The Tampa Bay Lightning are on the verge of being swept after breezing to one of the best records in NHL history. Twitter is reacting accordingly.
Twitter had an absolute field day after the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the President Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-1, to go up 3-0 in the first round the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Game 4 is Tuesday, where Columbus can finish off its first playoff series with a potential sweep over the Lightning. Columbus fans were happy to see their team on the brink of finally winning a playoff series. Tampa could not believe its team is on the brink of elimination.
Now, with the seemingly impossible looking more and more probable by the second, let’s check out some of the Twitter reaction from the invested fans and analysts.
https://twitter.com/PIayoffButler/status/1117607227337183232
A Presidents’ Trophy winner has never before been swept in the first round.
— Stephen Whyno 🌴 (@SWhyno) April 15, 2019
CBJ have never won 3 games in a series...EVER! https://t.co/Rlzcs5E6M3
— John Shannon (@JShannonhl) April 15, 2019
The Tampa Bay Lightning tied the NHL regular season record with 62 wins this season. Entered the postseason with 2-1 vegas odds to win the Cup.
— Payton Mead (@Payton_Mead) April 15, 2019
They now trail the Blue Jackets 3 games to 0.
Imagine the 2015-16, 73-9, GS Warriors team going down 3-0 in the first round.
Here’s something I did not think I’d be tweeting:
— Kamil Karamali (@KamilKaramali) April 15, 2019
The Tampa Bay Lightning are down 3-0 in their series against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Like, wut.
Wow, the Lightning are really down 3-0. I’ll admit, I’m shocked. #StanleyCupPlayoffs
— B-Dilly (@Titan4Ever2488) April 15, 2019
Lightning down 3-0. Seemed impossible to believe 5 days ago. Seems to be happening a lot these days in sports...
— Bryan Hayes (@HayesTSN) April 15, 2019
https://twitter.com/YahooSports/status/1117609551409209345
Still just.. stunned by this epic collapse by Tampa while equally impressed by the dominance Columbus has shown. Blue Jackets can SWEEP the series on Tuesday night. What a time to be alive.
— Jamie Hersch (@JamieHersch) April 15, 2019
I am still shocked that the Lightning are down 3-0 in the series! It really goes to show how playoff hockey is anyone’s game! I love this sport! | #StanleyCup
— The Red Mile (@RedMilePodcast) April 15, 2019
Multiple fans tweeted that they were done with the Lightning after another disappointing playoff performance against the Blue Jackets.
In Game 3, Matt Duchene began the scoring for the Blue Jackets with a second-period goal. Oliver Bjorkstrand followed with a power-play goal, doubling the Blue Jackets lead.
Ondrej Palat finally got the Lightning’s first goal of the game in the third period. After several back-and-forth chances, Cam Atkinson sealed Columbus a 3-1 win with an empty-net goal.
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Tampa did not have star winger Nikita Kucherov or defenseman Victor Hedman for Game 3, further putting it in a bind.
During the regular season, the Lightning finished with an NHL-high 129 points and tied the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings with an NHL-record 62 wins. Since going up 3-0 in Game 1, the Bolts have been outscored 12-2.