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Forum: Talk Lightning
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Good opening to the period, and not as well to close it out. But haven’t we seen that before this season?
Tampa Bay comes out with jump and energy - and Rick Tocchet warned them they better after three days hanging out in the desert - gets the opening goal of the game and then it gets good to them. All of a sudden, they have trouble handling the puck, making passes (ShockeR!!!) and just playing fundamental hockey. Then Olli Jokinen, who apparently doesn’t care what uniform he’s wearing when it comes to scoring against the Lightning, streaks past Andrej Meszaros and Lukas Krajicek - Krajicek was on that side of the ice - and takes a perfect pass from Shane Doan for a clear path to the net. Mike Smith poke checks the puck off Jokinen’s stick, but it bounces off Jokinen’s leg, off the far post and in the net.
The goal for Andrej Meszaros, which went off the post and then the back of Ilya Bryzgalov, was his first since Feb. 21, 2008, a span of 60 games between goals. It also knocked him off the list this season of having the most shots on goal (66) without scoring a goal, and you could see the relief in his face.
Heading into the second, Tampa Bay needs to have the same kind of jump they had in the opening 10-plus minutes and get back to a strong forecheck.
Posted by Tampafan, Tampa on 01/08 at 10:11 PM
Someone please tell me why Smitty can’t play more conservatively???? There were two Lightning players behind the net to get the puck—why does he need to go back there as well???? I know he’s good but he has been playing really risky lately. Please don’t tell me “oh but he’s a great goalie - don’t pick on him.” The guy is good but he needs to just play goalie for awhile - when he poked the puck - he should have just played it. He left it wide open and he was down. It seems the more we say he’s good/great - the more he plays risky and cocky. Smitty play goalie - help the team.
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Posted by Katya, Tampa, FL on 01/09 at 08:10 AM
How about that pass Smitty had that Marty set up for Vinny and Vinny failed to score? Yes Smitty is cocky, risky, but thats confidence and thats your extra player doing work other lightning players cant. He is not perfect, nobody is. He is going to make mistakes but in the end of the day, he is 99% of the time the only player out there trying to make a differance!