Nicholas Bohlman '23
Staff Writer
With a 36-17-3 record, the Tampa Bay Lightning are battling in the playoffs in hopes of winning the Stanley Cup Championship.
Leading up to the Tampa Bay Lightning’s first playoff game, they faced the same team who they would face in the playoffs in the first round. In the May 8th game, the Tampa Bay Lightning lost to the Florida Panthers with a score of 5-1. Hoping to redeem themselves in their next matchup and final game of the regular season, the Tampa Bay Lightning fell short once again to the Florida Panthers on May 10th by a score of 4-0.
The standings for the NHL decided who each team would face. This resulted in the Tampa Bay Lightning having to face the Florida Panthers. Ranked above the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Florida Panthers had a record of 37-14-5.
Winning 6 games in a row to finish the regular season, the Florida Panthers had a lot of momentum and promise for the playoffs. The Tampa Bay Lightning lacked this as they walked into the playoffs with a 3-game losing streak.
Although the Tampa Bay Lightning seemed to have lost their drive, many believe the Lightning can win another championship this season due to their success last season in winning the Stanley Cup Championship in Canada.
Center, Brayden Point, was the team’s leader in points and goals during the regular season. With 23 goals and 48 points, he has been the Lightning’s key to success this season. Defenseman, Victor Hedman, is the team’s leader in assists with 36.
Not only have the offensive and defensive players performed well this regular season, but so have the goaltenders. With a save percentage of .925 and an average of 2.21 goals against per game, Andrei Vasilevskiy has had a stellar regular season.
The Tampa Bay Lightning faced the Florida Panthers in round 1 game 1 and won by a score of 5-4. This win was a result of a very strong offensive line. Among the top players includes right-wing, Nikita Kucherov, as he scored 2 goals and had 1 assist after missing the regular season due to an injury. Also, Point, who scored 2 goals, and Hedman, who had 3 assists, are among the team leaders.
Round 1 game 2, between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers will take place on May 18th at 8:00 PM on CNBC.
Recently, the Tampa Bay Lightning received their Stanly Cup Championship rings from last season and are hoping to stay healthy, strong, and focused to bring another win for their fans.