Lightning Vs. Blues (3/17/12)

[Sotnos]

That was the highlight! Pretty dull game.

[SmittyFan1]

Pete you are great. I just love your dead on, hit the nail on the head and other metaphors used in your writing. Thank you for a great job. Tonight's installment was just fantastic. It puts the whole season in perspective. WELL DONE sir!!!!

[aapbolt]

We were treated to a terrible game tonight. Aulie played well, when he was on the ice. Why is Clark the point man on the PP? He cannot handle the puck and his passes are just woosy passes. This team needs a clinic on how to pass and how to figure out where their teammates are...I think that has to do with coaching, which this year has not been to the standard we expect. They got out worked and out hustled. I would rather see the Ads here right now. Bring up Oberg and give him some ice time so we can see if he can play up here, anyone has to be better than Clark and Commodore..ok give him a break for being new but his puck handling leaves much to be desired. Brett looked better tonight and seems to be getting better, but boy you need tobury your chances when you get the opportunity. Roli is retired, play Tic and let him learn what he needs to do to stay up here and then give him another year in Norfolk,he needs the seasoning, but he does learn from his mistakes. like others I am worried about Aulie and the reasoning behind his reduction in ice time, we gave up a good prospect for him. Brian lee continues to work hard and is getting better. All these guys need to learn how to,take the body to stop someone from coming thru the middle...this is just ridiculous, hit them do not let them free access to our zone...again coaching. Ok my rant is done for now, yes we did outplay the blues in certain areas but we did not in the areas it matters, I do not expect perfection just hard work and effort.

[Donnie D]

Yeah, I know we played the best team in the league. Good teams can make other teams look bad. Yeah, I know Shannon was injured and we were down to 10 forwards. I know that Guy talked about the fact that they only had 7 scoring chances 5 on 5.

I guess then I was somewhere other than the forum. I didn't see this great effort that Guy and the Chief were talking about. I saw a team that got beat for every loose puck. A team that looked like it is tired from staying up late to make vacation plans.

Since Leiweike has taken our colors and our logo, I propose a hat trick. Change our nickname from the Lightning to the Honey Badgers. Honey Badger don't care, Honey Badger don't give a shit. And that's the way the team looked to me tonight.

[BurnTHalO]

We lost this game because A.) we have nobody leading this team and giving them direction on special teams, B.) Our two stars who have been here all year are completely worn out, C.) Our top Dman (Hedman) made some terrible plays (I've been drinkning quite a bit, so if it wasn't the case the whole game I appologize, but I know one or two of the goals were completely on him), and D.) We refuse to play all our players. If you are dressing 7 dmen, freaking play Aulie. He has not looked any worse than our top d pairing, and at least he will freaking hit people and make it exciting for fans.

Hall and Connolly had very good games. The others, like Thursday, never showed up. We have guys on the ice the just do not care. They need to get out.

We played better when we had the kids.

I also want to see Clark and Marty sit or play on the 2nd unit for a few PP. Both are having trouble handling the puck. Let's see what Lee and Connolly can do with the #1 unit.

[pete]

He has not looked any worse than our top d

Disagree. He's slow off the line and his pivots are slow, too. He made one play tonight where the forward peeled to the corner and he actually turned in the wrong direction and gave the forward 10-15 feet of free ice to take a look and make a play.

There's a reason why the coaches won't give him more than about 11 minutes a night. He'd be a liability against good forwards. I am legitimately worried about the guy, and I realized tonight that if this is what Stevie Y wanted, he had a very similar player in Matt Smaby that he let go, except with Smaby you had a guy that would occasionally stand up and hit guys coming over the blueline. We gave up Carter Ashton for a player who might not be better than Matt Smaby. Ponder that.

The only solution I can see for Aulie's game is the same thing I said for Smaby: Aulie's got to be more aggressive. Can't be a pylon. Can't be passive. He's got to be physically active, he's got to learn to read the play better, and he's got to hustle to overcome the fact that he's not quick.

[pete]

We played better when we had the kids.

No point in playing the kids now that the season is over. Let them go hunt a championship in Norfolk, and parlay that experience into getting into Lightning jerseys over the next couple of seasons.

[NoSpin]

You have a team with key injuries to positions that were already sucky to begin with (D and goaltending), that had several important components removed at the trade deadline with no immediate replacements, and a coaching staff incapable of fixing the special teams issue.

Safe to say it has been a perfect storm for the Bolts this season. I have been proud of the fact we managed to hang around as long as we did, and there is a ray of hope when you look at our young AHL players. Next year is when we see what this organization is truly made of. Can Yzerman get the goalie and defense together? Will Guy be able to figure out this powerplay? Will Speed finally figure out the identity of Racer X? Tune in to find out.

Originally Posted by pete

Disagree. He's slow off the line and his pivots are slow, too. He made one play tonight where the forward peeled to the corner and he actually turned in the wrong direction and gave the forward 10-15 feet of free ice to take a look and make a play.

There's a reason why the coaches won't give him more than about 11 minutes a night. He'd be a liability against good forwards. I am legitimately worried about the guy, and I realized tonight that if this is what Stevie Y wanted, he had a very similar player in Matt Smaby that he let go, except with Smaby you had a guy that would occasionally stand up and hit guys coming over the blueline. We gave up Carter Ashton for a player who might not be better than Matt Smaby. Ponder that.

The only solution I can see for Aulie's game is the same thing I said for Smaby: Aulie's got to be more aggressive. Can't be a pylon. Can't be passive. He's got to be physically active, he's got to learn to read the play better, and he's got to hustle to overcome the fact that he's not quick.

And he's only 22 yoa, will be 23 in June. That's young for a defenseman.