The Tampa Bay Lightning head into the Amalie Arena tonight with the possibility of closing out the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Rangers in front of the hometown crowd.
The Tampa Bay Lightning has a rather large opportunity in front of them tonight; one which could have implications on the Lightning’s future in the post season. If they Tampa Bay Lightning pull out a win tonight, they will put an end to this series and officially punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Unfortunately for the Tampa Bay Lightning, there is still one incredibly important thing standing between them and their date with destiny; Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers. As one would imagine, they are most certainly going to have something to say about the Lightning’s plan and have no interest in heading back to Madison Square Garden without another game left to play.
While it can be incredibly easy to get ahead of ourselves and concentrate more on the road ahead than the things that are right in front of our faces, the Tampa Bay Lightning will have to do just that when they take the ice tonight; keep their mind on the task at hand and take down the Blue Shirts once and for all.
If you were one of the many who watched the Tampa Bay Lightning blank the Rangers on Sunday night, the you know that the Lightning has what it takes to get the job done. The Bolts have not one, but two lines that are just as dangerous as the other, which presents a real problem for someone like Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.
Tyler Johnson continues to lead the National Hockey League in post season goals with 12 to his name. Johnson’s closest competition comes off the stick of Anaheim Ducks right wing Corey Perry with 9 and Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane.
When the Lightning hit the ice tonight, there are just a few things they are going to have to ensure if they want to put this series behind them in front of their hometown crowd.
- Be Aggressive Offensively
- Remain Defensive-Minded
- Stay Out Of The Penalty Box
- Capitalize On Their Opportunities
Let’s take a quick look at each one of these individually so we can get a better idea of what the Tampa Bay Lightning will truly be up against tonight.
Be Aggressive Offensively
If one were to say that it is important for the Tampa Bay Lightning to strike first blood in tonight’s encounter, they may just be committing the understatement of the century. In the post season, the Lightning has gone 8-0-0 when they have scored first. While this may be nothing more than a superstition to some, the truth is right in front of us in black and white.
When the Tampa Bay Lightning take the ice tonight, they need to come out of the tunnel with a bang and put as much pressure on the Rangers defense and Henrik Lundqvist as humanly possible. They need to take the shot as much as possible and dig for the rebound, making it difficult for Lundqvist to be in multiple places at once.
Something that ties into this is puck control. The Lightning needs to stop relying on the old dump and chase method of getting the puck through the neutral zone. Also, they need to be more conscientious of where their teammates are on the ice and minimalize turnovers; especially in the defensive zone.
Remain Defensive-Minded
As we have mentioned before, with their backs against the wall and elimination staring them directly in the face, the New York Rangers are going to come at the Tampa Bay Lightning with everything they have. The defense is going to have to step up their game and avoid leaning on Ben Bishop too much.
While Bishop is in fact the Lightning’s last line of defense against the Rangers, the onus is ultimately on the defense to keep Blue Shirts as far away from Bishop as possible.
On the other hand, some people may say that the best sort of defense is a strong offense. There is no denying the validity of this argument. If the Rangers can’t seem to get their sticks on the puck, then they have virtually no chance of finding the back of the net.
No matter which strategy Lightning Head Coach Jon Cooper and our Boys in Blue decide to go with in tonight’s encounter, there is no denying that the defense will play a big role in the outcome of tonight’s game; for better or worse.
Stay Out Of The Penalty Box
We’re fairly certain that this one speaks for itself. We all know what happens when you continue to open the door for your opponent. Eventually, they are going to take you up on your offer, come barging right in and slam the door behind them.
The Tampa Bay Lightning needs to avoid taking unnecessary penalties at all cost and concentrate solely on keeping the puck off of the sticks of the opposition and into the net behind Lundqvist.
We are fully aware that the Rangers are going to be playing a very physical game tonight, and this has bench-clearing brawl written all over it, but the Lightning are going to have to assess each and every situation individually and determine whether or not the moment is worth being a man down.
Capitalize On Their Opportunities
The Tampa Bay Lightning struggled in the special teams department for a good portion of the season. Thankfully, after the Bolts began to find their groove in the post season, the special teams began to spring to life.
Considering the kind of game that we are sure to be faced with tonight and the implications that come along with both a win and a loss, the Lightning are going to need to be smart about their execution of their strategy and ensure that they are making the most of every opportunity presented to them; especially with the man-advantage.
The Tampa Bay Lightning definitely has the heart, soul, and sheer determination needed in order to close this series out tonight. The fact that they are playing here in the Bolts Nation and that they will have their Thunder behind them the entire way is nothing more than icing on the fluffy and delicious cake.
All they will have to do is hit the ice with a laser-sharp focus, play the puck with precision, and do what they have continued to do all season long; score goals and win the game. That doesn’t seem like too much to ask, now does it?
Are you still looking for a way to ensure you catch all of tonight’s Eastern Conference Finals action? Here’s a look at all the information you’ll need to make sure you don’t miss a moment of the action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers tonight at the Amalie Arena.
Are you ready to Be The Thunder for what could be the final time in the Eastern Conference Finals? We know we here at Bolts By The Bay are! Say it with us now…LET’S GO LIGHTNING!!!
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