GDT: 4/21/24 - 12:30PM EDT - #1 WC Tampa Bay @ #1 Florida [ECQF GAME 1]

[T REX]

Duke and Dumba were pretty bad. Part of that is the Panthers are a really good team but neither of those guys looked like very good.

 

[Master P]

I'd be much more worried had the team been beaten playing well.

That was the most lethargic I've seen them in a while. Maybe the early start really had an impact idk.

I expect a much different effort level in game 2.

 

[TheSchmidt]

Duclair, while putting up points for is, just doesn't seem like a great fit scheme wise.

His best attribute is his breakaway speed, and we're just not really a rush team

 

[These Are The Days]

Whatever its one game. I didn't see much
but as near as I can tell this whole thing was an exercise in game management. I felt like I was watching the CBJ series with their guys being allowed to do whatever they wanted whenever while we got penalized for anything

 

[Stelio Kontos]

..

 

[LightningStorm]

Panthers were the better team today, but what I thought prevented us from stealing it was not capitalizing in the 2nd, where we had our best chances. Hoping for a good response in game 2.

 

[bigdaddio]

Panthers in 5 unless we improve significantly at 5v5. We will get at least one game at Amalie, but the Panthers are better in most other facets. Need Kucherov to do Kuch things before the final 3 minutes of the game. Hagel should be on the top line to start Game 2

The score 5v5 was 1-1. They made an admittingly nice goal on the PP. They had a super flukey empty net goal.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

The score 5v5 was 1-1. They made an admittingly nice goal on the PP. They had a super flukey empty net goal.

I thought they carried puck possession and zone exits significantly at 5v5. Plus their O-zone time was better

 

[Flat Ronnie]

The Panthers smothered us. They were better in all three zones, and looked way more energetic.

We showed NOTHING of significance the entire game.

 

[Master P]

The Panthers smothered us. They were better in all three zones, and looked way more energetic.

We showed NOTHING of significance the entire game.

And they barely held on at the end. If our guys put forth the effort we know they can we can win this series. Vassy was the biggest question mark going in and he played great. Now its up to the rest to step it up.

 

[T REX]

We trouble getting the puck out of our own zone.

They forechecked and forechecked and we withered.

Dumba is pure garbage. His passing is terrible. Awful addition.

Duke was invisible. Thought he might play decent against the team that sent him to hockey hell.

Nope. Just another guy.

 

[LightningStrikes]

They did a good job denying easy zone exits and entries and especially on the PP. We spent so much time skating in circles trying to get the puck in. They clogged up the middle forcing us to ring it around where a defenseman already waited for it. One could say they played like we used to.

Also, Kuch faking the shot and passing to Point in the slot instead has become too predictable. The Panthers always had two guys right there ready to block the pass and/or tying up Point.

That said it’s not like they had tons of grade A chances either.

 

[LordZapp]

Wonder what cooper said after the game in the locker room.

 

[The Gongshow]

This team just inst good enough and doesn't care enough anymore.

We're in the Pittsburgh and Washington. We have an elite superstar or 2. 0 depth and are first round exits. We had our success, but we just don't have the depth, too old, too many high contracts. That's hockey

We'll be like this until our core retires then they start fresh again

 

[Hockeyville USA]

This team just inst good enough and doesn't care enough anymore.

We're in the Pittsburgh and Washington. We have an elite superstar or 2. 0 depth and are first round exits. We had our success, but we just don't have the depth, too old, too many high contracts. That's hockey

We'll be like this until our core retires then they start fresh again

Nick Paul is solid depth. I think Motte & Eyssimont do their job well. The defense is bad for the most part, and it's crazy how it looked worse with Sergachev in the lineup most of the time.

After we lose in 5 (or mabye 6), I predict we see one shakeup trade this summer. Whether it be Cirelli, Cernak, and/or Sergachev, I think one gets dealt. Jeannot might be dealt as well.

 

[T REX]

Nick Paul is solid depth. I think Motte & Eyssimont do their job well. The defense is bad for the most part, and it's crazy how it looked worse with Sergachev in the lineup most of the time.

After we lose in 5 (or mabye 6), I predict we see one shakeup trade this summer. Whether it be Cirelli, Cernak, and/or Sergachev, I think one gets dealt. Jeannot might be dealt as well.

We're stuck with Jeannot. He's a negative asset. You have to give up picks or players to move him. He's garbage.

 

[FinnLightning26]

Nick Paul is solid depth. I think Motte & Eyssimont do their job well. The defense is bad for the most part, and it's crazy how it looked worse with Sergachev in the lineup most of the time.

After we lose in 5 (or mabye 6), I predict we see one shakeup trade this summer. Whether it be Cirelli, Cernak, and/or Sergachev, I think one gets dealt. Jeannot might be dealt as well.

Hopefully Jeannot and Sheary are dealt for a bag of pucks and we get to try our luck again with new bottom six players. They're both beyond awful.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

Zone exits are hard.

 

[Tiala]

Wonder what cooper said after the game in the locker room.

After 3 games it's fishing time

 

[Lightning1995]

The Cats outplayed the Lightning, no denying that. But Vassy has stolen games before. Give the Lightning extra PP chances and they’d cash one in too. There were plenty of opportunities to penalize the Cats. They clutched and grabbed the entire game. Two flagrant penalties not called against Kuch.

Then of course they optically call one once the empty netter happens. I dunno let’s see how game 2 is called but this one was nuts.

