When you look back on last season’s Cup run, the only team who realistically had the best shot of knocking off the Pens was the Lightning.
When this season began, we collectively agreed the Lightning were the only team we’d feel uncomfortable about in a seven-game series against the Pens.
One Steven Stamkos injury later and…
Pittsburgh has scored 24 goals in its last four, going 4-0-0 in that stretch. The Lightning are on the opposite end of that spectrum right now, as Tampa has allowed at least five goals during a 1-5-1 stretch.
Nikita Kucherov has been the lone bright spot for Tampa. He has 29 points on the season. But pretty much everyone else has been disappointing, including Jonathan Drouin, who last season single-handedly cost his team a trip to the Cup Final…
Bummer dude.
You gotta assume Tampa will turn it around, though. The talent is there. Their coach doesn’t seem like a complete jobber. Stamkos will be back at some point. Ben Bishop is like eight feet tall. Everyone on this team can skate with the Pens, expect Ryan Callahan, who is still hangin’ around, eating dog shit. We *should* see them again in April/May.
Matt Murray was the first goalie off at practice, meaning he should start (he should usually start).
Go Pens.
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