Stanley Cup Final

bsl394

New Member
May 17, 2022
402
Some thoughts:

- Colorado can't go toe to toe with Tampa re scoring chances, because Vasi will outplay whomever Colorado has in yet. They need to assert themselves offensively. It looks like they're trying to carry the puck in the zone like they did the first two games. Tampa did a bad job of defending the blue line in games 1 and 2 but are doing that tonight - CO needs to adjust and dump + chase (they have the speed advantage).

- TB seems like the "tougher" team. I'd like to see CO come out in the third and get in some scrums. Knock Corey Perry on his ass the next time he takes a shot at your goaltender.

- MacKinnon is unreal to watch. How do you stop that entry, especially on the PP? He's too fast to stand up at the blue line. He just skates in and then dumps it off to the trailer when he gets across the blue.

- I would pay serious money to have no commentary and just mic'd up players. The play by play is atrocious. My favorite was the "offsides" that wasn't called. I think TB was breaking out, shot it 3 or 4 feet outside the zone, then it deflected back in the zone and was touched by a CO player (who never tagged up). Announcers said it wasn't offsides because CO didn't have control outside the zone. No, it wasn't because they didn't have control, it was because the puck deflected back into the zone off a TB player.
 

bsl394

New Member
May 17, 2022
402
I was shocked they didn't challenge right away. Watching it live my first thought was that it was offside. And seeing just a single replay confirmed that for me without question. In addition you had two Tampa players closest to the play throw their hands up indicating it was offside. Not sure what Cooper/the video replay guys were doing or seeing but I couldn't believe they were about to drop the puck without a challenge.
 

Zososoxfan

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 30, 2009
9,209
South of North
We got a series! What was the difference schematically for TB yesterday? Or is it just as simple as the Avs can fly at altitude and no one else can?

Pointer being out again sucks. Who knows whether he'll play again this series and be impactful. Kinda funny that Riley Nash was his fill-in.
 

NYCSox

chris hansen of goats
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May 19, 2004
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Some fancy town in CT
Didn’t realize there was an “immediate scoring chance” exception to the blow the play dead when goalie mask comes off rule.
 

durandal1707

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Apr 18, 2007
6,131
Not sure if Francouz is much better, but having trouble thinking Colorado is gonna win this series with Kuemper playing like this. Rebounds everywhere.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

Found no thrill on Blueberry Hill
SoSH Member
Sep 9, 2008
42,283
AZ
Yeah, he's making some really good stops, but he can't seem to get control of the puck.

But the difference in the series so far to me is that Tampa has started putting up a brick wall in the neutral zone. They are not backing off. They are telling Colorado that if they can skate or pass around them they can get in and have an odd man break, and they will rely on Vas as the last line of defense. But they are just not going to allow the Avs to gather any speed through the neutral zone. No gliding backwards in the neutral zone. That is everything for the Avs. That's their advantage.
 

durandal1707

Member
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Apr 18, 2007
6,131
Lightning playing a dangerously passive game with the lead. This Colorado squad will get a shot through the parked bus eventually.
 

ifmanis5

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Sep 29, 2007
63,743
Rotten Apple
Impressive answer by TB.
Avs, you can't just meekly swipe at guys in the neutral zone and expect that to work out. Also, your goalie is suspect.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

Found no thrill on Blueberry Hill
SoSH Member
Sep 9, 2008
42,283
AZ
whistles away I guess. hate it
Two clear trips and two quasi boardings not called. I guess the only good part is there were two per team.

Next goal feels enormous for the cup. I guess it will have to be a blatant penalty like a bloody high stick or delay of game.

Meanwhile Tampa is backsliding a bit. In the first two periods guys were actually skating toward Colorado players coming through the neutral zone. It was totally working. Now they are less committed. I can see why. It is a dangerous game of chicken and high risk and now that they smelled victory they are trying to be conservative. They were sagging back again in the last few minutes of the game and they are going to get torched in ot if they keep that up.
 

OfTheCarmen

Cow Humper
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2007
5,208
I can look past the trips, but those non-calls for boarding are dangerous. That's the kind of shit that just needs to get whistled out if the game.
 

DeadlySplitter

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Oct 20, 2015
33,252
Tampa jsust ran out of gas. On that change they just had nothing to keeP Kadri from rushing. Really impressive OT