The Lightning Learned Their Lessons Well

 

By Mark Pukalo

Most of the players grew together for many years. They suffered together. They learned together through the pain. Oh, how they learned. 

Now, they can celebrate together.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the Stanley Cup champions. We could have said that in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. They came up short, sometimes in the most gut-wrenching ways. But somehow in this year of gloom, doom and anger, it seemed right that the Bolts would give the bay area something to feel good about.

It is amazing how perfectly the obstacles were laid out in front of them this summer after more than four months away from the ice due to the coronavirus pandemic. This special group used all the lessons it endured through the failures and found a way to break down the wall.

The 2018-19 Lightning tied the NHL record for wins in a regular season (62) before being swept in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets and John Tortorella - the coach that brought Tampa Bay its other Cup in 2004. It seemed fitting that the Bolts would face the Jackets and Torts in the first round this time around and push them aside in five games.

If Tampa Bay was going to win a Cup, you knew it was going to have to go through the Boston Bruins at some point. The Bolts did that - just like in 2018 - after losing the first game of the series.

Next up was the New York Islanders, a scrappy defensive team with enough offensive talent to drive you nuts, but this was a coaches’ challenge. Barry Trotz bested Lightning coach Jon Cooper and led the Washington Capitals to the Cup in 2018, and he stood at the door of the finals again. This time, Cooper’s team pushed through the small crack Trotz left.

Of course, the final hurdle would be Dallas. Rick Bowness was Cooper’s associate coach during much of this team’s run from 2013-18 and was let go by then-GM Steve Yzerman when the Jedi felt the defense the veteran ran was just not good enough. Just over two years later, the Bolts blanked Bowness’ team 2-0 to finish their journey to the championship.

There were so many highlights along the way. Brayden Point’s winning goal in the first game of the playoffs during the fifth overtime and Hall of Fame broadcaster Rick Peckham’s last call being Point’s series clincher in the extra session. Victor Hedman’s series against the Bruins when he had four goals, two assists, a plus-7 and ended it all with a double-overtime winner. Nikita Kucherov’s winning goal in the final seconds of Game 2 in the Eastern finals off a heat-seeking pass by Ryan McDonagh that induced the king of all fist pumps from Cooper on the bench. Anthony Cirelli’s delayed reaction to the series clincher against the Islanders. Injured captain Steven Stamkos scoring a signature goal in his only 2:47 of the playoffs in Game 3 of the finals. Andrei Vasilevskiy making an amazing kick save on his back in Game 6 of the finals after the whistle, even though it would not have counted. Nothing was getting by him this night. Mikhail Sergachev’s celebrations. The series of blocks made in the final seconds of the Cup-clinching game, players sprawling all over the ice to get Vasy the shutout.

And don’t give me the crap that winning this title was easier. In my opinion, it was harder. There were no home games, they were away from family for months, they played back-to-back days several times. This was a grind.

“I am in awe of what our guys accomplished,” Bolts GM Julien Brisebois told reporters. “I am in awe of how deep they had to dig, physically and mentally, to bring the Cup back to Tampa.”

There were so many more great moments. Every player did their part. They all had a role and did their jobs well.

Hedman - The Conn Smythe winner was a beast throughout the playoffs, scoring 10 goals to put his name with Hall of Famers Ray Bourque and Paul Coffey in the record books among scoring defensemen.

Stamkos - The injury did not stop him from being a leader throughout and scoring an inspiring goal.

Kucherov - Led the way in the playoffs with 34 points, but most of all showed the discipline and toughness needed of a star in the biggest games.

Point - Led the playoffs in goals with 14 and three of them were game winners. No team could contain him. What a third-round pick.

Ondrej Palat - Was a perfect compliment to Kucherov and Point on the top line, scoring 11 goals and playing his Selke-worthy defense.

Cirelli - Got off to a slow start in the playoffs, but was better and better as the road got tougher.

Alex Killorn - Was a monster on the wall at times and his penalty killing with Cirelli, primarily, was elite.

Tyler Johnson - Perhaps the weak link through the playoffs with just two goals after the preliminary games, but to his credit he was probably at his best in the finals.

Barclay Goodrow - Blood and guts through the whole postseason, winning faceoffs, killing penalties, winning board battles, making big hits and annoying opponents.

Blake Coleman - Zero goals in his first 16 games with the club, but five in the last 18 and some fantastic minutes on both sides of the ice.

Yanni Gourde - Followed a so-so regular season with a standout 22 playoff games, scoring seven goals with seven assists and a plus-12 at center. Some of his shifts were epic.

Pat Maroon - The big rig is “back-to-back.” Made some key plays along the road and his experience was very valuable.

Cedric Paquette - Avoided bad penalties for the most part, hit everything that moved and basically did his job. His setup of Coleman’s insurance goal in Game 6 of the finals was brilliant.

Carter Verhaeghe - Had some good shifts and did not look out of place when he was in there.

Mitchell Stephens - Gave the Lightning what they needed when he played. Had six shots in the five-overtime game.

Alexander Volkov - A calm, solid, mistake-free 9:34 in the Cup-clinching game.

Mathieu Joseph - Did not play, but it was good for him to be there and take in the experience. The hair was awesome, too. 

McDonagh - Not many points, but he was a force all over the ice and made very few mistakes while playing big minutes against the most talented forwards.

Sergachev - Sometimes he makes you pull your hair out, but man does he make a lot of great plays. 

Kevin Shattenkirk - His experience and calm was very important on the back end while his production (three goals, 13 points, plus-8) was outstanding. Class guy off the ice, too.

Eric Cernak - Was minus-4 the first seven games of the playoffs and plus-6 the last 15 - plus-4 in the final three. Did his job.

Zach Bogosian - Proved to be a great acquisition, playing some solid minutes throughout - including Game 6 of the finals.

Jan Rutta - Surprise insertion into the lineup during the finals and he played well the first two of four games - both wins.

Luke Schenn - Made his presence felt on defense in 11 playoff games and finished with a plus-3 overall.

Braydon Coburn - When he was called upon, the veteran played three very good games.

Vasilevskiy - Gave up two or fewer goals in 16 of 25 games in the bubble and more than three only three times with a 1.90 goals-against average overall. He was 7-0 after a loss.

Curtis McElhinney - Did not play, but helped the Lightning get there.

Then, there is Cooper. I have been critical of him over the last 6-7 years for many of the moves he has made, not made and how he seemed to play favorites. He gets full credit this postseason. He had his team ready to play every night and never lost two in a row. Coop pushed all the right buttons. Whether it was him or his assistants, whoever came up with playing Gourde between Coleman and Goodrow might have had the best idea of the postseason. I wondered why he went with Schenn and seven defensemen at one point. Cooper ended up being right. I didn’t agree with Rutta going in. He played fine. When Rutta seemed to be fading, Cooper went back to Bogosian. It was the right move. I did not understand Volkov in the clinching game. The Russian played just fine.

I am so happy I was wrong about Cooper. He can win 16 NHL playoff games in a season. Now we know for sure.

I did not have a problem with Brisebois spending two first-round picks to bring in Coleman and Goodrow. They were perfect players to add, giving the Bolts more grit. The only worry I had was including young forward Nolan Foote in the Coleman deal, which I thought was excessive. But, man, well worth it now. I did not agree with the signing of Bogosian, mainly because he had rarely been healthy. I was wrong. Bogo was an important piece. JB did a wonderful job.

Hey, I’m not always wrong. But I sure love being wrong when it means we can celebrate a Stanley Cup.

I came to live in Tampa in November of 2008. Stamkos was just getting his feet wet in the NHL. While I was driving through South Carolina with a full car, I heard Barry Melrose was fired. 

Thankfully, I was brought into the Lightning family as a writer for the website and the team welcomed the top three picks of the 2009 draft to meet the media. John Tavares was a very serious, driven mature guy for sure. Hedman just seemed at home with everything that was going on, the type of personality you’d want to build around - calm and likable. Duchene had some personality, but seemed less mature and driven as the other two. I remember being thrilled that Hedman was the pick at No. 2 for the Bolts.

Stamkos and Hedman. Two big cornerstones added in two years. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing with injuries and some tough years, but the character of these two men shined through for the last decade. It was fitting and wonderful to see Stamkos hand the Cup to Hedman on a magical September 28 night. Two good people, two of my favorites in 35 years as a sportswriter, are now two Stanley Cup champions. 

The stars were stars in this Cup run. That was needed. But the team as a whole stood tall.

As Hall of Fame coach Fred Shero said and many in the Lightning organization repeated in 2004: “Win today and we walk together forever.” 

