ECSF: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Washington Capitals thoughts and schedule
by John Fontana on Apr 28, 2011 11:31 AM EDT
in Playoffs
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Did you have a nice 12 hours, living up last night's victory and advancing to the Semifinals? Yeah? Good.
Over. Done with. Moot.
Sorry to rain on your parade, but we're back to square one. Forget the highs of the last round, forget the lows for that matter. Forget the fact the Lightning allowed a single power play goal in the first round, forget they've won three straight. Forget they were on the verge of elimination.
We're back at zero. 0 for 0 with an .000 win percentage in 0 games played.
The Washington Capitals are not the Pittsburgh Penguins. You know this. Lightning faithful saw the Bolts fall four times this season at the hands of the Capitals during the 2010-11 regular season. While the Bolts were lucky that Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby (as well as Matt Cooke) were not part of the Quarterfinal contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins, they'll have all the Capitals as well as the rockin' red of Verizon Center to deal with come Friday.
Alexander Semin, Brooks Laich, Mike Green, and Mister stick-on-fire himself, Alex Ovechkin. And company.
Below the jump, however, you'll find the schedule for the series as well as ticketing information.
A quirk of the Semifinal contest between the Caps and Bolts will be games 3 and 4 at the St. Pete Times Forum. They're being played back-to-back. Many will wonder why - and blame NHL schedule makers for another inanity. SB Nation Tampa Bay clarified the why: blame USF Graduation ceremonies.
The series schedule will be thus:
Game 1 Fri., April 29 Verizon Center (Washington, DC) 7 p.m.
Game 2 Sun., May 1 Verizon Center (Washington, DC) 7 p.m.
Game 3 Tues., May 3 St. Pete Times Forum (Tampa, FL) TBD
Game 4 Wed., May 4 St. Pete Times Forum (Tampa, FL) 7 p.m.
Game 5* Sat., May 7 Verizon Center (Washington, DC) 12:30 p.m.
Game 6* Mon., May 9 St. Pete Times Forum (Tampa, FL) TBD
Game 7* Wed., May 11 Verizon Center (Washington, DC) TBD
Single game tickets for games 3, 4, and 6 go on sale tomorrow morning. The following is the official release from the Tampa Bay Lightning regarding this, as well as prices:
LIGHTNING SECOND ROUND SINGLE-GAME PLAYOFF TICKETS
ON SALE FRIDAY
Pre-Sale to Begin Immediately Tonight
TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning will make single-game tickets for home games during the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs available to the general public on Friday, April 29 at 10 a.m. A pre-sale will be held beginning immediately tonight for season ticket holders, suite holders, sponsors, groups and individuals looking to purchase season ticket packages or playoff pack plans. There will be a maximum of three games at the St. Pete Times Forum by nature of the final playoff seeding.
The NHL’s Conference Semifinals are scheduled to begin on Thursday, April 28, but the Lightning’s individual schedule may vary with additional details forthcoming.
Ticket prices start at just $27 for terrace level corner and endzones while going up to $120 for plaza level centers plus applicable taxes and fees. Season ticket holders have the opportunity to save on their playoff tickets by locking in 2011-12 Lightning season tickets. Not only will fans freeze pricing from this season, but they will also have the opportunity to "Cheer Now, Pay Later" for the playoffs. Benefits also include concert and event priority, free tickets to the 2011 Lightning Launch Weekend Concert, guaranteed giveaways and more. For more information call Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or skate to http://www.ticketmaster.com/
lightningplayoffs.
Second Round Single-Game Playoff Ticket Pricing
Location Price
Plaza Center $120
Club Center $110
Plaza Corner $90
Plaza Endzone $80
Club Endzone $80
Terrace Center $45
Terrace Corner $27
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Well, that 12:30 start next Saturday is the exact same time as my sister's graduation
Lovely. Guess it is the season where graduations and hockey schedules fight each other. . . win in four? I vote for this. But I’d take winning in five too. . . or six. . . or seven.
by Incipient_Senescence on Apr 28, 2011 11:40 AM EDT reply actions
Im not thrilled about the back-2-back games. It just should not happen in the playoffs.
What are your thoughts on stamina and fatigue going into games 1&2? No rest for the weary, thats for sure.
