Can the Lightning Finish the Job?

By Mark Pukalo


The Tampa Bay Lightning are the best team in hockey.

Heck, they may be the best team in all of sports right now, including European soccer leagues. Yes, the shootout thing diminishes their NHL record-tying 62 wins in the regular season, but they lost two straight games in regulation once in 2018-19. Once!

But, in a lot of ways, that was the easy part. An accumulation of wins in the regular season comes down to the amount of talent you have, some luck and health. The team with the most offense and the best goaltender in the league won a lot of games. No surprise.

It will take much more to win a Stanley Cup. The Lightning probably had the most talent in the NHL last season and were an offensive juggernaut, but got shut out in the final two games of the Eastern Conference finals. They had a chance to win the East in 2017 in Game 6 at home, but failed. Two years earlier, the Bolts had a 2-1 lead in the Stanley Cup finals with two home games left on the schedule and lost three in a row.

Tampa Bay needs to prove it can finish the job. Can they do it? Absolutely. Will they be able navigate the gauntlet if they must get through Boston and Washington again? We will see.

The positives?

* Captain Steven Stamkos is playing his best hockey since 2011-12. Is this finally going to be his big playoff run?

* Andrei Vasilevskiy is the best goalie in the world and the Lightning have the edge between the pipes in every series, especially if they should make the finals.

* Experience. The Lightning has been there, done that. The pressure will not be the factor in them losing.

* Depth. Tampa Bay has even more depth than last season and has the ability to use different combinations against different teams. The Bolts don't have to overplay the top six.

The Negatives?

* Anton Stralman’s lower-body injury. In a lot of ways, Stralman is the glue to the defense. If he can’t play, that moves either Dan Girardi or Mikhail Sergachev - on his off side - into the top four. It’s not the end of the world, it’s just not ideal, especially with how slow Girardi looked in his comeback game Saturday.

* Special teams. You don’t get as many power plays in the postseason, so the best unit in the league won’t easily win a game. The penalty killing better not be as bad this time around against Boston, if the teams meet.

* The Lightning’s propensity to fall back on old habits when it gets harder to score goals, over passing and missing the net.

* While Tampa Bay is more physical with Erik Cernak, Adam Erne, J.T. Miller in the lineup, if the Bolts get pulled into that type of game against Boston and Washington it won’t be a good thing.

* Then, there are coaching adjustments.

Listen, you can’t take 62 wins away from Jon Cooper. And maybe you can’t blame him for Ben Bishop skating to the blue line to get to a puck or Jonathan Drouin’s skate being a sliver off the ice at the blue line (was it really?) to take the lead goal away. But there have been some tough losses along the way and the Lightning are 0-7 - 0-3 at home - with leads in their final playoff series three of the past four years.

You can argue things could have been done to win both the Chicago and Pittsburgh series. The players also could have played better. But Cooper and his assistants never got a grip against Washington last season and the Bolts were better in about three of the 21 periods during the series. They were destined to lose, even though they were up 3-2, and playing the fourth line against the Caps’ top unit Did Not Work. Perhaps changes in the coaching staff, adding Derek Lalonde and especially Jeff Halpern, will help.

The hope is that Cooper has learned from his mistakes and will guide this team where it belongs by not overthinking his decisions.

Will the positives outweigh the negatives? It sure looks like they can. They should for the best team in the league.

No way am I making a definitive prediction, though. The playoffs are a different animal with injuries and momentum. But I will throw forward two possible scenarios.

* The Lightning beat Winnipeg in the final. The Bolts show they are truly the best team by rolling through the playoffs. No one can slow their offense and, with Vasy manning the net, the Cup is raised again in the Bay.

* The Capitals win their second straight title, knocking off Vegas in a repeat of the 2018 final. Marc-Andre Fleury takes the Knights to the final as the best goalie in the West. The Bruins knock off the Lightning in the second round, stealing one of three in Tampa and winning all of their home games.

I can see both scenarios happening very easily. Anything goes in the playoffs. Things happen so fast.

Perhaps its a good omen that Tampa Bay meets John Tortorella and Columbus in the first round. Tortorella made all the right moves to give the Bolts their only Cup in 2004. It seems right they see Torts to start their run to a second.

Lightning fans just need to hope that this is not a crazy playoff season - that the best team wins it all.

Not the best team the next two months. The best team.

Plenty of Love and Hate in 2018 Movies

By Mark Pukalo


There is no story about walking out of the theater, knowing that I had just seen the best film of 2018. That light did not go on for me this time around.

The year was filled with very good movies, many that taught us something - or at least attempted to. It just didn't have one that clearly stood out above the rest. But 2018 certainly had it's memorable moments on the big screen and many amazing performances.

There were probably a dozen films I considered at some point might end up at the top of my annual list. Some of them were nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, but the one I ultimately picked as No. 1 for 2018 was not one of them. It was simply the one that affected me the most.

"The Hate U Give" is based on the wildly successful book by Angie Thomas, who used part of a phrase from Tupac for the name. The late Audrey Wells wrote a thoughtful screen play and director George Tillman Jr. carefully tells the story of racial tensions, police brutality, gang and gun violence through the eyes of 16-year-old Starr Carter.

Carter, played impeccably by Amandla Stenberg (Rue from the Hunger Games), lives with her family in a black neighborhood but her parents had the opportunity to send her across town to a ritzy prep school where she plays basketball. Starr struggles to live in two totally different worlds, but her life forever changes after witnessing a horrible tragedy.

