lack of resiliency. I have on more than one occasion counted out the team thinking they would fold because the going got to tough or because they were just going to "Blue Jacket" it up. And while they still do love to piss away leads, I will now stop doubting their team wide mental fortitude. They have at the least earned that from me. They battle and never quit, even when everyone counts them out (myself included).

I feel like that's been old news for years now. It's long been a team with no quit. In my mind the SOJ days ended eight years ago.

 

[Viqsi]

if they costed in a year that they HAD to show improvement, then we will sweep again, it shows they dont have the mentality to win playoff games.

Would strongly caution against jumping to this sort of conclusion. The regular season is not the playoffs.

 

[majormajor]

youre confusing last years TB team with this years.

last years TB had a +104 GD. this years? 49.

their goalie had a .925 save% on 2.40 GAA, this year is down to .916 and up to 2.56

this year they were on pace to be a 50 win team at best, not the 62 win monster they were last year.

Kucherov, Point and Stamkos got their points, outside of them, no one else was a serious threat on offense this year

Their secondary scoring is still fantastic. Cirelli, Killorn, and Palat all picked it up this year, scoring at a better pace than they did a year ago.

if they costed in a year that they HAD to show improvement, then we will sweep again, it shows they dont have the mentality to win playoff games.

I don't follow. I'm pretty sure this just doesn't make any sense.

The regular season is such a cakewalk for Tampa. They spent the first couple months of the season trying to win in different ways to make themselves more versatile for the playoffs. They were by far the best team in the league from December 1st onward,

Tampa didn't need to show improvement in their regular season record. They needed to show improvement in their toughness and versatility.

 

[ClevelandUke]

Would strongly caution against jumping to this sort of conclusion. The regular season is not the playoffs.

Would strongly recommend avoiding this opinion.

 

[ClevelandUke]

Their secondary scoring is still fantastic. Cirelli, Killorn, and Palat all picked it up this year, scoring at a better pace than they did a year ago.



I don't follow. I'm pretty sure this just doesn't make any sense.

The regular season is such a cakewalk for Tampa. They spent the first couple months of the season trying to win in different ways to make themselves more versatile for the playoffs. They were by far the best team in the league from December 1st onward,

Tampa didn't need to show improvement in their regular season record. They needed to show improvement in their toughness and versatility.

No, they werent. not even close actually.

They were an historic regular season team, that got swept in the first round, the hockey world was watching to see how much of a fluke last year was for them and they proved alot of people right.

tampa isn't built for the playoffs, and if they cant win in the regular season, boy are things going to look ugly for their whole FO, not just Cooper.

 

[majormajor]

No, they werent. not even close actually.

They were an historic regular season team, that got swept in the first round, the hockey world was watching to see how much of a fluke last year was for them and they proved alot of people right.

tampa isn't built for the playoffs, and if they cant win in the regular season, boy are things going to look ugly for their whole FO, not just Cooper.

Your argument wouldn't make sense even if your facts were correct (they are not). Tampa literally has five more wins than anyone else from December 1st onward, and they'd be a juggernaut even if they didn't. There is no reality for "if they can't win in the regular season" when they won that often. Go find me one person who would be persuaded by this ludicrous argument.

 

[jonlin]

I`m actually thinking this should be tight. Tampa has better forwards and Columbus better defence. Tampa has top-notch goaltending, but the youngsters in Columbus have shown they are better play-off performers than Bob and with the boost they got from kicking Leafs ass you actually have a good chance. I`m taking Columbus in 7

 

[Oilers in NS]

Congrats Blue Jackets. You did Canada a favour beating the Leafs. I wish a could find the post I made last year to you guys saying Foudy was a dandy. He really impressed me junior. Great wheels

 

[rotsbu]

One thing I can promise from myself:

Even though I don't think we have a chance in hell of winning this series, it won't be due to lack of trying or lack of resiliency. I have on more than one occasion counted out the team thinking they would fold because the going got to tough or because they were just going to "Blue Jacket" it up. And while they still do love to piss away leads, I will now stop doubting their team wide mental fortitude. They have at the least earned that from me. They battle and never quit, even when everyone counts them out (myself included).

I was surprised but really shouldn't have been given the team under Torts in general and this year in particular that they played Game 5 last night as if the epic collapse of Game 4 had never happened. So, as you say, we can be assured the CBJ will give it their all the entire series. I suspect TB will take this series, but to win a series and move on while Panarin, Bob, and Duchenne were all already at home, I feel like we're playing with house money...and that's a fun position to be in!

