2021 Stanley Cup Finals : Montreal Canadiens vs Tampa Bay Lightning (TBL Win 4-1)

[WordsOfWisdom]

12 hours ago, Hockey Junkie said:

I don’t need to remind you my Sabres have been to the finals more recently than the Leafs.   Go England 

 

But they've never won.  The Leafs, despite their half century of ineptitude, still average one Stanley Cup victory every 10 years. 

[WordsOfWisdom]

1 hour ago, Jimtown guy said:

One of the worse finals I’ve ever witnessed but congrats to Tampa Bay. Tough winning one let alone back to back 

 

Well it was literally the #1 seed versus the #16 seed.  Tampa were the defending champs and regarded as the team to beat. Montreal was seen as the team that didn't belong in the playoffs. 

[Brewin Flames]

8 minutes ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

 

Well it was literally the #1 seed versus the #16 seed.  Tampa were the defending champs and regarded as the team to beat. Montreal was seen as the team that didn't belong in the playoffs. 

 

 

Yep, good on tampa, and they are the recognized champs, however...the last two (in my mind) count as "covid cups" and somewhat , i hate to use the word tainted, but you know.

 

As far as the habs go...good on them as well, but in a real season, they would have been an afterthought.

 

Makes me want next season to get here real soon....

[SaucyJack]

Yes, an impressive TBL squad.  They’re such a contrast to, say, the 2018 Capitals who impressed and shocked their fans one year only to fall flat the next 3 years.  Repeat champs like the 90’s Wings or the Penguins of 5 years ago impress everyone the most.

 

Congrats to ‘TFG26’ for her club repeating, and thanks to her for setting up these fun discussion threads.  (No doubt she excelled beyond the 25 TFGs that preceded her. )

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Bolts wrapped up the Canadiens in the same fashion they wrapped up Islanders...both 1-0 shut outs, and both came after a loss to that team, leaving the Lightning, since LAST season's playoffs with a 14-0 record in games after a loss.
Very, very impressive!

Means the team never sags, never gets down on itself, and never deviates from the core game plan, but simply makes necessary tweaks and gets on with it.

My long time childhood team (yea, yea, long time for me is only the 90's, which some of you may chuckle at) is now a three time Cup champion, these last two, in very exciting 2 in a row fashion!

And speaking of three time, three time, three time....how about Big Rig Maroon, eh?
Did even HE imagine, after getting his ring with the Blues that he'd have to make room on his hand for two more over the course of the next two years?
Maroon certainly knew he was signing on with a good team, but to get two more titles immediately after getting one with his hometown Blues has GOT to be wild for him!
 

As a Lightning fan, I have certainly been treated, especially over the last three seasons, to some of the best hockey out of my club that a fan could want.
Record setting 62-win season, even though it ended horribly at the hands of the Blue Jackets, but still served to "wake up" the organization and point out in big, bold letters what it really took to win.....then of course, the franchise follows that up with two championships based as much on team toughness and balance, as goaltending and overall skill and talent.

I will enjoy this through the rest of the Summer, not knowing when the ride will end...and seeing as how the expansion draft and the salary cap now become the Lightning's opponents.

Will Julien Brisebois work some more magic and get another Cup out of this core? Can he even keep the core together?
Questions to be answered down the road, but for now..... dammit, the Lightning are the two time, back to back, repeat, defending and retaining, Stanley Cup Champions!

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

2 hours ago, SaucyJack said:

Yes, an impressive TBL squad.  They’re such a contrast to, say, the 2018 Capitals who impressed and shocked their fans one year only to fall flat the next 3 years.  Repeat champs like the 90’s Wings or the Penguins of 5 years ago impress everyone the most.

 

Congrats to ‘TFG26’ for her club repeating, and thanks to her for setting up these fun discussion threads.  (No doubt she excelled beyond the 25 TFGs that preceded her. )

 

Yes, it took 26 tries, but the TFG factory FINALLY got it right!  

[WordsOfWisdom]

3 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

As a Lightning fan, I have certainly been treated, especially over the last three seasons, to some of the best hockey out of my club that a fan could want.

 

Indeed. Must be nice.   

 

3 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Record setting 62-win season

 

Detroit and Montreal called and they say (cough) "BS" (cough). 

 

3 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

then of course, the franchise follows that up with two championships based as much on team toughness and balance, as goaltending and overall skill and talent.

 

Until Tampa won I had never seen a team in blue and white win the Stanley Cup before.  I'm pretty sure the NHL never has either because the Leafs last win predates color television.  (Yes, it's ALWAYS about the Leafs lol. Whenever I can shoe-horn it in there lol.) 

 

 

 

 

[Buffalo Rick]

11 hours ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

 

But they've never won.  The Leafs, despite their half century of ineptitude, still average one Stanley Cup victory every 10 years. 

