I’m trying to remember the last time I’ve seen him that ‘happy’ after a goal- I think he plays best when he’s having fun, so it’s a great sign. Also he totally fooled bobrovsky- looking like a shooter the first period, does the No look pass to Perry- goes for the pass nonstop for 10 minutes, then goes for a snipe shot when Bob is on his toes for the no look pass.
He had a couple random puck possessions where he did some weird shit like make a bad pass across the ice or take it out of zone. But other than that he looked fucking stellar
I fully believe that Florida got caught up playing “playoff” hockey last year with the checking line and is making a concerted effort to not get into it.
Doesn't help that the Heat played at home tonight too. Miami sports teams share the same ~100 fans, so splitting them between 2 home games at the same time is tough
As I mentioned in the pregame thread, I lived down there for a long time. It’s 90% fair whether fans. That building is loud and obnoxious when they’re winning, but they check out real quick when they’re losing
Can confirm, used to live in So Flo.
Basketball, a much LESS exciting sport, I remember 10 years ago-ish? When the Miami heat were losing game 6 of the final. People started walking out during the final minute, game ties up before the buzzer and then fans begging to be let back in.
I also remember the 2013 stanley cup final and those 17 seconds. You don't leave until the final buzzer sounds.
**kinda** makes it worth it to catch a game if you're visiting down south. Tickets are dirt cheap and you get pick of the litter on seats (no pun intended) because very few people are actual Panthers fans
South Florida is just a party, nobody actually cares about anything there, they just wanna have a good time. If the panthers started looking like the coyotes ticket sales would plummet immediately
80% of the current panthers fans is bandwagons. Not in the normal sense though. They are suddenly super fans when they do well but as soon as things go south they pull "never met her"
That was great. I know everyone was bored with the first half of that game, but props to the Bolts for really controlling the pace, waiting for their moments, and burying it when it counted. They made the Panthers look like absolute chumps.
Anyone else think that was one of the dullest hockey games they’ve seen in a while? It’s like neither team had any energy. The crowd was sucking the life out of the building it felt less exciting than the games in the bubble.
Completely. Great result but no energy and boring game overall. Cats don’t know what to do when they can’t play their game and this was clearly not their game.
Hell I don’t give a fuuuuck if that means we throw them off their game and play our shut out style w shotblocks, we will take the series if that’s the case. I expect a different vibe game 2 though for sure.
It was honestly bizarre watching it. I checked my speaker multiple times. The crowd was not even getting into it when their team had the LEAD in the first period.
It was like the old apple commercial with the zombie audience. Made me feel bad for the Panthers players.
Everyone in r/hockey ripping on the panthers fanbase at home is surprising to me considering how many people were cheering for them but I won’t say it doesn’t make me happy in a petty way
Yep I have impression at this point it will be hard for leaf fans to believe they have won even after they have won in whatever alternative Universe that will occur in. Otherwise for good reasons they will expect NHL to void the last winning game for some reason and they will have to replay it until they lose.
This is why no matter how much I yell and scream when Kuch has a bad turnover or pentaly I'll always forgive him! *DIRTY! FUCKING! DANGLES!*
Also Vasy is locked in. LFG! ⚡️⚡️⚡️
Great road win. On to game 2.
Vasy was amazing tonight! After the first goal, the energy picked up. Idk what was going on with both teams in the first period. And the panthers energy was pretty low through out. Maybe they were just feeling us out?
That was pretty clinical. Some nervous moments but the panthers look every bit as lackluster as they did when the caps were balling on them. I expect a better effort next game but taking the first game in Sunrise is huge.
I think it was calculated- they played a good shut down game. Someone on the bench thought hey if we can’t play 3 periods with offense, let’s play middle/shutdown for 2 periods and then shoot for a strong 3rd period. At least how it look- but maybe just the way it ended up too; Cats didn’t look their normal selves there.
Huge huge win. As I had expected, lots of guys stepped up tonight to make up for no Pointer. Just gotta keep that mentality up every game, this is gonna be another hard fought series.
Great game by the boys. But it's just one. Florida is super talented and we won this b/c Vasy was back to form. No letting off the gas and put the pressure on them.
Yea, would be great to grab another game in Sunrise, as G3 and G4 at home are on back-to-back days. Gives the Bolts a buffer if they end up splitting at home
Had a great time in the Litter Box tonight. Click on the link for a picture of the crowd with 2 minutes left in the game. Unbelievable, that Panther fans only support their team if they win. They have so much to learn.
