Sam Hitchcock: Bolts Find Game in Sweden

Kucherov should not be playing today, it was a low and dirty hit, Risto deserved his penalty. Kucherov got away with one.

Kuch hit was not "chippy", it was dirty.

I went back and watched the Kucherov hit a couple more times. I think it was borderline. It was a hip-check that was ill-timed. I think the line between a hip-check and a "low bridge" is a fine one. Having said that, if I was a Buffalo fan, I'd be pissed. But I don't think it warranted a major penalty.

Why, why, why, why is Cooper scratching Coburn over Schenn? This is getting stupid. Scratch that, it's beyond stupid. It's something I would expect from a meth-head. Cooper should be drug-tested.

Other than that, it was nice to see the Bolts look mostly-dominate for the majority of the game. The Sabres are not a push-over team now.

I went back and watched the Kucherov hit a couple more times. I think it was borderline. It was a hip-check that was ill-timed. I think the line between a hip-check and a "low bridge" is a fine one. Having said that, if I was a Buffalo fan, I'd be pissed. But I don't think it warranted a major penalty.

Why, why, why, why is Cooper scratching Coburn over Schenn? This is getting stupid. Scratch that, it's beyond stupid. It's something I would expect from a meth-head. Cooper should be drug-tested.

Other than that, it was nice to see the Bolts look mostly-dominate for the majority of the game. The Sabres are not a push-over team now.
- GalacticStone

First of all Tampa deserved both games, no question. Secondly, the hit was late and we all know that. No penalty was called, so its done with.

First of all Tampa deserved both games, no question. Secondly, the hit was late and we all know that. No penalty was called, so its done with.
- sabreadvocate1

Yes they did, they followed the blueprint that's out there' now, get physical and the Sabres fold. Plus half the Sabres couldn't hit the broad side of the barn.

Yes they did, they followed the blueprint that's out there' now, get physical and the Sabres fold. Plus half the Sabres couldn't hit the broad side of the barn.
- Buff36

I don't think the hit was nearly as "dirty" as most of the Sabres fans do, but I was surprised at the lack of push-back or retaliation for it.

In the past, the Lightning were accused of being soft and skill-based, but there were always guys ready to defend each other or drop the mitts in defense of a teammate. Even Stamkos and Hedman have been known to jump in and start throwing fists. Guys like Gourde and Paquette are not the biggest, but they also drop the gloves and play with an edge. Cernak can be scary when he turns it on. Then they brought in Maroon, who isn't a Bob Probert but he's a hulking muldoon who is no slouch with the rough stuff.

Unfortunately, the league and the officials allow poop to get out of hand. There's no consistency to enforcement of the rules. Thuggish goons like Lucic get hit with heavy supplementals, but skill "goons" like Marchand and Crosby can get away with cheap shots that anybody else would get suspended for. I hope Kucherov doesn't become another cheap-shot artist. He doesn't have a history yet, but he could be on his way if he doesn't watch out.

I went back and watched the Kucherov hit a couple more times. I think it was borderline. It was a hip-check that was ill-timed. I think the line between a hip-check and a "low bridge" is a fine one. Having said that, if I was a Buffalo fan, I'd be pissed. But I don't think it warranted a major penalty.

Why, why, why, why is Cooper scratching Coburn over Schenn? This is getting stupid. Scratch that, it's beyond stupid. It's something I would expect from a meth-head. Cooper should be drug-tested.

Other than that, it was nice to see the Bolts look mostly-dominate for the majority of the game. The Sabres are not a push-over team now.
- GalacticStone

Coburn hasn't been playing well. He had a terrible turnover in OT of the Nashville game that resulted in the game winning goal and then followed it up with two more bad games against the Rangers and Devils. I'm fine giving Schenn a chance and letting Coburn watch a few games from the press box.

If Coburn, Schenn or Rutta can't step up, Foote may be up sooner than expected.

Coburn hasn't been playing well. He had a terrible turnover in OT of the Nashville game that resulted in the game winning goal and then followed it up with two more bad games against the Rangers and Devils. I'm fine giving Schenn a chance and letting Coburn watch a few games from the press box.

If Coburn, Schenn or Rutta can't step up, Foote may be up sooner than expected.
- LightningMcKing

McD makes just as many mistakes and some have cost us goals. Honestly, outside of a few mistakes, Coburn has looked solid overall. Benching a player for a costly mistake is what you do to rookies. Coburn is a veteran and has ups and downs like any veteran. If it becomes his new normal and his play noticeably declines over a longer stretch of games, then bench him. I think Cooper was a little quick to pull the trigger on benching him, especially since his replacements are worse - Rutta is invisible and has trouble exiting the zone, and Schenn is just a Girardi who can fight.

McD makes just as many mistakes and some have cost us goals. Honestly, outside of a few mistakes, Coburn has looked solid overall. Benching a player for a costly mistake is what you do to rookies. Coburn is a veteran and has ups and downs like any veteran. If it becomes his new normal and his play noticeably declines over a longer stretch of games, then bench him. I think Cooper was a little quick to pull the trigger on benching him, especially since his replacements are worse - Rutta is invisible and has trouble exiting the zone, and Schenn is just a Girardi who can fight.
- GalacticStone

Agree to disagree. McD plays against the other teams top lines, plays over 7 minutes more per game than Coburn who plays against the other teams worst lines and still makes as many if not more mistakes than McD. I'm siding in favor of McD on this one.

I'm fine giving Schenn a shot, then Coburn again, then Rutta and then Foote. Someone needs to step up.

Agree to disagree. McD plays against the other teams top lines, plays over 7 minutes more per game than Coburn who plays against the other teams worst lines and still makes as many if not more mistakes than McD. I'm siding in favor of McD on this one.

I'm fine giving Schenn a shot, then Coburn again, then Rutta and then Foote. Someone needs to step up.
- LightningMcKing

Overall McD is certainly the better all-around D-man and he plays more minutes, so he's going to be on the ice for more mistakes. But, he's a second pairing guy (on this team) and he doesn't get benched for a period, less yet entire games, for a costly mistake. I'm just saying that I think Coburn deserved some chewing out, maybe being sat for a game to watch video, but scratching him for multiple games just seems a little overly-punitive at this point.

Well, it worked out against Buffalo. We won both games, so there's that I guess. But I wouldn't dress Rutta or Schenn against a deeper team when Coburn is available. Unless he's had a sudden and permanent drop-off, which I am not convinced this is.