Game 38: Tampa Bay Lightning at Toronto Maple Leafs
by Cassie McClellan on Jan 4, 2012 8:30 AM EST
in '11-'12 game recaps
Email
PrintThe Tampa Bay Lightning lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-3.
This was the fourth time this season - and the second time by the Maple Leafs - that the Lightning have allowed seven goals in a game. They have also allowed the Florida Panthers and the San Jose Sharks each seven goals. This isn't solely a goaltending problem, but an overall defense problem.
Despite allowing so many goals, only the last two for the Leafs came on the power play. The first five goals that the Leafs scored were all even strength. So no one can even blame a poor night for special teams on the score.
Well, they can partly blame it. Even though the penalty kill may not have been as bad as it could've been, the power play for the Lightning was simply dismal. They were O-fer on the night, and they had five power play opportunities - even 45 seconds of 5-on-3. The problem wasn't converting shots into goals; it was just getting shots on the net.
The Lightning had 24 shots on goal for the game. But, as mentioned before, they had had over nine minutes of power play time on five power plays. Typically, the more power plays a team has, the higher number of shots they have by the end of the game, since most teams shoot more while they have the man advantage. The Lightning...not so much.
But, the good news is that, while they did have so much time of the power play, they didn't allow any shorthanded goals. Not much of a silver lining, I know, but it's something. Especially considering how they like to allow odd-man rushes now and then.
Mathieu Garon didn't have the best night, as he was pulled during the second period. He let in four goals on 21 shots, and had little help from his defensemen. Dwayne Roloson finished the game, but he let in three goals on 21 shots as well. So the defensemen weren't helping Roloson out much, either.
Despite Vincent Lecavalier scoring less than a minute into the game, and despite Steven Stamkos scoring his league-leading 27th goal of the season, this was not a good game. What started out so promising ended up being more of the same. Lack of defensive support for the goalies, lack of shots on goal (can't score if you don't shoot), lack of puck possession, and a lack of discipline all contributed to this loss.
The next game is 5 January at the Ottawa Senators. Game time is 7:30 pm ET. The Raw Charge game thread opens up at 7 o'clock, so come join us for some group therapy.
Lightning vs Maple Leafs coverage
Lightning vs Maple Leafs recap
38 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Our PP is deadly dead this year. When the team is up with the man-advantage, they’re very susceptible to an aggressive forecheck in our own zone. When the team is successful getting it out of our DZ, the team shows a remarkable inconsistency with gaining the OZ and setting up the PP.
The second unit really had some questionable people on it. Jones? Moore? I will grant you it may be a case of “who else is there to fit on the #2 unit”—but Jones doesn’t seem like a good fit on the PP. Regardless, the second PP unit looks lost—they don’t have the “quarterback” the first unit has.
Here’s hoping for a better showing in Ottawa.
"The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect"
- Smith in Orwell's 1984
the first PP unit looks lost too
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 4, 2012 11:08 AM EST up reply actions
Initial impression is that last week was just a tease
But I guess the occasional defensive howler when you’re missing your best defenseman shouldn’t be entirely shocking. But we can’t afford to occasional howler to turn back into a pattern like it did a few weeks ago.
Ottawa is better than Toronto. If we can go in and beat the Sens, I’ll feel better about life. If we can’t, we’ll go into Montreal in danger of being passed by a team that’s virtually eliminated from the playoff race.
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 4, 2012 11:11 AM EST reply actions
Well, I refuse to allow the Lightning’s away record to determine how I feel about life, but I might feel better about this season if they can pull off a win in Ottawa.
I have a sense, though, that this is simply the reality for this team right now. The wins are going to be hard to get and the losses have the chance to be howlers. Until the back end is stable and depth gets built up, that’s the way it seems likely to play out. And that, my fellow Bolts fans, will take time. It’s not likely to get done this year.
Although I may just be cynical and depressed. After all, I’ve been sick for about a week now.
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Rakastan suuria maalivahteja Skandinaviasta.
Love is but a song we sing And fear's the way we die.
we have enough pieces for a short-term run
Minnesota made a short-term run to the top of the league, and they’re really not that good. But it’s far from the most likely occurrence. And we’re not Stanley Cup contenders until we shore up the back end, which, as you mention, isn’t a short-term project
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 4, 2012 1:20 PM EST up reply actions
The Lightning most definitely need more than “a short-term run.” But Clare’s point is spot-on: until the DZ gets shored up with both skaters and reliable goalie(s), any success will be short-lived.
"The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect"
- Smith in Orwell's 1984
when I say "short-term"
I mean a couple months
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 4, 2012 1:36 PM EST up reply actions
And I think it will be more than a couple of months.
The mismanagement of the team may have torn this team down with only a couple of bad trades and/or bad signings, but it’s going to take a lot longer to fix for the long-term. I think that’s why Yzerman was given a 5-year contract—‘cause that’s how long it could take.
