Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the NHL preseason match.
The Florida derby is set to take place even before the start of the new season, with Tampa Bay Lightning hosting at the Amalie Arena.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning have so far played only one preseason game, and it was just the day before, where they lost in a low-scoring game to the Carolina Hurricanes (1:2). Both coaches deployed rosters that were far from NHL-level, mostly filled with young and inexperienced players with only occasional inclusions of regulars. However, the Hurricanes' net was guarded by Pyotr Kochetkov, expected to be the team's main goaltender in the near future. The Russian played the entire match, creating significant problems for the Lightning’s squad minus their top line, as he saved 22 of 23 shots. Their power play also failed to convert (0 out of 2 opportunities). If the Tampa Bay Lightning perform this way in the regular season, they are destined to falter.
Florida Panthers
The champions, unlike their neighbours, took a three-day rest but played back-to-back games against the Nashville Predators on September 22. They had some of their key players mixed with prospects. In the first game, which kicked off earlier (3:2), Sam Bennett, who opened the scoring, Matthew Tkachuk, who assisted him, and Anton Lundell, who won nearly two-thirds of the face-offs, all played. In the second game, which ended more decisively in favour of the Panthers (6-2), captain Sasha Barkov (0+1), last season’s top scorer Sam Reinhart (1+1), and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who saved six of seven shots in the first half, were in action.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers Prediction
We believe that in the game against their fundamental rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s head coach Jon Cooper will field some of his stars. He won't exhaust the same players who played just a day ago. It's tough to say that the hosts will win—the Florida Panthers, even with a semi-reserve lineup, are currently stronger, so we'll bet on their victory with a handicap.
