CAN LIGHTNING STRIKE THRICE?

The back-to-back champions have been gutted, of that there is no question. They lost their entire third line of Yanni Gourde between Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman, plus fourth-line center Tyler Johnson. But the good news is they still have the best goalie in the world, one of the league’s truly elite defensemen and dynamic talent up front. They will be right there in the thick of the Stanley Cup chase. And that’s no No. 1 bulls---.