Tampa Bay Lightning sweep Capitals to playoff curb
Once upon a time…not too, too long ago…there was an NHL team trailing three games to one in an opening round playoffs series. Facing a game-five on the road, this team was on the verge of being unceremoniously kicked to the postseason curb.
But they trampled all over their foes to avoid elimination, beating them 8-2. They followed that up with a 4-2 win at home in game-six then denied their opponents even one single goal in the deciding seventh game. They then rode that wave straight into the next playoff round and swept there next opponent…the best team in the conference after regular season play… right to that same postseason curb they almost found themselves days earlier.
The Tampa Lightning have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals after sweeping the Washington Capitals out of the playoffs (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Again… after finding themselves down three games to one they rattled off seven in a row, four of them on the road.
This is not a tail of a team’s playoff success from years ago. No, the subject of today’s story is the current-day Tampa Bay Lightning. And after last night’s 5-3 win over the Washington Capitals they became the first team to advance to the conference finals…the Final-Four of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
With their run into the conference finals the Bolts are, in my humble opinion, becoming the story of this spring’s Great Hunt for Lord Stanley’s Cup. Certainly they made an impression on Caps forward Mike Knuble.
“It’s very frustrating. I don’t think any of us saw this coming down, happening like it did. Probably the last thing that was in our mind, but you have to give them credit,” Knuble said of what the manner his team was handled by the Lightning. “They played well, and they held their own when they had to.”
“And really, when they got their chances they capitalized. It was pretty amazing how well they could do it.”
Bye-Bye Boudreau?
Now that the Capitals have made yet another disappointing exit from the playoffs, the chatter has already begun about head coach Bruce Boudreau should be on the hot seat. After taking over behind the bench in the fall of 2007, he’s led the Caps to four straight playoff appearances, the last two years as top seeds in the east. Last season they finished with the Presidents’ Trophy added to their mantle.
But they’ve yet to progress past the second round in any of those four playoff campaigns and it’s caused some to speculate whether a change is needed. In fact, the players had barely finished shaking hands and left the ice before the talking heads on Versus began the discussion.
Personally, I don’t believe Boudrau’s to blame here and I certainly wouldn’t show the door to a coach that has helped hang four division banners in the rafters in as many years. But I’m sure there are more than a few Caps fans and pundits in D.C. that have grown tired of seeing the team fail to translate the regular season success into a serious run at the Cup come postseason.
So…let the debate begin.
Flyers And Red Wings One Loss Away From Joining Caps At The Curb
The Bolts may not have to wait long to find out just who their opponents will be in the conference finals as the Boston Bruins have now jumped out to a commanding three-OH lead against the Philadelphia Flyers. Last night they belted Philly 5-1 behind a pair of goals by defenseman Zdeno Chara and 37 saves by Tim Thomas.
It didn’t take Boston long to get things rolling at home. They netted two goals in the opening 63 seconds of the game and never looked back, adding two more in the second period. That’s when the Flyers revolving door in goal began to turn again as starter Brian Boucher gave way to reliever Sergei Bobrovsky for the second time in this series.
Boucher has started seven games for Philadelphia during the playoffs and has been yanked three times. He has a 3.13 GAA and .904 SV% during nine games played.
Friday night the Bs on Boston’s jerseys could stand for “Brooms” as they’ll have a chance to sweep the Flyers to that same proverbial playoff curb the Caps now find themselves.
Elsewhere, the San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings drew the short straw and played in the NHL mandatory nightly overtime game Wednesday evening. It was the 20th time so far this spring that extra time has been required to determine a winner.
Devin Setoguchi’s hat trick goal 9:21 into overtime sent the Sharks to a 3-0 lead in that series. He came off the bench during a rush and snapped off a wrister that beat Jimmy Howard.
Setoguchi, who scored the OT winner in game-thee versus the LA Kings in the first round, became the hero just 2:10 after being sprung from the sin-bin where he sat for holding Detroit’s Todd Bertuzzi.
Like the Bruins, San Jose will be able to advance to the next round Friday with a win.
If they are able to wrap it up then, they’ll then await the outcome of the Canucks-Predators matchup. Vancouver leads Nashville two games to one with game-four set to get underway tonight in the Music City.