Not if you count the last 50 years Einstein

[FD19372]

5 hours ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

 

Indeed. Must be nice.   

 

 

Detroit and Montreal called and they say (cough) "BS" (cough). 

 

 

Until Tampa won I had never seen a team in blue and white win the Stanley Cup before.  I'm pretty sure the NHL never has either because the Leafs last win predates color television.  (Yes, it's ALWAYS about the Leafs lol. Whenever I can shoe-horn it in there lol.) 

 

 

 

 

Sure you have. The Avs have two Cups, the Ranjerks have one, the Oilers have five, the Blues have one, and the Islanders have four. All have blue and white in their jerseys.

[WordsOfWisdom]

3 hours ago, FD19372 said:

Sure you have. The Avs have two Cups, the Ranjerks have one, the Oilers have five, the Blues have one, and the Islanders have four. All have blue and white in their jerseys.

 

Only blue and white.  LOL.  Had the Nordiques won, that would have counted as well. 

 

[WordsOfWisdom]

4 hours ago, Hockey Junkie said:

Not if you count the last 50 years Einstein

 

Were you home schooled?  The Leafs have won 13 Cups.  The NHL has played 104 seasons.

 

104 / 13 = 8

 

The Leafs average one Stanley Cup every 8 years. 

 

[Buffalo Rick]

7 hours ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

 

Were you home schooled?  The Leafs have won 13 Cups.  The NHL has played 104 seasons.

 

104 / 13 = 8

 

The Leafs average one Stanley Cup every 8 years. 

 

I wish they had won this year.  1967 was last and I saw bits and pieces of it.  I became a real hockey fan in 1968.  Liked Orr and Boston until Sabres got their franchise.  The Bisons were good and so was Vancouver in the old Pacific league.  The Leafs lost to my Sabres in 99 Eastern final, then we got robbed in third OT on a brutally humid June night by Hull and his goal that would have been disallowed if the Refs were not so tired and wanted it over.  Peca might have been our best player that was not nearly as good a team as our 06 team or 75 team.  We had Hasek of course.  I am not sure what the Leafs need? Maybe a more seasoned net minder, to get it done?  They should be in the mix next year?  I am hoping my Sabres return to respectability this year and get in.  This is hockey, not baseball ️ or NFL, where it takes a while to rebuild .  I wish the Leafs well.  I am relieved Montreal did not win.  I still cant believe Vegas did not beat them.

[Alexandron]

On 7/8/2021 at 11:55 AM, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Bolts wrapped up the Canadiens in the same fashion they wrapped up Islanders...both 1-0 shut outs, and both came after a loss to that team, leaving the Lightning, since LAST season's playoffs with a 14-0 record in games after a loss.
Very, very impressive!

Means the team never sags, never gets down on itself, and never deviates from the core game plan, but simply makes necessary tweaks and gets on with it.

My long time childhood team (yea, yea, long time for me is only the 90's, which some of you may chuckle at) is now a three time Cup champion, these last two, in very exciting 2 in a row fashion!

And speaking of three time, three time, three time....how about Big Rig Maroon, eh?
Did even HE imagine, after getting his ring with the Blues that he'd have to make room on his hand for two more over the course of the next two years?
Maroon certainly knew he was signing on with a good team, but to get two more titles immediately after getting one with his hometown Blues has GOT to be wild for him!
 

As a Lightning fan, I have certainly been treated, especially over the last three seasons, to some of the best hockey out of my club that a fan could want.
Record setting 62-win season, even though it ended horribly at the hands of the Blue Jackets, but still served to "wake up" the organization and point out in big, bold letters what it really took to win.....then of course, the franchise follows that up with two championships based as much on team toughness and balance, as goaltending and overall skill and talent.

I will enjoy this through the rest of the Summer, not knowing when the ride will end...and seeing as how the expansion draft and the salary cap now become the Lightning's opponents.

Will Julien Brisebois work some more magic and get another Cup out of this core? Can he even keep the core together?
Questions to be answered down the road, but for now..... dammit, the Lightning are the two time, back to back, repeat, defending and retaining, Stanley Cup Champions!

I am thinking already about playoffs finals for the next year. I will not be surprised if they will win it a 3rd time in a row. Really, I do not know which team is capable to compete with Tampa and Vasilevskiy. I was hoping to see in finals Colorado team ,because is having a similar style of play, but Grubauer was not good enough to reach finals.

I am also thinking that Tampa's two shutouts with a minimal score 1:0 against Islanders and Canadiens they did intentionally because of both opposite teams will not feel too bad in the loss.

[OccamsRazor]

7 hours ago, Alexandron said:

I will not be surprised if they will win it a 3rd time in a row.

