ECQF: Tampa Bay Lightning (A1) v Columbus Blue Jackets (WC2) — JACKETS WIN SERIES 4-0

[MelBridgeman]

Let's not forget that Columbus won the first two games against the Caps in OT and lost another 2 games in that series in OT. Quite different from what is happening now - given the lopsided score in Game 2 I am not sure Tampa has a time to turn that switch on.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Wow, in 82 regular season games, Tampa lost two games in a row only twice. What CBJ has already done defies the odds immensely, and if they take game 3, would hand Tampa their first 3 game losing streak this year.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by PugnaciousIntern

Wow, in 82 regular season games, Tampa lost two games in a row only twice. What CBJ has already done defies the odds immensely, and if they take game 3, would hand Tampa their first 3 game losing streak this year.

I would argue that Tampa has defied the odds all season and are just falling back to the mean a little bit. Full credit to Columbus though — they’ve been a question mark all year but are stepping it up when it matters the most.

[TheSaint]

The thing about Columbus that I don't think people remember because the season is so long but no one at the start of the year would have been all that surprised if they were first in their division. I'm not saying they were the consensus choice but they certainly weren't an outlandish choice.

There's a talent gap between them and Tampa Bay, no question, but I just don't think it's nearly as large as the gap between them in the standings would indicate.

[GranteedEV]

Tampa has a pair of key injuries. Hedman got a concussion on the 30th of March, and doesn't look at all right. Stralman missed games 1 and 2. It might actually be tough for them to win the next one without those two at least at ~75%. You need your blueline to be your rock in the playoffs.

[TheScorpion]

Columbus is good and deep. There's a lot to like about that team and I think they under-performed all year.

Panarin
Duchene
Atkinson
Dubois
Anderson
Dzingel
Bjorkstrand
Foligno
Jenner
Wennberg

That's a pretty deep forward group.

Jones
Savard
Werenski
Murray
Nutivaara

There's so much to like there. Jones and Murray are former top-5 picks, Werenski is a terrific two-way guy, and Savard has been a revelation this year.

Bobrovsky

When he's on, he's as good as they come.

[transplant99]

OK....this made me chuckle

Dan Rosen
@drosennhl
· 16h
Lightning coach Jon Cooper: "This is a five-alarm fire." Nailed it.

Then answered by Tychkowski from the Edmonton Sun

Rob Tychkowski
@Rob_Tychkowski
We have some water they can use.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Wow, in 82 regular season games, Tampa lost two games in a row only twice. What CBJ has already done defies the odds immensely, and if they take game 3, would hand Tampa their first 3 game losing streak this year.

[Caged Great]

Until they are shaking hands, I will consider TB the favourite to win the series, even if they go down 3-0. They are too good to doubt. If they get any momentum, the Jackets are done.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Until they are shaking hands, I will consider TB the favourite to win the series, even if they go down 3-0. They are too good to doubt. If they get any momentum, the Jackets are done.

If the Jackets keep playing as well as they have, beating them four times out of five might be an insurmountable challenge, no matter how good Tampa plays.

They've been a completely different team from the regular season. That's been as much of a surprise for me as Tampas play.

Heck, maybe bigger. Chokes happen all the time, but it's pretty rare that a team that looked like an also-ran all season suddenly turns up looking like a legit contender.

[Hockey-and_stuff]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

I just want to say that I really like Josh Anderson.
Very impressed by him.

I'd love to have him on the Flames. He's Bennett with finish.

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

[Vinny01]

This Jackets team has a 2006 Oilers feel to them. That Oiler team made 3 impact trades down the stretch that made them a dangerous 8 seed. Roloson, Spacek, Samsonov addressed their needs at the time and they complimented the core of that team and they knocked off a dominant Red Wings team in round 1.

The Jackets were big spenders at the deadline and added some high end players to compliment their decent core. I think Torts has them believing in themselves and playing with that chip on their shoulder. I think they split in Columbus, Tampa wins game 5 and Columbus closes it out in 6 at home. I could see them riding the wave through the second round as well

[atb]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

I just want to say that I really like Josh Anderson.
Very impressed by him.

