Flash Points: Stout defense puts Lightning on cusp of advancing
Believe it. The Tampa Bay Lightning are one victory from the Stanley Cup Final.
The Lightning will come home with a chance to close out the Eastern Conference Finals. Behind second-period goals from centers Valtteri Filppula and Steven Stamkos, the Lightning notched a crucial 2-0 victory over the New York Rangers in Game 5 on Sunday at Madison Square Garden. Tampa Bay will carry a 3-2 lead into Game 6 of the best-of-seven series Tuesday at Amalie Arena.
Throughout the first two periods, the Lightning benefitted from a strong penalty kill in denying the Rangers on four power-play attempts. Momentum shifted to Tampa Bay with those stops, and the Lightning received the necessary offense to claim the victory.
"Our penalty kill was the key to the game," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said on the Sun Sports postgame show. "We kept taking penalties, and it was outstanding, because we had given up two power-play goals a game for the last three games. You're not going to win that way, and we challenged our team, and they've always found a way to respond."
Most of the conversation from the series' first four games centered on offense, but Game 5 featured stronger defense from both sides. There were just 10 shots total in the first period, with six coming from New York.
Tampa Bay goaltender Ben Bishop, meanwhile, redeemed himself with 26 saves after allowing five goals in both Games 3 and 4. The Lightning earned their first shutout of the postseason since blanking the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. New York goaltender Henrik Lundqvist had a decent night in closing with 20 stops. But he failed to recapture his form from Game 4, when he had 38 stops in a 5-1 victory.
"Giving up 10 goals in two games, you feel bad for Bish a little bit," Stamkos said on the Sun Sports postgame show. "But the response from him, we got it tonight, and he was unbelievable. And we needed to be better in front of him, and we were. When they came hard, Bish was there."
The result means the Lightning will have a golden opportunity in Game 6 to clinch their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2004. Tampa Bay has already won consecutive games on one occasion in the series by claiming Games 2 and 3. With one more victory, the Lightning will earn the chance to advance.
"It's nice," Bishop told reporters in New York. "It's just another win. That's the only way to look at it, and now we just have to get ready for the next game."
THE TURNING POINT
Stamkos' power-play goal 18:22 into the second period gave the Lightning breathing room with a 2-0 lead.
THE DIFFERENCE MAKER
Not who, but what. The Rangers were 0 for 4 on the power play through the first two periods. The Lightning's penalty kill deserves credit for building momentum.
STAT OF THE GAME
When the Lightning grab a 1-0 lead, they're in good shape. They improved to 8-0 in the playoffs when scoring first.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Lightning face the Rangers in Game 6 at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Amalie Arena.
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
