The Tampa Bay Lightning have an obligation to hockey fans this evening. Nobody, save for Chicago Blackhawks supporters, wants to see this Stanley Cup Final end tonight. The hockey has been too exciting, too suspenseful, and too unpredictable. People want to see a seventh game. It’s up to the Bolts to make that happen. A loss tonight at the United Center hands the Stanley Cup to the Blackhawks; a win pushes the series back to Amalie Arena for what would be the season’s final game. Everything is on the line tonight.
There’s a certain nervous air surrounding Bolts Nation today, which isn’t really surprising given the circumstances. This Lightning team has taken fans on an absolute ride this season; people just want that ride to last a little bit longer. One of the things that people cite as a reason for optimism today is the fact that Tampa hasn’t lost three games in a row all year long. It’s pretty remarkable when you consider the ups and downs that occur during a rigorous NHL season. Now would be a sad time for that streak to end.
If the Lightning are going to win tonight’s contest and push the series to seven, there’s not a ton that they have to change. Their defensive structure remains sound, as evidenced by the fact that they’ve held the Hawks to an average of fewer than three goals per game. And they’ve been getting offensive opportunities. Their biggest issue, as Raw Charge’s Kyle Alexander points out, hasn’t been Chicago’s experience; rather, it’s been Corey Crawford.
The Blackhawks’ goaltender has been really, really good. Right now, he’s doing what neither Carey Price nor Henrik Lundqvist could. That is, he’s stifling the Lightning’s offense. Can that continue for another game or two? Or will the Lightning finally find a way to break through his wall like they’ve done to better goalies? It’s tough to say. The nature of a seven-or-less game sample size is that simply “getting hot… can often be enough. This run for Crawford doesn’t have to be sustainable. He's been great at the right time for his team, and the wrong time for Tampa Bay.
So, the Lightning’s game plan has to be to continue creating opportunities. That could be a little bit difficult, though, as the team’s injury situation isn’t pretty. Tyler Johnson continues to struggle with an arm/shoulder/something injury that prevents him from taking draws and hard passes. Nikita Kucherov went head/shoulder first into the post in Game Five, but did travel with the team and might be available for tonight. Then there’s Ben Bishop’s leg. On a team struggling to score goals, the last things you want to see are injuries to two top-line wingers and the starting goaltender. But, that’s the nature of a deep playoff run. These things happen. Injuries can’t be looked at as an excuse.
As tpd11 noted in my previous blog’s comments section, there really isn’t a whole lot that needs to be said today. Either this series ends tonight, or the Lightning bring the party back to Amalie for a seventh game. It’s really that simple. The guys don’t need any additional motivation or a speech from their coach. They know what they have to do. They know what’s on the line. Runs like this one don’t come along very often (unless you’re the Blackhawks), so it would be prudent to leave everything out on the ice tonight. Here’s hoping they do.
As always, thanks for reading.
Michael Stuart has been the Tampa Bay Lightning writer for HockeyBuzz since 2012. Visit his archive to read more or follow him on Twitter.