[GDT] Lightning vs. Flames, 7 pm, SNF

[dash_pinched]

Originally Posted by shogged

Hopefully the Lightning press hard early and tire themselves out while we weather the storm. Then, as has been the case this season, we can turn up the intensity in the second and third and out work them for the win.

We should all hail this post as I feel it provides an accurate forecast of what may transpire tonight.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Feaster is back there in some capacity

Right - brain fart forgetting about him. Something to do with marketing.

[Gaudfather]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Right - brain fart forgetting about him. Something to do with marketing.

TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have named Jay Feaster to the position of executive director of community hockey development announced today. http://lightning.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=725564

He basically hands out Lightening hockey sticks to kids in the region.

[PaperBagger'14]

My hedman stick broke at the handle

[Stormchaser]

4-3 Lightning.

Monahan x2
Byron


Stamkos x 2
Kucherov
Johnston

[BurningSteel]

Uhm wheres the 6 goals by JhonnyG?

[trackercowe]

Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan

Tampa Bay argument

I can't think of many teams that have the quality and depth at all positions like they do. So yes, I put them top 5 in the league.

Blackhawks
Kings
Ducks
Lightning
Blues/Canadiens (hard to pick between the two)

Edit: Drouin caveat.

I see where you're going, but I would put a few more teams ahead of Tampa right now. Pittsburgh and San Jose are still better teams todat, at least until Tampa can win a playoff round. Then I would also put Minnesota and Dallas ahead of them, especially with the moves those teams made in the off-season. Tampa is definitely a team on the rise, but I don't think they'd be nearly as good playing the California teams multiple teams every year.

For me they would be right around Colorado, which I think is a pretty fair assessment right now on where both teams are at.

[Flamboyant 14]

Burke won't hire Babcock,he put the run to him in Anahiem with a lowball offer.Word was Babcock came to Sutter for advice.Sutter said you won't be out of work for long.

I guess we will hear George Canyon tonight,I'm looking forward to this.

[JohnnyT]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

I see where you're going, but I would put a few more teams ahead of Tampa right now. Pittsburgh and San Jose are still better teams todat, at least until Tampa can win a playoff round. Then I would also put Minnesota and Dallas ahead of them, especially with the moves those teams made in the off-season. Tampa is definitely a team on the rise, but I don't think they'd be nearly as good playing the California teams multiple teams every year.

For me they would be right around Colorado, which I think is a pretty fair assessment right now on where both teams are at.

I agree with the Colorado comparison, very similar teams with both teams biggest weakenss being their questionable back end. Tampa's D was embrassed in the Montreal series last year and they haven't done much to improve their D core. Until that changes I don't thnk they're is any way you can call them elite, on the rise sure, but elite no way. At least not yet.

[dissentowner]

Flames are going to torch the Bolts tonight, 7-1. Johnny will score one goal for every vowel in his entire name.

[djsFlames]

I'm sensing either 2 assists or 2 goals from Johnny tonight. People tell me I have very good/accurate hunches.

[Yrebmi]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Flames are going to torch the Bolts tonight, 7-1. Johnny will score one goal for every vowel in his entire name.

Lol. First name Is only a goal and an assist, but that last name.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

I see where you're going, but I would put a few more teams ahead of Tampa right now. Pittsburgh and San Jose are still better teams todat, at least until Tampa can win a playoff round. Then I would also put Minnesota and Dallas ahead of them, especially with the moves those teams made in the off-season. Tampa is definitely a team on the rise, but I don't think they'd be nearly as good playing the California teams multiple teams every year.

For me they would be right around Colorado, which I think is a pretty fair assessment right now on where both teams are at.

Pittsburgh is good, but not great anymore. Still need better goaltending and they lost their fair share of defensemen in the off-season, but had the prospects to step up. They are woefully short on skill at forward after their top line.

San Jose is going to be interesting to watch. They have played well so far but the dynamics between the coach and players, especially guys like Thornton and Marleau, are going to blow up at some point. Niemi is a 2nd tier goaltender. After Burns and Vlasic, their defense is a lot of "meh". They have 2 very solid top lines, and then their bottom 6 is filled with a lot of plugs. They are due for a slide at some point this year. A mentally fragile team, especially in crunch time.

Minnesota still has question marks in net, but could prove to be solid by the end of the year. Not sure about Kuemper yet or if Backstrom is back to form. Their defense is very good and very underrated. They have some elite wingers. They have solid center men but nobody who dominates. They really need Granlund to step up his game if they're going to make some noise. Their bottom 6 is decent, but nothing that will win you a championship.

Dallas is a team that I thought would have a big increase in points this year, but I'm not sold on their defense. They should easily outscore the opposition most nights, but it might take 4-5 goals every night to win. Lots of talent, and some good grit in the forward ranks, but I think they're too weak on the back end still.

As for Colorado, Bishop and Varlamov are comparable, sure, but I like Bishop more.

Barrie-Johnson
Hejda-Stuart
Holden-Guenin

Wilson/Stollery/Redmond

vs.

Hedman-Carle
Stralman-Gudas
Garrison-Brewer

Sustr/Barberio/Witkowski


I'm taking Tampa's defense every day of the week over Colorado's. Colorado obviously has a more firepower at forward, but Tampa is really close in that category too, especially if Drouin sticks with the big club this year.

If they were not good in the playoffs defensively, that's fair to critique, but I suspect they will be better prepared this time around and will have possibly learned something from that experience. They just look like one of the most balanced teams out there that isn't already a perennial favorite.

Watch tonight, and we'll discuss in the PGT about whether they changed anyone's mind at all. I get why people would hesitate to rank the Lightning so high BTW.

[carom]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

I'm still upset about 2004. Hopefully its a humiliating 6-0 win over the Bolts who end up missing the playoffs and attributing their horrible season because of losing to the Flames tonight.

Remember the good times

http://flames.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2007020457

[heep223]

Originally Posted by carom

Remember the good times

http://flames.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2007020457

Mike Keenan *shudder*

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Haha.. you know what, it probably was. We sure gave their fans fits last year after sweeping them at home.

Both occasions in LA, I think we snatched victory at the last minute. Also seems like something Sutter would say.

Pretty hefty compliment too, considering they're the champs!

[Hatter]

If that Monahan line doesn't score at least 4 goals and conjure the spirits of dead enemies to haunt the Lightning I'm going to be roundly disappointed.

[Believer]

Drouin vs Gaudreau I want to see JH strip Drouin of the puck and then do "Johnny Things". Ensuring the hype train moving forward! A guy can dream right? Go Flames Go!

[MisterJoji]

Re: Hartley's contract, didn't Burke say something to the effect that it isn't ideal to have a coach in the final year of his contract? The only way I see Hartley not coming back is if Treliving wants his own guy, which would be a giant mistake. On paper we are a team that should be getting beaten soundly night in and out and he has us competing hard every game.

[Enoch Root]

Talk of the Lightning as a top 5 team is premature, IMO.

They have a ton of really good young players, at many key positions. But they are still young and still have to learn how to be great in this league.

I think they will. I think they're on their way. But saying they are top 5 and thus legitimate contenders at this point is just premature.