It’s a Goddamn Shame…

[Pabst]

I don't know a single Bolts fan, so them three-peating really doesn't impact me at all. Doesn't mean I want them to win, but I can get over it pretty easily. Blues fans around me are in a state of depression - they all feel the same way about Tampa, but are still salty over the Avs series.

Sounds like Kuemper will be 100% for the Finals, which is something.


And btw, are we all not excited about ex-Penguin Jack Johnson possibly getting to hoist the Cup?

[Orangesteel]

I think Colorado has what it takes. They mopped the floor with EDM who was a very strong team in their own right. Pulling for COL.

[Pabst]

I think Colorado has what it takes. They mopped the floor with EDM who was a very strong team in their own right. Pulling for COL.

Edmonton is a shit team outside of Connor and Leon. I'm honestly surprised they made it as far as they did before the lack of depth finally bit them.

[bradshaw2ben]

I think Colorado has what it takes. They mopped the floor with EDM who was a very strong team in their own right. Pulling for COL.

Edmonton is a shit team outside of Connor and Leon. I'm honestly surprised they made it as far as they did before the lack of depth finally bit them.

Their goaltender also was fantastic in that series. Didn't matter.

[Pabst]

Two softies given up by Vasilevskiy and we're not even 10 minutes in

[fractalsteel]

Two softies given up by Vasilevskiy and we're not even 10 minutes in

No kidding
Best tender in the world looks like he is caught in the headlights. Some questionable play from his net moving the puck as well.
That said he can lock it down after looking mediocre to start..

The avalanche don't look like a team that 8 days off.

Adjustments

[fractalsteel]

Tampa finds a way

[Orangesteel]

Avs. Fucking good on that rush alright

[DP39]

Entertaining game won by the home team -- I'll take it.

[fractalsteel]

Sergachev with the really bad TO that led to the sweet winner. The guy had a pretty damn good game before that.

The first ten minutes and some Tampa had no solution to slow down Colorado's speed and the domination in the OZ. They finally got it figured out and stymied the Lanche much better the last 40 minutes. That and 88 let in two weak ones early.
Of course Paul scored another big goal igniting the Bolts from the lethargy that plagued them early.


Tampa better come out better in game 2.

[Orangesteel]

7-0 Avs. Holy shitballs.

[fractalsteel]

I keep telling myself that Tampa isn't done. They are too teflon and will find a way to make a series of this. Then I think about last night and I can't remember too many championship games where the game was so out of hand. Maybe game 6 when the Pens just throttled the North Stars back in 1991. Where Mario scored one of the greatest playoff goals of all time.

Colorado can't let up.
I hope they don't.

[bradshaw2ben]

I keep telling myself that Tampa isn't done. They are too teflon and will find a way to make a series of this. Then I think about last night and I can't remember too many championship games where the game was so out of hand. Maybe game 6 when the Pens just throttled the North Stars back in 1991. Where Mario scored one of the greatest playoff goals of all time.

Colorado can't let up.
I hope they don't.

Tampa's win on Monday was the first in over 100 years of Stanley Cup Finals where a team that lost by 7+ goals came back to win a game in that series.

[fractalsteel]

I keep telling myself that Tampa isn't done. They are too teflon and will find a way to make a series of this. Then I think about last night and I can't remember too many championship games where the game was so out of hand. Maybe game 6 when the Pens just throttled the North Stars back in 1991. Where Mario scored one of the greatest playoff goals of all time.

Colorado can't let up.
I hope they don't.

Tampa's win on Monday was the first in over 100 years of Stanley Cup Finals where a team that lost by 7+ goals came back to win a game in that series.

Wow
Never heard that.
Tonight is huge.
Starting to feel like the ECF's and if Tampa wins tonight the pressure turns on its ugly head to the Avalanche.

[bradshaw2ben]

I keep telling myself that Tampa isn't done. They are too teflon and will find a way to make a series of this. Then I think about last night and I can't remember too many championship games where the game was so out of hand. Maybe game 6 when the Pens just throttled the North Stars back in 1991. Where Mario scored one of the greatest playoff goals of all time.

Colorado can't let up.
I hope they don't.

Tampa's win on Monday was the first in over 100 years of Stanley Cup Finals where a team that lost by 7+ goals came back to win a game in that series.

Wow
Never heard that.
Tonight is huge.
Starting to feel like the ECF's and if Tampa wins tonight the pressure turns on its ugly head to the Avalanche.

I forget who said it-- maybe Doug Moe-- but the quote is, " The series doesn't start until a team loses a game at home." Seems apt in this matchup.

[Pabst]

Tampa's win on Monday was the first in over 100 years of Stanley Cup Finals where a team that lost by 7+ goals came back to win a game in that series.

Wow
Never heard that.
Tonight is huge.
Starting to feel like the ECF's and if Tampa wins tonight the pressure turns on its ugly head to the Avalanche.

I forget who said it-- maybe Doug Moe-- but the quote is, " The series doesn't start until a team loses a game at home." Seems apt in this matchup.

I've seen it referenced to Pat Riley? Who knows, but that quote is older than I had thought.

Stepping back a bit - how often does a team lose by 7 goals in the SCF? I can't imagine that's happened often.

[Orangesteel]

Colorado is so fucking good. Wow.

[SteelPro]

Tampa is bitching that the Avs had too many men on the ice during the winning goal last night. FWIW the game stats released immediately after the game actually had an additional player listed on ice for the game winning goal. They amended the stat sheet later.

