Tampa Bay Lightning Can’t Keep up with Leafs in Game Two

Saying the script between game one and game two between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs completely flipped would be an understatement. After being embarrassed on home ice, Toronto would do the embarrassing in game two, running the Lightning out of town 7-2.

It was Tampa Bay going down 3-0 after the first period and it really was curtains from there. Playing without Victor Hedman and Erik Cernak proved to be too much to overcome as the Leafs had their way early and often. Zach Bogosian and Haydn Fleury are fine depth options to come into your lineup but being without two of your top defenseman made quite the hill to climb.

Regardless of who is in or out of the lineup, losing by five goals certainly should get your attention. Most would prefer to lose in blow out fashion than lose a nail biter. The Lightning turned the page to the next game pretty quickly in this one. Time to move on.

One who will need to turn the page will be Andrei Vasilevskiy. This loss certainly was not on him but he allowed seven goals, ending the night with a .800 save%. You can guarantee he will be much in game two. Even after allowing six goals in the second period, Vasilevskiy would remain in the game. This man will do anything to get himself feeling right and continue to take mental notes on the competition.

The ending of this game became all about sending a message once the score got out of hand. The two teams combined for 56 total penalty minutes including Tanner Jeannot introducing himself to the series with an incredible fight with Luke Schenn.

Tampa Bay ultimately went to Toronto looking for a split and they got it. They have the chance to come home and take control of the series and put this most recent nightmare behind them. If this series has taught us anything, the start of game three will be crucial.