 

[Long Live Lyle]

We were able to win a 5-game series with pretty awful play from Cam (two goals notwithstanding), Gus and Bjorkstrand.

1) That can’t happen moving forward.

2) Makes me feel pretty good if one (or two... or three...) of them can get going.

 

[ViD]

We were able to win a 5-game series with pretty awful play from Cam (two goals notwithstanding), Gus and Bjorkstrand.

1) That can’t happen moving forward.

2) Makes me feel pretty good if one (or two... or three...) of them can get going.

If our PP finally delivers, Tampa is in trouble

 

[Socks]

If our PP finally delivers, Tampa is in trouble

Lol! That’s adorable.

 

[The don godfather]

With you guys having Jones and werenski and your super goaltending tandem mixed in with torts stifling block shot first defense. Anything is possible with you guys. I'm impressed.

 

[DarkandStormy]

I'll be interested to see what Torts does with his lines. Need to get at least 9-10 minutes out of that 4th line. If Anderson is cleared it changes the dynamics for sure.

42 & 18 look good together. Seems like they're fine with either 13 on their right side or 19, like we saw a bit of last night.
14 & 38 look good together. They found a bit of chemistry with 71 on their right side.
This, unfortunately, might leave Bjorkstrand out of the top six...which is wild. OBJ had the best xG% of the series but wasn't on the ice for a single goal. He needs to get going.
So where that leave the 3rd line?
19-20-28, if Cam takes the 1RW spot back. I suppose you could throw Wennberg in here at center, but he's clearly in the doghouse if you've been tracking his usage.
And a 4th line of...50-10-77?

If we're going to use the 4th line as a "specialty unit" reserve, then Wennberg for his PKing and if Anderson isn't ready to go, then Bemstrom for his PP shot. I don't know though. Can't play 13, 28, 71, 19, 77, 52 all on the right side. So like I said, interesting decisions on the horizon for Torts especially with Foudy finding his game. Would love to see Texier or Foudy get a crack at center so we could actually roll four lines instead of sheltering Wennberg's ineffective ass, but I doubt Torts is going to let one of them go down the middle in the playoffs just for the heck of it. Our lack of center depth is really showing right now.

So anyway, I like a lot of the wingers, but the centers behind PLD are a pretty big miss. Jenner is fine as a 3C, imo, though still kind of slow. I prefer him on the wing but whatever. The team found some dangerous combinations, but Andy being cleared would be great and would give Torts maybe 11 forwards he trusts instead of 10.

 

[GoJackets1]

Some of y'all are insane if you really think we could sweep Tampa again. We couldn't sweep Toronto- a highly skilled offensive team in their own right, but lacking in elements that Tampa has- but we're going to sweep Tampa?

Here's the elements of Tampa that didn't worry me about Toronto:

• Revenge factor (for this reason alone I wanted to play Tampa the least of any of the possibilities)
• Strong team oriented play (Generalizing here, but Toronto is a bunch of individuals that play like individuals)
• Experienced offensive depth (Beyond the big offensive guns, they have Johnson, Killorn, Palat, Cirelli, Gourde)
  • Those guys I listed above, 3 of them have 70 games of playoff experience, and Cirelli and Gourde, a couple of the least playoff-experienced Tampa forwards, have the same amount as any of the Leafs forwards outside of Spezza, Clifford, and Tavares.
• An all around massively better, more experienced defense.
• A more talented goalie (who admittedly played like shit last year, but still Vasy > Anderson)

That's a lot of stuff that Tampa has that Toronto doesn't have. I'm hoping we can take this one to game 6 or 7, just for the excitement of a long series and a game 7, but I'm thinking we win one game. Play like we did last night all series and we'll win two or hopefully three.

 

[Cowumbus]

Tampa in 5.

Coleman, Goodrow are huge adds. Every Tampa line is better (on paper)

 

[CharlotteJacket]

We suck in afternoon games... Torts needs to bubble us into alternate reality, we suck in the afternoon..

I think everybody sucks in afternoon games so the suckage should be equal.

 

[DarkandStormy]

Coleman, Goodrow are huge adds.

I'm sorry, what.

 

[stevo61]

Tampa in 5.

Coleman, Goodrow are huge adds. Every Tampa line is better (on paper)

Good thing hockey is played on paper