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Posts Tagged Tampa Bay Lightning

NHL Photo of the Day

Feb 1

Posted by EB in NHL Photo of the Day | No Comments

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

Lead goal scorer Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning added to his lead with an overtime winner against the Washington Capitals. Stamkos, who has 33 goals to date, is possibly the only one on pace for a 50 goal season. That is however overlooked as the team currently sits in 11th place and 8 points out of 8th in the Eastern Conference. Not quite sure if they are playoff bound this year with their goalie woes early on, but the team is currently riding a 5 game winning streak that could be extended when they play a struggling Winnepeg Jets tomorrow night.

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Fantasy Hockey Friday

Jan 20

Posted by Chris in Fantasy | No Comments

Two weeks ago, we brought you an in depth breakdown of team stats around the NHL that could help give a better indication on how your goalie may fare on any given night against any given opponent. This week we turn the tables a bit to analyze more team stats, but this time focus on the impact of these stats for forwards and defenseman.

A good Fantasy Hockey league setup has roster positions and bench positions so that on some nights, when most everyone on your team is playing, you have to make the tough decisions regarding who to bench and who to play. So as a Manager, how do you decide which players to play and which to sit?

Sometimes it comes down to a “hunch” or intuition. Obviously your star players will likely get spots because they are more likely to put points on the board. Players on hot streaks may also get the nod over someone that is slumping. Or you may choose to go by which team any given player is playing against that night.

For instance, if you’re trying to decide between two players, and one is playing against the New York Rangers while the other is playing against the Tampa Bay Lightning, you may want to consider playing your guy against Tampa Bay. Why? Because Tampa Bay averages 3.47 goals against per game while the Rangers average 1.98 goals against per game, meaning there is a greater probability that your player will score against Tampa Bay.

Here is a breakdown of the top five teams in the league with the lowest goals against averages per game:

New York Rangers (1.98)

St. Louis Blues (1.98)

Boston Bruins (2.02)

Los Angeles Kings (2.13)

San Jose Sharks (2.28)

Similarly, here are the worst five teams in the NHL with the highest goals against averages per game:

Tampa Bay Lightning (3.47)

Columbus Blue Jackets (3.22)

Carolina Hurricanes (3.17)

Ottawa Senators (3.08)

Toronto Maple Leafs (3.07)

The Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders also have averages of 3.00 goals against per game or better as well.

You can also get a good idea of how your players will fare by looking at which goalie he will face that night. And these numbers don’t always correlate with the team average.

Boston has a low enough team goals against per game average, but backup netminder Tuukka Rask actually has a lower goals against average than starter Tim Thomas. This means that your player is more likely to score on Thomas than on Rask, but the likelihood that he will score against Boston at all is slim.

Consider the Colorado Avalanche as well. As a whole, the team averages 2.85 goals allowed per game. However, goaltenders Semyon Varlamov and J.S. Giguere have basically split time, but Varlamov’s goals against average is much higher at 3.00 goals against per game than Giguere’s 2.12 goals against per game. So if Varlamov gets the start, play against him with confidence.

The Philadelphia Flyers have a similar issue with Ilya Bryzgalov (3.00) and Sergei Bobrovsky (2.42). Thankfully for Fantasy Managers, Bryzgalov gets the majority of the starts with 30 this season compared to Bobrovsky’s 14.

It doesn’t happen often when you have a full slate of games and have to make the tough choices as a manager on whom to bench and whom to play, but knowing the odds can help you make the right decision in the future. It’s not fool-proof by any means, but it’s a step in the right direction.

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NHL Photo of the Day

Jan 16

Posted by EB in Media, News, NHL Photo of the Day | No Comments

AP Photo/Brian Blanco

Pittsburgh Penguins’ center Evgeni Malkin shows a little love to Penguins’ fans after he scores against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third period to put his team up by one. Malkin continued his dominance as he scored two more goals in the period to complete his hat trick. Malkin ended the night with 3 goals and 2 assist for 5 points out of the 6 goals scored by the Penguins. The Penguins beat the Lightning 6 – 3.

On a different note, is that Brooks Orpik’s twin brother in the baby blue Pens jersey?

