Lightning Strikes: Four Games in Seven Days

The Tampa Bay Lightning is looking to extend its lead in lead in the Atlantic Division, but it won't be an easy road ahead. The Bolts face the Florida Panthers on the road on Sunday night. The next three games are at home against the Calgary Flames, Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens.

1.) Sunday, Feb. 10 @ Panthers- 6 p.m.

The Lightning will take on the Panthers, who are looking to get back into the playoff positioning. This will be a game that features the first and third ranked power plays in the League. The Bolts have outscored the Panthers 14-8 in three game played this season and are 3-0-0 against them.

The Lightning Win If...

They play a solid even strength game and manage to stay out of the penalty box. The Panthers have allowed 125 even strength goals against this season, but have one of the best power plays in the League. The Lightning do have the second best penalty kill in the League, but they are only killing 80% of penalties taken on the road. The Bolts have played a solid even strength game all season and have outscored the opposition by 25 goals while playing 5-on-5.

Matchup of the Game

It will be interesting to watch the Panthers power play go up against the Lightning penalty kill. The Panthers power play is third in the NHL, which ranked them third in the NHL at 27%. The home power play is actually better at 28%. The Lightning penalty kill has improved immensely and is now second in the League (84.7%), but the penalty kill is not as good on the road (80%) as it is on home ice (89.5%). 

Game Prediction

The Lightning will win this game 2-1, which means the goalies are going to make some saves. It is an  important game for both team with the Lightning wanting to build on their Atlantic Division lead, while the Panthers are fighting to get back into a playoff spot. The Bolts goals will come from J.T Miller and Brayden Point with the Panthers lone goal being scored by Vincent Trocheck.

2.) Tuesday, Feb. 12 vs. Flames- 7:30 p.m.-ESPN+

The Bolts take on the Flames, who bring plenty of speed to this game. In the only game against this season, the Lightning managed to pull out the win in the shootout. These two teams each have the speed, talent and can put the puck in the net so this should be a fast-paced hockey game with some goals scored. 

The Lightning Will Win If...

They can manage to slow down the Flames' top line of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm. The line has combined for 199 points so far this season. The line has a combination of speed, playing and finishing ability. The Lightning need to establish a good forecheck early in this game, get plenty of shots on net and make the Flames defend in their own zone. The Bolts should also try to limit their mistakes especially in the neutral zone with the Flames transition speed.

Matchup of the Game

The teams are very close in style, but the main difference has been the goaltending. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Louis Domingue have done a great job in stopping the puck for the Lightning this season. The goaltending duo of Mike Smith and David Rittich has had its problems this season. The goaltending has improved since Rittich has taken over the starting job, but they are still letting in soft goals. If the Flames want to win this game then the goalie needs to make the routine stops.

Game Prediction

The Flames will tie the game late in regulation to force overtime. The Lightning will lose 4-3 in the extra session. The Flames goals will be scored by Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm,  Sam Bennett and James Neal. The Bolts goals will go to Yanni Gourde, Mathieu Joseph and Steven Stamkos. 

3.) Thursday, Feb. 14 vs Stars- 7:30 p.m.-ESPN +

The Stars have been one of the more inconsistent teams because they lack a balanced lineup. The Stars are basically a one line team with the other three lines pitching in once every few games or so. The Lightning can't overlook this team or they will not get two points out of a very winnable game. The Bolts beat the Stars 2-0 earlier in the season on the road. 

The Lightning Will Win If...

The team gets off to a fast start and continues it throughout the game. The Stars have been outscored big time by the opposition in the first periods of games. It is almost like the Stars aren't ready for the start of the game, but get better as the game goes on. The Bolts have outscored the opposition in the first period but by less than 10 goals, so they want to improve on their starts.

Matchup of the Game

Tyler Seguin has been everything for the Stars this season after signing his contract in the offseason. He doesn't have as many points as the team would like, but he has really picked up his play of late. He leads the team in goals (22), assists (29) and points (51). Nikita Kucherov got off to a slower than usual start, but that hasn't affected his play this season. He leads the team in assists (59) and points (81) with Brayden Point, who just happens to be Kucherov's centerman, leading the team in goals (31). These two players have the potential to do some damage in the game.

