TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Lightning players scoff at the notion they're not tough enough to beat the Philadelphia Flyers. "I think when you start talking about physical play, people equate that with big hits," coach John Tortorella said. "To me, when it comes to toughness, it's making a big play in traffic ... It's you whacking me in the face and me not hitting you back and sitting in the (penalty) box. That's tough."
Tortorella is more apt to be impressed by one of his players throwing his body in front of a puck to help goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin thwart a scoring opportunity than an enforcer knocking an opponent woozy along the boards.
The coach said while the Lightning's speed and youth against the Flyers' size and experience figure to be a crucial element of the Eastern Conference finals, they aren't necessarily the keys to the series that begins today.
Philadelphia coach Ken Hitchcock agrees.
"Everybody is talking about our brawn. We don't knock people through the boards. We have some people that play physically but so do they," Hitchcock said. "The strength of our team is our patience with the puck, especially in the offensive zone and that's the same as Tampa has."
With just 26 games in their post-season history, the Bolts are still relative playoff novices. They won a series for the first time last spring and eliminated the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens -- two teams regarded as less physical than the Flyers -- on the way to this season's conference finals.
Philadelphia lost all four regular-season games between the teams but enter the series coming off wins over defending Stanley Cup champion New Jersey and the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first two rounds.
The Flyers believe they are a much better team than the injury-riddled club the Lightning faced in January and February.
"This team has a lot of resolve ... We beat two good hockey teams to get here. We know how to play when it's on the line. That's a huge factor for us," Hitchcock said.
Although the Lightning has the best record in the East during the regular season and has won seven straight in the playoffs, Tortorella said his team is still learning about the post-season.
He doesn't feel slighted by questions about whether his young players have the mettle to advance against the more seasoned Flyers -- in the conference finals for the 14th time.
"We don't expect immediate respect. We're not whining about getting respect," Tortorella said.
"We're just going to go about our business and try to find our way. If you do it the right way, and we feel we're doing it the right way, along the line a little respect comes."
One of the keys to the opener will be how the Lightning responds after an eight-day break between series.
The Flyers have had three days to get ready since wrapping up their second-round win over Toronto in six games. Their challenge is finding a way to get to Khabibulin, who has four shutouts and an 0.99 goals-against average in the 2004 playoffs.
"Eight days off is a long time at this time of year," Philadelphia's Keith Primeau said. "Rest is great. I think it's crucial to making a long playoff run. But we like our situation ... and feel three days is enough time to rest and prepare."
http://www.canoe.ca
Tortorella is more apt to be impressed by one of his players throwing his body in front of a puck to help goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin thwart a scoring opportunity than an enforcer knocking an opponent woozy along the boards.
The coach said while the Lightning's speed and youth against the Flyers' size and experience figure to be a crucial element of the Eastern Conference finals, they aren't necessarily the keys to the series that begins today.
Philadelphia coach Ken Hitchcock agrees.
"Everybody is talking about our brawn. We don't knock people through the boards. We have some people that play physically but so do they," Hitchcock said. "The strength of our team is our patience with the puck, especially in the offensive zone and that's the same as Tampa has."
With just 26 games in their post-season history, the Bolts are still relative playoff novices. They won a series for the first time last spring and eliminated the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens -- two teams regarded as less physical than the Flyers -- on the way to this season's conference finals.
Philadelphia lost all four regular-season games between the teams but enter the series coming off wins over defending Stanley Cup champion New Jersey and the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first two rounds.
The Flyers believe they are a much better team than the injury-riddled club the Lightning faced in January and February.
"This team has a lot of resolve ... We beat two good hockey teams to get here. We know how to play when it's on the line. That's a huge factor for us," Hitchcock said.
Although the Lightning has the best record in the East during the regular season and has won seven straight in the playoffs, Tortorella said his team is still learning about the post-season.
He doesn't feel slighted by questions about whether his young players have the mettle to advance against the more seasoned Flyers -- in the conference finals for the 14th time.
"We don't expect immediate respect. We're not whining about getting respect," Tortorella said.
"We're just going to go about our business and try to find our way. If you do it the right way, and we feel we're doing it the right way, along the line a little respect comes."
One of the keys to the opener will be how the Lightning responds after an eight-day break between series.
The Flyers have had three days to get ready since wrapping up their second-round win over Toronto in six games. Their challenge is finding a way to get to Khabibulin, who has four shutouts and an 0.99 goals-against average in the 2004 playoffs.
"Eight days off is a long time at this time of year," Philadelphia's Keith Primeau said. "Rest is great. I think it's crucial to making a long playoff run. But we like our situation ... and feel three days is enough time to rest and prepare."
http://www.canoe.ca
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Hache man:
Despite different team, Revenge factor for Lighting also. Didn't Philly knock Tampa out last time Lightning was in playoffs Fish?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
No, the Devils defeated the Bolts in the second round last year.
Despite different team, Revenge factor for Lighting also. Didn't Philly knock Tampa out last time Lightning was in playoffs Fish?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
No, the Devils defeated the Bolts in the second round last year.
Hache
From a Flyers fan point of view I saw it the other way. The Flyers were a way better team back then and they had UIlanov and Petit making borderline dirty plays against Lindros all series long. You could see the frustration building in Lindros as in the playoffs you really can't afford to fight or repsond and get taken off the ice with penalties. Then in game 6 after it was in the bag, Lindros finally got the chance for retaliation against Ulanov and whopped his ass pretty bad before one of his teamates jumped in to save him.
It was beautiful. I love it when the phony tough guys in the playoffs who act tough cause they know the other guy can't retaliate get whats due to them. They don't seem so tough then!
From a Flyers fan point of view I saw it the other way. The Flyers were a way better team back then and they had UIlanov and Petit making borderline dirty plays against Lindros all series long. You could see the frustration building in Lindros as in the playoffs you really can't afford to fight or repsond and get taken off the ice with penalties. Then in game 6 after it was in the bag, Lindros finally got the chance for retaliation against Ulanov and whopped his ass pretty bad before one of his teamates jumped in to save him.
It was beautiful. I love it when the phony tough guys in the playoffs who act tough cause they know the other guy can't retaliate get whats due to them. They don't seem so tough then!
