The Tampa Bay Lightning will be back on the ice on April 24 to play Game 2 of their first-round series against the Florida Panthers. The Lightning will look to pick up a victory after a 6-2 loss to the Panthers in Game 1.
Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy had a tough start to his post-season in that matchup, as he allowed six goals on only 17 shots, which equates to an ugly .647 save percentage. With Vasilevskiy being one of the NHL's best goaltenders, these kinds of starts are rare from the 30-year-old netminder.
Thankfully, Game 2 now offers Vasilevskiy a clean slate and the opportunity to have a bounce-back game. It would be huge for the Lightning if the 2012 first-round pick responds with a strong effort, as they are looking to tie up this series at 1-1. If Vasilevskiy is back on his A-game, it would help the Bolts' odds of doing just that.
Given Vasilevskiy's incredible resume, it is hard to bet against him. He was an absolute stud this regular-season for the Lightning, as he had a 38-20-5 record, a 2.18 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage, and six shutouts. He also has a career .918 save percentage in the post-season and two Stanley Cups on his resume, so he undoubtedly can deliver in big matchups.
It will now be interesting to see if Vasilevskiy can get things back on track and pick up a win in Game against the Panthers from here.
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