2021 Semi Finals Round : New York Islanders vs Tampa Bay Lightning (TBL Win 4-3)

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

 

Defending Cup Champion Lightning and hard charging New York Islanders meet in a re-match of last season's Semi Finals.

Talk about contrasting styles.... Bolts would rather run n gun a bit, although they CAN play a physical game as well, while defense, checking and wearing the opponent down is the name of the game for the NY Islanders, although, again, they too can come up with some quick strike offense should the opponent not respect that part of their game.

Lightning are looking for a repeat of last year's Semi's results, Isles looking for revenge and the bragging rights of being able to say, "We knocked off the Champions!"

Series discussion goes here, Game 1 starts at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, but oh boy, is that crowd gonna be nuts n raucous over at Nassau Coliseum once the series shifts there!

Edited June 26, 2021 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Homer voting strikes again with me.

I almost went Bolts in 5, but didn't want to buy too much into my own team's hype, so afforded NY an extra game (they SHOULD be tougher this year than last), but still, I think the Champs are much more complete, still hungry, and this is one series where, perhaps, the Isles are REALLY gonna miss big bodied, skilled captain, Anders Lee.

Tampa Bay Lightning in 6.

[lynxrattle]

Lee missing... dang it. Bolts in 6. They seem unstoppable.

[ruxpin]

Isles vs. Habs in the finals.

 

It's a TV-ratings treasure trove.

 

You heard it here first (and likely only time).

[GratefulFlyers]

Isles vs Habs works for me! I think the Islanders are going to win this series...I was wondering about Varlamov. he kept giving up goals early and I figured Sorokin would get more games. But apparently that's settled Varlamov looks solid. He'll be facing some serious firepower from all over the ice; the Bolts are as offense-minded as it gets but if he struggles Sorokin is very (very) good.

 

I don't think anyone could've beaten the Islanders last night. They played nearly mistake-free hockey when it really mattered, i.e. when Boston felt a little life returning...

 

on another note how about that $%@ Marchand? Damn I hate that guy, with all the respect in the world. I hope Konecny was watching. I enjoy watching the Isles but I love the Flyers and they need Konecny to grow his game the way Marchand has.

[OccamsRazor]

This should be a very good series. But i have to go with Tampa in 6.

 

But would be shocked if it went to 7 as well. This is a deeper Isles team than last year.

[lynxrattle]

The depth of the Bolts is too much. The Saints lose in six, maybe in five.

[Alexandron]

Fantastic game so far from both teams.

[Alexandron]

Superb saves from both goalies too. Both teams shots and their goalies stops are giving in play such a tie result in that game.

[Alexandron]

On 6/11/2021 at 10:47 AM, lynxrattle said:

The depth of the Bolts is too much. The Saints lose in six, maybe in five.

I think these teams having a pretty equal depth by watching this game.

[Alexandron]

BARZAL goal!!!! came from a Tampa double mistake of passing.

[Alexandron]

Barzal is having 4 goals already out of last 5 playoffs games.

 

Crowd in Tampa is more quiet now after that goal. Interesting how many fans allowed at their arena? In Vegas was more than 17,000.00 last game.

[Alexandron]

1:0 after 2 periods. But more than a minute of PP for Tampa at the beginning of 3rd to equalize the score.

 

I agree with some other fans at this forum that Islanders improved their team in comparison to the previous season. 

[Alexandron]

2:0 now.

By watching this game, it came a comparison with 2 other teams. Tampa is a more technical team similar to a Colorado team and Islanders is a more physical team similar to the Vegas team. I think, it would be interesting to see in finals 2 physical teams - Vegas and Islanders. But we never know this Stanley Cup lottery, how it will turn until the end.

[Alexandron]

2:1 now. Fantastic play by Tampa team at the end of the game. Wow.

[Alexandron]

But too little too late for the game #1 out of Tampa team. That team has a tremendous technical potential , probably, even better than Colorado team has. An interesting duel -  technique vs power, very similar which we had seen between Colorado - Vegas series.

[Buffalo Rick]

I have believed n the Islanders all year.  They have a big shot at the Cup

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Bolts need to open up the flow of the game a bit more next game.

Game was played very tight, lots of checking, lots of lane clogging...both sides were doing it, but THAT is an Islander specialty.
Tampa Bay drives the net, causes the Islanders to have to hook and trip, get on the PP more often, things look different.

That's what TB did to Carolina and Florida.

NY will take the low scoring grinding affairs all series long.
Bolts CAN play that way too, but the Islanders are just better at it.

I expect the Lightning to come out flying a bit more for Game 2...keep the game more a transition/track meet type game, THEN go back to grinding if they can gain the lead.

[mojo1917]

Last night didn't look different from any of the Islanders wins I've seen...no lucky this, or fortunate that.

Just those guys constricting the neutral zone, the top 4 retrieving pucks and setting their behind the net picks and enough skill to capitalize on opportunities.

Anthony Beauvillier has been great in the playoffs IMO, he's not scoring like a demon but he's getting close, he's always around the puck always a threat, he's more noticeable than Barzal IMO.

The Bolts are going to need all their extra cap dollars and lunch pails to beat this Islanders team. 

I think this will be a highly competitive series.

the line of Palmeri, Pageau and Zajak was a bit of a match-up problem for Tampa, I also thought Tyler Johnson's line was very effective.

I picked Bolts in 7, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Islanders win.

[musky]

Tampa bay $18 million over the cap ya this is fair,wow.

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/trotz-lightnings-salary-cap-loophole-im-not-capologist/

Edited June 15, 2021 by musky

[OccamsRazor]

11 hours ago, mojo1917 said:

Palmeri

 

Do we have room for him on the Flyers in the bottom 6 next year??? Asking for a friend. 

[ruxpin]

42 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Do we have room for him on the Flyers in the bottom 6 next year??? Asking for a friend. 

I've never really been a fan of him, but if he's not hugely expensive I wouldn't be opposed.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

1 hour ago, musky said:

Tampa bay $18 million over the cap ya this is fair,wow.

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/trotz-lightnings-salary-cap-loophole-im-not-capologist/

 

A bit late to the party with the "TB is cheating with the cap" spiel, aren't ya? 

[ruxpin]

Just now, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

A bit late to the party with the "TB is cheating with the cap" spiel, aren't ya? 

Honestly, these are two entirely different statements:

 

"It's not fair."

"Tampa is cheating."

 

No one is saying the second but this is what defenders instantly jump to.

 

The current rules allow for this. This kind of manipulation was hard coded into the rules.   And Tampa is well within the rules, which are bad.

 

It's not the first time and won't be the last time that hockey organizations or individual hockey players have used poorly conceived and written rules to their advantage.  This does not mean they're cheating.

 

This isn't limited to hockey.

 

It does mean there are loopholes that need to be closed.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Just now, ruxpin said:

Honestly, these are two entirely different statements:

 

"It's not fair."

"Tampa is cheating."

 

No one is saying the second but this is what defenders instantly jump to.

 

The current rules allow for this. This kind of manipulation was hard coded into the rules.   And Tampa is well within the rules, which are bad.

 

It's not the first time and won't be the last time that hockey organizations or individual hockey players have used poorly conceived and written rules to their advantage.  This does not mean they're cheating.

 

This isn't limited to hockey.

 

It does mean there are loopholes that need to be closed.

 

Point taken.

I guess I have gotten accustomed to MOST people using them in the same fashion.