There's a path to success for the Florida Panthers tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and to pick up the two points, the Panthers must exploit it.
The Tampa Bay Lightning may lead the Atlantic Division, but if the Florida Panthers have one advantage in tonight's fixture, it's on defense.
The Lightning have posted strong defensive numbers this season, ranking fourth in goals allowed per game, 10th in shots allowed and second in penalty kill percentage. Unfortunately, they've been ravaged by injuries lately and are currently dealing with injuries to four of their every-game defenseman.
Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh and Emil Lilleberg are on the injured reserve, while Erik Cernak is on the LTIR. Additionally, superstar netminder Andre Vasilevskiy is on the IR and hasn't played since Dec. 2.
The Lightning are still a dangerous and balanced team, but missing that many key players affects the team's overall performance.
The Panthers won't just steamroll the Lightning without trying, just because their blueline is depleted, but they possess an advantage that they must exploit.
The Panthers' offense has come alive as of late. They've notched four or more goals in four of their last five games and need to roll into Tampa Bay tonight and continue to post high offensive totals.
Tonight's Lightning blueline will feature J.J. Moser and Darren Raddysh, two defenseman who have now accumulated enough experience to be considered veterans, Charle-Edouard D'Astous and Maxwell Crozier, two virtual first-season defenseman, as well as Declan Carlile (an AHL call-up) and Steven Santini (an NHL journeyman).
There is an avenue to expose their defense, and the Panthers must do so.
Upfront, the Lightning remain potent. Their top six is arguably one of the best in the NHL, featuring Brandon Hagel, Anthony Cirelli, Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Their bottom six blends skill and grit very well, and it's no surprise to see the Lightning are once again having another successful regular season under coach Jon Cooper.
With a win tonight, the Panthers would put themselves three points back of first place in the Atlantic Division and two points back of third place. Their schedule doesn't get much easier after tonight's game, so picking up points whenever they can is crucial.
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