Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers: A Chilly Outcome for the Panthers
By Space Coast Daily // June 1, 2022
A quick recap of the NHL season so far
Florida was, without a doubt, the top-seeded team that entered the NHL playoffs, and most sportsbooks show Florida Panthers as the favorite to win. Now, the Tampa Bay Lightning franchise is officially one round away from a chance to compete in their third straight Stanley Cup Final.
With a 2-0 victory over the Florida Panthers this past Monday, the Stanley Cup favorites have reached the Eastern Conference final with a 4-0 series sweep.
As the Florida Panthers entered the playoffs with the President’s Trophy under one arm, the franchise is also now the first President’s Trophy winners who are eliminated in the playoffs series since the Columbus-Lightning first-round oust in 2019.
Vasilevskiy Saves The Bay
This is Tampa Bay’s 10th playoff series win, and, since 1988, it was the first time a defending champion claimed victory over a Presidents’ Trophy holder.
During Monday’s game, the 27-year-old goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made a jaw-dropping 49 saves, which led to only three successful goals against the Tampa Bay Lightning Franchise.
Vasilevskiy has worked this kind of magic before, after he made 30 saves in the last match against Toronto Maple Leafs. His defensive skill was an integral part of Tampa Bay Lightning’s victory over the holders of the President’s Trophy this season.
There were other key players in the game as well. As the Florida Panthers held a convincing lead during most of the game, the Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Pat Maroon scored the first goal with a nifty tip-in in the third period. Another goal was added when Ondrej Palat achieved a superb empty-netter with less than 30 seconds left on the clock.
This victory comes amidst some Tampa Bay Lightnings playoff concerns after the team lost some key contributors to the past two championship teams; however, it definitely looked like they had the ball in their court during their most recent and nail-biting match.
What’s Next For The Florida Panthers?
Having made some exceptional attempts that simply couldn’t go past Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, the Florida Panthers can hold their head high. Looking at the Florida Panthers 2021-2022 stats, this team should not be underestimated after one spectacular loss or even one bad season behind their belts.
However, having some time to re-examine their moves and why they made so many attempts but didn’t score a single goal might be a good strategic starting point for the Florida panthers. For all we know, next season might be an upside-down situation.
We love a rebound, so apart from enjoying the rest of the NHL season, we’ll be keeping you up to date on all team and game-related news.
