ECQF: (1) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (WC2) New Jersey Devils | Tampa Leads Series 3-1

[ncm7772]

Well I certainly hope the lightning see us as such easy opponents the way plenty of people in here do. By all means, don’t take us seriously at all.

Well, the Devils are the 8th seed. Haven't made the playoffs in six years. Your team isn't going to be favored. Relax.

 

[Its a Trap]

Well, the Devils are the 8th seed. Haven't made the playoffs in six years. Your team isn't going to be favored. Relax.

Tis remarkable that’s what you got from my post.

 

[LightningStrikes]

The Devils have always matched up pretty well against us in the past. Hall is on a scary run, Kinkaid looks legit and they're over all a very balanced team. I have a lot of respect for the Devils and would have prefered to face Toronto tbh. That said, I do believe the Lightning have another gear. A playoff spot wasn't in question for so long, players just wanted to get it over with and step on playoff ice already. Every team we've faced in the past month or so wanted to show the hockey world that they could hang with us, play us hard, give 110%. For us it was just another almost meaningless hockey game. Get out there, score a couple, try some new line combinations, see where newcomers JT Miller and Ryan McDonagh and callups Anthony Cirelli or Adam Erne could fit but most importantly: don't get injured. Which btw explains our subpar PK numbers. No point for Hedman, Stralman, McDonagh, Stamkos, Palat or Callahan to risk a hand or foot injury while blocking a shot on the PK in a meaningless game against the likes of Arizona or Carolina when you have locked up a playoff spot weeks ago.

Even in this "laid back" phase the Lightning had their share of statement games. Shutout win against Boston. Coming back from 0-3 to win 4-3 against Toronto. That's not a fluke. That's the team we will see in a few days. I don't doubt for one second that the Lightning will show up in early season form once the playoffs start. They're still pissed about missing the playoffs last season by a hair. They're still pissed that they have been stopped in the ECF and the SCF the years before. This is the most stacked team that has ever stepped on the ice wearing the Bolt on the jersey in Tampa Bay: We have legit 2nd liners playing on the 3rd line (Johnson, Palat, Gourde, Killorn), we have a legit 1C playing 2nd line (Point), we have a legit top-2 defenseman playing on the 2nd D pairing (McDonagh). You know this team is deep and every line can score. The only questionmark for me is Vasilevskiy.

Bolts in 6.

 

[RussianGuyovich]

I will never forget stamkos’ first nhl playoff game. He was so excited. All zipping around. Until he met up with a brooks orpik check to his chest.

Devils gonna learn Thursday.

 

[Sensung]

Devils in 6.

Lightning poised for the choke.

 

[The Macho King]

Kucherov/Hall and so many more. This is going to be must-see each night.

Well you listed all of the good players on the Devils in this post, but you missed quite a few Lightning players.

 

[Ech0]

Hey Tampa, here's to a good series!

 

[Dont Toews Me Bro]

Series is not ending in 4 on either side....C'mon..

We'll just have to see

 

[The Macho King]

We'll just have to see

I understand his confusion.

@glenwo2 there's no equivalent of a "slaughter rule" in the NHL, so the Devils get to play at least four games no matter what.

 

[God King Fudge]

Hey @jorge martinez here we are. There's plenty of people picking TB, so you should have plenty of folks to crusade against.

 

[Nico the Draft Riser]

Hey @jorge martinez here we are. There's plenty of people picking TB, so you should have plenty of folks to crusade against.

Only one that matters is you

If Tampa doesnt win in 4-5 you were wrong

 

[ColePens]

Well you listed all of the good players on the Devils in this post, but you missed quite a few Lightning players.

You seriously think the only good Devil's player is Hall? Nobody else? Yiiikes. I know you've had hot takes blow up in your face before, but I guess lessons are never learned if you can just say what you want on the internet and never have to back it up.

Love how loaded Tampa is. Love how NJ is building. I think Tampa should win but NJ is one hell of a hockey team and will be in the coming years. Their hope that Kinkaid can hold the fort is one of the x-factors here. Their star goalie hasn't been a star and Kinkaid has stepped up. That should be huge advantage for Tampa.

 

[God King Fudge]

You seriously think the only good Devil's player is Hall? Nobody else? Yiiikes. I know you've had hot takes blow up in your face before, but I guess lessons are never learned if you can just say what you want on the internet and never have to back it up.

Love how loaded Tampa is. Love how NJ is building. I think Tampa should win but NJ is one hell of a hockey team and will be in the coming years. Their hope that Kinkaid can hold the fort is one of the x-factors here. Their star goalie hasn't been a star and Kinkaid has stepped up. That should be huge advantage for Tampa.