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78 comments Add your comment
Rawhide
May 6th, 2011
12:54 pm
The Thrashers will play the Hurricanes in a preseason game in Charlotte, NC on Sept. 25. It’s part of a “Venue Swap” the Canes have with the NBA’s Bobcats.
World Be Free
May 6th, 2011
1:12 pm
Rawhide-does this mean the Thrashers are staying in ATL for at least one more season?
Just asking…..
Rawhide
May 6th, 2011
1:46 pm
WBF – I think that would be a fairly safe assumption.
ThrashDawg
May 6th, 2011
2:51 pm
WBF- that’s another thing about the interview Gearon had with Kincaid yesterday…when asked about the fans concerns with the Thrashers moving out of Atlanta…the idiot said well I certainly hope not! What! he hopes not! Jeez you are one of the principal owners of the team I would think you would be able to give the fans a little more assurance than that! Some public relations guru this guy is…blasts the fans for lack of fan support then does nothing to reassure them that the team is not moving! Wow…just wow!
alex
May 6th, 2011
3:36 pm
what you looking for? clever thinking from idiot. multiply this stupidity 8 tmes equal asg spirit group. with hockey zsar don waddell in charge of thrashers. this is recipy to relocation.
ThrashDawg
May 6th, 2011
4:18 pm
alex, I guess I would like to think since these clowns have money they would have some intelligence! I know there has been little evidence of such since they have owned the teams, but jeez you would think somebody would wise up…it would be funny if it were not so serious! I guess ego trumps intelligence everytime!
World Be Free
May 6th, 2011
4:58 pm
Thanks Rawhide and Thrashdog-I guess part of my concern is the continual contradictions that flow from this group. Just floors me that not one of them “gets it” when it comes to what it takes to commit to building the kind of team people want to come out and see. Just a total lack of understanding of what is necessary.
No wonder Mike Illitch gets it-his business is dealing with real people, reality-what do people want? Your can’t serve the people if you don’t believe you have to serve the people.
Red Light
May 6th, 2011
5:29 pm
That’s an excellent point WBF!
World Be Free
May 6th, 2011
5:52 pm
Red Light-how many hockey games have these guys attended over the last 7 years?
That would be an interesting answer!
Cornbread
May 6th, 2011
6:36 pm
I believe the Bolts are luckier than they are good. They got a lucky first round draw against the depleted Pens and then faced the Caps who match up even worse than the Thrashers do against them. The Caps lost because they are a puck possession team that refused to dump and chase against Tampa’s horrible 1-3-1 and 0-4-1 clogging of the neutral zone. The way to beat them is to dump it in the corners where the goalie can’t go and make their big and slow D-men turn and get it. The Thrashers system and speed is capable of that and so are the Pens, Flyers, and Bruins. The Caps are not or selfishly refused to adjust.
That said, I truly believe the system that Tampa employs is bad for the game. There is a reason the NHL cracked down on obstruction and did away with the two-line pass to open up the neutral zone and keep teams from trapping even tighter than they are now and slowing the skill guys. Don’t be surprised if there are rules that prevent teams from running this stagnating neutral zone defence in the future. They do it for one reason, to cover their weakness by keeping teams out of their end. They do not match up well 5 on 5 in their end and they know it. Other teams must learn that quick.
And SOB, you still know absolutely nothing about the game of hockey.
ZAvalanche
May 6th, 2011
7:33 pm
WBF, I would attend every hockey game if I had the means (and I know you are speaking of the owners). Nothing better in the world. And I cannot imagine that if you get a “free” ride to every home game you wouldn’t show – especially if it was your business….
Tom Lysiak
May 6th, 2011
8:19 pm
I saw Arthur Blank on Fox 5 sports last night. They actually asked him if he was possibly interested in buying the Thrash, since his name had been mentioned several times by fans. Unfortunately, he said no. He said owning the Falcons and the Arena Football team, back when he was contemplating buying the Braves, he and his wife figured out that they only had 40 nights per year that they were free. I guess he has no interest in “absentee” ownership. Admirable, but I hate it.
Alan R.
