Stanley Cup Final

LogansDad

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Nov 15, 2006
29,053
Alamogordo
I think it's pretty clearly the best teams from each conference, and I think this is going to be a great series. My heart is pulling for Colorado, because I really don't like this Tampa organization, but I think the Lighting have the ability to shut down Colorado in a way that Colorado might not be able to do to Tampa.

I'm gonna say Tampa in 6.
 

johnmd20

mad dog
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Dec 30, 2003
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New York City
I think it's pretty clearly the best teams from each conference, and I think this is going to be a great series. My heart is pulling for Colorado, because I really don't like this Tampa organization, but I think the Lighting have the ability to shut down Colorado in a way that Colorado might not be able to do to Tampa.

I'm gonna say Tampa in 6.
Tampa has a resiliency that is unmatched right now. The Avs are just amazing, but they have not really faced any adversity. Even against St Loo, they were up 3-1 and lost in OT and just won Game 6 on the road. They swept in the other two series. So they have two losses all playoffs, and their worst situation was when they were 1-1 against the Blues. At no point have they been up against it.

Tampa was down 3-2 against Toronto and they broke their hearts with an OT win in Game 6 and a 2-1 road win in Game 7. No problem. And against the Rangers they were down 2-0 in games and 2-0 in Game 3 and they proceeded to outscore the Rangers 12-3 the rest of the series. And one of those 3 was the definition of a garbage time goal. And in every single game but 1, it was TB coming up big with a late goal where a goal against them might have been the end of them.

So this one will be interesting to see what happens if the Avs fall behind. If any team won't fall behind, it's the Avs. But I have TB in 6. They are just too talented and too tested.
 

Mighty Joe Young

The North remembers
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Sep 14, 2002
8,401
Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada
Rooting for local boy MacKinnon …. But I suspect Tampa will prevail. Too much playoff experience and have faced far more adversity in getting this far. If Tampa get Point back for the series then I’d say TB in 6. Without him TB in 7.
 

durandal1707

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Apr 18, 2007
6,131
I'm not convinced that Tampa is as much of a juggernaut as they were the past two years.

Toronto was the only team that really challenged them - the Lightning were underwater in both actual and expected goals for that series. Still, credit to them for getting past the Leafs.

The Panthers were a team built to win regular season track meets (with a lot of OT/SO points) and didn't have the defense and goaltending to hang with Tampa: 5v5 actual goals were 6-2 Lightning, despite a 8.86 to 8.28 xG advantage for the Cats.

The Rangers were punching way above their weight the entire season and finally came crashing back to earth. New York had stupendous PDOs in the first two games (1.121 and 1.158) which made up for how badly they were overmatched in terms of possession. The series 5v5 xGF was 62.26% for Tampa. Given how these two teams performed in the regular season, this was an expected outcome.

Now they're drawing a complete team in the Avalanche who have played about 100 fewer minutes than them. I think the mileage catches up with the Lightning and winning a third Cup in a row proves too difficult against a proper opponent. Avs in 6.
 

burstnbloom

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Jul 12, 2005
2,761
Definitely rooting for the Avs and they were by far the best team in Hockey in 2021. Hoping they can push back against the pressure on their shoulders.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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Oct 31, 2013
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Go TBL
3 in a Row and maybe NHL does something about the injurious salary cap
 

Zososoxfan

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Jul 30, 2009
9,208
South of North
I get why everyone here is rooting for the Avs, but I love these Bolts. Should be a great series, but I think it turns on whether Point plays. If Point can play and be effective he makes the Bolts forwards so much better. Without him, I think the Bolts will struggle to keep up.
 

LoweTek

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May 30, 2005
2,183
Central Florida
I just want to add as someone fairly local the the Tampa area, if you ever get a chance to go to a game at Amalie take it. It's a great building with a great atmosphere both inside and out. There is a huge outdoor watch party on the arena grounds, right outside the entrance. Every game is an event and the people over there party hard and are really into the team.

Hot goaltenders win playoff series. Even with bias admitted, I think Tampa has the edge here. Bolts in 6 winning it at home. Should be a great series. Avs are good.
 

ifmanis5

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Sep 29, 2007
63,740
Rotten Apple
Avs look fast. Little surprised Vas didn't stop that but no rust for Colorado so far.

Edit: And another. Who is this goalie and what has he done to Vas?
 

Ed Hillel

Wants to be startin somethin
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Dec 12, 2007
43,558
Here
Also, that home team not losing a game up 2 or more in 28 years in the Cup finals is crazy.
 

Dummy Hoy

Angry Pissbum
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Jul 22, 2006
8,232
Falmouth
Shocked that Tampa wasn’t complaining about the call.

I can’t believe how solid Darren Helm still is…I lost track of him the last few years rotting in Detroit
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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Oct 31, 2013
72,428
Seanie is the best. (maybe not on 2nd tier CFB, games like his alma mater but on everything else)

I wish he would do NESN

Great when he did WEEI last year.