Russell Hornsby should have been nominated as Best Supporting Actor for his role as the teenager's father, showing his strength and his undying love for his family after serving time in jail to protect his former boss. Common also shows up as Starr's uncle - a straight-laced cop - and the two have one of the most thought-provoking scenes together late in the movie.

The best thing about the film in my opinion is it is not preachy. It simply touches all the right buttons and makes you think, and mostly care. That is why after much thought, "The Hate U Give" is the best movie of 2018 in my eyes.

There were many more amazing moments this year, such as Lady Gaga grabbing the microphone and belting out "Shallow," Rami Malek killing it as Freddie Mercury at Live Aid, beautiful Wakanda!, Sam Rockwell's turn as W, breakout performances from Yalitza Aparicio and Thomasin McKenzie, the ending of Green Book, Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon saying nice things about Michael Moore, the first walk on the moon, Lea Thompson's daughter absolutely loving a pizza, Uncle Drew draining jumpers from long range, that last call to David Duke and so, so much more.

It was a fun year at the theater. Plenty of delicious popcorn and free refills at Riverview 14 GDX. There were also several good movies I enjoyed on the computer in 2018, where I heard the best quote of the year.

Just remember this.

"In all golden afternoons, there are movers, there are shakers and then, there are shirkers."


Here's my top 25 for 2018!


25 (tie). The Miracle Season - It does play a little like an after-school special, but this true story about the tragic death of a high school volleyball player in Iowa is well acted and pulls at the heart strings. Erin Moriarty, Helen Hunt and William Hurt shine.

25 (tie). Operation Finale - Oscar Isaac is brilliant as the leader of a team of Israeli agents who track down Nazi leader Adolf Richmann, who was prominent in organizing the Holocaust before escaping and hiding out in Buenos Aires.

24. Shirkers - This odd little documentary took a little while to get into, but I ended up wanting to watch it multiple times. Three smart young women from Singapore make a unique local movie with the help of their mysterious male mentor, but the film goes missing for many years.

23. Widows - Sometimes you like a movie much better the second viewing and that was the case with this film by Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave). Politics, revenge and crime mix well and Viola Davis roars through another powerful performance while Colin Farrell is effortlessly slimy.

22. First Reformed - Ethan Hawke provides a career highlight performance as the minister of a small church in rural New York - which is being swallowed up by a big new wave congregation - who is dealing with many difficult personal issues. Did not love the ending, which dropped it down a few spots.

21. Solo, A Star Wars Story - Ron Howard directs the pre-story of the great Han Solo and it ends up being a fun ride from start to finish. It is just as compelling as another recent Star Wars spinoff - Rogue One.


20. Free Solo - Fascinating documentary about daredevil rock climber Alex Honnold's quest to climb the dangerous El Capitan in Yosemite without a rope. He is both nuts and amazing.

19. The Rider - The authentic story of a young cowboy in South Dakota who endures a difficult journey after suffering a head injury. Director Chloe Zhao's film pulls you in and makes you care, especially about the main character's autistic sister Lilly.

18. First Man - If there was a list for the best second half of movies for 2018, this would be in the top 10. The first half is a little slow while following a brooding Neil Armstrong, but when the story of the first trip to the moon begins it is stirring.

17. Creed II - The Rocky saga lives on. Michael B. Jordan hits a home run again as Adonis Creed. This time, Creed faces the son of Ivan Drago, the Russian monster who killed his father Apollo in the ring.

16. Leave No Trace - The amazing Thomasin McKenzie steals the screen as the 13-year-old daughter of a veteran with PTSD (Ben Foster), who cannot feel safe in one place. Their journey is both exhilarating and heartbreaking.

15. Searching - This unique modern day mystery follows the disappearance of a widower's daughter. John Cho (Harold from Harold & Kumar) plays the father, who gets pulled in different directions before a somewhat surprising ending.

14. Fahrenheit 11/9 - Yeah, conservatives probably won't like this one, but Michael Moore's latest film about how Trump somehow won a national election is humorous, chilling and interesting. Spoiler Alert: He blames it all on poor Gwen Stefani.

13. Green Book - I have predicted this film will win Best Picture and it is certainly worthy of that in the final 30-40 minutes. Viggo Mortensen might have overplayed his role a bit as an Italian bouncer who takes a job protecting a brilliant black classical pianist portrayed by Mahershala Ali on his trip through the south. While it veers off course a bit in the middle, the film leaves you with a good feeling.

12. 22July - Director Paul Greengrass (United 93) tells the story of the worst terrorist attack in Norway history with incredible authenticity. You feel both hate and love intensely during the journey that keeps you glued to the screen for more than two hours.

11. Roma - Director Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity) provides a masterful subtitled film about the beloved maid of a family in Mexico during the early 1970s. Oscar nominee Yalitza Aparicio is wonderful as she juggles her own difficult life problems and the family's issues. Borras, the dog, also rocks.


10. Won't You Be My Neighbor? - I can't believe the Academy snubbed this film in its Best Documentary category, because I have not heard one bad word about it. I was not a huge Mr. Rogers fan when I was a young boy, but this film is educational and made me appreciate what a great man he was.

