"I can't wait for this series! The Hawks and Ducks was such an amazing series, I hope the Lightening can be as good an opponent as the Ducks and make it go the extra miles! I think it will for sure go to 7 games. Also, it scares me how we are the 4th original six team the lightening are playing this playoffs, they've already dispatched three...Anyways, good luck! I hope to see you on your articles, and John Jaeckel on his!"


The Lightning will be a BETTER opponent, because they don't rely on head hunting, clutching, grabbing, cheap hits, diarrhea of the mouth, and general on and off ice idiocy.

Tampa Bay, from what I can tell, can play fast and free but also can clamp it down with excellent team defense.

I do worry about 'similarities' to their 2004 team when their team was young and too stupid to realize they shouldn't be winning a Cup that soon. They may be just young enough to not care, which will make them formidable.

Unlike the Ducks, who have incredibly DIS-likable players, Tampa Bay has incredibly LIKABLE players...Stamkos, Callahan, Johnson, Hedman...even their gritty guys like Killorn are not tools.

It will be a pleasure to see two teams utilize their skill and not try to 'win a banner for most number of hits'....

TB v Chicago will be 21st century hockey boys....strap it on, gonna be a ride.
- kwolf68

Explain your comment about the 2004 team being too young and stupid to realize they shouldn't win the cup so soon. It just seems like a bizarre comment.

My gut is telling me that most unbiased fans of hockey will be hoping for a great series with the Lightning eventually winning. Almost all hockey fans I know want the Bolts to win and these are fans from all over. Anyone else feel the same?

Full respect to Tampa.

But Chicago will eat you.

The west is far superior to the east. Again, Tampa did a great job but may not have made the playoffs in the west.

Due to Chicago's depth at forward I hope we see Drouin play. Chicago is scary good. They are especially mentally tough. But dont be surprised when our Bolts rise to the occasion.

Full respect to Tampa.

But Chicago will eat you.

The west is far superior to the east. Again, Tampa did a great job but may not have made the playoffs in the west.
- Beatle_john

They would have made the playoffs, most likely....but the wouldn't have got past Anaheim, Chicago, St.Louis, Hell, I doubt the would have beat the Kings had the Kings made it. I put them on the Level of the Wild. A pretty damn good team, but not an elite WC team.

Edit: before Butthurt fans in the East come belly-aching about the Western Conference superiority being a farce, just remember it's not up to me prove the comments true. It's up to EC teams to start winning the majority of the championships. In the New Millenium, how many have they won? 3 or 4?

The Bolts will play some good hockey. I've got the Hawks in six. Forward depth and the fact (a.k.a. My opinion) that the Hawks' top four D are better than Tampa's six have a parade in Chicago written all over the hockey world. Of course, that's based on previous performances, which mean less than nothing this time of year.

Let's not forget what Cooper was able to do with the Norfolk Admirals a few years ago. Then again, Q is... well, Q.

KEEP YOUR KIDS HOME THEN!

Seriously, it will be nice to get away from the cheap-shot team from Cali. Please no offensive picks though, let's have a clean fun series. Good luck.
- powerenforcer

OK. These guys will let Cooper know.

Full respect to Tampa.

But Chicago will eat you.

The west is far superior to the east. Again, Tampa did a great job but may not have made the playoffs in the west.
- Beatle_john

Love being the underdog it takes the pressure off but why is it the Hawks fans think it's going to go six or seven and no West Is better hype while the fans that don't have any recent success have the most to say about the West- been hanging onto someone else's coat tails? Game is changing and the East is showing the way to the new brand of hockey. The Hawks are the best example of a West team evolving while still winning. The old -if you can't skate with them then beat the hell out of them is changing.

Going to be a good matchup. I've wanted to see Tampa/Chicago because they are two teams that play the right way and display their skill and speed instead of getting caught up in the "physicality" crap. I'm looking forward to an exciting series. Not going to predict anything on this one, just going to enjoy it.

Full respect to Tampa.

But Chicago will eat you.

The west is far superior to the east. Again, Tampa did a great job but may not have made the playoffs in the west.
- Beatle_john

Actually, take their PPG vs. West and PPG vs. East and apply that as though they were in the west (50 games vs. West, 32 vs. East) and they would have 108.46 points, so right up there with Anaheim and St. Louis...

Actually, take their PPG vs. West and PPG vs. East and apply that as though they were in the west (50 games vs. West, 32 vs. East) and they would have 108.46 points, so right up there with Anaheim and St. Louis...
- lumlums

It's already been shown by numerous places that inter-conference matchups have a substantially higher rate of three point games during the regular season. Your calculation is misleading.

It's already been shown by numerous places that inter-conference matchups have a substantially higher rate of three point games during the regular season. Your calculation is misleading.
- Sandus

Their PPG vs. East is not too much higher than their PPG. vs west. They also have a slightly higher percentage of points earned as "loser" points against the East (9.6%) vs. the west (8.5%).

So overall, these matchups may lead to more three point games, but it doesn't look like Tampa benefit too strongly from that extra point in these matchups, at least perhaps not relative to how other teams might...

Their PPG vs. East is not too much higher than their PPG. vs west. They also have a slightly higher percentage of points earned as "loser" points against the East (9.6%) vs. the west (8.5%).

So overall, these matchups may lead to more three point games, but it doesn't look like Tampa benefit too strongly from that extra point in these matchups, at least perhaps not relative to how other teams might...
- lumlums

Okay, but what percentage of those points against the West came via shootout or 4 on 4 overtime wins?