Game Prediction

The Lightning manage to win this one because of its depth scoring by a score of 3-1. They'll get a late empty net goal to seal the win. The one Stars goal will be scored by Tyler Seguin with Alexander Radulov adding a primary assist. The three Lightning goals will come from Alex Killorn, Tyler Johnson and Brayden Point.

4.) Saturday, Feb. 16 vs. Canadiens- 7 p.m.- NHLN

The Montreal Canadiens have been on of the surprise teams in the NHL this season. They have three lines that have the potential to score and have gotten decent goaltending. The power play has probably been one of the down falls on this team and it is ranked 30th in the League (13.5%). This should be a good fast paced game that may very need overtime to decide the game.

The Lightning Will Win If...

They get plenty of pucks on net with traffic in front of the opposing goalie. The Lightning should want to take away the goalie's eyes especially if Carey Price is in net for the Canadiens. The Bolts should play with their speed to try to get to loose pucks and then make sure that they establish a forecheck early in the game. 

Matchup of the Game

One of the goaltenders if going to steal this game for his team especially if the starters are Carey Price and Andrei Vasilevskiy. These goalies can make the routine save and make highlight reel saves. Price has been playing well of late and Vasilevskiy has been playing decent since coming back from his broken foot. The teams are going to have to get the goalies moving from post to post and get plenty of traffic in front for deflections.

Game Prediction

The Habs are going to get some revenge for the two earlier loses to the Bolts this season by winning 3-2 in overtime. The two games have seen the two teams combine for 16 goals. The Lightning have 10 goals in the season series while the Canadiens have scored six times. The Canadiens goals will come from Max Domi, Tomas Tatar and Brendan Gallagher. The Lightning goal scorers are Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov. 

Lightning Strikes Weekly Prediction

The Lightning will finish a tough week with a 2-0-2 record and grab six points in the standings. 

Lightning Strikes: California Road Trippin'

The Tampa Bay Lightning are heading to the West Coast to finish 2018 and ring in 2019.

The Lightning will face an Anaheim team that has somehow managed to keep its head above water even with all the injuries that they've had all season. The Kings have been awful from the start of the season, and the injuries are starting to pile up. The Bolts finish the week with a trip to San Jose to visit the Sharks, who are heating up at just the right time.

Monday, Dec. 31 @ Ducks- 8 p.m.

The Bolts look to continue their winning ways when they take on the Ducks on New Years Eve. The Ducks have been injury riddled this year, but are still keeping pace for the playoffs. The Bolts have been one of the most consistent teams all season.

The Lightning should get some pucks on net with traffic in front for deflections and to take the goalie's eyes off the puck. The Bolts need to take advantage of the power play opportunities when they have them since the Ducks penalty kill is only at 79.6% for the season. The Ducks need to be aware of the Bolts speed, which needs to be used whenever possible and don't get roped into playing a slower game by the Ducks. The Lightning have a good chance to get off to a fast start in this game, since the Ducks have only scored 26 first period goals. The key to this game for the Lightning will be to take advantage of all the injured players out of the lineup for the Ducks and to get off to a fast start.

Thursday, Jan. 3 @ Kings- 10:30 p.m.- ESPN+

The Kings are one of the biggest disappointments so far this season, and look like they'll finish with a good chance at winning the NHL Lottery, while the Lightning look as though they are the one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup.

The Bolts need to be aware of when Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown are on the ice since they are the leading point-getter and goal scorer for the Kings. The Kings don't have a regulation win when trailing after two periods so the Bolts want to make sure that have the lead entering the final period of play. The Lightning should be able to take advantage of a weak penalty kill by Kings this season. The key to this game will be the Lightning getting the first goal of the game and to keep the attack going, not to sit back and get comfortable.

Saturday, Jan. 5 @ Sharks-11 p.m.

The Sharks look to continue their winning ways of late. The Bolts are just looking to build on their lead in the standings.

The Lightning will need their goaltender to come up big since the Sharks average over three goals per game. They should establish the forecheck and cycle game early to keep the Sharks balanced lineup defending their own zone and not having their way in the offensive zone. The Sharks have a top-10 ranked power play so it would be a good idea for the Lightning to play with some discipline, even though their penalty kill is much improved over last year. The Bolts should try to establish the pace early in the game and get plenty of pucks on net because the Sharks score goals, but they also give up just under three goals per game too.