Agree about the top line. Kuch was a turnover machine today

 

[flying squirrel]

this...don't be that fan base...please...makes us look the whiners...

Nothing personal, or to others who call out fans when they point out terrible calls/reffing (You felt need to quote someone, so this quote is example used here). I don't think any fan holds power to tell any fan-base, or fan, what they can feel, think, or believe. Any fan here should be able to express themselves freely. Especially when it's obvious calling out of refs is being done here all-the-time. Shoot, all fan bases do this on this forum! So where does that leave everyone's fan base? Gotta laugh at ourselves, don't we? If any fan wants to be worried other fans will see Lightning fans as weak for calling out refs (Yeah, read that here too). That's their right to feel this way also.

This is not the sports world from 50, 40, 30, or even 20 yrs ago. It's a huge business now and $ports makes business decisions 1st. Not quite close to WEE levels yet, but fingers-on-scales with game managing evidence is there. Popular stories-lines, TV markets, expansion teams, keeping games close to keep viewers, trying to promote certain sports, stars checking right boxes getting love, and to many other things to list that go into sports business model today. We don't have to be fan base that whines relentless, but we also don't have to be fan base with head completely in sand either. Yin/Yang..... Even players/coaches know what's up, and if Kucherov can embraced #1 BS, don't think it's such a bad thing when fans do it too. But in the end, be what ya wanna be...

Lightning could've won regardless of whatever else happened, and that's on the team. I've embraced and love how this Lightning bunch overcomes whatever is thrown their way. They have new players but there's enough players that know what it takes to do it. They weren't good enough this game and will have to be better in game 2. Period!!! Only giving up two goals should've been good enough, but offense failed Lightning miserably this game. On to game 2 and a needed 1-1 split...

 

[Stammertime91]

The goal is always 1-1 coming back home. 2-0 isn't world ending but against *this* Florida team, it's probably unlikely. Anyways, I didn't keep up with the GDT much during the game.

My thoughts, we should be hopeful. That was a winnable game with probably the most asstastic performance the team has put forth recently. Even by our playoff standards, that was some magical limp dick hockey. Full credit to Florida. I thought their neutral zone and team defense had answers to our every move and posed a lot of questions for us. That felt like a coaching loss tbh. As if the plan was X, execute, and we'll break through. I mean, maybe a late minute push without that ENG helps but it felt like Maurice had an answer against Tampa and that's not a normal concession. Props to them. They also showed maturity not engaging like they used to.

I don't know what that double hit on Kucherov and blatant retaliation on Dumba was. Both should've been minors. We got away with like 8 guys on the ice at one point. Those are not even behind the play, they were literally *the* play or in plain sight.

Aside from that, the team sucked. Like others said, we were lethargic and flat. We've seen teams shut us down playing better and who knows, maybe Florida can do it again with us playing better but like 16 shots? That's not us playing up to par. Vasy was very good. Dumba was absolutely horrible. Not even his coverage on the 2nd goal, I'm talking about moving the puck with a guy in front of him and waiting to turn it over. The guy sucks. Perbix does as well. I'm over that guy 100%. He played scared today on more than one occasion.

Eyssimont is a f***ing baller. Played bigger than Jeannot. Everybody gets a collective D+, except Vasy who lands himself an A. Suck it up, get it together for game 2 and bring it back to Tampa tied. They are beatable. They'll be better too, but we can beat them.

 

[Stammertime91]

Also, not sure how some of you tolerate the main boards on a daily basis. It's like drinking battery acid reading some of those posts.

It's like 16 year olds puffing their chest out, just for one win. Like holy shit, sit your ass down if you're a Panthers fan, your franchise has zero cups. Zero. Calm the f*** down world beaters.

 

[T REX]

Nothing personal, or to others who call out fans when they point out terrible calls/reffing (You felt need to quote someone, so this quote is example used here). I don't think any fan holds power to tell any fan-base, or fan, what they can feel, think, or believe. Any fan here should be able to express themselves freely. Especially when it's obvious calling out of refs is being done here all-the-time. Shoot, all fan bases do this on this forum! So where does that leave everyone's fan base? Gotta laugh at ourselves, don't we? If any fan wants to be worried other fans will see Lightning fans as weak for calling out refs (Yeah, read that here too). That's their right to feel this way also.

This is not the sports world from 50, 40, 30, or even 20 yrs ago. It's a huge business now and $ports makes business decisions 1st. Not quite close to WEE levels yet, but fingers-on-scales with game managing evidence is there. Popular stories-lines, TV markets, expansion teams, keeping games close to keep viewers, trying to promote certain sports, stars checking right boxes getting love, and to many other things to list that go into sports business model today. We don't have to be fan base that whines relentless, but we also don't have to be fan base with head completely in sand either. Yin/Yang..... Even players/coaches know what's up, and if Kucherov can embraced #1 BS, don't think it's such a bad thing when fans do it too. But in the end, be what ya wanna be...

Lightning could've won regardless of whatever else happened, and that's on the team. I've embraced and love how this Lightning bunch overcomes whatever is thrown their way. They have new players but there's enough players that know what it takes to do it. They weren't good enough this game and will have to be better in game 2. Period!!! Only giving up two goals should've been good enough, but offense failed Lightning miserably this game. On to game 2 and a needed 1-1 split...

I said "please". Geez

 

[TampaBayLightning]

If only we hadn’t pulled Vasy with like four minutes left

If only Vasi stopped that first goal