Opposing viewpoint: On Bolts recovering from loss & more Seguin

MK: Will the Lightning even bother playing Game 3 if Tyler Seguin is in the Boston lineup? I mean the guy’s on pace to score 10 goals in this series, if it goes seven, record 10 assists and I think he’s going to invigorate the entire retirement population of the Tampa/St. Pete area like some modern-day character from Cocoon. He might win the hearts of some teeny-bopper Floridians while he’s at it. Since we all knew he was going to be this great and there was no way even head coach Claude Julien couldn’t hold him back forever, what do you expect Seguin to do for an encore and can the Lightning even think of stopping him, never mind do it?

JJ : Do I sense a hint of sarcasm in thy tone, Mr. Kalman? Methinks young Seguin’s emergence of yesternight has left ye less than sold…

But I do get where you’re coming from. Judging from most of what I saw on Twitter during Seguin’s four-point explosion, construction on a statue outside of the Garden has already begun.

Let’s not take away from his performance too much, though. After all, a six-points-in-two-games playoff baptism is nothing to scoff at. And, probably most importantly, if there are still any major concerns about the return of Patrice Bergeron, the effectiveness of Seguin to this point (and, oh yeah, the win itself) takes the foot off the throat a bit, in terms of feeling pressure to get Bergeron back in there. Granted, if he’s ready, he’s ready and, surely, Boston will welcome him back with open arms… I’m just saying they may not feel his return is as much of an absolute necessity as they did prior to game two.

Or maybe they do, come to think of it. Julien seemed awful eager to get his jack-of-all-trades back as soon as possible at the postgame presser, the win notwithstanding. (And I would think that your guess of Shawn Thornton coming out upon Bergeron’s return is probably the most likely lineup change. I mean, who else?)

One thing’s for sure from a Lightning standpoint: A trio of defensemen in Mike Lundin, Victor Hedman and Randy Jones have now been “posterized” by Boston’s rookie sensation and the whole team has yet another weapon to account for at all times.

To address your questions more specifically: Yes, I think the Lightning will bother playing game three, although it is clear that Super Seguin makes all hope futile; he’ll probably end up with 15 goals and 19 assists before the final series horn sounds; old folks from Pensacola to Key West are most definitely en route to Tampa, with hopes of touching this living, breathing fountain of youth and Justin Bieber’s got nothing on this Beantown Baby, who is headed to the pages of Tiger Beat magazine for sure (or whatever…)

Seguinistas (I get that right?) everywhere, rejoice!

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