ECF: (1) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (1) Washington Capitals | Series tied 3-3

[Walt Comiskey]

I feel better at least having the game at home. I think it at least gives us a chance.

Ask any Caps fan and they would prefer the Caps finished on the road. Excepting what we saw last night, the Caps just don't fare well at home. The home crowd could give TB the extra energy they lacked last night. Coin flip.

 

[God King Fudge]

Tampa really needs 4-5 PPs a game. A combination of the refs swallowing the whistle and the Caps playing really clean has dropped this to 1-2. Caps has 15 ES goals to Tampa 9 in the series. Tampa is just not built to play 55+ ES minutes vs a much bigger team. It all comes down to penalties.

I will agree to disagree. TB has been fine 5V5 all season.

What they need to do is actually show up to play. They haven't done that.

Tampa came to play in the first period of game 5 and ran Washington out of town. Then they quit moving their feet and got dominated again.

When TB works as hard as their opponent does, they can beat anyone in this league and make it look easy. It's relatively rare that they match the intensity, though.

 

[Homerhawk]

Man, it was a fun time at the game last night. Good luck Wednesday, Caps. Just play like you did last night and try to get the bounces to go your way.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Ask any Caps fan and they would prefer the Caps finished on the road. Excepting what we saw last night, the Caps just don't fare well at home. The home crowd could give TB the extra energy they lacked last night. Coin flip.

Washington played a great home game last night. Im hoping the Lightning get a boost from the home crowd. Coop said that home games in the playoffs arent too big of an advantage but game 7 is. We will see if hes right.

 

[K Fleur]

Ovechkin was great last night. One of his best playoff games from start to finish.

 

[Haj]

I'm not a fan of any team that was actually in the playoffs this year.

But I've watched every single game start to finish. Its an emotional roller coaster even without a "real" rooting interest.

After last night, I'm not ready for game 7. Not ready for the Stanley Cup either. I love it.

I have no idea what will happen Wednesday.

 

[Haj]

I just have not seen a single indicator that Tampa Bay is ready to play a 60 minute game. Hell, I haven't seen an indicator that they're ready to play a 40 minute game. The best we've seen them do is control a 21 minute stretch of play and then just hold on for dear life for the next 39 minutes while the Caps did literally whatever they wanted.

I think game 7 is a repeat of game 6, but it's gets much uglier much faster for TB.

Not sure if I agree with this. TB completely controlled game 5. All their shots from right in front of the net, while the Capitals were kept out of that area.

 

[Just Rude]

This series has been fantastic. These two teams are so evenly matched, it only makes sense they go 7.

It's a coin flip, but I think the Caps find a way to get it done tomorrow. I think it's finally OV's time, and he is going to be a man on a mission in Game 7.

 

[Pilky01]

Ovechkin winning the Cup is the only thing that can redeem this NHL season.

 

[kuzy92]

I will agree to disagree. TB has been fine 5V5 all season.

What they need to do is actually show up to play. They haven't done that.

Tampa came to play in the first period of game 5 and ran Washington out of town. Then they quit moving their feet and got dominated again.

When TB works as hard as their opponent does, they can beat anyone in this league and make it look easy. It's relatively rare that they match the intensity, though.

Why is it always the team not playing up to their potential and not the other team dictating the terms of play? Maybe there is a reason that the Bolts aren't playing well 5x5 and that reason just may be that Washington has dictated the play..

 

[kuzy92]

Not sure if I agree with this. TB completely controlled game 5. All their shots from right in front of the net, while the Capitals were kept out of that area.

We must have been watching a different game because Washington in my opinion was much better in period 2 and 3 of game 5 but Vasi stood on his head..

 

[God King Fudge]

Why is it always the team not playing up to their potential and not the other team dictating the terms of play? Maybe there is a reason that the Bolts aren't playing well 5x5 and that reason just may be that Washington has dictated the play..

Are you saying you think Tampa has played to their potential? If you are, you clearly don't watch them.

The Caps aren't without some credit, but Tampa has not shown up this series. That's obvious to anyone who's actually watched the games.

