41 comments

1. At the end of the day there’s a reason this was the worst matchup possible. A team of AHL d-men combined with Blashill’s bullshit is bad enough but when the PP goes 0/4 you’re screwed. But still, I really don’t understand why the team refuses to clear the puck or hold people on the boards or why they have success peppering shots in the second and then go away from that. Even worse, how do you you get zero shots off with an empty net and commit those turnovers?!

2. Got nothing else to say other than I feel bad for Stamkos

3. That one just hurt. 4 isn’t impossible, but highly improbable. Ffs. I’m going to bed. Love you guys. Goodnight…

4. 3:37 we win a faceoff cleanly (rare) with our top line on the ice

   Matt dumba confidently back skates to the middle of the ice and rips a shot off the defender instead of passing to kuch/hedman/stammer/point

   Puck leaves the zone and we dont get it back in until less than a minute left

   Get him out of here

5. Was fun while it lasted I guess. Cooper got outcoached and they’re just better than we are. The salary cap and a lot of the roster decisions post cup 3 really hurt the team. Can’t be mad about it, but a serious discussion about where this team is headed needs to happen this offseason. No use in having MVP caliber players on your team if you’re not going to make it out of the first round.

   Also, 6 straight playoff losses on home ice to go along with that 1-11 playoff OT record since Dallas in 2020.

6. Fire Blashill

7. I’ve been saying it since week 3, Blashill needs to be fired into the sun.

   I get it, we have below average defenseman, but they look like borderline high school players out there. Our mid tier d-men look like OHL journeymen. Our high tier d-men look average at best.

8. I just wanted to post my ms paint cup once 😔

9. I fucking love Stamkos.

10. Watch that final minute and see FOUR lightning forechecking into the Panther’s right corner against TWO defenders.

    This isn’t big brain hockey!

    You can’t score from behind the red line, and you can’t lock the puck in if you’re a man down infront of it. Completely undisciplined play across the board.

11. I’m starting to think we aren’t winning the cup this year. Seriously though, awful defense, no offensive identity, and 0 adjustments for them hounding Kuch. The no adjustments are on Coop but no don’t fire him fools.

12. Those 10 min in the 2nd period were pretty fun

13. On one hand I’m glad I didn’t buy tickets for this series.

    On the other hand, fuck

14. Flat cap killed our dynasty

15. Embarrassing. Losing is whatever, but the effort and attitude displayed is an absolute disgrace.

16. #pain

17. Something I can’t really wrap around. How exactly *are we still hitting the cap* with such crappy defense and AHL talent?

18. If only we could’ve played Boston we might be in a better position. Hopefully we’ll give ’em hell in game 4 and not get swept.

19. 3 shots on goal in the third is pretty pathetic given the context

20. rip

    obviously series isn’t over but nothing i’ve seen this series makes me think they can come back. i’d love to be wrong

21. We’ve got them set up for the reverse sweep.

22. Played like an SPHL team. Shameful. ABSOLUTELY SHAMEFUL.

23. Not even that mad because Florida is clearly playing better. They are fast, physical, and smother us. Our guys are too slow, lack physicality, and run out of gas by the 3rd period.

    Btw fire Jeff Blashill

24. You guys realize hockey is a team sport and you can’t just point the finger as vasy?

25. Gotta remember that we’re playing a team that could easily go on to win the Cup. Meanwhile, our team barely locked up a wild card spot and was carried by 1 player all year. A player that has been absolutely blanked in the playoffs.

26. Some moves JBB made have in hindsight haven’t been great such as Jeannot trade and signing Sheary, but many of the moves made weren’t really criticized at the time. Hockey has the most stringent cap situation out of any sport. It’s not designed for a team to stay dominant for so long. We had a great run, but the end may be here. I think we can retool but some moves have to be made

27. Also, Florida reminds me of us in ‘20 and ‘21. Great forechecking, tough to create offense against, and next level goaltending.

28. Never wanna see Dumba or Perbix again after this season. Lilleberg has had bright spots, I think he can be serviceable. Raddysh is the most average NHL player I have ever seen.

