The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday at 7:30 in Game 3 of their first-round NHL Playoff series. The Pens are trying to recover from a Game 2 loss in which Tampa Bay outplayed them, and the key, according to coach Dan Bylsma, will be maintaining concentration:
"The composure and focus we showed in Game 1 was not there in Game 2, and it caused not only to give them power plays but also for us to get off playing our game for large portions of that game. It's something we have to be better at. That happens in every playoff series. The successful teams that win ... understand that, and they stayed composed and don't let things rattle them."
The Post-Gazette had an article about this as well:
After that game, several Penguins volunteered that the Lightning "got under our skin," a surprising development for a group as experienced and playoff-tested as they are.
Bylsma acknowledged Saturday that he had not anticipated such a problem.
Our own Stephen Catanese, meanwhile, writes that eliminating mistakes will be the key for the Penguins going forward.
The series is tied 1-1 as the Penguins prepare for their first road game.