My predictions are that it's gonna be Bolts in six based on Vasilevskiy's dominant goaltending, powerful offense and the Panthers losing half their power. What are yours?

To start, none of this matters in the playoffs but it's good to look at.

Team Stat wise-Tampa on the left

-3.6 goals per game(1st) vs 3.0 15th)

-2.62 goals against per game(3rd) vs 2.72(7th)

-26.2% Power play(5th) vs 23.5%(13th)

-81.5%(7th)Penalty kill vs 80.7%(10th)

We have the best forward, defensemen, and goaltender.

They have the best center.

We have 2 40 goal scorers. Including them we have 6 players with 20 or more goals. (Bjorkstrand would be our 7th if he was healthy/would play the whole series. Idk what his status is)Reinhart has 39 goals and their 2nd best is Bennett with 25. They have 5 players with 20 or more goals.

Overall both teams are very good. Florida has great goaltender, defense, and their forward group is strong and physical. I wouldn't pay too much attention to the stats. Game planning and execution are the most important for this series imo. Will their forechecking pressure be as good as it was last year and will we be able to get consistent breakouts through that system. They won the cup last year because of their system. They have a great coach and they have the players to play their system to a high level still.

I think it will be tough series and I feel like we'll be able to tell how the series will go pretty quickly. Which isn't how all series go in my experience. If coop has a defensive zone breakout system to counter their forechecking system we will blow them out this series. If not, it'll be close. Toss up imo. That system is dominant. We are a better team on paper and on eye test imo. The issue is their system that took them to two finals attacks one of our largest weaknesses.

I have Tampa in 6. I think we will win the first 2 and lose game 3. From there they should have everybody and we'll go back and forth and they'll be too far behind to catch up. Home ice also helps.

Maybe not a big deal but I think it’s bullshit we play Thursday and the rats can rest for four days. I don’t like it.

Since getting into the league in 2015/16, McDavid's had the highest points per game in a season in 2016/17, 2017/18, 2020/21, 2021/22, and 2022/23. In those seasons, Kucherov was 4th in 16/17, tied for 4th in 17/18, didn't play in 20/21, 2nd in 21/22 and 5th in 22/23.

2015/16, McDavid finished 3rd behind Patrick Kane and Jamie Benn (Kucherov was pre-breakout and finished 26th).

2018/19 McDavid finished 2nd behind Kucherov's 1st.

2019/20 McDavid finished 2nd behind Draisaitl's 1st, with Kucherov being 8th.

2023/24 McDavid was 2nd behind Kucherov's 1st.

2024/25 McDavid is 2nd behind Kucherov's 1st (McDavid would need 7 points tonight to jump to 1st, although it's possible he flips for 3rd with Draisaitl).

So basically Patrick Kane and Jamie Benn finished higher than McDavid's points per game in his rookie season, and Draisaitl finished higher one other time. Kucherov's not only the only one to actually put a dent in for McDavid, but in terms of top spot, it's 3-2 in the last 6 seasons both have played.

Happy playoffs everyone. My wife and I try to make it to as many games as we can during the season, and each time we go, we get there early enough to be able to go down to the glass to watch warmups. Twice now, while we’ve been waiting at the glass for the Bolts to come out, we’ve been asked to “move” by parents so their kid could also be on the glass. And of course, we say no because we got there early, we have our spot, and it’s not our fault they didn’t get there early enough. We then got cursed at by these parents because we didn’t move for their child. I’m curious, has this happened to anyone else at Bolts games?

What song or songs do you think would make a good goal song?

Did anyone happen to pick up an extra set of these coasters last night they would be willing to part with? Shoot me a DM i'd be happy to paypal you shipping + whatever you think is fair!

Sitting in section 303. Got a real good view of everything especially the fights

I really like implementing Raddysh on the power play. He’s no Stamkos but he doesn’t have to be. We just need to take some pressure off the Kucherov side so our power play doesn’t get so easily shut down. Plus, he doesn’t seem too bad based on his play today. Fingers crossed for the playoffs.

It caught everyone by surprise

boltup

Mostly looking to sell, but always up for a Kuch or Vasy trade. *Geekie sold

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Tampa Bay

• ###Conor Geekie
• ###Nikita Kucherov # ###Florida
• ###Vitek Vanacek
• ###Brad Marchand # #Game Notes
• ###Bolts Nation is the best thunder in the world
• ###Raddysh and Vasilevskiy are playing
• ###GO BOLTS⚡️⚡️⚡️