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

[JoVel]

Also, I’m not shocked that Tampa’s window closed as soon as Vasi’s contract kicked in. Can’t pay a goalie that much money.

Tampa won a Cup and made it to Finals the following year while their window was closed. Not bad.

 

[sr edler]

Tampa's been on the downturn for a while now. Only thing they've got going nowadays is Kucherov scoring loads of points, but their overall game is just too sloppy.

 

[bobholly39]

Those disallowed goals were awful. This league is so frustrating.

I say this as someone who hates Tampa and is happy to see them lose.

Also, I’m not shocked that Tampa’s window closed as soon as Vasi’s contract kicked in. Can’t pay a goalie that much money.

Um, yeah you can, what a weird comment....

First year of contract - 2021. Cup + smythe + vezina runner up
Second year of contract - 2022. Final run, 5th in vezina voting

I don't see the relation. Carey Price was paid a lot in Montreal, and outside of health issues his $$ was never a problem because he played up to it.

Vasi hasn't been particularly great the last couple of years. It's less about $$ than performance.

 

[Ratsreign]

Anyone saying the goalie interference calls were wrong because he barely touched him or whatever. It doesn’t matter if goalie was “only barely touched” when it happens inside the blue painted GOALIE’S crease. That’s his ice, it is what it is. They actually got both calls right as the rules are written.

 

[MarotteMarauder]

If its a goal the goalie had no chance on with or without the alleged 'goalie interference' I'd like to see a bit more lenience, feel like we've gone a slight bit too far.

If you think it's difficult to define GI, just wait until you try to define goalie "had no chance".

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Kucherov was held without a goal in this series. He got some assists, but would’ve liked to see more from a proven 40 goal scorer at his peak in this series.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Anyone saying the goalie interference calls were wrong because he barely touched him or whatever. It doesn’t matter if goalie was “only barely touched” when it happens inside the blue painted GOALIE’S crease. That’s his ice, it is what it is. They actually got both calls right as the rules are written.

This has always been the standard, I'm not sure why people are so confused. I've seen way softer contact than that waved off.

 

[killa3312]

Kucherov was held without a goal in this series. He got some assists, but would’ve liked to see more from a proven 40 goal scorer at his peak in this series.

His goal scoring dried up for a while in the regular season as well once he put his sights on the 100 assists thing. It is what it is.

 

[ShootIt]

One offseason can change depth for the better or worse.

Florida last year Achilles heel was their depth. Collin White was a regular on the Finals team. Josh Mahura was a regular on the blueline.
Shrewd moves to acquire guys like Stenlund, ERod, OEL and even Kulikov really helped the bottom 6/3rd pairing improve from last year.
Even guys like Lorentz/Gadjo played well, and better than the 22-23 bottom 6 regulars.

Point is, I don't see Tampa being done just yet, if they can find those underappreciated guys in free agency that fits what Cooper wants out of his players. It will be a tight cap and some hard trades may be needed, but a team with Hedman, Point, Kuch, Hagel, Sergachev and Vasilevskiy is still a very good core.
Then you guys like Cirelli, Paul and others who are good pieces for the mid 6.

Hedman is the oldest of the above at 34 but I can see him still being a top defenseman for a few more years.

 

[killa3312]

Not sure how anyone is beating Vegas.

98 point Vegas that is now tied in their series against Dallas? They need to win that series first. Lol. They were very mid this entire season.

 

[centipede2233]

One offseason can change depth for the better or worse.

Florida last year Achilles heel was their depth. Collin White was a regular on the Finals team. Josh Mahura was a regular on the blueline.
Shrewd moves to acquire guys like Stenlund, ERod, OEL and even Kulikov really helped the bottom 6/3rd pairing improve from last year.
Even guys like Lorentz/Gadjo played well, and better than the 22-23 bottom 6 regulars.

Point is, I don't see Tampa being done just yet, if they can find those underappreciated guys in free agency that fits what Cooper wants out of his players. It will be a tight cap and some hard trades may be needed, but a team with Hedman, Point, Kuch, Hagel, Sergachev and Vasilevskiy is still a very good core.
Then you guys like Cirelli, Paul and others who are good pieces for the mid 6.

Hedman is the oldest of the above at 34 but I can see him still being a top defenseman for a few more years.

Vasilevsky at a 9.5 mil caphit with a sub .900 save % the last 2 playoffs is concerning if you’re a Tampa fan. I think Vasi was a product of the team in front of him that had McDonough, palat, Coleman, goodrow, Killorn and gourde. I know they have some new guys in Hagel and Paul, but not the same depth and defensive acumen as those before them.

 

[Master P]

98 point Vegas that is now tied in their series against Dallas? They need to win that series first. Lol. They were very mid this entire season.