Lightning Strikes Weekly Prediction

The Lightning will come out of this road trip no worse for the ware with a 2-1-0 record. The team will take the first two games of the trip against the Ducks and Kings. The Sharks are playing decent hockey right now and they'll get the saved needed by the goalie to pull off a regulation win. 

NHL Awards: Vezina Trophy Finalists

The NHL Playoffs are upon us, which means the finalists for the NHL Awards are being announced. First up, were the finalists for the Vezina Trophy, which is awarded to the top goaltender in the League.

The three finalists were Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The winner will be announced on June 20th at the NHL Awards in Vegas. The General Managers will have the final say in which goalie gets to take home the hardware.

Connor Hellebuyck was slated to start the season as the backup goaltender for the Jets until the veteran Steve Mason struggled early and then got hurt. Once Hellebuyck got a chance at being the number one goalie, he never looked back. He played in 67 games this season and finished with a 44-11-9 record to go with a .924 save percentage and a 2.36 GAA. He finished eighth in goals against average and 10th in save percentage. The 67 games were tied for the most played by a goalie, while his 3,966 minutes were the most played. 

The 24-year-old is the first Vezina finalist in Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers history, and it is also his first time being a finalist for the award. His 44 wins were tied for most in the league with Vasilevskiy, and were the most by a U.S. born goalie ever, breaking Tom Barasso’s record of 42 wins. Hellebuyck’s six shutouts were the third most in the league behind Rinne & Vasilevskiy. He won nine straight games to end the season, which is a franchise record. He faced the third most amount of shots (2,048) and made 1,892 saves. 

Pekka Rinne, 35, is a finalist for the Vezina for the fourth time in his career. He has never won the award, but came in second in the 2010-11 & 2014-15 seasons. Rinne finished third in voting in the 2011-12 season. He finished the season with a record of 42-13-4 to go with a 2.31 goals against average and a .927 save percentage in 59 games played. His 2.31 GAA was the fifth best in the league and his .927 save percentage was ranked seventh best. Rinne’s eight shutouts were tied for tops in the league with Vasilevskiy and set a franchise record.

Rinne was the most consistent of the three finalists this year. He managed to keep his team in games and give them a chance to win with timely saves. The goalie helped his team to win 11 straight games from February 19-March 19, which helped the Predators clinch the Presidents Trophy and the Central Division.The 42 wins were third in the NHL, and it marked the third time in his career that Rinne has reached 40 or more wins in a season. Yes, his number may not have been as good as the two other finalists, but without him the Predators may not even win the Central Division.

Andrei Vasilevskiy took over the starting goaltending position this season after splitting some time with other goalies the past two seasons. This is his first time as a finalist for the award and if he wins, he could be the first ever goalie to win the award in Tampa Bay Lighting history. The numbers could have been better, but he admitted towards the end of the season that he was starting to get tired due to the heavy load this year. He was 44-17-3 with a 2.62 GAA and a .920 save percentage in 65 games played in the regular season. His 3.825 minutes played were the fourth most in the league as were his 65 games played. 

The 23-year-old was tied for first in wins (44) and shutouts (8), which were both franchise records. He led his team to the best record in the Eastern Conference and to the best season in franchise history. Vasilevskiy won in straight on the road from October 9-30, which is a new Lightning record. He became the 12th goalie in NHL history to finish the season with a share of the NHL lead in wins prior to his 24th birthday. He did allow a lot of goals on the power play, but that was a product of his team not being very good in front of him.

My projected winner for the Vezina Trophy is Pekka Rinne. He did so much for his team this year, and led them to a franchise record in wins (53) and points (117). Rinne kept his team in games, and was the most consistent goaltender from start to finish despite only playing in 59 games this year. 

Lightning Strikes: Weekly Preview 3/11/18-3/17/18

The Tampa Bay Lightning will play only two games this week, but those games are against Atlantic Division opponents so there are some important points up for grabs. The Bolts will also have the advantage of playing in front of the home crowd for both games.

On Tuesday night, an underachieving Ottawa Senators team visits Amalie Arena. The red hot Boston Bruins will then come to town for an all important game on Saturday night. The Sens will be look to play the role of spoiler, while the Bruins will be trying their best to gain ground on the Lightning and put some distance between them and the Leafs.

