TropicalFruitGirl26

2-0 is not anywhere near an insurmountable lead, but with the way these teams have played, and how often Dallas struggles to score, that current score in favor of Vegas sure does look mountainous...

Stephenson's goal is still holding up as the Knights head into the first intermission up 1-0. To be honest, this game doesn't look all that different than, say, the last two games....difference being, Vegas actually managed to grab and KEEP a lead.

Chandler Freakin Stephenson.... I was expecting Wild Bill or Reilly Smith to start things for the Knights, but if you are Vegas, you will take a Chandler goal all the same. 1-0 Knights.

Vegas really could use a shot in the arm from either Reilly Smith or Wild Bill Karlsson. Both have been uber invisible last couple games....and have just 7 goals these entire playoffs between them. I know Vegas relies on a total team game, but those two are supposed to be catalysts and drivers on their team, and to this point, they really haven't. Shea Theodore, on the other hand, has really "come out" during these playoffs.

Thing is, you look at this Dallas roster, and they really SHOULDN'T be as offensively challenged as they sometimes are. I really do think its more a playstyle thing........ as in, head coach Rick Bowness is so inclined to have his team play defense first, that he does so at the expense of this upper level talent. There were times in this series when the Stars would take such low percentage shots at the net, its no wonder Knights' goaltending is having an easy time of stopping shots, leaving Khu-dini to weather any and all offensive push back storms with barely a lead, if he has one at all. As if the Stars needed more reasons to play defensively, looks like they will be down both Radek Faksa and Roope Hintz for tonight's game. https://www.nhl.com/news/dallas-stars-vegas-golden-knights-injury-updates/c-319011278?tid=277548856 I don't know what else Vegas can do other than to continue to put shots on net, roll their four lines, have their defense and 4th line hit everything in site..... on paper, those are all good things and should have won them more games than they have to this point. But that fantastic goaltending by Dallas........... with maybe a little bit of Lady Luck in their corner too. Tough nut for Las Vegas to crack right now. But they better tonight..... or else.

In all seriousness, I have no clue. And the Lightning aren't letting out any details other than "he isn't ready". It was suggested that it will definitely not be for the remainder of the series with the Islanders, but leaving the door open to a return (though not guaranteed) for the Finals, should Tampa Bay get there. Some have suggested that if there is any doubt whatsoever about his health, he should be shut down till the new season starts sometime in December or January, and if the Lightning do win the Cup, he still gets his name on it because he qualified by playing in enough games during the season. I am pretty sure he'd like to get back and be part of any Cup triumph the team would have (if they are to win..... I realize they still have a series to close out and a Western opponent in the way before any celebrations can be planned), but the team should be set for multiple Cup runs, and he won't be part of THOSE if he keeps regressing in health by coming back before he should. It is bittersweet, what the team is doing, for him I am sure. And for fans such as myself who would love to see him out there.

Missing Alex Killorn on that suspension was very important as well. Sure, overall, I'd rather have the likes of Point, but Killorn's presence makes sure the other depth players are slotted properly. Missing him, guys in the bottom six need to be moved up a line or two and get more minutes than they probably should. Killorn also can move all over the top 9, playing the role of checking forward with playmaking skill and sniper skills on a low level line.....or space maker, agitator, and playmaker for a skilled forward on a top line. Very verstatile. With both he and Point back in, NY had more than their hands full. But yea, Point is making his "point" that he is Conn Smythe worthy. He looked fantastic again in Game 4....but then, he wasn't seen in the 3rd period, so wondering what that was all about. Came back too soon? Helped his team to yet another win, but at what cost? Hopefully the coaching staff was just being overly cautious once the Bolts took a 3-1 lead en route to their win.

I call him Khu-dini (because he seems to escape some crazy situations), and he played out of his mind yet again. Kept his team in this, despite Vegas mostly outplaying and definitely outshooting Dallas. He hold on long enough for his guys to score just enough, as the Stars are apt to do since Bowness took over, to win the game. I think Vegas is finding out firsthand what the Avalanche found out: No matter how many SOG you put up, no matter what the metrics say, unless you actually get past that hard Stars defense, and get one past either Bishop or Khu-dini in this case, it won't matter a hill of Vegas beans if the men in green take advantage of their opportunities, few as they may be. Jamie Benn seems to have woken up for the Stars, Radulov has been playing pretty steady, wonder if and when Seguin joins that party. And outstanding play, both ways, by the Dallas defense...particularly Oleksiak and Lindell who always seem to play in the shadows of guys like Heiskanen and Klingberg. Knights in a big hole. What do they do now?

