.

[bootymac]

Yeah... as said before:

Originally posted by: bootymac
Okay I admit Calgary's goals were off lucky breaks. Tampa is definitely outplaying them

 

[jonnyGURU]

Originally posted by: BCYL
I actually think this game was closer than the score suggested... Tampa was really coming on during the 3rd period, and had numerous good chances to score... They just didnt get the bounces...

I don't know man. I think I was too pissed off at Tampa to notice!

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: BCYL
I actually think this game was closer than the score suggested... Tampa was really coming on during the 3rd period, and had numerous good chances to score... They just didnt get the bounces...

Ya it was. I thought TB had the most Offensive zone pressure, but were unable to turn it into goals. The Flames kept poking holes in TB's Power Play, something that will weigh on their minds. TB, IMO, will have to shut down the Flames' speed somehow, they were constantly losing races to the puck, especially in their Defensive zone. Khabibulin(sp) seemed kinda shakey, he may end being the weak link, specifically on Iginla's goal where he made a huge initial save then seemed to zone out. He also was too slow when going for the puck, something other goalies playing against the Flames found out, at times resulting in goals.

 

[BCYL]

You gotta think TB was tired both physically and mentally after that 7 games series against the Flyers, so I guess it's understandable that they were a little slow tonight... I am sure Game 2 will be a different story...

My prediction is Flames will take this series in 7... TB will bounce back strong after tonight for sure...

 

[Aquaman]

Andreychuk anxious after long journey

Canadian Press
5/25/2004

TAMPA, Fla. (CP) - Perhaps no one in the NHL championship series is more anxious to lift the Stanley Cup than Tampa Bay Lightning captain Dave Andreychuk.

Just making it to the final was a first in the 40-year-old's 22-year career, which began in Buffalo in 1982.

``I am living proof of how hard it is to get here,'' the Hamilton native said. ``We've talked about this a lot in our locker-room, how special this is and how we all have to enjoy it because it doesn't come around very often.''

Andreychuk played in his 1,753rd career game, playoffs included, in a 4-1 Game 1 loss against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.

As the rangy centre has been reminded countless times since the Lightning downed the Philadelphia Flyers in the seventh game of the Eastern Conference final on Saturday, it is the most games ever by a player without winning the Cup.

There were feature stories on the former scoring star in the two Tampa-area newspapers and the entire Lightning organization was thrilled for him, but Andreychuk was looking to tone down the celebration on Tuesday.

``It's been a few days now and right now, we're down to business,'' he said. ``It's not about me getting to the Stanley Cup final. It's about our team trying to win.''

A Stanley Cup victory would take Andreychuk's name off a dubious list of those who never won a Cup despite long and outstanding NHL careers.

After Andreychuk, there is Dale Hunter with 1,593 games played, Phil Housley with 1,580 and Mike Gartner with 1,554.

Closest to Andreychuk among active players are Scott Mellanby of St. Louis with 1,423 games, Detroit's Steve Thomas with 1,409 and James Patrick of Buffalo with 1,397.

The title used to belong to Raymond Bourque, the long-serving Boston Bruins great who finally won a Cup with Colorado in 2001.

A Cup could also be the crowning achievement for Andreychuk, the NHL's 11th all-time goal-scorer with 634, but coach John Tortorella says the lack of a championship ring does not tarnish his captain's career.

``He doesn't need to be legitimized - he's a Hall of Famer,'' said Tortorella.

Before this season, Andreychuk's closest brush with a final was in 1993 when he played for Toronto. The Leafs were edged in Game 7 of the West final by Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings.

``I watch that game a lot now on ESPN Classic,'' he said. ``I've been to the final four a few times and I think all those teams have a chance of winning.

``It comes down to a bounce, a small little play that can get you to the final. But in 1993, it was tough to swallow.''

Andreychuk's career looked to be winding down three years ago, when he signed with Tampa Bay, a young, struggling club run by old friends from Buffalo, Rick Dudley and Craig Ramsay.

But since then, the former power-play specialist has been reborn as a face-off ace and checking forward, much like Steve Yzerman has done in Detroit or as Kirk Muller did with Dallas.

