Stamkos’s net worth at low ebb right now

TAMPA, Fla . — One day later, Steven Stamkos still couldn’t believe the puck missed the net.

“I started to celebrate,” the Tampa Bay Lightning captain said. “I think (Victor Hedman) and (Alex Killorn) almost had their hands up. It’s one of those things, it was so close.”

Close, but no goal. It has been that way for most of the playoffs for Stamkos.

On Wednesday, Stamkos had a chance to send Game 4 into overtime when he received a pass alone in the slot with Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford out of position in the final minutes of the third period. Nine times out of 10, you can count on him to bury the one-timer for a goal. But as has often been the case in the post-season, the puck inexplicably went wide — it might have been deflected — and the Blackhawks hung on tow in 2-1 to tie the best-of-seven Stanley Cup final 2-2.

“Itis shocking,” defenceman Matt Carle said. “He’s had some looks. I think everybody on our bench, right when the puck went on his stick, jumped up, started celebrating. You bury your head in your hands in disbelief knowing it didn’t go in. Knowing Stammer, something must have happened where it got tipped. He doesn’t miss those.”

Stamkos might not miss those in the regular season, where he is a two-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner and finished second with 43 goals this year. But it has been a different story in the post-season.

While he has seven goals and 18 points in 24 games, he went the first eight games of the playoffs without a goal. And though he picked up an assist in Game 4, he has gone six games without a goal.

“You know what, I obviously went through it before,” Stamkos said. “For whatever reason, the pucks just weren’t going in the net. As long as you’re getting the chances, you don’t worry. You start worrying when you don’t get the chances, you start waiting for bounces.”

With Stamkos not producing, the Lightning have managed just 2.25 goals per game in the final, after scoring 3.0 goals per game in the Eastern Conference final against the New York Rangers.

“Those two losses, you have to score more than once,” Stamkos said. “Obviously it’s going to fall on the guys that you expect. It should. I expect more from myself.”

It is not just Stamkos who is struggling.

Chicago’s Patrick Kane has gone five games without a goal, while Patrick Sharp last scored in Game 2 of the second round.

“No one said this was going to be easy, ”Stamkos said. “It’s not easy to win the Stanley Cup. You put so much sacrifice, so much time, so much effort. You know, it’s really a mental grind and a test of everyone’s will, what their sacrifice is at this time of the year.

“We just got to stick with it … you’re getting the puck on your stick in the right situations. Eventually it’s going to go in.”