How did that even happen? Lady Caca GaGa concert or sth?
IIII
by Christoph J on Apr 29, 2011 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions
Concerns about the team, and not just my ability to watch:
The break between Games 4 and 5 is our first two-day break since the break between Games 4 and 5 of the first round. The Caps, on the other hand, have had five straight days off. Maybe this pays off in game one if they’re a little rusty, but by game four, especially on the tail end of a back-to-back, you have to think it’ll get to us. If we’re at 2-2 through four, I like our chances.
by Incipient_Senescence on Apr 28, 2011 12:48 PM EDT reply actions
This.
I think it’s going to be every bit as exciting a series as Round 1. You have two teams that know each other intimately well and know—from a regular-season perspective—how to beat the other team
For the playoffs, it’s a whole ’nother thing. Beating the Caps is do-able, but the pessimist in me says Caps in 6.
What’s the injury situation for the Bolts? I know there will not be a lot of confirmed info out there, but just wondering what your best guess is.
As far as the Caps go, I can offer the following semi-informed speculation.
Wideman – out with leg hematoma. Just resumed skating in pads, still not practicing with the regular team. Doubt he’s back for this series at all, and if he does make it back it will be for the late part of the series.
Knuble – out with a “upper body injury” which I think is a hand that got hit by a shot from the point. Suspect it’s broken, but do not know if it’s a hand, finger or what. Also not practicing with the regular team, and out for now. Who knows when he’d be back.
Backstrom – Took a slash from Letang down the stretch that broke his thumb and severed a ligament. Missed several games and then returned, but has not looked like himself.
Arnott – Missed a couple of games down the stretch with a “lower body injury” and then returned. Has since missed some shifts in a couple of games. Speculation while he was out that it was a knee or a groin. Suspect this is still an issue, but no idea as to severity.
Green – Had either one or two (depending on who you ask) concussions during the year, missed 26 games. Took another shot off the helmet in Game 5, but insists he’s fine and has been practicing without restriction.
Ovechkin – Got slashed in preseason by Shea Weber, and got a couple of cortisone shots over the course of the season. Where? No one is saying, but speculation was that it was in the wrist. Shot and stickhandling looked off all year. Might be a lingering issue, might not be.
That’s all I know of.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
by fat_daddyo on Apr 28, 2011 1:41 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Fehr – out 3-4 weeks with shoulder injury. Returned for the Caps-Rangers series.
Varlamov – not much to say except plagued by eternal “lower body” issues. The Caps back-up.
IIII
Unconfirmed stuff really. Ryan Malone is playing while hurt. Randy Jones has been inactive and is coming bck from a high ankle sprain. He is participating in practices and such now and has been a healthy scratch.
Speculation is that Stamkos is / has been hurt, and that’s why his scoring pace fizzled out int eh 2nd half.
There hasn’t been much talk about guys playing with / through pain. Malone is the most noteworthy. Everyone else is “Healthy”. Downie had a high ankle sprain in December, Gagne has been off and on IR at times. VIncent Lecavalier had his cornea scratched by Frolik in late March adn is now playing with a visor. You may remember his knuckle got busted while we played you guys in November.
Typing is an adventure, and reading should be, too!
Raw Charge.
by John Fontana on Apr 28, 2011 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Thanks. Confirms my suspicion that the Bolts are healthier than the Caps in general.
I’m fine with the unconfirmed gut feeling. No one’s giving out confirmed info at this time of year.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
I don’t think the Caps have any real concerns other than Wideman and Knuble. Moreover, we did without Wideman the whole first round, so his return is more of a bonus than a return to full strength
we have to remember
that even tho the caps took 4 of 6… the bolts went 2-1 with roloson. with 2 shutouts. and the 5-2 loss was just one down game in a great homestand. after a 6 game winning streak. i say the bolts have the edge.
the 5-2 loss was a complete domination by the Caps against a bolts team giving it their all. The Capitals’ D in the previous series looked very sharp when they were playing well, and their offence has the grit, skill, energy, and talent to pot a few goals against a defence and goaltender which live on eating up shots.
The Rangers’ D was a lot more formidable than the TBL D. Caps should be able to overwhelm them.
