The Florida Panthers (A1) defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning (WC1) 4 games to 1

[bobholly39]

There were rumors of Cooper being let go and I never really saw that happening....I think he's a great fit in Tampa. I think it would have been a big mistake to let him go.

At the absolute least - give him one more year to see how he does, and if you absolutely want to make a change, do it at the end of next year, but it would have been to soon today.

I agree that if he had been let go, other teams would have raced to sign him.

I'm surprised by these comments. I bet he's going to piss off a lot of people too. Calling out Matthews publicly for his salary? I bet the players association and such will be pretty pissed to see that.

He's not wrong - but there are some things players usually just don't say.

I do think he re-signs with Tampa though.

 

[MarotteMarauder]

Our current roster is better than the team that lost in 7 in the ECF's in 2011 and better than the 2015 team that was up 2-1 at one point to Chicago in the Cup finals.

Don't be silly. The 2015 team lead the league in scoring and was 11th GA. This year was 5th in scoring and 22nd in GA.

Uh, not better.

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

Tampa fans quiet.

Kucherov run out of beer?

 

[Rschmitz]

Don't be silly. The 2015 team lead the league in scoring and was 11th GA. This year was 5th in scoring and 22nd in GA.

Uh, not better.

You missed the entire point of the discussion. Obviously the 2015 team had more production and was more successful, there would be no point in the discussion if that was the comparison, the point is that the current roster is better than the 2015 roster.

 

[MarotteMarauder]

You missed the entire point of the discussion. Obviously the 2015 team had more production and was more successful, there would be no point in the discussion if that was the comparison, the point is that the current roster is better than the 2015 roster.

Better roster but less performance? Why? Coaching?

 

[Rschmitz]

Better roster but less performance? Why? Coaching?

Sometimes that's just the way it works out, teams under perform or just get beat up by their schedule. Ask any Lightning fan though, our defensive coach Blashill was a big reason, we were also missing Vasy for half the year.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Sometimes that's just the way it works out, teams under perform or just get beat up by their schedule. Ask any Lightning fan though, our defensive coach Blashill was a big reason, we were also missing Vasy for half the year.

A lot of times it's match ups. I think we matched up horribly with fl and may have faired better against Boston. I'd say this team is better than that one too. That was a young group learning their ways and maybe overshot it that year but it was the beginning of a long run for the bolts.

 

[PanthersHockey]

I'm surprised by these comments. I bet he's going to piss off a lot of people too. Calling out Matthews publicly for his salary? I bet the players association and such will be pretty pissed to see that.

He's not wrong - but there are some things players usually just don't say.

I do think he re-signs with Tampa though.

I think he'll re-sign, and for just that reason. I also think this is the reason that Sam Reinhart will sign long term with the Panthers.

 

[Ratsreign]

the Lightning moving off to the NW of the arena, towards home

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

One year ?

"For Whom the Bells Toll".

Bad omen...

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Looks like the Panthers are going to be waiting for 7/8 days until they play again. I don't like it.

 

[Summer Rose]

View attachment 863192
the Lightning moving off to the NW of the arena, towards home

That's a beautiful-looking arena. I'd love to attend a game there some day.

 

[Chaos2k7]

That's a beautiful-looking arena. I'd love to attend a game there some day.

Get your hubby to switch to the current kings of Florida lol

 

[Summer Rose]

Get your hubby to switch to the current kings of Florida lol

He grew up in Clearwater. I doubt he'd switch...

 

[Chaos2k7]

He grew up in Clearwater. I doubt he'd switch...

I lived in Ocala with my grandparents in St. Petersburg, it happens, lol

 

[Summer Rose]

I lived in Ocala with my grandparents in St. Petersburg, it happens, lol

Small world! And in case I haven't said it yet... well done on the series victory. The better team won.

 

[Chaos2k7]

Small world! And in case I haven't said it yet... well done on the series victory. The better team won.

All love for the FloBros, their lessons taught to us, helped mould us

 

[Summer Rose]

All love for the FloBros, their lessons taught to us, helped mold us

Yet, the one series we got with both of our teams near their respective peaks ended up being a sweep for the Bolts...

And that's the meanest I'll get today. I'll stop being mean now.

 

[Chaos2k7]

Yet, the one series we got with both of our teams near their respective peaks ended up being a sweep for the Bolts...

And that's the meanest I'll get today. I'll stop being mean now.

Forced us to reconfigure our core. Not sure it happens that way without that series.

So you can be happy and sad I suppose.

 

[Summer Rose]

Forced us to reconfigure our core. Not sure it happens that way without that series.

So you can be happy and sad I suppose.

Likewise, getting swept by Columbus forced us to make some necessary changes, and we won the COVID cup the following season... so it can be a blessing in disguise!

 

[MaWa]

All love for the FloBros, their lessons taught to us, helped mould us

Shouldn' t we hate each other ?

 

[Chaos2k7]

Shouldn' t we hate each other ?

When we play each other? Absolutely.

But if I hated every team that has some trolls as fans, I wouldn't watch hockey at all.

 

[sr edler]

At least Kucherov scored a gazillion assists in the RS and kept the Ross at distance from the Canadian golden boys.

 

[thegazelle]

There were rumors of Cooper being let go and I never really saw that happening....I think he's a great fit in Tampa. I think it would have been a big mistake to let him go.

At the absolute least - give him one more year to see how he does, and if you absolutely want to make a change, do it at the end of next year, but it would have been to soon today.

I agree that if he had been let go, other teams would have raced to sign him.

I have always liked Cooper as a coach and I don't believe Tampa's issues are necessarily all coaching related. Their team is aging and it happens. Cooper I have always seen as a class act. Even when he makes a mistake, he does own up to it. He strikes me as a very respectable, honourable old fashioned coach. I hope he re-signs in Tampa.

 

[BB79]

Congrats on going to the Eastern Conference Finals, Florida. Good luck against the Can/gers. I think it'll be a Colorado-Florida final, 1996 all over again