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Game 2 preview: Time to 'get greedy' for the Bolts

The Tampa Bay Lightning have not lost a series after winning Game 1 since 2016.

TAMPA, Fla. — The Bolts are beaten and battered, but happy after dominating Toronto in Game 1, 7-3.

The Maple Leafs played undisciplined, but it did leave a mark in the Lightning locker room.

Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper confirmed Wednesday defenseman Erik Cernak and forward Mikey Eyssimont will not suit up in Game 2. Both took big hits to the head and are likely in concussion protocol.

Victor Hedman is also a game-time decision with an undisclosed injury that took him out of the contest in the second and third periods Tuesday night.

While the Maple Leafs took a brutal loss, we know from last year's series these goals do not carry over to the next game.

"We lost Game 1 last year and ended up winning the series," Cooper said. "I'm sure (Leafs head coach) Sheldon (Keefe) is telling their team the exact same thing."

The Bolts already entered this series with blueline question marks. Darren Raddysh and Nick Perbix looked great in their first NHL game, but losing a guy like Cernak and potentially losing Hedman for any period of time would be a big blow to the defending three-time Eastern Conference champions.

Besides asking the forwards to do more work, defensemen Zach Bogosian and Haydn Fleury could get an opportunity to step onto the ice in Game 2. While the organization is thankful to have those guys waiting in the background, there is also a reason they were healthy scratches. 

It is not an ideal situation, to say the least.

There is some good injury news, though. Tanner Jeannot continues to participate in practices and could suit up Thursday night. He suffered an injury against the New York Islanders two weeks ago and has made a speedy recovery.

“Feeling really good," Jeannot said Wednesday. "Just gotta wait and see I guess, but everything’s feeling really well and the trainers did a great job. I’m feeling good on the ice.”

This article sounds pretty doom and gloom for the Bolts, but there are plenty of issues in Toronto, too. Besides the fact they got blown out in front of their hometown fans who booed them off the ice, first line winger Michael Bunting has been suspended three games for his illegal hit on Erik Cernak.

Also, Sheldon Keefe has to be worried between the pipes with Ilya Samsanov. The 26-year-old was pulled entering the third period after giving up six goals. In eight career playoff starts, he has one win giving up 29 goals. Keefe confirmed Samsanov will start Game 2 after failing to do so in the postgame press conference Tuesday night.

"I thought he had an excellent practice (Wednesday) as short as it was. To me, he looks ready to get back at it," Keefe said.

Joseph Woll, who was brought in during the third period, would be next in line if Keefe wanted to make a change. He's made 11 career starts only losing twice. He also picked up the victory at Amalie Arena on April 11 saving 45 of 48 shots.

For the first time in nearly 40 years, two teams square off in the First Round boasting power play percentages north of 25 percent. It showed in the first game of the series with Toronto scoring twice on four opportunities and the Lightning finding the net four times in eight tries.

Entering Game 2, we would imagine there will be less tomfoolery, so teams will have to rely on their 5-on-5 play more. Tampa Bay excelled with that in the first period. The second period of Game 1 was a joke with all the penalties back and forth. The Bolts then changed its game plan to nurse a 6-2 lead entering the third period. So, it is really tough to read into a lot of that contest on Tuesday.

Jon Cooper will stress similar urgency on Thursday knowing there is a chance to mentally bury a team that has not won a playoff series since 2004.

"It's easy to sit here and say, ah, we got the first one. You know, we did that last year. It's OK to go back. See, I disagree with that. Be greedy now. Go get the second one."

If the Bolts want to steal another game on the road, they need the defense to be sharp under tough circumstances while hoping to see continued help from their bottom-six. It was excellent to see 11 of 18 Bolts tally a point, but the School Bus Line of Corey Perry, Pat Maroon and Pierre Edouard-Bellemare was the most shocking development from that contest.

Can they keep it up?

Puck drops in Toronto at 7:00 p.m. Thursday night on ESPN.

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