9. The Front Runner - Director Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Juno) brings us back to the story of Gary Hart, who could have easily been President if not for his infidelity with Donna Rice. It is historical, incredibly acted (I'm looking at you J.K. Simmons) and Hugh Jackman portrays the enigma that was Hart very well.

8. Vice - Christian Bale said he channeled "Satan" while portraying former vice president Dick Cheney in a film by Adam McKay (The Big Short). Seems about right. Bale makes Cheney human while the film still ultimately shows he was devious and most-likely criminal.

7. If Beale Street Could Talk - Director Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) gives us an emotional film about a young black woman who must carry a baby while the father - her childhood friend - has to fight the system after an unjust arrest. Regina King should win an Oscar as best supporting actress.

6. Bohemian Rhapsody - The story of the historic rock group Queen and its amazing front man Freddie Mercury is hated by many critics, but it won Best Picture at the Golden Globes. I call it a beautiful mess. While it is far from perfect and some of the time line changes can annoy you, I was incredibly entertained for more than two hours. Isn't that what a film is supposed to do?

5. A Star is Born - Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, in her major film debut, are amazing in this story about a troubled rock superstar and a talented underdog he falls for on his journey. The music is great and I can't imagine how anyone would not get emotionally involved in this movie.

4. BlacKkKlansman - It is amazing to me that Spike Lee received his first Oscar nomination this year. This powerful and enjoyable film tracks the true story of a black man who went undercover (on the phone) to become a member of the Klu Klux Klan. Adam Driver more than deserved his best supporting actor nomination.

3. Black Panther - Wakanda Forever! Very rarely do you see a film early in the year that is in the running for the best after 12 months, but this was very close. It is more than a super hero movie, it is about family, culture, nobility and togetherness. Leticia Wright steals the screen in every scene.

2. Crazy Rich Asians - The romantic comedy based on a best-selling novel is fun and emotional from the first minute to the last. Constance Wu is dazzling as she takes on her fiance's snotty rich mother when the couple travels to Singapore for a friend's wedding. The best love story of the year.


1. The Hate U Give - Black Lives (do) Matter. This film does not scream that, but the sentiment is clear and it shows the temptations and the impossible decisions minority youths in the inner city have to make. I truly believe this movie should be watched and discussed in schools. Let's talk about how we treat each other and how the police can deal with minorities and situations better. Great writing, great acting, plenty of heart. That's why it takes the No. 1 spot for the year.


Joe Lunardi's first six out: Instant Family (predictable, but sweet), Juliet, Naked (Unique story), Spiderman into the Spiderverse (best animated feature in some time), Support the Girls, Tag (You're it!), The 15:17 to Paris.

Did not see, but have interest: Cold War, Destroyer, Mary Queen of Scots, Minding the Gap

High Honorable Mention (recommend): Adrift  (Shailene Woodley), A Private War (Rosamund Pike was amazing), The Avengers: Infinity War (disappointed in the ending, but there is another film to come), Ben is Back, Blindspotting (cool stuff), Blockers (better than expected), Boy Erased, Cam (very unique and courageous), Deadpool 2 and Once Upon a Deadpool (not nearly as good as the original), The Death of Stalin, Eighth Grade (a little over-rated, but still good), The Equalizer 2 (Denzel, my man), Game Night, The Girl in the Spider's Web (way better than expected), Hurricane Heist, Isle of Dogs, Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom, Lean on Pete (Steve Buscemi plays a horse racing trainer in the first part of the film), The MisEducation of Cameron Post, Mission Impossible: Fallout, The Old Man & the Gun, On the Basis of Sex (RBG!, a pleasant film but a little too tame to make top 25), RBG, Rampage, Second Act, Set it Up (Pizza baby!!), Shoplifters (Interesting, heartening Japanese drama about a poor family making do), Social Animals (under-rated), To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Tomb Raider (Alicia Vikander - heart), Tully, Uncle Drew (who knew Kyrie could act?).

Second Honorable Mention (some redeeming value, but beware): Aquaman, A Quiet Place, A Simple Favor (Had potential)  A Wrinkle in Time (Oprah!) Ant Man & the Wasp, Assassination Nation (mindlessly bloody, but I kinda liked it), At Eternity's Gate (Willem DaFoe was really good), Beirut, Bird Box (makes blindfolds popular again), Book Club, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Chappaquiddick, Colette (Better than The Favourite), The Darkest Minds (Amandla Stenberg), Death Wish, Distorted, Dumplin', The First Purge, Hollow in the Land, The Incredibles 2, Kings (Halle), Life Itself (barely avoids worst list), Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, The Meg, M.I.L.F.,The Mule (Clint fails), Night School (Some laughs), Nobody's Fool (Tika Sumpter), Ocean's 8, Private Life, Proud Mary, Ready Player One, Red Sparrow (Jen), Sea Change (was going to be a TV series apparently, weird but held my interest), Skyscraper, Sorry to Bother You (many rate it higher than me), The Spy Who Dumped Me, Superfly, White Boy Rick, UFO, Upgrade, Venom, Welcome to Marwen, The Wife (Glenn Close is very good, though), Wildlife, You Were Not Really Here, 12 Strong.

Can't recommend: The Beyond, The Cloverfield Paradox, The Commuter, Den of Thieves, Disobedience, Don't Worry, He won't get far on Foot, Dragged Across Concrete, The Endless, How it Ends, I Feel Pretty, Incoming, Love Simon, Mile 22, Peppermint, The Sisters Brothers, Super Troopers 2, The Week Of, Thoroughbreds, 2036 Origin Unknown

Worst of the year: Mile 22.