"The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect"
- Smith in Orwell's 1984
no, I completely agree
I’m just saying that we have a team that could make the playoffs if they played their absolutely best for 2-3 months. Not that we’ll have a real contender this year. Or maybe even next year. It’ll be nice to get Kubina off the books, but his isn’t the only bad contract we have
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 4, 2012 1:41 PM EST up reply actions
Add Ohlund to that list of “Things to Get Off the Books.”
Other than that, I guess we’re in vehement agreement. :-)
"The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect"
- Smith in Orwell's 1984
yeah
when can we get him off the books again? Don’t we have to wait like 4 years unless he decides to retire? cringe. And, while I love Vinny, that contract looks frightening like one that may come back to bite us as well
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 4, 2012 2:12 PM EST up reply actions
I’ve stayed away from the talk of the looming albatross that will be The Captain’s contract in a few years, lest I upset “Don’t Trade Vinny”.
"The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect"
- Smith in Orwell's 1984
I understand
but one of these days, we’re going to have to deal with it. My hope is that Vinny plays for as long as he’s effective and then gracefully retires when he isn’t anymore, so we don’t have to worry about a seven-million dollar third-liner. But those sorts of cases do seem to be the exception
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 4, 2012 3:18 PM EST up reply actions
And that's where the Koules/Barrie regime haunts this team to this day
Vinny’s 11 year deal that won’t end until 2020, Ohlund’s 7 year deal that isn’t even halfway past yet, etc.
And since buy-out’s require 2/3 of finances over double the length of the remaining contract, it’s not exactly easy if the Bolts were to try and buy-out the remainder of Ohlie’s deal.
And I feel the same about Vinny, but he’s not that good where he justifies one of the largest contract’s in the league. At least not anymore.
Now on Twitter @Carcillo_
http://twitter.com/#!/Carcillo_
by FloridaownsFSU on Jan 4, 2012 8:48 PM EST up reply actions
so basically
unless Vinny decides to do his greatest act of charity and up and retire when he’s ready to retire, OK hockey will haunt us for another 8 years
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 4, 2012 9:07 PM EST up reply actions
According to CapGeek, buying out Ohlund’s contract at the end of the season wouldn’t be intolerably painful (and as painful as 2014-15 and 2015-2016 are, they’re both below his current cap hit):
Mattias Ohlund buyout from CapGeek.com
2012-13: -$413,690 (negative number denotes a credit)
2013-14: $836,310
2014-15: $2,586,310
2015-16: $3,586,310
2016-17: $979,167
2017-18: $979,167
2018-19: $979,167
2019-20: $979,167
"The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect"
- Smith in Orwell's 1984
That's really not all that bad.
Not ideal, but better than paying him his full salary.
I love Casey Fossum. Now try and take me seriously.
Follow @steveslow
by Steve Slowinski on Jan 5, 2012 10:14 AM EST up reply actions
I still have faith he will do the right thing and retire at the end of the season
Following the Lightning from Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
Let's. Go. BOLTS!
by Rafael Amarante on Jan 5, 2012 10:21 AM EST up reply actions
The wild card here is the new CBA if/when it’s done and what it will say about contracts and buyouts. I’m hoping a clause is inserted allowing for players to be cut (like baseball and football).
"The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect"
- Smith in Orwell's 1984
If you cut a player in baseball, you still have to pay their whole salary.
You don’t just get out of the contract…actually, there’s not even a buyout clause in baseball like there is in hockey. You’re on the hook for their full contract, unless you somehow strike a deal with the player.
I think football is the only sport where teams can just get out of contracts…that still shocks me. My guess is the players would never go for it, so I wouldn’t count on things trending that way.
I love Casey Fossum. Now try and take me seriously.
Follow @steveslow
by Steve Slowinski on Jan 5, 2012 10:31 AM EST up reply actions
I’m hoping for a clause that allows already approved contracts to be renegotiated after a year or perhaps two after signing. I don’t mind guaranteed contracts. But, there should be an option to renegotiate if things don’t go as well for the player – or the team, for that matter – after a certain time once it’s been signed.
"You don't have enough talent to win on talent alone." -Herb Brooks
Raw Charge, an SBN Tampa Bay Lightning community. Follow me on Twitter: @dagmar27.
by Cassie McClellan on Jan 5, 2012 11:02 AM EST up reply actions
I agree with the concept. In execution, the side effect would be players with overly-aggressive agents would have their player-clients hold out for more advantageous contracts.
"The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect"
- Smith in Orwell's 1984
A player holding out doesn’t get paid. Anyways, I think in execution, any renegotiation would have to include an arbitrator – no matter what. That’d make a lot of people think twice about doing that. And I don’t think it ought to be a regular occurence – there should be a penalty of some kind, for whoever applies, instituted when filing for renegotiation.
