Playoffs 2021 Opening Round: Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers (TBL Wins 4-2)

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

2 minutes ago, lynxrattle said:

Knight rides to the rescue and slays the evil blue dragon ✌

 

He sure did.

Now...all he has to do is repeat that exact same thing two more times. 

[lynxrattle]

18 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

He sure did.

Now...all he has to do is repeat that exact same thing two more times. 

Slaying two more greedy cup hoarding dragons... No problem for a Knight!

[OccamsRazor]

5 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

Slaying two more greedy cup hoarding dragons... No problem for a Knight!

 

Very impressive debut by the 20 year old. Rough start and then just closed the door.

 

Pressure now has to shift to the Bolts not to be undone by a kid who isn't even able to have a beer legally....especially if they can even the series up.

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

6 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Very impressive debut by the 20 year old. Rough start and then just closed the door.

 

Pressure now has to shift to the Bolts not to be undone by a kid who isn't even able to have a beer legally....especially if they can even the series up.

 

 

Spencer Knight was indeed impressive.
Looked every bit the part of the veteran out there despite his age.

That said, and as good as his play was, the Panthers also played a very good brand of defense in front of him.
Really limited the Lightning's chances and didn't give star players like Point, Kucherov, and Stamkos much in the way of scoring opportunities.

The Champs will ALWAYS have pressure on them..... they are expected to win after all..... but I think they handle it. Just too many vets, still too much talent on that team not to be able to.

And pressure can just as easily fall on the Panthers now who MUST play that same brand of tight, mistake-free defense they played that allowed them to skate away with the win in Game 5.
Doing that two more times, without cracking, AND hoping their 20 yr old netminder (assuming Coach Q sticks with him) plays the same lights out way.......well, that is asking lots out of the Panthers.

[lynxrattle]

And the Cats would need to be able to do it without the veteran presence that can only be built in long playoffs runs. All I can do is dream and hope

[mojo1917]

i saw on "the twitter" last night was Spencer Knight's 7th elimination game this season.

Kid's been playing some hella pressure minutes and excelling.

If I'm Bill Zito...I'm shopping Bobrovsky hard, or maybe, leave him unprotected in the expansion draft...get that anchor contract off the books so I can sign Barkov, Montour, Bennett and keep this core group of players.

This series has been super fun to watch.

 

[Brewin Flames]

Spencer Knight wins his first NHL Playoff Game...

 

 

[Brewin Flames]

Some panthers fans were a tad leery about putting Knight in the net...

 

20 years old with 7 NHL games and 0 playoff experience, and down 3-1 in the series.

 

However, you have to see what he can do at some point, so why not now...he's been one of the best netminding prospects around for years, and it's clear that he has ice water in his veins, that have the starter in net for the next 10 years, move on from Bob and that horrid contract.

[lynxrattle]

6 hours ago, Brewin Flames said:

Some panthers fans were a tad leery about putting Knight in the net...

 

20 years old with 7 NHL games and 0 playoff experience, and down 3-1 in the series.

 

However, you have to see what he can do at some point, so why not now...he's been one of the best netminding prospects around for years, and it's clear that he has ice water in his veins, that have the starter in net for the next 10 years, move on from Bob and that horrid contract.

TBL is probably watching those 7 games over and over again, and digging up any old videos they can find, to get an idea what's the dent in Knight's armour.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

20 minutes ago, lynxrattle said:

TBL is probably watching those 7 games over and over again, and digging up any old videos they can find, to get an idea what's the dent in Knight's armour.

 

When in doubt, go right at the young goalie!

Of course, the Lightning would still have to get through the Florida defenders, who would have to be playing that very good defense they played last game, but the Lightning ARE capable of overloading and overwhelming any goaltender should they manage to break free of the defensive shackles the other team tries to put against them.

A game where a Nikita Kucherov, a Victor Hedman, etc are razor sharp and taking over a game....that rubs off on their linemates/partners, and the Bolts could just swarm to where even Knight can't stop everything.

And this takes NOTHING away from Knight, mind you.
Just sayin.... Bolts have a proven track record where if they go all out offense once the zone is secured, they can make things nightmarish for any goalie whose defensive structure is anything less than perfect.  

[lynxrattle]

With all that talent in different lines and d-man pairs it's too easy for the Bolts.

[lynxrattle]

"Hold, yes, it was the dreaded, three-headed fright
The fiercest creature for yards around
For second after second Robin held his own
But the unslot proved too much for the brave knight"

 

Don't worry, though. There's plenty of blue dragon slaying knights left in the playoffs

[OccamsRazor]

Looks like the team in front of the kid let them down.

 

All that talent and they put zero goals on the board.

 

You have to give Tampa props...they are the team to beat. Again.

 

I can see a Bolts/Avs finals. I would be shocked if not.

[lynxrattle]

The Cup is TBL's to lose.

[OccamsRazor]

2 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

The Cup is TBL's to lose.

 

Yes very hard to find a chink in their armor....i can't. Solid from top to bottom.

 

Curtis McElhinney might have the best backup job in the world...maybe only second best too Blaine Gabbert. 

 

The will have to stumble hard not to win another.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

17 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

"Hold, yes, it was the dreaded, three-headed fright
The fiercest creature for yards around
For second after second Robin held his own
But the unslot proved too much for the brave knight"

 

Don't worry, though. There's plenty of blue dragon slaying knights left in the playoffs

 

 

The Dragon Champs will await either a storm or a beastly predator to try and slay them next.  

[lynxrattle]

The Canes have quite a dragon slaying job ahead of them. Hurricanes and Lighting. Hopefully an even, and stormy series. We'll see.

[OccamsRazor]

Didn't get it done tonight a leaky one cost them in the 3rd.

 

A very good back and forth game tonight.

 

A very good series ahead. I give Tampa the edge if for no other reason between the pipes.

 

Canes need to find that goalie for the future after this season while their window is open.

[Jimtown guy]

Avs are going all the way 

Edited May 31, 2021 by Jimtown guy