Of course, playing through pain is normal in the NHL, especially during the postseason. Five other players suffered through various sprains and leg injuries. In fact, the team’s general manager (GM) Julien BriseBois reported on the long list of injuries, including Anthony Cirelli’s dislocated shoulder, Ryan McDonagh’s mangled finger, and Brandon Hagel’s fractured foot. In addition to Point’s injury, the Lightning players endured several serious injuries to players throughout their run to the Cup Final. He is producing more than a point per game during his postseason career, 78 points in 76 games. In just nine postseason games last season, he scored five points.

His contribution to the Lightning playoff success cannot be underestimated. In Game 7 of last season’s (2021-22) opening round of the NHL Playoffs against the Maple Leafs, Brayden Point suffered an injury that kept him out of the lineup for the remainder of the postseason (although he tried to play in two games after his injury). We’ll examine four key areas that the Lightning need to win the team’s fourth championship. The last two games they’ve played show why the Lightning have won two Cups under coach Jon Cooper. They will need to rely on what has worked for them in the past and avoid any mishaps. If they can make it out of the first series (and that’s a big if), their competition doesn’t get any easier. It’s been well discussed that the Tampa Bay Lightning should face the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2022-23 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. With 82 games - many of them back-to-back - all that really matters in the end is who advances to the playoffs.

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