Most overrated: Annihilation, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, The Favourite

Did not care to see: Alpha, Alex and Me, Bad Samaritan, Billionaire Boys Club, Breaking In, Bumble Bee, Christopher Robin, Dark Games, Dog Days, Every Day, Escape, Fifty Shades Freed, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, Galveston, Gemini, Gotti, The Grinch, Gringo, Halloween, The Happy Time Murders, Here and Now, Hereditary, The Home with a Clock in its Walls, Hunter Killer, Kin, Life of the Party, London Fields, Loving Pablo, Mandy, Mary Poppins Returns, Mid-90s, Midnight Sun, The Nun, On Chesil Beach, Overboard, Overlord, The Padre, Papillon, The Predator, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Reprisal, River Runs Red, Robin Hood, Show Dogs, Siberia, Sicario: Day of Soldado, Slender Man, Spinning Man, Submergence, Terminal, Truth or Dare, Unfriended, Unsane, Vox Lux, Where is Kyra, Winchester, 10x10, 7 Days in Entebbe, 5th Passenger.

PREVIOUS PICKS FOR BEST OF THE YEAR

2017 - The Big Sick

2016 - Lion

2015 - Spotlight

2014 – Birdman

2013 -- Nebraska

2012 – Silver Linings Playbook

2011 – The Descendants

2010 – The Social Network

2009 – Inglourious Basterds

2008 – Frost/Nixon-The Wrestler (tie)

2007 – Once

Best of All Time - Almost Famous

The Worst Movies of 2018

By Mark Pukalo


Once again, I did not torture myself by trying to see everything in 2018. But there were still enough movies, including three that the critics somehow loved, to make up a list of the year's worst.

I'm sure if I decided to see Aquaman or rent Fifty Shades Freed, Gotti, The Happy Time Murders,  The Home with a Clock in its Walls, Life of the Party, The Nun, Sicario: Day of Soldado, Terminal, Truth or Dare and Venom, some of them would have made the dubious list. But we will spare them this time around.

My annual picks for the best of 2018 will be coming in a few weeks before the Oscars. Never have I had a tougher time picking the best and putting the top 15 in order. Honestly, I'm still working on it.

But, until then, please don't rent these 21 films unless you are looking to punish yourselves.


Un-Honorable Mention: The Cloverfield Paradox, Den of Thieves, Incoming, Love Simon, The Sisters Brothers, 2036 Origin Unknown


15. The Commuter - He has a set of skills. Oh, wait, wrong movie. Bad script and Liam Neeson can't save it.

14. Disobedience - Rachel Weisz returns to a Jewish community that shunned her because she was different. Boring and slow.

13. I Feel Pretty - Amy Schumer's film is just not funny at all and has a strange concept.

12. Super Troopers 2 - A few humorous scenes, but mostly just dumb.

11. The Endless - Two brothers return to the cult that they left about decade earlier, because, basically, they were unsuccessful. It's weird, a little annoying, but not at all compelling.


10. Annihilation - A lot of nothing along the way to a confusing ending. Don't understand why critics liked it. Sorry Natalie. Still love ya.

9. Thoroughbreds - Snobby, uninteresting rich girls in Connecticut hatch a murder plan.

8. The Beyond - Confusing, slow science fiction film with an unsatisfying ending.

7. Peppermint - I like Jennifer Garner. But, geez, not as a vigilante. They didn't even show her training to become some sort of super hero.

6. The Favourite - A few laughs from Emma Stone, but I was mostly annoyed by this 18th century story about two women fighting dirty for the affection of the goofy Queen. If you enjoy watching people throw up, it's for you. Apparently the Academy did.

5. How it Ends - Apocalyptic story with not much to offer on its long journey to the West Coast.

4. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs - I just don't like Coen Brothers films as much as most people do I guess. Fargo and True Grit were the only passable ones I can remember. This set of tales about random western characters falls flat in my eyes.

3. The Week Of - Adam Sandler and Chris Rock flop in a film that is forced and not particularly entertaining. Even Dan Patrick can't save it. LOL.

2. Don't Worry, He won't get there on Foot - Never found anything amusing or interesting about this film starring Joaquin Phoenix as a man trying to sober up after a crippling accident.

1. Mile 22 - I like Mark Wahlberg, but this is just a bad script with characters you don't care about and a lot of mindless violence. It earns the worst of 2018 very easily, especially since I wasted money at the theater to see it.


PREVIOUS WORST MOVIES OF THE YEAR

2017 - Mother!

2016 - 13 Hours and Hail Caesar!

2015 - Chappie

2014 - The Monuments Men

2013 - The Place Between the Pines

2012 - Cloud Atlas

2011 - Tree of Life

Who Loves a Parade?

By Mark Pukalo


One more chance.

Steve Yzerman has built the organization to where he wanted it, turning the Tampa Bay Lightning into a consistent playoff team and a contender for the Stanley Cup every season. New general manager Julien Brisebois has the ability to continue along that path.

The Bolts have made the final four three of the last four seasons and injuries took the chance away in 2016-17. But this might be the last opportunity for the entirety of a special core group to win a championship together. It should also be coach Jon Cooper’s final chance to find a way to get his team over the hump.

