Maple Leafs at Lightning Preview: A small preview after the season?

Game eighty: Toronto Maple Leafs (47-25-4) at Tampa Bay Lightning (45-26-6)

Time: 7:00 p.m. EST

Location: Amalie Arena

TV/stream/radio: fdsnsun, SN, ESPN+, 102.5 FM, Lightning app

Opportunities: lightning

Know the opponents: pension plan dolls

Action lines and notes

While the Atlantic Division does not yet have to be decided (welcome to the Playoffs Ottawa), the logistics that is necessary to facilitate a meeting of the first round between the lightning and the Maple Leaf. It could happen, but it is more likely that it is not. Why did we describe this as a potential preview after the season? Because for the first time in a few nights the lightning has something to play.

Yes, stacking of victories was important this evening, but win or lose (and they both did) that it would not really change their place in the overall ranking. This evening is a little different. There is a brass ring to reach, and there are not just two points in the overall ranking. A prize today for regulation drives the flash into a tie at the top (with the tie -breaker in hand).

The players and the coaches will tell us that only the playoffs that play the playoffs is the important role and that they do not really take care of where they are finished in the overall ranking, but this year Home ICE could be of great importance, especially for the bolts that return from their road trip with an overall record from 18 to 18 to 4. There is also a small thing called Pride, and the screws do not want to see goose egg in the winning column against the Maple Leafs for 2024-25 (Toronto is currently 3-0 against the bolts this season).

So it should be a fire in lightning tonight. Toronto played against the Florida Panthers last night (welcome back to the race for the top, Florida). The screws were over and should theoretically be the better rested team. You have to bring this into a quick start.

Apart from that, you have to measure yourself against the team that has recently been shooting at all cylinders. The crime is there, the special teams are there and the Leafs play defensive hockey. Ottawa and Buffalo may have driven on heating devices when lightning has been exposed lately, but the Leafs are the best team that the bolts have been looking for some time. There is currently no facet of the game in which the screws can relax. So this should also increase the playoff-like atmosphere.

Buck up. We are now in the final and the lightning has to find the next gear.

statistics

Potential lines

Tampa Bay Lightning

Forward:

Defense:

Goalkeeper:

Toronto Maple Leafs

Forward:

Defense:

Goalkeeper: