The Lightning must self-correct, and they’ve done it before with these speeches | Sportidiya
The Lightning must self-correct, and they’ve done it before with these speeches
TAMPA — It's time for a public address.
This is a serious situation. It's a touching story. It's a motivator.
It doesn't have to come from the captain, Victor Hedman, or even Corey Perry. However, it must arrive soon — and it may have already done so.
Someone needs to deliver a message that resonates with the back-to-back Cup champions, who are down 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Final to the Avalanche.
No, a Knute Rockne speech isn't going to be enough to stop this incredible Avalanche squad from sweeping through the playoffs like an avalanche.
But it will bring Tampa Bay into sharper focus. Make them understand how they arrived to this point, having won 11 straight series coming into the final. They're the comeback kings, the unstoppable champions, the very tough squad that performs best when they're down and out.
The Lightning's only hope of beating the Avalanche, beginning with Game 3 on Monday night, is to start playing like themselves, because the club that played in Games 1 and 2 did not like the squad that is chasing history. Maybe that's why, unprompted, Stamkos indicated after the game that people are likely writing them off and that the series is gone.
He said, "Let's see what we're made of." "It's time to grow a pair."
What this Tampa Bay team excels at, and what has propelled them to success, is their capacity to self-correct. Their responsibility to one another. Their sincerity.
From Stamkos to Perry to coach Jon Cooper, there have been several big speeches during this postseason run, and each speech has elements that could benefit them now.
"What I like about this team is that everyone is willing to listen and accept criticism, as well as be critical of themselves and others," defenseman Zach Bogosian said. "The boys aren't offended in the least." That is an important aspect of what we do. We hold each other accountable for our actions. When I first arrived, one of the coolest things I noticed was how certain males interacted. Some men on previous teams may not have taken advise or criticism well. And now it's your turn to speak whatever's on your mind. All of us are brothers. We're all in love with each other. It's a heartfelt message."
Corey Perry is a quiet guy by nature, but when he gets on the ice, he "flips a switch."
Perry, on the other hand, is a straight shooter when it comes to speaking with the team.
Coach Jon Cooper remarked, "There's no fluff, no B.S." "It's just logical."
Even among a senior leadership group, Perry received a "A" on his sweater within his first few games with the Lightning. Perry's most moving speech to date came during the Leafs' first-round series.
Perry asked for the floor, according to Ross Colton, during a team meeting, possibly during a team breakfast. He got up and talked from the heart, recalling the previous two Cup Final series against Tampa Bay.
"I just said, 'It's mentally and physically exhausting playing against you guys in a playoff series," Perry said. "I've experienced it firsthand. 'I've completed the task.' "I wasn't sure if it was going to work or not."
What was it that made it click? Given Perry's standing in the game, his expertise, and the fact that it came from an outsider's perspective, Colton felt it meant a lot coming from him. The Lightning needed to be reminded of how good they were when they were at their finest, which they could do immediately.
Comments
Post a Comment