Now, he's looking at signing on for at least one more season.

``I knew David back when I was an assistant coach in Buffalo, when he was a very young player, and he couldn't check his hat,'' said Tortorella. ``He didn't understand and didn't want to have anything to do with the defensive part of the game.

``He wanted to score goals. He's going to be remembered as a goal-scorer, but I think the greatest thing about him now is how he's transformed himself in the past three years with us.''

Andreychuk can still score. He had 21 goals this season for his 19th 20-goal campaign, third all time behind Gordie Howe (22) and Ron Francis (20).

But he is no longer counted on to be the offensive leader on a team that has plenty of punch in league scoring leader Martin St. Louis and the gifted Brad Richards and Vincent Lecavalier.

Now, he checks, plays hard, wins key faceoffs in the defensive zone and acts as leader of a hungry, talented team.

``He's a leader on and off the ice,'' said St. Louis. ``He's in a role now where he's checking, but he's still able to create offensive chances.

``He'll always be a goal-scorer, but he was able to adjust his style to fit into the role we needed him in and he's filled that tremendously.''

Added Lecavalier: ``When he talks in the room, everybody listens.''

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Corporate Thug]

Tampa Bay Lightning

 

[Aquaman]

Flames fans keep homefires burning

Canadian Press
5/25/2004

CALGARY (CP) - Dare to dream, Calgary.

The Calgary Flames' magic carpet ride shifted into hysteria Tuesday as thousands of screaming fans watched them zap the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 in the first game of the Stanley Cup final.

The Flames need just three more wins to bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada for the first time in 11 years.

``We're bringing it home in four - SWEEP!'' shouted Ryan Laight, 22, as he raised a homemade Stanley Cup above his head.

The over-achieving Flames, whom many doubted would even make the playoffs, made believers of their crimson-clad fans back home with a victory in Florida, where the Lightning had a 7-2 home record until Tuesday.

Laight was among thousands of Flames fanatics who crammed into the Pengrowth Saddledome to watch Game 1 on giant video screens.

A horn-honking, fan-shrieking cacophony erupted on Calgary's 17th Avenue - a strip of restaurants and bars dubbed the Red Mile - as fans streamed out of the Saddledome after watching their team salt away the first game in the best-of-seven series.

Many who were thrilled by simply making the playoffs after a seven year-exodus have marvelled as the blue-collar grinders have patiently knocked off three division leaders in a row. The Flames are aiming for four with the Lightning.

``Calgary is going to win the Cup because we have the heart,'' said Chelsea Jaques, 16, linked arm in arm with pals Kailey Beddoe and Kayleigh Wilmot.

``Flames rule - only three more left,'' said a topless Alex Lowe, who had a flaming red C painted on his chest.

``We rock - Calgary's taking it in four!'' shrieked Roseline Carter, 21, as she danced down 17th Avenue.

Earlier, tots and teens, all clad in Flames jerseys and waving flags with their team's flaming C logo had turned the Saddledome into a vivid sea of red.

Fans watching the east coast game on giant TV screens in their home arena were on their feet cheering in the final two minutes of the game, emitting a deafening roar when Flames winger Chris Simon scored the last goal in the dying seconds.

Cheering every time the Flames touched the puck, the crowd erupted when Martin Gelinas gave Calgary a 1-0 lead early in the first period. The building exploded again when captain Jarome Iginla scored short-handed late in the second period and Stephane Yelle added a third.

``Tampa should be very scared,'' said Derrick Jensen, who brought his three young boys to the Saddledome, each decked out in red Flames T-shirts bearing goalie Miikka Kiprusoff's name.

``The Flames are on fire,'' said Jensen, as sons Andrew, Kenrick and Tyler beamed. ``They've just taken hold of this opportunity.''

Tuesday was the 15th anniversary of the Flames' last Stanley Cup win, a road win over the Montreal Canadiens in 1989. Some fans thought that was bad news for the Lightning.

``There's something to be said for omens,'' said Carol Nestoruk, an Edmonton Oilers fan who came to the Saddledome for a change of culture.