The Bolts should get off to a fast start against an Ottawa team that has been outscored by 10 goals in the first periods of games this season. They will want to set the tone early and be ready to play early in this one. Tampa Bay needs to not play down to their opponent and look ahead to the Bruins game because that could cost them two valuable points in the standings. The Lightning want to get plenty of pucks on net with traffic in front since the Sens goalies have been anything but solid this year. The Bolts should have an easy time winning the special teams battle even though the penalty kill has been an area of concern all season long.

The Senators are going to want to figure out a way to stop the balanced lineup of the Bolts. They have four lines that can beat you at any given time during a game. Ottawa needs to play solid team defense, have the forwards help out and the goalie make some saves. The Sens want to take away the time and space of the Lightning so they can't create in the offensive zone. The Senators needs to play with discipline since the Lightning have one of the best power play units in the League. Ottawa needs the goaltending to come up big for them in order to steal two points in this game.

The Lightning will have three days off before they face the Bruins in a huge divisional game at home. The Bolts want to be involved from the drop of the puck since they will have had three days without seeing any game action. Tampa Bay should get the forecheck and cycle games going early and often in this game to keep the Bruins busy defending. The Lightning need to get plenty of traffic in front of the net and shots on goal. The Bolts should limit their mistakes and turnovers because the Bruins can and will take advantage of sloppy play. Andrei Vasilevskiy will likely be the starter and he needs to play at the Vezina level that he has been playing at all year for the Lightning to have a shot at this game.

The Bruins have been red hot lately, and the loss of Patrice Bergeron hasn't seemed to affect them. Boston needs to get off to a fast start and be engaged from the drop of the puck since the Lightning will have had three days off. The Bruins will want to get plenty of traffic and screens in front of the net because if Vasilevskiy can see the puck then he is going to stop it. The team may also want to try elevating the net since the Bolts goalie can cover the bottom portion of the net well. Boston needs to get a good game from their starting goalie. The Bruins should try to have the lead when entering the final period of play since they are 28-0-2 when leading after two periods.

3 Things: Lightning @ Oilers 2/5/18

The Tampa Bay Lightning take on the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night at 9 p.m. EST. The Lightning will look to gain some important points in the playoff race. The Oilers are just looking to get back on track and string a few wins together to try to get back in playoff contention, which is going to take a lot of work.

Here are three things to watch for in tonight's matchup:

1.) CONNOR MCDAVID

The Lightning will need to figure out a way to stop McDavid, and that hasn't been an easy task for most of the NHL this year. McDavid can go from zero to sixty in seconds, and his speed through the neutral zone makes it difficult for the opposition to defend against. He has playmaking abilities and can finish. The best way to defend against someone like McDavid is to just establish the forecheck early and have a ton of sustained offensive zone time with a lot of scoring changes. The Lightning are going to need to win the battles to the loose pucks and just know where he is at all times on the ice.

2.) GOALTENDING

Cam Talbot is going to have to be better than he has been all season long. The Lightning are going to have prime scoring chances and Talbot will need to make some saves if the Oilers want to have a chance to win the game. Talbot is going to need to make the easy saves and the difficult ones. Andrei Vasilevskiy has been great all season long in net and that will need to continue tonight. Vasilevskiy has been putting up Vezina like numbers all season, but still needs to make some saves tonight and get the job done.

3.) LIGHTNING PP VS. EDMONTON PK

The Bolts have had one of the best power plays all season long and they will go against the Oilers penalty kill, which has been awful at home all season. The Lightning have 42 power play goals in 181 opportunities this year, and have only given up two short handed goals against. The Oilers have been short handed 159 times this year and have given up 45 power play goals against, but have score seven short handed goals. Edmonton has been god awful on the penalty kill at home by only killing 55.8% of penalties taken, which is good for last in the Leag

Lightning Strikes: Weekly Preview 1/28/18-2/3/18

The Tampa Bay Lightning are looking to continue the success that they've had all season long. They also look to get Victor Hedman back from an injury.

It won't be easy for the Bolts since they will have to be playing on the road in Canada. They will take on the Central Division leading Winnipeg Jets tonight. On Thursday night, the will take on the Calgary Flames, who are battling for a playoff spot. The Lightning will end the week with a visit to Vancouver to take on a struggling Canucks team.

