2021 Round 2 Quarter Finals : Tampa Bay Lightning vs Carolina Hurricanes (TBL Win 4-1)

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

 

The old "South East Division" match ups continue in Round 2 with these two Cup aspiring heavyweights.

The Carolina Hurricanes will prove to be a completely different animal for the Champion Lightning to deal with than the relative upstart Panthers were.
Canes have been 'slow building' to a simmer for a number of seasons, many times, offense and goaltending being their main issues.

That is no longer the case.

Carolina didn't win their division by accident or by default.... they did because they were damned good throughout the season.
Based on what's on each roster, taking penalties by either side could have dire consequences. Already I envision a series where special teams will take on more importance than normal as both clubs have the ability to ice lethal power plays.

Will that curb the aggressiveness of each side? Probably not.
Both teams are pretty confident in their goalies as well.
I never would have thought I'd be saying that about the Canes this season (I've always felt Reimer was out of his element, and Mrazek was still a playoff question mark), but with Alex Nedeljkovic, the Hurricanes look like they have a legit number one starter that can match TB's Andrei Vasilevskiy save for save.

Homerism aside, the Bolts are still the team to beat, as should be afforded the current champs who still look the part, but even this fan, if she were to pick a team that could possibly end the reign of the Lightning, the Hurricanes may be it.

Regular season means squat as we saw in the Panther-Lightning series, but for those that care about that, the Bolts did win the season series against the Canes to the tune of 4-2-1, but ALL those games were pretty tightly contested and honestly, Carolina could have come out on top in the reg season as well.

Looking forward to another exciting set of games, all TB Bolts-Car Canes series talk can go right here!

Edited June 9, 2021 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

I went with Bolts in 7, but, I won't lie.
That is my homerism voting there because I think its a pick'em, but I will stick with my guys, who by no means are washed up, to try and move to the Final Four.

While I believe the Champs could beat the Canes, I would not be surprised at all if Carolina showed they are ready now and moved on themselves.

At the risk of sounding cocky, I really did feel the Lightning's previous opponent didn't have any business on the same ice sheet as the Champs (not this season anyways) in a playoff format with any real chance of winning it all.
I do NOT feel that way about the Carolina Hurricanes.

Dangerous, hungry, fast team that has equal parts experience, youth, and now offense and goaltending.....again, they've been building towards this for awhile now.
If the Lightning can beat the Canes, they may find them tougher than some possible Semi Final opponents they could be matched up with.

[lynxrattle]

I like the Canes, but I don't see them capable of winning yet. Aho, Necas, Svechnikov are too inexperienced. Teravainen has won the Cup with the Hawks, but he was a rookie carried by an extremely seasoned team back then. I would also expect the Bolts being capable of showing weaknesses in Nedjelkovich. I hope for a big surprise, though!

[SaucyJack]

Canes had the savvy when it counted those last 2 games against the Preds. Tie it late in the 3rd, put ‘em away early in OT.

 

I don’t follow teams anywhere near as closely as many of you do, so I don’t know how much the Canes have changed in 2 years.  But they left an impression in those 2019 playoffs when they took 4 of the last 5 from the Cup-defending Caps (who were far better than now in 2021) including a game 7 OT winner...

 

...I recall that the Canes’ back-checking was often so uber-intense that frequently a Capital in puck possession couldn’t make an adequate shoulder turn to make an effective pass much less a shot.

 

So they then swept NYI before being swept by Brewskis, then mauled by Brewskis again in 2020...still this team  seems to have been a-brewin’ about a bit themselves, in recent years.  
 

Time for them to shine here, so they can revenge those Brewskis next round.

[lynxrattle]

Good points SaucyJack! They have played well in the playoffs. Maybe they have the grit and the will. I still think they might not have the needed tough edge. There will probably be some very rough games. They did add two meters of Hakanpää from the Ducks, but he has very little playoffs experience, and no-one knows if he can do his job in a playoffs environment.

[Brewin Flames]

Can't wait for this series, and i am SOOOOOO happy it's an early start so my old ass can stay awake to watch it.

 

Bolts, better on offense, defense and in net, but carolina has jam, and lots of it.

 

In the end...bolts in six.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Blue Dragons take game 1.

And a damned exciting game 1 it was.
Carolina could just as easily gotten the win here, but Vasilevskiy, as we have become accustomed, played out of his freakin Russian mind.

Bolts were down David Savard to start the game and during the game, lost Erik Cernak after he got crunched along the boards.
Lightning dealt with and managed furious attacks by the Hurricanes, and they did just enough to come away with the 2-1 win.

Carolina, of course, still has a legit shot to win this, but I think they quickly found out that playoff Bolts are quite different than regular season Bolts.
And the boys in blue aren't exactly the Nashville Predators either.

[lynxrattle]

And of course the Blue Dragons just happen to have Vasilevsky... As if they needed a goalie that good

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

5 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

And of course the Blue Dragons just happen to have Vasilevsky... As if they needed a goalie that good

 

Well, actually, they do.
Tampa Bay has NEVER, and still don't, have an elite defensive corps.

