Eastern Conference First Round: (1) Florida Panthers vs (WC) Tampa Bay Lightning

[Grapes]

Bolts in 7

All I know for sure is the winner will be a Florida team

[Axeman33]

Panthers in 6. They are one of, if not THE best 5vs5 in the league and that holds a ton of weight in the playoffs seeing as PP opportunities are cut way back with the refs putting away the whistle.

I can see the Panthers getting to the Conference Finals, if not to the Cup finals again.

[dejeanneret]

Panthers in 6. Think they have the depth to wear Tampa down over the course of the series and, this year at least, Bob > Vas.

[forsbergfan]

A couple of weeks ago I planned on picking Tampa in the first round no matter who they were facing. But as the owner of vasilevskiy who tries his best to cost me my league's finals, they haven't been playing well lately. I think the panthers are too strong for them. Florida in 6.

[2014olympicgold]

Panthers in 6. But I reallllly want the Lightning to take the low road and just be the dirty pieces of garbage they are and drag the Panthers through the mud this series.

[rataylor22]

Panthers are too deep.

[The Comish]

TB puts up a good fight, but Panthers prevail in 7

[niconasr]

Panthers in 7. If they can keep Kucherov from going supernova, they'll be fine. Vasi has been poor all year though he could do a 2021 Price and just turn it on for the playoffs.

[Feenom]

Cats suffocating the Bolts. Kucherov a non factor in the series so far. On the brink of a sweep, wow.

[Daydream Nation]

Cats suffocating the Bolts. Kucherov a non factor in the series so far. On the brink of a sweep, wow.

Exactly. I don't know what is more surprising- how disciplined and dominant Florida has looked or how underwhelming Kucherov and Co have played. Or is Barkov and Forsling just that dominant defensively?

[2014olympicgold]

Exactly. I don't know what is more surprising- how disciplined and dominant Florida has looked or how underwhelming Kucherov and Co have played. Or is Barkov and Forsling just that dominant defensively?

When Kucherov's thing is looking like he's not trying and racking up points, when he doesn't rack up points he doesn't do a whole lot else productive. And when he isn't making people look better offensively, they don't look like they're doing much.