Matt Ross: Round 2 Bound

Hopefully a Florida series re-match. It’s playoffs, can’t employ regular season PP tactics. Need Hornqvist in front for tips or rebounds.

Give Washington credit for being in a position to win (this game, last game, game before that, and the series). But the Panthers are the superior team and deserved to win. Unlike the earlier games, I never felt that this one was in doubt.

Like Rocky, the Panthers learned to take the blows, never give up, and always come back stronger. There were at least four/five/six times in the series where I thought Washington was totally rattled and got saved by the bell of the period ending or by Samsonov's illusory 5-minute brush with death. This experience was tremendous and really sets up the Panthers well for a long playoff run now. To come out of that series that way, they are wearing the cloak of invincibility now.

Tasks for the next few days (oddly enough, same as the tasks back at the big break in February, go back and look at the comments):

1. Rest and recuperate.
2. Get the power play 101 book off the shelf and have everyone read it again.

As for Toronto vs Tampa, I don't really care. I dislike both teams. Though there would be something particularly satisfying in knocking out the Lightning. Either way, I think the Panthers are well positioned to win and advance.

So exciting!
Go Panthers!

I hope everyone is healthy. I know Ekblad and Charoit took nasty hits. Hopefully, Marchment will be back also.

I always liked Verhaeghe. He was just a victim of the salary cap in Tampa.

With an increased role and icetime in Florida, he's done quite well for himself. I'm happy for the guy.

Giroux!

Cheering tampa tonight. As much as i dont want a 3peat all my family and 90% of coworkers are leaf fans and in the event we fail i just wont be able to take the verbal abuse it will be awful.

As a life long leafs fan I was hoping for my boys vs my boys but this series should be fun to watch.

Personal vendetta complete cats move on leafs do not.

https://twitter.com/RossL...A8MaDoRXhbOmbUb6KvIQ&s=19

Stay classy toronto haha

Ok Matt and Panthers fans, we gotta learn to love each other for a week or so. There's no Lightning blogger right now, so yall are gonna have to live with me during this series. The Leafs fans liked me at first, but turned on me after I made a one-liner joke about last night's game. I guess it was too soon.

I'm not gonna be a troll or a homer. I tell it like it is. If Tampa plays dirty or is the target of legit criticism then I will admit it. But, I will also root for my team in the form of GIFs or one-liners that only I find funny. It's not personal.

The Panthers used to own the Lightning a long long time ago. The tables turned and the Bolts dominated the Cats for a good while and evened up the lifetime series numbers. Now, the Panthers are entering elite territory and are threatening to flip the script again on the Lightning. It's going to be an entertaining series. Hopefully it doesn't age me 20 years like the Leafs series did.

Point is likely to be out. Kucherov is rumored to be banged up. Vasi is putting up pedestrian numbers and doesn't look as dominant as he did in years past. I think the Lightning are beatable and am honestly surprised the Leafs didn't knock them off. The Panthers get a shot now.

I hope Verhaeghe (sp?) walking away doesn't come back to haunt us.

Ok Matt and Panthers fans, we gotta learn to love each other for a week or so. There's no Lightning blogger right now, so yall are gonna have to live with me during this series. The Leafs fans liked me at first, but turned on me after I made a one-liner joke about last night's game. I guess it was too soon.

I'm not gonna be a troll or a homer. I tell it like it is. If Tampa plays dirty or is the target of legit criticism then I will admit it. But, I will also root for my team in the form of GIFs or one-liners that only I find funny. It's not personal.

The Panthers used to own the Lightning a long long time ago. The tables turned and the Bolts dominated the Cats for a good while and evened up the lifetime series numbers. Now, the Panthers are entering elite territory and are threatening to flip the script again on the Lightning. It's going to be an entertaining series. Hopefully it doesn't age me 20 years like the Leafs series did.

Point is likely to be out. Kucherov is rumored to be banged up. Vasi is putting up pedestrian numbers and doesn't look as dominant as he did in years past. I think the Lightning are beatable and am honestly surprised the Leafs didn't knock them off. The Panthers get a shot now.

I hope Verhaeghe (sp?) walking away doesn't come back to haunt us.
- GalacticStone

Welcome to the show. This channels comments are me 13 of every 15 mostly talking to myself maybe itll be you now i will be making sarcastic remarks to about how terrible the cats powerplay is

Welcome to the show. This channels comments are me 13 of every 15 mostly talking to myself maybe itll be you now i will be making sarcastic remarks to about how terrible the cats powerplay is
- Shynes57

This is not my daddy's Panthers, and like the Leafs, that worries me a bit.

I have been saying this all season - IMO, this doesn't feel like the Lightning's year. The previous two seasons, they were dominant. This season has felt different. Losing streaks. Injuries. Salary cap casualties. Underpeforming star players (Point and Vasi). The Lightning seem to be ripe for the picking and the Leafs (warts and all) came close to knocking them off. Only the Islanders and the Leafs have taken the Bolts to 7 games during their back to back runs, and this Panthers team seems deeper and more dangerous than the Leafs or Islanders did.

I would imagine that Florida is eager for revenge from last year's series. Whatever ends up happening this series, I think the rivalry is going to grow.

https://twitter.com/RossLevitan/status/1525670525565128705?t=LNA8MaDoRXhbOmbUb6KvIQ&s=19

Stay classy toronto haha
- Shynes57

Did they think that guy was Fat Pat or something?

Still no Lightning threads

Still no Lightning threads
- jvar17

I am assuming Mr. Stuart is OK but busy.

I'm kinda surprised that Ek doesn't have another Lightning blogger lined up to fill in the gaps. Playoffs is a bad time to not have a blogger.

What’s the word on Point? That looked pretty bad for him the other night. Even though he’s always a huge thorn in the Panthers paw, I hated to see that. That would be a big loss for TB if his injury keeps him out.

What’s the word on Point? That looked pretty bad for him the other night. Even though he’s always a huge thorn in the Panthers paw, I hated to see that. That would be a big loss for TB if his injury keeps him out.
- Ratsreign

Cooper lists him as doubtful for Game 1 but in the day to day category after that. From Cooper that is the best you are going get. It's been known he has been dealing with a undisclosed lower body injury since April and most assume its his groin. Looks like he reaggravated his groin on that play.

Wouldn't shock me if he plays this series - he played a good portion of the 2020 playoffs with a groin injury.

He is huge for the team, if he is in and playing well the Lightning have a much better chance. If he is out the Panthers need to take advantage of the Lightning's horrible transition game when Point is not carrying the puck.

Going to be fun series. I stayed away from the Toronto board but I feel considering there is a limited number of both Panther fans and Bolts fans still on this board I think it will be a good time.

Battle of Florida... its going to a fun fast paced series... Looking forward to it.

Unless there are no penalties called the cats are in trouble. We had a hard time killing penalties and of course everyone knows of our power-less plays from round 1

Unless there are no penalties called the cats are in trouble. We had a hard time killing penalties and of course everyone knows of our power-less plays from round 1
- Shynes57

As the series went on they were generating chances, just no finish. Hopefully they break the string tomorrow night. They too often try to be highlight reel instead of just getting it to the net and getting greasy.
Staying out of the box is important, too. TB PP killed them in the playoffs last season