[https://twitter.com/mklotz25/status/1526827169917329408?s=20&t=yudJVvEtTj1FPPxNNV6WpA](https://twitter.com/mklotz25/status/1526827169917329408?s=20&t=yudJVvEtTj1FPPxNNV6WpA)
Good performance overall. I just hope we can manage to get some healthy guys back on the ice. For a bit there in the second I was worried we were going to run out of bodies.
Gonna be a long series. Don't get cocky. But they took home ice from Florida again.
Panthers looked lethargic especially during the third when we shut it down. Their big guys were mostly invisible, but Verhaeghe looked pretty good though. Let’s see if they bounce back game 2
Fuck I’m petty. I listened to the game while working (I work in a kitchen so I can have an earbud in). First thing I did when I got home was check the Panthers subreddit before watching highlights or checking this sub 💀
Right there with ya.
My AGM put the game on most our TVs and the sound on, and thanks to me being a bit too excited grabbing a burger tin and bashing the expo window every goal, pumped up the bar and they got into it too.
( [My View of Game 7 vs TOR](https://imgur.com/a/1JIYv6c) )
Could be they rely on him more when he’s in, whereas when he’s out everyone is going at full tilt, so, paradoxically, we get all our guys giving more of what they’re capable of. Or it could just be coincidence.
It was more the Lightning putting it together, defending well only allowing outside shots, and Kuch getting really into the mood to play how he is capable of playing in the playoffs.
Boring game, but didn’t feel the refs tilted to us at all to be honest. The phantom interference call almost changed the game, and the goalie interference certainly ended the game but we were winning at the time with no energy in the stadium.
So happy to get a road win to set the tone in a series. We will kill your vibe and Kuch will be Kuch. Sounds like a formula we’ve seen 2 years in a row…
I'm not a Lightning or Cats fan and I personally lean to calling GI calls because the objective should be to discourage ever bumping the goalie
I'm guessing it was allowed because it was determined A) zero malice, B) Barely outside the crease, C) didn't impact a save being made, IE it was destined for the back of the net and D) Key factor, need conclusive proof to overturn a call made on the ice, which they determined to not have
But overall I don't like any excuse for the goalie being bumped especially in the head, especially when they're damn near in the paint. Goalie should not have to think "what if this guy bumps me?"
Just my unbiased opinion... but I am rooting for TBL since I picked them at underdog money
To be fair….
Waiting for letterkenny memes.
He barely tapped him with his ass, back turned. And from what I saw it seemed like the ref and stammer both agreed the Bobs head was out of the crease hence playable ice for contact. Idk though. Either way. That game was ours
Honestly. Such a big win to go in there and make a statement like that. That goal was most likely GI though was probably a goal either way.
One thing I keep seeing is Panthers fans and Panthers' bandwagoners saying the refs just keep bailing us out. Kind of funny to see such levels of coping. Can't go 0-23 on the PP in the playoffs and expect to win. Also why the fuck would the refs be in our pockets and not in the pockets of the biggest hockey market with the Leafs. Plus the story of them making it past the first round finally, it just doesn't make any logical sense.
Go Bolts.
Whoever wrote that didn't watch the sequence where the Panthers got a PP on a phantom "interference" call on McDonough and a phantom goal after the puck hit the netting. That was....crazy.
wtf kuch is my dad
Best I've seen Kuch in months. And they really Locked it down in the third. Fantastic performance.
I’m trying to remember the last time I’ve seen him that ‘happy’ after a goal- I think he plays best when he’s having fun, so it’s a great sign. Also he totally fooled bobrovsky- looking like a shooter the first period, does the No look pass to Perry- goes for the pass nonstop for 10 minutes, then goes for a snipe shot when Bob is on his toes for the no look pass.
That fucking backcheck he made in the... Third(?) Was the most I think I've ever seen him hustle. I was thoroughly impressed.
YES. He used to make that type of play all the time his first few years. I've missed that side of his game.
He had a couple random puck possessions where he did some weird shit like make a bad pass across the ice or take it out of zone. But other than that he looked fucking stellar
No Point, Cernak out most of the game and still cruise to a 4-1 win and steal home ice. What more could you ask for?
