Suddenly, Tampa Bay Lightning feels more lively.
Making mistakes-Florida Panthers is still leading this eastern conference to the first round series 2-1. And the ruling Stanley Cup Champions-Saturday night Sunrise will be at home for 4th game on Monday night at FLA. However, no team has won a home game in this best series.
And Tampa Bay’s 5-1 victory in FLA, Saturday afternoon Lightning gave a spark. Before the win of Saturday, Lightning lost seven of the last eight playoff matches.
Suddenly – after this win – Yildirim has a new attitude.
“It was a big win for our team, L Lightning advanced Jake Guentzel. “It gives us some confidence and life in this series.
“But it’s just a game. We must be ready for the next one.”
Lightning never leads in the first two games of this series. On Saturday, they left behind again and Nick Paul did not take the first lead until they scored a goal in 13:17 of the second period.
“It’s great to get ahead,” Yildirim coach Jon Cooper said. “1-0 fell (on Saturday) and (Florida’s) building buzzed.
“I think our team’s mental power.
Indeed, after scored two goals in the first two games, Lightning suddenly has some hot players. For example, Nikita Kucherov had three assists on Saturday and Guentzel had a goal and two assists.
Kucherov scored at least three assists in 11 career playoff match. Only Wayne Gretzky (28 times) and Mark Messier (12) had more. Paul Coffey and Doug Gilmour Kucherov match 11 matches.
In the meantime, the panthers will not panic after just one loss. This is the main message of captain Aleksander Barkov.
Barkov, “(Saturday) will learn a lot from the game.” He said. “We made a great start (Saturday) and we did the right things.
“But (lightning) is a great team. They played really well. … The only thing we can get from this is to learn.”
Panthers directed only the goal of Matthew Tkachuk in the first period of Saturday. However, this is a dangerous team that can do much more.
In the normal season, Sam Reinhart directed Florida in a goal (39) and points (81). In addition, the team’s power game goals (13) and short hand scores (five) took. Barkov team assists (51) and power game assists (19) directed. Tkachuk missed 30 games due to injuries, but still finished with 22 goals and 35 assists.
Sam Bennett (25) and Carter Verhaeghe (20) also joined Reinhart, Barkov and Tkachuk at Florida’s 20 goals.
Panthers Coach Paul Maurice said he liked how his team started on Saturday, but in the last two periods, Florida did not go much for Florida.
Maurice, “I thought we moved the disc as much as we could.” He said. “I don’t think we’re great. But aggressively, I think we’ve produced more than any of the first two games on Saturday.
“We have a lot of space to be better. … This will be a grinder of a series.”
-FELD level media