This team endured a lot over the last six years, but yes, now this special group can walk together forever.

What’s Next

The job was made a little easier when you win a Cup, but Brisebois has a lot of work to do this month to get the Lightning under the salary cap whenever the 2021 season begins.

With Sergachev, Cirelli and Cernak due new contracts and big raises, some difficult decisions and conversations are on the horizon. 

If the top three get what is expected, the Lightning will need to shave somewhere between $6-10 million off the cap. Joseph, Verhaeghe, Volkov and Stephens are also restricted free agents. Shattenkirk, Bogosian, Rutta, Schenn and Maroon are all unrestricted FAs.

Can you trade or buy out Johnson? Do you deal glue-guy Killorn, whose no-trade is now modified? Is there a chance you move Cirelli (not that you want to at all) and bring back a huge package? Paquette could also be dealt and it will be hard to bring back Maroon and Shattenkirk.

The Lightning have some kids knocking on the door like Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, Ross Colton and Alex Barre Boulet. Verhaeghe, Stephens, Volkov and Joseph can also contribute more.

It will be interesting to see what happens. But whether it was Yzerman or now Brisebois, the Lightning always get it done in the GM office. Director of Scouting Al Murray, who deserves a ton of credit for his work over the years in the draft including Kucherov (second round), Cirelli and Point (third), Palat (seventh), will keep adding character and talent to the organization. That's a given.

 Two in a row. Why not?

One More Mountain to Climb for the Lightning

 

By Mark Pukalo

After three grueling series that included six overtime games, there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Four more wins and the Bolts can celebrate a second Stanley Cup title in their history, but they face another difficult obstacle in a Dallas Stars team that is finally realizing its potential.

The Lightning has reached this point by scoring clutch goals, limiting turnovers, playing solid defense at key times, getting big performances from their three healthy superstar skaters and fantastic goaltending to beat the Blue Jackets, Bruins and Islanders.

They will require more of the same to finish the job and may need another superstar to make an appearance and give a boost to their inconsistent power play.

Perhaps the most important issue for Tampa Bay as they embark on the journey in the finals Saturday is health. Brayden Point is playing at less than 100 percent, Nikita Kucherov is banged up and captain Steven Stamkos has yet to play in the postseason, but he has been skating. Heck, probably everyone in the lineup is playing hurt.

The Bolts have to fight through it as they did in the first three rounds and make plays, keep their structure defensively and allow Andrei Vasilevskiy to work his magic between the pipes.

Dallas, like the Lightning, loves to get their defensemen involved in the offense and that will be a key. In my opinion, Tampa Bay’s defenseman Victor Hedman is the frontrunner for the Conn Smythe Trophy with nine goals and a league-best plus-19, but if the Stars win you could make a case for 21-year-old D man Miro Heiskanen (22 points, 21 games) to take the trophy. One of the keys to the series will be how each defense deals with the aggressive rearguards.

Dallas, coached by former Tampa Bay assistant Rick Bowness, will need No. 2 goaltender Anton Khudobin (.920 save percentage playoffs) to continue his standout postseason. Vasilevskiy (.930 SP postseason) knocked out one fellow Russian netminder in Semyon Varlamov last series against the Islanders and now faces another countryman on a roll. If the Lightning get to Khudobin, will former Bolt Ben Bishop be healthy enough to spell him?

The Stars have plenty dangerous offensive performers in captain Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov, Denis Gurianov and playoff ace Joe Pavelski. Once again, it is important the Lightning get some secondary offense from guys like Blake Coleman, Yanni Gourde, Ondrej Palat, Alex Killorn and Anthony Cirelli. 

The games between these two teams the last few years have been offensive shows, but that will likely change in the heat of the Stanley Cup finals. It will come down to limiting quality chances and that again falls on the Lightning defense corps.

The Bolts held the Islanders to two or fewer goals in five of six games, along with the final three contests against the offensively-gifted Bruins. Hedman and Ryan McDonagh can’t do it all. The other four or five defensemen must continue to step up.

Eric Cernak had his best series against the Islanders. Zach Bogosian has made very few mistakes. Kevin Shattenkirk whiffed on that shot in overtime versus the Isles to lose Game 5, but has been very good overall. Mikhail Sergachev drives you nuts at times, but he also makes plays. Luke Schenn has been surprisingly solid as No. 7, except for his struggles in Game 3 versus the Islanders.

The question that may have to be answered is what happens if Stamkos is ready to play? Go back to 12/6, sit Tyler Johnson, or something else? Jon Cooper has pressed the right buttons most of the playoffs so far. But his toughest job may be over the next week with the injuries he has in the locker room. Can he finally shut his critics up?

The Cup is now sitting right in front of the Lightning. It is time to reach out and grab it and wash away all the pain of the previous five years.

Four more solid efforts in their defensive zone, intelligent play in the neutral zone, and some timely goals can bring the Cup back to the beach before the end of the month.

Lightning Defense Must Shine Again

 

      By Mark Pukalo

      Eight tough wins down, eight more to go.

      The Tampa Bay Lightning have navigated two major hurdles, sending pesky Columbus home in the first round and winning four in a row to eject the big bad Boston Bruins from the Toronto bubble.

      Still, the road to the promised land is far from paved for the Bolts. Two years ago in this position they seemed like they were ready to add a second Stanley Cup and lost their momentum after beating the Bruins - getting outplayed throughout by Washington to end their dream.

      The challenge now is to stay focused and ramp up their level of play to take on a team that has probably performed better than anyone else in the postseason. The New York Islanders were outstanding in the Toronto bubble and will travel to Edmonton to meet the Lightning in the Eastern Conference finals. Standing at the door again is future Hall of Fame coach Barry Trotz, whose Capitals shut out Tampa Bay for almost the final eight periods of the series two years ago.

      Bolts coach Jon Cooper washed away the stench of last year’s first-round loss against John Tortorella and Columbus in the opening round, beat the Bruins for the second time in three seasons and now he’ll try to continue to silence his critics. It’s Cooper vs. Trotz II.

     Listen, the players ultimately decide the game. How they execute is the difference 90 percent of the time or more. But Cooper has another big chance to get the Bolts over the top. Is it his time? Or will Trotz have more answers like he seemed to have in 2018.

     Cooper has pushed the right buttons so far. He won't have injured captain Steven Stamkos again, but the Lightning are still talented enough to get the job done like they did against the Bruins.

      The Islanders can clog up the ice with their system defensively much like Columbus, but they are more mobile and have a few more dangerous offensive players than the Blue Jackets. New York’s top line of Jordan Eberle, Anders Lee and the irrepressible Mathew Barzal will pose just as much of a challenge as the Bruins’ top unit. Cooper must decide whether to use Anthony Cirelli’s line or Yanni Gourde’s threesome against them. Both must play well and Tampa Bay will need better from Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn with Cirelli.

     Each team has received secondary scoring and that may be key to the series. Brayden Point and a healthy Nikita Kucherov have led the way for the Bolts, but everyone has to contribute without Stamkos available. 

      I think Tampa Bay can get at New York’s defense and goaltending just like it did against Boston, when the Lightning generated 169 shots in five games. The Bolts should have an advantage in goal, even though Semyon Varlamov and Thomas Greiss have stood up so far. The key will be how well the Lightning defense continues to play. Victor Hedman has been a monster and Tampa Bay's best player while fellow defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk and Zach Bogosian have stepped up big time. That group of six or seven rearguards cannot let down. They must disrupt the Islanders, not allowing Barzal and others to cruise around the zone looking to create openings. 

     The Bolts were outstanding defensively against Boston two years ago, then let the Capitals dominate the puck and wear them down before winning Game 7 at Amalie Arena. 

      To me, that’s the key to this series. Florida, Washington and Philadelphia could not handle the Islanders offense in the long run. The Lightning must limit the bad turnovers leading to transition and get the puck out of their zone cleanly. Simple as that.

      Yes, Andrei Vasilevskiy could win the series by himself. But the Bolts must give him a chance to shine.

      Tampa Bay needed to do several things to beat Boston and the Lightning checked off all the boxes. Here’s a look at what we talked about before that series.

     * Keep the Bruins power play off the ice as much as possible, but the Lightning must be very good on the penalty kill when needed. Mostly check. Boston had five power-play goals and the Bolts generated four. That’s pretty good. The Bruins did have 17 opportunities in five contests, which was a bit too much.

     * Limit blind passes, hope passes, drop passes moving forward with the puck. Mostly check. There probably was a bit too much of this during certain stretches, but they recovered well and Vasilevskiy was outstanding.

