GOOO FLLLAAAMMMEEESSS!
And there will be a Philly riot. I love it when the ESPN commentators are wrong. During 2nd intermission: "The Flyers are 20 minutes away from elimination." HA! What do they know about the Flyers. 
So, for the first time in these Playoffs, the Lightning face elimination. For the Flyers, it is technically the second time. The Lightning are 2-1 in series-clinching games, the Flyers are 2-0, but this is Game 7 and those numbers probably mean nothing.
I'm willing to bet most people will be thinking about how this has become an "alternating" series, and that if that trend holds, TB will win. Anyone who believes TB has already won is thinking prematurely. I watched the press conference, they interviewed Hitchcock, followed by Primeau and Gagne (2G each for Philly), and finally Tortorella. Not once did anyone bring up the alternations. The Flyers sounded very confident. Tortorella sounded exhausted and perhaps a bit unsure. An OT loss in the Playoffs can have that effect on you, especially when you had the chance to put a team away and you sat back and gave them the breathing room. For all we know, TB may have just cost themselves the series. But we will see how this all figures into Game 7 tomorrow.
By the way, I was just visiting the Lightning web site. They have a poll that asks who will advance to the fourth round. Last time I checked, 59% of the votes have gone toward Philly. Just thought I'd throw that one out there.
So, for the first time in these Playoffs, the Lightning face elimination. For the Flyers, it is technically the second time. The Lightning are 2-1 in series-clinching games, the Flyers are 2-0, but this is Game 7 and those numbers probably mean nothing.
I'm willing to bet most people will be thinking about how this has become an "alternating" series, and that if that trend holds, TB will win. Anyone who believes TB has already won is thinking prematurely. I watched the press conference, they interviewed Hitchcock, followed by Primeau and Gagne (2G each for Philly), and finally Tortorella. Not once did anyone bring up the alternations. The Flyers sounded very confident. Tortorella sounded exhausted and perhaps a bit unsure. An OT loss in the Playoffs can have that effect on you, especially when you had the chance to put a team away and you sat back and gave them the breathing room. For all we know, TB may have just cost themselves the series. But we will see how this all figures into Game 7 tomorrow.
By the way, I was just visiting the Lightning web site. They have a poll that asks who will advance to the fourth round. Last time I checked, 59% of the votes have gone toward Philly. Just thought I'd throw that one out there.
This could very well be one of the most entertaining cup finals that weve seen in the last few years. These are two completely different teams that have used different resources to get this far. On one hand, Tampa bay has shown that they can play very very very good, but in the series with Philly theyve shown that their intensity can take minutes, periods, even whole nights off. What Tampa Bay needs most is a strong start in games one and two and to never let that intermittency show for very long.
Calgary is completely opposite. They are not superpowered. In fact they are downright mediocre. The biggest factor is that they have WILLED themselves to this point. There are only two really good players on this team: Kiprusoff and Iginla(sp on both?). Above that, whatever Sutter has been feeding these guys for the past two months could very well make someone into a billionaire. Somehow he has gotten this team to come out and believe that they are a superpowered team, and their seer intensity and never-give-up style of play shows that through and through. I fully expect that Calgary will give Tampa Bay their all each and every game in this series. Thats Calgarys biggest strength.
This series is Tampa Bays to lose. If Tampa comes out and plays 100% every night, they will win the cup. That said, I dont feel very confident in their ability to do that. The series doesnt start until tuesday night, so theyve got two full off days to fix the heart issue. But Calgary has been off since thursday, and it was a much needed rest. Calgary is going to come out well rested and full of energy. There is a chance tho, that being off for 5 days will leave them cold to begin with. But I think their intensity, and the fact that theyve got a real good storyline behind them will propel them. Theyve also got a whole damned nation behind them. Thats gotta be some kind of motivator.
Flames in 7.
Calgary is completely opposite. They are not superpowered. In fact they are downright mediocre. The biggest factor is that they have WILLED themselves to this point. There are only two really good players on this team: Kiprusoff and Iginla(sp on both?). Above that, whatever Sutter has been feeding these guys for the past two months could very well make someone into a billionaire. Somehow he has gotten this team to come out and believe that they are a superpowered team, and their seer intensity and never-give-up style of play shows that through and through. I fully expect that Calgary will give Tampa Bay their all each and every game in this series. Thats Calgarys biggest strength.
This series is Tampa Bays to lose. If Tampa comes out and plays 100% every night, they will win the cup. That said, I dont feel very confident in their ability to do that. The series doesnt start until tuesday night, so theyve got two full off days to fix the heart issue. But Calgary has been off since thursday, and it was a much needed rest. Calgary is going to come out well rested and full of energy. There is a chance tho, that being off for 5 days will leave them cold to begin with. But I think their intensity, and the fact that theyve got a real good storyline behind them will propel them. Theyve also got a whole damned nation behind them. Thats gotta be some kind of motivator.
Flames in 7.
The Flames are (or have been) a great road team. I think the series will be tied 1-1 when it shifts back to Calgary.
I guess this is just the diehard Flyers fan in me speaking, but I truly thought that Game 7 belonged to us. Same old Flyers heartbreaking story: We can spend the majority of the period in the offensive zone, wearing them down with forechecking, driving to the net, getting quality chances from all angles, tiring their defense to the point they almost can't skate to the bench for a line change. Then they get one --ONE-- odd-man rush, or maybe a 2-on-2 or something, and it's in the net. I've seen it so many friggin times, it's sickening! Philly dominates and gets nothing for their hard work, while the other team gets away with murder and scores with the slightest effort.