Yeah big fan, plays with the edge that I wish Jankowski had in his game.

[GullFoss]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Here's the problem with making predictions: It's based on past information. Since there was countless evidence to suggest that the first game from Tampa Bay was an aberration, it wasn't ridiculous to make the claims I did. I don't know why I'm being singled out for those thoughts when they would be perfectly rational at the time, but go ahead, pile on.



Hands up those of you who had Tampa Bay suddenly forgetting how to play hockey. A team that dominated everyone in the league, including the Flames who were the 2nd best team and the top team in the West. This was a team that had everything a team needs to roll through the playoffs. They still do. If they figure out how to respond to this situation appropriately and fix their mental approach/effort level etc., they will be their old unstoppable selves.



It wouldn't surprise me at all to see Tampa storm back in this series. It also wouldn't surprise me at this point to see the Blue Jackets win the series in 5 or 6 games. The landscape has shifted drastically for the Lightning, but I don't think anyone should have logically expected this to happen, at least not to this extent.

Meh...I didn't see this coming. I said that the chance of something like this happening was higher than a lot of people were considering.

It's not the Tampa isn't the better team - they are. I won't ever argue Columbus is better.

But:

1) Columbus is better than a lot of people have given them credit for, with game breakers in their top 6, lots of depth up front and an impressive top-4 defense

2) Columbus has the best goalie in the league

3) going into the playoffs, Tampa hadn't faced adversity all year

If you seriously consider each of these points above in tandem with each other, there seemed to be a clear pathway for Columbus to win. Bob plays lights out. Tampa doesn't know how to deal with adversity. And the teams match up better than the standings (or columbus's play this regular season) suggested.

[Rtown]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

I just want to say that I really like Josh Anderson.
Very impressed by him.

Yup. When Treliving was looking for a big bodied, right handed shot I’d be all over Anderson if there was any way to snag him. I think he’d do well in the Western conference

[manwiches]

Not sure if its been mentioned, but if Columbus pulls off the "upset", the Flames have home ice all the way to through the final.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

[SixtySix]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Here's the problem with making predictions: It's based on past information. Since there was countless evidence to suggest that the first game from Tampa Bay was an aberration, it wasn't ridiculous to make the claims I did. I don't know why I'm being singled out for those thoughts when they would be perfectly rational at the time, but go ahead, pile on.

Hands up those of you who had Tampa Bay suddenly forgetting how to play hockey. A team that dominated everyone in the league, including the Flames who were the 2nd best team and the top team in the West. This was a team that had everything a team needs to roll through the playoffs. They still do. If they figure out how to respond to this situation appropriately and fix their mental approach/effort level etc., they will be their old unstoppable selves.

It wouldn't surprise me at all to see Tampa storm back in this series. It also wouldn't surprise me at this point to see the Blue Jackets win the series in 5 or 6 games. The landscape has shifted drastically for the Lightning, but I don't think anyone should have logically expected this to happen, at least not to this extent.

you're not being singled out because of your predictions, it was always fair to expect a sweep

you're being singled out because of how emphatic you were about it, how unwavering your confidence was that there was literally zero chance that cbj even wins a game, and how you haven't touched your crow yet

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

People keep introducing these lame analogues as if to diminish what Columbus has accomplished these past three days. How well do you remember that 2002 series? The Canucks lost because Dan Cloutier turned into a pumpkin in Game Three and allowed a goal from CENTRE ICE. I am not seeing a real clear correlation between the 2002 top-heavy Canucks with a bad goalie and this year's Columbus Blue Jackets.

It feels different this year.

Oh god, I laughed so hard when I saw that goal.

[EverfresH15]

They said on TV today that Hedman is a game time decision. Not looking good for TB.

[GioforPM]

I understand Cooper wanting to instil urgency but he's close to inducing panic instead.