If things continue on their current path, there is a chance the Tampa Bay Lightning could collide with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals.
The Tampa Bay Lightning started out the 2015-16 season with every intention of making a return to the Stanley Cup Finals, picking up where they left off last season and taking it the extra step and holding the Stanley Cup high above their heads. Unfortunately, the season didn’t exactly get off to the start the Lightning would have initially hoped for.
In the first couple games of the season, it seemed as if the Lightning’s hopes of a Finals return may actually come to fruition. Unfortunately, by the end of the month things seemed to take a turn for the worse. A series of injuries would cause the Tampa Bay Lightning to delve into a four-game losing streak.
Thankfully, as the Lightning began to get their players healthy and the team was finally able to form some chemistry with one another, the Lightning found their legs and set themselves on the right track. In fact, when push came to shove, not only did they stamp their ticket to the postseason, but they also secured home ice advantage in the process.
The first round was a rather physical one between the Tampa Bay Lightning and their Atlantic Division rivals, the Detroit Red Wings. With players like Lightning captain Steven Stamkos and defenseman Anton Stralman relegated to the sidelines with injuries, there were people who believed the Lightning would be one and done in the postseason. Unfortunately for them, the Tampa Bay Lightning saw things a little differently.
The Tampa Bay Lightning was able to power through their series with the Red Wings in five games and move on to the next round. The question at that point was would they be playing their in-state rivals, the Florida Panthers, or the New York Islanders in the next round. When the final buzzer sounded on that series, it would be the New York Islanders who would be heading to the Sunshine State to kick off Round 2.
This brings us to where we are now. The Tampa Bay Lightning currently hold a 2-1 series lead over the New York Islanders. Should the Lightning be able to hold onto some of the magic they uncovered in the final moments of the third period in Game 3 and translate that to a full 60 minutes of hockey in Game 4, the Lightning could find themselves in a position to close out the series on Sunday at the Amalie Arena.
Given the aforementioned information, it makes sense for us to take a look at the other series in the Eastern Conference and see what the Tampa Bay Lightning will be up against should they be able to close out their series with the Islanders and move on to the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals.
As we gaze over at the series between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals, it seems as if the Penguins have a pretty strong hold on the Capitals right this moment. After winning Game 4 in overtime on Wednesday night at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, the Penguins find themselves with a 3-1 series lead over the Capitals.
If the Penguins can manage to keep momentum on their side heading into Game 5 on Saturday night at the Verizon Center in the Nation’s Capital there is a good chance they will be moving on to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Should everything in this scenario play out the way we have estimated, it would not be the first time these two teams have met in the center of the ice in a playoff situation. It was back in 2011 when the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Pittsburgh Penguins met in the very first round of the postseason. It took all seven games to determine the victor, but in the end, it would be the Tampa Bay Lightning who would move on to the next round.
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There is just one glaring difference between the series back in 2011 and the potential scenario we face today. Should this scenario come to pass, the Pittsburgh Penguins will have both a healthy Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, something they lacked in the 2011 series.
Speaking of the Penguins’ dynamic duo, it is Crosby and Malkin who are leading the way for the Pens in overall points. Both Crosby and Malkin have three goals and six assists to their names for a total of nine points each. Unfortunately for the Tampa Bay Lightning, having a healthy Crosby and Malkin may be the least of the Lightning’s worries in this scenario.
When you take a look at the Penguins’ stats, there are just seven players on the team who have yet to register a goal. Drilling things down a little further, the Penguins have just four players who are yet to register any sort of point at all. Out of those four, three of them have only played in two games thus far.
Despite a number of disadvantages to playing the Pittsburgh Penguins instead of the Washington Capitals, there are some advantages that come along with it. One of the biggest advantages is familiarity. As we mentioned before, the Tampa Bay Lightning has faced the Penguins in a postseason setting and at least have a foundation of knowledge about the way the team plays and how to counteract their plans.
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The second advantage is the simple fact the Penguins play the same style of hockey as the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Penguins have a lot of talent on their roster who use their tremendous speed to continually keep the pressure on the opposing netminder and make them work for each and every save they get.
If the Tampa Bay Lightning wants to get a leg up on a team like the Penguins, the team will have to continue to play their own game and not fall into any traps; especially ones that end with Lightning players in the penalty box. Of the remaining teams in the postseason, the Penguins are ranked fifth in the league on the Power Play. If the Lightning open the door one too many times, the Penguins are likely to skate through it and slam it behind them.
Right now, the toughest task facing the Tampa Bay Lightning should they make it to the next round and should the Pittsburgh Penguins elect to join the party will be solving the puzzle known as Penguins netminder Matt Murray. In the seven games Murray has started in this postseason, Murray has maintained a record of 6-1-1, a Goals Against Average of 1.81 and a Save Percentage of .944.
Murray’s numbers place him in third place in the NHL in Goals Against Average and Save Percentage and coming in at the second position for postseason shutouts. These are pretty fantastic numbers for a goaltender who is being forced to go up against the league’s leading goal scorer, Alex Ovechkin.
Next: Tampa Bay Lightning Prepare for Pivotal Game 4
No matter how many different ways you break it down, if the Tampa Bay Lightning is able to finish off the New York Islanders in a timely fashion and move on to face a team such as the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Lightning would need to be prepare to leave everything out on the ice and capitalize on every single opportunity presented to them. All it takes is one simple mistake to make their dream dissolve right in front of their faces.