Lightning Turning the Corner at the Appropriate Time

After battling through a troublesome March, the Tampa Bay Lightning are getting back to their winning ways.

Winning the Stanley Cup two-straight years can take its toll. Of course, everyone would gladly place their physical and mental self through that gauntlet. However, playing that much hockey catches up to players, and exhaustion begins rearing its ugly head. Throughout March, it appeared as though the Tampa Bay Lightning finally felt the effects of being the NHL’s champion for consecutive campaigns.

Before Tampa Bay’s overtime victory over Detroit last Saturday, the Lightning lost seven of 12 games in March. Managing wins only against clearly inferior opponents; the Bolts struggled against playoff-bound teams. Defeating the likes of Seattle, Chicago, Detroit, Ottawa, and Vancouver is nice but expected. But when the franchise searching for a three-peat cannot take down more evenly matched opposition, concerns begin festering. When the Lightning lost to Boston for its third-straight defeat, confidence throughout the locker room vanished, and hope for another boat parade dwindled.

The #GoBolts have now won three in-a-row… are they finding their stride at the right time?#NHL #HockeyTwitter pic.twitter.com/J9gztZ7S8r

— Full Press Hockey (@FullPressNHL) March 30, 2022

In reality, even great teams experience slumps. It does not necessarily translate into the “fall from grace” image we tend to paint in our minds. The more significant concern surrounding Tampa Bay’s decline involved the timing. Extended periods of losing with the postseason drawing near never bodes well, especially for a team with two-consecutive shortened offseasons.

Luckily, the Bolts are turning a corner and playing better.

The Lightning started to right the ship during the later stages of Saturday’s game against the Red Wings, eventually securing the win in overtime and ending their three-game losing streak. The team took that momentum and built off of it Sunday, defeating the Islanders 4-1 on the road. Once again, it took a little time for Tampa Bay to get going. However, they never looked back once they evened the score in the middle period.

The Lightning ended their four-game road trip with two wins. Still, the quality of the opponents kept many reserved regarding a turnaround. The Red Wings and Islanders will play golf once the playoffs begin. New York is always a tough contest for the Bolts, but these two games were ones where Tampa Bay was the better team.

That was not the case Tuesday when Tampa Bay hosted the Carolina Hurricanes. A team poised to finish atop the Eastern Conference. Although the Bolts failed to take the lead throughout regulation, the group eventually came away victorious in overtime, thanks to Steven Stamkos’s 30th goal.

We already know what you’re gonna say … so we went ahead and picked tonight’s @NewAmsterdam Goal of the Game for you. 🤲 pic.twitter.com/1ftHAxTLkO

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 30, 2022

The Lightning played with a level of pace and confidence that had alluded them for most of March. When trailing, they never let up, finding ways to even the score every time Carolina captured the lead. Tampa Bay’s attack remained consistent, applying the level of pressure viewers expect with their talent level. Additionally, the powerplay improved throughout the contest, and the penalty kill remained effective.

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Defeating a top team like Carolina is what the doctor ordered for the Bolts as they prepare for a lengthy stint on home ice. Currently 20-6-4 in front of their home crowd, the Lightning play 11 of their remaining contests at Amalie Arena.

With March behind them, Tampa Bay’s focus is establishing momentum and confidence they can carry into the playoffs. When the calendar turns to May, the Lightning expects to be in a position where their game is at its highest level, and they have set the tone for another extended postseason push. Luckily, their remaining schedule provides that opportunity. The next 16 games possess a quality mix of matchups between lottery-bound squads and opponents the Bolts may face in a playoff series. Contests against Chicago, Montreal, Buffalo, Anaheim, Columbus, and Detroit allow quality two-point opportunities. On the flip side, games against Florida, Boston, and two against Toronto provide chances to get the upper hand against playoff-bound division foes.

Seeding is not as crucial for Tampa Bay as it might be for other teams. This seasoned group knows what it takes to win the Stanley Cup. At the same time, winning consistently in April provides the team with the confidence and momentum necessary to accomplish their third-straight cup. Winning and a higher seed go hand-in-hand, so the Bolts should look to gain a firm grasp on second place in the Atlantic Division while making the Panthers a little nervous at the top.

For a brief stint, the Tampa Bay Lightning played a worrisome brand of hockey. A surprising first-round exit seemed like a possibility. Now, the Bolts find themselves turning a corner, getting back to what makes them a dangerous postseason team.