Round #1 Eastern Conference: Tampa Bay Lightning (A1) vs Columbus Blue Jackets (WC2)

[pilldoc]

 

 

 

 

 

All discuss regarding this Bolts vs Jackets playoff series goes here.

[Buffalo Rick]

Columbus was red hot the last few weeks.  But I do not think they can win .  But I give them a game.

[OccamsRazor]

Sorry it's Bob and it's the real season now.

 

So I can't see Bob getting his 6th playoff win.

 

So I went with the sweep...break out the broom.

[WordsOfWisdom]

The Tampa Bay steamroller begins its drive to the Stanley Cup.  Going with a sweep here. If any series would be a sweep, it has to be this one. 

 

Lightning in 4. 

 

 

[FD19372]

No way with Headcase Bob, John "CSI: Panarin" Tortorella, and the 28th ranked power play in the NHL during the regular season, can the Blue Jackets hang with the Lightning for more than 5 games.

 

Bolts in 5.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Contrary to popular opinion thus far, I think the Jackets are going to be a tough out for Tampa Bay.
Of all the possible opponents down the stretch that the Bolts could have gotten (Montreal, Carolina, Columbus, even Pittsburgh), I thought the Jackets would be the toughest 1st round opponents available to start the playoffs.

 

When they are right, they play a perfect blend of "heavy with skill" and "tough defense with fast transition offense".... and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky usually just has to be healthy to be a factor...and he has been.

Make no mistake...I STILL think the Lightning win this series.

But the Jackets have been playing under their potential through most of the year and honestly, with the talent they have on the roster, with the speed and physicality they can display, and with the goaltending of Bobrovsky, they SHOULD have been competing for the Metro title.

For whatever reason, they haven't, but when they decided to play like the talented cohesive team they CAN be, they are downright dangerous, and if there is going to be an upset in the East (big, big upset in more ways than one for me!), it likely happens with this match up.

 

Jackets went "all in" at the deadline, and if they DON'T win, the team likely is partially disbanded with the big UFA's coming up and the franchise gets set back and has to work their way up the ladder once again.
Bolts are charged with the task of making sure that happens.

The Lightning DO get it done...……….. but they will need at least 6 games to do  it.....wouldn't surprise me if they end up needing that home 7th game as well.
 

[pilldoc]

The Lightning finished their historic season with 62 wins and 128 points, tying the mark set by the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings and falling just short of the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens’ record 132 points. But they still earned the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs, and will now have a reunion against their old coach in John Tortorella.

 

The easiest of the series to pick ...... there is NO way the Bolts lose this series EVEN IF @Hockey Junkie should pick the Blue Jackets.

 

I will give the Jackets 1 win, but that is it ..... 

 

Bolts in 5

[yave1964]

Tampa will win this one in five games if for no other reason than the fact that I have playoff tickets for game six and I have never attended a playoff game. 

 

 I was really hoping Columbus would Draw Washington, I felt they would sweep their way to the Eastern conference finals but instead they are a first round fodder of the best team in a decade.

[pilldoc]

Ok ...I think the Blue Jackets just gave the Lightning and their fans an official wake up call.... I seriously did not see the Bolts and Vasi giving up 3 straight goals in the 3rd.

 

Now I still believe that Tampa is the better team.....but I be damned...the NHL Playoffs have started.  Be prepared to expect the unexpected. 

 

Is it too soon to say how important Game #2 is now ........ just saying.....

[FD19372]

58 minutes ago, pilldoc said:

Ok ...I think the Blue Jackets just gave the Lightning and their fans an official wake up call.... I seriously did not see the Bolts and Vasi giving up 3 straight goals in the 3rd.

 

Now I still believe that Tampa is the better team.....but I be damned...the NHL Playoffs have started.  Be prepared to expect the unexpected. 

 

Is it too soon to say how important Game #2 is now ........ just saying.....

This series Is going to be a dogfight now. For Tampa, they went into almost a prevent defense mode once they had that lead. Five shots in the 3rd period, isn't characteristic of them. Playing loose at bad times as well.

[yave1964]

Watched/studied the game, first period ALL Tampa, game over turn out the lights if the Bolts continued to play their game but Tampa took their foot off the gas and Columbus never stopped coming. The thing that shocked me more than anything was Tampa gave up three breakaway goals, Foligno first to forfeit momentum, then Savard who stole a pass from Hedman and then turned Hedman inside out (Hedman CLEARLY is not healthy, I question the decision to rush him into the lineup) then a shorty to Josh Anderson. I doubt that Tampa allowed three breakways all season.

 

  Then the postgame, Tortorella basically said he team didn't play their best game, he questioned their work ethic in the defensive zone leaving bob high and dry several times and more or less challenged the Jackets to do better on Friday which was awesome, rather than be thrilled to steal a game he put it out there that this is not as good as the CBJ can play. 

 

 Tampa on the other hand, Stamkos and a couple of others said words to the affect, 'we know that is a good team over there but they didn't beat us we beat ourselves' which is true and you could see their anger and frustration with themselves.

 

 Elliot Friedman said the other day that the only team that can beat Tampa IS tampa which I agree with, that is exactly what happened with this game, they simply stopped skating and gave the game to the Jackets not what you would expect in the regular season and certainly not what one would expect in the playoffs. Columbus does play a hard physical style, their forward group of Anderson, Jenner, foligno, Dubinsky, Dzingel, Riley Nash and big Dubois all love to play the body, Savard has been playing the best hockey of his career over the past month or so and likewise loves to hit, if Tampa allows Columbus to dictate the game as they did the last two periods it could be a series after all. 

[OccamsRazor]

10 hours ago, pilldoc said:

Ok ...I think the Blue Jackets just gave the Lightning and their fans an official wake up call.... I seriously did not see the Bolts and Vasi giving up 3 straight goals in the 3rd.

 

Totally agree.

 

Man and if rumors are true and Bob go with the Breadman to Florida i guess that could make for some epic battles between the Panthers and Bolts for the next 4-5 years.

 

I did not see this coming Tampa had the NHL longest streak 106 straight wins when up by 3.

 

Should make for a helluva game 2.

[Buffalo Rick]

23 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Totally agree.

 

Man and if rumors are true and Bob go with the Breadman to Florida i guess that could make for some epic battles between the Panthers and Bolts for the next 4-5 years.

 

I did not see this coming Tampa had the NHL longest streak 106 straight wins when up by 3.

 

Should make for a helluva game 2.

And too soon to panic for Tampa also.  But Columbus came in as perhaps the hottest team in hockey.  All this talk of them choking in the playoffs is now out the window.  Maybe this is just part of the bigger picture for everything to fall into line, the stars to aline for the Blues

[OccamsRazor]

1 hour ago, Hockey Junkie said:

And too soon to panic for Tampa also.

 

Yeah and not let's forget the Blue Jackets were up 2-0 on the Caps last year too....how did that work out??

[yave1964]

1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Yeah and not let's forget the Blue Jackets were up 2-0 on the Caps last year too....how did that work out??

Thanks for reminding me, lol.

 

 I have playoff tickets for game 6 at nationwide, while I would love to see the Jackets pull off an upset for the ages I would be content to finally attend my first ever playoff game, win or lose.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

This game stung. A lot.

I was hootin n hollerin yesterday......honestly not believe how easy this was looking.
Then crash. Back to reality. Back to what, if you look back I thought my prediction was going to be: This series is going to be TOUGH for the Lightning, despite their favored status.

Important part here is, do the Bolts realize it?
If they are any kind of true championship material, then yes, they do realize it...especially after getting smacked upside the head past the first period.

Columbus is here to play. They simply ARE the toughest of the possible draws in the 1st round for the Bolts, as I said already, and TB best treat them as such.

 

I was expecting some killer instinct from TB in the 3rd....after playing rope a dope in the 2nd. 
Expecting the Bolts to really turn things up and just put the Jackets away.
Well, in fairness, TB did have some good chances, but Bobrovsky came up large and his defense played well. Simple as that.

Also, big individual props on the game to both Nick Foligno and Josh Anderson....both made plays and were directly responsible for two of Columbus' goals that came at just the right time for the team.

 

If somehow, someway, the Lightning had it in their heads that Columbus was a "tune up series" (good lord, I hope that wasn't the case), then they should know different by now.

If they are up 3, 4, 5 whatever goals..... treat the game like its close, stay disciplined, and push for that next goal...as if they NEED it.

Columbus should have been a Metro division contender all along, they weren't, but last night they showed why I feel they are.
TB has the depth and talent to bury the Jackets....but knowing that and PLAYING like it on the ice at all times are two different things.

Lesson learned.
Right, Tampa Bay?

Hats off to the Jackets who never quit on themselves in Game 1. They could have easily folded the tents.
Torts and his guys have character for sure.

[yave1964]

@TropicalFruitGirl26

 

Obviously you and I are on opposite sides (we seem to end up there in the playoffs quite a lot, lol) as the CBJ are my wife's favorite team and I have to admit, they are a ton of fun to watch. They have now won 8 of their past 9 which for Tampa is a slump, lol.

 

  IF Kucherov had made it 4-0 early in the second the game would have been over but he was robbed point blank by Bob. Columbus took the momentum, Foligno scored on a breakway and the Jackets stole the game.

 

 Lets face it, Tampa is the best team in Hockey, first team EVER with 30 wins on the road and at home in the same season, not one, not two but THREE 40 goal scorers, the likely Vezina winner, the likely Hart winner, the likely Adams winner, just an insanely well put together team from top to bottom.

 

BUT

 

Columbus is no slouch. Atkinson scored 40, Anderson is a man among boys, Panarin keeps putting up better numbers every year, Jones/Werenski are as good a duo on the back end as anyone has, Duchene, Dzingel, dubois all score, Foligno is a heart and soul guy, Bob is playing with a chip on his shoulder and playing for his next paycheck. This is a good solid fun team, I truly in my heart of hearts believe they would have not only run the table in the other Eastern conference bracket but would have done so easily. 