29. I get it the fire Blashill reaction but what could anyone do with 3 ahlers and a washed Dumba.

30. The top line playing with their heads up their ass is why we’re down 3-0. Hagel, Point, and Kuch have been nothing but turnover machines.

    Like how are the 2nd, 3rd and 4th line creating scoring chances, yet our top line can hardly even generate a shot on the net before turning it over?

    2 goals from Stammer’s line with 1 overturned, goal from Motte, goal from Paul. But our top line should be on the side of a milk carton.

31. Every time tampa has been swept in the playoffs, they’ve made the Cup final the next year. So that’s a fun fact.

    But yea, fire fucking Blashill into the sun.

32. I’m going to say it… Kuch is a flat out negative on the ice. Yeah, they’re swarming him but every single time he touches the puck, it is turned over.
    He has moments where it looks like he’s trying but overall he is skating lazily, passing lazily, and looks disinterested.
    What is he DOING

33. The home playoff loss streak combined with the OT streak feel about where we’re at right now. 

    But aside from that Kucherov looks lost, Perbix is terrible, Vasy is above average at best and prob a bit below average tonight, and I miss Sergy. 

    I hate Dumba too lol. 

    But most importantly Stamkos looks like he’s on a mission and it’s inspiring and they need to re-sign him no matter what. Like legit that guy needs to retire a Bolt and I’ll be more devastated with him leaving than a sweep. 

34. With how this season went this isn’t surprising.

35. Those 10 minutes in the second period when they actually looked like themselves was pretty cool

36. All I’m saying is that Saturday better not be the last time I see Stamkos play in a Lightning jersey…

37. We used to do the same to every team that the panthers are doing to us. We just dont have the forward depth and half of our d core are mostly ahl players. We had our dominant runs. Are we done, of course not but the days where we just deconstruct other teams defense and score at will are over.

38. They never even gave Florida a power play, I’ve not seen that since Tampa vs Boston in 2011

39. Vasy and Stamkos are the only consistent players. Kucherov was a turnover machine especially on the pp. But these guys did put up 3 goals. The shots were about even. The issue is Defensive thinking. Perbix. Lilliaberg. Dehaan and Dumba just aren’t smart D players. They’re unable to Think like Headman or McDonough. And this all falls under 1 of the biggest Issues. Blashill. His Pk is flawless but he’s having to work with some seriously bad D list players. Ranked C+ at best. Best we can do is see what happens in the off. Praying for Perbix to be sent away.

40. I honestly think Bolts just have a few too many miles on them. Heddy, Stammer and Kuch are all on the wrong side of 30 already, let alone having played essentially a full extra season with 3 Cup appearances from 2020-2022. We had our run boys, we won back to back Stanley Cups. Not too many teams can say that. It’s honestly time to tear it down I think, and start from the bottom.

41. Fact is, we’re the worse team here and it isn’t close. We had our great years but we’re on the downswing. The Panthers are on the rise. So it goes.

    I love Stammer for continuing to sell out. He’s been one of the best Bolts this series and his shot block on that empty net chance would’ve been absolutely huge if we could’ve converted any of our chances.

    Kuch has been completely shut down. Point has had moments but hasn’t been consistent. Vasy has been great but keeps getting left out to dry, like always.

    On the defensive end, there’s plenty of blame to go around. Liliberg has pretty much looked out of his league the whole series, and Dumba makes a ton of stupid decisions and costly mistakes. I’m not sure what JBB thought he was getting when he traded for him.

    Regarding Stammer’s contract: I think it’s extremely optimistic/mildly delusional to think that this team has another cup in it in its current form. We’re stuck with some less-than-ideal contracts that are going to keep us from being a well-rounded team for quite a while, and obviously we don’t have much in the way of prospects or draft picks. I really hope Stammer is willing to take a somewhat team-friendly deal so we can keep him and he can retire a Bolt. He’s still one of the best players we’ve got and to me he epitomizes everything that’s been amazing about this era of Bolts hockey.