The excuse that this was a young team learning in the playoffs doesn't hold water for me. This was the fourth playoff series as a group for Monahan, Gaudreau, Backlund, Bennett and Brodie.
Hamonic has been to the playoffs several times before. Gio has been there. It was Tkachuk's second trip. Frolik has his name on the Cup. Neal went to the finals with the last two teams to lose.
One player in the top six forwards was making his playoff debut - Lindholm. One member of the top-4 D was in his first post season - Hanifin.
This isn't some fresh faced group that's learning how to play in the second season. This is a group that has lost three of it's last four playoff series going back to 2015 in five games or fewer.
It's inexcusable to be done in five with the goaltending Smith gave them. They weren't prepared to do what needed to be done. The top players were not better than Colorado's top players. You have to hope they figure some things out this summer, otherwise a heart transplant will be in order.
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