``Calgary has the spirit right now,'' she said. ``There's no doubt that this is going to happen.''

One female police officer suffered a concussion Tuesday when she was pushed during the celebrations. It was not known if charges would be laid or if alcohol was a factor.

Flames fans have poured into the streets of Calgary to celebrate after every victory, with boisterous crowds being generally easy to handle.

Game 2 goes Thursday at St. Pete's Forum in Tampa before returning home Saturday at the `Dome.

Cheers,
Aquaamn

 

[Aquaman]

Lightning stunned by Game One stinker

Canadian Press
5/26/2004

TAMPA, Fla. (CP) - Now we'll see what these guys are made of.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are down in a series for the first time in these playoffs following Tuesday night's 4-1 stinker against the Calgary Flames in the first game of the Stanley Cup final.

``We don't want to let this opportunity go by,'' said star Lightning winger Martin St. Louis. ``I'm pretty sure we're going to respond in Game 2.''

There's almost nothing positive to carry over from the first game. Their No. 1-rated playoff power play was nowhere to be found, star netminder Nikolai Khabibulin fought the puck all night long and Tampa's defence corps constantly coughed up the puck thanks to Calgary's aggressive and quick forechecking.

``It's a night we definitely want to forget,'' said Tampa defenceman Dan Boyle, his voice carrying in a quiet Lightning dressing room.

The Run 'n Gun Bolts outshot the Flames 24-19 but don't be misled, they got very few chances from in-close and very few second-chance rebounds. Calgary's defence corps outmuscled the Lightning forwards and kept them away from goalie Mikka Kiprusoff for most of the game.

``We need to make sure we make our presence felt in front of the net,'' said St. Louis, who had Tampa's lone goal.

The bottom line is that Calgary outhustled Tampa for nearly every loose puck, a rare feat against the speedy and skilled Lightning.

``They were a little more desperate than us, winning the one-on-one battles on the wall,'' St. Louis said. ``When you win the one-on-one battles, it's funny how things happen and things tend to go your way.

``You tend to get more bounces and more opportunities.''

Their power play, which buried Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference final, went 1-for-5 Tuesday night, a meaningless goal in the third period when the result was no longer in doubt. When the game was still up for grabs in the opening 30 minutes, the Lightning were too fancy with the man advantage and didn't get any rubber on Kiprusoff.

``Our power play has got to get back to where it was in the last series,'' said veteran Dave Andreychuk, who plays on the second power-play unit. ``We have to keep it simple.''

It was on a power play in the second period that the game turned for good. Lightning winger Fredrik Modin had a glorious chance to tie the game 1-1 but the puck bounced over his stick in the slot, sending Flames forward Jarome Iginla on breakaway on which he would bury his rebound to make it 2-0, deflating both the fans at the St. Pete Times Forum and the Lightning.

``The puck bounces over Mo's stick, and when he's in that prime scoring area, it could have been a goal for us,'' said St. Louis. ``It ends up being a goal for them. That's just a bad bounce.''

Said head coach John Tortorella: ``The ice wasn't good, but both teams play on that ice.''

A bigger factor than the ice was the way Tampa's defencemen crumbled under the intense pressure from Calgary's forechecking forwards, who blew into the Lightning zone and hammered the opposing blue-liners before they had time to move the puck.

``You do have to give them credit, they do come at you hard, but I really do think it's our fault,'' said Boyle. ``We have to make plays. For whatever reason tonight we turned the puck over tons.

``A lot of turnovers in our back end.''

Boyle lost the puck behind his own net after getting crunched by Calgary's Chris Simon, ultimately leading to Stephane Yelle's goal late in the second period.

``It was a turnover on the second goal and a turnover on my part on the third goal,'' said Boyle. ``They capitalized on those turnovers and that's the story tonight.''

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

McKenzie: Calgary's dynamic duo

TSN.ca Staff
5/26/2004

Jarome Iginla's shorthanded goal was clearly the turning point in Game One. It's too early to hand him the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP but, I'll tell you what, he had a leg up on everybody else coming into this series and took another step toward claiming the trophy with his performance in Game One.