Three veteran defensemen are in the last year of their contract. Nikita Kucherov’s gigantic cap hit starts up next season and Brayden Point will get a big raise after his entry deal ends July 1. In addition, Yanni Gourde is due for a new contract if they can keep him while Andrei Vasilevskiy and Mikhail Sergachev have two years left starting now.

There will be changes and, if Tampa Bay fails to win a Cup this season, there must be some type of shake up.

The keys for 2018-19 are virtually the same as last season, but the tools the Lightning boast to get it done are more clear. The Bolts were able to win the Atlantic Division in 2017-18 with way better than expected secondary scoring, fantastic goaltending from Vasilevskiy, a power play that was lethal at times and by making big plays at the right times.

While Vasilevskiy saved them most nights during the first half of the season, they played just enough defense to get by with Norris Trophy winner Victor Hedman leading the way. But with a full season of Ryan McDonagh, an older and expected better Sergachev along with a few burgeoning youngsters, the Lightning should be improved on the back end. One major goal is limiting shots on net against (32.7, ninth-most in the league last season).

Brisebois may look to create some cap space, perhaps by moving Coburn and taking back some salary, to give the Bolts a chance to make a pickup at the deadline on defense. Ultimately, that move may be the most important to unlock the door to a championship.

There are a few reasons I was against acquiring Erik Karlsson to improve the right side of the defense. There’s no doubt he is one of the best in the NHL. Love his game. But he is an offensive defenseman and that is not a need on this team. He also would have cost an abundance of good young players - in July - and another $9-10 million contract on the cap. His foot injury scares me long term as well. But honestly, I didn’t really want the Lightning to become the Yankees or the Red Sox. I would rather see them win it with mostly home-grown talent and heady moves.

Tampa Bay is plenty good enough to win the Cup. It’s time. The Bolts will have to get through Boston and Toronto, then probably Pittsburgh or Washington. The biggest obstacle is being able to navigate through the ups and downs of the postseason. They have seemed to hit a wall three times in four years.

Tampa Bay had a 2-1 lead and home-ice advantage in the Cup final. They have had a chance to win the Eastern Conference on home ice two of the past three years. They just could not finish.

There was plenty of blame to go around in those situations. In five Game 6s and 7s combined during the last series of those three runs, they totaled three goals. Three!

The players did not come up big. But, often, Cooper was slow or did not make the adjustments needed to give the Lightning a better chance to succeed in all three of those series. I have been a critic in the past, but Cooper seemed to be pushing all the right buttons last season, even through the first two rounds of the playoffs. But he was hesitant to make big adjustments to his forward lines against Washington. The Bolts were lucky to be up three games to two while being outplayed throughout. Adjustments were needed up front and they did not score in the final two games. They needed a creative, aggressive coach to beat the Caps. He failed.

Let’s hope Cooper has learned from his mistakes or the players can just plow through the postseason and finally do enough to sip from the Cup.

Heck, I’m picking the Bolts this season. Tampa Bay over Winnipeg in six games.

Listen, if they can get through the Eastern Conference they have an edge in goal during the finals. I'm taking Vasy over Connor Hellebuyck, Martin Jones or even Pekka Rinne. Easy.

They will have to be alert and find motivation through the first 50 games of the regular season. They will have to give Vasilevskiy easier nights. The veterans and most productive players must stay healthy. Young guys like Adam Erne, Tony Cirelli and Mathieu Joseph can add some spark. Brisebois must find Yzerman’s magic at the deadline.

It’s time for a parade. June, 2019. Or Bust.

Lightning were Good Enough, did not play Good Enough

By Mark Pukalo


What happened?

It’s been two weeks now and there’s no definitive reasons why the Tampa Bay Lightning did not look like the same team in the Eastern Conference finals, after breezing through the first two series.

Maybe the simple answer is that it was the Washington Capitals’ time. The Caps had finally knocked off their nemesis Pittsburgh, and they rode the momentum to the finals. Washington did seem to find the 200-foot game they have been lacking in the playoffs before. It finally clicked in for them and Evgeny Kuznetsov has been a different postseason player.

You have to be careful what you wish for sometimes in the playoffs. Most, including this reporter, did not want to face the Penguins. But maybe they would have been a better matchup in the end for Tampa Bay.

All that might have been moot if the Lightning had played better, though. To be honest, there was never a comfortable feeling in the series for me - even after they took a three games to two lead. Game 2 was a colossal disappointment, but the Bolts were outshot throughout the series and could not sustain their stretches of strong play. The first period of Game 5 was the only time you really thought the Lightning would come out on top. But they barely held on in that game.

Washington physically punished the Lightning throughout, sometimes legally and other times illegally (I’m looking at you Brooks Orpik). The Capitals seemed to wear down the Brayden Point line with constant hits during and after the play. Point and Palat battled, but were somewhat diminished, and Tyler Johnson was not a factor. That left a bigger role for the Chris Kunitz-Cedric Paquette-Ryan Callahan line and they ultimately could not limit Alex Ovechkin and Kuznetsov. Heck, they shouldn’t be able to.

Hindsight is much easier of course, but what Jon Cooper could have done is put together a more physical checking line around Point to take on the Ovechkin trio. Perhaps J.T. Miller or Callahan could have been put in Johnson’s spot. Give the Paquette line credit, they had some good moments. But you knew it would not last. Who turned over the puck on Washington’s first goal in Game 7? Yep, the fourth line.

