I don’t care if it’s effective or not, but the way Guy Boucher coaches his team is bad for hockey. He ruins the game, pure and simple. The trap nearly ruined the game a decade ago, and now he’s brought along an even slower and more boring version of it. I HATE it
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are you sure it is guy boucher youre upset at, and not the lightning in general for being a thorn in the flyer’s side for years? most notabley 2004 confrence finals? The Lightning so far after 15 games have the 3rd highest scoring offense in the league. Obviously not boring. If all youre guaging hockey excitment on is goals going into the net, your claim is more relevant for 27 other teams. If a team wanted to stand 5 players directly infront of the goalie and create some sort of defensive wall, that is completely their tactics.. The best Defense stops goals, the best offense scores them. the 1-3-1 system in tampa is utilized roughly 30% of the time and ONLY when the opposing team is about to break. The team with the puck MUST advance, not the defending team. Hence the Philly zone face off. Tampa Bay is known for it fast breaks through the nuetral zone and its offensive play.. Not its 23rd ranked defense. The Preds and Trotz seemed to get through this defensive scheme, but the power house flyers just pouted. This whole argument is kind of like saying “the team wouldn’t blitz us so we could never throw the ball to our all star slot receiver or tight end! how dare them!” Don’t blame a team for using tactics completely within the guidelines of the hockey rule book. Blame your team for making a mockery of their “high powered” offense by letting the 23rd ranked defense scare them into a stand still. Bitter sweet Justice by Connelly in overtime for sure. The Hockey Gods were watching, they were aware of what was happening here. They also know various versions of the trap have been employed in the nhl over the course of the past 100 years. Usually the trap is used by teams lacking in offense, so i understand how frustrating it must be when it is used by a team that matches any others in fire power. Check out the Lightning’s GF and GA, clearly one of the highest when combined in the league. So if youre into hockey just for its goals… well tampa should be one of your favorite teams to watch. The only way to remove the trap in hockey is to cut a winger from play, make it 4 on 4. Guess what though, in the past 3 years the Lightning are the best 4 on 4 team in the league. Frank- “Jimmy come grab the ball from me!” Jimmy- “no if i do that you will throw it to Timmy” Frank – “Don’t be a coward Jimmy!” ::Jimmy goes after the ball:: ::Frank throws it to Timmy::