As the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin, Tampa Bay Lightning fans anxiously await Tuesday night’s first-round opener against the Florida Panthers. The Bolts enter the playoffs with the key home-ice advantage and a confidence reminiscent of their back-to-back Stanley Cup Championship runs just a few years ago.
The Lightning finished the 2024-25 regular season second in the Atlantic Division behind the Toronto Maple Leafs. As the Bolts earned 102 points, Florida finished four points behind. Where the first two games are being played could be the difference between advancing to the second round and watching the remainder of the tournament from home.
This will be the fourth meeting for these teams in the playoffs in the last five years. Florida has enjoyed home ice advantage in all three previous series. While the Lightning won two of the three during their Cup run, the Panthers dominated in last year’s first round with a 4-1 series win.
Although the Lightning may not be getting the proper recognition they deserve this season, Tampa Bay hopes their opportunity to host this year’s series will have a different result from the 2024 playoff run.
The Battle of Florida Never Disappoints
The Lightning finished the regular season on Thursday in New York against the Rangers, while Florida finished their schedule on Tuesday (in Tampa). Both teams benefit from a long layoff, which is crucial for a demanding potential two-month schedule.
With the opening game starting Tuesday night, head coach Jon Cooper took a moment to appreciate the layoff to prepare.
“We were a little nervous having to play a one-off trip to New York,” Cooper said. “But to get two more days, it’s rest for guys. If you go all the way, it’s two demanding months. So to get this rest earlier, who knows how it’s going to play out?”
“Florida goes two more days than we did, so it should create great theatre!”
As the “Battle for Florida” rivalry grows, the teams continue to learn how to face one another and attempt to gain an advantage against the other.
“There are no secrets,” Point said. “You know what they know, and you know you’re both an open book. They know us and we know them. We’re looking forward to it.”
Things have changed a bit in the year since these teams last met in the playoffs. A point not lost on Cooper.
“We played Florida last year. They weren’t Cup champs. They were fighting.” Cooper said. “Now they’re Cup champs. So that’s a mentality that’s different in so many different ways.”
“They’re a more weathered team now in the sense that they’ve been there, done it, and know what to expect. We are also a team that’s already gone through that, as well. The Battle of Florida never disappoints.”
New Faces Join The Bolts’ Quest for the Cup
This time last year, J.J. Moser was wrapping his third season being developed in the Arizona Coyotes’ system before being traded by the Utah Hockey Club to Tampa last summer. Conor Geekie was also a part of that trade with Utah and spent last season in the Western Hockey League playing for the Wenatchee Wild and Swift Current Broncos.
Tuesday night, both Moser and Geekie make their NHL Stanley Cup Playoff debuts with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“Excitement!” Moser said when asked how he is feeling leading up to the series. “It’s super cool to play my first playoff game, and I’m just excited to get going!”
“I think it will be fun! Lots of emotions, obviously,” Geekie said. “But again, you’re trying to take it as just another game.”
Along with the importance of treating this game like any other game, Geekie also described the physical and competitive nature of the game, highlighting the shared goal of winning amongst the team.
“You know, it’s fun hockey! It’s physical! It’s hard! Everyone’s chasing the same thing.”
When asked how he was preparing for Tuesday night and beyond, Moser laid out some key points the team has been following.
“Just relax, just prepare. Dial in some details,” Moser said. “It’s all in the defense. I think especially in the playoffs, everything goes and comes from defense.”
Who wins? Who loses?
As the buildup to Tuesday night continues, Bolts fans can rest assured that this is a much better team than one year ago. The Lightning’s 5-on-5 play has grown throughout the season, and their special teams continue to flourish.
The key to this series is as it has been: the war in the crease.
Andrei Vasilevskiy is playing with the same confidence and strength he exhibited during the Lightning’s three Cup Final appearances from 2020 to 2022. His recovery from back surgery two seasons ago is a distant memory, and Vasilevskiy’s game is as sharp as ever.
On the other side of the ice stands Sergei Bobrovsky for the Panthers. Bobrovsky has a 2.03 GAA and .930 save percentage against the Lightning. One can argue that he was the reason Florida dominated Tampa Bay in the first round last year. Can he match Vasilevskiy shot for shot? Will his magic come out again in 2025?
Whatever the result of this series, one thing is clear. Jon Cooper is right. The Battle of Florida never disappoints.
My prediction: Bolts in six.