 

 All that said, I think Tampa is a veteran team that WILL bounce back, I watched the interviews, you could see the disgust in the Lightning players faces, they know they had that game and let it get away from them. I am not saying Bob might not stand on his head and have a 45 save game like he seemed to do nightly down the stretch, he may steal a game or two but I do not think the Lightning, if they have the foot on the throat again will let up. 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Yes, @yave1964 , between the Wings and Jackets, we really DO tend to end up on opposing battle lines, don't we?
We could wish holy hell on each other's teams, yet STILL be civil to each other, gasp, EVEN LIKE each other, still being online pals well after the battles are over.
Something certain asshat fans on this site can learn a thing or three from....but I digress.... 

Well, I've said Columbus would be the no-joke match up for the Bolts, and last night, they proved my point.
Whether that will be the narrative as the series progresses, we will see.

But I think you are right.
I watched some of those post game interviews, and to a man, the Bolts knew they had a good team down, let up for whatever reason (or just didn't capitalize on prime chances), coupled with super human plays by Anderson and Foligno, and well, stone hard momentum is very hard to steal back from a team as talented as the Jackets.

 

Not that I want to sound pompous or sell another team short, but honestly, Montreal getting in to face the Bolts, or Carolina slipping back to the 8th spot, or even Pittsburgh sliding back to the 8th spot would have been MUCH MORE desirable as a match up in the 1st round for TB than facing Columbus. Seriously.

 

Ahh, well...they say if you want to win the Cup, you just gotta beat the best, and if the Bolts come away with a series win here, their Cup route might go something like this:  Columbus/Tor-Bos/Washington/Nash-SJ-Wpg.....hell, I'd say they've earned it at that point, eh?

As a fan, I can dream that way...for the players on the Lightning, they can't look ahead like that of course.....they got a wild animal wearing blue, red, and white in front of them.....
They need to try and kill that first! 

You're an awesome fan and poster, Yave.
And I DID say I would root for the Jackets provided they don't face the Bolts.
Not rooting for them here, of course...

But I will say...should the Jackets upset the Lightning, I will just tip my hat to them and their fans, and root for them the rest of the way.

[yave1964]

@TropicalFruitGirl26

 

I almost always root for the team that knocks my team out, in my mind I justify it by saying, 'hey if they win it all I can say that my team would have won it too.'

 

  I truly doubt your Bolts have to worry tho, they are just too stacked top to bottom and too experienced to let one loss get them down. And BTW if the CBJ DO lose I am rooting for Tampa first and foremost, Tampa first, second is anyone not named Boston or Vegas.

[Kings Redeem LA]

Playoff time = Party time! 

 

The Bolts are overdue for Stanley hardware. 

 
 

 

 

[intheslot]

Jackets got one in Tampa.going for the second is going to be harder.

cake walk for the Lighting..

bolts...6 

jackets..2 ..

[yave1964]

12 minutes ago, intheslot said:

Jackets got one in Tampa.going for the second is going to be harder.

cake walk for the Lighting..

bolts...6 

jackets..2 ..

 As long as the CBJ get one somewhere along the way, I really want to go to game 6, lol. Like I said to TFG, the Bolts are a generational team and the only team in the field who could possibly beat the Lightning IS the Lightning and I think they are too experienced and may face a scare or two along the way but will win it all.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

12 minutes ago, yave1964 said:

 As long as the CBJ get one somewhere along the way, I really want to go to game 6, lol. Like I said to TFG, the Bolts are a generational team and the only team in the field who could possibly beat the Lightning IS the Lightning and I think they are too experienced and may face a scare or two along the way but will win it all.

 

[pilldoc]

 

I have joked that  Game #2 was a must win for the Bolts ....WELL ....... Game #3 just became that game.  Bolts must win Game #3 to prevent going down 3-0.

 

Raise your hand if you saw this coming ..............yeah I thought so .......

 

WTH is happening to this team who ran rough shod over teams during the regular season?????

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

6 minutes ago, pilldoc said:

 

I have joked that  Game #2 was a must win for the Bolts ....WELL ....... Game #3 just became that game.  Bolts must win Game #3 to prevent going down 3-0.

 

Raise your hand if you saw this coming ..............yeah I thought so .......

 

WTH is happening to this team who ran rough shod over teams during the regular season?????

 

Columbus Blue Jackets and John Tortorella happened to Lightning, that's what....
Perfectly executed gameplans, and stellar play by Bob.

But you know, the Lightning have also been good all year about not having extended losing streaks...two in a row was tops if I am not mistaken, and the Lightning, at times, actually looked to have played BETTER on the road, so I am hanging my hat on the embarrassment of the first two games + change of venue + Jackets proud of themselves = Big Win on Sunday.