Sunday, April 21: at Panthers on SN, ESPN, and TVA Sports 1730h/5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 23: at Panthers on SN360, ESPN2, and TVA Sports2 1800h/6:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 25: at Tampa Bay on SN, TBS, and TVA Sports21630h/4:30 pm Saturday, April 27: at Tampa Bay on SN, TBS, TRuTV, and TVA Sports 10:30 a.m.
Tuesday, April 30: at Panthers TBA Thursday, May 2: at Lightning TBA Saturday, May 4: at Panthers TBA
Lightning: 45-29-8, 98 points (fourth in the Atlantic Division and sixth in the eastern confernce) Panthers: 52-44-6, 110 points (first in the Atlnatic Division and third in the eastern conference)
Regular-season series: Panthers won 2-1-0 (Lightning 1-2-0)
This will be the second time these two teams will meet in the playoffs for the Battle of Florida State bragging rights.
Should be a good series featuring the last 4 East reps in the cup finals. Tampa still has some mystique to them, and have had the Panthers number in the playoffs. Now that the Panthers have had a bit of playoff success can they build on it? I hope to enjoy watching some fierce hockey here.
__________________ "Some guys like old balls"
Patriots QB Tom Brady
Florida should take them out in 6. Tampa wins a couple because Vas stands on his head, but Tampa's not that mobile on the back end anymore. Florida are pitbulls. Shouldn't be too close but Vas steals games.
This should be a good series. I think the Panthers are the better team but the Lightning have been an immovable force against them in the playoffs. If the Panthers get behind in this series early, I could see things snowball.