Tampa Bay @ Carolina: Nine-Nine!

[Nikishin Go Boom]

To me the question is less about the crowd and more about how Cooper exploits home ice advantage for matchups. Tampa's a tough matchup team even when you have the advantage, let alone when they're able to get the matchups they want.

Whoever draws into Trocheck's spot will need to seriously step it up. Replacing Trocheck's nearly invisible level of contribution isn't too hard, but that player will need to be an active positive force in order to counter what Tampa's going to bring on their home ice. At an absolute minimum, that player needs to not get caved in their own zone.

Centers will probably be: Aho, Staal, Martinook, Lorentz.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Centers will probably be: Aho, Staal, Martinook, Lorentz.

Martinook is of course a downgrade from Trocheck, but he's also been one of the most physically engaged players in the entire series. It might not be the worst thing to have him running around out there setting a more physical tone. Trocheck and Paquette have been running their mouths between whistles, which is a very different thing than what Martinook has been up to. A little more chaos during the actual gameplay, as opposed to during stoppages, might help loosen things up a bit.

Or maybe he gets caved. I dunno. It'll be interesting to see the effect it has to insert a guy who's basically just out there to kamikaze himself all over the ice. Assuming the rest of the lines stay the same, it'll also mean handing Necas the puck and saying "go get one" rather than messing around with calculated passing. That line might be a hot mess but it will be a high-event situation one way or the other.

 

[The Faulker 27]

I haven't seen a replay, but I wonder if his stick was lifted at the last second or something. That goal would have blown the roof off the place and totally changed the course of that game.

Looks like Vasilevsky is able to poke the puck, or his stick before he's able to take the shot. He loses control of his stick in the process which is why Tripp was claiming Vasi might have thrown his stick. It was a great chance. If not for the poke check, it's in the back of the net, but of course vAsIlEvSkY

 

[Sigurd]

I admit I experienced premature celly there as did most of my section. So deflating.

Have you asked your doctor if Marley drug is right for you?

 

[tarheelhockey]

Looks like Vasilevsky is able to poke the puck, or his stick before he's able to take the shot. He loses control of his stick in the process which is why Tripp was claiming Vasi might have thrown his stick. It was a great chance. If not for the poke check, it's in the back of the net, but of course vAsIlEvSkY

Thanks for that, it does indeed look like the poke check got him.

I was wondering what the stick-throwing thing was about last night. I don't know what Tripp was smoking, that wasn't a throw at all and didn't look like one even in real time.

 

[WreckingCrew]

I admit I experienced premature celly there as did most of my section. So deflating.

If it makes you feel any better one of the NYI-PIT games in Pittsburgh the fans were jumping as if they got a goal on basically every shot for the first 10-15 min (even when the shots weren't very good or remotely close)...I was laughing my ass off watching them

 

[The Faulker 27]

Thanks for that, it does indeed look like the poke check got him.

I was wondering what the stick-throwing thing was about last night. I don't know what Tripp was smoking, that wasn't a throw at all and didn't look like one even in real time.

He doubled down on Twitter. lol. I think Tripp was probably deflated like the rest of us. That single play could have changed last night, and the course of this series entirely.

 

[The Faulker 27]

If it makes you feel any better one of the NYI-PIT games in Pittsburgh the fans were jumping as if they got a goal on basically every shot for the first 10-15 min (even when the shots weren't very good or remotely close)...I was laughing my ass off watching them

I think part of that is desperation. We're desperate for a win, as was Pittsburgh. I'll be on pins and needles watching every shot going remotely close to the goal.

 

[WreckingCrew]

He doubled down on Twitter. lol. I think Tripp was probably deflated like the rest of us. That single play could have changed last night, and the course of this series entirely.

Watching that replay it was just a poke-check (where the goalie generally has a more loose hole on the stick) that got caught in Necas legs and pulled out as he skated past. Like you said, emotions run high and can give us bias

I think part of that is desperation. We're desperate for a win, as was Pittsburgh. I'll be on pins and needles watching every shot going remotely close to the goal.

Game 5 though with the series tied, shouldn't have been much desperation for them at that point...which is what made it so funny to me (like they expected to be gifted goals). I'm with you though, this next game is gonna be super-stressful to watch, wondering if every shot against will be the one to break our spirit, or every shot for will turn our fortunes.

 

[bleedgreen]

Thanks for that, it does indeed look like the poke check got him.

I was wondering what the stick-throwing thing was about last night. I don't know what Tripp was smoking, that wasn't a throw at all and didn't look like one even in real time.

I watched the National broadcast, and when I just read you guys saying Tripp tried to say it was a stick throw I was dumbfounded.

 

[Chrispy]

I watched the National broadcast, and when I just read you guys saying Tripp tried to say it was a stick throw I was dumbfounded.

I couldn't figure out what happened live, then saw the replay and said "Oh, that's a heck of a poke check."

Never occurred to me he threw the stick; it came out as part of the contact with Necas's stick.

 

[geehaad]

Centers will probably be: Aho, Staal, Martinook, Lorentz.

Thanks, I hate it.

