Lightning (A1) vs. Devils (WC2)

[CarltonTheBear]

Game 1: April 12 at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
Game 2: April 14 at Tampa Bay, 3 p.m.
Game 3: April 16 at New Jersey, 7:30 p.m.
Game 4: April 18 at New Jersey, 7:30 p.m.
*Game 5: April 21 at Tampa Bay, TBD
*Game 6: April 23 at New Jersey, TBD
*Game 7: April 25 at Tampa Bay, TBD

 

[CarltonTheBear]

This likely doesn't mean anything, but the Devils went 3-0 against Tampa this season. Vegas was the only other team that Tampa didn't beat.

 

[Zee]

This likely doesn't mean anything, but the Devils went 3-0 against Tampa this season. Vegas was the only other team that Tampa didn't beat.

Devils are a fast team, and might use that speed to good advantage over Tampa.  This isn't a gimmie for Tampa by any means.

Remains to be seen if that Partridge family goalie can perform in the playoffs.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Remains to be seen if that Partridge family goalie can perform in the playoffs.

15-3-1 with a .932 Sv% since February 15th. Vasilevsky is 11-6-1 with a .900 Sv% in that same span. Gonna come down to goaltending.

I think Tampa's early success has made people overrate them though. They aren't a juggernaut or anything. This is definitely winnable for New Jersey.

 

[Boston Leaf]

Win or lose this is no easy series for TB.. Devils will be a tough out

 

[louisstamos]

Carbon copy of the Doughty hit?  Gotta think Kutcherov gets 1 game.

https://twitter.com/NHLonNBCSports/status/986761614329335808

 

[bustaheims]

Carbon copy of the Doughty hit?  Gotta think Kutcherov gets 1 game.

This one, the head is the principal point of contact, so, yeah, at least a game. Though, based on the Morrissey standard, only a game.

 

[Boston Leaf]

It seems like almost every game now has one of these types of hits that is in question..

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Man, I don't know. I've always been a big proponent of DOPS punishing head shots but just like the Doughty one I don't see how you can suspend a guy for that type of hit.

 

[Coco-puffs]

At the same time, without suspensions, guys are still going to elevate when they hit.  Kucherov could have made just as great a hit by getting his center of gravity just a little lower and his shoulder would have gone into his chest instead of his face.

 

[bustaheims]

Man, I don't know. I've always been a big proponent of DOPS punishing head shots but just like the Doughty one I don't see how you can suspend a guy for that type of hit.

If Doughty didn't get suspended for his, I would have agreed, but, being as he got a game for a virtually identical hit . . .

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/DarrenDreger/status/986971878907576321

?\_(ツ)_/?

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

Department of Player Safety: It's power is only exceeded by it's mystery.

 

[Zee]

Department of Player Safety: It's power is only exceeded by it's mystery.

Here's the DoPS process:

 

[L K]

Man, I don't know. I've always been a big proponent of DOPS punishing head shots but just like the Doughty one I don't see how you can suspend a guy for that type of hit.

I think it's the precedent they established in the first few days.  Kadri got his 3 games, Doughty got suspended.  Now every other hit seems to be getting nothing.  I mean a pretty ugly crosscheck to the face got 1 game and the player who did it factored in significantly to the finish of the game prior to his suspension.