2020 Stanley Cup finals

[caveman27 208]

About two more hours before the game starts, I like that it can go either way. Predictable lop-sided championship games are kind of boring.

 

 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

This is the point, up 2-0 at the end of the 2nd period, that if I were the Lightning I would just casually mention to the officials that the Stars goalie is using an illegal stick. 

[SirJW 207]

Great tournament! Tampa dominated the Stars for most of the series and deserve to drink from The Cup! 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Yea this whole game I was thinking it felt like the kings in 2014 where it was pretty clear the rangers weren’t even in the same ballpark and you just knew it was a matter of time.

Congrats to the lightning, well earned!

[BenBreeg 493]

Pretty solid job by the NHL coming up with a plan and executing on it.  That was a really cool tournament.  

[marka 526]

Howdy,

1 hour ago, BenBreeg said:

Pretty solid job by the NHL coming up with a plan and executing on it.  That was a really cool tournament.  

For sure.  When this whole thing started, I figured it was 50/50 that some team would be eliminated because 8 players got the virus or whatever.  Not only didn't that happen, but no positive test at all?  Crazy.

I'm curious if they had any positive test for any of the hotel/service staff.  Those folks weren't bubbled, right?

Really nice that they were able to pull this off.  From a fan perspective, it honestly was pretty great.  Really feel bad for the players who won the cup that weren't able to have their families join them on the ice though.

Mark

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

Kiddos to the NHL for pulling this off. Yes, it sucks not having fans in the stands but as a hockey nerd, I really enjoyed the competition shown throughout the Bubble Hockey Tournament. Good on TB for winning the Stanley Cup again as a "small market" team.

[althoma1 574]

I enjoyed watching the bubble hockey as well. Some of the results were expected and others were surprises. A friend asked me who I thought would be in the finals and who would win before the tournament started. I said Colorado and Tampa with Tampa winning, but that also assumed that Tampa had Stamkos (and Colorado wasn't down to their third string goalie). I kind of wish I would've put money on that, but the odds probably weren't that astronomical anyway - everyone knows Tampa is superbly talented.

Dallas and Tampa are helped by their state tax situation; they can offer players lower salaries than teams in tax heavy states and provinces. Of course, the same is true of the Florida Panthers and they didn't make it out of the play in rounds. I still think some kind of "after tax" cap would be more fair, but it'd also be very complicated. 

 

Edited September 30, 2020 by althoma1

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

Good call on Colorado. They were decimated with injuries. They were fun to watch. As I Flyers fan, I'm envious of all the young talent that roster has haha.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Agreed, I think it would have been Tampa/Colorado if they weren't so damn injured. Maybe Vegas could have beat Colorado but either way I think Dallas should have probably been out in the second round if it weren't for the injuries. 

[althoma1 574]

If Colorado gets a stud goalie this offseason and don't have major injuries in the playoffs; they'd have to be a favourite to win the cup next season. Tampa should still be good, but won't be able to keep everyone with their cap issues.