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Pittsburgh Penguins Plagued with Injuries

Jan 11

Posted by EB in News, Soap Box | No Comments

The currently falling in the standings Pittsburgh Penguins look to be at a fork in the road. The team, who have gone 4-6-0 in their last 10, needs to muster up some confidence and chemistry if they wish to make the playoffs.

The Penguins entered the season with one of the best teams on paper. Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury and team Captain and leader Sidney Crosby. Well, they still look good on paper, and even good on the ice, yet injuries have hit the team hard. To date, Jordan Staal sustained a knee injury and will be out 4-6 weeks. Kris Letang has been diagnosed with a concussion and his return date is unknown. And Sidney Crosby is out indefinitely with concussion-like symptoms. Will the injuries ever stop?

The team has faced such adversity before as last season the team went without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for lengthy period of time. The team responded to the pressure, ending second in their division and fourth place overall within the Eastern Conference with a 106 point count. This season however, the team seems to be folding under the pressure.

Defenseman Brent Orpik, a voice of the locker room emphasizes the team’s need for accountability. ”The accountability in this room has to be a lot better. We aren’t reacting to adversity very well right now. You can’t feel sorry for yourselves.”

The team will look to rebound in the coming month of January but with a tough schedule ahead of them. The month brings games against unexpectedly good Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues and the Toronto Maple Leafs; all teams who are currently in playoff spots. Surprisingly “easier” match-ups will be against the struggling Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes and the still undecided Washington Capitals.

If the Penguins end this month out of a playoff spot, the long climb back might be too much for this team to handle.

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Mason Raymond spin-o-rama shootout winner

Jan 10

Posted by Chris in Media | No Comments

Mason Raymond must be dizzy after all the spinning he does in shootouts.

Tonight he pulled out his patented spin-o-rama move against the Tampa Bay Lightning for what ended up being the shootout game winner for the Vancouver Canucks. But immediately after he scored you can see Tampa Bay goalie Dwayne Roloson talking about the move to the ref and, after the goal, Steve Stamkos was delayed on his shootout attempt as the officials went to Toronto to review the goal. Why? Because the spin-o-rama move is borderline illegal in the shootout.

When it comes to shootouts and penalty shots, two main rules apply – a player only gets one attempt to score (meaning he can not bat in rebounds) and he must continue with forward progress toward the net. The spin-o-rama seems to stop the forward progress of the player as he puts on the brakes and pulls the puck around to the other side to tuck it into the open net. This move has been controversial in the past with other players pulling it off, but Raymond seemingly took it to the extreme in the shootout victory tonight where he seemingly halted all forward progress before making the move, prompting the review in Toronto.

Take a look at the entire shootout in the video below and you decide.  Do you think it should have counted or did Raymond stop forward progress, thus negating the goal? Raymond’s shootout attempt begins at the 1:30 mark.

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Zach Parise Likely to Play Elsewhere

Dec 6

Posted by EB in Rumors | 1 Comment

Zach Parise may be a New Jersey Devil today, but come trade deadline or free agency, expect him to be on the move.

New Jersey Devil fans have it tough, real tough. If it is not bad enough that the Devils are currently sitting 12th in the standings in the East, young superstar Zach Parise is likely to play for another team come trade deadline or in the off-season.

The Minnesota native Zach Parise is coming into his production years at the age of 27. Playing 7 seasons with the Devils, it is time for some new scenery. With a Silver medal under his belt from 2010, Parise wants a Stanley Cup ring, that of which the Devils won’t do for quite some time.

The Devils of old were once a powerhouse team. Hard hitting defender Scott Stevens, a younger Martin Brodeur between the pipes and head coach Jacques Lemaire made every team cringe. How the years have passed, as the Devils of new are nothing but a pushover. Last year the team missed the playoffs by 12 points. To this day the team is once again sitting on the outside looking in. An argument could be that they are only 2 points back from 8th, but the Eastern Conference is a tricky beast.

My how a few acquisitions, trades and years makes a difference. The Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs have surprised the hockey community as both are currently sitting in playoff spots. It seems Brian Burke’s master plan to take over the hockey world is finally taking form. (insert lightning/thunder/evil laugh now) On the flip side, the Washington Capitals, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning, all three teams who made the playoffs last season, are currently on the outside looking in. The Devils competition is only going to get tougher.