No team is going undefeated,

 

[killa3312]

No team is going undefeated,

Sure, but there was nothing in their play this season that would indicate they’re going on a big run. They had the same amount of points and a worse goal differential than the Lightning, and we all know we weren’t world beaters this season. Lol.

 

[Alex1234]

Anyone saying the goalie interference calls were wrong because he barely touched him or whatever. It doesn’t matter if goalie was “only barely touched” when it happens inside the blue painted GOALIE’S crease. That’s his ice, it is what it is. They actually got both calls right as the rules are written.

Bolts always had a tough time with rules
Nothing new

 

[Soul Assumption]

This has always been the standard, I'm not sure why people are so confused. I've seen way softer contact than that waved off.

I've seen much harder contact and it was a good goal. It's just ridiculous to claim that there is some kind of "standard". Goalie interference is a completely random thing that depends on how the referee feels today

 

[Chaos2k7]

Literally the same thing happened to us against the Lightning a couple years ago. Duclair had a couple goals taken back in our series finale during our President's Trophy season. Sucks to be on the wrong side of those calls.

But if it's deemed interference, it is what it is. They weren't the difference in either series.

 

[Beezeral]

Good news - I'm officially on the Panthers bandwagon now. For round 2 at least.

As a Habs fan - Florida comes before Boston, so Go Panthers Go for round 2! (Leafs could still upset things, but I don't think anyone is going to hold their breath waiting on Leafs to do something good in the playoffs...)

But in all honesty - I used to make fun of Florida a lot a couple of years ago because they never won a playoff round and their goalies sucked - but I stopped doing so after last year. Outside of talking a bit of smack on Tampa's behalf this round, I thought Florida's cup run was incredibly impressive last year, as was their season this year and Bob especially has been very solid, which makes a huge difference.

Florida definitely dominated this series and deserved the win.

On behalf of all panthers fans, you aren’t welcome on the bandwagon.

 

[Chaos2k7]

On behalf of all panthers fans, you aren’t welcome on the bandwagon.

No posers required

 

[Maelmoor]

Congratulations Panthers, the better team went through.

 

[ShootIt]

Vasilevsky at a 9.5 mil caphit with a sub .900 save % the last 2 playoffs is concerning if you’re a Tampa fan. I think Vasi was a product of the team in front of him that had McDonough, palat, Coleman, goodrow, Killorn and gourde. I know they have some new guys in Hagen and Paul, but not the same depth and defensive acumen as those before them.

They've definitely lost some good two way players over the years.

My main concern about Vasily is his back. While the final stats may show he didn't have a great postseason this year, it wasn't due to him playing bad. He was equally as impressive as Bob for most of the games It was the rebounds/his players in front of him not getting the puck cleared.

Goalies can benefit from defensive talent in front of them, but IMO he's still a very good/great goalie when healthy

 

[Catscountry40]

TB window is closing because they do not have 18 million extra in cap or a bubble.

Copper talking about skirts while Kuch skated around healthy for a month, but did not play so they could have an advantage over other teams.

Don't have that and they can't get out of round 1.

They are nothing but an *

 

[centipede2233]

TB window is closing because they do not have 18 million extra in cap or a bubble.

Copper talking about skirts while Kuch skated around healthy for a month, but did not play so they could have an advantage over other teams.

Don't have that and they can't get out of round 1.

They are nothing but an *

Yeah, it’s absurd you have state tax free nhl clubs like Vegas and Tampa who feel the need to increase the advantage further, absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Chaos2k7]

Yeah, it’s absurd you have state tax free nhl clubs like Vegas and Tampa who feel the need to increase the advantage further, absolutely ridiculous.

Yeah, stupid NHL forcing the states their favorite teams play in to change the tax laws to their benefits 50 years before any teams even existed there.

Bettman was planning it all along I tell you!

Even as a child he was an obvious puppet master!

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

TB window is closing because they do not have 18 million extra in cap or a bubble.

Copper talking about skirts while Kuch skated around healthy for a month, but did not play so they could have an advantage over other teams.

Don't have that and they can't get out of round 1.

They are nothing but an *

We won our first cup without our captain, and made the cup finals without our #1c. But go off.

Our window is closing because all of our core players and secondary players are on their big 2nd/3rd contracts and there’s nothing left in the pipeline. Happens to every great team, it will happen to Florida one day too.

 

[Catscountry40]

Yeah, it’s absurd you have state tax free nhl clubs like Vegas and Tampa who feel the need to increase the advantage further, absolutely ridiculous.

Good point we should move more Canadian teams to the Southern US. Won't have to see graveyard arenas like Toronto and will get less crying from Sportsnet every team a Southern teams hits a little too hard.