It wasn't just a case of scoring the big goal, either. Right from the get-go, Iginla had all kinds of jump. Every time he was on the ice, Iginla was a factor. He was going hard to the net, he was making things happen, and he was really stepping up. That's what the Flames have come to expect from this guy, and that's why he is the team's captain.

Miikka Kiprusoff has had many nights in which he's been busier and had to make more spectacular saves than he did in Game One against the Lightning, but he displayed strong situational goaltending.

Early on, when the Flames were showing some jitters and the Lightning were generating some scoring opportunities, Kiprusoff was there to shut the door. When it was 1-0 for the Flames, he came up with some big saves, and when it was 3-0 he made some more. When it was 3-1, there was a sense that the roof might come off if the Lightning got one more, but Kiprusoff held them off.

I don't want to say that Calgary's Game One win was a two man show, but it's pretty clear who the leading men are in Calgary's storybook playoff run.

As for the Lightning, you can be absolutely certain that there will be some off-day lobbying for a crackdown on obstruction.

Tampa bay has a fast and skilled team and, in Game One, Calgary countered that by reverting back to a trap system in which they were doing a lot of hooking and holding and clutching and grabbing. They were still aggressive on the forecheck at times but, for the most part, the Flames stayed back and there was a lot of waterskiing going on out there.

With that obstruction not being called in Game One, it will be very interesting to see what kind of lobbying goes on. Kerry Fraser will likely be one of the officials in Game Two, and it will interesting to see if the game is called tighter and if there is more of a parade to the penalty box - which should favour the Lightning.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Flames take Game One in Tampa

Canadian Press
5/25/2004

TAMPA, Fla. (CP) - Jarome Iginla provided the spark as the Calgary Flames shocked the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 in the opener of the Stanley Cup final on Tuesday night.

Iginla took advantage of a Tampa turnover to roar in on a short-handed breakaway and score at 15:21 of the second period for the key goal in a well-earned win for the underdog Flames.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is on Thursday night at the St. Pete Times Forum.

``It was great to see it go in,'' Iginla said of his 11th goal of the post-season. ``They have a great power play and we know we have to bear down.''

Tampa's Fredrik Modin whiffed on a glittering chance from the high slot, allowing Iginla to skate in. His first shot was stopped, but the Hart Trophy candidate was ready as the puck flew over the net to pick it up and tuck it into an open side.

``It was a broken play,'' said Iginla, whose team won the opener on the road for a third consecutive series this spring. ``I had a lot of time to think about it.

`I saw it go up in the air and I thought it might go in. I stopped to watch it. I was thrilled when I saw I'd get another chance.''

Martin Gelinas provided Calgary with the lead on a lucky goal that went in off his skate 3:02 into the game. Stephane Yelle added another late in the second frame and Chris Simon scored on a power play with 20 seconds left in the game.

Former Flame Martin St. Louis had Tampa Bay's only goal on a power play at 4:13 of the third period.

The Lightning, in the championship final for the first time in their relatively brief history, lost the opener for the first time in four series this year.

Now they need to bounce back or risk going down 2-0 to the hard-working Flames.

``(Game 2) is a must-win for us,'' said Lightning forward Dave Andreychuk, a 22-year NHL veteran playing in his first Cup final.

``We don't want to go down 2-0. It's not the end of the world, but you can probably see it.''

It was Calgary's fifth consecutive road win and their ninth of this year's playoffs, one short of the New Jersey Devils' record set in 1995 and matched in 2000.

``We know that, being the lower seed, we have to win on the road,'' said Flames coach Darryl Sutter.

The Lightning outshot Calgary 24-19, but Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff was solid while Tampa's Nikolai Khabibulin fought with the puck.

And after Gelinas' early goal on a floater from the point by Andrew Ference that also hit Craig Conroy, there were few opportunities to clap their Thundersticks for the full house of 21,674, the second-largest crowd ever at the St. Pete Times Forum.

