Tampa came out looking good and with tons of energy but after Miller denied the bolts of a few goals on great scoring chances it didn't take but one or two rushes to score without much effort on Johan. I can't believe I think John Graham was a better option at the time rather than this asshole who can't stay square in the net and all his angels just look bad. It was 4 to 0 mid way into the second and the bolts would get 2 goals but it was never even close to a game after the ten minute mark of the first.
Let Kari Ramo have a run with things because the Sweede project is over and never would be too soon to see him in a net again. Give Ramo the chance the rest of the year to see what he can do with it because this year is over and I would like to know where we will stand in 08-09. I hate the Verses network and the anchors fishing for dead stories or hyping shit up just for the sake of hype.
Trading Marty StLouis for Turco of the Stars? You fucking kidding me? That trade makes no sense to me what so ever and would break my heart if it was to come to daylight but I am sure this isn't going to happen and I expect Boyle to get dealt at the trade deadline but in the off season re-sign with Tampa so that would be awesome for Tampa to maybe pick up a young kid or two for his services.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
8 to 4? it was never close.
Wow, talk about coming out flat and yet again on home ice which is making me doubtful on buying tickets when the Canucks play here a week from today.
Johan let three of the softest goals I have ever seen get passed him in the first period and with that Kari Ramo was thrown into net because down 3 after one period of play isn't something you can't come back against but no, two more goals would be scored before the lightning could get a goal passed Gerber. Tampa won the season series from the Sens though going 2-1-1 and getting 5 of 8 points but this last defeat comes at a time when they could have crawled within 3 points of first place but did not and now the same talk and worries will be talked over and about all weekend while the NHL all-star game is being played.
Boyle was called into action tonight and had two goals and he got better as he got more time on the ice and I can tell the Bolts need him more than ever. Powerplay wise he brings another element in stick handling the puck into the zone rather than Ritchie grabbing the redline
and dumping the puck into the zone.
blah, I am tired.
Johan let three of the softest goals I have ever seen get passed him in the first period and with that Kari Ramo was thrown into net because down 3 after one period of play isn't something you can't come back against but no, two more goals would be scored before the lightning could get a goal passed Gerber. Tampa won the season series from the Sens though going 2-1-1 and getting 5 of 8 points but this last defeat comes at a time when they could have crawled within 3 points of first place but did not and now the same talk and worries will be talked over and about all weekend while the NHL all-star game is being played.
Boyle was called into action tonight and had two goals and he got better as he got more time on the ice and I can tell the Bolts need him more than ever. Powerplay wise he brings another element in stick handling the puck into the zone rather than Ritchie grabbing the redline
and dumping the puck into the zone.
blah, I am tired.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Three in a row! 20-24-05
The Lightning hold on but still make a 3 goal lead disappear in the third yet again leaving everyone to wonder if the bolts have really kicked the recent trend of melting down in the third.
Holmqvists shut out streak was ended in the 2nd period thanks to the powerplay of the Oliers not stopping and being rewarded with just two seconds remaining on the man advantage. The first period was mostly played in the neutral zone with neither team able to hold much offensive pressure and no real threat of scoring but Johan picked up where he left off on Saturday by keeping things simple in staying square with the shooter and not leaving any rebounds in front of him and keeping the shutout streak alive at least for the first period but it didn't take too long in the second to snap it. He hasn't been anything but solid and rarely amazing even in the three game win streak but rather than a getting back to basics and doing the little things correct and our young defensive core not leaving him out to dry unless you examen the third period because they abandoned everything they were doing correctly to keep the puck out of the net.
This game was not won by strong play in net or the kids on defensive playing an error free game but it was because the strong play of our most valuable player, Martin St.Louis. The guy is nothing but heart and you can see it with every shift and double shift he takes making his line mates the superstars of the league and our third and forth line a scoring threat when they have no buisness being one. Twenty five NHL career short handed goals, getting 5 minutes on the third and forth line assisting & setting up their scoring chances, When his time is with Lecevilar he streaks, when his time is with Richards he streaks and when its split everyone seems to feed off of Marty. The chemistry is obliviously the strongest with Vinny producing some of the most draw dropping passes and goals together there isn't a more entertaining line in all of the NHL & ever since the year of the cup the rest of the league is taking notice.
