Lightning will know first-round NHL playoffs opponent tonight

11 days ago

Tampa Bay Times

TAMPA — The Lightning will know their first-round playoff opponent — either the Boston Bruins or Florida Panthers — by the end of tonight.

The Lightning are locked into the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot. With the Rangers clinching the No. 1 seed in the East as the winner of the Metropolitan Division, Tampa Bay will play whichever team wins the Atlantic.

The Bruins (109 points) currently hold a one-point lead over the Panthers (108), with both teams playing their regular-season finales tonight at home. Boston hosts Ottawa, while Florida plays Toronto. Both games begin at 7 p.m.

The outcomes of those games will determine who the Lightning face in the first round. They will open the postseason on the road, either Saturday or Sunday.

The Bruins had the opportunity to win the Atlantic outright Monday but lost to the Capitals in Washington.

Should the Bruins and Panthers finish with the same number of points, the Panthers hold the first tiebreaker, which is regulation wins. Florida has 41, Boston 36.

The Lightning will play the Bruins if:

Boston wins (regardless of whether Florida wins or loses) OR

Boston and Florida both lose in overtime

The Lightning will play the Panthers if:

Florida wins and Boston loses in regulation or overtime OR

Florida loses in overtime and Boston loses in regulation

The Lightning finish the regular season Wednesday against the Maple Leafs at Amalie Arena. Toronto will be playing the second of games on back-to-back nights after playing Tuesday at Florida.

After its 4-2 home loss to Buffalo on Monday, Tampa Bay has lost three straight and four of five since clinching a playoff berth on April 5.

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