     * Keep the Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-David Pastrnak line contained. Check. The perfection line had its points, but they did not dominate and the Bolts top line was just as productive.

     * Get goals from secondary offensive threats. Check. Palat scored five times, Blake Coleman made big plays and Cirelli was better as the series went on.

     * Pat Maroon, Cedric Paquette and the feisty third line of Coleman-Gourde-Barclay Goodrow must get under the skin of the Bruins without taking extra penalties, and keep their over-rated defense working hard to get the puck out. Check. They did annoy the heck out of the Boston defense, giving the Bolts extra time with the frozen biscuit.

     * Vasilevskiy must shut the door on the Bruins at key times and show once again he is the best goalie on the planet. The Bolts should have an advantage in net against Jaroslav Halak and it must be noticed. Major check. The Big Cat dominated, stopping 147 of 157, and many of the 10 he gave up were unstoppable.

     * Improved power play. Check. Getting three in Game 3 was a dagger after Kucherov moved to the left circle. Great adjustment there by the coaching staff. They also had more pressure with the man advantage as the series went on.

     * The Lightning just can’t give the Bruins goals. Nothing can come easy. They must earn them. Mostly check. Those lazy plays by Tyler Johnson and Mikhail Sergachev could have cost them games, but for the most part the Bolts avoided the huge mistake - especially in the two overtime wins.

Lightning Needs Their Best to Move On

By Mark Pukalo

Two things became clear after the Tampa Bay Lightning eliminated the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of this unique postseason.

The Lightning may just be a team that is built for and better prepared for playoff hockey than the group that produced a historic regular season in 2018-19.

Secondly, the Bolts will have to play much better than they did against Columbus if they want to make it to the third round.

Yes, Tampa Bay disposed of John Tortorella’s pesky Jackets in five games but all four of the wins were knee-knocking one-goal triumphs - two in overtime. The positive from that is how sharp the Lightning were when they needed it the most. 

They were focused and steady with their structure in the marathon Game 1 before breaking through. The Bolts were awful after taking a 2-0 lead in Game 5 and lucky to tie it at the end of regulation, but they dominated from the start in overtime and seized the win.

Tampa Bay will have to be sharper for longer periods as they prepare to face the Big Bad Boston Bruins for the first game of a best-of-seven series. There can be few mental breakdowns. One thing that the much-hated Bears have always done best is capitalize on mistakes and get the most out of their opportunities.

The Bolts will need more secondary production as they move on and injured captain Steven Stamkos does not seem ready to go, so the power play must start to produce without a key weapon. The irrepressible Brayden Point has 10 points in bubble and Nikita Kucherov nine, but the next highest scorers have just four in eight games. 

It’s as simple as this, the Lightning must execute much of the game plan they used against Boston in the second round of the 2017-18 playoffs. They dominated 5-on-5, limited mistakes, received solid goaltending and made key plays at key times. I’ve never seen a Tampa Bay team play better in its own zone in the final four games of that series. Ryan McDonagh has never been better in a Bolts sweater.

Here’s what needs to happen - outside of referee Eric Furlatt not being assigned to the series - to beat the Bears.

* Keep the Bruins power play off the ice as much as possible, but the Lightning must be very good on the penalty kill when needed.

* Limit blind passes, hope passes, drop passes moving forward with the puck. When Boston turns you over in the middle of the ice it often ends up with an old-man rush and a goal. I can’t remember Brad Marchand not scoring on a breakaway or 2-on-1 chance. Can you?

* Keep the Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-David Pastrnak line contained. Easier said than done, but Tampa Bay has had plenty of success against the Bruins the past few years (11 wins last 13 meetings overall).

* Get goals from secondary offensive threats. Anthony Cirelli was not very good against Columbus and, although he played well all over the ice, Ondrej Palat is without a goal in eight games. Tampa Bay can get more from Alex Killorn and Tyler Johnson as well.

* Pat Maroon, Cedric Paquette and the feisty third line of Blake Coleman-Yanni Gourde-Barclay Goodrow must get under the skin of the Bruins without taking extra penalties, and keep their over-rated defense working hard to get the puck out.

* Andrei Vasilevskiy must shut the door on the Bruins at key times and show once again he is the best goalie on the planet. The Bolts should have an advantage in net against Jaroslav Halak and it must be noticed.

* Improved power play. The Lightning might not get many, but it would help if they rebounded from a sluggish 0-for-10 performance with the extra man against Columbus.

It’s not brain surgery. The Lightning just can’t give the Bruins goals. Nothing can come easy. They must earn them. You can be dominating the Bears with a 1-0 or 2-1 lead and a few unforced errors later you are trailing by a pair of goals.

Honestly, even with Stamkos out, if you take the top line of each team away I think the Lightning has a better roster. But that doesn’t really matter. You always have to outplay the Bruins to send them home.

This might end up being the toughest test for Tampa Bay on the way to a potential Stanley Cup. The Bolts must play like it, coach like it and do all the little things to get the job done.

Lightning Look to Turn the Tables

By Mark Pukalo

Here we go, again.

The Tampa Bay Lightning probably would not have faced Columbus in the playoffs if this was a normal year. But 2020 has been one strange trip. Midway through August, the Bolts will get a chance to erase some of the pain from a four-game embarrassment at the hands of the Blue Jackets last spring.

The word “sweep” won’t be mentioned again as the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs begin in an empty Scotiabank Arena Tuesday afternoon. Because these are different teams that will face off on the ice in Toronto. 

Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Matt Duchene all signed big-money contracts to leave Columbus and were forced to exit the bubble before last weekend. The Lightning have added some depth up front that makes them more formidable physically and a pair of veteran right-hand shot defensemen who will be very important this week.

That being said, the teams both have the same strengths. The Blue Jackets play stifling defense and frustrate teams while Tampa Bay owns one of the most lethal offenses in the league. But it will not likely be as simple as that. Who dictates the play is only one small piece. This series will be won between the margins. Who wins the battles, who remains composed, who fights through the adversity much quicker will be critical.

We can’t forget about health. It was hard to make the excuse for the Lightning last year, but they were missing two of their top three defensemen to injury and another key veteran was playing at far less than 100 percent. Now, the injury status of Tampa Bay superstars Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman is in doubt.

The Bolts can win without them, though. But they must play a smart, physical and focused brand of hockey that we have seen out of them for several years. This group must perform like it did against Boston in the second round of the 2018 playoffs - structured, unwavering and with killer instinct. No temper tantrums, no defeatist looks on the bench and only confidence.

One of the major problems against Columbus last year was puck possession. After the first period of Game 1, the Bolts were loose with the frozen disk and let the Blue Jackets control the neutral zone. Tampa Bay has to be on top of it for 60 minutes.

The Lightning’s top line of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Ondrej Palat will see an awful off of defense pair of Zach Werenski and Seth Jones while center Boone Jenner will probably be asked by coach John Tortorella what brand of chewing gum the Bolts’ top trio use. Kucherov and Point each need to have a productive series to allow the other three lines to do their work and chip in. 

If Stamkos is able to play, you would think he would slide in with Anthony Cirelli and Alex Killorn - a line that was very good for a stretch in mid season. You could move Tyler Johnson to the third line and push Barclay Goodrow or Yanni Gourde to the fourth. The Goodrow-Gourde-Blake Coleman line has been good, though, and TJ may have to settle for a fourth line/power play role. However, it would be nice if Coleman could find the net. He is scoreless in 12 games with the team.

While the offense has to be there, it all comes down to how the Bolts defend. Andrei Vasilevskiy was not the reason Tampa Bay lost to Columbus last season, but he was outplayed and must be way better this time around. If Hedman can’t go, they will need big and solid minutes from Ryan McDonough, Eric Cernak and Mikhail Sergachev. But two righties that were not around last April - Kevin Shattenkirk and Zach Bogosian - would be the keys to how well they can hide an absence by No. 77. Veteran Braydon Coburn should be ready to replace Hedman if needed.

The Blue Jackets thrive on causing turnovers and punishing you. It’s always important to limit miscues and keep the puck away in the postseason. But for the Lightning, it’s absolutely crucial this time around. Columbus won’t stop coming. There can be few lapses. The Blue Jackets don’t normally score a ton of goals. But they collected 19 in four games in the first round last year as the Bolts turned the puck over constantly.

Tampa Bay must also put unrelenting pressure on first-year playoff goalie Joonas Korpisalo and see if he cracks.The Fin played well against Toronto. Make him prove he can do it again.