 

[zman77]

 

[zman77]

 

[Joanna]

Oh I believe you. Last game I went to was the 17-18 season opener (the one where Slavin beat the Wild in the shootout), there was a lot of rowdiness going on. I could tell the "instigators" were either first time Hockey fans and/or consumed one too many beers. People around them asked them to stop and they'd do the "f*** you I do what I want i paid for my ticket" mantra.

Thankfully no fights or drunken fools falling on people but security did have to get involved more than once. Probably nothing they (security) are not used to but as a whole I thought it made the fanbase look bad considering we don't have that reputation for being assholes.

I'm surprised to read this. Your fans have always seemed to me to be good, knowledgeable fans. Booing people for leaving is ridiculous. How do they know what the person's reason for leaving is. I enjoy when we play Carolina. It's been a breath of fresh air after all the classless nonsense with the Panthers.

 

[zman77]

Honest comment from Ned. Rod and the Boys trust him.
Agree with Jordo. The guys need to have more activity around TB Net.

 

[LakeLivin]

Why did Skjei go to Cirellis backhand to check him. Weird.

I was dumbfounded by this as well. Sure, Skjei muffed the puck to start the play; stuff happens. But why in the world would he try to go behind Cirelli from this position instead of laying out in front of him? I couldn't believe it when it happened. Having said that, I've never played ice hockey. Am I missing something?

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

I was dumbfounded by this as well. Sure, Skjei muffed the puck to start the play; stuff happens. But why in the world would he try to go behind Cirelli from this position instead of laying out in front of him? I couldn't believe it when it happened. Having said that, I've never played ice hockey. Am I missing something?

View attachment 442262

i dont know. This picture makes it look like Skjei is closer than he was. Cirelli was by him and Skjei didnt have a chance to catch up. I wonder if Skjei was trying to pull the hockey version of the basketball play when a guy gets by you, you try and reach around his back to poke the ball away. It rarely works but it is at least something to try before you completely get beat.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I was dumbfounded by this as well. Sure, Skjei muffed the puck to start the play; stuff happens. But why in the world would he try to go behind Cirelli from this position instead of laying out in front of him? I couldn't believe it when it happened. Having said that, I've never played ice hockey. Am I missing something?

View attachment 442262

You're missing the speed.

 

[tarheelhockey]

He doubled down on Twitter. lol. I think Tripp was probably deflated like the rest of us. That single play could have changed last night, and the course of this series entirely.

That's just a really weird take. No ref on earth would call a goalie for throwing his stick on that play. Mainly because he didn't throw it, but also because the loose stick had absolutely nothing to do with the result of the play.

And there's no rule saying goalies have to hold on to their stick... it's fully legal for him to let go of it upon contact. Ned does that all the time, it's not illegal. He just can't throw it, and there's no rational way to call that a "throwing" play.

Tripp's usually pretty good on goalie issues so I tend to trust his judgment on the details. It's just odd that he would look at this and see an illegal play when there's no rule against what happened there.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Golly, is Tripp looking through his homer glasses again? Whodathunkit?

 

[VAcaniac]

I think part of that is desperation. We're desperate for a win, as was Pittsburgh. I'll be on pins and needles watching every shot going remotely close to the goal.

I was behind the goal and the puck hit the side of the net at the end and half of us thought the game was tied lol.

 

[The Faulker 27]

Game 5 though with the series tied, shouldn't have been much desperation for them at that point...which is what made it so funny to me (like they expected to be gifted goals). I'm with you though, this next game is gonna be super-stressful to watch, wondering if every shot against will be the one to break our spirit, or every shot for will turn our fortunes.

Got ya. Maybe they just had that doomy gut feeling. Like the one I'm gonna have the entire game 3 unless I see Canes hugging after a victory.

 

[LakeLivin]

i dont know. This picture makes it look like Skjei is closer than he was. Cirelli was by him and Skjei didnt have a chance to catch up. I wonder if Skjei was trying to pull the hockey version of the basketball play when a guy gets by you, you try and reach around his back to poke the ball away. It rarely works but it is at least something to try before you completely get beat.

Another still. If Skjei isn't close enough to lay out and try to poke the puck away I can't see how he's close enough to attempt to go behind Cirelli. I've played a lot of b-ball, and I have no doubt that's what Skjei was trying to do, but that decision still seems like a brain fart to me.

You're missing the speed.

Here's the video. The speed seems to make it even less likely he had any chance of going behind him as compared to laying out at an angle in front of him. I know the play required an instantaneous decision at speed, just seems like Skjei's instincts were wrong; I'd bet Slavin or Pesce at least gives themselves a chance at making a play in a similar circumstance (and yeah, I know I'm referencing 2 elite defenders).

 

[The Faulker 27]

Another still. If Skjei isn't close enough to lay out and try to poke the puck away I can't see how he's close enough to attempt to go behind Cirelli. I've played a lot of b-ball, and I have no doubt that's what Skjei was trying to do, but that decision still seems like a brain fart to me.

View attachment 442276




Here's the video. The speed seems to make it even less likely he had any chance of going behind him as compared to laying out at an angle in front of him. I know the play required an instantaneous decision at speed, just seems like Skjei's instincts were wrong; I'd bet Slavin or Pesce at least gives themselves a chance at making a play in a similar circumstance (and yeah, I know I'm referencing 2 elite defenders).

I think he went with the razzle dazzle, and forgot he was a defenseman and/or not Slavin.