With all that happening on the other side of the ice, the Lightning’s top players had to take over 5-on-5 in the offensive end and they could not. Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov got their points on the power play, but had just two at even strength. Two! Without enough possession time, Victor Hedman could not quite get as involved as he usually does either.

The Bolts inexplicably failed to score in the final eight periods of the series. That is hard the believe. It almost seemed like destiny. It sure looked like that when Yanni Gourde could not shovel a rebound into an open net to tie it in the second period of Game 7. Wonder how the game would have changed if he had scored.

The final analysis is this. The Lightning were good enough to win a Stanley Cup. They just didn’t play good enough when tested by a team that had found their elusive top playoff form.

Here’s the thing Bolts fans. If Steve Yzerman had not waved his magic wand, bringing in Ryan McDonagh and Miller for Vlad Namestnikov just before the trade deadline, the Lightning might not have made it out of the first round.

So, where do we go from here?

Yzerman will be doing a lot probing with fellow general managers over the next month. But there won’t be and shouldn’t be a major overhaul unless there are issues that arise.

The one thing that could change everything is Kucherov’s situation. How does the Russian feel about money? If he is intent on getting $10-11 million per on a long-term deal after his contract is up next year, then that may be a problem.

But, let’s throw that aside for now.

What tweaks can you make to a roster that has plenty of talent and depth?

The one weakness that sometimes rears its head is size up front. The Lightning are crafty, tough and skilled enough to get by 90 percent of the time, but the Capitals just ran them over in Game 6 and outmuscled them at times in the series.

Everybody wants to get rid of Alex Killorn, but he is one of the only physical forces in the top nine. Heck, if someone offers you a great deal to take Killer’s contract, fine. Use the money saved to sign Miller and hope that Adam Erne takes another step or two forward. Personally, I’d rather have Killorn and Miller on the roster. Miller had his ups and downs, especially in the final two rounds of the playoffs, but if he’s reasonable ($4.5 for four or five years?) the Bolts should sign the RFA.

The person to replace is Johnson. I said this a season ago and most everyone has come around to agree with me now. It won’t be easy, though. You may have to be creative before his no-trade deal clicks in. Here’s the sell job for Yzerman: If he doesn’t work out for you, you can dump him off on expansion Seattle in a few years - not far from his home in Spokane. Johnson has done a lot for this franchise. I’m not looking past that. He is just not a $5 million player long term and it’s a position that you can upgrade - if not with offensive numbers, with many other things.

If Kunitz wants to come back for one year on a similar contract, fine. If he goes, that's fine too. I’m not at all sure what to do with Paquette. He woke up late in the regular season and had his moments in the playoffs. But his deficiencies are still there. I would move on and sign Matt Peca to potentially play between Kunitz and Callahan. If you have more beef in your top nine, you can go a little smaller on the fourth - although Cally and Kunitz don’t play small.

The wish list in a potential trade is power winger who can skate and does not make a ton of cash. Mathieu Joseph, Alexander Volkov and Mitchell Stephens may get a look at some point and the aforementioned Erne stands at the crossroads of his tenure in Tampa.

Anthony Cirelli, with a summer of building up more strength, should be even better as well. The Lightning is set for years with Stamkos-Point-Cirelli up the middle. That’s not a big trio, but it is big enough. I asked Scotty Bowman recently if it is essential to have lots of size up the middle in this day and age of the NHL? He told me that it doesn’t hurt. ... but it is not as important as it once was.

There is less to do with the Lightning defense, but Yzerman will have to make a decision on what to offer McDonagh - who has one year left on his deal. He didn’t play great every game in the playoffs, but the former Ranger was one of the best in the Bruins series and solid in the long run. It’s not out of the question that Yzerman looks for a top-four righty to return Dan Girardi back to the third pair. The other option is pushing Mikhail Sergachev beside McDonagh and moving Anton Stralman back with Hedman. Girardi had a much better season than most predicted, but he is still best as a third-pair guy who can slide beside McDonagh and Hedman for a few shifts here and there while getting plenty of penalty kill minutes.

Sergachev was just fine in the playoffs. Even better than expected. There’s no doubt it would have been nice to have Jonathan Drouin instead of Tyler Johnson on the roster. But Sergachev’s talent and the use of Namestnikov to bring in Miller and McDonagh definitely eases the pain of that move for me.

Perhaps with assistant coach Rick Bowness gone, it may give Slater Koekkoek a chance to - at least - break into the top seven. Bowness never seemed to like Koekkoek and always preferred giving Andrej Sustr more time. Sustr has to be gone, right? The kid is not a bad defenseman and he will likely get some decent offers on the free-agent market. But he is not a top six guy for this team.

Bowness has, without a doubt, been a positive for the organization since he came here. Good coach, good man. It just seemed that his defensive system - or his plan in concert with Cooper - was too passive at times. When the Bolts played aggressive against the Bruins, they were at their best. But then they seemed to back up too much against the Capitals. The Lightning needed a new voice. We’ll see if there is a noticeable change with whoever Yzerman brings in.

One potential option could be 19-year-old Cal Foote. He is a righty and may get a good long look to see if he is ready to be an immediate answer. Dominik Masin and Eric Cernak also had tremendous seasons in the AHL. You may see them replace Girardi and Braydon Coburn - assuming he’s still around - after next season as a unit for the third pair.