The Lightning tried to dazzle the Flames with quick, clever passes that rarely connected, while Calgary stuck to their tried and true forechecking game.

``We need to keep it simple,'' said Lightning coach John Tortorella. ``We were a bit too fancy at times instead of getting the puck behind their defence and working it.''

The Flames are now 11-1 when they score first in a game and 9-0 when they lead after two periods.

``We're a pretty good defensive team and when we're ahead, we can play our game and not feel like we have to score a goal,'' Gelinas said. ``We just keep playing our game.

``We were lucky to get some bounces and get the first goal. After that, we just played a good defensive game.''

Yelle also made a key play when he pounded Dan Boyle with a hit behind the Tampa net, picked up the puck and sneaked a shot inside the post at the side of the net at 18:08 of the second period.

Only moments after he hit a goalpost, St. Louis one-timed a shot from the left circle that trickled through Kiprusoff's pads and into the net to bring the crowd back to life.

It was the seventh straight game in which Tampa Bay scored a power play goal.

But the Lightning took two undisciplined penalties late and, during the dying seconds in which St. Louis was off for high-sticking, Simon went in alone and beat Khabibulin with a backhand shot.

``In the last couple of series we've been able to get the first win and it feels good,'' said Iginla, whose team is in the Cup final for the first time since it won in 1989. ``We don't see the Lightning a lot but we know they're a good offensive team.

``It was nice to get this win. We have confidence in our room.''

Notes - Pre-game hoopla included a rallying call to the fans from Lighting founder Phil Esposito and pro wrestler Hulk Hogan. ... For a second game since veteran Jassen Cullimore returned from injury, the Lightning opted to dress seven defencemen. ... Calgary, which has five injured starters, made no changes from their Game 6 lineup against San Jose.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[bootymac]

Woot! This thread has officially been blessed by Aquaman!

 

[jonnyGURU]

Hey Aquaman.... I use Google news too!

Just kidding, man.

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: jonnyGURU
Hey Aquaman.... I use Google news too!

Just kidding, man.

Blasphamy................. I use TSN

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[silverpig]

Aquaman - TSN = Golden Member




Go Flames Go!

 

[Aquaman]

Golf Lighting Golf

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Aquaman
Golf Lighting Golf

Cheers,
Aquaman

That's too dangerous! They'd best take up residence in one of those common Retirement Homes scattered through the area.

 

[bootymac]

Originally posted by: silverpig
Aquaman - TSN = Golden Member

Couldn't have said it better my self

 

[Aquaman]

Flames' Gelinas has seen it all in final

Canadian Press
5/26/2004

TAMPA, Fla. (CP) - In his fourth Stanley Cup final with his fourth different team, Martin Gelinas has seen almost everything that can happen in a championship series.

So having the Calgary Flames up 1-0 in the best-of-seven final series over the Tampa Bay Lightning hardly had the 33-year-old giddy with excitement.

``I wouldn't say we controlled the game,'' he said Wednesday a day after the Flames' 4-1 win. ``We played a strong defensive game and we were fortunate to go up one goal early so we could keep playing our game - skating and forechecking.

``But they've got a lot of skill and Game 2 will be a big game for them. We'll have to match their effort. We'll have to be better than in Game 1.''

Game 2 is Thursday night at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Gelinas won a Stanley Cup as a rookie in 1990 with the powerhouse Edmonton Oilers and went to the final in 1994 with the Vancouver Canucks and in 2002 with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Two years ago, the Hurricanes also won the opening game of the final in Detroit before then were swept away by the Red Wings.

The Flames are in a similar situation. Like the Hurricanes, they are playoff neophytes who were expected to be taken out in the first round but suddenly found themselves in the final.

Calgary was not even in the playoffs the last seven seasons.

``We've got 12 guys for whom it's a first Stanley Cup experience,'' said Gelinas, part of the Flames top line with Jarome Iginla and Craig Conroy. ``They've learned and gained confidence from one game to the next.

``No one expected us to get this far, but we believed in each other. It's been a long time since Calgary has been in the playoffs, so the whole city is really rooting for us. That makes it a special occasion.''