I've been really keeping up with everything in the Playoffs, including listening to a sports call-in talk show at work. The host brought up something after Game 6 that I really agreed with. He gave reasons why he believed this was a good year for the Flyers to make it to the Cup, and hoped the Lightning would not. Why should Philly get it? Not because it's been like what, 30 years? since we've won it. But look at how many older players we've got that are getting closer to retirement. Players in their mid- to late-30s, most of which have never won a Cup. Roenick, LeClair, Amonte, Desjardins, and I'm sure there are a couple of others I'm not thinking of this minute. Look at what Primeau has become, and has done for this team. Look how well this team, because of Primeau, has fought through some of the toughest times and never gave up and kept coming back. These guys really deserved one more chance, because you never know, it might be their last. The Lightning is a young club. They have a lot of players with many years ahead of them, and they're still inexperienced, especially in the Playoffs. They've got lots of time. Nah, who cares about giving the older guys who worked their asses off one more chance at a trophy and a ring they so much deserve. Tampa Bay is young and immature. Their coach is a jerk. They just denied a group of hard-working players a huge opportunity to fulfill their life-long dreams. I hope they can sleep at night. Why do you think Roenick wanted to come back so bad? Why do you think Primeau was so eager to get back in the line-up? Both were severely hurt and had concussions, but what made them want to return was a chance at the Cup. It was all in vain.
But the Flyers are resilient. Watch them next year. They are going to have an even better season than this one, just wait and see. They will end up 1st seed this time, and get to the very end. They have to and they will.
OK, I'm done. I needed to get that out of my system. I just hope that didn't rub anyone the wrong way...
*ducks for flames and other flying objects*
I guess this is just the diehard Flyers fan in me speaking, but I truly thought that Game 7 belonged to us. Same old Flyers heartbreaking story: We can spend the majority of the period in the offensive zone, wearing them down with forechecking, driving to the net, getting quality chances from all angles, tiring their defense to the point they almost can't skate to the bench for a line change. Then they get one --ONE-- odd-man rush, or maybe a 2-on-2 or something, and it's in the net. I've seen it so many friggin times, it's sickening! Philly dominates and gets nothing for their hard work, while the other team gets away with murder and scores with the slightest effort.
I've been really keeping up with everything in the Playoffs, including listening to a sports call-in talk show at work. The host brought up something after Game 6 that I really agreed with. He gave reasons why he believed this was a good year for the Flyers to make it to the Cup, and hoped the Lightning would not. Why should Philly get it? Not because it's been like what, 30 years? since we've won it. But look at how many older players we've got that are getting closer to retirement. Players in their mid- to late-30s, most of which have never won a Cup. Roenick, LeClair, Amonte, Desjardins, and I'm sure there are a couple of others I'm not thinking of this minute. Look at what Primeau has become, and has done for this team. Look how well this team, because of Primeau, has fought through some of the toughest times and never gave up and kept coming back. These guys really deserved one more chance, because you never know, it might be their last. The Lightning is a young club. They have a lot of players with many years ahead of them, and they're still inexperienced, especially in the Playoffs. They've got lots of time. Nah, who cares about giving the older guys who worked their asses off one more chance at a trophy and a ring they so much deserve. Tampa Bay is young and immature. Their coach is a jerk. They just denied a group of hard-working players a huge opportunity to fulfill their life-long dreams. I hope they can sleep at night. Why do you think Roenick wanted to come back so bad? Why do you think Primeau was so eager to get back in the line-up? Both were severely hurt and had concussions, but what made them want to return was a chance at the Cup. It was all in vain.
But the Flyers are resilient. Watch them next year. They are going to have an even better season than this one, just wait and see. They will end up 1st seed this time, and get to the very end. They have to and they will.
OK, I'm done.
I needed to get that out of my system. I just hope that didn't rub anyone the wrong way...*ducks for flames and other flying objects*
Tampa Bay kisses its home ice goodbye.
Just a stellar game by Calgary in this one. They came out hard and fast, and they played some very smart hockey. Anyone see Iginla's shorthanded goal? Thats just plain smart, doing that. Like I said, this series is Tampa Bays to lose, and they did some pretty stupid things tonight, especially near the end.
Flames earned this one. Booyeah.
Just a stellar game by Calgary in this one. They came out hard and fast, and they played some very smart hockey. Anyone see Iginla's shorthanded goal? Thats just plain smart, doing that. Like I said, this series is Tampa Bays to lose, and they did some pretty stupid things tonight, especially near the end.
Flames earned this one. Booyeah.
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CDN_Merlin
- DBB_Master
- Posts: 9781
- Joined: Thu Nov 05, 1998 12:01 pm
- Location: Capital Of Canada
I hope to hell that the Flames win. I hate the way Tampa Bay plays hockey. They don't body the puck, they play that stupid quick dump and run style. The only reason it works is that very few teams even try that style, most of the players are old school veterans that want to play the rough and tough hockey. I laugh when I see Dave Andreysuck trying to play that style, he's such a has been. I wish it was Colorado vs Philly in the cup because both teams are full of bruisers and they body the puck more than any team in the league. Go Calgary, I hope they win it, Iginla deserves the Cup, he's a great forward, I hope to hell Simon shows that c.unt St. Louis the boards in the next game. I hate that guy so much. Go Avs...
