By Mark Pukalo
The formula is simple. Having success with it is not.
The Tampa Bay Lightning found a way to get the job done against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs a year ago after being embarrassed in Game 1. Whether the first game at Scotiabank Arena is similar or not Tuesday night, the Bolts need to stay fcoused on the next battle.
To me, it comes down to a few facets of the game again. Can the Lightning limit the quality chances Toronto's lethal offense gets? Can Tampa Bay avoid unforced errors that lead to turnovers and unsaveable shots? Can they allow their advantage between the pipes to be the most important matchup?
Like this space said a year ago, "let Andrei Vasilevskiy win you a series."
The problem this time around is the Bolts may just not be as good a team as last season. They don't have Ryan McDonagh's steadying force on defense. They don't have Ondrej Palat's clutch offense and great two-way play. They might not have their biggest deadline acquisition in Tanner Jeannot due to injury.
That does not mean Tampa Bay can't do it. This group knows how to win games in April, May and June. They have the knowledge of how to turn the switch.
What they need is for their top offensive players Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos and Brayden Point to have a big series, for Nick Paul to find his top form and for Anthony Cirelli to maybe be the MVP of the matchup.
No doubt, their six-man or perhaps seven-man defense will have to be at their best. Darren Raddysh sure looks like he is in and Nick Perbix will also be tested on the right side. Eric Cernak will have to stay healthy, Victor Hedman has to be the best defenseman on the ice, Mikhail Sergachev has to provide way more positives than negatives and Ian Cole must use all of his vast experience to his benefit. Zach Bogosian may also be needed to be big at some point.
Auston Matthews can't get as many free looks as he had a year ago. Make others beat you.
One advantage the Lightning may have this season? They are clearly the underdog - way more than last season. The pressure is squarely on the Leafs . Their history of losing big games is a weight on their shoulders. Tampa Bay must make that heavy by forcing Toronto to earn absolutely everything it gets.
This might just be the year the Leafs chase away their ghosts. But if the Bolts can steal one of the first two games in Toronto, it's a series and anything can happen.
If I had to put money on it, I'd go with the Leafs. It just may be their time if goalie Ilya Samsonov does not fall on his face. If coach Sheldon Keefe changes goalies after one loss in the first two games, you know Toronto is rattled. That is what Lightning fans must hope for.
I made the aggressive pick for a Stanley Cup final of the New York Rangers vs. the Minnesota Wild on twitter Monday afternoon. I'll stick with that. The Rangers will survive the Boston Bruins and the Wild will frustrate the Edmonton Oilers. Let's see what happens
But maybe, just maybe there will be a preview coming of the second-round series between the hated Boston Bruins and a rejuvenated Tampa Bay Lightning. As much as I despise series against the Smelly Bears, I'd take it this year.
Cross your fingers Bolts fans, and hope to see some frightened faces on Leafs supporters.
Drop the puck!