A shot deflected in off Gelinas' skate 3:02 into Game 1 and the Flames were then able to impose their hard-hitting, tight checking game on the jittery Lightning, a team of quick, skilled skaters who appeared overwhelmed in their first-ever appearance in a final.

A day later, there was still talk of Calgary's second goal, in which Iginla was stopped on a short-handed breakaway but collected the rebound at the side of the net and scored.

The effort, Iginla's 11th of the playoffs, sparked debate on whether the Flames' captain deserves the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, even if the Flames don't win the Cup. Some are even saying Iginla is now the world's best player.

``All year long he's been one of our key players,'' said Gelinas. ``But the last two months, he's shown what kind of player he is.

``To say he's the best in the world? He's certainly up there.''

Coach Darryl Sutter drew laughter from the media by spouting off a run-on list of Iginla's virtues.

``He's a big power guy and an old school player,'' Sutter started. ``He plays the power play, kills penalties, plays against skilled guys, plays the last minute of a period and the first minute of a period. He's healthy. A great family guy. He's from Alberta. He's good with the media. . .''

Mostly though, Sutter spoke of Iginla's development as a leader.

``The biggest reason he's taken a step forward this year is that he's assumed leadership of the team,'' Sutter said. ``Before, he was the face of the team and that was the wrong pressure to have on him, even in the locker-room.

``Then it was `If Jarome didn't score, we can't win,' or `It's all right if the Flames lost and Jarome had a big game.' It didn't work and it's unfair to the player. He has become the leader of the team and I think that's why he's become a better player.''

Gelinas, whose first NHL captain was Mr. Leadership himself, Mark Messier, raised eyebrows by saying Iginla was ``probably the best leader I've played with.''

The Flames are likely to need it in Game 2, when they will no longer be underestimated by the Lightning. Tampa Bay started finding itself in the third period of Game 1. And they bounced back from bad losses earlier in the playoffs.

``This is a huge game,'' said Iginla. ``We have a chance to go up 2-0 and they realize the importance of making it 1-1.''

``We expect them to come out flying and we've got to match their intensity and desperation. We went up 2-0 on San Jose but then we didn't match their desperation when we came back home.''

The Flames won the opening two games of the Western Conference final in San Jose, but then dropped two games back in Calgary, where they are 4-5 in these playoffs.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Lightning looking for answers

Canadian Press
5/26/2004

TAMPA, Fla. (CP) - They watched hours of video and said all the right things but the Tampa Bay Lightning were not ready for the speed of the Calgary Flames in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final.

Calgary's forechecking forwards breathed down the necks of Tampa's defencemen, forcing turnover upon turnover and nullifying any chance for the Lightning to get their run and gun offence into gear Tuesday night.

``They're quick,'' Tampa centre Brad Richards said Wednesday. ``Everybody is on the same page, it's a team quickness. It's not like they have 10 guys who can burn you up and down the ice, it's that their feet are moving all the time and they're finishing their checks.

``That's what makes it seem like they're on top of you. It's a tough combination.''

The Bolts are the fastest-skating team in the Eastern Conference, and they've met their match in the Flames. Tampa uses its speed to create offence while Calgary's quickness is used as a tool to defend.

They were warned by their coach, but the Lightning players obviously needed to see it with their own eyes.

``You know, they are a sneaky team,'' said Tampa winger Martin St. Louis. ``They are fast and they surround the puck really well. And I don't think we were surprised of how hard they work because we have known that.

``We have seen them play. They beat three good teams and to do so you have to be a hard-working team.''

Calgary was able to impose its style of play on Tampa in Tuesday's 4-1 win, and with surprising ease for those who have followed the Lightning in these playoffs.

``We like to call ourselves an energy team and get out there and get some bangs, get in the other team's face, try to get hard on the defencemen early,'' Calgary superstar Jarome Iginla said Wednesday after practice.

Tampa head coach John Tortorella insists there were no surprises.

``To me, Calgary played the way they played to get here. We didn't,'' he said at the club's suburban practice facility. ``So it was pretty simple last night as far as we're concerned. They did, and we didn't.''

