The Toronto Maple Leafs were considered favorites in their first-round series versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, but you wouldn’t have known it tuning into Game 1 on Tuesday night. The Bolts flat-out dominated in this game, taking an early three-goal lead and eventually winning by a lopsided 7-3 final.
This was not the start to the series that the Leafs wanted, especially on home ice. On the other hand, any concerns about the Lightning’s struggles in recent months are no more. This is a very experienced team who, judging by their play in this one, simply know how to ramp it up when the stakes are at their highest. With that said, here are the three main takeaways from Game 1.
Bolts Flying Off the Hop
Scotiabank Arena was rocking prior to puck drop but was quickly silenced as Pierre Edouard Bellemare found the back of the net just over a minute in. That wasn’t the only offense from this Lightning team in the opening frame, as goals from Anthony Cirelli and Nikita Kucherov made it a 3-0 game heading into the first intermission.
The Leafs were able to battle back in the second frame and make it 3-2 for a brief period of time before the Bolts once again potted three to make it a 6-2 game headed into the third. The two teams traded one goal aside in the final frame, but it was evident to everyone watching that this one was long over before that point. This was simply a fantastic start from the Lightning, and is one they will look to replicate on Thursday night.
Depth Forwards Stepped Up
Though Brayden Point scored two and Kucherov had three points, the real story was the offense that the Lightning got from some of their depth forwards. Despite his struggles throughout the regular season, Jon Cooper continued to put his trust in the experienced Corey Perry, and it paid off. The 37-year-old had his best game in some time, scoring a goal and adding two helpers.
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It wasn’t just Perry in the bottom six who helped carry the load offensively, either. As mentioned, Bellemare was able to find the back of the net early, while both Cirelli and Ross Colton chipped in with a goal and an assist. Games like this are good reminders of just how deep this Lightning lineup is.
Bolts Are Banged Up
While this one was certainly a big win for the Bolts, it didn’t come without a price, as they suffered a number of injuries on the night. Victor Hedman, Erik Cernak and Michael Eyssimont were all forced to leave the game and none returned. Cooper said postgame that Hedman’s injury was a bit surprising while adding he hopes to have him back for Game 2, but didn’t offer anything up on the other two.
Obviously, the biggest loss of these three moving forward would be Hedman. Despite a down season by his standards, the 32-year-old remains one of the game’s best defensemen and is a player Cooper trusts to put on the ice in any situation. Cernak, meanwhile, has emerged in recent years as a solid top-four shutdown option and would leave a big hole on the back end if he misses any time. Eyssimont, on the other hand, is a depth option who, while providing value, wouldn’t be as tough to replace if the Lightning are forced to do so.
Looking Ahead for the Lightning
As mentioned, Game 2 will take place on Thursday night in Toronto before the series shifts to Tampa Bay on Saturday. If they get off to the same start as they did in Game 1, they could very well find themselves headed home with a commanding 2-0 series lead.