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

[CedarMeter]

John Romano is frustrated with Kucherov. I've enjoyed reading his articles during this 3 game slump.

https://www.tampabay.com/sports/2019...ll-he-show-up/

[DuffMan]

Sure glad I picked Stamkos at #4 pick.

I turned on Game 1, when it was 2 - 0 for TBL, and then they scored to make it 3 - 0, I watched to the end of the 1st period, before heading out to hockey pool gathering.
That first period I saw it looked like CBJ were on a permanent PK, All the play was in their zone all the time, and all the puck possession was TBl's all the time.

Go to hockey pool and watch the comeback, and think well, that's cool, but I'm still guessing 5 game series, before CBJ are golfing.

What a crazy series. TBL has looked lost From G1P2 until G3P3.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by CedarMeter

John Romano is frustrated with Kucherov. I've enjoyed reading his articles during this 3 game slump.

https://www.tampabay.com/sports/2019...ll-he-show-up/

It has to be frustrating to see a player light things up in the regular season like he has only to go dormant in the playoffs.

[chummer]

Originally Posted by CedarMeter

John Romano is frustrated with Kucherov. I've enjoyed reading his articles during this 3 game slump.

https://www.tampabay.com/sports/2019...ll-he-show-up/

He's been good. "Too pretty to win".....pretty much sums it up.

[TheScorpion]

I was very concerned about Kucherov heading into the playoffs... he was downright non-existent against the Caps last year. 1 goal in 7 games and a minus-6.

[calf]

Columbus Broom Jackets

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Tampa in 4.

I can't believe that anyone is giving Columbus a chance in this series.

Yeah, yeah, "It's the playoffs, anything can happen!"

B.S. Tampa is a runaway favorite to go to the cup final. In a league full of parity, they established throughout the year that they were operating on another plane of existence.

Tampa Bay in 4, and it will be 4 very decisive wins. ZERO chance for the inconsistent Blue Jackets.

I see what you're doing here. You were just being rah rah Tampa cheerleader in order to jinx them. Brilliant.

[Shazam]

TB can go to hell. The faster the better.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I was very concerned about Kucherov heading into the playoffs... he was downright non-existent against the Caps last year. 1 goal in 7 games and a minus-6.

Yeah, the thing about excellent players is that some of them suddenly figure it out, even if they struggle for several years to make a post season impact. For years I was convinced that Pavol Datsyuk was a useless playoff performer, and then 2008 happened. I wouldn’t count Kucherov out yet even though TBL is finished this year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

It has to be frustrating to see a player light things up in the regular season like he has only to go dormant in the playoffs.

He was invisible in Game 3.

Seriously though, I'm interested to see how he comes back in Game 4 before anyone writes him off as a playoff dud.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

He was invisible in Game 3.

Seriously though, I'm interested to see how he comes back in Game 4 before anyone writes him off as a playoff dud.

He's going to have to come back big in four straight games to avoid coming off as a playoff dud.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Shazam

TB can go to hell. The faster the better.

I"d rather we face them in the Cup Finals to get redemption for 2004!


.....NOT!!!

Tampa Bay: The Edmonton of Florida

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

He's going to have to come back big in four straight games to avoid coming off as a playoff dud.

He's 25. There is lots of time for him to rehabilitate this perception even if Tampa loses tomorrow or is otherwise out in Round One.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

He's 25. There is lots of time for him to rehabilitate this perception even if Tampa loses tomorrow or is otherwise out in Round One.

Well yeah but you are a dud in the playoffs until you aren't. Just ask Ovechkin. Even with that Ovechkin always produced in the playoffs and was let down by his team for a lot of those crushing playoff losses while this is more of a case where the team's best player isn't stepping up in the playoffs.

[joejoe3]

Jon Cooper's game 4 tactic

[Erick Estrada]

I imagine even at 0-2 there may have been some quiet confidence in the Lightning locker room but now I imagine it's very tense as players are proud and nobody wants to be associated with being one of the biggest playoff disappointments ever.

[Northendzone]

if tampa gets swept the hard question for them will be - what do you do as a team to get better?

theoretically they have to shed some guys somewhere as they will have to increase points salary by a factor of 10.

i can't help but think a guy they would like to trade might be stamkos who seems to under preform in the playoffs - but what do i know

i'd imagine this has been mentioned in this thread already, but part of me feels like columbus is similar to that kings team that won the cup as a 8 seed

[tkflames]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

if tampa gets swept the hard question for them will be - what do you do as a team to get better?

theoretically they have to shed some guys somewhere as they will have to increase points salary by a factor of 10.

i can't help but think a guy they would like to trade might be stamkos who seems to under preform in the playoffs - but what do i know

i'd imagine this has been mentioned in this thread already, but part of me feels like columbus is similar to that kings team that won the cup as a 8 seed

It's interesting...much like Washington a few years back, I think the best move would be to just make some chemistry moves around the edges. I dont know who the younger eastern equivalent of Derek Engelland is, but that is someone to target. As far as any coaching changes...I think it's really hard to tell from the outside. If Cooper has lost the room, of course there need to be changes. However, with they team they have it's not about quality, it's about chemistry and experience...so I would tinker only...regardless of the outcome of this series.

[Erick Estrada]

I would think some minor tweaks may be in order but when you have a team that was as good as the Lighting was for 82 games you probably want to avoid pushing the panic button over a bad week of hockey at the worst time.

[Benched]

Maybe Yzerman saw this coming and that's why he got out....