Flames head coach Darryl Sutter knows his counterpart will make adjustments heading into Thursday night's Game 2 at the St. Pete Times Forum (CBC, 8 p.m. EDT).

``I'm already done with Game 1,'' Sutter said at his news conference. ``They know what they have to get better at and we knew we have areas we have to get better at. We know how good a team they are. We know their skill. We know that they have five or six elite players.

``We're going to worry about us. That's how we got here.''

Sutter is a big part of how the blue-collar Flames are making this work. Because after Iginla, there isn't a whole lot up front on this team. Martin Gelinas was a third-line winger with the 2002 Carolina Hurricanes but patrols the left wing on Calgary's top line with Iginla and Craig Conroy.

But Sutter has been able to get his team on the same page and pursue the puck like it was the last one on earth. From the defence to the forwards, there's a seamless aspect to their game. It's like they're all sharing the same brain.

``They are very well coached,'' said Tampa veteran Dave Andreychuk. ``When you know the player is going to flip it out of the zone, you can get some speed. That's why they can get on top of us. Their game is pretty simple.''

``There are no second thoughts of what they are going to do and that's why they can get on top of our defence,'' added Andreychuk. ``We were aware of that. We knew what kind of forecheck they were going to have. But their guys get skating and they chase down a lot of pucks.''

They knew, but they couldn't stop it in Game 1.

``I thought we were a bit nonchalant in playing one of the most aggressive teams and the best team in the Western Conference,'' said Tortorella.

Not helping the cause Tuesday was the shaky play of star goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, who allowed four goals on only 19 shots and seemed to be handling every puck like a hand grenade. Missing was the poise and confidence he has displayed for much of these playoffs.

``Last time I saw Nikolai Khabibulin fight it a bit, I liked his response,'' Tortorella said, referring to his goalie being pulled in a 6-2, Game 4 loss against Philadelphia before returning to stone the Flyers in a pivotal 4-2, Game 5 victory in the Eastern Conference final.

``So I don't even worry about that. I think he will be there. He will be our best player, and he will lead us in our response in Game 2.''

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[BCYL]

Damn Aquaman, do you copy and paste every single NHL article on TSN.ca onto here? No wonder you are a lifer...

 

[Aquaman]

Fire damages home of Lightning's Boyle

Associated Press
5/26/2004

TAMPA, Fla. (CP) - Tampa Bay defenceman Dan Boyle thought he was having the night from hell after committing a key turnover on Calgary's third goal in Tuesday night's 4-1 loss in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final.

But the Ottawa native was quickly reminded of hockey's rather unimportant place in real life when the buzzer sounded.

``They told me after the game: `Your house is on fire,''' Boyle said Wednesday. ``I thought it was some kind of a joke, but it's reality. Sometimes being a player in the playoffs you think you're superhuman, but this makes you realize you're not.''

Boyle's house sustained $300,000 US damage after an electrical fire broke out while he was playing across town at the St. Pete Times Forum. Boyle said one third of the house burned down.

``My neighbours said the fire started around 10:30,'' Boyle said at the Lightning's suburban practice facility.

``I went to the house and stayed until 3:30 a.m., trying to take care of things. But I didn't even know where to start.''

No one was at Boyle's two-story south Tampa home when the fire started in the wall of the games room. The fire quickly spread up an outside wall and into the attic.

``It's a tough situation,'' Boyle said. ``I lost a lot of my belongings. The clothes are all gone. They told me six months from now everything will be back to normal. It's just going to be a long summer, unfortunately, but it'll be a lot better if we can win this thing.''

Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final goes Thursday night (CBC, 8 p.m. EDT). Head coach John Tortorella said he wasn't concerned the incident would hurt Boyle's focus.

``That was just a bunch of wood burning,'' Tortorella said. ``There's no one hurt. There's nothing serious that happened. His insurance will take care of it. And whatever the insurance doesn't take care of, I'm sure he has enough money to spend and take care of it himself.''

Boyle said he was lucky in one sense.