Tortorella is at the top of his game, just getting this Columbus team to this spot after an inordinate amount of injuries during the regular season. He made all the right moves to lead Tampa Bay to the Stanley Cup in 2004 and did the same last April to beat his old team.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper can go a long way to quieting his critics if he can navigate a talented team through this round - especially if Hedman and Stamkos can’t go. Cooper has won a lot of games with this core group. The moves he makes and the tone he takes could be critical in a long series. This is his chance to shine.

Whoever suits up Tuesday, the Lightning have the tools to win the series. There’s no doubt in my mind. But a healthy and battle-tested Columbus squad will force them to keep pushing. Tampa Bay must confidently dig in and move them out of the bubble.

Get ready for a war.

 

The Very Best of Curb Your Enthusiasm (Updated)

By Mark Pukalo

Trouble doesn't find Larry David. He seems to seek it out, and that has led to 12 fun-filled seasons on HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

David created the greatest conventional sitcom in history with "Seinfeld," and he has gone farther with Curb. There are wacky situations, odd characters and cringe-worthy hilarious scenes while Larry is not afraid to tackle issues such as divorce, racial relations, sex, religion and politics in a comedic way.

It is basically Seinfeld without any rules on what can be said. It may not be for everyone, but it should be. You know why? We need to be able to laugh at ourselves, at the extremes of important issues and at things that annoy us. The heck with the language. Deal with it. I know I have always hated people that can't park their cars between the lines. Now, after watching Curb, I can call them Pig Parkers and chuckle over it.

Plus, you get great advice from Larry's free-loading house guest Leon, who often brings the ruckus: "You can't pause toast, Larry. It loses it's Essence."

The pandemic gave me a chance to watch the first 100 episodes in the series and I have updated by re-watching the final two seasons to make a list of the top 25, plus honorable mentions. It's not easy to place them, especially after the top few, because they are all "Prett-Ay, Prett-Ay, Prett-Ay Good."


Top 25

1. Season 8, Episode 9: Mister Softee - The music of the Softie truck brings back bad memories for Larry and causes a brutal error to end a softball game, while Bill Buckner saves the day.

2. Season 8, Episode 3: Palestinian Chicken - Larry is torn between some really good chicken, a beautiful new Palestinian girlfriend and his Jewish Heritage.

3. Season 1, Episode 3: Porno Gil - Bob Odenkirk plays Gil, a former porn star who invites Larry and Cheryl to their off-the-beaten-track house for a party that turns into a disaster.

4. Season 2, Episode 9: The Baptism - Larry loses plane tickets to Monterrey, which sends him and Cheryl on a roundabout route to an adult baptism. Larry, of course, causes problems upon arrival.

5. Season 4, Episode 6: The Car Pool Lane - Larry rents a prostitute so he can use the Car Pool Lane to beat the traffic on the way to the Dodgers game, buys pot and gets Funkhouser arrested.

6. Season 8, Episode 7: The Bi-Sexual - Larry uses performance-enhancing drugs to help win a battle with Rosie O'Donnell over a pretty girl. "Where's my ticket?" Larry says on the steps of the Hall of Fame after the blue pill is revealed. Jane retorts: "You're not getting in."

7. Season 12, Episode 4: Disgruntled - Tension is high after a note by a "disgruntled" club member is tacked on the wall at Larry's golf course. Willie Geist from Morning Joe unmasks the mystery club member, or does he?

8. Season 5, Episode 2: The Bowtie - Larry loses the support of the lesbian community and regains it while dealing with his racist dog.

9. Season 12, Episode 1: Atlanta - Larry is hired to attend the birthday party for a wealthy businessman with Leon and Maria Sofia before battling with the hotel cleaning woman. David is not very cordial at the party, argues with a guest - Brooke or Brookie? - and does not get paid.

10. Season 5, Episode 10: The End - Kidney transplant complications lead to death for Larry, who has an interesting brief stay in Heaven before being returned to life.

11. Season 6, Episode 7: The Tivo Guy - The Tivo repairman distracts Larry from Cheryl's frantic call on a shaky airplane and leads to a separation.

12. Season 10, Episode 1: Happy New Year - A MAGA hat proves a perfect people repellent for Larry, who is accused of sexual assault for wanting some pigs in a blanket, while Jeff is mistaken for Harvey Weinstein.

13. Season 1, Episode 9: Affirmative Action - An untended bad racial joke causes all kinds of problems for Larry. It's cringy at times, but very funny.

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14. Season 12, Episode 3 - Vertical Drop, Horizontal Tug - Larry's golf game improves after stealing tips from a coach and that causes problems. Four!!!

15. Season 10, Episode 10: The Spite Store - The finale brings all the stories of the season together as his former secretary finds her memory, spite stores crop up everywhere and Mocha Joe wins.

16. Season 7, Episode 10: Seinfeld - The Seinfeld reunion is finally done and a lack of respect for wood foils Larry's chance to get back with Cheryl.

17. Season 11, Episode 10: The Mormon Advantage - Not a good call! Alexander Vindman catches Larry trying to bribe a city councilman to end a so-so season.

18. Season 3, Episode 8: Krazee-Eyez Killa - Larry befriends and then betrays Wanda Sykes' cheating rap-music star boyfriend.

19. Season 8, Episode 1: The Divorce - Lawyers and girl scout cookies cause problems for Larry as his divorce to Cheryl goes through and he loses out on Dodgers club tickets.

20. Season 2, Episode 7: The Doll - Larry makes the daughter of a TV executive cry after cutting her doll's hair and a broken bathroom latch causes major issues.

21. Season 5, Episode 8: The Ski Lift - Larry hopes to convince the leader of the kidney consortium to move Richard Lewis up on the list for a new organ, but it ends in disaster.

22. Season 12, Episode 7: The Dream Scheme - Jeff, Freddy and Larry use dreaming tactics to get out of things they do not want to do. Guess who gets caught by Susie?

23. Season 8, Episode 5: Vow of Silence - Larry loses his head over some pig parkers, the "chat & cut" is introduced and Oscar does not get his last meal. R.I.P.

24. Season 2, Episode 3: Trick or Treat - Larry's nasty exchange with two teenagers trick or treating without costumes is the centerpiece.

25. Season 10, Episode 8: Elizabeth, Margaret and Phillip - Jon Hamm is hilarious while he mirrors Larry for a future project ... playing Mr. David.

Honorable Mention: Mary, Joseph and Larry (Larry wrecks Christmas), The Bat Mitzvah (Larry has an itch), Beloved Aunt (A typo ruins an obit written by Larry), The Nanny from Hell (Pound cake saves Susie from Cheri Oteri), The Black Swan (Larry commits murder on the golf course), Vehicular Fellatio (car hijinks), The Seder (Larry gets his newspaper stolen), Denise Handicap (Larry finds some advantages dating the disabled), The Shrimp Incident (Larry gets screwed out of some shrimp), The Bare Midriff (Larry is saved on the roof by flabby skin), Interior Decorator (Larry is tackled by a Decorator), Never Wait for Seconds (Fatwa! Off), Shaq (Larry accidentally trips Mr. O'Neal), Thor (Professional wrestler slashes Larry's tires), Ken/Kendra (Larry meets an angry Masseuse and gives the Boss Covid), No Lessons Learned (Larry is jailed. The finale).

My Favorite TV Shows of All Time (needs update)

By Mark Pukalo


I'm not quite sure what was actually the first television show I watched multiple times, more than 50 years ago.

The late 1960s brought us Hogan's Heroes, Bewitched, Here's Lucy, Hawaii Five-O, I Dream of Jeannie, Star Trek and many other classics. But I bet my love for the tube started with Marcia, Jan, Greg, Bobby and the others. I can remember that stacked Friday night lineup with the Brady Bunch followed by the Partridge Family, Room 222, The Odd Couple and Love American Style.

I've missed so many great shows over the years. It's impossible to catch them all and some just don't work for me. But here's a list of the all-time favorites that I have enjoyed. The top two may surprise you, but one is so unique, sometimes inappropriate and funny it deserves the top spot while the second is perhaps the best written, unfortunately short-lived, and most compelling in my lifetime.

First, here's some well-liked shows I have not seen much or not at all: The Americans, Boardwalk Empire, The Chappelle Show, Deadwood, Dexter, Empire, Friday Night Lights, House, Killing Eve, Lost, NYPD Blue, Oz, Sex in the City, The Simpsons, South Park, Twin Peaks.

Special Award: Saturday Night Live - Depending on the period, it could be top 10 if included.

Underappreciated/Guilty Pleasures: UFO, Moonlighting, Felicity, American Bandstand, Jericho. The Hudson Brothers.

