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Quadraton · 04-21-2006, 07:59 PM

My analysis of the first game between the Sens and Lightning.

I said it in the previous post, and I'll say it again here. The Tampa Bay Lightning are all skill, and little to no work ethic. Don't believe me? Watch the highlights during the Sens third goal, where they scored shorthanded. Ignoring the fact that the Tampa D allowed Schaefer to squeeze by along the boards (which can happen to the best of teams), notice how the trailing defenceman for Tampa (I think it was Boyle) rushes back, but at the last minute, he stops skating. Had he taken an extra couple of strides, he would have been in the perfect position to intercept the pass across made by Schaefer to Fisher. Instead, he decides to start coasting along, and ends up nowhere near in a defensive position.

That's just one example, but that's really the way they played the whole night. They only looked like they were in the game for the first two periods because the Sens weren't playing the game they are capable of. Once the third period came around, and the Sens finally woke up, the Lightning were unable to touch them. Even when they were shorthanded, the 5 Lightning players couldn't stand up against 4 Senators.

If the Lightning really want to win against the Sens, I'm telling you, they need to take a page out of the Bruins handbook. Despite being a non-Playoff team, Boston has given the Sens all sorts of problems throughout the season, and they did this by playing an aggressive box on the PK, racing for lose pucks, and waiting for the Sens to turn over the puck (I'm looking at you Spezza). Of course, the Bruins also had Thomas, who could keep the team alive for a couple of rounds. Seriously, did Grahame think his net was some sort of fort? He was hiding so deep in it, I was waiting for him to hang up a "No Girlz Allowed" sign, and hold "Super Top Secret Meetings" with all his friends.

Of course, it is just one game, and maybe it was just a bad one for the Lightning. I'm interested in seeing if Tortorella can convince his team to play a better game (or if he'll just yell at them some more, because that always works). If all else fails, he can resort to throwing out more benign psychological salvos, talking about all this immense "pressure" the Senators must be under.

Game 2 on Sunday.

04-21-2006, 07:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
Quadraton Addict Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada	My analysis of the first game between the Sens and Lightning. I said it in the previous post, and I'll say it again here. The Tampa Bay Lightning are all skill, and little to no work ethic. Don't believe me? Watch the highlights during the Sens third goal, where they scored shorthanded. Ignoring the fact that the Tampa D allowed Schaefer to squeeze by along the boards (which can happen to the best of teams), notice how the trailing defenceman for Tampa (I think it was Boyle) rushes back, but at the last minute, he stops skating. Had he taken an extra couple of strides, he would have been in the perfect position to intercept the pass across made by Schaefer to Fisher. Instead, he decides to start coasting along, and ends up nowhere near in a defensive position. That's just one example, but that's really the way they played the whole night. They only looked like they were in the game for the first two periods because the Sens weren't playing the game they are capable of. Once the third period came around, and the Sens finally woke up, the Lightning were unable to touch them. Even when they were shorthanded, the 5 Lightning players couldn't stand up against 4 Senators. If the Lightning really want to win against the Sens, I'm telling you, they need to take a page out of the Bruins handbook. Despite being a non-Playoff team, Boston has given the Sens all sorts of problems throughout the season, and they did this by playing an aggressive box on the PK, racing for lose pucks, and waiting for the Sens to turn over the puck (I'm looking at you Spezza). Of course, the Bruins also had Thomas, who could keep the team alive for a couple of rounds. Seriously, did Grahame think his net was some sort of fort? He was hiding so deep in it, I was waiting for him to hang up a "No Girlz Allowed" sign, and hold "Super Top Secret Meetings" with all his friends. Of course, it is just one game, and maybe it was just a bad one for the Lightning. I'm interested in seeing if Tortorella can convince his team to play a better game (or if he'll just yell at them some more, because that always works). If all else fails, he can resort to throwing out more benign psychological salvos, talking about all this immense "pressure" the Senators must be under. Game 2 on Sunday. __________________ "A witty saying proves nothing" - Voltaire Last edited by Quadraton; 04-21-2006 at 08:25 PM..