``My folks were down for two months up until the playoffs so I can be thankful they weren't there, or I wasn't there sleeping at night, or it could have been a lot worse,'' Boyle said.

Among the items damaged in his house was his most cherished souvenir.

``The puck from my first NHL goal,'' said the former Florida Panther. ``The puck is actually fine but the casing is damaged.''

Boyle, 27, was still shocked that something like that would happen to him.

``The house is 15 years old and had never had a problem but, for whatever reason, it decided to fire up last night,'' Boyle said.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Lightning downplay 'must win' game

TSN.ca Staff
05/27/2004

Depending on who you talk to, tonight's Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final is or is not a 'must win' for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

"It is a must-win for us," said Dave Andreychuk. "We don't want to go down 0-2. It's not the end of the world, but you probably could see it."

Head coach John Tortorella admits a win tonight is very important, but he stops short of calling it a 'must win'.

"I don't like that 'must win,'" Tortorella said. "What happens if something doesn't happen the right way for us tomorrow, and what do I come back to my team with?"

Tortorella adds he doesn't expect to make any drastic changes to the lineup which lost 4-1 in the series opener. He said it's important for the team to remember what they did to get to this point, and not tinker with the lineup just for the sake of changing something that didn't work in Game 1.

Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, who allowed four goals on 19 shots in Game 1, is 4-0 in the playoffs coming off a loss with a 1.26 goals-against average and .951 save percentage.

"Last time I saw Nikolai Khabibulin fight it a bit, I liked his response," said Tortorella said, referring to Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final against Philadelphia.

"So I don't even worry about that. I think he will be there. He will be our best player, and he will lead us in our response in Game 2."

One player Tortorella is counting on to show up tonight is Martin St. Louis. His power play goal in the third period of game one snapped a five game scoring drought for the NHL scoring champion. Despite his playoff-leading 19 goals, St. Louis says he hasn't played particularly well since the first round victory over the New York Islanders.

"It has been a long playoff and my game has gone up and down, but I feel my game is on the way back up," St. Louis said. "I know (Tuesday) was a loss, but I did something I hadn't done in a while. I'm going to take that into Game 2 and hopefully capitalize on the chances I get."

The Lightning haven't lost two straight since dropping back-to-back games on the road March 20-21. Flames star Jarome Iginla expects to see a much different Lightning team on the ice tonight.

"We expect it's going to be tougher," Iginla said. "They are probably the most offensive team in the league. They are the most dangerous.

"We expect them to come out flying even more so than in the first game, and we've got to match their intensity and desperation."

"But we know it's going to get tougher, teams get more desperate. Every game in the series as it goes on is even more important."

Tuesday's loss marked the first time this spring that the Lightning have trailed in a playoff series.

The Flames can take heart in the knowledge that teams winning Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final have gone on to win 78 percent of the time since the best of seven format was introduced in 1939.

Calgary is 9-2 on the road in the playoffs and have won the last five straight away from home. They are just one win shy of equalling the mark set by the New Jersey Devils in 1995 and 2000. In each of those years, the Devils went on to win the Cup.

The Flames are also 11-1 when they score first in the playoffs.

If Calgary emerges as Stanley Cup champions, they will become the first team to beat four division champions in a single playoff season - Vancouver, Detroit, San Jose and the Lightning.

Tonight's game will also the last for linesman Ray Scapinello, who is retiring after 33 NHL seasons and almost 3,000 regular season and playoff games. This will be his 20th, and final, Stanley Cup game for the 57 year old, who is widely recognized by players and coaches around the league as one of the best in the game.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

anyone check out that flamegirls website? (not work safe)

Those Calgary Women are hte crazy.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Aquaman
anyone check out that flamegirls website? (not work safe)

Those Calgary Women are hte crazy.

Cheers,
Aquaman

Hmm, nope.......a quick attempt to connect resulted in not finding it. I am now intrigued.

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: Aquaman
anyone check out that flamegirls website? (not work safe)

Those Calgary Women are hte crazy.

Cheers,
Aquaman

Hmm, nope.......a quick attempt to connect resulted in not finding it. I am now intrigued.

Cheers,
Aquaman