The Tampa Bay Lightning needs to make a statement as they kick off their 25th Anniversary Season tonight as they take on the Florida Panthers.
The Tampa Bay Lightning finds themselves in a precarious position right now. In just a matter of hours, the Lightning will take the ice for the 1st official puck drop of their 25th Anniversary Season. All eyes are on the Bolts, and if they want to be successful this season, starting off strong is key.
After missing the postseason altogether last year, the expectations are higher than ever for the Lightning to return to their former glory. For the most part, the gang is still together; however, there are a few new faces in the crowd and chemistry among teammates is one of the key components to a successful team.
There was quite a bit of turbulence during the preseason. The Lightning was only able to emerge victoriously in three of the seven preseason games they played. One of their toughest opponents was none other than the very same in-state rival the Lightning take on tonight, the Florida Panthers.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The good news is, the Tampa Bay Lightning have a few things working to their advantage tonight. The first and foremost of these things are (for the most part) the team is healthy. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos will be playing his first game since November of last year. Another player making his long-awaited return to the ice is none other than Lightning alternate captain Ryan Callahan.
When the team as a whole is healthy their chemistry is generally off the charts. Here’s hoping they can channel some of this chemistry and work together as a well-oiled machine in this highly anticipated season debut.
Another thing playing to the advantage of the Lightning is the fact the Panthers are without their leading goal-scorer from last season. As most people know by now, Panthers forward Jonathan Marchessault, who should be a rather familiar name to Bolts fans, was acquired by the Las Vegas Golden Knights.
This doesn’t mean the Panthers are without their fair share of firepower. Last season, Panthers center Vincent Trocheck came in with 23 goals and 31 assists for a total of 54 points. This earned Trocheck the second place position on the team in goals, second place in assists, and first place in overall points.
If you were to judge the Lightning’s chances tonight against the Panthers based on their performance in the preseason, things would look pretty grim. The Panthers topped the Lightning in all three meetings these two teams had in the preseason by at least two goals per game.
As the regular season kicks off, the Lightning will be forced to face these very same Panthers not once, but twice in a row. This is one of the things that makes a strong start to the season so imperative for the Bolts.
Let’s take a look at our Three Keys To The Game.
A Strong Start
The one thing the Tampa Bay Lightning needs to steer clear of tonight is underestimating their opponent. Much like the Lightning, the Panthers have their fair share of firepower. If the Lightning wants to control the pace of the game and avoid chasing their tails, the team will have to make their presence known in the early moments of the game.
This means being aggressive with the puck, knocking their opponents off of the puck, keeping the puck in the offensive zone, and not allowing the Panthers to bear down on the goaltender. As fans have witnessed in the past, no good can come from the team leaning on the goalie and expecting to come from behind.
Consistency
If the Lightning can accomplish the task of coming out of the tunnel strong, the next key to their success will be consistency. If the Bolts get the early lead and decide to sit back on their heels for the next two periods, they are going to find themselves in a world of hurt and trying to chase the puck far more than need be.
It will be important for the Lightning to set a pace early in the game they can maintain for a full 60 minutes of hockey. If they can accomplish this, they will have a much better chance of coming out on top against a team who has not given the Lightning an inch so far this season.
Defense, Defense, Defense
The Tampa Bay Lightning have struggled in the defensive position for quite a while now. While there are some players, like Victor Hedman, who have gone far above and beyond the call of duty, there are others who are nowhere near pulling their weight on the blueline.
As we mentioned before, the Tampa Bay Lightning cannot lean on a goaltender like Andrei Vasilevskiy and expect to win. While Vasy is incredible between the pipes, he is only one person and cannot be everywhere at the same time.
This is where the defense comes in to keep the puck out of the zone and alleviate some of the pressure. Of course, there is a certain level of offensive responsibility here, but that’s another story.
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The Tampa Bay Lightning possesses the tools necessary to accomplish the goals set before them and emerge victoriously in their first official game of the 2017-18 season. The only thing left for the team to do is put one skate in front of the other and get the job done.