Opinion
3 min read

Clash of the Titans: Tampa Bay Lightning Strikes Philadelphia Flyers

As the Tampa Bay Lightning prepare to face off against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center, fans are buzzing with anticipation. The upcoming game on February 28th promises to be a spectacle, and based on recent performances, the Lightning are poised to deliver an electrifying performance.


Jan 23, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Sean Walker (26) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) battle for the puck during the second period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Lightning's previous games have showcased their formidable prowess. On February 16th against the Colorado Avalanche at Amalie Arena, they secured a convincing victory with a score of 6-3. Their offensive play was nothing short of dominant; they outshot their opponents with 39 shots on goal and boasted an impressive shooting percentage of 15 percent. With two empty-net goals sealing their win, it was clear that Tampa Bay had control throughout.


Their powerplay opportunities may not have been capitalized upon during that game, but they demonstrated efficiency in other areas – particularly in faceoffs where they won 57 percent of encounters. This level of control can disrupt any team's rhythm and is something the Flyers should be wary of.


Jan 23, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA;  Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes a save against Philadelphia Flyers during the first period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

In another notable performance on February 14th against the Boston Bruins, TB showed resilience by taking home a shootout victory after being tied in overtime. Despite fewer shots on goal compared to Boston (25 for TB versus Boston's 38), their goaltending was exceptional with a save percentage rounding up to perfection.


However, it wasn't just about defense; TB's ability to convert under pressure was evident as they scored one out of two attempts in the shootout while their goalie blocked all three shots from Boston – showcasing nerves of steel when it mattered most.


Jan 23, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes a save against the Philadelphia Flyers during the third period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Against Columbus Blue Jackets on February 11th, TB once again displayed their scoring capabilities by netting four goals from just eight hits – an astonishing display of accuracy and efficiency which resulted in another win for them.


Looking ahead at this matchup against PHI who will have home advantage this time around - one cannot ignore these recent displays by TB which suggest that they are entering this game as favorites despite playing away from home turf.


PHI will certainly put up a fight; however, if past performances are anything to go by then fans can expect TB’s offense to be relentless once more. The key battle might well be fought at faceoff dots where if TB can maintain dominance as shown previously - it could very well dictate how this game unfolds.


Fans eager not to miss any action should tune into ESPN+ nationally or catch local broadcasts via NBCS-PH or BSSUN channel 653 depending on your location for what promises to be an unmissable encounter between these two NHL titans come puck drop at Wells Fargo Center scheduled for February 28th at precisely midnight Eastern Time.

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