Tampa Lightning shuts out Rangers in Game 7 to punch ticket to Stanley Cup Final
New York foiled on home ice as Tampa advances to Stanley Cup Final
On the morning of the most important game of their season, the Tampa Bay Lightning tried to turn a narrative into a rallying cry.
Yes, the New York Rangers were a perfect 7-0 at Madison Square Garden in Game 7 situations. And yes, Henrik Lundqvist was also 6-0 with a 0.97 goalsagainst average in his last six Game 7 showdowns. But as Steven Stamkos scoffed, “He’s never played the Tampa Bay Lightning in a Game 7 before.”
It was a way of tackling what was a mountain of statistics that said the Lightning would not — and could not — win this do-or-die game. And in the end, the numbers only told part of the story.
The Lightning, who had to win a Game 7 in the first round, defeated the Rangers 2-0 in Game 7 on Friday to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2004.
It was a deserving fate for a young team that has refused to be intimidated by big-game moments in these playoffs. It does not matter the opponent or the stakes. The Lightning are creating a reputation based on self-belief.
And whether they face the Chicago Blackhawks or the Anaheim Ducks in the final, you’d be a fool to count them out.
“I know a lot of it has been centered on the Rangers, but go through a few of our players and add up their Game 7 numbers,” said Lightning head coach Jon Cooper. “You might be fairly impressed.”
Certainly, their record looks more impressive after Friday night’s win.
The Rangers were treating this game like it was just another on the schedule — “This is just one of many games,” said head coach Alain Vigneault — not a chance to return to the championship final. And why wouldn’t they? After all, these situations were becoming almost the norm for a team that had played in 19 elimination games since 2012.
For the Lightning, it was a much different approach. Stamkos and several others had been on the 2011 team that lost 1-0 to the Bruins in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final. And after watching Boston go on to win the Cup that year, the feeling was that they could not waste this opportunity again.
“We realize the magnitude of the game, obviously,” said Stamkos. “I don’t think there’s anyone that’s saying this is just another game … eventually, that’s going to help you win games.” Eventually, it did. After two scoreless periods, Alex Killorn sifted a backhand through a couple of screens and through the pads of Lundqvist 1:54 into the third period. For a goaltender who had spent the night making highlight-reel saves, it was a tough goal to allow, even if he did not see the puck.
About 10 minutes later, Ondrej Palat added another when he took a pass from Tyler Johnson and immediately fired a quick shot that beat Lundqvist high on the glove hand.
From there, the Lightning, who had been 7-0 when scoring first in these playoffs, went into lockdown mode.
This series had featured scores of 6-2, 6-5, 5-1 and 7-3. But when the teams wanted to, they could play tight, defensive hockey. And Friday night’s game resembled the 2-0 Tampa Bay win in Game 5 more than the run-and-gun that has defined the series.
With every shot on net, it became apparent that goals were going to come at a premium.
The Lightning outshot the Rangers 9-5 in the first period and had a 19-11 shot advantage after two periods.
They tipped pucks, they made backdoor passes and they fired one-timers. But when Lundqvist is dialed in, he is almost impossible to beat.
At the other end, Ben Bishop did not have to be spectacular. He just had to be good. The Lightning not only made sure that their goaltender faced mostly perimeter shots, but that he saw them as well.
It was the kind of structured, safe hockey that you would expect from a team that held advantage in the experience department. And yet, maybe it is time we expect it from the Lightning as well.