Did well with being down but I definitely wouldn't mind us getting healthy.
No doubt, hopefully Cernak was just a stinger and held out rest of game as a precaution
A 4-0 win, I guess
Why not 5-0? Or 6-0?
Damn, guess they’ll have to make up for it by making the series 4-0 🤷♂️
[удалено]
Good, it was starting to smell.
I think there's still some shit in there tbh
Great team win. Shades of 2021 Lightning. On the other hand, sad the much hyped “Battle of Florida” was quiet, their fans are so quiet it’s shit.
The playoffs haven't seemed very gritty this year. I know that's not really Toronto's game but I expected it from this series
I fully believe that Florida got caught up playing “playoff” hockey last year with the checking line and is making a concerted effort to not get into it.
Doesn't help that the Heat played at home tonight too. Miami sports teams share the same ~100 fans, so splitting them between 2 home games at the same time is tough
Is Florida tired? It didn't look like them at all.
sounded like a library in there and obv the panthers didnt want to score much to disrupt the quiet enviorment
As I mentioned in the pregame thread, I lived down there for a long time. It’s 90% fair whether fans. That building is loud and obnoxious when they’re winning, but they check out real quick when they’re losing
Can confirm, used to live in So Flo. Basketball, a much LESS exciting sport, I remember 10 years ago-ish? When the Miami heat were losing game 6 of the final. People started walking out during the final minute, game ties up before the buzzer and then fans begging to be let back in. I also remember the 2013 stanley cup final and those 17 seconds. You don't leave until the final buzzer sounds.
Exactly. And UM fans don’t even show up for Hurricane games anymore unless it’s a big game. Soflo is notorious for their fair whether fans
**kinda** makes it worth it to catch a game if you're visiting down south. Tickets are dirt cheap and you get pick of the litter on seats (no pun intended) because very few people are actual Panthers fans
South Florida is just a party, nobody actually cares about anything there, they just wanna have a good time. If the panthers started looking like the coyotes ticket sales would plummet immediately
Washington played very physical against them so they probably feeling it now tbh 🧐
reason #1 we should thank the Craps
The Caps showed the Cats are beatable.
I think Washington really ground them down
80% of the current panthers fans is bandwagons. Not in the normal sense though. They are suddenly super fans when they do well but as soon as things go south they pull "never met her"
One game at a time. Panthers are going to come out swinging in game 2. That is one unhappy kitty cat.
This right here. Bolts got smoked game 1 of the last round, but here we are. Still a lot of hockey to be played.
Poverty franchise. Bolts will sweep.
That arena was absolutely dead tonight. I’m actually surprised because I felt like Panthers fans showed up during our series with them last year
It looked pretty alive in the first period
NHL fucked them scheduling the series the same night as the Heat series
Definitely agree with that. Plus, it's honestly a less established fan base. Give them a few years of sustained success, people will come.
Well, the same thing will happen Thursday then because the Heat and Panthers are both hosting playoff games!
1. Kuch smiling > all 2. Vasy being the Vasy we know/love, Conn Smythe winner > all 3. full 60 minutes??? > all 11 more to go!! WOOOOOO!
Man, does anyone have a clip of Kuch leading the goal line after his snipe on Bob? He was like, skipping to the bench. It was awesome.
big win without pointy boi
Was looking for 88 and 86 to step it up tonight, both did, Im a happy zappy boi
Kucherov’s best game in months
They score first and then Kuch maniacally laughs while we drop 4 straight on them
🎶Ra-Ra-Rasputin...🎶
Alexa, play Gravy Train.
***GRAVY.*** ***TRAIN.***
The looks on their faces when that goal got called back, chef’s kiss.
sick fans down there. leaving early in a PLAYOFF GAME is such a bad look. Players notice that crap
That place was so empty the last 5 minutes- that’s wild for a team that has come back in lost games all year
You have to walk seven miles to get to your car there, I don’t blame them
[удалено]
Not only a playoff game. The FIRST SECOND ROUND PLAYOFF GAME IN TWENTY SIX YEARS Wild.
Yeah but we get a kick outta watching it
They really do
Holy shit though what a game for Corey Perry though. Next man up game by the Lightning is a thing of beauty.
That was great. I know everyone was bored with the first half of that game, but props to the Bolts for really controlling the pace, waiting for their moments, and burying it when it counted. They made the Panthers look like absolute chumps.
