Tampa, Florida					Thursday, September 09, 2010

Hold Those Victory Parties—For Now
Friday, May 21, 2004
TAMPA—Hold those orders for Stanley Cup souvenirs! Hold those Stanley Cup final caps for Lightning, and the official party. I mean hold their distribution for they surely are ordered and in stock somewhere in lock. Hold those orders even if—well, with just under two minutes to play in that sixth game of these National Hockey League playoffs in Philadelphia Thursday night when most of us thought the order was well, again, in order. With less than two minutes to play in the wonderful game Tampa Bay led 4-3. And, despite the concern all may have had, particularly in these parts, Tampa Bay was using the hockey counterpart of the hated Prevent Defense of football hereabouts, the Lightning indeed seem about to win, about to win the that pivotal game and advance to the Stanley Cup championship against the Calgary Flames, already finalists. No, in that game the Lighting surrendered when Philadelphia came from behind with 1:50 minutes to play for the 4-4 regulation tie, then surprised no one by winning in the overtime and forcing a seventh game in these semifinals, a seventh winner take all game in Tampa Saturday night. No, the better team did not win in Philly Thursday night 5-4. The team that played harder, the Flyers, did. No the team with more talent did not win in that Flyer-Lightning game Thursday night. The tougher team did. No, the sounder team did not win in Philly Thursday night. Heck, no. Tampa was fitter, less injured. Philly was racked with injuries, had a rookie starting and playing throughout. But, many think the smarter team won. That was a conclusion because Tampa Bay led 4-3 with the final period to play, apparently the Lightning chose to choose to use the old Prevent Defense in that last quarter, and it did not work. That changed when the pressure of an offensive-minded Flyer team pressured and pressured and pressured until there with his stick I placed just right for a rebounding puck was Flyer stud Keith Premeau who slapped the little black disc into the net for the tying goal. It slipped by Tampa Bay goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, who did not have his best night, and the game was 4-4 and most just knew the Flyers would score first in the first overtime and win it 5-4 and force the ultimate seventh game in Tampa this weekend ahead. It was right that the gritty Premeau, 6-5, 210, a former trombone player, who has done about all that he could so far in these playoffs. And, it was right, some will say, because the Lightning, with that two-period 4-3 lead went into the defensive mode (it worked earlier in the week), instead of sticking with the offensive	mode that got them that lead. An ESPN an analyst and former player said it. It said after the game the “Kattie bar the door,’’ attitude of Tampa Bay did not work. He said Tampa should have stayed in the offensive mode. In truth, Vincent Lecavalier, the wonderful Lightning player who scored two of the Tampa goals Thursday night in Philadelphia, agreed after the game. He said the defensive approach was wrong. Tampa Coach John Tortorella seemed to agree. But, it was done, and so now a seventh game must be played. The Lightning cannot, as thought as the game Thursday, changed leads repeatedly, now relax, rest, and prepare for Calgary, cannot get ready for the Stanley Cup. No, instead, the Lightning now has to prepare for another night against the Toughs from Philadelphia, take more, hits, play their backsides off against this tormenting, give-em-fits team Flyers one more time—and win—to finally make it to the for the Stanley Cup against Calgary, in Tampa. Phooey, most say. That game Thursday surely was in the bag, had the Tampa team played as he should have, could have, with an offensive attitude instead of one of those Avoid Losing deals, those Prevent Defenses most fans I know despise. But, what it does, was make more money for the NHL, concessionaires at the St./Pete Times Forum and well, “give our fans,’’ said one Lightning official, “one more game to see and in this case contribute to the needed win this their live support.’’ Well, now that’s a fact, and is surely can be a factor. Not sure the great Philly support Thursday did not help the Flyers rally. It should have. And, with their sudden loss Thursday surely devastating to the Lightning in Philadelphia, well, Lecavalier did indeed say the fans would be a factor Saturday in Tampa. What Tampa Bay will need Saturday is a jump start, a quick lead, and if the fans can provide that, fine indeed, all will say. Most thought Tampa would win Thursday in Philadelphia because the Flyers were crippled by injuries and because the Lightning are deeper, more talented. Clearly, toughness, want-to and the crowd were key factors. Now what? Well, if the Lightning don’t sag because of the late surrender in Philly, they should win and get it on with Calgary in the Stanley. Got to. Don’t they? Got to take advantage of this rarest of opportunities—the Stanley Cup replica on display beside that Lombardi (NFL) Trophy of a year ago the Bucs brought home, and believe me, despite a couple of key losses because of decisions for the football version of the ole Prevent defense by the Bucks on their bumpy road to glory in 2002. Eh? ##
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