The Bolts’ O is much stronger than the Rangers’, but I think the Caps have the defensive strength to shut them down.
This series is the Caps’ to lose, but as we Caps fans know, they know how to do that very well. If the Caps are lucky, they will catch roloson exhausted and will euthanise the Bolts quickly. If they’re not as lucky, I think they still work this one out in 5 or 6.
But we shall see. Roloson and Martin St. Louis certainly have the ability to make headaches for the Caps (hell, any team). Looking forward to the matchup.
The matchup is interesting on a number of levels. The systems, the strengths and weaknesses of the respective teams, the routes each took to this point…
One of our bloggers ran a Log 5 analysis, using pythag win expectation based on GF and GA in the last 30 games or so. His results? Caps a 51 to 49 favorite in a neutral rink. In other words, a coin flip.
We’ll see if the Bolts are fatigued or if the Caps are flat and rusty; if Rolo hits the wall, or continues his insane run; if Neuvirth comes back to earth or continues his own insane run; if the Bolts stay hot on the PP or the Caps stay hot on the PK.
Regular season matchup means jack squat at this point. I can’t really predict how the series will turn out, as there are so many variables.
I don’t think the Bolts have an intrinsic edge, though.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
by fat_daddyo on Apr 28, 2011 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Neuvirth was far from insane. I would call him steady, and unflappable. He made very few mistakes. His GAA should really be credited to team D, and not Neuvirth stealing any games from the Rangers.
I agree. Neuvy made a number of highly skilled and timely saves, but he wasn’t called upon to play out of his mind.
The Caps D made his life a lot easier by denying quality scoring chances, limiting shots on goal, and taking away rebounds. When the Caps D was playing on the ball, they hustled to rebounds to clear them away, gave the Rangers no room to work, and blocked shots like secret service agents.
You think Neuvy continues to have a 1.000 save% in the first period? .946 overall? .971 on the PP?
I don’t.
I also don’t think Rolo continues at .949 overall (or at .953 v. the Caps, as he has done this year with the Bolts).
Patron saint of quality footwear.
The matchup is interesting on a number of levels. The systems, the strengths and weaknesses of the respective teams, the routes each took to this point…
THIS.
We’ll see if the Bolts are fatigued or if the Caps are flat and rusty; if Rolo hits the wall, or continues his insane run; if Neuvirth comes back to earth or continues his own insane run; if the Bolts stay hot on the PP or the Caps stay hot on the PK.
THIS.
Regular season matchup means jack squat at this point. I can’t really predict how the series will turn out, as there are so many variables.
…and THIS. I love the playoffs.
IIII
by Christoph J on Apr 28, 2011 10:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Roli will stand…
tall.
and then find out that he can’t handle The Truth.
IIII
by Christoph J on Apr 28, 2011 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Rattle the confidence of their young goaltender(s) with the high-powered offense you guys have and beat them in the speed game. Keeping your heads and avoiding dumb penalties will be paramount against their powerplay.
@DigDeepNYR
"I like a man who grins when he fights." -Sir Winston Churchill
"It's just pain." -Brandon Prust | "In Prust we Trust."
Oh
And just in case it brought you good luck…
The remix. Go get ’em guys.
@DigDeepNYR
"I like a man who grins when he fights." -Sir Winston Churchill
"It's just pain." -Brandon Prust | "In Prust we Trust."
The Wild Card: Good Sasha or Bad Sasha? Not to put it on a single player, but if there were a microcosm of how far the Caps go and how successful they will be against the Bolts it is the play of the other Alex.
IIII
He seems to step up his game against the Bolts for some reason. Just one of those teams he enjoys playing, I suppose.
"I broke my face. Ran into Brendan Shanahan. You can Google it."
-Mike Knuble
We’ll see. I’ll believe it when I see it. Consistency is the key word here.
IIII
by Christoph J on Apr 29, 2011 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m believing more and more that the key for Semin in the playoffs is to score that first goal. If he’s frustrated he tries to do it himself, much like Ovechkin. I’ve never questioned Semin’s focus on playing hockey once the playoffs roll around, just how focused he is on sticking to the plan.
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by red army line on Apr 29, 2011 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions
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