Ah, so that's it? Then the Wild made out a bit better than I initially thought then. Can't go wrong giving up that kind of pick for a player who could possibly get back to an upward track. If he doesn't, well, Minnesota has lost nothing in the whole process.

From NHL .com https://www.nhl.com/wild/news/wild-acquires-center-nick-bjugstad-from-the-pittsburgh-penguins-091120/c-318994116 Wild trade a conditional 2021 draft pick...at this time, I don't have what the conditions are, so if anyone else has it, post. Big center, former 1st round selection, still only 28, can hit, can score a bit........ but a reclamation project due to his offense being highly inconsistent and not being able to stay healthy on the ice. Good news here is, he is on an expiring contract (one that carries a 4.1M cap hit...which the Pens are retaining a portion of), so if it turns out in the coming season that he simply cannot do anything for the team, Wild can just let him go. But if he can be helpful to the team, Minnesota may have a decent top 9 big center (hopefully top six), while they sort out their various other areas of need and/or younger guys develop. Wouldn't say I am excited about this signing, but, "interesting" would be a better word, if only because of the possible upside if he can get back to his form, of say, oh 2017-18 where he had a career high 49 pts (19G, 30A) over a full 82 game season playing for an offensively challenged Florida Panthers team. If he stays healthy, maybe he sets new career highs. Hometown boy and former University of Minnesota product as well.

Cmon now, @yave1964 Does THIS look like the type of guy that would *piss* anything away?

Just stopped in real quick to give a sincere congrats to Sean Couturier for his Selke win. Honestly, with Covid and some other stuff going on, I lost track of who all would be the best candidates, in my mind anyways, for this award, but even not knowing that, I have seen enough of Couturier play and his evolution as an NHL'er to know that he deserves this recognition as much as, maybe more so, than other defensive minded forwards with offensive skill. Some years ago, I posted on these boards somewhere the idea I would have loved for the Lightning to trade a top young prospect or two, along with a pick, to the Flyers for Couturier. Obviously that never happened, but if it did, I wonder if the Bolts would have won a Cup by now having "Coots" lock down their 2C position, or even be an elite 3C for them, seeing as how TB regularly rolls out 3 lines with almost equal playing time. At any rate, Flyers really do have a good one in Couturier. Appreciate him and what he does. His contributions may not always be on the scoresheet, but I think he really does help hold his team's structure together. Well deserved trophy win!

Stars definitely made things harder on themselves than they needed to. Not only was the majority of the game played in front of Khu-dini (my new nickname for him, since he seems to escape lots of precarious situations), but when the Stars did get down to the Vegas end, they kept taking these gawd awful low percentage SOG that Lehner easily detects and stops. And way too many 'one n done' situations in the offensive zone for Dallas as well. Khu-dini certainly did his part, but even he looked like he was tiring towards the end. His body language was as if he was telling his team, "Get me some ^%@!ing goals! Or at least go play in front of Lehner for awhile....dammit!" But Dallas came through when they needed it and that is, as they say the bottom line. Vegas should be beside themselves about now having all that opportunity and doing the minimum with it. Stars goals came from expected sources (Benn) but also from UNEXPECTED sources (Oleksiak) and making good on those few chances they did get at game's end is why we are where we are. Dallas may be up 2-1 in the series playing pretty unconventionally....but is it reasonable to expect they can sustain this?? Seems like a real hard way to make a living in the playoffs.....and at some point, unless you give him some relief in the form of goals, Khu-dini is going to falter. Guy has played out of his mind and the Stars best not expect him to keep saving their arses game after game. They need to give him leads, comfortable ones. As for Vegas...what can they do except what they have been doing. Continue rolling four lines, continue drawing penalties, continue taking shots at the net in rapid succession. Sooner or later that has to pay off....right?

Happy retirement to Mikko. And I mean that sincerely. Lots was heaped on him, especially when given that large contract that he was given, and he in fact, played almost his entire career a role which wasn't the best suited for him (top line C). But he did a pretty good job in all facets of the game given the situation he was in and as a Wild fan since 2005, I can certainly appreciate his contributions to the team. I am glad though, that he decided not to 'hang on', especially during a time when the Wild, as an organization, are in transition. Looking at things honestly, there really isn't a place for him on the roster....not if the Wild want to actually move the needle forward anyways. Mikko probably had the option of playing elsewhere as a 3C or 4C on a deep team, and do well in that role, but obviously, his heart is Minnesota forest green. Best of luck and lots of family and friends enjoyment time as he moves on to the next phases of his life.

