The Tampa Bay Lightning dropped their first game of the week, but with back-to-back victories, they’re at the top of the Atlantic Division with 102 points in 76 games. In this week-ahead piece, we look at Anthony Cirelli‘s hat trick and what it means, plus the crucial road trip on the horizon.
Anthony Cirelli’s Hat Trick Signals Different Stars Are Stepping Up
The Lightning are obviously loaded with talent. Hart Trophy candidate Nikita Kucherov is capable of elevating this team on his own, but Tampa Bay is deep. When different stars step up, it instills confidence. Cirelli did just that against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
On Thursday, April 2, Cirelli recorded a hat trick in a 6–3 victory over the Penguins. After a loss to the Montreal Canadiens, getting back in the win column was much-needed.
More than anything, Cirelli’s standout effort proves that wins for this team can come from different places. Whether it’s Kucherov taking charge, excellence from Andrei Vasilevskiy between the pipes, or Cirelli showing out, the Lightning can win in different ways. They’ll need that to continue, especially considering the schedule that awaits them.
Lightning’s Crucial Road Trip Ahead
Between the Lightning, Canadiens, and Buffalo Sabres, the Atlantic Division is super tight right now. This week ahead could change everything.
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Tampa Bay will visit the Sabres, Ottawa Senators, Canadiens, and Boston Bruins on the road over the next few days. There’s some margin for error, but these are crucial games.
The Lightning have 102 points in 76 games on the season, with 39 regulation wins and 44 regulation and overtime wins. The Canadiens and Sabres are right behind, with 100 points in 76 and 77 games, respectively. If both clubs can win on home ice against the Bolts, the Atlantic Division standings could look a lot different a week from now.
However, that “regulation wins” and “regulation and overtime wins” tidbit is important. In a tiebreaking scenario, the Lightning will almost certainly reign supreme due to those factors. So, they can theoretically maintain the top spot in the Atlantic even if things don’t go according to plan. Still, these are important games—perhaps a litmus test for the postseason.
Lightning Schedule April 6–12
| Date | Time (EDT) | Opponent (Record) | Location |
| Monday, April 6 | 7 p.m. | @ Buffalo Sabres (46–23–8) | KeyBank Center |
| Tuesday, April 7 | 7 p.m. | @ Ottawa Senators (39–27–10) | Canadian Tire Centre |
| Thursday, April 9 | 7 p.m. | @ Montreal Canadiens (45–21–10) | Bell Centre |
| Saturday, April 11 | 12:30 p.m. | @ Boston Bruins (43–26–8) | TD Garden |