 

[CapsDC]

Why is it always the team not playing up to their potential and not the other team dictating the terms of play? Maybe there is a reason that the Bolts aren't playing well 5x5 and that reason just may be that Washington has dictated the play..

Because Tampa is so amazing, the only way they can fail to win the cup this year is if they screw it up. Other teams have no control over it, they are just showing up crossing their fingers.

Tampa is extremely talented but part of winning is actually putting it together on the ice/field/court. Not just showing flashes of greatness. If you can't do that then you truly aren't a great team

 

[domaug]

Ovechkin winning the Cup is the only thing that can redeem this NHL season.

lol redeem it from what and for who?

 

[HunterSThompson]

Why is it always the team not playing up to their potential and not the other team dictating the terms of play? Maybe there is a reason that the Bolts aren't playing well 5x5 and that reason just may be that Washington has dictated the play..

In reality it is almost always a mix of both.

 

[CapsDC]

Are you saying you think Tampa has played to their potential? If you are, you clearly don't watch them.

The Caps aren't without some credit, but Tampa has not shown up this series. That's obvious to anyone who's actually watched the games.

Caps fans know all too well that potential and $2 gets you a coffee. If they wanted to award championships to the overall best/most talented team they wouldn't even have playoffs. Play a long regular season to minimize variance and crown the best record and the Caps would have a couple of cups already. Unfortunately for DC they don't do it that way

 

[T REX]

Man reading the beggining of this thread where Tampa fans were saying

Point >= Kuznetsov

is ****ing hilarious.




















Any of you guys want to defend this idea that it is reasonable to compare Point and Kuznetsov?

I already said Kuz>>>>point a long time ago.

Selective reading on your part. The Caps are just a better team and have history on their side now. No team has ever come back from down 0-2 at home in the conference finals.

 

[God King Fudge]

Caps fans know all too well that potential and $2 gets you a coffee. If they wanted to award championships to the overall best/most talented team they wouldn't even have playoffs. Play a long regular season to minimize variance and crown the best record and the Caps would have a couple of cups already. Unfortunately for DC they don't do it that way

....that's my point?

Tampa is playing like they're owed something. The effort isn't there and that's why they didn't close out the series when they had a chance.

I'm debating someone that acted like TB has shown up in this series and that they're looking bad because the Caps are so good.

 

[kicksavedave]

Ovechkin winning the Cup is the only thing that can redeem this NHL season decade.

Agreed.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

So a team that has the likes of Chris Kunitz and Ryan Callahan in their line up, only garners one penalty in the last two games.

The whole Lightning team must be considered candidates for the Lady Byng trophy this year.

 

[CapsDC]

....that's my point?

Tampa is playing like they're owed something. The effort isn't there and that's why they didn't close out the series when they had a chance.

I'm debating someone that acted like TB has shown up in this series and that they're looking bad because the Caps are so good.

You're selling the Caps short though. It's like someone else said, when a good team doesn't get it done in the playoffs it's always a little of both. Earlier games in the series maybe Tampa was sleepwalking and allowed the Caps to take it too easily. The Caps did the same thing in game 3 and first period of game 5. Last night to me they just got overwhelmed by the Caps intensity and had no answer for any of it. Yeah last night the Caps were so good

 

[third man in]

This is what the Caps do. Win game 6 to give their fans hope then lose game 7 in embarrassing fashion to crush their dreams for yet another year.

Good thing they dispatched the pens in 6 then

 

[McClelland]

I see a pattern here, Caps 2 straight wins Tampa 3 straight wins , ....................!

 

[Drakon]

So a team that has the likes of Chris Kunitz and Ryan Callahan in their line up, only garners one penalty in the last two games.

The whole Lightning team must be considered candidates for the Lady Byng trophy this year.

That cheapshot by McDonaugh was particularly egregious. Prison rules is fine if we don't get tripping calls like the one on Backstrom, but I don't get the lack of consistency.

 

[CupsOverCash]

I think the Caps are the better team, however TB is also good enough to beat them on any given night. So its much closer than people think. Game 7 will be a toss up. Whoever scores first likely wins the game.