In a stunning victory, the Tampa Bay Lightning crushed the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-3 in the first game of their NHL playoff series on Tuesday night (ESPN). Despite key injuries to defensemen Victor Hedman and Erik Cernak, as well as forward Michael Eyssimont in the second period, the Lightning managed to earn the win (The Athletic). They limited Toronto’s scoring chances by taking away the passing lanes while generating plenty of chances themselves (The Hockey News).
The power play was a key factor for Tampa Bay, with four of their seven goals coming during power play opportunities (Tampa Bay Times). Brayden Point played a crucial role in securing the win, scoring twice for the Lightning (Tampa Bay Times).
However, the game was not without controversy. Toronto’s Michael Bunting faces a hearing over a hit on Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak, which resulted in Bunting’s ejection from the game (Yahoo Sports).
The Lightning will now go on to face off against the Maple Leafs in Game 2 of the series (Syracuse.com). The first two games are set to take place in Toronto, but that didn’t stop hundreds of Lightning fans from showing up at Sparkman Wharf in Tampa Bay for a watch party (ABC Action News).
The Lightning’s victory came at a cost, with several notable injuries during the game. Besides the aforementioned injuries to Hedman and Cernak, Michael Eyssimont was also hurt (Sporting News).
Despite these setbacks, the Tampa Bay Lightning remain a fierce team to contend with in the upcoming games of the playoff series.
