Quote:
Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan
This is why it's sometimes bad to rest your players or just cruising for the playoffs to start. The Lightning had been on cruise control for a while prior to the start of the playoffs, and the Blue Jackets have already been playing playoff hockey for the last three weeks. There's the difference there. Tortorella is also getting the most out of his players.
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I never liked resting players like that, no matter how it's explained. Sure, if someone has a nagging minor injury, by all means, rest up for the final few games to be 100% to start the playoffs, but I was certainly not a fan of what Bill Peters did, sitting the entire blueline for a couple of games for no real reason at all. It always carries a big risk to disrupt the energy of teams who are already clinched for a long time.
Of course playing meaningless recreational hockey for a month messed around with Tampa, and paired with some injuries and an opponent in dog fight-mode with a giant chip on their shoulder it looks like it might end them.