The Bolts take on a Winnipeg Jets team who lost defenseman Jacob Trouba for the foreseeable future due to injury. The Lighting will need to establish a forecheck to get some offensive zone time and keep the balanced offensive lineup in their own zone. Tampa Bay needs to play a solid, 60 minute road game and everyone will need to pitch in since the Jets are 17-3-1 on home ice. The Bolts should try to stay out of the penalty box since Winnipeg has the second ranked power play in the League. The Lightning are going to need the goaltender to come up big.

The Jets will need to stop the balanced attack of the Lightning, who have four lines that can score. Winnipeg will need to have the lead entering the final period since they are only 1-12-1 when trailing after two periods. The Jets will need to get the first goal of the game and keep building from there. They will need to get off to a fast start, get plenty of pucks on net and get deflections. The Jets are going to need the goalie to come up with some big saves.

The Lightning will then travel to Calgary to take on the Flames on Thursday night. The Bolts need to be smart with the puck since the Flames can force turnovers. Tampa Bay will need to win the special teams battle since neither the Flames don't have a great power play and the Bolts have a weak penalty kill. The Bolts should get plenty of shots on goal and traffic in front of the net. The Lightning need to keep an eye out on the Flames defensive corps since they can put up some number offensively. Tampa Bay needs to stay out of the penalty box since they have a weak penalty kill.

Calgary should try to use their speed to create odd man rushes, and scoring chances. The Flames will need to be solid on the defensive side of the puck since the Lightning have a good offensive team. Calgary will need to protect the puck while making smart decisions to avoid turnovers. The Flames need to take advantage of the weak penalty kill of the Lightning, and get their own power play on track. They will also need to set the tempo of the game from the opening face-off, and not let the Bolts dictate how they will play the game.

On Saturday, the Bolts finish out the week against the Vancouver Canucks, who are struggling. Tampa Bay will need to play with discipline since the Canucks do have one of the better power plays in the League. The Lightning should try to get the first goal of the game and get off to a decent start. The Bolts want to get plenty of shots on goal since the goaltending has struggled at times this year for the Canucks. Tampa Bay will want to keep attacking and not sit back once they have the lead because the Canucks can score some goals.

The Canucks need to establish the forecheck and cycle game early to keep the Lightning in their own zone and defending. Vancouver will want to get plenty of traffic in front and shoot high especially if Andrei Vasilevskiy is in net. The Canucks should try to get more than just Brock Boeser, the phenomenal rookie, involved in the goal scoring. Vancouver will need to find a way to stay in the game and hope that they goaltending can come up with some big saves when needed. The Canucks need to get the first goal of the game and limit their mistakes with and without the puck.

Rapid Review: All-Star Edition

It's that time of the year again where teams across the NHL go on their bye week, and the NHL announces its All-Star rosters. The game will once again be played in a 3-on-3 tournament to decide who wins the $1 million prize. As usual, every team must be represented by one player so there were definitely some snubs.

Here are the players selected for the Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs.

1.) BUFFALO SABRES- JACK EICHEL

Jack Eichel being the lone All-Star representative for the Sabres was the easy and right choice. He will be on the Atlantic Division All-Star Squad. This is Eichel's first All-Star selection of his young career. He leads the Sabres with 17 goals, 22 assists and 39 points. The selection of Eichel was an easy one especially since the Sabres have been struggling and are one of the worst teams in the NHL.

2.) DALLAS STARS- JOHN KLINGBERG & TYLER SEGUIN

The Dallas Stars will have two representatives in Tampa Bay for the All-Star Game. This will be John Klingberg's first time at the All-Star game while Tyler Seguin gets the nod for the fifth time in his career. Klingberg leads all NHL defensemen with 39 points and is first on the Stars with 33 assists. Seguin leads the Stars in goals with 21 and points with 40. He is having another good year and is on pace for just under 80 points. Since being traded to Dallas, he has been nothing but consistent and has developed a nice chemistry with Jamie Benn.

3.) NASHVILLE PREDATORS- PETER LAVIOLETTE, PK SUBBAN & PEKKA RINNE

The Preds will be represented by two players and their coach. Peter Laviolette will coach the Central Division All-Stars, while PK Subban was the fan elected captain. Pekka Rinne has had an outstanding season for the Predators and will be an All-Star for the second time in his career. Subban is second on the Preds with 32 points while leading the team in assists with 23. Subban is ranked fourth among all NHL defenseman with 32 points and third in goals with nine. Rinne ranked eighth in save percentage, sixth in wins (21) and 10th in goals against average in the NHL.