EDIT: Just saw that TB only had 3 non-ROWs all year, so maybe I'm wrong. But one of those was against Chicago, for whatever that's worth.

Okay, but what percentage of those points against the West came via shootout or 4 on 4 overtime wins?

EDIT: Just saw that TB only had 3 non-ROWs all year, so maybe I'm wrong. But one of those was against Chicago, for whatever that's worth.
- Sandus

They beat Chi 4-0 at Amalie, then lost 3-2 (OT) at United centre.

Don't get me wrong, I think Chicago have the edge based on experience and the phenomenal play of Toews and Keith (though Hedman/Stralman have been excellent too, not to mention the triplets and a constantly heating up Stamkos), but anybody dismissing Tampa (as some, not you, have done here) could well be eating their words in a couple of weeks...

Full respect to Tampa.

But Chicago will eat you.

The west is far superior to the east. Again, Tampa did a great job but may not have made the playoffs in the west.
- Beatle_john

This brings me to my next point kids. Don't do drugs!!!!

This brings me to my next point kids. Don't do drugs!!!!
- Feds91Stammer

Okay, but what percentage of those points against the West came via shootout or 4 on 4 overtime wins?

EDIT: Just saw that TB only had 3 non-ROWs all year, so maybe I'm wrong. But one of those was against Chicago, for whatever that's worth.
- Sandus

Uhhhh . . . I was told there would be no math.

Hey Grand Rapids, huh? Can you get me some Amway samples?
- John Jaeckel

No but I have some coupons for belle tire

Uhhhh . . . I was told there would be no math.
- John Jaeckel

https://youtu.be/yFOvldn_IRw

What do you think of this Michael....agree/disagree?

http://thehockeywriters.c...the-2013-nhl-entry-draft/

What do you think of this Michael....agree/disagree?

http://thehockeywriters.c...the-2013-nhl-entry-draft/
- LeftCoaster

Should have picked Jones but it doesn't mean Drouin won't be a good player.

Ya. Bishop this playoffs has been either bad or great. I just feel the depth of Chicago forwards will put them over the top in a hurry. Tampa has faced teams with basically 2 lines at max. Chicago has 3 lines that can score and 1 that just grinds it out and contributes. If 4 d-men got them through the West, they should be able to cope with Tampa.

Tampa's offence wouldn't scare me in the slightest if I was Chicago. Crawford will let in a bad goal here and there. But they have proven they can win despite that on several occasions.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Typical Sens fan not giving any credit to the team they are facing. I bet you also predicted Ottawa would beat Montreal because the Sens had been the best team in the league since early February.

All us Bolts fans heard going into the Rangers series was that Tampa would be overwhelmed by NY's depth and they haven't yet played a team as deep. Also this is a good one too "regular season stats don't mean anything coming into the playoffs". And just to throw it in there as well "Bishop has been ok but he has no experience appears shaky etc.".

All Tampa has been doing since the beginning of the playoffs is find ways to win. They have bounced back after almost every loss (7-1 in the playoffs after a loss) and Bishop and the team defense as a whole have been phenomenal in must win games (4-0 with only 1 goal allowed).

Tampa deserves and demands credit and respect for the following reasons:

- They have 3 of the top ten point scorers in the playoffs, and five! of the top ten goal scorers. They were the top offensive team in the season and have shown they can score and score a bunch against the opposition regardless of who it is. Keep in mind they have eliminated two of the three Vezina nominees.

-In the playoffs Tampa has allowed close to 0.50 goals per game less than the Blackhawks. Their team defense and goaltending has been completely dominant in elimination games and following a loss. They shut out the Rangers twice in the series, New York being the third highest scoring team in the NHL during the season. As Craig Button from TSN put it and also mentionned by Don Cherry, Tampa puts on a defensive clinic in these games and their opponents are left with very few scoring chances.

-Tampa is not afraid of the Blackhawks, they earned three points against them during the season including a 4-0 win. Playoffs may be a different beast altogether but the Regular season counts for something and Tampa has proven that in the past three series. If only for the fact that it allows the Bolts to believe they can beat the Blackhawks as they have in the past.

-Jon Cooper... This guy has won everywhere he has coached, at every level. He gets the most out of his team and understands the key aspect of motivation. His team battles and they battle hard. They believe in the 200 foot game, watch some Tampa games and you'll be amazed at how quickly players come back on the backcheck, amazed at how everytime a defenseman pinches there is a forward covering his spot. Cooper lacks the experience of Quenneville but he is a proven winner, just hasn't had an opportunity to win it all at the NHL level, he does now though.

I'm not asking anyone to pick Tampa to win for these reasons but to blatantly say the Hawks have basically already won the cup is a crock of you know what. I'm looking forward to another great series!

Go Bolts Go!

To be the best you have to beat the best and I am sure that is what the Bolts are saying about the Hawks. I love that the Bolts have had the bring it on mentality all playoffs as people continue to discount them. I have watched them all year and they are still much better then most give them credit from all other hockey markets. They have the ability to play multiple styles and their youthfulness has been a good thing more so then bad. I don't know how this series will end up but those already anointing the Hawks the champions will surely be surprised by what the Bolts can bring.

Go Bolts - its there for the taking.

What do you think of this Michael....agree/disagree?

http://thehockeywriters.c...the-2013-nhl-entry-draft/
- LeftCoaster

I'm not entirely sold. I mean, maybe it makes sense, but it's not like Drouin doesn't have the potential to be a real special player. Would Jones help the team more now? It certainly looks that way. Which guy will help more in five years? I'm not sure. Drafting Drouin was never a two-year project.