Over a quarter way in, Parise has only 16 points in 25 games. His total is from a combined 7 goals and 9 assists, a rather poor total for such a player of his caliber. On top of that, Parise has a plus minus rating of negative 10, second to worst on the team, that of which belongs to Ilya Kovalchuk with a negative 11.

Devil fans enjoy the season while it lasts, despite the slow plummet to miss the playoffs yet again. Parise is on the move come trade deadline or free agency. If you are lucky another team will be offering a trade and you can get some depth and draft picks.

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NHL GMs Meet Today: 1-3-1 System and Realignment on Docket

Nov 15

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

Tampa Bay Lightning 1-3-1

Tampa Bay (blue) used the 1-3-1 system en route to beating Washington (above) and Pittsburgh in the playoffs. (from TheCoachesSite.com)

Today in Toronto, the first meeting of the regular season between general managers of NHL franchises will meet. And the hot button topic is the controversial 1-3-1 defensive system applied by teams. It came to the forefront last week when Tampa Bay played Philadelphia when the Bolts had a forward by the attacking blue line, three skaters lined up across the red center line and one more player near the defending blue line. There was no attacking by either team; Tampa Bay didn’t apply a fore-check and Philadelphia stalled in their own zone with the puck.

As stated in the NHL rule book, the puck must always be kept in motion. Therefore, the officials whistled the play and conducted a face-off inside the Flyers zone. Interestingly, Philadelphia GM Paul Holmgren told NHL.com Monday night from the Hockey Hall of Fame inductions “Coaches do different things and their ultimate job and task is to win the game. Personally, I didn’t have a problem with what Tampa did. They sit back and wait and they have great offensive players so if you turn the puck over they can hurt you. There was a period of time in the first period where we didn’t bite into it and were doing our own thing, but to me it just didn’t sit right.”

With the game being played in Tampa at the St. Petersburg Times Forum, there was certainly a lot of booing coming from the crowd. But Philadelphia was smart because if they were to be caught in the neutral-zone trap the Lightning was trying to apply, it could have resulted in a goal for the home team. To make it even more appalling is that this happened seconds after the opening face-off! Personally I’m not a fan of the system; it’s nothing more than a 2011 version of the mid 90′s neutral zone trap/left wing lock system that Detroit notoriously used to win championships while slowing down the game between the blue lines. The general managers can’t really do anything about it to solve the issue however.

In addition, the issue of realignment will be brought up and discussed. There will not be a vote taken, they will save that for the NHL Board of Governors December 5-6 when they will meet at one of the greatest places on Earth: Pebble Beach, Calif. It is an issue for the Governors, and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly is expected to update and brief the GM’s on the issue as it will affect every team.

If they don’t spend the entire day discussing Guy Boucher’s 1-3-1 system, Judge Brendan Shanahan, NHL Senior V.P. of Player Safety and Hockey Operations, is expected to brief the meeting attendees on recent rule changes in regards to boarding and checks to the head. Before the season started the wording of both rules was altered prior to this season along with the addition of a minor-penalty element to Rule 48: Illegal Check to the Head.

Below is a video of the 1-3-1 incident from last week’s game between Tampa Bay and Philadelphia.

HWB is participating in “Movember” to raise funds for Pancreatic Cancer Research. Make a difference, make a donation.

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Tampa Bay Lightning criticism may be misdirected

Nov 10

Posted by Chris in Soap Box | 4 Comments

The matchup between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers last night was certainly interesting, to say the least, drawing the ire of fans and NHL players alike during a nationally televised game.

“This games on National TV…Way to sell it boys!” tweeted Toronto Maple Leafs forward Joffrey Lupul, whose sentiments echoed that of many fans.

The Lightning, notorious for their 1-3-1 trap, tried to use the defensive system against Philadelphia, who weren’t having it in front of their home crowd. Instead, the Flyers’ defensemen held the puck in the defensive zone and waited for an aggressive forecheck from the Lightning. Similarly, the Lightning waited in their defensive system for an offensive push from the Flyers. When both teams failed to act, the refs called the play dead and restarted the play. The same stalemate occurred. Finally, the NHL stepped in, only to tell the refs that they should not interfere with coaching strategies. What ensued was a chess match that was often clunky, disjointed and lackluster.

TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie offered some insight into the strategies from both teams last night.