Honorable Mention: All in the Family, Big Little Lies, The Carol Burnett Show, CSI Miami, Family Guy, Family Ties, FBI, Friends, Get Smart, Grey's Anatomy, Happy Days, Hill Street Blues, I Love Lucy, Laugh In, Law & Order, Law & Order Criminal Intent, Lost in Space, Mad Men, Orange is the New Black, Ozark, Rescue Me, Scrubs, Star Trek, Taxi, Welcome Back, Kotter.

TOP 25 (with favorite character)

26.. Schitt's Creek (Alexis, Annie Murphy); 25. The Mary Tyler Moore Show (Ted Baxter, Ted Knight); 24. One Tree Hill (Peyton Sawyer, Hilarie Burton); 23. Criminal Minds (Derek Morgan, Shemar Moore); 22. (The first three seasons of) Arrested Development (Gob Bluth, Will Arnett); 21. MASH (Corporal Klinger, Jamie Farr); 20. ER (Doug Ross, George Clooney); 19. The Bob Newhart Show (Robert Hartley, Bob Newhart); 18. Cheers (Norm, George Wendt).

17. Blue Bloods - This cop show has grown on me over the years and it is a fair depiction of life in the uniform despite the slight right-wing lean. The characters are rich and diverse while the stories have heart. Best Character: Jamie Reagan, Will Estes.

16. The Brady Bunch - It only lasted five seasons, but many of the best moments live on 50 years later. "Sure, Jan." No, it's true. Best Character: Marcia, Marcia, Marcia, Maureen McCormick.

15. Ted Lasso - 

14. Law & Order Special Victims Unit - Sam Waterson was great in the first Law & Order shows, but the SVU cast and storylines have been stronger. Best Character: Olivia Benson, Mariska Hargitay

13. Madam Secretary - Tea Leoni made this show tick as she grew into a formidable figure and made for a President we could all support - fearless, smart and fair. Best Character: Stevie, Wallis Currie-Wood.

12. Entourage - I recently rewatched all eight seasons and loved every minute. Vince, Johnny Drama, E, Turtle and Ari were fantastic characters and no show in history had more beautiful women. I still love you Sloan! Best Character: Johnny Drama, Kevin Dillon.

11. The Wire - It took me awhile to get around to this inner-city Baltimore police drama and I was blown away by its authenticity. The acting was brilliant through all five seasons. Best Character: Omar Little, Michael K. Williams.

10. The Office - The final two seasons aside, it ranks among the best four comedies of all time in my book. Dwight, Michael and the others were brilliant characters at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pa. Best Character: Jim Halpert, John Krasinski.

9.. Breaking Bad - The AMC classic provides an amazing performance by Bryan Cranston as Walter White, who evolves from a chemistry teacher with cancer to an international drug dealer. The final episode is one of the best in TV history. Best Character: Walter White, Bryan Cranston.

8. Modern Family - A remarkably-written sitcom about a diverse family, which takes many hilarious turns along the way. Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy took his place among the best comedic TV stars with his performance over 11 seasons. Best Character: Cam, Eric Stonestreet.

7. The Sopranos - David Chase makes you understand and even like a unique crime family over six thrill-filled seasons. Tony (the late James Gandolfini) runs the show, but Carmela (Edie Falco) takes no backseat as his wife. Best Character: Silvio Dante, Steven Van Zandt

6. The Pitt - 

5. Game of Thrones - Free HBO on my newest TV plan finally gave me a chance to watch this epic series about kings, queens, dragons and heroes. Never thought I would like it this much, but what an amazing eight years. Best Character: Arya Stark, Maisie Williams.

4. The West Wing - Creator Aaron Sorkin's first of two in the top four (also No. 2) is an incredible journey of seven seasons in the White House with tremendous performances and interesting, topical storylines. Best Character: Josh, Bradley Whitford.

3. Seinfeld - The show "about nothing" lasted nine seasons and rarely had an off half hour. It was one part goofy humor and one part intelligent comedy with Jerry Seinfeld and the cast causing problems wherever they went. Best Character: George Costanza, Jason Alexander.

2. The Newsroom - It only lasted three seasons and 25 episodes, but the cheeky writing and real-life drama make you want to watch shows over and over. The characters are more deep and compelling than in any show in history, in my opinion. Best Character: Will McAvoy, Jeff Daniels.

1. Curb Your Enthusiasm - Trouble does not find Larry David through the first 10 hilarious seasons of Curb, his character finds it in every episode. The show tackles subjects that sometimes make you cringe, but also make you laugh uncontrollably. Best Character: Leon Black, J.B. Smoove.

Best Movie Characters of All-Time

By Mark Pukalo


If you don't have compelling characters that the audience either cares about or dominate the screen, you probably won't produce a good movie.

A script can be technically brilliant, but if you don't have strong acting performance bringing interesting or humorous characters to life you won't be winning any awards.

Some you love, some you love to hate. But memorable characters are what turn good movies into great ones. The wrong casting can ruin a strong story. When an actor fits a role perfectly it is beautiful to watch.

In more than five decades viewing thousands of films, many characters stand out. In a three-month study I came up with 52 in 52 years that I liked more than any others for various reasons. No list is perfect, but all of these characters moved me or made me laugh in some way over time.

Here's a look at what I came up with, starting with honorable mention:

Honorable Mention: Shane Falco (Keanu Reaves) - The Replacements; Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis) - Armageddon; Monty Brogan (Ed Norton) - 25th Hour; Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald) - Sixteen Candles; Steve Stifler (Seann William Scott) - American Pie; Brodie Bruce (Jason Lee) - Mallrats; Natural Rivera (Rosario Dawson) - 25th Hour; Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) - Titanic; Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaughn) - Dodgeball; Star Carter (Amandla Stenberg) - The Hate U Give; Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence) - Silver Linings Playbook; Bridget Jones (Renee Zellweger) - Bridget Jones Diary; JoJo Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis) - JoJo Rabbitt; Emily (Zoe Kazan) - The Big Sick; Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) - Deadpool; Willie Beamon (Jamie Foxx) - Any Given Sunday; Sgt. Elias (Willem DeFoe) - Platoon; Mikey (Jon Favreau) - Swingers; Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) - Once Upon A Time in Hollywood; Lt. John Dunbar (Kevin Costner) - Dances With Wolves; Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) - Black Panther..


TOP 52

52. Andrew Largeman (Zach Braff) - Garden State - Large goes from a prescribed drug stupor to finding himself and a girlfriend in this great film.

51. Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) - Fast Times at Ridgemont High - Penn steals every scene, including when he orders a pizza for Mr. Hand's class.


50. Marty (Natalie Portman) - Beautiful Girls - Natalie was 15 when she played Timothy Hutton's 13-year-old next door neighbor, who was intelligent beyond her years.

49. Taylor (Charlton Heston) - Planet of the Apes - He escapes the damn dirty apes and gets a kiss from Dr. Zira before finding his destiny on the beach.

48. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster) - Contact - Jodie has taken on much bigger roles, but the look in her eyes throughout made this character so appealing.

47. Rob Gordon (John Cusack) - High Fidelity - The brooding record store owner takes almost the whole movie to figure out how to show Iben Hjejle how he feels about her.

46. Libby Parsons (Ashley Judd) - Double Jeopardy - Libby is relentless after her husband fakes his murder and steals their son.


45. Jo Galloway (Demi Moore) - A Few Good Men - Jo is all passion and no street smarts, but she gets it done.

44. Bob Harris (Bill Murray) - Lost in Translation - Bill's best dramatic effort brings out his versatile talent without losing his humor.

43. Irwin Fletcher (Chevy Chase) - Fletch - Thank you very little. Just put it on the Underhill's tab.

42. Dr. Zira (Kim Hunter) - Planet of the Apes series - The lovable chimp kisses Charlton Heston goodbye, even though he was so damned ugly.

41. Frank J. Mackey (Tom Cruise) - Magnolia - Cruise kills it with this very crude male supremacist character.


40. Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) - Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Bueller can do no wrong on his trip to the city.

39. Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.) - Jerry Maguire - Show him the money. Cuba plays the diva wide receiver role to the hilt.

38. Dr. Evil (Michael Myers) - Austin Powers series - He is worth one milllllllion dollars.

37. Claire Colburn (Kirsten Dunst) - Elizabethtown - Smart, friendly, very perky and attractive. She's the perfect date.

36. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) - Inglourious Basterds - That's a bingo! Waltz has never been and will never be better than in this role.


35. Carl Spackler (Bill Murray) - Caddyshack - The groundskeeper's groundskeeper was determined to get rid of all the gophers, not golfers.

34. Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) - Forrest Gump - Life's a box of chocolates and Forrest endured while enjoying every bit of it.

33. Senator Jay Bulworth (Warren Beatty) - Bulworth - The depressed California senator turned rapper revived his career and zest for life by telling the truth.

32. Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) - 10 Things I Hate About You - The Shrew is tamed by Heath Ledger, but she had plenty of fun terrifying people along the way.

31. Colonel Jessop (Jack Nicholson) - A Few Good Men - The evil military man cannot handle the truth when it is presented.


30. Lester Bangs (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) - Almost Famous - The late great Hoffman gave plenty of life to the real-life music journalist.

29. Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman) - Slapshot - Player coach of the Syracuse Chiefs turned his team in a feared bunch of hockey players and placed a bounty on the head of Tim McCracken.

28. Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) - Diehard - The coolest voice and personality of all evil criminals, but John McClane bests him in the end.

27. Jules Winnfield (Samuel Jackson) - Pulp Fiction - Philosophical hit man had style, humor and intellect.

26. Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) - Star Wars series - Movie villain for the ages still had some good left in him at the end to help son Luke.


25. Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) - The Godfather - He took care of business when needed.

24. Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) - Rocky series - The Italian Stallion goes from bar room brawler to champion.

23. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) - Star Wars series - His slow process from anxious child to master of the force is exhilarating.

22. Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) - Anchorman - Popular newsman's world changes when Veronica Corningstone shows up. Stayed classy in San Diego.

21. Johnny Utah (Keanu Reaves) - Point Break - Former Ohio State quarterback becomes a courageous detective. Vaya Con Dios.


20. Tris (Shailene Woodley) - Divergent series - Tris leaves her family to join Dauntless and does not stop until her unique Divergence saves everyone.

19. Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) - Good Will Hunting - Williams' greatest performance as a therapist who helps a street-wise, troubled genius find himself.

18. Lane Meyer (John Cusack) - Better off Dead - Downtrodden after Beth broke up with him, but the man knew how to ski.

17. Sofia (Penelope Cruz) - Vanilla Sky - The angel that tries to save Tom Cruise and says things like, "I'll see you in another life, when we're both cats," with a wonderful accent.

16. William Wallace (Mel Gibson) - Braveheart - Lost his girl, fell for a queen, fought for his country, died for his native Scotland's freedom.

15. Rick Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) - Major League - The "Wild Thing" was at his best in the biggest spots for the Tribe.

14. Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston) - Office Space - Hypnotized into the perfect employee, sort of. Impressed the Bobs and Jennifer, who did not wear enough flair.

13. Lucy (Sandra Bullock) - While You Were Sleeping - Sandra won an Oscar for "The Blind Side," but this is her best career performance in my opinion.

12. Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) - Wall Street - The top "evil" character on the list. While he is fun to watch and quite compelling in this film, people like Gekko have made this country worse.

11. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) - The Hunger Games - J-Law fit this role perfectly and was on target from the first and best movie of the series to the finale.


10. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) - Raiders of the Lost Ark - While the sequels were not close to being as good as the original, Indy was an iconic figure throughout.

9. Amanda Jones (Lea Thompson) - Some Kind of Wonderful - The pretty girl from the "other side of the tracks" who is welcomed to the popular group in high school, but is repulsed by attitudes when she gets there and leaves with her dignity.

8. Crash Davis (Kevin Costner) - Bull Durham - The "player to be named later" becomes the conscience of the Durham Bulls, grooms the bonus baby and falls in love with the local girl.

7. James Bond (Roger Moore, Sean Connery, Daniel Craig) - Bond series - OO7 always got the job done and got the girl, no matter who was in the role. My personal preference was Moore, probably because his movies (1973-85) were out when I was growing up.

6. Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) - Inglourious Basterds - Aldo the Apache from the Smoky Mountains is the charismatic leader of the Jewish-American guerrilla force which aims to accumulate Natzi scalps.

5. Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) - Hoosiers - A successful but aging basketball coach with a checkered past, including a suspension for punching his player, gets one more chance in tiny Hickory, Indiana.

NOTE: The top four could go in any order. Too close to call.

4. John Blutarsky (John Belushi) - Animal House - Bluto's grade-point average was 0.0, but he loved beer, partying, breaking guitars, climbing ladders at sororities and it led to him to the U.S. Senate.

3. John McClane (Bruce Willis) - Diehard - He was awfully hard to kill. A New York cop that did his best work away from the Big Apple, beating master criminals by any means possible and with some personality.

2. Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) - Almost Famous - The leader of the Bandaids - whose real name is Lady Goodman - goes through a roller coaster of emotions with love and friendship on the road to Morocco. She's no good at goodbyes.

1. John Winger (Bill Murray) - Stripes - Loses his job as a cab driver, his car and his girl within a hour, but the acorn becomes the oak with a little Arrrrrrmy training, sir. Cried his eyes out when Old Yeller died, and that's the facts Jack.

Top Bit Movie Characters of All Time

8. Rachel (Chloe Grace Moretz) - 500 Days of Summer - Uses the word bizzaro well.
7. Lacey Underalls (Cindy Morgan) - Caddyshack - Likes ties
6. Pepper Brooks (Jason Bateman) - Dodgeball - Bold strategy
5. Harry Doyle (Bob Uecker) - Major League - A bit outside
4. Dewey Oxburger (John Candy) - Stripes - Lean, mean fightin' machine
3. Walter Stratford (Larry Miller) - 10 Things I Hate About You - Down with the 411
2. Chazz (Will Ferrell) - Wedding Crashers - Meatloaf!!
1. The Wolf (Harvey Keitel) - Pulp Fiction - Solves problems

Once Upon a Time in 2019

    By Mark Pukalo

     Whether you watched on the big screen, on your computer or in the comfort of your living room, 2019 provided many compelling and entertaining films.

     They took you around the world, tackled big issues, made you laugh, caused you to sing along and made you cry. This amateur critic went to the movies almost every week last year and consumed enough popcorn to fill a dump truck. I ended up viewing a new personal-record 210 films - at the time - in all and still didn't see everything I wanted.
   
     It was a great year at the theater without a real major theme, although some of the best movies were more than two and half hours long. Much like in 2018, it was difficult to pick the best film of the year because any of the top 12 probably could have been placed on top.

    In the end, I could not pick something off the board like in 2018. The best film of 2019 had incredible acting and dialogue. It had plenty of humor. It told the story of a period in time in LaLa Land. You can call it a character study or just a series of entertaining scenes, but by the end it becomes a full movie with Quentin Tarantino steering the ship.

    "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" was the most entertaining and the best film of 2019. Brad Pitt most certainly deserved his best supporting actor Oscar, Andie McDowell's daughter Margaret Qualley dominated the screen in her scenes, Leo was great as usual, Margot Robbie couldn't have been more likable as the real life Sharon Tate, the hippies were darn creepy and Cliff's pit bull Brandy might have been the biggest star of all.

     There were so many great moments this year, from the simple like Emma Nelson and Cate Blanchett singing Cyndi Lauper's "Time after Time" in the car during "Where'd You Go Bernadette?," to the cute as JoJo Betzler reads a fake letter to his new friend inside the wall during "JoJo Rabbit," (above) to the fascinating as the new pontiff is picked in "The Two Popes," to the shocking conclusion of "Parasite," to the emotion of Mister Rodgers visiting a dying man in "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," to the humorous when Enzo the dog sarcastically comments on the cats frolicking on TV in "The Art of Racing in the Rain," to "Alita; Battle Angel" kicking ass, to Maya Erskine's quick wit in "Plus One" and to Elton John (Taron Egerton) beginning his first show at the Troubadour with Crocodile Rock in "Rocketman." Those are just a few. I could go on and on.

    I don't have the ability to see every movie. There are several limited-release films, very well reviewed, that did not even get out on Red Box. .

   I really don't want to be a professional critic.  I prefer not to think of structure and whether the plot works 100 percent. Some movies might be technically sound, but just don't work for me (The Favourite). I want to be entertained, whether that is making me think, laugh and maybe even cry. Or all of the above. The old Jim Valvano test.

   More than 70 films passed that exam in 2019. Here's my list of the Best of the final year in the decade:

     25. Apollo 11 - Because I was just 6 at the time, I barely remember watching the first moon landing on television, so it was very interesting to be able to watch the story unfold again in this well-constructed documentary.

    24. The Rise of Skywalker - While it might sit sixth or seventh best among the films in the Star Wars trilogy, it was still an entertaining final journey. It's weaknesses were far outweighed by its strengths, led by Daisy Ridley's presence.