May 6th, 2011
8:40 pm
Stuff is about to get serious. If this gets approved, it’s all eyes on us.
http://www.glendaleaz.com/Clerk/agendasandminutes/Meetings/Agendas/051011-10.pdf
ThrashDawg
May 6th, 2011
9:28 pm
The sad thing about these guys is they probably are not smart enough to know a fair offer when it is presented to them. They are probably holding out for a Canadian group to over pay for the Thrashers and have no care as to if the team relocates! In my mind they are already doing the PR work to lay the move at the feet of the fans rather than themselves by the way they talk about the lack of fan support.
Joe Friday
May 6th, 2011
9:31 pm
“No wonder Mike Illitch gets it-his business is dealing with real people, reality-what do people want? Your can’t serve the people if you don’t believe you have to serve the people.”
I agree and you’re on point here. But, these guys do “get it”. Unfortunately, it’s how to serve the NBA crowd that they get, not us. They’re all bball guys and they have actually built a decent club. They’re well coached and have some nice role players and a go to guy, even if Josh Smith doesn’t want to nut up and go to the hoop anymore. They built a nice bball club and cater to that audience well, but they’re tone def to us . . .
glovesave29
May 6th, 2011
9:55 pm
JF – they may be basketball guys, but if there is money to be made, it’s in hockey. The Hawks salaries are $24M more than the Thrashers…for half the number of players. True, TV money is more for the NBA – but if they’d give us a good team (minus the ASG idiots) we’d be there to fill the arena.
Alan R.
May 6th, 2011
10:06 pm
JF – The Hawks regular season attendance isn’t all that stellar, either. They might be trying to serve the NBA crowd, but those folks feel the same way as we do about the ownership.
Portage and Main
May 6th, 2011
10:07 pm
Phx is granted another year and ATL will move to wpg. Stories earlier this week is buildup for such a move. This was always the original plan… nothing surprising about this. Finally, relocation can happen and wpg can welcome back the NHL. You can bet TNSE will want this to happen, like yesterday. Like i said in the past… Big Buff did not sign 5 year deal to stay in ATL.
glovesave29
May 6th, 2011
10:16 pm
Ha Ha Ha Ha…wiping away tears. Dude actually thinks Big Buff signed long term to be in Winnipeg. Priceless.
How did that celebration go last Friday?
Portage and Main
May 6th, 2011
10:20 pm
Glove…just watch how this gets played. you are aware Buff grew up 2 hours away from wpg, right? Al Strachon in 2009 called it and is actually the ONLY reporter in all of this who was right…. oh, yeah, my comment is funny? You got a media personality making a mockery of your team by referring to a Balkan who apparently was supposed to buy the team last weekend…. yeah, wiping away tears myself.
Alan R.
May 6th, 2011
10:24 pm
Oh, look. The trolls are turning out sooner than I anticipated.
Hoof Arted
May 6th, 2011
10:33 pm
Portage and Main, you’ve had your head in the snow too long if you think Buff signed a 5-year deal because he thought the Thrashers were heading to Weenerpeg.
Hoof Arted
May 6th, 2011
10:34 pm
Oh yeah, and it looks like we now have our ECF pairing set. Boston vs Tampa Bay. This should be good. I’ll take the Brooons in 6 if for no other reason than Mr. Thomas in goal,
Atlanta Flames Fan
May 6th, 2011
11:16 pm
JR was right. That interview was great. I loved Thomas’s comment about the lessons that he learned last year.
ZAvalanche
May 7th, 2011
12:11 pm
OK, so my picks are turning out OK for the second round. I picked Tampa, Boston, Vancouver and my only loss may be Detroit, but they played WELL last night. If Detroit loses I am 10-2 for the first two rounds. I think Tampa can handle Boston. It is going to be very difficult to stop their top line, but if anybody can do it, it will be Timmy. I hope Vinny and Marty are ready for some bruises because the Bruins have them in their sites (did I spell that right, I have no idea, it is still early here).
ZAvalanche
May 7th, 2011
12:14 pm
And, in homage to the Blog Master’s naming of the Wings, SJ should know that “resistance is futile”. Don’t think it will happen, but you never know……..
ZAvalanche
May 7th, 2011
12:24 pm
As per NHL.com, the Canucks are 4-4 in a game 5, when up 3-1, to end the series and haven’t made it to the WCF in 17 years. In that year they lost to NYR in the SCF.
R. Stroz
May 10th, 2011
11:41 pm
LAST