[bradshaw2ben]

I watched it and it had that feel. It was at minimum a pretty generously "in the vicinity of the bench" chsnge.

Man, both these teams move the puck up the ice so quickly––like there is no standing around and no hesitation and short, short shifts.

TB got a D Man injured, guys were feeling the toll of the extra minutes, and TB got stuck in their own end on a shift that was about 3x as long as normak. Those two defensemen couldn't get off the ice because Kemper hit the up-ice pass so quickly.

[fractalsteel]

Tampa is bitching that the Avs had too many men on the ice during the winning goal last night. FWIW the game stats released immediately after the game actually had an additional player listed on ice for the game winning goal. They amended the stat sheet later.

Throw in Cooper's odd rant about the salary cap being unfair after the game. Pressure must be getting to him. Losing 2 OT games, games his team has won in the past few years.

[Orangesteel]

It was close, but those TMM calls go either way. What a goal by Kadri. Some seriously good hand work to essentially pass it to himself then get his stick over the defender’s stick for the shot. Guentzel scored a few like that this year; awesome move.

[SteelPro]

It was close, but those TMM calls go either way. What a goal by Kadri. Some seriously good hand work to essentially pass it to himself then get his stick over the defender’s stick for the shot. Guentzel scored a few like that this year; awesome move.

Yeah, that was an exceptional goal. Kind of a shame the ref couldn’t see it in immediately. No signal, no horn. Kind of robbed the moment from the TV viewers. I was half asleep and wasn’t sure what the hell happened.

[Pabst]

It was close, but those TMM calls go either way. What a goal by Kadri. Some seriously good hand work to essentially pass it to himself then get his stick over the defender’s stick for the shot. Guentzel scored a few like that this year; awesome move.

Yeah, that was an exceptional goal. Kind of a shame the ref couldn’t see it in immediately. No signal, no horn. Kind of robbed the moment from the TV viewers. I was half asleep and wasn’t sure what the hell happened.

2010 Blackhawks vibes

[fractalsteel]

Wow, the Avalanche sure didn't come to play last night. You knew Tampa would be ferocious in their approach but it seemed to me that Colorado was trying to play it safe rather than the aggressive ways they have dominated through the playoffs.

I'm looking at McKinnon. Yeah he is something to behold. Size, speed and skill. Having watched him more this year than any other I have seen something to his game that bothers me. He has been easy to knock off his skates this whole series. For a big guy with a power base he has he shouldn't be knocked about as much as he has been.


I won't be surprised if Tampa makes it a seven game series and ecks it out in the end. Last night Colorado came up really short and might have blown their best chance to win the cup.

[fractalsteel]

I guess Bettman wanted to take a year off from the boos

Good for Jack Johnson

Edit: Bettman has covid

[DP39]

Selfishly, I wanted a full 7 game finals, but I'm glad the AVs won.

It was fun watching those two very talented teams play each other. TB looked tired and beat down last night -- they had a lot of fight in them, but finally wore out, I think. It was cool to see 29 show Sid much love (said he stayed in room 1787 the past night and knew it was a sign).

FB season can't get here fast enough.

[fractalsteel]

J. Cooper might be the best coach in the NHL but he gives some strange interviews. His follow after the game was odd. I don't believe he once recognized Colorado and the historic playoff run they had but instead focused on how this years Lighting team was his favorite because all the adversity they faced.
According to him the whole team was beat up(yeah John, name me a team in the finals that isn't) and the breaks just didn't go their way.
Sounded like sour grapes to me.
Also, the last no call on icing with about 20-23 seconds has Lightning fans in a stir. It was a 50-50 call but Hedman sure took his time getting back which he is a master of.

I thought Tampa was the best team the last three games and last night they came out strong. Colorado finally found their legs the last 6-7 minutes of the first period and were decent in the second. Don't know what was said or what they did but they came out and suffocated the Lightning in the third period.
That might have been their best period of hockey in the series.
That is being clutch.

I want to know who dented the cup?
On the bottom it was dented about 4-5 inches about fifteen minutes after the awarding of it.
I'm sure it happens a lot. Preservation and restoration of the cup is probably a very ongoing and expensive cost.

Oh yeah, ABC was terrible this series but give them credit for hanging late with the celebration on the ice. In the past NBC cut out after about ten minutes.

[Pabst]

I didn't watch last night as I was in bed at 8:30 (thanks kids for getting me sick again!)

Not sure if you've ever seen a close up of the cup itself, but it's beat to hell with knicks/dents.

[fractalsteel]

I didn't watch last night as I was in bed at 8:30 (thanks kids for getting me sick again!)

Not sure if you've ever seen a close up of the cup itself, but it's beat to hell with knicks/dents.

About as close as I have been to the DD cup is a lap dance from Jenna Jameson-paid for by friends.

I noticed the dent on the bottom of the cup and a few minutes later they replayed Landeskog receiving the trophy from the deputy commish and there was no dent.
The cup has taken abuse over the years.

Malkin was in such a hurry to put down his Conn Smythe that he dropped it and broke a few pieces off.

[bradshaw2ben]

"Also, the last no call on icing with about 20-23 seconds has Lightning fans in a stir. It was a 50-50 call but Hedman sure took his time getting back which he is a master of."

Hedman actually started to reach for the puck before it crossed the line and it sure looked like he hesitated touching it the way you might if you thought there might be a too many men or offsides call when you touched it. The linesman was nearly face to face with him when that happened, and that's a guaranteed no-icing call.