9/26 SCF Game 5 "@" Tampa @ Edmonton (7PM CT)

[Math]

Bishop in.

[wonko80]

Dobby shouldn't get the start. I might rather try Oettinger.

[ScubaSteve]

Bishop three straight shutouts to win the cup here we go.

[ToddM]

Oettinger still has yet to give up a goal in these entire playoffs. He's the guy we need in net.

[The Frugal Gourmet]

I'm wearing my underwear backwards all day tomorrow. Rally time.

[ToddM]

For a while the Stars were 6-0 when I drank an entire 1.5L of grapefruit juice during the course of the game. But they've fallen to 6-3 now... still solid, but trending poorly.

[ScubaSteve]

Whatever. They did really well to even get this far.

[Knives Out]

*f-bomb* me harder. I’m not even worried.

[ScubaSteve]

The goaltending dilemma for this game is fascinating. There’s no clear correct decision.

[Troy McClure]

Razor likes to say, and Bob Sturm likes to echo, that in the playoffs your scorers check and your checkers score. That's been taken to an extreme to mean your scorers not scoring is ok as long as they're checking, but that's bullshit. What it means is you need players to do more than they do during the regular season.

We are seeing what happens when Tampa's scorers score and check. In their three wins, Point, Kucherov, and Hedman are putting up video game numbers, while the Stars have only one good game from some of their best players.

[dyhp]

3-1....the most dangerous series lead in hockey. Tampa is FUCKED.

[B Kat]

Oettinger still has yet to give up a goal in these entire playoffs. He's the guy we need in net.

Let him play.

[ScubaSteve]

3-1....the most dangerous series lead in hockey. Tampa is FUCKED.

Woah

[wonko80]

3-1....the most dangerous series lead in hockey. Tampa is FUCKED.

Woah

A blast from the past!

[Knives Out]

Our Stamkos just made an appearance ...

[Troy McClure]

Our Stamkos just made an appearance ...

Yep. See you next season, pants

[ScubaSteve]

I feel like this thing fell apart when RBG went down.

[Troy McClure]

No Stamkos again.

Khudobin starts. Bishop still unfit to play.

Hintz, Comeau, and Faksa out. Dowling is in for Hintz.

[Knives Out]

LET JAKE THE SNAKE OTTER PLAY!

#sadrallytits

[ScubaSteve]

Making Dobby play on this back to back when he’s already clearly used up is downright cruel, but I guess they don’t have another option. You dance with the one who brought you.

[dyhp]

No Stamkos again.

No way they can overcome that loss.

[Troy McClure]

Making Dobby play on this back to back when he’s already clearly used up is downright cruel, but I guess they don’t have another option. You dance with the one who brought you.

Nill is driving down his contract price.

[Troy McClure]

LET JAKE THE SNAKE OTTER PLAY!

#sadrallytits

Yes, I agree. He otter be playing.

[ScubaSteve]

At this point it’s not about winning, it’s about which decision gets the least criticism for Bones and Nill. There’s no good decision, but if you start an untested rookie in an elimination game and get torched, the media will destroy you. If you start an unhealthy Bishop and get torched, the media will destroy you, especially after what happened last time you played Bishop. If you start Dobby, he’s your guy, and it’s just unfortunate that he wore down.

[The Frugal Gourmet]

I have this sinking feeling that if we lose tonight our magical run will end.

[Jason]

At this point it’s not about winning, it’s about which decision gets the least criticism for Bones and Nill. There’s no good decision, but if you start an untested rookie in an elimination game and get torched, the media will destroy you. If you start an unhealthy Bishop and get torched, the media will destroy you, especially after what happened last time you played Bishop. If you start Dobby, he’s your guy, and it’s just unfortunate that he wore down.

That's exactly why Oettinger should have started game four.

Starting the same goalie again, who was awful the previous three games instead of trying a different option, should get the most criticism of all. With a competent goalie this series is different, the penalty kill is better, it changes everything. Instead throw away the chance to win the cup, because you're stuck using a veteran goalie who the other team has exploited and who wasn't good in 3 of the 4 series.

Despite how bad Khudobin was, if they scored on that 4 on 3 PP it's a 2-2 series.

[ScubaSteve]

At this point it’s not about winning, it’s about which decision gets the least criticism for Bones and Nill. There’s no good decision, but if you start an untested rookie in an elimination game and get torched, the media will destroy you. If you start an unhealthy Bishop and get torched, the media will destroy you, especially after what happened last time you played Bishop. If you start Dobby, he’s your guy, and it’s just unfortunate that he wore down.

That's exactly why Oettinger should have started game four.

Starting the same goalie again, who was awful the previous three games instead of trying a different option, should get the most criticism of all. With a competent goalie this series is different, the penalty kill is better, it changes everything. Instead throw away the chance to win the cup, because you're stuck using a veteran goalie who the other team has exploited and who wasn't good in 3 of the 4 series.

Despite how bad Khudobin was, if they scored on that 4 on 3 PP it's a 2-2 series.

Yeah, but I also understand the decision to go all in with Dobby to try to win Game 4. But they lost that gamble, and now they’re toast.

[ToddM]

Weird to think this is only the second elimination game we've played so far.

[dyhp]

2 more hours. I have a lot less anxiety for this game, compared to every other game they have played.

[ScubaSteve]

It’s easy to not be stressed when you know Tampa has already won the Cup and tonight is just mop up duty. It’s smart of them to rest Stamkos and not risk further injury...with the quick turnaround for next season, any player significantly injured at this stage would miss half of next season too.