There are plenty of decisions to make, but the Lightning still have enough tools to be in the same spot again in 2018-19. With a few deft moves from Yzerman and some development of their young players, the Bolts will be the favorite for the Cup next season.

They certainly have a goalie that can get them there. Anybody have any questions about Andrei Vasilevskiy anymore?

Lightning Give Fans Hope Again

By Mark Pukalo


We have a series now.

You wondered if this was going to be one of the few times that the Tampa Bay Lightning did not respond to a bad game, or a rough stretch, with a big performance. Washington was playing so well and the Bolts looked frustrated after two home losses to start the Eastern Conference finals.

But one thing we should all know from watching this core group of players in Tampa Bay over the past four seasons is they have a lot of pride and character. Some nights they look awful - playing too fancy, failing to shoot, leaving guys wide open in the slot and turning the puck over sloppily. They almost always have had an answer the next game.

That Lightning team showed up Tuesday. They skated harder, were more aggressive defensively, capitalized on the power play (5-for-12 in the series after 2-for-5 in Game 3) and basically put up a fight against Washington. They were even better on the penalty kill.

It wasn’t perfect. The Capitals still had 38 shots on net, but the amount of real quality chances were limited compared to the first two games.

Andrei Vasilevskiy sure had to be good, though, and he was. The Big Cat was seeing the puck better and seemed to be a step ahead of Washington’s shooters. It’s still strange to me that many national writers brought his name up as one of the problems in the first two games.

Give coach Jon Cooper credit. I was thinking just flip Ondrej Palat and J.T. Miller on the top two lines for Game 3 to shake things up. He went one further and matched Miller with Anthony Cirelli and Alex Killorn on a sort of “grind line” as Caps coach Barry Trotz put it. Yanni Gourde joined Tyler Johnson and Brayden Point on a new speedy line and Palat teamed with captain Steven Stamkos along with Nikita Kucherov to give that unit a little more pace. The freshness worked while Cedric Paquette trio with Ryan Callahan and Chris Kunitz was much better than the first two games.

But the most improvement was on the backend as Anton Stralman and Ryan McDonagh came back with a strong effort while Victor Hedman (goal, two assists) was downright dominant. Hedman boasts a franchise playoff-record eight-game point streak and Dan Girardi did his job impeccably beside the Swede on Tuesday.

The victory puts plenty of pressure on Washington to win Thursday night and keep home ice advantage. Expect the Capitals to come out flying and perhaps add injured Nicklas Backstrom (hand) to the lineup for more skill up front.

Vasilevskiy may have to produce his best performance in the playoffs, especially in the first 10-12 minutes. There have been storms the last few days in D.C. and the Bolts will have to weather another one Thursday.

All of that should not matter if the Lightning skate and support like they did in Game 3. But they can’t allow Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov to get 21 shots on net again.

The Bolts are in this series now, though. Even if they lose a close game Thursday, you have confidence a trip to the Cup finals is still possible with two of the final three at home.

What a difference a game makes.

My three stars for Game 3: 1. Hedman; 2. Vasilevskiy; 3. Point. Close: Kucherov, Stamkos, McDonagh, Paquette.

Desperation Time for Confused Bolts

By Mark Pukalo

Well, at least they beat the Bruins.

Let’s start with this. The Washington Capitals are finally playing the 200-foot game they have needed to be successful in the playoffs. They have been great since dropping the first two games of the postseason. Give them credit.

But the Tampa Bay Lightning have somehow reverted back to late-regular season form after an emotional and very strong performance during the five-game semifinal demolition of the Boston Bruins. They are allowing too much room in the defensive zone, having coverage issues and losing puck battle after puck battle. The Bolts have lost their way after playing four straight focused, sharp, complete, low-mistake games against what many thought would be the toughest opponent in the playoffs.

You can understand a little rust in Game 1 against the Capitals, but the Lightning seemed lost and confused from about the third shift on, and did not wake up until the contest was lost after two periods. Washington stood Tampa Bay up at the blue line and controlled the neutral zone, sweeping up every turnover and turning most into scoring chances.

The Lightning passed up a bushel load of shots in the first period and finished with just 10 on net in the first 40 minutes. It’s disturbing how this team can be shown the exact way to win in the first two series of the playoffs and suddenly go back to overpassing and playing fancy with the puck once again. It has been this team’s problem for years. Yes, you can’t shoot all the time. You don’t want to get them blocked. But time after time in Game 1, they failed to take a shot in a golden spot. Simple thought: sometimes, a shot creates a rebound, a deflection. Braden Holtby is not Patrick Roy.

You expected after another Game 1 failure, the Lightning would come out and take command of Game 2. But 28 seconds into the contest, they were down 1-0. They were allowed to fight back and take a 2-1 lead with two power-play goals - the second a bit of a gift - but the second period was one of the most puzzling of the season. They went back to slow-thinking, reactionary play and eventually were punished for it.

First, J.T. Miller controlled the puck on an odd-man break and held it way too long. He didn’t take a shot, did not find the trailer early enough, then turned the puck over. The team’s top line got caught overcommitting at the end of a shift - something we’ve seen from them before - and could not get back after the gaff. Washington’s fourth line tied the game on a 2-on-1.