     23. Joker - The much-deserved Academy Award performance from Joaquin Phoenix drives the film that is about as dark as it gets, but in a good way. I don't believe that director Todd Phillips made the Joker a sympathetic figure like many critics do. I did not take it that way. Phoenix just makes you want to know what will happen to the mad man next.

     22. Rocketman - This movie about the life of Sir Elton John was more of a musical than I expected, but it is quite entertaining. Egerton was terrific - and snubbed unfairly for an Oscar nomination - as the amazing performer and Jamie Bell is strong as Bernie Taupin, the songwriter behind the star.

    21. Official Secrets - Keira Knightley stars as Katharine Gun, the famous English whistleblower who uncovered an illegal United States spying operation in the lead up to the invasion of Iraq. Knightley's powerful, conflicted but righteous, performance was outstanding.

    20. Wild Rose - A troubled young woman (Jessie Buckley) from Glasgow, Scotland has dreams of being a country singer in Nashville. Her journey is both heartbreaking and exhilarating.

    19. Just Mercy - Michael B. Jordan gives a very strong performance as a Harvard law graduate who moves to Alabama to help provide representation for people on death row in the 1980s. He turns his attention to Walter "Johnny D" McMillian (Jamie Foxx), who was unjustly incarcerated for murder.

     18. Plus One - A very likable romantic comedy about a pair of friends who decide to accompany each other to a long list of weddings on their calendar while putting their own disappointing love lives on hold.. Alice (Maya Erskine) is one of my favorite 2019 characters.

    17. Knives Out - An enjoyable mystery with Daniel Craig and the beautiful Ana de Armas leading an outstanding ensemble cast. Took me a while before I decided to see this at the theater, but it was smart and fun from start to finish.

    16. The Farewell - Awkwafina fully deserved her Golden Globe for playing Billi, a Chinese-American who joins her family for a gathering in China to visit her grandmother, who is dying of cancer but has not been told of her disease. The family deals with the traditional decision of keeping the illness from lovable Nai Nai.

    15. 1917 - Director Sam Mendes hits it out of the park with this compelling war film that builds slowly to an amazing final 30 minutes or so. It's a story of perseverance, duty, honor, family and friendship along with the horrors of war. Yes, I have it a little lower than many critics, but that doesn't take away anything from the epic film.

    14. Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of my Voice - A documentary about the woman behind one of the greatest voices in music history. There was a lot I learned in this film, especially about the end of her singing career, that I did not know and the rest just brought back fond memories of Linda - every man's crush in my generation.

    13. Little Women - The seventh film adaptation of the 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott is done with expertise by director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird), and includes some brilliant acting led by Saoirse (say it right, Sirsha) Ronan and Florence Pugh. Bouncing between past and present early in the film got slightly confusing, but it was long forgotten by the end.

    12. Booksmart - Olivia Wilde provides a very likable comedy in her directorial debut about two bookworms who decide to begin partying in their last days of high school. Beanie Feldstein (Molly) was great, but I especially enjoyed Kaitlyn Dever's vulnerable Amy and not just because she had an Elizabeth Warren bumper sticker on her car.

    11. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood - A unique and well-executed take on the greatness of Mister Rodgers, inspired by an article about him titled "Can You Say. ... Hero?" written by Tom Junod that was published in Esquire magazine in the late 1990s. Tom Hanks does Fred proud and the main closing scene is one of the most emotional of the year.


     10. Bombshell - The biographical film centers on the development of a sexual harassment case against Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, and does it with credibility - without extra political sentiment. Margot Robbie, Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman all take on their characters with grace and class.

     9. Yesterday - I saw one critic actually name this as the worst film of the year and that the main characters had no chemistry. That is incredibly ridiculous. While it had a few moments that people can criticize, when you like the subject matter, the characters and the ending it doesn't matter to me. Loved it from start to finish, and it may have had the line of the year: "Bloody Ed Sheeran."

     8. Parasite - Wasn't sure what to expect when I saw this South Korean, subtitled film, but it sure packed a punch and had you glued to the screen throughout. It wasn't my pick for the Academy Award, but director Bong Joon-ho did a masterful job with this story of family, class warfare and wealth disparity in the world.

     7. Marriage Story - Director and writer Noah Baumbach uses an amazing cast to tell a story of the perils of the early end to a marriage and the heartbreaking process of divorce with a young child. Laura Dern deserved her supporting actress Oscar for playing Nora Fanshaw, Scarlett Johansson's lawyer, while Adam Driver and Scarlett also shine.

      6. The Two Popes - For some, this might be a boring movie, but I was riveted by the dialogue as Pope Francis and Pope Benedict fictitiously (but believably) meet to speak on two sides of the Catholic faith. The imagery and pacing is strong and Jonathan Pryce is so good as Francis, you do not know he is acting. Some say it favored Francis a bit and it did, but it also brought life to Benedict.

     5. Blinded by the Light - The true story of a young Pakistani teenager living in a small town in England, who is introduced to Bruce Springsteen music and it changes his prospective on life. It is directed by Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Beckham) and includes a wonderful speech at the end by lead character Javed (Viveik Kalra) along with a trip to Asbury Park.

     4. The Irishman - Director Martin Scorsese brings Charles Brandt's book "I Heard You Paint Houses" to the screen in a pulsating 3 1/2 hour film that centers on Frank Sheeran, a truck driver who becomes a hit man for the mob. Al Pacino (Jimmy Hoffa) and Joe Pesci (Russell Bufalino) are pitch perfect in their roles and Anna Paquin (Sheeran's daughter) has one of the best small roles of the year.

    3. Avengers: Endgame - Yeah, it's Marvel and it's about cartoonish superheroes, but this three-hour action film had more heart than most of the similar movies put together. It begins with our heroes splintered and beaten, and ends with an uprising to remember. The last scene is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

     1. JoJo Rabbit - A cheeky comedy-drama which both loudly and in subtle ways shows the lunacy of hate and fascism. Taika Waititi writes, directs and stars in the film while amazing 12-year-old Roman Griffin Davis plays the Hitler Youth "JoJo" Betzler, who must deal with finding out his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is a member of the resistance and is hiding a young Jewish woman (Thomasin McKenzie) in the wall at the end of World War II. One of the best endings of the year.

     1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - A movie about movies. That doesn't sound that great, but Tarantino uses all his talent to create compelling characters who weave a story about a period of time in the Hotel California. Leonardo DiCaprio is actor Rick Dalton on the downside of his career, Pitt is his driver and former stunt man and Robbie is the girl next door - sort of. Then, there's the hippies from the beginnings of Charles Manson's cult, Jackie Chan's fight with Pitt and Al Pacino lauding Dalton's performance in "The 14 Fists of McCluskey." Once again, it's Tarantino changing history as the Manson crazies are sidetracked on the way to murder Robbie's Tate. It's off the wall. Crazy. It's just fun. That's entertainment.

     Joe Lunardi's first six out:

     The Art of Racing in the Rain - Many critics didn't like it, but how could you not love Enzo? And the story was just fine to me.

     Atlantics - A romantic drama with a supernatural element that slowly draws you in with a backdrop of Dakar, Senegal. Lead character Mame Bineta Sane (Ada) provides an amazing performance in her first major film.

     Dark Waters - Mark Ruffalo plays Robert Bilott, the man who took down DuPont for their irresponsible business practices with chemicals.

     Harriet - Cynthia Erivo is brilliant as Harriet Tubman, who helped free as many as 70 slaves through the Underground Railroad.
     Uncut Gems - Adam Sandler is a force of nature as a Jewish jeweler with a gambling addiction.

     Waves - The unique and heartbreaking story of a African-American family in the suburbs of an east coast Florida city that takes an emotional journey through important issues to tragedy to dealing with loss. 
          
    On-Line Gems

    Between Two Ferns: The Movie - Laughed more than any movie this year.
    Knock Down the House - Get to know AOC a little better. Interesting documentary about grass roots campaigns.
    El Camino - Breaking Bad sequel does not disappoint.