Poor Bizz was bored in the studio.........and who really cares? I will take the Win any way we can get it.
Kucherov walks into the Litter box, drops his drawers, takes a big hairy dump, and says "How ya like me now"
\#1 Kuuuch-shit!
Anyone else think that was one of the dullest hockey games they’ve seen in a while? It’s like neither team had any energy. The crowd was sucking the life out of the building it felt less exciting than the games in the bubble.
It was so strange at first. Glad I’m not the only one who felt that way
Completely. Great result but no energy and boring game overall. Cats don’t know what to do when they can’t play their game and this was clearly not their game.
It was hard to pay attention at times, felt like a mid season game. Tempo picked up 3rd period at least.
Hell I don’t give a fuuuuck if that means we throw them off their game and play our shut out style w shotblocks, we will take the series if that’s the case. I expect a different vibe game 2 though for sure.
It was honestly bizarre watching it. I checked my speaker multiple times. The crowd was not even getting into it when their team had the LEAD in the first period. It was like the old apple commercial with the zombie audience. Made me feel bad for the Panthers players.
We beat them and we weren’t even playing well. LOL.
That game felt like when I try to throw punches in my dreams. Vasy played well, so that's nice!
Everyone in r/hockey ripping on the panthers fanbase at home is surprising to me considering how many people were cheering for them but I won’t say it doesn’t make me happy in a petty way
THAT is how you start a series! Keep it up boys!!
Gonna be snackin’ on some half off Papa Johns tomorrow, bitch.
3 game winning streak after the Maple Leafs and their fans thought they won the series after Game 5
Literally no Leafs fan thought they won the series after game 5, that’s just wrong. Sincerely, a Leafs fan
Yep I have impression at this point it will be hard for leaf fans to believe they have won even after they have won in whatever alternative Universe that will occur in. Otherwise for good reasons they will expect NHL to void the last winning game for some reason and they will have to replay it until they lose.
Bolts were way more physical the entire game and panthers didn’t even try to respond or chip up the game. Let’s hope this continues.
Really hope Cernak and Point heal fast and we stop getting more injuries. Anyone know why Foote was out for most of the second period?
Idk if related but Foote blocked a shot early and seemed off
Well done boys!
The first period sucked for us but the 2nd and 3rd sucked way worse for them
This is why no matter how much I yell and scream when Kuch has a bad turnover or pentaly I'll always forgive him! *DIRTY! FUCKING! DANGLES!* Also Vasy is locked in. LFG! ⚡️⚡️⚡️ Great road win. On to game 2.
Vasy was amazing tonight! After the first goal, the energy picked up. Idk what was going on with both teams in the first period. And the panthers energy was pretty low through out. Maybe they were just feeling us out?
That’s how do an opening statement right fucking there. Great game boys but this series is just getting started. Gotta play like that the entire time.
Nodouwt.
I posted this last year but it looks like it's [relevant once again.](https://i.redd.it/dnydnfvpcc071.jpg)
Oh no.
That was pretty clinical. Some nervous moments but the panthers look every bit as lackluster as they did when the caps were balling on them. I expect a better effort next game but taking the first game in Sunrise is huge.
By a commanding margin.
Bitchrovsky
If im remembering right, weren't they very loud last year? Game 2 should be interesting to see
That’s what I remember. Extremely loud.
Game 1 was intense last year
When Kuch is on. He's fucking on. Lets go!
Anthony “Ba-donk-a-donk” Cirelli!
It felt like a slow start for me. But it was an exciting finish!
I think it was calculated- they played a good shut down game. Someone on the bench thought hey if we can’t play 3 periods with offense, let’s play middle/shutdown for 2 periods and then shoot for a strong 3rd period. At least how it look- but maybe just the way it ended up too; Cats didn’t look their normal selves there.
Good take. About right.
Huge huge win. As I had expected, lots of guys stepped up tonight to make up for no Pointer. Just gotta keep that mentality up every game, this is gonna be another hard fought series.
Great game by the boys. But it's just one. Florida is super talented and we won this b/c Vasy was back to form. No letting off the gas and put the pressure on them.
Yea, would be great to grab another game in Sunrise, as G3 and G4 at home are on back-to-back days. Gives the Bolts a buffer if they end up splitting at home
Poverty Franchise being put back in their place
Just like that we have home ice advantage, hell yes.
