The Tampa Bay Lightning finishes off their eight-game homestand with a showdown against their Atlantic Division rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Tampa Bay Lightning got some must-needed redemption on Sunday night when they defeated the Edmonton Oilers 3-1. After one day to rest and relax, the Lightning is back in business once again as they finish off their eight-game homestand with a showdown against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Maple Leafs definitely has some serious momentum on their side coming into tonight’s matchup with the Lightning. On Saturday night, the Maple Leafs won their fourth consecutive game as they shutout the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
At the same time, the Lightning has some new inspiration to continue their winning ways. Last night, following their victory over the Oilers, the Bolts learned they had clinched a spot in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
This doesn’t mean the Lightning can just sit back on their heels and ride the rest of the regular season out. If anything, it means the exact opposite. Every single game from now until the end of the season needs to be treated as if it were a playoff game. Now, the fight for positioning is in full swing.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Tonight’s encounter is going to be the third and final meeting between these two teams this season. Both the Lightning and the Maple Leafs have a victory so far this season. This means tonight’s battle will change the course of the season series.
Leading the way for the Tampa Bay Lightning in all manners scoring and the National Hockey League in points is Nikita Kucherov. Kucherov picked up his 35th and 36th goal of the season on Sunday night against the Oilers. This gives Kuch a total of 36 goals and 57 assists for a total of 93 points.
While there is nothing set in stone at this point, if Kucherov continues the way he’s played throughout the season, there is a real possibility he could finish off the regular season with 100 points. Of course, Kucherov is going to have to bring his ‘A’ game to the ice. The Bolts have a tough schedule to finish off the season.
Leading the way for the Toronto Maple Leafs is the 20-year-old center, Mitchell Marner. Marner picked up an assist on Saturday night against the Canadiens to bring his season totals to 19 goals and 41 assists for a total of 60 points. The Canadian forward is definitely someone the Lightning will need to neutralize.
While everyone here in the Bolts Nation awaits the drop of the puck tonight, let’s take a closer look at all the information one will need to ensure they stay on top of all the action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Game: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Venue: Amalie Arena
Location: Tampa, Florida
Date: Tuesday, March 20,, 2018
Start Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
TV Info: Fox Sports Sun, TSN4
Radio Info: Lightning Radio on 970WFLA or TBL Power Play on iHeartRadio
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go App in the iTunes App Store and the Google Play Store
The regular season is starting to come to a close and the postseason is looming off in the distance. Every single game the Lightning plays from here on out matters. Not because the Lightning need the points to make the postseason, but because they want to preserve their position.
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The last thing the Lightning wants to do is give free points to an opponent; especially one in the Atlantic Division. The road ahead is definitely going to be a difficult one, but the Lightning has what it takes to go all the way. All that’s left for them to do is focus and execute the way everyone here in the Sunshine State knows they can.