“The Lightning are playing something called the neutral zone trap, it’s only been around as long as the game itself,” explained McKenzie. “Now all of a sudden Peter Laviolette orchestrates something that says if they aren’t going to play aggressive we aren’t going to play aggressive and we’re in front of your home fans so let’s see how you like that. Let’s let this play out and see how it goes.”

Last night’s contest has sparked some debate regarding the 1-3-1 system and whether there should be “illegal” defensive systems in the NHL. Furthermore, this could become a very hot topic at a time when the NHL is consistently looking to increase scoring and scoring chances in games. Last night’s game didn’t exactly display that attitude.

“This is typically something that could really hurt hockey,” said former NHL head coach Marc Crawford. “Fans don’t want to watch that type of a system where nothing is happening. I think unfortunately this is absolutely something that the league will have to address.”

But should the Lightning be punished because their system defies the NHL’s goal of increasing scoring? The Lightning ultimately won the contest, and their run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season shows that the system works. Should they be punished for working an effective system, or should teams learn to adapt and beat that system?

When Philadelphia tried holding the puck again in the second period, the Lightning switched up their strategy a bit and essentially blitzed the flat-footed defender with two forecheckers. This resulted in a turnover at least once (that I saw on TV). The Lightning were able to adapt to Philadelphia’s strategy. Why wasn’t Philadelphia able to adapt to Tampa Bay’s?

“We’re sticking to the game plan,” Lightning coach Guy Boucher said in the St. Petersburg Times. “When we have the puck we’re aggressive with it, and when we don’t have the puck we dedicate ourselves to being above the puck instead of chasing from behind. It tells me guys are buying in.”

This issue will likely receive tons of attention in the coming days and weeks, mostly because it took place during a nationally televised game where the NHL wants to put its best foot forward, and could become a hot-button issue at the General Managers meeting in December where they could look at possibly enforcing illegal defensive traps in the future.

Tampa Bay already seems to be fielding most of the criticism concerning their 1-3-1 system and how yesterday’s game played out, but some of that criticism may be misdirected. It’s not like Tampa Bay is unbeatable. Other teams have come through and employed successful strategies for dealing with Tampa Bay’s 1-3-1, so why couldn’t the Flyers? Better yet, why didn’t they even try?

What do you think? Should there be illegal defenses in the NHL or should teams learn to cope and adapt?

HWB is participating in “Movember” to raise funds for Pancreatic Cancer Research. Make a difference, make a donation.

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2011-12 NHL Season Preview: Phoenix Coyotes

Sep 16

Posted by EB in Season Previews | No Comments

Key Offseason Additions: Daymond Langkow, Raffi Torres, Mike Smith

Key Offseason Losses: Eric Belanger, Lee Stempniak, Vernon Fiddler, Ed Jovanovski, Ilya Bryzgalov

Last Season Ranking: 6th in West

What do you mean Ilya Bryzgalov is gone? We're screwed!

Offense: The Phoenix Coyotes were in the middle of the pack last year as a team for offensive statistics. Averaging 2.76 goals per game, it is going to be interesting to see if the team can better last years numbers with the amount of changes to the lineup.

The Coyotes are still lead by the great work ethic of Shane Doan. Doan is a player you would love on your team but hate to play against. Averaging 64 points over his last five seasons, it seems likely he will meet that number again this year.

Doan will be supported by an assortment of players, most notably Martin Hanzel, Ray Whitney, Radim Vrbata, Taylor Pyatt and new addition Daymond Langkow. Hanzel is coming into his 5th season and has been looking to break into the 40 point threshold. Whitney brings the veteran presence as well as great playmaking capabilities. Vrbata has jumped to a few teams but it seems Phoenix is the place for him. Vrbata has averaged 49 points in the three seasons with the Coyotes. Pyatt brings good depth to the team, not exceling, but manages to stay positive in +/- over his years.

The final piece of the puzzle comes from Daymond Langkow who previously played for the Calgary Flames. He has been suffering from a neck injury, but if healthy, can add another 40+ points to the team. The positive for Coyote fans is that his production is a good combination of assists and goals.

Defense: When you look at Phoenix’s defensive pairings you cannot help but notice the team has depth. Sure they lost gritty Ed Jovanovski, but that can be easily overlooked by giving more ice time to sophomore Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Ekman-Larsson only played 48 games last season, needing time to develop with the San Antonio Rampage. Expected to play a full season this year without any unforeseen hardships, Ekman-Larsson could develop into a very good defenseman.

