Lightning at Panthers Game 4 Preview: The series slogs on

Game Three: Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers (Florida leads the series 2-1)

Time: 7:00 PM EST

Location: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise

TV/Stream/Radio: FDSNSUN, Scripps, ESPN, 102.5 FM, Lightning App

Odds: Lightning +120

Know the Opponents: Litterbox Cats

Story Lines and Notes

Alright. The Tampa Bay Lightning finally picked up their first win of the series as they forced some picks to bounce their way for a change in the 5-1 victory over the Florida Panthers. While the power play continued its series-long struggle as it was 0-for-5, the offense found it’s legs at even-strength with the Bolts scoring three 5-on-5 goals and a 4-on-4 before Anthony Cirelli potted the empty-netter at the end.

Their reward for their win, is the chance to do it again tonight. For the first time this series, both teams will be pretty much at their full capacity as Brandon Hagel returns from his one-game suspension and Matthew Tkachuk avoided one of their own. Expect another mucky kind of game where the two spend more time trying to prevent offense than they do trying to generate it.

Will there be any ax-grinding early on? Honestly, it’s hard to say. Despite the two big interference calls in Games 2 and 3, there hasn’t been as much animosity as we’ve seen in previous match-ups between the two teams. Yes, there have been plenty of post-whistle scrums, and more than one face-wash, but the truly dirty stuff has been contained. At least compared to what we’ve seen in the past with these two squads.

That could ramp up as the games wind on, but these are also two veteran teams that are wary of extra penalties that come from those types of situations. Florida is still the type of team to play right up to the line with some of their hits, but unlike in years past, they haven’t been overreacting in scrums and getting carried away with extra penalties.

Speaking of penalties, the Lightning have to figure out how to get things going on the power play. It’s no longer the central point of their attack, but they have to at the very least start generating chances with the extra skater. So far, Florida has flummoxed them with the aggressive pressure while short-handed, not letting the Lightning get comfortable in the zone. If the Bolts can figure out how to start getting chances (their 26.01 SCF/60 on the power play is dead last in the playoffs) it will lead to goal which will make their lives at 5v5 a little easier.

If the Lightning manage to pick up a victory tonight, the pressure will be back on the Stanley Cup champs, and the storylines will start to change. Outside of their three-goal explosion in Game 1, the Florida power play has also been struggling, not to mention their 5v5 offense over the last two games. If they go another game with only one or two goals, the whispers will start about the failure of their top scorers to produce.

There isn’t much else to say that hasn’t been said in the previous three write-ups in this series. These are two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, and they are slogging it out one puck battle at a time. There is no reason to think that’s going to change any time soon.

Stats

Potential Lines

Tampa Bay Lightning

Forwards:

Defense:

Goaltenders:

Florida Panthers

Forwards:

Defense:

Goaltenders: