2021-22 Stanley Cup Finals: Tampa Bay Lightning (Wales Champion) at Colorado Avalanche (Campbell Champion) - (COL WINS 4-2)

[ClusterChuck]

About as ugly as it gets....unless you're an Av's fan. 

[Jimtown guy]

Worse playoff loss in Lightning history. I don’t think I’ve seen a more dominating playoff game since the Pens pounded the North Stars 8-0 in 91’ to clinch the Cup. Unfortunately I was at the Met to witness that ass kicking 

 

 

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

1 hour ago, Jimtown guy said:

Tampa fans: wait till avs face a real goalie. 
Avs fans: how you feel about facing a real team?

 

Yea, the Avs look pretty damned good two games in the Finals.
They still gotta get two more, but hard to argue against them right now.

Game 3 is crucial.
Colorado takes it, even if the Bolts manage to stave off elimination, I will concede the Avalanche will win eventually.
Till then though, despite the ugliness tonight, still have a series to go.

Edited June 19, 2022 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[Buffalo Rick]

Touchdown Colorado.  My condolences TFG.  I know it’s not over, but these are not the Rangers.  Starting to respect the Blues a bit more?

[Brewin Flames]

 

[Alexandron]

Not acceptable losses for Tampa, actually 2 games in a row. 2 years in a row Stanley Cup winner is not able to reach at least 30 shots per game. Not a characteristic for not showing a character for the Cup winner. 1st game only 23 shots; 2nd game only 16 shots vs Colorado 38 shots and 30 shots respectively. Entire team should step up to show if they are a real Stanley Cup winner for the last 2 seasons. I want to see a real competition during a Stanley Cup finals, but not like last year against Montreal. If Lightning will lose in 4 games in a raw than I will think that in previous 2 seasons Tampa did not get a true Cup. We need to see 6-7 games in these finals. 

[Alexandron]

10 hours ago, Jimtown guy said:

Tampa fans: wait till avs face a real goalie. 
Avs fans: how you feel about facing a real team?

Not sure if Tampa is a real team for finals if placing minimum shots per game for 2 games in a row.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

6 hours ago, Hockey Junkie said:

Touchdown Colorado.  My condolences TFG.  I know it’s not over, but these are not the Rangers.  Starting to respect the Blues a bit more?

 

Touchdown indeed.
No condolences necessary. As you just pointed out, not over.

And what does ANY of this have to do with the Blues?
They are out golfing again with the other eliminated teams.  

[Buffalo Rick]

24 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

Touchdown indeed.
No condolences necessary. As you just pointed out, not over.

And what does ANY of this have to do with the Blues?
They are out golfing again with the other eliminated teams.  

Blues gave them a fight and they were very fortunate it didn’t go 7,  Tampa playing with house money because they won two.  But I do not think they will come back on this team like Rangers and Leafs.  I do think Leafs would have put up a fight.  Colorado has not lost on road yet and Tampas confidence has to be shot.  

[Jimtown guy]

The Colorado Avalanche are the 5th team, and the first since the 1976 Canadiens, to take a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Final against the defending champs. 3 of the previous 4 teams to do it have went on to hoist the Cup.

The Avalanche are also the 5th team in NHL history to begin a postseason 14-2; All 4 Teams have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. 

Avalanche 7-0 win over the Lightning is the 2nd largest shutout margin of victory in Stanley Cup Final history (1991 Pittsburgh 8-0 Victory over North Stars is highest).

[Statistics via: Sportsnet and ESPN]

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

1 minute ago, Hockey Junkie said:

Blues gave them a fight and they were very fortunate it didn’t go 7,  Tampa playing with house money because they won two.  But I do not think they will come back on this team like Rangers and Leafs.  I do think Leafs would have put up a fight.  Colorado has not lost on road yet and Tampas confidence has to be shot.  

 

These Finals STILL have nothing to do with the Blues though.
TB has won twice, could still make it three, but even if they don't, have done more over the last three seasons than St. Louis has.

I don't "disrespect" the Blues, as I think they have a decent team still, but I don't view them as "loaded' as you do, nor do I think they are relevant in any way in a Finals that just started and that they are not a part of.

[SaucyJack]

The Washington Post article characterized this game in one paragraph:

 

Colorado skated circles around the once-unflappable Lightning. Each time the Avalanche entered the offensive zone, there seemed an inevitability about things, as if a goal could come at any moment — and often did. And the times Colorado didn’t score? It was inches, if not centimeters, away.

[Buffalo Rick]

4 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

These Finals STILL have nothing to do with the Blues though.
TB has won twice, could still make it three, but even if they don't, have done more over the last three seasons than St. Louis has.

I don't "disrespect" the Blues, as I think they have a decent team still, but I don't view them as "loaded' as you do, nor do I think they are relevant in any way in a Finals that just started and that they are not a part of.

Well the injury to Binnington did not help.  You know the old Blues teams were in finals man times, but just fell short because they had to play those old Montreal teams and Orr and Espositos Bruins,  I saw Orr and Howe play. Orr had the most accurate shot ever.  Was something to watch.  The old Blues were good.  The Plaguer bros and Red Berenson and Jacque Plante.  Top 5 on my all time goalie list

[Alexandron]

5 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

These Finals STILL have nothing to do with the Blues though.
TB has won twice, could still make it three, but even if they don't, have done more over the last three seasons than St. Louis has.

