Chronicling the first period of the the game — it’s goalie vs. goalie and Referee vs. Lightning. Nikolai Khabibuilin was somewhere I haven’t seen him in years — the Zone. I’ve seen him pitch shut outs the last two years but nothing came close to how he played his first season in Tampa

The first period came close to that… That’s my opinion at least.

Meanwhile, calls of interference, hooking and tripping have been thrown the Bolts way.. Martin St. Louis almost scored on a short handed situation, but hitting the cross bar and having the puck stay out is the result of his breakaway

There have also been two scuffles — one at the back of the Lightning end and the other along the boards in the Islanders zone which resulted in Trent Hunter being called for roughing with ten seconds left in the first.

2nd Period gets delayed by a clock malfunction. Go figure

Second period recap in brief: When you think of breakaway goals and the Tampa Bay Lightning, you always think of Andr? Roy, don’t you??? :biggrin

When you think of goaltending — you think of the tandem of Nikolai Khabibulin and Dan Boyle… Seriously though, folks, Khabibulin is playing so focused… More focused than I have seen in years. I went into this fearing the Isles had it made — Five hole — and right now the Builin Wall is standing in front of them..I write this 10 minutes into the 2nd

Meanwhile — Modin goes five hole on DiPietro. Up by a deuce.

I also have to point out that the 2nd played through with nary a penalty. Oh sure there was a call early on against Brad Richards but after the start of the period — there were no calls for a good 17 minute span until Martin St. Louis got called for hooking Too many men on the ice gets called shortly thereafter against the Isles… the four on four is uneventful.

I said before the series that solving DiPietro was the key to winning this series — I stand by that as the 2nd period ends…

I’ve been lauding Khabby and I apologize to Isles fans for ignoring the work of Rick DiPietro. First full playoff game of his career and he is standing tall as well but he’s only faced ten shots…

Lightning fan perspective on the game before the 3rd period starts: “Thanks to Cairn’s for our two goals. The officials are allowing severe Islander’s obstruction, but TB is playing horribly even considering that.” (Taken from alt.sports.hockey.nhl.tb-lightning)

Third Period — Roy lost his starting job and earned Torts wrath during the playoffs last season. IMHO he’s earning them back with his play tonight…

Rick and the Chief on the Sunshine Network telecast talk about contrasting calls and non-calls in the first and third periods. I’m really getting sick of officiating after hearing about last nights Vancouver / Calgary game and strict calling of the game there. What’s this? Is the East getting off easy?

I wrote the above while the Bolts were on the PP… Go Figure….

And speaking of that Power Play - Modin notches his second of the night… 3-0

As the game winds down, Steve web gets called twice… The Isles look increasingly frustrated. Aucoin gets called seconds into Webb’s second penalty. A 5 on 3 to close out the game? Unheard of…

Lightning close thing sout safely with the puck in their own zone and take a 1-0 lead in this best of 7 series. This is the first ever Lightning series opening win (some stat huh?) and I believe the first playoff shutout the team has ever registered.

So the playoffs have finally arrived. The time of year when men are men, goaltending wins championships, and the referees put away their whistles and let ‘em play.

Somebody didnt get the memo.

More accurately, somebody did get the memo. After 1,230 regular season games where the officials ignored virtually all obstruction and interference calls, Gary Bettman apparently dropped a memo to the officials ordering them to start calling obstruction.

Why didnt you do that in the regular season, Gary?

After night one, the only game that was marred by the memo was the Calgary-Vancouver game, where 16 powerplays were handed out, 7 of the 8 goals scored were potted with the man advantage, and all flow, consistany and enjoyment of the playoffs was sucked dry.

Is this what we have to expect in this years playoffs? Confusing calls, fans on both sides in agreeing that the offiicals are ruining the game? Hopefully Calgary vs Vancouver game 1 was the exception.

Given Bettman’s history, I doubt it.

Note to Brian Bradley who appeared on Lightning Ice Time before tonights game —

Focus on the camera or near the camera and stick to it.

It was hilarious to watch Bradley sitting between Bobby “The Chief” Taylor and Paul Kennedy, scanning in front of him to find a spot to look at. He might have been reading cue cards and switching back to the camera, he might have been lost in the spotlights that were shining on eh Sunshine Network commentary desk.. Whatever the reason, he looked hilariously ridiculous and out of place on TV up until the point where he was looking at his two desk-mates.

This isn’t the type of story I like to see tied to playoffs at all…

You know what, guys? It’s one thing to piss on people’s colors with good natured ribbing, it’s also for the good of a country for there to be political debate - even the heated ones — over any issue for the sake of the Nation you live in…

But to come to this — to go to blows just to put down he opposition? You’re not only pissing on your own colors (in this case, showing the Vancouver Canucks in a terrible light) but you are pissing on your community, on the sport you attended as well as yourself.

There’s no room in Sports or anything else for this shit. You take the fun out of the game when you make it unsafe for people of an opposing team to attend a game in your own house. I expect this in Philadelphia, or Oakland, but not Vancouver…

Just for those who don’t surf the web enough:

CBS Sportsline posts their point by point breakdown of the matchup between the Isles and the Lightning, giving the Lightning the edge in the series.,

ESPN.com limps along with their own series preview giving the Lightning the edge in five… I agree with the assessment that the Bolts could end the series in five games — but I also believe Rick DiPietro could hand it to the Isles in four.

Meanwhile, NHL.com salivates over the Toronto / Ottawa matchup, as well as posting a link to the Islanders / Lightning matchup. A very thorough breakdown with no prediction - as it should stand.

And last but not least in this short roundup — TSN.CA chimes in with their preview. I like Torts quote to end the “article” page… Now the Fun begins :smile

Round One…. Fight!