4.) PHILADELPHIA FLYERS- CLAUDE GIROUX

The lone Flyers representative is their captain, Claude Giroux. The center moved to the left wing to start the season and it has paid off. He is 5th in the NHL in scoring with 52 points. Giroux leads the Flyers in points with 52 and is second on the team in assists (38) and goals (14). The forward is taking part in his fifth All-Star Game in his career. He should have been joined by, at least, one other teammate as Jake Voracek has 51 points, Sean Couturier is having a break out season and Shayne Gostisbehere has bounced back with 32 points, which is fifth among NHL defensemen.

5.) TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING- JON COOPER, VICTOR HEDMAN, NIKITA KUCHEROV, STEVEN STAMKOS & ANDREI VASILEVSKIY

The Lightning have four players and one coach going to the All-Star game so the hometown fans will have plenty to cheer about. The Bolts are the best team in hockey so it makes sense that they are sending four players. Hedman has been outstanding on the defensive side of the puck and is a +24 while putting up some points (33). Kucherov leads the NHL in points (60) and goals (27). Stamkos has managed to stay healthy so far this year, and is a big part of the success of the Lightning. Vasilevskiy leads the NHL in wins (27), is second in save percentage (.933), and second in goals against average (2.10).

6.) TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS- AUSTON MATTHEWS

The lone player going for the Leafs is Auston Matthews. This is his second selection and he will be playing with the Atlantic Division All-Stars. Matthews hasn't had to be the man in Toronto this year so his numbers are a bit lower than most, but he has had help with the balanced scoring. He leads the Leafs in goals (19) and points (33).

3 Things: Lightning vs. Panthers

The Florida Panthers don't have to wait long to try to avenge last night's 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bolts and the Panthers will play again tonight, but this time it will be be Panthers home opener.

Here are three things to watch for:

1.) Get Off to a Fast Start- Lightning

The Lightning need to get off to a fast start tonight since they won't have the crowd behind them. If the Bolts can get the first goal then they need to build on the lead. They did this in last night's game, but then let a two-goal lead slip away before pulling away. Ondrej Palat and Brayden Point each had multiple point games. It would be nice to see Tyler Johnson get a confidence boost with a  goal or some points on the board tonight. Tampa Bay can get off to a fast start by spending some time in the offensive zone with a good forechecking and cycling game.

2.) Balanced Attack- Panthers

The Panthers are going to need each line to step up and get some offense pressure tonight. The defense did pitch in on all three goals for the Panthers last night and that is something that will have to continue tonight. The top line needs to get more offensive zone time and pressure. If the Panthers want to bring a balanced attack against the Lightning then they may want to get the power play clicking tonight. Florida had zero goals in four power play opportunities last night.

3.) Goaltending- Bolts & Panthers

The goaltending for both teams is going to have to come up big tonight. Vasilevskiy had a solid game for the Bolts last night and could start again tonight with two more huge divisional points on the line and the Bolts taking on the Capitals at home on Monday. James Reimer will likely get the start in goal for the Panthers since Roberto Luongo got the start last night. The two teams can score so whichever goalie can keep the puck out of the net has a shot to win the game. 

Lightning Strikes: 2017-18 Season Preview

The Tampa Bay Lightning are looking to get back to the postseason after missing out last year by one point.

In the offseason, they made some upgrades with the signings of Dan Girardi and Chris Kunitz. The Bolts also managed to re-sign its own restricted free agents to contacts. Tampa Bay made a splash when they traded forward Jonathan Drouin to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. Sergachev was given every opportunity to make the team in the preseason, and that is exactly what he did.

The key to the Bolts rebounding this season is the goaltending. Andrei Vasilevskiy is the undisputed number one goaltender for the team this year. The biggest question is going to be will he be able to handle the pressure that is going to be on him to help lead this team back to the postseason. Vasilevskiy is going to need to be good this season because the defense will give up its chances against. The goalie will need to make the easy save and he has shown the ability to make the spectacular save. Peter Budaj will be in the back up role and he will need to be ready when he gets the call off the bench or to give Vasilevskiy a game off.

