Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Panthers with 1-0 series lead as they head into Game 2
SUNRISE, FL - MAY 17: Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskly #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning makes a blocker save against Jonathan Huberdeau #11 of the Florida Panthers in Game One of the Second Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the FLA Live Arena on M
SUNRISE, Fla. - After alternating wins and losses for the first six games of the playoffs, it seems the Lightning have found their groove.
Tuesday's Game 1 win against the Florida Panthers makes it three straight playoff wins for the Bolts – and they'll try to keep it going Thursday night in Game 2 down in Sunrise.
Corey Perry and Nikita Kucherov each had a goal and an assist, while Andrei Vasilevskiy looked very much like the Conn Smythe Award winner he was last year, stopping 33 of 34 shots as the Panthers beat Florida, 4-1.
"They force you to do the little things right the whole game," Panthers interim coach Andrew Brunette said. "They’re patient enough, smart enough, that they wait you out a little bit. A couple poor decisions, not even catastrophic decisions, but just little decisions that they make you pay."
GAME 1 RECAP: Lightning strike first against Panthers, win 4-1 in Game 1
Vasilevskiy once again confounded the Panthers. Just like he did in Game 6 a season ago, when he made 29 saves in posting a shutout as the Lightning eliminated the Panthers.
"He’s the best goalie in the world, we think, and he’s proving it right now," Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. "We hope that continues."
The puck drops at 7 p.m.
The Associated Press contributed to this report