TAMPA, Fla. (WWSB) – : The NHL Playoffs are underway and Tampa Bay Lightning fans are ready to pack out Amalie Arena as the team known as the Bolts go on a quest to turn this place back into “Champa Bay.”
The Lightning enter the 2025 postseason as the second seed in the Eastern Conference. They are set for round one against a very familiar foe in the league and in the Sunshine state, the number three seeded and reigning, defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers.
They’re facing each other in the opening round for a second straight year, but this time the Bolts and their fans are hoping for a different outcome.
There’s good momentum for the Bolts as they begin the series on Tuesday because they just saw this team last week.
In regular season finale at Amalie Arena, the Bolts hosted the Panthers. Tampa Bay came out on top looking strong on offense and defense.
The final score was 5-1, and this potentially helped set the tone for the next few weeks against each other on the ice.
The ABC7 Sports Dept. will be making the trip up to Amalie Arena for game one to provide coverage of the game and fanfare theatrics as the Lightning get their 2025 postseason run underway.
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