Flash Points: Tyler Johnson helps Lightning force Game 7
Bring on Game 7.
Facing elimination, the Tampa Bay Lightning answered in a big way Monday at Joe Louis Arena, topping the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 in a physical Game 6 during a must-win night. The Eastern Conference quarterfinals series is tied at three games apiece, with the decisive meeting to take place Wednesday at Amalie Arena.
"There was just a quiet calm from the opening puck drop," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said on the FOX Sports Florida postgame show. "We hadn't played like that in the series. … There was a calm about our game, that we'd been here before. And I look back at what happened to us last year, and people for a year have said, ‘Has this team learned anything?' Well, I think they showed it tonight."
Clearly, the Lightning benefitted from grabbing an early lead Monday, with their advantage growing to 3-0 early in the second period after two goals from center Tyler Johnson and another from defenseman Jason Garrison. Center Alex Killorn and center Cedric Paquette also scored.
The Lightning survived despite the Red Wings' seven power-play opportunities and two goals from winger Tomas Tartar. Goaltender Ben Bishop did enough by making 22 stops, and Tampa Bay could have had a larger margin of error if not for some athletic saves by Detroit goaltender Petr Mrazek, who had his weakest game of the series since allowing four goals in the Lightning's Game 2 rout.
"I think it was just we were ready to play from the get-go," Johnson said on the FOX Sports Florida postgame show. "We had two options: Either give up or come out swinging. If our back is against the wall, we're going to come out swinging. So that's huge. That shows a lot of character on our squad."
The result sets up what should be a dramatic, high-intensity Game 7. No team has won more than two consecutive games in this series, and Tampa Bay will try to break the trend to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals. Meanwhile, Detroit will search for its third victory at Amalie Arena in this series, after the Lightning lost just eight times in the building during the entire regular season.
"It's just an opportunity," Lightning center Brian Boyle said on the FOX Sports Florida postgame show. "We have to seize it."
THE TURNING POINT
Johnson's goal 3:47 into the first period set the tone. Before Monday, the Lightning had played from behind so often in this series. It was a different story in Game 6.
THE DIFFERENCE MAKER
Where would the Lightning be without Johnson? Home, that's where. With two goals, he again showed why he has been Tampa Bay's best player in this series.
STAT OF THE GAME
Scoring first often means the difference between victory and defeat in this series. Johnson's opening goal continued a trend: The team that has netted the first goal has won five of the games in this series.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Lightning face the Red Wings in Game 7 on Wednesday at Amalie Arena. Time is 7:30 p.m.
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
