One of the real pleasures of the post-COVID NHL has been the shared rivalry between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers finally translating into serious playoff hockey. For the third time in four postseasons and the third time ever, they will go head to head.

We would have seen this series again last year if it hadn't been for the Lightning losing in the first round to the Toronto Maple Leafs, a devastating defeat that they are desperate to prevent from turning into a pattern. After making three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, lifting the trophy twice, the prospect of two straight first-round exits paired with captain Steven Stamkos' looming free agency in the offseason could signal the beginning of the long-awaited decline. The Bolts believe they're still seriously in the mix, and