I don't "disrespect" the Blues, as I think they have a decent team still, but I don't view them as "loaded' as you do, nor do I think they are relevant in any way in a Finals that just started and that they are not a part of.

In that series between Avs and Blues, Kadri injured the crucial key goalie Binnington. Husso was not comparable at all to Binnington. Same situation as it was in series between Wild and Blues. We lost because of better goalie for the Blues Binnington who replaced Husso during the 1st round. In my opinion, Avs had only one real competitive series during this playoffs season against Blues until Binnington was injured. The rest goalies which played against Avs this playoffs season were not too good. 

[Alexandron]

24 minutes ago, Jimtown guy said:

The Colorado Avalanche are the 5th team, and the first since the 1976 Canadiens, to take a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Final against the defending champs. 3 of the previous 4 teams to do it have went on to hoist the Cup.

The Avalanche are also the 5th team in NHL history to begin a postseason 14-2; All 4 Teams have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. 

Avalanche 7-0 win over the Lightning is the 2nd largest shutout margin of victory in Stanley Cup Final history (1991 Pittsburgh 8-0 Victory over North Stars is highest).

[Statistics via: Sportsnet and ESPN]

Conclusion: Tampa must to win this series to prove that they are a real Cup winner.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

1 minute ago, Alexandron said:

In that series between Avs and Blues, Kadri injured the crucial key goalie Binnington. Husso was not comparable at all to Binnington. Same situation as it was in series between Wild and Blues. We lost because of better goalie for the Blues Binnington who replaced Husso during the 1st round. In my opinion, Avs had only one real competitive series during this playoffs season against Blues until Binnington was injured. The rest goalies which played against Avs this playoffs season were not too good. 

 

Well then, if the goalies the Avs have faced, "besides Binnington" were "not too good", then I guess the Avalanche aren't a real Stanley Cup Finalist either and shouldn't be where they are....not if they faced "good goaltending".

See how silly that sounds?
Right up there with the Lightning not being real Finalists.

Cmon now.
Lightning were gonna lose at some point to someone....but that doesn't take away from what they've done.
The Minnesota Wild or anyone else would LOVE to have done what Tampa Bay has done.
And, this current series still isn't over.

If one wants to question what the Bolts' organization has done and what they could still do, then even if Colorado wins this series, it wouldn't be impressive because the Lightning were never "real Finalists" and Colorado didn't face "good goaltending" (ad nauseum, BESIDES Binnington) leading into the Finals.

Again, silly sounding? You betcha.

I said at the beginning of these playoffs and these Finals if the Bolts lost there would be no excuses.
If the Avs win, it is because they are the best this season. Period.

Now...they just need to secure the last two wins, if they can, to make that happen.

[Alexandron]

Sincerely, I really would like to see a real competition during this finals. I hope the Tampa will be able to compete and win at least their home games.  Avalanche lost only 2 games during this playoffs season. Both games they lost against Blues(interesting, both at Colorado home ice with a score 1:4 and 4:5(OT)). I also would like to see that Lightning will be able persistently to overshoot Avalanche in shots, which is a powerful part of this team for years. Like I said before, usually for them more than 30 shots per game. Interesting fact, I predicted this finals between Colorado and Tampa since last October. This fact is actually happened now, but I want to see a real competition but not 0:7 scores. Again, I want a competition for the most difficult and longest sport playoffs of the world!

[Tomdog]

If you think this series is over and Colorado has won the cup you are in for just as rude awakening as Tampa had last night. 
Tampa will still make a series of this. 
The talk of a true cup winner is kind of silly as well. 
Stanley cups have been won and lost over key injuries all the time. 
I believe it was Edmonton who went deep in the playoffs only to lose their only true goalie just in time for the finals. After that it was the death spiral that got them all those wasted #1 picks. 
Does that mean the team that beat them didn’t deserve it. No. 

[Math]

7-0... Is it in metric or imperial scale?

 

Still, Tampa in 5 6.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Teams resume tonight and G3 is obviously a must win for Tampa Bay.

I know the Avs have to win 4 to win the Cup, but if they go up 3-0 on top of how they beat TB the first two games, well, I just can't see even the Lightning coming back from that.

2-0 right now is still very much doable.
2-1 after tonight makes it a series, provided the Bolts don't get plastered in G4 after that.

All the Lightning players and Jon Cooper himself keep telling the media the Avalanche haven't seen their best yet.
Ok then... Game 3, at home, backs just about against the wall...yea, NOW would be a good time to show that "best".

I can accept the Lightning losing to a very good team.
I cannot accept being beaten down when I know the team is better than what they showed.
Also, the thought of Darcy Kuemper winning a Cup while he thumbs through Fisherman's digest in his crease gives me a bit of nausea...

Let's go Champs.
Now's the time!

[FD19372]

8 hours ago, Math said:

7-0... Is it in metric or imperial scale?

 

Still, Tampa in 5 6.

I think the Lightning win tonight, but the Avs aren't the Rangers, my friend. The Avs are better.

[Buffalo Rick]

I don’t forget how CO stole the Cup that belonged in Quebec City

[SaucyJack]

4 minutes ago, FireDillabaugh said:

Looks offsides

Clearly so, on at least one replay.  What took T’ronto so friggin’ long to confirm it?

[Alexandron]

Avs is too good in PP. Already 2 PP goals. Tampa should stay out of penalty box.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Hah.... Emily trying to troll Coop again?
 

He is telling her some good stories.
Something she could write an article about.