Michael_Stuart

"Covering Bolts Hockey "

" • Canada • 26 Years Old • Male

Defending Guy Boucher's 1-3-1 Trap

The 1-3-1 trap has been used in hockey for decades. While it’s not the most exciting thing to watch, it shuts opponents down and does indeed give the trappers a chance to win. Guy Boucher knows that.

The ugly incident in the Philadelphia game had the entire league talking about the 1-3-1 trap and how Tampa was “ruining the game” and it was “their fault” and everything. Guy Boucher’s comments made it incredibly clear that he uses the 1-3-1 because they had been struggling offensively and he felt it gave the team its best chance to win. What’s so wrong with that?

When a team scores 9 goals against an opponent without letting up, that’s embarrassing. When a team hits uses brutal physicality to get under another’s skin, that’s embarrassing. So what’s so different about the 1-3-1? All of those strategies give teams a chance to win. Isn’t that what the NHL is all about? If you finish with more points than 7 teams in the conference, you get into the playoffs. That’s all Boucher is trying to do.

Personally, I have no problem with the 1-3-1. Philadelphia acted like children in their little game and is definitely the ones at fault. Look at the Lightning’s last game against the Minnesota and you will see that the 1-3-1 is beatable with the right coaching mentality. Mike Yeo beat it, why couldn’t Peter Laviolette?

As Lightning fans, we need to defend this team’s right to win games however it wants to without breaking the rules. The 1-3-1 does not break any rule in the NHL nor should it ever. Defensive trapping may not be the most exciting style, but it does bring in wins when a team in struggling.

I give huge praise to Guy Boucher for using the trap and I hope that the next time Philly plays us he brings it out again.

Thanks for reading.

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