 

Hasn't been done in 40 years.

 

They have cap issues a few guys they will have to let walk and issues with the expansion of who they will be able to protect.

 

So I don't see a 3 peat but I do see them making the playoffs.

 

I have faith in their GM being ahead of this and doing his best to retool and get under the cap.

 

I am also sure their top 6 will pretty much stay enact and they won't have a problem filling the holes with guys on one year deals to fill out the roster. Guys will be lined up to be on a two time Cup winner.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

10 hours ago, Alexandron said:

I am thinking already about playoffs finals for the next year. I will not be surprised if they will win it a 3rd time in a row. Really, I do not know which team is capable to compete with Tampa and Vasilevskiy. I was hoping to see in finals Colorado team ,because is having a similar style of play, but Grubauer was not good enough to reach finals.

I am also thinking that Tampa's two shutouts with a minimal score 1:0 against Islanders and Canadiens they did intentionally because of both opposite teams will not feel too bad in the loss.

 

3 in a row would certainly be a goal, but damned near impossible seeing as how the last team to do it were the dynasty Islanders of the early to mid 80's.

And yea, as Occams said, players likely will be lost via the cap, expansion, and free agency, with young players stepping in, having to learn to win all over again themselves, and new free agents brought in and learn the system.

Team should still be very solid with its main core intact, but probably far from the heavy favorite they've been the last two years.

Still, it should be a fun ride for us Lightning fans to see them try.
I think the Atlantic Division (maybe even the entire Eastern Conference) is going to be super tough with lots of good teams and even the lower rung teams being tough outs............ Detroit and Ottawa showed last season, for instance, even though they lose lots of games, teams have to earn it against them as they won't roll over for anyone.

[Alexandron]

3 peat is a nice goal to beat a 40 years long record. If Vasilevskiy will play strong they still have a chance to win 3 in a row. And still too good their core will be intact to try this success again next season. I didn't see any better team in NHL the last 3 seasons.

[OccamsRazor]

On 7/8/2021 at 8:28 AM, Math said:

Best moment of this final: Kucherov's no-filter postgame presser:

 

And now check out the shirt...

 

[Math]

 

But seriously speaking, what's the penalty/sanction if you remain above the cap and win in this context? Because if you only get a slap on the hand and have to write "we are a naughty team" 100x on the blackboard, then screw the cap let's all roll over it.

[OccamsRazor]

1 hour ago, Math said:

 

But seriously speaking, what's the penalty/sanction if you remain above the cap and win in this context? Because if you only get a slap on the hand and have to write "we are a naughty team" 100x on the blackboard, then screw the cap let's all roll over it.

 

After the trade deadline there is no more cap it has been that way for a long time.

 

I get folks being mad but they didn't break any rules.

[radoran]

On 7/8/2021 at 8:59 AM, WordsOfWisdom said:

 

But they've never won.  The Leafs, despite their half century of ineptitude, still average one Stanley Cup victory every 10 years. 

 

If you prorate it based on leagues with more than six teams they've never won a Cup.

 

[SaucyJack]

On 7/8/2021 at 7:59 AM, WordsOfWisdom said:

The Leafs, despite their half century of ineptitude,

Suppose the Washington NFL franchise soon starts finding success in gridiron foosball not seen since 1991.  Then will you agree that the Toronto NHL franchise should abandon their moniker for maybe a year of no-name until they get rechristened as Maple Spinners or Bay Leaves or Senior Marlies or whatever the accursed ⛸  franchise’s fans vote for?

 

 

[OccamsRazor]

46 minutes ago, SaucyJack said:

Suppose the Washington NFL franchise soon starts finding success in gridiron foosball not seen since 1991.  

 

Not to hi Jack this thread but since you mentioned it are they ever going to name their team?

 

Washington Football Team is just terrible.

 

I like the name Red Wolves is that a no go or do know if they have anything better being a Caps fan I was thinking you knew or heard?

[Puck_Pun]

Uh-oh spaghetti-os!

[SaucyJack]

4 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

are they ever going to name their team?

 

Washington Football Team is just terrible.

 

I like the name Red Wolves

I have heard very little, I actually spend little time in the greater DC area nowadays since I am primary caretaker of my elderly mom here in the Chicagoland area.

 

But if it were up to me, I’d choose Harassers as the new name.  It fits with all the latest revelations of ‘Me Too’ scandals for the past 15 years under this decrepit owner.  They could focus on their defensive side and develop a superb pass rush, fitting with the new name.

 

Look, if the NHL can abide Predators, surely the NFL can live with Harassers.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

1 hour ago, Puck_Pun said:

Uh-oh spaghetti-os!

 

Its ok, its ok...
It's just a flesh wound