Most of the weight of the defense will be carried by Keith Yandle. Yandle had a breakout season posting 11 goals and 48 assists for 59 points. Include a plus 12 rating and 103 blocked shots, Yandle does what it takes for the team to win.

Goaltending: The biggest change for the team comes in the net. Ilya Bryzgalov has gone to the Philadelphia Flyers to be replaced by Mike Smith from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Smith did not play much last season for the Lightning as Dwayne Roloson stole the show. It is expected the time out of the number one spotlight, as well as replacing Bryzgalov’s shoes, will make Smith hungry to be the best goalie and the right choice for the Coyotes.

If, however, Smith falters, backup Jason LaBarbera will be there to assist. While playing for the Los Angeles Kings, LaBarbera was expected to be a great goalie. The hype far outweighed the production, and he will forever be just a backup.

HWB Playoff Prediction: Not Playoff bound. With the loss of Ilya Bryzgalov and no real added stars, the Phoenix Coyotes will not make the playoffs. Poor performance will increase the low attendance, expect rumors to be spreading all year about a potential city change.

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2011-12 NHL Season Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning

Sep 14

Posted by Chris in Season Previews | No Comments

Key Offseason Losses: Simon Gagne, Mike Smith, Sean Bergenheim

Key Offseason Additions: Mathieu Garon, Bruno Gervais, Matt Gilroy

Last Season Ranking: 5th in the East

Offense: While a few new faces will grace the roster of the Tampa Bay Lightning this season, the core of the team stays intact – a positive for a team that finished 7th in goals scored per game last season.

Martin St. Louis, Steve Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier again form the foundation of the offense. At 36, St. Louis shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. Stamkos seemed to struggle with consistency in the second half last season, although 45 goals and 91 points is hardly anything to complain about. Look for these two to tear it up again this season as Stamkos looks to regain his crown as league scoring leader.

Injuries limited Lecavalier to only 65 games last season, but when he’s on the ice he is an effective player scoring 54 points. However, he really came alive in the playoffs with 19 points in 18 games. Seventy points seems like the norm for Lecavalier in a healthy season, but falling just shy of a Stanley Cup Finals berth could light the fire and push Lecavalier back to 80-90 points.

Although the team lost 17 goals and 40 points with the departure of Simon Gagne, they should be able to overcome his departure and make up that scoring elsewhere. Players such as Ryan Malone and Steve Downie will help fill the void if they stay healthy, and Teddy Purcell proved last season he is ready for more responsibilities and quality minutes. A hefty new contract doesn’t necessarily mean production, however, and Purcell will need to prove that he belongs in the top six.

Expect Tampa Bay to post lots of goals this season and be an offensive force again.

Defense: While getting sniper Steve Stamkos under contract was a priority for Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman, he failed to give his blue line a significant boost through trade or free agency. Perhaps that’s because 60 percent of the team’s blue line will be free agents of some sorts next summer.

Victor Hedman continues to grow with each season. Expect a breakout year for Hedman as he enters a contract year and needs to prove that he is a franchise blue liner. Along with Hedman, expect Eric Brewer, Mattius Ohlund and Pavel Kubina to shoulder most of the load.

Tampa Bay finished 22nd in the league in goals allowed per game while only 10 players on the roster finished positive plus/minus ratings. Even then, no player finished better than plus-8. The Lightning are a team that help overcome their defensive deficiencies with strong offense. Expect more of the same this season with no real changes made to the blue line in the offseason.

Goaltending: One problem plaguing the team is recent years has been inconsistent goaltending. That changed last season when they traded for veteran Dwayne Roloson, who made an immediate impact and helped give the team confidence in net. This season, the question is whether lightning can strike twice for the 41-year-old goaltender?

Roloson doesn’t need to be spectacular every night, but he needs to be consistent and give the team a chance to win every time he starts.

The team also let loose backup Mike Smith in favor of veteran Mathieu Garon. Smith struggled with consistency during his years in Tampa and, if nothing else, the Roloson/Garon tandem should provide a more stable net presence for the Lightning than they have had in years.

HWB Playoff Prediction: Playoff bound.

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