Easy Stanley Cup win for Tampa?

[DFC]

TB is just a really, really good team. It's hard to say this was an easy path when Boston was the President's Trophy winner and everybody & their mother thought both CBJ and NYI would be their kryptonite.

Was it easy? Kinda. But that's because TB has been on a different level that the three teams they've beaten so far, and, Dallas needs to show us something or else they'll be #4. They won their lone game of the series on 4 days rest.

 

[DistantThunderRep]

Columbus made it hard in the beginning. They just match up so well against us.

Boston gave us basically a week long break because they were so easy.

Islanders put up a huge fight and came to play. Barzal!!!! I am just poking fun. Islanders were great.

Dallas as it stands right now is proving to be the same as Boston. But at least Dallas has the young talent to carry them in the future. Once Dallas dumps crutches like Perry and Benn, they can spend some actual money try get even better. Unlike Boston who basically has 1 more year before the old folks home bus shows up to pick up half the team.

 

[torniojaws]

Dallas has put a nice fight, but it seems Tampa players have finally woken up after being a bit shaky in the first 3 rounds. It's tight as it should be, being the final, but I think Tampa will win tonight.

 

[Hockeyholic]

I think Columbus, thus far, was the stiffest test because:

Of what happened last year.
Torts defensive system
TB needed a whack of OT periods to win a few games.

The most shocking performance was from Boston. They won game 1. Game 2 goes to OT. And they just get jumped on in that OT. TB wins. Rest is history.

Make no mistake. TB is not here if Boston scores in OT in game 2. That's just my opinion.

 

[Bruin]

Last time I checked, there was a game 6 scheduled for tonight, I'm betting TB doesn't think there is anything easy about winning the SC right about now.

 

[Bozo Nicholson]

Last time I checked, there was a game 6 scheduled for tonight, I'm betting TB doesn't think there is anything easy about winning the SC right about now.

Of course they don't. This thread is absurd.

 

[TT1]

Of course they don't. This thread is absurd.

It wasn't? Throughout the playoffs they looked like the better team even in the games they lost..

 

[ItsFineImFine]

I wouldn't say easy but Dallas was not the best team in the West at all this year imo. They took advantage of playoff reffing and injuries to other teams then ran out of gas and couldn't overcome Tampa's skill in the end.

Either way, better team won.

 

[dbieon12]

That was not easy. Dallas is a group of tough sons of Bettman.

 

[Avsboy]

No 7 game series for Tampa. I say, easy win

 

[TT1]

in other news, so much for the jinx thread

 

[Bozo Nicholson]

It wasn't? Throughout the playoffs they looked like the better team even in the games they lost..

You’re a genius lol

 

[Master P]

Son of a bitch

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Easiest cup to the path I've seen a team win.

 

[Yorkshire Leaf]

Easiest cup to the path I've seen a team win.

Easiest team to the win cup I’ve seen a path?

 

[Avsboy]

Tampa had an easy ride because they were too good. The teams they beat were all great opponents.

 

[Maelmoor]

We played the top defensive teams in the league, exactly the kind of opponents we have struggled with before.

None of the series were easy, we played against some great teams along the way, that's for sure.

 

[LightningStrikes]

We had to overcome Columbus - our nightmare from last season (1st round sweep after a historic reg).
We had to overcome Trotz - our nightmare from the year before (0 goals in 2 elimination games in the ECF).
We had to overcome Boston - the best team in the league (on paper) and the... perfection line (?).
We had to overcome Dallas - a team that just wouldn't go away and went through favorites like Colorado and Vegas, that put up a hell of a fight in the Finals while missing half their lineup.
We had to overcome our own past of being "playoff chokers", "not physically tough enough", "not mentally tough enough", "no leadership", "soft", "dirty"...
We had to overcome Yzerman leaving...
We had to overcome injury to Stamkos, our captain...
We had to overcome life in the bubble for 2 months...

This wasn't easy. But it was so satisfying!

 

[Rschmitz]

We had to overcome Columbus - our nightmare from last season (1st round sweep after a historic reg).
We had to overcome Trotz - our nightmare from the year before (0 goals in 2 elimination games in the ECF).
We had to overcome Boston - the best team in the league (on paper) and the... perfection line (?).
We had to overcome Dallas - a team that just wouldn't go away and went through favorites like Colorado and Vegas, that put up a hell of a fight in the Finals while missing half their lineup.
We had to overcome our own past of being "playoff chokers", "not physically tough enough", "not mentally tough enough", "no leadership", "soft", "dirty"...

This wasn't easy. But it was so satisfying!

and did it all without Stamkos for all but a few minutes

 

[notDatsyuk]

A lot of very close games, particularly against Columbus and Isles. Not easy.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

As for DAL: I already made a thread about how their run felt "strange" to me. The team is good but has never felt like a true contender for the Cup to me. But teams have faced worse teams in the SCF.

I disagree about Dallas, it felt strange but that's what hockey is so different to other sports, you just can't leave such teaù a single chance, TON of heart. And it took 6 games for a tampa core in its prime to defeat them. Dallas can keep his head up.

 

[1865]

It’s never easy winning the cup.

It was pretty easy winning the cup in the end.