Stanley Cup Final IGT: Game 1 - Blackhawks @ Lightning 6/3 at 7:00 p.m.

[xer0h0ur]

**** Tampa and that shit hole known as Florida. Grab them by the nutz and Smash. Bigfoot smash

As operations manager, I approve this message.

 

[Tater]

Haven't seen JaxHawksfan in a while either.

 

[italianbeef]

What's the weakness of Tampa that we can exploit? I didn't follow them really, just know they have a lot of speed.

They've got some great offensive skill in the top 6, as Anheim did, a big goalie, as Anaheim did, a good first D pairing, as Anaheim did...

...but not the depth Anaheim had. Their 3rd and 4th "lines" (only roll 11 forwards) can't compare with Anaheim, or even Minnesota.

Roll four lines and exploit that lack of depth.

 

[bearmick]

'Hawks to win 3-2

 

[xer0h0ur]

They've got some great offensive skill in the top 6, as Anheim did, a big goalie, as Anaheim did, a good first D pairing, as Anaheim did...

...but not the depth Anaheim had. Their 3rd and 4th "lines" (only roll 11 forwards) can't compare with Anaheim, or even Minnesota.

Roll four lines and exploit that lack of depth.

So exploit the big oaf's lack of lateral speed. I am not particularly worried about their goalie. He is just big.

 

[Urblock]

I'm ready. Just bought a Western Conference Champions t-shirt.

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

Haven't seen JaxHawksfan in a while either.

I do miss that dude.
We are opposites on the political spectrum, but he was a good poster to have around.

 

[Tater]

I do miss that dude.
We are opposites on the political spectrum, but he was a good poster to have around.

He was. him and Wino were both on when we moved to CCS but after a couple weeks both disappeared. :shrug:

 

[italianbeef]

Surprised to see this out of Cooper on nhl.com.

Advantage: Q.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper is admittedly not big on matchups, even when Tampa Bay has the last-change advantage being the home team. It doesn't appear that he's going to change his philosophy against the Blackhawks, save for one caveat.

If the Blackhawks keep Toews and Kane together, expect them to get a healthy dose of Stralman and Hedman. Otherwise, Cooper is ready to just roll with it.

"Every team has good players; you have to challenge yourself to be better," Cooper said. "We're sitting here in the Stanley Cup Final. Sometimes we've got to be best on best. You're not going to pull a rabbit out of your hat and say we have some magic scheme. Just be better than the next guy. That's what you have to do. You have to challenge yourself.

"Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are two of the best players this league has seen in a long time. But we feel Steven Stamkos, Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, we go down our list and think, maybe we're not too bad ourselves. Let's prove to everybody you can play against these guys."

 

[TCD]

What's the weakness of Tampa that we can exploit? I didn't follow them really, just know they have a lot of speed.

They are young and have been taking a lot of individual penalties

They have little defensive depth

They have a horrible 4th line

Their goalie is slow and clumsy at times

They dont have duncan keith

 

[CRM 114]

I went to a game in Tampa in 2011 and it was a sellout.
Much better fan base than the Panthers.

In all fairness, practically any NHL has a bigger fanbase than the Panthers. They've had games where the arena is 90-95% empty.

 

[HeHateMe]

In all fairness, practically any NHL has a bigger fanbase than the Panthers. They've had games where the arena is 90-95% empty.

Over half empty? Srs?

 

[CRM 114]

Over half empty? Srs?

Yes

http://www.sportingnews.com/nhl/story/2014-10-13/florida-panthers-attendance-photos-empty-arena

 

[ClydeLee]

Over half empty? Srs?

Florida's attendance was high in the lockout year, when they were also good, but generally the Panthers are around 80-85% avg capacity. There has been some particular brutal low attendance games in their stadium though.

In contrast the Hawks attendance is usually over 110% capacity these days...

 

[CRM 114]

Florida's attendance was high in the lockout year, when they were also good, but generally the Panthers are around 80-85% avg capacity. There has been some particular brutal low attendance games in their stadium though.

In contrast the Hawks attendance is usually over 110% capacity these days...

They were terrible in the lockout year. You are thinking the year before when they made the playoffs only to lose to the Devils in 7.

They were 38-26-18 (94 pts) in 2011-12 while they were 15-27-6 (36pts) in the lockout year

http://espn.go.com/nhl/team/_/name/fla/florida-panthers

 

[ytsejam]

I do miss that dude.
We are opposites on the political spectrum, but he was a good poster to have around.

Word!

 

[ClydeLee]

Hulkamania pumping up all the pump hypers

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Hulkamania pumping up all the pump hypers

 

[JosMin]

It's time.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Test.