It got worse late in the period. Anton Stralman falls down, can’t get up quickly and his teammates are not able to pick up anyone as Lars Eller deftly deflects home the go-ahead goal. In the final seconds - again - the Bolts lose a faceoff cleanly and cannot get to a loose puck behind the net. Seconds later, Evgeny Kuznetsov sends the puck into the crease where Ryan McDonagh appears to deflect it through goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. Ok, you give up the tying goal. But a little extra effort and awareness and Tampa Bay goes to the third period tied. Instead, they are leaving the ice down two.

Still, you get a goal quickly in the third period and then you are all over a protective Capitals team the rest of the way. Right? Nah, the Lightning did not seem to have any push back in the final 20 minutes. The fourth line - Chris Kunitz-Cedric Paquette-Ryan Callahan - for some reason continues to play against Alex Ovechkin’s first unit. That group can’t keep the puck deep and Braydon Coburn makes a bad pinch, Stralman flops on the ice on a 2-on-1 and Ovechkin whips home a Kuznetsov pass. It’s 5-2.

Game over. Fans head to the exit. Normally, I would get on the faithful for that. Not this time.

Maybe I was too harsh on my tweet after that. But, honestly, I have followed the Lightning for more than 15 years and I can’t remember them quitting in a big game before. I saw a confused, frustrated, but mostly lifeless team in the third period. There’s no way I could have predicted this performance over the first two games of the Conference final, no matter how good the Capitals have played.

And anyone that says Vasilevskiy has a major part in this is crazy. He made some brilliant saves in Game 2. I’m not sure you can call any of the first five goals soft. Maybe he could have been more decisive on the fourth and not allowed McDonagh to tip the puck past him. Maybe. But he would have needed something like the amazing third-period performance against the Los Angeles Kings at home in the regular season to keep the Lightning close in this one.

It’s all about defense, puck management and coaching. The Bolts seem to be backing up instead of aggressively moving forward like they were against Boston. They are reacting and not dictating play. Lightning radio host Matt Sammon talked about "details," of the game not being executed Sunday. That, too.

Coach Jon Cooper has had his best season at the helm of the Lightning. He has pushed a lot of the right buttons along the way. But he’s had a penchant to panic in the past and he seemed to be doing that in Game 2. When the Ondrej Palat-Braydon Point-Tyler Johnson line struggled against Boston’s top unit in Game 1 of the previous series, he stuck with them and they were great in the final four matchups. For some strange reason, he turned to the fourth line to match up against Ovechkin’s trio in Game 2 on Sunday. Palat ended up playing 13 minutes. He, along with Point, are the Lightning’s best two defensive forwards.

The other odd thing that Cooper has done is on the penalty kill. The unit has struggled all season and had one decent series against New Jersey. The Tampa Bay coach has used three somewhat slow-moving players at forward, along with rookie Anthony Cirelli, often on the top two killing units. The Bolts are slow and stationary on the kill, they aren’t getting to pucks. They need more speed and aggressiveness. They don’t need Paquette’s slow feet. They have given up three power-play goals in the series and struggled mightily against Boston. It’s time for change. Use Johnson, Palat, Yanni Gourde, Point. How about Steven Stamkos? He has often been the best faceoff man. But he has been on the bench instead. How about Miller?

The key goal in Game 1 was Ovechkin’s power-play tally in the final seconds of the first period that made it 2-0. Who was on the ice? Cirelli, who lost the faceoff cleanly to wing T.J. Oshie and is last on the team at 46.7 percent in the playoffs. Callahan was not on the ice either. The veteran is the best shot blocker among the forwards.

The players have been very disappointing in these two games. But Cooper has not helped.

Change the lineup? Nah. Who are you taking out? There’s no one that clearly stands out to me. You could put Cory Conacher in for Paquette and mix and match with three lines, adding to the speed. But I’m not sure that’s the way to go. A very bold move that won’t happen? Conacher or Adam Erne in for Kunitz (0 points, 11 shots, 12 games). I have been very disappointed in him during the postseason.

It’s not over. The Lightning have been counted out before. Many times they respond with a big performance. They will need their very best on Tuesday. One road victory and Washington could start doubting itself.

But it will be far from easy. The Capitals seem to be on a mission and it’s hard to fathom the Bolts can rebound strong enough after one of their worst playoff performances in franchise history.

It’s time to prove me wrong. Show me something 2017-18 Tampa Bay Lightning. Now.


Previous rounds: Lack of time and other circumstances did not allow me to recap every game in the first two rounds of the playoffs, but here’s a few brief thoughts on those two series.

The Bolts just needed to be sharp and focused against the New Jersey Devils. They avoided big mistakes, except for the penalties in Game 3, and capitalized when they needed to. They were in control physically and mentally. Vasilevskiy was the best player in the series while Nikita Kucherov, Ryan McDonagh and Alex Killorn were all outstanding.

The Bolts totally dominated the Bruins 5-on-5 on the Eastern Conference semifinals and controlled them more easily than I could have ever imagined. The Lightning played better defensively in the final four games than they did all season. They supported each other so well and Vasilevskiy shut the door after mistakes were made. All six defensemen played very, very well while Point and Palat were ubiquitous. It was a very satisfying victory and the triumph made it easy to laugh after all the whining Bruins fans - and media - did about the officiating. Could the referees have called slashing on Stralman late in Game 2? Sure. But how can you complain when you have 20 shots on goal - 14 at even strength? Sorry, but Charlie McAvoy was pushed down. There was no holding or hooking there. Stay on your feet rookie.

And ... sit down Cam Neely.