The third period the Lightning fell victim to abandoning the attack first, fore-check hard game they had been playing to reverted back to sloppy play and making botched passes in their own defensive zone letting the Oilers pull with-in one score with two minutes left of play and when they scored with Roloson on the bench making it 3 to 4 I grabbed my pillow in disbelief and my stomach was turning waiting for the final minute to tick away because this season has made me a believer that anything can happen and will happen because off the top of my head I can remember 9 times in recent months the Bolts have been leading starting the 3rd period & collapsing to send the game into overtime or even losing in regulation and five times this had happened we had a two goal lead that didn't hold up but the last minute was played well and the Bolts didn't even let a final shot on goal even though the Oilers had six skaters on Tampa kept the puck at center ice with 2 or 3 attempts for the emptynetter and missed though they made sure not to ice the puck while shooting at the empty net.
Marty should finish his career here as a bolt this year he is making 5million and his contract reaches two more years at 4million for each year and I see us being able to extend the deal for 5 more years around for a total of 25million unless he reaches free agency and then I could see trouble coming along with teams bidding for his services and out bidding making Tampa have to match or risk him leaving and yes, I know I am ahead of myself because who knows what the cap will be in two years and the biggest factor if he will still be able to produce at a high level in his upper 30's because of him being 5'8 and 180pounds. He has stayed out of injury trouble thanks to his speed and has great awareness on the ice at avoiding big hits too but he does take his fair share of hits lets just hope his legs stay fast enough to stay ahead of the bigger guys looking to land hits and everything in the future works out in his & Tampa's favor because sometimes overshadowed Tampa would not have had the previous success they had without him and I am certain any future accomplishments achieved will have been revolved around St. Louis
Holmqvists shut out streak was ended in the 2nd period thanks to the powerplay of the Oliers not stopping and being rewarded with just two seconds remaining on the man advantage. The first period was mostly played in the neutral zone with neither team able to hold much offensive pressure and no real threat of scoring but Johan picked up where he left off on Saturday by keeping things simple in staying square with the shooter and not leaving any rebounds in front of him and keeping the shutout streak alive at least for the first period but it didn't take too long in the second to snap it. He hasn't been anything but solid and rarely amazing even in the three game win streak but rather than a getting back to basics and doing the little things correct and our young defensive core not leaving him out to dry unless you examen the third period because they abandoned everything they were doing correctly to keep the puck out of the net.
This game was not won by strong play in net or the kids on defensive playing an error free game but it was because the strong play of our most valuable player, Martin St.Louis. The guy is nothing but heart and you can see it with every shift and double shift he takes making his line mates the superstars of the league and our third and forth line a scoring threat when they have no buisness being one. Twenty five NHL career short handed goals, getting 5 minutes on the third and forth line assisting & setting up their scoring chances, When his time is with Lecevilar he streaks, when his time is with Richards he streaks and when its split everyone seems to feed off of Marty. The chemistry is obliviously the strongest with Vinny producing some of the most draw dropping passes and goals together there isn't a more entertaining line in all of the NHL & ever since the year of the cup the rest of the league is taking notice.
The third period the Lightning fell victim to abandoning the attack first, fore-check hard game they had been playing to reverted back to sloppy play and making botched passes in their own defensive zone letting the Oilers pull with-in one score with two minutes left of play and when they scored with Roloson on the bench making it 3 to 4 I grabbed my pillow in disbelief and my stomach was turning waiting for the final minute to tick away because this season has made me a believer that anything can happen and will happen because off the top of my head I can remember 9 times in recent months the Bolts have been leading starting the 3rd period & collapsing to send the game into overtime or even losing in regulation and five times this had happened we had a two goal lead that didn't hold up but the last minute was played well and the Bolts didn't even let a final shot on goal even though the Oilers had six skaters on Tampa kept the puck at center ice with 2 or 3 attempts for the emptynetter and missed though they made sure not to ice the puck while shooting at the empty net.
Marty should finish his career here as a bolt this year he is making 5million and his contract reaches two more years at 4million for each year and I see us being able to extend the deal for 5 more years around for a total of 25million unless he reaches free agency and then I could see trouble coming along with teams bidding for his services and out bidding making Tampa have to match or risk him leaving and yes, I know I am ahead of myself because who knows what the cap will be in two years and the biggest factor if he will still be able to produce at a high level in his upper 30's because of him being 5'8 and 180pounds. He has stayed out of injury trouble thanks to his speed and has great awareness on the ice at avoiding big hits too but he does take his fair share of hits lets just hope his legs stay fast enough to stay ahead of the bigger guys looking to land hits and everything in the future works out in his & Tampa's favor because sometimes overshadowed Tampa would not have had the previous success they had without him and I am certain any future accomplishments achieved will have been revolved around St. Louis
Monday, January 21, 2008
Could this be the turning point? 19-24-05
This week looks like it could be the turning point for the Bolts, we have been waiting for the turn around since mid-December but it never came so what makes me think this week will be any different?
