Pittsburgh Penguins: 2017-18 Atlantic Division Preview

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PITTSBURGH, PA – MARCH 3: Tampa Bay Lightning Center Cedric Paquette (13) and Pittsburgh Penguins Center Matt Cullen (7) battle for the puck during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 3, 2017, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

This season, the Tampa Bay Lightning took the season without Steven Stamkos. The season wasn’t the team’s best but they won’t let the memory hold them back this seasn.

Last season, the Penguins topped the Lightning in all three matchups played. The Penguins topped the Lightning with strong offense and scored at least four goals in each game, with a high of six goals.

This season the Lightning will have Andrei Vasillevskiy in net full time and will be looking to channel strong defensive play to shut down the Pens. The best system, as discussed, to top the Penguins is to score early by breaking their defense and then shutting them down the rest of the way.

Luckily for Pittsburgh, the Pens aren’t shut down so easy and have had the Bolts figured out. The Pens will use their speed and production to their advantage to dominate the Bolts again.

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