Tampa Bay Lightning With an Early Chance to Show Progress

Tampa gets an intriguing early season opportunity.

Oct 8, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) skates with the puck against the Minnesota Wild during the first period at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tampa Bay Lightning have an early opportunity to show how much they have improved since opening night. After suffering a disappointing 5-1 loss to the New York Rangers to begin the season, Tampa Bay has responded with four consecutive wins and enters this rematch with plenty of momentum.

The Lightning will look to prove that their recent success is no fluke while getting revenge against a team that exposed them in their season opener.

However, the Rangers will be without a key piece in net, as Igor Shesterkin is sidelined after suffering an injury against the Washington Capitals. His absence presents an opportunity for Tampa Bay to take advantage and continue its winning streak.

With the Lightning playing some of their best hockey of the young season, this early rematch offers a chance to measure their progress and show that they are a different team than the one that took the ice on opening night.

Jon Cooper added to this when discussing the early season rematch.

"You don't want to sit & say Game 1 of 84, the season hinges on that. But you look back now, I'm maybe not as upset otherwise that it happened. What I like is that the team has responded & that's a good sign"

Jon Cooper

Cooper on #GoBolts returning to MSG, rebounding from Game 1 flop there: "You don't want to sit & say Game 1 of 84, the season hinges on that. But you look back now, I'm maybe not as upset otherwise that it happened. What I like is that the team has responded & that's a good sign"

— Eduardo A. Encina (@EddieInTheYard) October 12, 2026

And Cooper is right, this is a rare early season opportunity for the Lightning to showcase the growth they have made on both sides of the ice. In the opener, Tampa looked slow, gave up easy looks, and couldn't convert on the power play. Since then, Tampa has gotten healthy, found the back of the net on a power play, and has dominated their opponents, winning the four contests by a combined score of 15-7.

The key to defeating the Rangers in the Garden is sticking to the brand of hockey Tampa has established in their last four contests, while also adding another level to their game, in the power play department. Jon Cooper has jokingly said that his guys are "too nice" and they need to get more shots at the net.

With the talent of the Lightning, 10% success rate on the power play is simply unacceptable, but it will get better. New York averages 10 penalty minutes per night and Tampa does a fine job of drawing penalties (5.4 per night, 3rd in the NHL).

Tampa is currently third in the Eastern Conference and with a big game with the Rangers on deck, Tampa can prove to themselves, and the league that they are one of the league's best team.

An early season rematch provides an opportunity to judge growth, now the challenge shifts to proving that growth on the ice.