The Tampa Bay Lightning head to the Rogers Arena to finish off their back-to-back weekend series against the Vancouver Canucks.
The Tampa Bay Lightning seemed down and out last night against the Edmonton Oilers; however, things would not end quite the way some people would have suspected. After being down 2-0 heading into the third period, the Tampa Bay Lightning would battle back with three goals of their own to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 at Rexall Place in Edmonton.
Tonight, the Tampa Bay Lightning has a new challenge on their hands. The Tampa Bay Lightning will charge into the Rogers Arena to take on captain Henrik Sedin and the Vancouver Canucks. Defeating a team like the Canucks is not going to be an easy task. Right now, the Canucks are battling the Anaheim Ducks for the third place position in the Pacific Division.
As you can imagine, Daniel Sedin (along with his brother Henrik) are leading the way in terms of points for the Vancouver Canucks. Daniel Sedin, who leads the Canucks in goals, has already brought home 17 goals and 21 assists for a total of 38 points. Henrik Sedin, who leads the team in assists, has scored nine goals and 25 assists for a total of 34 points.
On the other end of the ice, the Tampa Bay Lightning has quite a few high-powered scorers of their own. Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos and right wing Nikita Kucherov are tied for the lead in points on the Lightning. Steven Stamkos, who leads the team in goals, has brought home 18 goals and 13 assists for a total of 31 points. At the same time, Nikita Kucherov has brought home 16 goals and 16 assists for a total of 31 points.
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Much like the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Vancouver Canucks have had their fair share of difficulties. While they may find themselves in a better position in their respective division than the Lightning, these two teams have a lot more in common than most people would be led to believe. Both the Lightning and the Canucks have struggled putting a string of wins together.
As we officially enter the second half of the NHL Season, coming home with the two points is becoming more important than ever. The moment has arrived where the Tampa Bay Lightning is going to have to put aside the struggles of the past, clear the dark cloud hanging over their heads, and really put their noses to the grindstone if they want to find themselves in a comfortable position at the end of the regular season.
Here’s a look at a few of the keys to the Tampa Bay Lightning bringing home a victory against the Canucks.
Set the Tone Early
The Tampa Bay Lightning has experienced quite a bit of issues this season when it comes to the opening moments of the game. Unlike previous seasons where the Lightning would come out of the gates with aggression and put the pressure on the opposing team, the Lightning seem to continually have lackluster starts. This has caused them to spend a good portion of the game making up ground they never should have lost.
Be Offensively Aggressive
The Tampa Bay Lightning have plenty of talent on their team capable of putting the puck in the back of the net with ease. Unfortunately, the Tampa Bay Lightning seem to make passes where they should be taking the shot. This seems to be especially prevalent when Steven Stamkos is on the ice. The Lightning need to resist hesitation and simply take the shot. This brings us to our next topic.
Dig Deep for the Rebound
It is a proven fact that not every shot you make on the net is going to get past the goaltender. That is what the goaltender is between the pipes for, isn’t it? At the same time, even the most elite goaltenders can’t be everywhere at once. If the Tampa Bay Lightning could spend more time putting pucks on the net and digging for the rebound, there is no doubt they would be able to bring home the two points much more consistently.
Speaking of consistency…
Play A Consistent 60 Minutes of Hockey
The Tampa Bay Lightning have this nasty habit of either coming out like a rocket in the first period and fizzling out as the game presses on, or coming out to a much slower start and spending a majority of the game chasing a lead that should have been theirs all along. If the Lightning want to truly be competitive and make something of this otherwise dismal and stressful season, they are going to have to dig deep and find some of the consistency they displayed during the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Last night’s win in Edmonton was a good start, but there is still plenty of work ahead of them as they head into the final 41 games of the season. As the old saying goes, the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. The final 41 steps in that journey begin tonight in Vancouver.
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The puck is scheduled to drop at 10:00 p.m. EST. Make sure to stay connected right here to Bolts By The Bay as we bring you all the latest Tampa Bay Lightning, news, updates, commentary, and more.