The x-factor to the Bolts season is going to be the health of Steven Stamkos. Yes, the Lightning are deep enough that they could battle and make the playoffs if Stamkos should get hurt, but there is no Drouin to help Kucherov pick up the slack this year. Stamkos has been hurt the past few seasons, and just needs to get through this one as healthy as he can. The center is an integral part of the offense especially the power play since he has a great shot that can beat any goalie.

The surprise player is going to be defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. Sergachev made the team out of camp and preseason, and I think he is going to stick around for the entire season. He can move the puck and skate, which is something that the defense could use in the lineup. Sergachev is slated to be in the top four to start the season so Jon Cooper is giving him every chance to succeed, and he even is giving him power play time. I wouldn't be surprised if he is playing in all situations by the end of the season since he is a solid all around defenseman, who has a good hockey IQ.

Tyler Johnson needs a bounce back season after last season where he struggled to produce. He should bounce back since he is playing with Alex Killorn on a line. Johnson will also spend some time on the second power play unit. Yanni Gourde should have a break out season this year for the Bolts. He had six goals in the 20 games that he played with Tampa Bay last season. If he can play a full season on the third line with Brayden Point and Ondrej Palat plus get some time on the power play then there is a good chance that he scores at least 15 goals, maybe more. Jon Cooper is under pressure to lead this team back to the playoffs and go deep into the postseason.

The offense is a balanced one and has guys that can produce on every line. They have the talent and the ability to put the puck in the back of the net. Some of the kids may be a little on the younger side, but they have game experience from last year. Vladislav Namestnikov-Steven Stamkos- Nikita Kucherov could be a very dangerous top line since every one has the ability to score and dish the puck to his line mates. If the lines aren't producing then Cooper has the luxury of being able to switch some guys up since they have all played throughout the lineup.

The defense is loaded with veterans and guys that have been around the block. I'm not so sure about the idea of putting Dan Girardi on the top pairing, but that could be because Jake Dotchin sat out most of the preseason for violating a team rule. Victor Hedman is going to have another great season because he can move the puck, quarterback the power play and get the puck through to the front of the net for some deflection chances. The Bolts are going to have its struggles on defense this season, but hopefully the goalies can bail them out when that happens.

The Lightning will get back to the playoffs this year even having to contend with an Eastern Conference. The veteran team knows how to win and will find a way to get back to the postseason, and possibly have a deep run.

Lightning Strikes: Weekly Preview 10/4/17-10/7/17

The Tampa Bay Lightning start off the season with a home-and-home series against Atlantic Division Rival, the Florida Panthers.

On Friday night, the Lightning host the Panthers. If the Bolts want to win the game then they will keep to keep the trio of Jonathan Huberdeau, Vincent Trocheck and Sasha Barkov off the board. Tampa Bay needs to make the other Panthers on the ice beat them. The Lightning should use the loud, raucous crowd to its advantage to get off to a fast start. Tampa Bay is going to need to get the first goal to keep the crowd in the game and they'll need to use its balanced attack. If the Bolts can manage to get some pucks on net then they'll have a decent shot at winning the game.

If the Panthers want a chance at getting a big two points in the division, and on the road, then they'll need to get production up-and-down the lineup. They can't just rely on three players for its offense, everyone is going to need to pitch in. Florida will need to be smart with the puck and avoid turnovers in the neutral zone and its own zone because the Bolts will take advantage of mistakes. The Panthers need to play a solid, defensive road game. The Cats need to get in on the forecheck, pressure the Lightning defense, and get the first goal of the game.

These two teams will face off the next night, but this time the Panthers are the home team. If the Panthers want to win the game then the team will need to bring a balanced attack. Florida will need to try and go glove side or elevate the puck, if Andrei Vasilveskiy is in net for the Bolts. If Peter Budaj is in net for the Bolts, then the Panthers just need to get some pucks towards the net and have some movement going post-to-post. The Cats may also want to stay out of the penalty box and get the first goal of the game to keep the crowd behind them.

The Bolts will need to get off to a fast start, and take the lead to get the crowd out of the game. Tampa Bay needs to establish a cycle game early along with a good forecheck, just to limit the Panthers offensive zone time. The Lightning also need to get pucks on net and traffic in front of the opposing goal, whomever that may be since these two teams play on back-to-back nights. The Bolts are going to need a solid road effort and to shut down the Panthers.