The Tampa Bay Lightning continue to roll, going 3–0–1 in last week’s four-game slate. In this week-ahead piece, we look at how the team ranks first in the Eastern Conference, head coach Jon Cooper‘s Jack Adams Award case, and the schedule that awaits them.
Lightning Occupy East’s No. 1 Seed
From Feb. 26 to March 14, the Lightning went on a dreadful 2–7–0 run. But ever since, they’ve been on an eight-game point streak, winning six of those contests in regulation. As a result, they occupy the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, via a tiebreaker over the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes.
The race for home-ice advantage through playoff rounds 1–3 is far from over, with nine regular-season games remaining. However, the Lightning have put themselves in an excellent spot. Their schedule is tough, and they have a must-win contest vs. the Sabres on April 6, but things are good right now.
Related: Lightning Star Nikita Kucherov Has Shot at NHL History
Hart Trophy candidate Nikita Kucherov missed two games last week, but that didn’t stop Tampa Bay. Jake Guentzel led the way with four goals and four assists, while Charle-Édouard D’Astous and Brandon Hagel had six points apiece. Darren Raddysh was also solid, recording one goal and four helpers.
Between the pipes, Andrei Vasilevskiy only performed passably with a .875 save percentage and 2.96 goals-against average across three games. Jonas Johansson, on the other hand, turned aside 29 of 31 shots in a 3–2 win over the playoff hopeful Nashville Predators.
Jon Cooper’s Hunt for His First Jack Adams Award
With the Lightning back to their winning ways, head coach Cooper’s odds of winning his first-ever Jack Adams Award should receive a bump. On March 9, NHL.com writers were polled and named him the top dog in the fight.
Right now, the race for the Jack Adams Award seems to be neck-and-neck between Cooper and Sabres bench boss Lindy Ruff. It’s definitely possible that the winner of the Atlantic Division takes home the hardware.
As the league’s longest-tenured head coach, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, and a four-time Eastern Conference champion, the fact that Cooper hasn’t been deemed the “Coach of the Year” should probably call for a complete overhaul of how the Jack Adams Award is voted on. Mini-rants aside, though, he’s in a prime position to win his first.
Lightning Schedule March 30–April 5
| Date | Time (EDT) | Opponent (Record) | Location |
| Tuesday, March 31 | 7 p.m. | vs. Montreal Canadiens (42–21–10) | Benchmark International Arena |
| Thursday, April 2 | 7 p.m. | vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (36–21–16) | Benchmark International Arena |
| Saturday, April 4 | 5 p.m. | vs. Boston Bruins (42–24–8) | Benchmark International Arena |
