Tampa Bay Lightning hope to bounce back in home season opener against Florida Panthers -NHL Update
After one of the most disappointing starts of the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season, Tampa Bay Lightning are hoping to bounce back and get their first win since losing four straight and winning only their season opener against Carolina
Hurricanes, when they face-off against Florida Panthers again on Monday, but this time on their own home-ice.
Tampa Bay over the past few days has been regarded as becoming home sick and in dire need of getting back in their hometown after observing the team that made it into the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2011 NHL Playoffs and now losing to clubs like
New York Islanders and Panthers on Saturday.
Marc-Andre Bergeron, a highly contributing player for Tampa Bay ever since the new season took off, thinks that they will make a comeback again.
"We're a team that came back a lot last year and we never quit", Bergeron said. "We're a hardworking team and right now I think we're a little off but it's starting to come back and we're seeing it and we're starting to understand a little more that it's
not going to be easy".
So far, Tampa Bay has also been a little as the match progresses towards a shootout after remaining tied throughout regulation and overtime. They have played two matchups with shootout deciders against Washington and Florida Panthers and lost both by a single
goal difference.
Since Florida is missing their main goalie, Scott Clemmensen, they continue to depend upon veteran goaltender, Jose Theodore, who thus far has been working out miracles for the team by shutting out the New York Islanders in their season opener and saving
key shots during a previous shootout against Tampa Bay on Saturday, October 15.
Panthers coach, Kevin Dineen, thinks that Theodore has been of immense value and hope that he will continue helping them out.
"Let's not forget, Jose Theodore is a good player", Dineen said. "He's proven that over the length of a career. We felt that he was a No. 1 goalie, but for me he really had to earn it. He had a pretty stinky training camp, but since then he's been pretty
solid".
Without a single day of rest and having played three consecutive matchups fully start to end, Tampa Bay might just be able to take control of the match by overworking the 35-year-old goalie who was drafted as the 44th overall draft pick in 1994
by Montreal Canadiens.
Lightning will all continue to miss veteran forward, Mattias Ohlund, who went out after having surgery on both knees and has been placed indefinitely on the teams’ injured reserve.
Both teams have different factors which might just be able to carry them to victory but seeing their previous matchup, it does not seem like Florida is willing to give up any time soon, but with Tampa Bay having its first game at home could turn around their
game altogether.
The game is scheduled to kickoff on Monday, October 17, 2011, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Tags: