The Tampa Bay Lightning have a lot to prove as they look for second straight win tonight against the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center in Sunrise.
The Tampa Bay Lightning has been on a rather difficult journey this season. Early on, the injuries began to mount and as the season continued, things only managed to get worse. The inconsistency in the lineup has wreaked havoc on the Lightning’s ability to play at the most basic levels at times.
On Tuesday night, the Lightning shocked the world when they deftly took down the Chicago Blackhawks in a decisive 5-2 victory at the United Center. Now, the Lightning has a new task in front of them; one that could be the first step in the road to salvation or the final nail in the coffin of the Lightning’s season.
If the Tampa Bay Lightning can work together the way they did on Tuesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks tonight as they go head-to-head with the Florida Panthers, the Lightning may be able to fight their way out of the hole they’ve dug for themselves this season.
Unfortunately, as this season has dictated thus far, this is going to be a rather difficult task. In other words, consistency has been the bane of the Lightning’s existence this season and when a team reaches this point in the season, the time for excuses has come and gone and it’s time to get it together.
This is not the first time the Tampa Bay Lightning have found themselves in this position. Surprisingly enough, they were able to lace their skates up tight and find a way to right the course. This is what Lightning fans are looking for from the team right now.
Right now, the Lightning is seventh place in the Atlantic Division. Should the Lightning be able to secure a regulation win over the Panthers tonight, they would leapfrog the Panthers and possibly wrest control of the fifth place position in the Division. This may not seem like a huge accomplishment, but it’s the small steps that mean the most in life.
Make no mistake, tonight is not going to be a cakewalk for the Lightning. They are going to have to face off against some really experienced players like Jaromir Jagr and some rather familiar faces like former Lightning forward Jonathan Marchessault.
Jonathan Marchessault is currently second place on the team in terms of overall points, having amassed 13 goals and 17 assists or a total of 30 points in 42 games.
On the other side of the ice, Lightning forward Tyler Johnson has been incredibly hot as of late. Johnson has picked up three goals and an assist in his last five games for a total of four points. Two of those goals were scored on Tuesday night against the Hawks, one of which turned out to be the game-winner.
There is definitely no love lost between these two teams. The competition between these teams is far more than the two points they get for winning the game. A victory between these two teams determines which team will be considered the best in the Sunshine State and provides a year’s worth of bragging rights.
While it has become increasingly difficult to remain positive as the team seemed to spiral out of control, we here at Bolts By The Bay believe there is still a season to be saved, at least for now. Hopefully, the Tampa Bay Lightning proves us right and brings home a much-needed two points tonight in Sunrise.
We you not able to make it to tonight’s game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center in Sunrise? Maybe you’re just looking for something to do while you’re waiting in the ridiculous intermission lines? We have the perfect solution for you!
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Join us right here at Bolts By The Bay as we discuss all the action between these two Sunshine State teams and what the Lightning have to do in order to stay above water and still make something of their season. We’ll be here all night long and look forward to hearing your opinions of tonight’s action.
Topics: Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Atlantic Division, Eastern Conference