Pass Out the Brooms
It's sweeps week on the east coast of the NHL. I missed a few days with a cold and both series are basically over! Tampa Bay and Boston (soon to sweep, and I'll make that call prematurely) made quick work of their opposition by relying on their team game. I like these kind of teams. Everyone plays their part and steps up to create a balanced attack and stifling defense. This isn't to say that there aren't weaknesses but it's the intensity and unrelenting effort that gives them the playoff edge. They don't panic when under the gun and play with such confidence that it is a pleasure to watch.
So let's talk about the goalie match up. Thomas v. Roloson. Awesome match-up. I think we'll see a mimic of Tommy's first round against Price. Roloson will probably get a bit cold in the first two games (only because he's been so good for so long) but Tommy cannot hold on. The Lightning attack is not just talented but unrelenting and extremely confident. Sometimes I feel that the Bruins have trouble finding the net, like scoring is a struggle. The Lightning on the other hand have natural goal-scorers that know they will eventually find the net. And the power-play, just like in the Semi's, will be the deciding factor. I don't think anything will slow down the Lightning's PP, whereas I don't think the Bruins will gain much steam with theirs against the defensive minded Lightning. And I love the Lightning, have I mentioned that?
The fact that both teams will have a considerable amount of time off between the semi and final rounds means that they will both be on the same footing. I am a firm believer in not just playoff momentum from round to round (despite what Boucher says). Having too many days off can make the playoffs draw out because the players tend to calm down and relax. In my opinion, it is better to keep the adrenaline up and have each player's will power and desire carry them. Sometimes the more adversity that a player has to overcome can be beneficial.
Also, it looks like the Finals round maybe coming a bit quicker than expected. I usually like to draw out the playoffs so I can watch as many games as possible, but c'est le vie.