Lightning's season on the brink after Sport 3 loss to Panthers – Tampa Bay Instances

TAMPA — The Lightning lastly had the lead they’d been trying to find all collection towards the Panthers Thursday evening within the second interval of Sport 3. After spending the primary two video games chasing Florida, this was their alternative to get again into the opening-round collection, trailing two video games to none.
In a three-minute span to open the second interval, the Lightning erased a one-goal deficit — Steven Stamkos’ deflection 44 seconds into the interval was adopted by Tyler Motte’s wrister from the excessive slot by site visitors 2:12 later — and out of the blue Tampa Bay had a one-goal lead.
“I assumed we performed most likely the perfect 10 minutes of the collection proper there,” Stamkos stated. “We have been controlling the play bodily. I assumed we have been on prime of it. We had the lead lastly. It’s simply little errors which are costing us and, pay attention, that’s the distinction right now of the yr.”
The Lightning ran out of gasoline down the stretch, and by the tip of the second interval discovered themselves trailing once more after Florida scored a pair of objectives when a drained Tampa Bay workforce couldn’t get the puck out of its personal finish.
Now, following their 5-3 loss at Amalie Area, the Lightning discover themselves on the point of playoff elimination.
They go into Sport 4 Saturday trailing the best-of-seven collection three video games to none. They’ve been on this scenario earlier than and have been swept each occasions, most just lately after their Presidents’ Trophy-winning season in 2019, after they misplaced 4 straight to the Blue Jackets. In 2014, Jon Cooper’s first full season as head coach, Tampa Bay was swept within the first spherical by Montreal.
Solely 4 groups in NHL historical past have come again from a 3-0 deficit to win a postseason collection, none over the previous decade. The final time was 2014, when the Kings rallied from 3-0 right down to beat the Sharks on their method to successful the Stanley Cup.
The Lightning can’t assume that far forward. Their focus is on getting one win in Sport 4 to increase their season.
“It’s not straightforward to sort of comprehend generally the scenario we acquired ourselves in, as a result of I do know everybody in right here believes on this group,” stated Lightning defenseman Matt Dumba. “And to be down 3-0, we might have by no means thought that, so it’s realizing that (the collection) shouldn’t be executed.”
The primary three video games have been tight, however the Lightning have been outworked and outclassed by their cross-state rivals.
“It was powerful to come back out of that second interval down a objective, as a result of I felt we deserved a greater destiny,” Cooper stated. “They weren’t in our finish a lot, and the 2 occasions they have been it was a few seeing-eye singles that went within the web. Don’t get me mistaken. Two good gamers (Sam Reinhart and Brandon Montour) capturing pucks.”
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Motte’s objective 2:56 into the second interval gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead and had the visiting Panthers on their heels.
“Tampa has this type of quick-strike capacity, and also you noticed it,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice stated. “They scored one on the prime of the second, and it was on. We’re chasing the sport. We’re a fairly good workforce. We might not be essentially the most proficient workforce, however we don’t suck, and so they’ve acquired us (at that time).”
That’s when the Lightning had an exhausting shift in their very own finish that led to Reinhart’s tying objective.
Anthony Cirelli went down after blocking a Vladimir Tarasenko shot, Anthony Duclair couldn’t clear the puck out of the defensive zone, and it ended up on Reinhart’s stick. His wrist shot sailed over defenseman Emil Lilleberg’s sliding block try and previous goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy with 10:02 left within the interval.
Then, the Lightning once more couldn’t get a line change, hemmed of their finish by Florida’s fourth line. Defenseman Nick Perbix couldn’t poke the puck out from the nook, and neither may ahead Tanner Jeannot off the wall. It led to Montour’s blast from the correct level that went by site visitors and previous Vasilevskiy to offer the Panthers a 3-2 lead.
They by no means seemed again.
The Lightning’s top-ranked energy play was 0-for-4, managing solely 4 photographs on objective. The Panthers gave them man-advantage alternatives early by committing three first-period penalties, however Tampa Bay couldn’t take benefit. The Lightning are 2-for-12 on the facility play within the collection (16.7%) after main the NHL with a 28.6% success fee throughout the common season.
“We’ve had a few (power-play objectives) within the collection, however for those who’re going to offer us eight minutes, we’ve acquired to do one thing with it,” Cooper stated. “And we didn’t. And in a one-goal recreation (earlier than Matthew Tkachuk’s late empty-netter), which may have helped us out.”
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Eduardo A. Encina is a sports activities reporter masking the Tampa Bay Lightning. Attain him at eencina@tampabay.com.
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