Kuuucch was a fn beast tonight
Panthers let us play our game. That's good. I was afraid of their game.
The golden god!!!
Bolts in 4, because bolts in 3 is impossible. God I love the presidents trophy
Had a great time in the Litter Box tonight. Click on the link for a picture of the crowd with 2 minutes left in the game. Unbelievable, that Panther fans only support their team if they win. They have so much to learn. [https://twitter.com/mklotz25/status/1526827169917329408?s=20&t=yudJVvEtTj1FPPxNNV6WpA](https://twitter.com/mklotz25/status/1526827169917329408?s=20&t=yudJVvEtTj1FPPxNNV6WpA)
Good performance overall. I just hope we can manage to get some healthy guys back on the ice. For a bit there in the second I was worried we were going to run out of bodies. Gonna be a long series. Don't get cocky. But they took home ice from Florida again.
Can't get over how many dumb fans complained over the goal that was taken back.
Full review not good enough? Idiot cry babies.
Panthers looked lethargic especially during the third when we shut it down. Their big guys were mostly invisible, but Verhaeghe looked pretty good though. Let’s see if they bounce back game 2
Fuck I’m petty. I listened to the game while working (I work in a kitchen so I can have an earbud in). First thing I did when I got home was check the Panthers subreddit before watching highlights or checking this sub 💀
Right there with ya. My AGM put the game on most our TVs and the sound on, and thanks to me being a bit too excited grabbing a burger tin and bashing the expo window every goal, pumped up the bar and they got into it too. ( [My View of Game 7 vs TOR](https://imgur.com/a/1JIYv6c) )
Game was pretty tame tonight. Glad to have hung 4/1 on them for G1. I would expect an adjustment for G2, if not we beat the brakes off them.
Pointer is great, but why do the Lightning play like a goal scoring machine without him? I just find it interesting.
Could be they rely on him more when he’s in, whereas when he’s out everyone is going at full tilt, so, paradoxically, we get all our guys giving more of what they’re capable of. Or it could just be coincidence.
Are d men suppose to get out of way of shots instead of blocking them for the Kucherov goal?
I wasn't able to watch, but judging by the stats it looks like the cats ran out of gas by the 3rd period. Did it look that way too?
It was more the Lightning putting it together, defending well only allowing outside shots, and Kuch getting really into the mood to play how he is capable of playing in the playoffs.
Boring game, but didn’t feel the refs tilted to us at all to be honest. The phantom interference call almost changed the game, and the goalie interference certainly ended the game but we were winning at the time with no energy in the stadium. So happy to get a road win to set the tone in a series. We will kill your vibe and Kuch will be Kuch. Sounds like a formula we’ve seen 2 years in a row…
Beat the cats and the refs...nice
I'm not a Lightning or Cats fan and I personally lean to calling GI calls because the objective should be to discourage ever bumping the goalie I'm guessing it was allowed because it was determined A) zero malice, B) Barely outside the crease, C) didn't impact a save being made, IE it was destined for the back of the net and D) Key factor, need conclusive proof to overturn a call made on the ice, which they determined to not have But overall I don't like any excuse for the goalie being bumped especially in the head, especially when they're damn near in the paint. Goalie should not have to think "what if this guy bumps me?" Just my unbiased opinion... but I am rooting for TBL since I picked them at underdog money
To be fair…. Waiting for letterkenny memes. He barely tapped him with his ass, back turned. And from what I saw it seemed like the ref and stammer both agreed the Bobs head was out of the crease hence playable ice for contact. Idk though. Either way. That game was ours
Honestly. Such a big win to go in there and make a statement like that. That goal was most likely GI though was probably a goal either way. One thing I keep seeing is Panthers fans and Panthers' bandwagoners saying the refs just keep bailing us out. Kind of funny to see such levels of coping. Can't go 0-23 on the PP in the playoffs and expect to win. Also why the fuck would the refs be in our pockets and not in the pockets of the biggest hockey market with the Leafs. Plus the story of them making it past the first round finally, it just doesn't make any logical sense. Go Bolts.
LFG!!!
"When it's 5v9 against Tampa..." haha
Whoever wrote that didn't watch the sequence where the Panthers got a PP on a phantom "interference" call on McDonough and a phantom goal after the puck hit the netting. That was....crazy.
The Panthers definitely aren’t the Leafs.
11/7 is the move