They are good, mind you, and in the case of Hedman, always a Norris candidate, but in the grand scheme of things, the  Bolts are built around fast transition, attacking, special teams and a "just good enough defense", coverage wise, and an fantastic goalie to clean up whatever the defense just can't cover.
Vasilevskiy now, Ben Bishop before that.

So, I would say the Bolts don't win their Cup or make a run now without the Blue Russian Dragon.
People who say, "The Lightning rely an awful lot on Vasilevskiy to bail them out" aren't wrong!   

[lynxrattle]

Interesting. Hedman is so good that it kind of blinds from the namelessness of the rest of the d-men. That kind of makes the Blue Dragon vulnerable. If only Hedman or Vasilevsky were off... but then there's still the offense to beat.   

[OccamsRazor]

I went Lightning in 6. The edge in the crease is to big for the Canes to overcome.

 

The Canes need to address this in the offseason. If they can they can return to this spot i think.

 

I see a Bolts/Avs collison course in the finals. Just the best two stacked teams in my mind.

[lynxrattle]

1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

I see a Bolts/Avs collison course in the finals. Just the best two stacked teams in my mind.

That could be an immensely fun series to watch. Hopefully the teams stay healthy.

[SaucyJack]

1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

The edge in the crease is too big for the Canes to overcome.

Yeah.  That winning goal by Goodrow in game 1 on the narrow angle shot scoring per tons of space by the post and plenty of time for the Canes’ goalie to set himself...I then figured for Canes to win, even in 7, was a tough chore.

[OccamsRazor]

1 minute ago, SaucyJack said:

I then figured for Canes to win, even in 7, was a tough chore.

 

Yes i think they are on the right path reminds me of the Bolts a little just needing the core to gain some more experience and a goalie who can shut the door when the need it. And Mrazek is not that dude.

[Alexandron]

8 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

I went Lightning in 6. The edge in the crease is to big for the Canes to overcome.

 

The Canes need to address this in the offseason. If they can they can return to this spot i think.

 

I see a Bolts/Avs collison course in the finals. Just the best two stacked teams in my mind.

I have same opinion regarding these 2 teams.

I put for this one Lightning in 5.

[lynxrattle]

The Canes might get there eventually, but alongside experience and better goal tending some playoffs type players in the style of Palmieri, Perry, Armia for example, would be needed. Some skills, some grit, a lot of hard work, not that big a contract.

[OccamsRazor]

On 6/3/2021 at 12:43 AM, lynxrattle said:

The Canes might get there eventually, but alongside experience and better goal tending some playoffs type players in the style of Palmieri, Perry, Armia for example, would be needed. Some skills, some grit, a lot of hard work, not that big a contract.

 

I think Tampa will be ripe for the picking too with their cap issues....so that is a team they may want to raid....can't beat em then uh.....steal em...

[lynxrattle]

5 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

I think Tampa will be ripe for the picking too with their cap issues....so that is a team they may want to raid....can't beat em then uh.....steal em...

Great idea. Maybe the Wild could help the Lightning with their cap issues as well

[OccamsRazor]

12 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

Great idea. Maybe the Wild could help the Lightning with their cap issues as well

 

Yes and i imagine if they were to win another Cup they would be even more willing to make moves to keep their window open while makes moves for cheaper contracts and kids that are more affordable.

 

That front office along with the Avs are two of the most savvy ones in the league and look where they are headed more likely towards playing for all the marbles (barring some unforeseen bad luck of course).

 

Those two clubs are what everyone is trying to be like. 

[lynxrattle]

 

The Bolts' PK, PP decided this game together with Canes' goal tending. Come to think of it, that also means coaching. Five on five it was competitive - maybe there's at least a hope the Bolts' reign is short-lived

 

[OccamsRazor]

13 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

 

The Bolts' PK, PP decided this game together with Canes' goal tending. Come to think of it, that also means coaching. Five on five it was competitive - maybe there's at least a hope the Bolts' reign is short-lived

 

 

Yes Canes got very undisciplined and the goalie couldn't bail them out...and it cost them the game.

 

 

Canes should trade for this guy i think in the offseason.

[FD19372]

5 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Yes Canes got very undisciplined and the goalie couldn't bail them out...and it cost them the game.

 

 

Canes should trade for this guy i think in the offseason.

Maybe, but I think they go after Kuemper first.

[OccamsRazor]

1 minute ago, FD19372 said:

Maybe, but I think they go after Kuemper first.

 

Is that a better option??

 

Kuemper hasn't really ever done very much....and then they would have to find a goalie.

 

He is younger and cheaper and would maybe cost a lot more with a cheaper contract.

 

Regardless they need to find someone not name Mrazek. Fleury brings the attitude i think they lack.

[lynxrattle]

Maybe Nedeljkovich can develop into the goalie they need. They also need to bulk up. They look like a bunch of eager little boys running around compared to the Bolts. They can't win the board battles if there aren't some heavyweights here and there.