    High Honorable Mention (42): 

    AD Astra - Solid, but expected more of the plot

    A Dog's Journey - Cute story

    Alita: Battle Angel - Cartoonish Alita is one of the best characters of the year

    Amazing Grace - Some great music from the Queen of Soul

    American Woman - Sienna Miller was fantastic, Should have been nominated

    Angel Has Fallen - Lots of action and intrigue, though formulaic

    Brian Banks - Heartwarming story, but a bit too tame

    Brittany Runs a Marathon - A woman takes the long journey toward finding her true self

    Captain Marvel - Brie Larson shines as a super hero

    Dolemite is my Name - Eddie Murphy is back, but just not enough humor for top 25

    Downton Abbey - Better than expected. Characters are rich

    Dumbo - I enjoyed the big Elephant story. Better than critics say

    Falling Inn Love - Netflix rom-com is likable

    Fighting with My Family - Wrestling fun

    Ford v. Ferrari - Strong acting from Damon and Bale, just a bit over-rated

    Good Boys - Some funny kid stuff

    The Great Hack - Fascinating, scary documentary

    Jumanji: The Next Level - Liked it a lot more than I expected

    High Life - Erotic, outside the box, science fiction film with convicted criminals used as Guinea Pigs to explore a black hole in space.

    Hotel Mumbai - Intense film that is well done

    Hustlers - Jen and Constance were terrific as strippers

    The Last Black Man in San Francisco - Very unique, abstract and interesting story by the end

    Last Christmas - Emilia Clarke can be adorable when not riding a dragon

    Late Night - Emma Thompson plays an iconic TV show host

    The Lion King - Thought they did a nice job bringing back this story

    Long Shot - Kinda dumb in parts, but plenty of humor

    Jexi - I laughed a lot, sorry

    John Wick 3 - Parabellum - Some overdone action, although the script is not bad

    Miracle in Cell No. 7 - Heartwarming and heartbreaking story about a father with a mental disability trying to reunite with his child

    Playing With Fire - Sweet firefighter story, along with some laughs

    The Public - Civil disobedience at a public library with Emilio Estevez

    Queen & Slim - Disappointing, but still enough intrigue to place it here

    The Report - Intense drama about the uncovering of the CIA's 9/11 detention program

    Richard Jewell - Strong film about the jump to conclusion in the Atlanta Olympic bombing.

    Rolling Thunder Revue - Martin Scorsese's brilliant documentary goes behind the scenes during Bob Dylan's tour with several great artists.

    Spiderman: Far from Home - Peter Parker meets Zendaya

    Toy Story 4 - Another fun film in the series

    The Two Killings of Sam Cooke - Documentary about of the greatest singers of all time

    Under the Silver Lake - Weirdest movie of the year. Not quite sure how to take it, but it is compelling

    Us - Chilling horror film from Jordan Peele

    Western Stars - Bruce Springsteen's documentary that followed his new album by the same name is well done and sounds very good.

    Where'd you go Bernadette? - Cate Blanchett rocks

    Who Killed Garrett Phillips? - Displays the worst kind of cops

    Zombieland: Double Tap - Lots of fun in this sequel

    Middle Honorable mention (53) (Had good elements, but also some weaknesses): 

   The Addams Family 

   After

   Aladdin

   Always Be My Maybe - Sweet netflix film

   American Factory - Won Documentary Academy Award

   An Acceptable Loss - Government conspiracy

   Anna  - Don't mess with Sasha Luss

   Miss Bala

   Bennett's War - Disabled war hero returns to the motocross circuit

   The Best of Enemies - Racism in the deep south

   Black Christmas - Bad kids in scream outfits terrorize a sorority

   Black and Blue - Very bad cops, Naomie Harris is very good

   Breakthrough - A bit too religious

   Clemency

   David Bowie: Finding Fame - Interesting documentary about the superstar.

   Dora & the Lost City of Gold - Young Isabela Merced is gorgeous and talented

   Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile - Zac Efron as Ted Bundy?

   Fast Color - Mystical story

   Fast and Furious: Hobbs & Shaw - Lots of action. Not bad

   Five Feet Apart - Haley Lu Richardson is quite appealing in an otherwise formulaic story

   Frozen II - Anna is awesome in the sequel

   Gloria Bell - Julianne Moore as a dating divorcee

   Good Sam - A good Hallmark-type movie

   Happy Death Day 2

   Her Smell - Elisabeth Moss as a druggy rock star

   A Hidden Life - Beautifully shot and acted, but a bit boring

   Homecoming - Beyonce!

   How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

   The Last Summer - Decent Netflix film

   Light of my Life - Apocalyptic story with Casey Affleck trying to protect his daughter

   Judy - Renee Zellweger was good, but she should not have won the oscar

   Justine

   Midway - War movie

   Motherless Brooklyn - Ed Norton in a well acted, but dull city drama

   The Mustang - A convict finds some purpose breaking wild horses

   Otherhood

   Overcomer

   Pain and Glory - Well acted, but not real compelling to me

   The Peanut Butter Falcon - Story is missing something

   Poms - Seniors do some cheerleading

   Portrait of a Lady on Fire - Artsy movie with beautiful Noemie Merlet in the lead

   Ready of Not - Better than expected horror film, with some laughs

   The Red Sea Diving Resort

   Rim of the World

   Screwball - Expose of the cheating A-Rod

   The Secret Life of Pets 2

   Someone Great - Gina Rodriguez and Brittney Snow.

   Stuber - Don't beat me up for rating it this low Dave Bautista. It is not unlikable, though

   The Sun is also a Star - Chance love story could be the best of this section

   Trial By Fire - Laura Dern defends man on death-row

   6 Underground - Ryan Reynolds is a wacky action movie

   The Upside - Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart bring some humor

   See you Yesterday - OK, but poor ending in my opinion

    Some Redeeming Value (51) (Or just not bad enough to make the worst of the year list):

   The Aftermath

   American Son

   An Easy Girl

   Annabelle Comes Home

   Backdraft2

   Beyond the Law

   Can you keep a secret?

   Cats - Francesca Hayward was likable as the lead cat Victoria, allowing it to reach this level.

   Charlie's Angels

   The Coldest Game

   Coma - Russian Sci-Fi

   The Current War - Dull

   The Dead Don't Die - Surprisingly bad with a great cast

   The Dirt - The Motley Crue story

   Doctor Sleep

   Freaks

   Fyre: The Story of the Greatest Party That Never Happened - Interesting, but makes you mad

   Gemini Man

   Godzilla: King of the Monsters

   The Goldfinch - Incredibly disappointing

   The Good Liar

   Greta - I like Chloe Grace Moretz. That saved it

   The Highwaymen

   The Hummingbird Project

   The Hustle - A few isolated laughs from Rebel Wilson

   I am Mother

   Inside Man Most Wanted

   I See You - bad netflix horror/mystery

   Isn't it Romantic? - No.

   The Kid Who Would be King

   The Kitchen

   The Laundromat

   Little

   Men in Black International

   MidSommer - The kids were so dumb. Just get outta there!

   Murder Mystery

   Paddleton

   The Perfection - Very creepy

   Pokemon Detective Pikachu

   Rambo: Last Blood

   Replicas

   Run the Race - Tebow cameo!

   Shaft - Was expecting worse

   Shazam!

   The Souvenir

   Strange But True - Pregnant Margaret Qualley in a chilling film

   Tolkien

   Triple Frontier

   Unicorn Store

   What Men Want

   Wine Country

   X Men: Dark Phoenix

   21 Bridges - RIP Chadwick. He couldn't save a bad plot here, though

   Most Over-rated: MidSommer, The Beach Bum, Ford v. Ferrari, High-Flying Bird

    Can't recommend at all (26): The Art of Self Defense, The Beach Bum, Bottom of the 9th, Captive State, Cold Pursuit, Corporate Animals, Countdown, Crawl, The Curse of La Llorona, Drunk Parents, Fractured, Glass, Hellboy, High-Flying Bird, In the Shadow of the Moon, The Intruder, Io, It Chapter Two, The Lighthouse, Lucy in the Sky, The Platform, Point Blank, Ma, Serenity, Terminator: Dark Fate, 3022

   Worst of the year: Cold Pursuit

   Could not find or haven't gotten to: Transit, Ash is Purest White, 3 Faces, Long Day's Journey into Night, Diane, David Crosby: Remember My Name, Honeyland, Honey Boy

    Did not care to see: Abominable, Adopt a Highway, A Dog's Way Home, The Angry Birds Movie 2, Arctic Dogs, Brightburn, Division 19, Don't Let Go, The Driver, Driven, Ecco, Escape Plan, Escape Room, The Fanatic, Housfull 4, Jacob's Ladder, The Lego Movie 2, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Mayday, Missing Link, Ophelia, Peel, Pet Semetary, The Prodigy, The Professor and the Madman, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, UglyDolls, Unplanned, Where's my Roy Cohn?, Wonder Park, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, 10 Minutes Gone.

PREVIOUS PICKS FOR BEST OF THE YEAR

2018:  The Hate U Give

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