Vasilevski has has like....one game of note in the last month, which was the 4-0 SO vs Boston. We're talking about a guy who was the no question Vezina winner like 3 months ago, and now I think the only reason he's going to be nominated is because of his first half. He looks incredibly uncomfortable out there. Whether he gets rest or not. I'm not so sure goaltending is an advantage for TB right now.

If Vasy is back to form for the playoffs though, yeah. Gonna make it that much tougher.

 

[Burke the Legend]

Really like the Devils and they have a great future but in my experience things get tilted against young teams at their first playoff dance because they have trouble dealing with the pressure and finding that extra playoff gear against experienced playoff teams. Tampa and Vasilevsky have looked terrible the past month but I think they can get past the Devils, but it's not going to be a blowout, close series, Bolts in 7.

 

[FinnLightning26]

Vasilevski has has like....one game of note in the last month, which was the 4-0 SO vs Boston. We're talking about a guy who was the no question Vezina winner like 3 months ago, and now I think the only reason he's going to be nominated is because of his first half. He looks incredibly uncomfortable out there. Whether he gets rest or not. I'm not so sure goaltending is an advantage for TB right now.

If Vasy is back to form for the playoffs though, yeah. Gonna make it that much tougher.

Vasy's recent struggles are what makes me worry the most. He has to be on top of his game if we don't want to waste this season.

 

[PensandCaps]

Not liking how Vasy looks. Devils have waves of players to throw at the Lightning (12 10+ goal scoring forwards)

Devils in 6 or 7

 

[The Macho King]

Not liking how Vasy looks. Devils have waves of players to throw at the Lightning (12 10+ goal scoring forwards)

Devils in 6 or 7

Wow! All of those 10 goal scorers!

 

[LightningStrikes]

Not liking how Vasy looks. Devils have waves of players to throw at the Lightning (12 10+ goal scoring forwards)

Devils in 6 or 7

NJ has ten 10+ goal scorers (178 goals), not twelve. Tampa have eleven (230 goals).
And why make the cut at 10 goals? NJ has three 20+ goal scorers. Tampa has six (seven if you count Miller).

Now what.

 

[PensandCaps]

NJ has ten 10+ goal scorers (178 goals), not twelve. Tampa have eleven (230 goals).
And why make the cut at 10 goals? NJ has three 20+ goal scorers. Tampa has six (seven if you count Miller).

Now what.

You're not counting Grabner and Maroon...they have 12.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Yea our depth is definitely better than the Devils. I like our D more. Only thing I can give the Devils the edge in is goaltending. Vasi hasnt been good lately. If NJ can win the goaltending battle, they could win the series. However I feel like we will see a better Vasi now that the playoffs are here. He seems to get dialed in for these big situations.

 

[God King Fudge]

Not liking how Vasy looks. Devils have waves of players to throw at the Lightning (12 10+ goal scoring forwards)

Devils in 6 or 7

While I agree with the bolded, it's not like it isn't true as well for TB. Vasilevksi has 3825 minutes of ice time this season vs 2297 for Kinkaid and despite his struggles, still has better numbers. So a struggling Vasy playing an enormous amount of minutes (24 games) over his opposition is still posting better numbers than him.

TB doesn't have 12 10 goal scorers, but they have two 30+ goal scorers, four 20+ goal scorers and 4 10+ goal scorers (where NJ only has 1 30+ and 2 20+ and 7 10+) so it's not as if TB doesn't have the same ability to throw out lines of guys that can score.

This will ultimately come down to goaltending, though. Both teams are going to score. It's just a question of who is showing up for TB. If it's the Vasilevski from the first half of the year, it's not even a contest. If it's the guy who I'm less confident in than Louis Domingue.....we're gonna have to win 8-7 every game.

 

[The Macho King]

You're not counting Grabner and Maroon...they have 12.

I mean, you're complimenting their scoring depth while ignoring the fact that Tampa scored like 295 goals this season.

 

[Master P]

The only guarantee is that one fan base will be disappointed with the end result.

 

[PensandCaps]

I mean, you're complimenting their scoring depth while ignoring the fact that Tampa scored like 295 goals this season.

I'm not ignoring anything. I wasn't comparing the two teams in the first place. Just talking about the Devils and their depth.


Everyone knows Tampa has the best Scoring depth in the league. Didn't feel like I needed to mention that...

 

[The Winter Soldier]

If Devils can go into TB and win one of the first 2 games. A seed has been planted. Really in the NHL now, there are no true favorties and underdogs in the first rd. Surely we should have learned this with LA, winning the cup, and Philly and Nashville(94pts last season) almost winning one by being bubble playoffs teams going as far as they did.

I will simply maintain since week 3 this season, the Devils are a very good team. They play hard, fast, and tenacious on the puck. They would present a problem to any NHL team in the 1st rd.