The Rite of Spring: 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

[See Red]

27 minutes ago, habsfan1 said:

The Avs played what seemed like the best game to their abilities. All 4 lines performed. The Avs players all played like they're hungry for their first Cup. Most of the Lightning players already won it twice.

 

It's not over, though. A 2-time Cup winner doesn't win 2 straight Cups without being able to handle and overcome adversity. Game 5 is not in the bag, for Colorado. They're going to need a mega performance, even if by chance the Avs get a lead by several goals.

 

Oh I thought this was a game TB should have won in regulation. That first period was, imo, the best they've looked in this series.  Colorado did dominate overtime, though.

[DoctorWhom]

Yeah, this series is pretty much over now. 

Tampa might be able to steal game 5 just to spite the Avs winning on home ice, but I don't seem them winning 2 or even 3 in a row. 

Avs are just too good to drop multiple games. 

 

Would be nice to see them win it at home, I believe it's been over a decade since a team has done that. 

[See Red]

Insult to injury that it probably should've been too many men on the ice on the last goal (I'm sure the resident Islanders fan here has no problem with that) and whistled dead even before then for being played with  high stick. Sports are stupid. 

[JerseyJimmy]

3 hours ago, See Red said:

Insult to injury that it probably should've been too many men on the ice on the last goal (I'm sure the resident Islanders fan here has no problem with that) and whistled dead even before then for being played with  high stick. Sports are stupid. 

 

if you're gonna complain about the other team having six men on the ice, at least make sure your team doesn't have seven first. you know, like in game 2 of the ECF last year.

[Sport]

I feel like the Avs stole that one, but that's what great teams do. Didn't play great for 60 minutes, were outshot, outworked, outchanced, and Kuemper looked shaky, but hold a team to under 3 goals and you'll win most nights. In overtime they had possession for what felt like 75% of the time and a goal felt inevitable, which is why I can't really care that much about Kadri going early on his line change. 

 

Now, is it too much to ask to invent a net where the puck doesn't get lost so easily and/or there's some kind of puck sensor system that automatically turns the red light on when the puck enters? That goal was anti-climactic and the TV coverage of it was not good. They never did show the moment when the Avs figured it out. It just cut from the players standing around to the celebration and the announcers didn't really know what happened.

[FiddySicks]

10 hours ago, See Red said:

Well that's frustrating. A couple lucky bounce goals sends it to OT and the Avs win. Frustrating. Down 3-1 and have played pretty evenly. 

Lol, they lost game 2 by a touchdown. Im

not so sure it’s as even as you think it is. 

[speedy]

1 hour ago, Sport said:

I feel like the Avs stole that one, but that's what great teams do. Didn't play great for 60 minutes, were outshot, outworked, outchanced, and Kuemper looked shaky, but hold a team to under 3 goals and you'll win most nights. In overtime they had possession for what felt like 75% of the time and a goal felt inevitable, which is why I can't really care that much about Kadri going early on his line change. 

 

Now, is it too much to ask to invent a net where the puck doesn't get lost so easily and/or there's some kind of puck sensor system that automatically turns the red light on when the puck enters? That goal was anti-climactic and the TV coverage of it was not good. They never did show the moment when the Avs figured it out. It just cut from the players standing around to the celebration and the announcers didn't really know what happened.

 

Agree to disagree here. I thought Kuemper looked the best he's looked all playoffs, other than that softy from Hedman. The first goal he had no chance on, I understand the rule there, but as a former goalie it's pure dog:censored:.  It's a dangerous play and an impossible one for a goalie to recover from. If a skater has to leave immediately, the play should be blown dead for a goalie as well. Either way, he made some massive saves that kept the Av's within reach all game. Very impressed with how he bounced back.

 

I was convinced with how the overtime was playing out that it was going to end on a random bounce for Tampa, Vasy was playing out of his damn mind.

[See Red]

5 hours ago, JerseyJimmy said:

if you're gonna complain about the other team having six men on the ice, at least make sure your team doesn't have seven first. you know, like in game 2 of the ECF last year.

 

I literally acknowledged that very goal in my post.  That said, that's a second period goal in a game Tampa Bay would win comfortably.  This was an OT goal. I'd also add that if Kadri isn't on the ice five seconds before his replacement gets to the bench, he's not in position to make that play. But it's whatever, the NHL let's it's refs decide penalties aren't penalties for some reason and both teams were affected by it in the third period.  Tampa's benefitted from it as much as it's hurt them the last few years.   Just crappy to lose on a play that should've twice been blown dead. 

 

31 minutes ago, FiddySicks said:

Lol, they lost game 2 by a touchdown. Im

not so sure it’s as even as you think it is. 

