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The Tampa Bay Lightning kick off their playoff series against the Florida Panthers on April 22. It will be a series for fans to watch, as both teams have plenty of stars and skill. They also have a very deep rivalry, which makes the games even more entertaining when they play each other.
The Lightning will undoubtedly be relying on stars like Andrei Vasilevskiy, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Victor Hedman to help lead them to victory. However, while it is great that the Lightning have experienced players, fans should not sleep on the team's younger players during the playoffs.
Two young players who could be under-the-radar X-factors for the Lightning this post-season are forwards Conor Geekie and Gage Goncalves.
Geekie, 20, is the Lightning's top prospect and possesses a ton of upside. The 2022 first-round pick played in his first 52 NHL games this season with the Bolts, posting eight goals, 14 points, and a minus-4 rating.
While these offensive numbers from Geekie may not necessarily stand out, there is reason to believe that he could break out for the Bolts during the playoffs. After being called back up to the Lightning's roster at the end of the season, he scored two goals in three games. In addition, the 6-foot-4 forward is built for the physical style of playoff hockey, as his 97 hits this season show.
As for Goncalves, he undoubtedly took a step forward as this regular-season carried on. After beginning the year with just two points in his first 27 games, Goncalves finished the season with 18 points in his last 33 contests. This includes recording two goals and two assists in his final four games of the campaign.
Goncalves has blossomed into a key depth offensive contributor for the Lightning, and he should not be overlooked this post-season because of it. If Goncalves and Geekie continue to step up, it will only make the Lightning an even tougher club to face in the playoffs this year.
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