As a follow up to my previous post where @OccamsRazor asked about "next man up"... Here are the projected lineups according to DailyFaceOff dot com. These are subject to change of course, but they seem about right, with a couple exceptions. As you can see, they have Cirelli on the top line as expected, but not having Point, Stamkos, AND Killorn does skew things all over the place as guys are having to be slotted higher than they would normally...in some cases, like Goodrow on the 2nd line, and Yanni Gourde at Center AND Luke Schenn, a defenseman, as a 4th line forward....dramatically. On paper, this group, as structured, looks like they might have trouble scoring consistently if the Isles play an almost flawless defensive style. Unless that top line REALLY steps up or goals come from the defense, the Bolts may have to settle winning another low scoring game, if they indeed can navigate past Barry Trotz' schemes...especially when the Islanders will have "last change" for Games 3 and 4 now. I find it interesting that Gourde and not Blake Coleman is slotted into the C position. Gourde has always been an NHL winger, whereas Coleman was a C/W with New Jersey. Also, Tyler Johnson came up through the Bolts system and on the NHL for much of his time with the team as a center....yet he too is slotted as a winger. Johnson hasn't been particularly effective these playoffs at wing...why not just slot him back to his old center spot and see what happens? Jon Cooper can't site "familiarity" with linemates becaues one look at this lineup, and one can easily see many guys playing guys they aren't used to in a game situation. Yet somehow, they are gonna have to make this work. Elsewhere, some Colorado Avalanche fans had been crying about their injuries and how, if it weren't for this or that, they would have taken care of Dallas. To that I say, BS and stop whining. The Bolts have had a competitive team for a few years now.....and in almost every instance, they have had significant injuries that may or may not have helped derail them from winning it all............and these playoffs, that trend continues. Is it a factor? Sure. Is it a legit excuse? No, sir, it is not. Next man up.....a team's depth counts just as much as its top line star players. If a team doesn't have it (I always questioned Colorado's), then they aren't winning if they are missing certain players. I can only hope the Bolts "have it"....they will be tested on that front yet again.

Anthony Cirelli has been the 2C when Point was in.... Cirelli may be asked to center the top line. Tyler Johnson, who came up as a center, but has been used at wing the last two seasons, may be asked to come back to be the 2C. Blake Coleman may have to take the 3C duties. Cirelli is a good young player, but he has not been super effective these playoffs (at least not offensively), and I still think he may be a season or two away from permanently being a top six center. But if Point can't go, he will be thrown in there I would think....trial by fire, if you would.

Down Stamkos? Bolts have Point. Down Point? Bolts have Kucherov. The depth is definitely there. However, I don't like the looks of this team as much with Point missing from the lineup either. Kucherov, while still a big threat on the ice at all times, will become easier to target with less effective sniper and playmaker types on the Bolts playing sans Stamkos, Point, and if a suspension comes along, no Killorn either. TB has guys like Carter Verhaeghe or Mitchell Stephens, and they are decent enough forwards, but they are nowhere near enough to fill in the holes created by Point and/or Stamkos' absence. This means guys like Tyler Johnson, Anthony Cirelli, and Yanni Gourde are gonna have to step up THEIR games.

Outshot, outmanned, and out PP timed... Bolts still come up with the win. Series is still up for grabs, but NY finds themselves in a hella hole right about now.

BOLTS: Outshot heavily in Game 2 so far.....but tied on the scoreboard 1-1

7 minutes to go. Bolts in full control of this one. 8-2. Bolts now just need to not do anything stupid, make sure guys are not injured for the next game. This one should be done.

Well, Flyers still have some up n coming players and their PP should improve, but I see your point. On the whole, the Bolts are ready NOW, Flyers not quite...and the Isles are seeing the big differences firsthand.

5-1 Lightning and just now they were grinding the Islanders down real good with their 4th line. Islanders also making uncharacteristic sloppy clearing attempts. Trotz has to be beside himself behind that bench. Definitely not a Trotz game for his club.

Yes...that Islander player that scooped the puck back out of the net could have at LEAST been honest and told the ref it was in! Would've saved everyone a lot of time!

3-1 Bolts on a Ryan McDonagh goal. Nice play by Sergachev to keep that alive making the McD goal possible. Serge making that Drouin trade look better and better all the time!

Bolts answer with a PP goal of their own. What a blast from the point by Victor Hedman. 2-1 Tampa Bay.