 

And they won game 3 in similarly dominant fashion. 

 

I think game one was relatively even. Lightning had a terrible  first ten minutes or so but the rest of the game was even.  Game 2 happened but game 3 also happened.  And then game 4 was a game TBL probably should've won in regulation if not for a few unlucky bounces.

 

I mean... is two OT games and then a blow out each way not relatively even?

[IceCap]

42 minutes ago, See Red said:

Just crappy to lose on a play that should've twice been blown dead. 

The Lightning probably lose to the Leafs in six if they're not gifted two bull  highsticking penalties in quick succession. 

 

So... I donno... deal with it?

[DEAD!]

If people are going back and forth over the ruling, maybe the rule in of itself should be changed. Either a player coming off the bench has to wait until the player complete gets off the ice, or create a exchange zone demarcation like box lacrosse. 

[See Red]

1 hour ago, IceCap said:

The Lightning probably lose to the Leafs in six if they're not gifted two bull  highsticking penalties in quick succession. 

 

So... I donno... deal with it?

 

I mean, Kerfoot on Hedman was pretty clearly a high-stick.  Beyond that, I think what I said -- which is basically that it's whatever,  that both teams benefitted from non-calls in the game, and acknowledging the Lightning have benefitted from missed calls in the past -- is dealing with it better than, say, "the Leafs have gotten hosed by officiating" and whining about how often the refs bail out the Lightning.

 

54 minutes ago, DEAD! said:

If people are going back and forth over the ruling, maybe the rule in of itself should be changed. Either a player coming off the bench has to wait until the player complete gets off the ice, or create a exchange zone demarcation like box lacrosse. 

 

Don't think it needs to be addressed, to be honest.  You can't make it reviewable because changes that violate that five foot rule happen throughout games and that could be a mess.  Plus the rulebook gives the officials discretion.  It was just a missed call... it happens.  I don't think knee jerk reactions to be made to one goal being scored off of that.  Frankly, I'm surprised they can ever call that penalty with how chaotic line changes can be.  If the Avs didn't score then, the goal was probably coming soon after.

 

What they need to address is officials swallowing their whistles in general because that's when games get chippy and dangerous. They missed at least two blatant penalties on both teams in the last ten or so minutes of the game (a boarding and a tripping on each) which benefits the Lightning since their special teams is dreadful right now.

[Jer15]

5 minutes ago, See Red said:

both teams benefitted from non-calls in the game

 

That's the long and short of it. 

 

I think that's all that needs to be said. 

[spartacat_12]

14 hours ago, habsfan1 said:

The Avs played what seemed like the best game 2nd & 3rd periods to their abilities.

 

Tampa didn't capitalize enough during that first period. Keumper trying to make sure he gets a new contract with the Avs for next year.

[IceCap]

1 hour ago, See Red said:

I mean, Kerfoot on Hedman was pretty clearly a high-stick. 

I mean I can make something look like a high stick when I push the other guy's stick into my face.

 

1 hour ago, See Red said:

Beyond that, I think what I said -- which is basically that it's whatever,  that both teams benefitted from non-calls in the game, and acknowledging the Lightning have benefitted from missed calls in the past -- is dealing with it better than, say, "the Leafs have gotten hosed by officiating" and whining about how often the refs bail out the Lightning.

The Lightning are two-time defending Cup Champions. I think we can clearly say that the Lightning have had more calls go their way and than not over the past twenty-four months. One crucial call finally didn't. Sucks man, but NHL officiating's a crapshoot. You're lucky with it until you aren't.

 

And no, if you're here kvetching you're not "dealing with it."

[TBGKon]

14 hours ago, DoctorWhom said:

 

 

Would be nice to see them win it at home, I believe it's been over a decade since a team has done that. 

Tampa Bay won at home just last year.

[tp49]

My takeaway so far is besides Tampa Bay being gassed, is that Vasilevskiy is very beatable on his blocker side.  Shooting toward his blocker, he looks very human.

[DTConcepts]

How it started:

 

 

How it's going:

 

[DoctorWhom]

I have 0 sympathy for Tampa. 

You've already been spoiled with back to back cups, and now a threepeat in the east. 

Bad calls happen all the time, they've even benefited from it in the past. 

As calls go, that wasn't even anything egregious. 

They weren't winning in OT anyway with how much the Avalanche were dominating.  

[habsfan1]

On 2 of the 3 Tampa goals, Kuemper was weak. The 1st one especially, which should have been a routine save.

[DoctorWhom]

I had a feeling Tampa would steal 1 to force at least game 6. 

But I doubts Avalanche are going to let another opportunity to clinch slip them by.