As the 2024-2025 NHL season moves into its second half following the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament, the Tampa Bay Lightning find themselves in a familiar yet nerve-wracking position: fighting for a playoff spot. For most fans, this is an exciting time. For Freddy Fanatic, a die-hard Lightning supporter, it’s an emotional crisis of epic proportions, while also exciting. While the Lightning have displayed their offensive prowess this season, currently ranking second in the league with 196 goals scored, a major concern has been their performance in one-goal games. In that category, they hold a 7-10 record. This has Freddy nervously chewing on his wife’s fingernails after finishing his own, as well as those of their two cats.
A Season of Highs, Lows, and Superstitions
Despite the changes during the off-season, the Lightning have dazzled at times, playing like the Cup-winning juggernaut of past years, only to then struggle with clearing the zone. Power play opportunities have led to anxiety attacks for Freddy, despite the Lightning boasting a power-play success rate of 26.5%, ranking them fifth in the NHL. He ranted last week that “even though we didn’t re-sign Steven Stamkos, this team thrives on adversity!” while waving his foam finger at his wife, who has since hidden it.
With crucial matchups ahead, Freddy is in full playoff mode, which means his superstitions are now on overdrive. He’s convinced that sitting on the left side of the couch instead of the right directly influences the power play success rate. (Spoiler alert: It does not.)
Roster Moves & Screaming at the TV
With six of the next eight games coming out of the break played at home, Tampa Bay has a chance to rise from third in the Atlantic division for the Lightning playoff positioning. The schedule, however, does not provide an easy start coming out of the 4 Nations break. The upcoming games against Calgary and Edmonton are particularly stress-inducing for Freddy. The Oilers, the reigning Western Conference Champions, have been on fire lately, which means Freddy has already mentally prepared for an emotional breakdown. “We need to play a full 60 minutes!” he shouts at the TV, as if head coach Jon Cooper is listening.
One thing Freddy can’t wrap his head around? The constant roster shakeups. The Lightning recently reassigned promising players like Dylan Duke, Gage Goncalves, and Brandon Halverson to the AHL, leaving Freddy with many, many questions. “WHY?” he yells into the Void (his online fan forum). “Are they on a secret mission to make hockey as good on TV as it is in person? Because they’ll be gone for a long time!”
Days of Future Past for Lightning Playoff Runs
As the Lightning grind through the final stretch of the season, die-hard fanatic Freddy has developed a strict playoff-prep routine: 1. Keep his 2002 Nokia flip phone off during the game. He keeps it as his lucky phone since that’s what he had when the Lightning defeated the Calgary Flames in a seven-game thriller to win their first-ever Stanley Cup in 2004. 2. Blame the refs for absolutely everything.
Despite the stress, Freddy wouldn’t have it any other way. The Lightning are his team. Furthermore, they have two additional Stanley Cup championships since 20024, in addition to being the latest NHL team to win back-to-back championships. So, no amount of emotional turmoil (other than dinner with his In-Laws) will make him stop believing that this is the year. Probably. Maybe.
Two things are for sure. Freddy is ready for the playoffs, even if his blood pressure isn’t. Secondly, 2002 called and they want their Nokia flip-phone back.
Main Photo: Eric Bolte- Imagn Images
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