What did people want us to do, run Kucherov all night? Take a bunch of penalties in retaliation and put a PP that has killed us out there even more?
Yup.The top guys will learn how to respond in the playoffs.
Look back and almost every team had playoff difficulties earlier in their career before they finally went on a run.
Kings -- Out in 6 in 2009-10, miss the playoffs in 2010-11, and then cup win in 2011-12
Penguins -- First round knockout in 2006-07 and then back to back SCF appearances
Blackhawks -- Kane and Toews both had .75PPG when they made the WCF in 2008-09. Next year they both had 29 points in 22 games.
Predators -- Took a couple years before they finally went on a run.
This is the first playoff series for a lot of our guys playing prominent roles. It's an entirely different game against a battle-tested opponent. I'd like to see them do better, but it's not like this series was going to be a cakewalk.