Ohhh what a night … PIT-TB delivered, two prospect updates and catching up on the Leafs and video replay …

Correct me if I'm wrong. Please.

Ryan Callahan ends Kris Letang's night. Here are few angles.

Peace out, Callahan, we'll see you in a few games. This has to result in a suspension, right?

Next, Ben Bishop suffers what appears to be a serious knee injury.

After that, Tyler Johnson is injured on a likely unintentional/intentional (depending on who you ask) knee-on-knee hit from Chris Kunitz.

Kris Letang returns, and Tampa Bay takes a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, and the Bolts score their second goal 2:33 into the second period.

So, without Steven Stamkos, Johnson, Anton Stralman and Ben Bishop, the Lightning put Pittsburgh in a 2-0 hole. And, remember, the Penguins are an unstoppable force the majority of us backed in yesterday's expert panel.

Wow. What a start.

Not done yet, though.

Jonathan Drouin made it 3-0, and Patric Hornqvist's power-play tally made it a 3-1 game right before the end of the second period. Pretty pass from Sidney Crosby.

But, before the second period finished, Johnson returned for Tampa Bay.

The third period was dominated by Pittsburgh, but they never seemed to fully threaten the 3-1 lead. Tampa grabbed the 1-0 series lead and negates the home-ice advantage. Plenty of question marks remain for the Bolts, though.

You're going to hear a lot about this series over the coming days because Game 2 isn't until Monday. Enjoy the build up. I foresee this series becoming extremely heated.

Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan has already deemed the Callahan and Ondrej Palat hits dirty.

Here are three things I noticed and wanted to share:

Nikita Kucherov's stick strength is impressive. Often, skilled players lose the puck easily when pressured, hit or combated with a strong stick or body check. Kucherov's possession skills and ability to fight off opposing checkers could be an underappreciated aspect of his game, and one that strengthens the case for him being able to maintain the level of production we've seen over the past two years, if not exceed it.

Two quick notes on Brian Dumoulin. First, hopefully he is healthy and able to return for Game 2. And secondly, he pulled off a risky play at the Tampa blue line where 95 percent of defensemen would have banged the puck back in because it was a bouncing puck. Dumoulin, however, played it from his backhand to forehand and attempted an offensive play. There is potential here for 25-35 points with solid supporting stats, and remember, he was a key piece in the Jordan Staal deal.

Lastly, saying skilled players think on another level is a little clichéd, yet, I couldn't help smile when Phil Kessel threw a medium-weight shot wide of the net during the final Pittsburgh power play because Corsby was in the area. If you caught it, you know Crosby deflected the puck toward the goal, but it didn't result in a scoring chance. Still, whether it is the ball-hockey mentality or trust in an elite skillset, or both, the creativity stood out.

Game 2 will be a gem. But most importantly, who hits the ice Monday?

Marc-Andre Fleury

Stralman

Stamkos

or none of the above

***

Quickly diving back into the video replay talks, a question popped into my mind after Vladimir Tarsenko's overturned goal in Game 7 against Dallas.

If Tarasenko didn't score, and Dallas took the play the other way and scored on St. Louis, could the Blues challenge their own offside and have the goal negated?

This process needs to be cleaned up before a loophole goal is more infamous than Brett Hull's.

I forget who said it and where (someone here, likely), but crossing the plane of the blue line should be enough. The line extends up, and if any part of the skate is still touching the vertically extended line as the puck passes over, it's good to go.

Add some time measurement so a potential offside 30 seconds before a goal was scored isn't reviewable and move on.

Clean it up.

***

I'm late here, but as a Maple Leafs fan, obviously I'm pleased with the progression of the organization and the direction Toronto is headed in.

I'm nervous about signing too many free-agent veterans too quickly, though.

My preference is for the core pieces to establish themselves with two or three seasons in the league, and then lock them up without the burden of cap restraints.

Tampa Bay's current cap situation could become an eerily similar reality for Toronto, if too much is invested right now. And while I'm not suggesting the Leafs will ante up for cap killers like Ryan Callahan, Matt Carle and Jason Garrison, the fall off for the majority of NHLers is often quick.

How effective will Kyle Okposo and Andrew Ladd be in two years?

In two years, are the Maple Leafs even going to be looking to make a run?

Injuries happen, making the wrong selection happens, and while there is a lot to like, it isn't going to be flawless and immediate ascend to the Stanley Cup Finals.

So, when the core is ready to make a run, there might not be a need for Okposo or Ladd.

Until there is a clearer picture of the identity of the core, it isn't necessary to assume what needs to be added. The core might be comprised of a few different pieces than who is considered now, too.

After watching the Chicago Cubs go from doormat to World Series favorite, the Maple Leafs have the potential to follow a very similar path.

Chicago added the right personnel in the front office and hired an excellent manager. Prospects weren't rushed, assets were collected and the minor league system flourished with benchmarks and expectations created to endorse "The Cubs' Way."

Sound familiar?

What happened this offseason in Chicago was free agents took discounts to join the young core of star players, and play for a respected manager and budding franchise.

When Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly are entering their primes, players will want to join the party. Playing for Mike Babcock helps the allure, and the forward-thinking front office is another plus.

There is a lot of promise, but trying to speed up the process is worrisome, especially since there is no way of knowing exactly what the salary cap will be going forward. That wasn't an issue for the Cubs, but right now, the Maple Leafs are in a ripe position in terms of the cap.

It should also be viewed as a piece of the core and not a luxury to address fleetingly.

***

I've coordinated with Paul Zwambag of DobberProspects fame to provide some quick-hit analysis on the recent entry-level signings of Denis Guryanov and Pavel Buchnevich.

Buchnevich is going to cross the pond next year with his new three-year contract. He was rumoured to potentially join the Rangers at the end of his KHL season for the playoffs, but the Rangers didn’t make a deep enough run. Buchnevich could be put in a great spot playing alongside Derick Brassard or Derek Stepan, and the rookie could be a 40-45 point scorer as soon as next season.

Denis Guryanov had a rough year in the KHL with just five points in 47 games. The Stars signed him to a three-year contract and will likely bring him over to become accustomed to the style of play in North America. His first full year could resemble Valeri Nichushkin’s first year (79GP, 34pts) or Vladimir Tarasenko’s second season (64GP, 43pts), but lean closer to the former, especially since Guryanov isn't a lock to crack the roster.

Thanks, Paul!

***

Be well this weekend while trying to survive a hockey starved Saturday, cheers.