Unless you’re the most mature player known to man (and no, it’s not that guy sitting in a suite that should be on the ice), getting blown out on your home ice does indeed take a toll. The Pens came out strong, determined to seal the series and look toward the next round. They certainly didn’t underestimate the potential of Tampa, either, and played excellent defensively early on.
The Lightning, on the other hand, had everything to prove in this do-or-die scenario. The team came in today and won both physically and psychologically over the flightless birds and this embarrassment is something players have to force themselves to forget. What it has done is rattle the minds of the Pens. If the Lightning go up on them again, it will be more unnerving knowing the Lightning have walked away with the game twice in this series and could create deja vu for some.
It will be Bylsma’s job to inject his team with the confidence and it will be up to him to keep his team there in a mental capacity. Tampa’s special teams are an essential key to its many victories and have come to master the art of drawing penalties and acquiring the man advantage. Pittsburgh can’t afford to go down a man against Tampa’s very capable roster and will have to stay out of the box. The Penguins only hope is to continue to capitalize on the Lightning’s sloppy play when the Florida team lets its guard down and looses momentum. The multi-goal surges are enough to bring them to the top.
What I have seen through this series is a team that is capable of a superior level of play over its opponent but lacks discipline – Tampa. When they’re firing on all cylinders, not a team in the league can rival its depth as Yzerman has carefully selected his battle pieces – even Vancouver lay slain in its path.
The Lightning have dug themselves into a hole from their lack of discipline and in order for them to accomplish another heroic comeback for the highlight reel, it will need to tighten up and focus. The team is fully capable of taking advantage of the Penguins’ war-torn roster and Sidney should really question just how healthy is healthy enough to play for your team in its time of need.
