After controlling the best record in the league in the regular season, Tampa Bay Lightning now find themselves watching the playoffs from their living rooms after a 4-0 first round sweep by CBJ.

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In what seemed to be a lopsided series in every aspect of the game, the Presidents’ Trophy curse strikes again as the 2019 winners the Tampa Bay Lightning lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Not only did they lose the series they got swept four games to none.



History Repeats Itself Again

The Presidents’ Trophy has been in the league since 1985-1986, during that time only eight teams have WON the Stanley Cup (Chicago Blackhawks in 2012-2013 short season are the last to do so), and 11 teams have made it to the cup finals. Seven times in the trophy’s history the “best team” points-wise has lost in the opening round of the playoffs. The 1993-1994 New York Rangers are the only Eastern Conference team to win the Presidents’ Trophy AND win the Cup.



Hot Teams Are Key To A Cup Run

As mentioned previously in our First Round previews, coming into the playoffs both teams were riding hot steaks as they were both winners of 7 of their last 10 games but in different fashions. Tampa Bay didn’t really have much to play for down the stretch having everything wrapped up, while Columbus won their last few games to hold off the Canadiens for the final Wild Card spot. They continued to ride the hot hand as they eventually swept the Lightning.



Game 1: Blue Jackets 4 – Tampa Bay 3

Game 2: Blue Jackets 5 – Tampa Bay 1

Game 3: Blue Jackets 3 – Tampa Bay 1

Game 4: Blue Jackets 7 – Tampa Bay 3

Goals Overall: Blue Jackets 19 – Lightning 8



How Did It Happen



What Went Right For Columbus

One simple name —“Bob.” Sergei Bobrovsky shut down the league’s best offense, limiting the Lightning to only eight goals in four games (two goals per game) while Tampa had a absurd 3.85 goals per game in the regular season. Another key to Columbus’ success was limiting the Lightning on the power play. Tampa only had six chances all series and only converted on one of them in game four. To continue as to how the Jackets had success, trade deadline acquisition Matt Duchene recorded seven points in four games (3G, 4A) leading the team in both stats. Columbus’ blue line stepped up big as Jones, McQuaid and Savard limited Tampa’s tops line with very little changes orscoring.



What Went Wrong For Tampa Bay

Tampa just couldn’t find the back of the net and Bobrovsky kept them out of it plain and simple. For a team that scored over 3.5 GPG to be limited to only two per game is a huge drop off. Erik Cernak lead all Lightning scorers with three points (0G, 3A) while Captain Steven Stamkos only had two points (1G, 1A) and was a -8 in the series (compared to +4 in the regular season) and Nikita Kucherov’s record setting regular season did not translate in the postseason. He had two points as well in three games (suspension in game four) with a -4 in the series (compared to his +24 in the regular season). The #1 Penalty Killing unit over the regular season (85%) gave up two or more power play chances a game to the Jackets and they scored at least one power play goal a game putting the series average at a 40% kill rate.



What’s To Come

The East is now WIDE open as the top dogs are eliminated, along with another veteran team in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Washington, in my opinion, now has the “clearest” path to another Cup run. But will they be slowed down by the hot teams like the Islanders or Blue Jackets? Will the long layoff between series cool them down? Only time will tell but it’s going to be a long off season for the Bolts who thought they had a chance this year to go all the way but fell flat on their face in the opening round of the playoffs. And yes Toronto or Boston, Bobrovsky is pointing at you as you will be the Blue Jackets’ next victim.



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