"You don't have enough talent to win on talent alone." -Herb Brooks
Raw Charge, an SBN Tampa Bay Lightning community. Follow me on Twitter: @dagmar27.
by Cassie McClellan on Jan 5, 2012 11:27 AM EST up reply actions
This.
Ohlund’s contract scares me, but depending on his kness, I’m wondering if he’ll have any choice but to retire. That’s my hope at the moment, but from his perspective, that’s a heck of a lot of money to leave on the table.
Vinny’s scares me too, at least he’s still quite productive….there’s some time before we need to really worry about that one. It’d stink to trade him, but honestly, I’m sure he could bring back one huge return. I’m torn too..he’s a valuable offensive player, and he wouldn’t be easy to replace.
I love Casey Fossum. Now try and take me seriously.
Follow @steveslow
by Steve Slowinski on Jan 4, 2012 3:31 PM EST up reply actions
I get what you’re saying there. There’s always a possibility that a dramatic upswing in the Lightning’s luck catapults them into the playoffs. But not only is that incredibly unlikely to happen, it’s even more unlikely to survive the pressure-cooker of a seven-game playoff series.
If it happens, I’ll be cheering myself hoarse. But SY would be foolish to bank on that. And I would never call that man a fool.
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Rakastan suuria maalivahteja Skandinaviasta.
Love is but a song we sing And fear's the way we die.
who's talking about banking on anything?
I don’t think SY staying put and planning for the future means he’s banking on a stretch of luck—it’s him admitting that we’re not mortgaging the future for the present
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 5, 2012 12:40 AM EST up reply actions
That’s why I think he ought to wait, too. Be patient enough to get the deal that works. I guess I’m just trying to emphasize how very unlikely it is that there will be a dramatic turn-around this season in the Minnesota vein. I don’t even want to think about it, because that gets my hopes up.
But then, even if a trade happened today for young Mr. Schneider, for instance, I’d be skeptical enough to think it wouldn’t necessarily save this season. I’d rather be surprised than disappointed right now.
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Rakastan suuria maalivahteja Skandinaviasta.
Love is but a song we sing And fear's the way we die.
I'm not even sure last week
was just a tease. The Flyers dominated 2 of the 3 periods and the only thing that saved us was stellar goaltending, which apparently we can seldom rely on getting.
We barely squeeked by Montreal on a couple of what I would call “cheap” goals.
Carolina, we had a good 3rd period but there were many defensive lapses that the hurricanes luckily did not put in the net.
Sure we play better at home, and the wins certainly help, but I haven’t seen anything this year that leads me to believe we are a contender.
Yesterday they simply got punked by Toronto. The lack of aggressiveness by anyone but Downie was embarrassing.
But Downie needs to stop picking fights all the time. He’s not going to get the calls—just like Matt Cooke or Raffi Torres. He needs to quiet down and take a page from Matt Cooke’s book. He has been quiet (aggression-wise) this year, and has fewer PIMs (14) than Jordan Staal (20) and is on pace for a career best year in scoring production.
"The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect"
- Smith in Orwell's 1984
counterpoint
the Lightning dominated 1 of 2 periods before the game got out of hand, and the Hurricanes didn’t get a single even strength goal (and weren’t particularly threatening). Didn’t see the Montreal game
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 4, 2012 1:22 PM EST up reply actions
We should beat the Hurricanes
especially without Skinner. My response was more about being overly excited about our 3 game home winning streak, when we easily could have been 1-2 in those same 3 games. I just don’t believe they teased me into believing they had turned the corner by their showing in those three games. Big problems remain.
I didn't believe they had turned the corner
but I thought they might finally be on the verge of it
If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk
by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 4, 2012 1:44 PM EST up reply actions
I thinks the refs were off base
on the Downie penalties yesterday. He did go after Phanuef but the hits were clean for the most part. Maybe a 2 minute roughing. But then he gets blindsided by not one, but 2 Leafs coming to the aid of Phanuef, who doesn’t need the help to begin with. The lightning, sans Malone, just stood around and watched the mugging.
I think the refs need some slack
All of us are limited by what the TV broadcasts show. Even those watching the game at the arena can’t hear what’s going on between players/referees on the ice. The refs see and hear all that, and are trained to make the best calls they can.
"The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect"
- Smith in Orwell's 1984
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Raw Charge
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
Pages
Raw Charge on the Web
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- Why the Devils and the Kings are evidence the Capitals shouldn’t trade Alex Ovechkin
- Eulogy: Remembering the 2011-12 New York Rangers
- Stanley Cup Final: 5 keys for New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings
- Friday’s Three Stars: Devils head to Final; Brodeur, Kovalchuk the difference in Game 6
- Devils eliminate Rangers in Game 6, ending fear of the past, setting course for the future
SBNation.com Recent Stories
