End Of Game Two Symbolizes Tampa Bay Lightning’s Season So Far
By Jim Lynch
The Tampa Bay Lightning have won nine playoff series in a row, and now they are just two wins away from winning their tenth.
Going into this year’s battle of Florida between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers, things would be different. The Panthers and Lightning went seven games the previous year, but this Panthers team was better, and the Lightning were banged up with guys like Brayden Point out with an injury.
That was how things were supposed to go, but it has been all Lightning through two games in the postseason. While Tampa Bay has not dominated these games, winning 5-1 like how things went in round one, they have been sticking around for as long as possible and playing tough playoff hockey.
With Point out, Nicholas Paul has averaged over 21 minutes of ice time against Florida. Corey Perry and Ross Colton have also gotten more involved and have a combined four goals in the first two games of this series after just having five combined in seven against Toronto.
This series has been way better for the Lightning. They have been more methodical and have been better defensively to keep the score down. Andrei Vasileskiy has been a brick wall in the net, allowing just two goals on 71 shots against Florida.
Florida is an excellent offensive team, but in two games with the Lightning, they haven’t been able to control the game as much as they are used to. Plus, their power play has been anything but an advantage.
This was a series the Lightning were supposed to have to gut out throughout seven games. But as last night showed, the Bolts are still the defending champs for a reason – and playing without star players is something they are used to.
Whoever is playing the Lightning needs to be aware at all times on the ice, because no matter how much time is on the clock something like this can happen late in the game. Check out the goal that gave the Lightning the lead and the win with a few seconds left in game two.
The Lightning go back to their home ice for games three and four with an opportunity to finish this series quick. Winning this series as quickly as possible and getting some time to rest and get healthy has to be the game plan for Tampa. Executing that plan might be difficult but it starts with a great game three to give the Lightning an opportunity to go up 3-0.