After the two constitutive shutouts posted by Holmqvist and recent weeks of being backup to Ramo, Johan has the opportunity to regain the starting seed and make a playoff push by winning the title of Southeast Division because the way things are looking there will only be room in the playoffs for one Southeast team and with the bolts being seven points shy of first place they have very good chance of climbing from last place to first in the coming weeks.
Ramo will now serve as backup and will probably not be sent back down to the minors rather than work with goaltending coach on getting back to the basics and doing the little things it takes to be great in the NHL because while Kari's had some solid moments in net he really hasn't played above average and at the level everyone expects him to play at consistently. It may seem silly to think Holmqvist will be able to go on a tear and give the Lightning a chance to claim first place when hes had the chance all season to put together a performance that would erase any doubt of what Tampa should do about the goaltending issue but he hasn't and I can't see him getting another chance in Tampa if he blows this opportunity so he better run with it while he can. The last two games he has matched his NHL shutout total with two back-to-back shutouts and will get the start tomorrow trying to match his last two error free efforts. While Ramo was testing the waters the past few weeks Johan focused on getting back to the basics with goaltending coach Jeff Reese and so far it seems to have paid off because Homer has not had to make very many great saves minus a handful throughout the two games making only about 23 saves each game and helping himself out by not leaving any rebounds or follow-up shots, finding the puck in traffic and staying square with the shooter and not being out of place. The defense has played better too and its rumored Dan Boyle will be a game time decision Thursday when the Sens head south for our last game before Vinny & Marty head to ATL for the All-Star game & they get to take the rookie Lundin with them to play in the youngstars game which will help his confidence I hope. It shouldnt be long before Michel Ouellet is off IR and back in the line-up ready to produce and help out by scoring goals taking some of the pressure off everyone else.
6million and change under the cap should let us pick up someone to help out on defense as long as the sale of the team doesn't cause any problems which I don't see happening but I with this crazy year I really am not looking past it. After being in last in the league for so long and so much negative shit happening night after night I really don't know how to feel being seven points out from the Southeast lead and have 3 games at hand over Carolina.
After the two constitutive shutouts posted by Holmqvist and recent weeks of being backup to Ramo, Johan has the opportunity to regain the starting seed and make a playoff push by winning the title of Southeast Division because the way things are looking there will only be room in the playoffs for one Southeast team and with the bolts being seven points shy of first place they have very good chance of climbing from last place to first in the coming weeks.
Ramo will now serve as backup and will probably not be sent back down to the minors rather than work with goaltending coach on getting back to the basics and doing the little things it takes to be great in the NHL because while Kari's had some solid moments in net he really hasn't played above average and at the level everyone expects him to play at consistently. It may seem silly to think Holmqvist will be able to go on a tear and give the Lightning a chance to claim first place when hes had the chance all season to put together a performance that would erase any doubt of what Tampa should do about the goaltending issue but he hasn't and I can't see him getting another chance in Tampa if he blows this opportunity so he better run with it while he can. The last two games he has matched his NHL shutout total with two back-to-back shutouts and will get the start tomorrow trying to match his last two error free efforts. While Ramo was testing the waters the past few weeks Johan focused on getting back to the basics with goaltending coach Jeff Reese and so far it seems to have paid off because Homer has not had to make very many great saves minus a handful throughout the two games making only about 23 saves each game and helping himself out by not leaving any rebounds or follow-up shots, finding the puck in traffic and staying square with the shooter and not being out of place. The defense has played better too and its rumored Dan Boyle will be a game time decision Thursday when the Sens head south for our last game before Vinny & Marty head to ATL for the All-Star game & they get to take the rookie Lundin with them to play in the youngstars game which will help his confidence I hope. It shouldnt be long before Michel Ouellet is off IR and back in the line-up ready to produce and help out by scoring goals taking some of the pressure off everyone else.
6million and change under the cap should let us pick up someone to help out on defense as long as the sale of the team doesn't cause any problems which I don't see happening but I with this crazy year I really am not looking past it. After being in last in the league for so long and so much negative shit happening night after night I really don't know how to feel being seven points out from the Southeast lead and have 3 games at hand over Carolina.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Vice Magazine sent a journalist to the biggest ICP / Juggalo party the world has ever seen and what he brought back was four pages of complete madness yet, considering the situation its really not too shocking and kind of expected but it is still a great read so, from Viceland.. The ICP fest story.
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