Tampa Bay Lightning Playoff Thread (Malone, Mayo: credit, home, layoffs)

[TB Fla]

The Lightning are currently playing amazing hockey. Its about time we had a thread to show our support for them in these playoffs.

[Kevin from Tampa]

This playoff run is getting exciting. Bolts are peaking at the right time, that's for sure. Putting it all together...defense, aggressiveness, goaltending...and they've already survived a serious series deficit, so they're battle-tested.

My wife's company used to have a box...wish they still did...would be nice to get that for a game in these playoffs.

[TB Fla]

BOLTS GET THE SWEEP!!! And over the number 1 seeded Capitals at that. I don't think any team can beat them the way they are playing right now.

[The716]

I hate Boston with a passion but I think they're too physical for the Bolts...

TAMPA, Fla. -- After four years of missing the playoffs, the Tampa Bay Lightning are on their way to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Sean Bergenheim scored twice and Steve Downie had two assists as the Lightning completed a remarkable four-game sweep of the Washington Capitals with a 5-3 victory in Game 4 before 20,835 rabid fans at the St. Pete Times Forum on Wednesday night.

The Lightning, who have won seven games in a row, must await the winner of the Boston-Philadelphia series. The Bruins are also on the verge of a sweep after beating the Flyers on Wednesday night.

It’s the first time the Bolts have reached the conference finals since 2004, when they won the only Stanley Cup in franchise history.

For Washington, it's another successful regular season followed by an early playoff exit. While the Caps, the top team in the East during the season, weren't blown out in any of these games, their inability to outplay the Lightning in the third periods of these contests resulted in more disappointment – and the first four-game sweep since they were beaten 4-0 by Detroit in the 1998 Stanley Cup Final.

Tampa Bay got on the board first when Ryan Malone scored for the second straight night at 12:37 of the opening period. With Alex Ovechkin off for charging, Vincent Lecavalier sent a nice pass to Malone in front of the net, where it hit Michal Neuvirth and then off Malone's left leg before trickling past the goal line. Malone was credited with his third goal of the playoffs.

But the Caps tied the game before the conclusion of the opening period with a power-play goal of their own. With Nate Thompson serving a goalie interference penalty, Jason Arnott fired a wrist shot from the point that Dwayne Roloson was unable to handle cleanly. That allowed Marco Sturm to collect it in the crease, where he poked it home to make it 1-1.

The Lightning regained the lead 4:41 into the second period on Bergenheim's team-leading sixth goal of the playoffs. With the teams at even strength, Bergenheim -- an unrestricted free agent this summer -- seized control of a loose puck in front of the net from Caps defenseman Sean Collins and roofed a backhander over Neuvirth for a 2-1 lead.

Bergenheim then put the Bolts up by a pair with his second goal of the night at 12:34 of the second. The speedy Finn, who has been winning battles all over the ice all series long, drove to the net and one-timed Dominic Moore's rebound past Neuvirth to make it 3-1.

John Erskine cut the deficit in half at 13:40. With the crowd still buzzing from Bergenheim's second tally, Erskine let a shot go from along the left-wing boards that managed to squeak past Roloson to make it 3-2. It was Erskine's first goal of the playoffs.

Marc-Andre Bergeron restored Tampa Bay's two-goal lead with a power-play goal 5:07 into the third period. After Sturm was whistled for goalie interference, Bergeron took a pass from Steve Downie and fired a rocket from the point that blazed past Neuvirth as Tampa Bay grabbed a 4-2 lead.

Martin St. Louis hammered the final nail in the Caps' coffin with 3:08 remaining. St. Louis, a Hart Trophy finalist, ripped a wrister from the left circle past Neuvirth for his sixth goal of the postseason.

John Carlson made it a two-goal game when he beat a screened Roloson at 17:54, but it was too little, too late for the Caps, who are bound to have a very interesting offseason

[TB Fla]

Originally Posted by Town&Country

I hate Boston with a passion but I think they're too physical for the Bolts...

I must admit, I know nothing about the Bruins. I guess I'll figure out soon enough.

[The716]

Originally Posted by TB Fla

I must admit, I know nothing about the Bruins. I guess I'll figure out soon enough.

Either way, I'd love it if you guys knocked the Bruins out! (Sabres fan here)

[tewas]

Originally Posted by Town&Country

I hate Boston with a passion but I think they're too physical for the Bolts...

Well looking back, how many of you saw Bolts getting out of the first round or winning against capitals? According to majority of the people, Bolts where supposed to loose after getting themselves in 3-1 hole at Pitt, and then when they came back, Caps should have run them over in 4-1 fashion.
I admit i hoped that we can split the game at Washington and come home to see if we can take another one, but a sweep? That surprised me.
To my point, everyone was counting Bolts out and they will be underdog again against Bruins. It should be a good series but i think we can beat Boston. Our defense is awesome, don't crack under pressure and we can score too. Remember that 2 minute interval when Bolts 5 on 6 and Caps still couldn't score? Yea that was some fine game play.

Lets hope it will be a great series and maybe we can win that one too, it's not like we swept #1 seed or anything

[BradS1]

The bolts are troopers. It looked to me that they gave it their all out there. Defense is top notch, which it had to be since they are playing in their zone for the majority of the games. The defensemen are crazy good and Roloson is a beast.

I do not love their puck handling/passing game though. They don't seem to have the ability to mount extended assaults in the attacking zone. One and out for the most part. I think we can win, but it will require everything the guys have.

[TB Fla]

The finals are set. Sharks vs Canucks & Lightning vs Bruins. The Bolts play Saturday in Boston. I'm thinking of attending some watch parties this week around town.

[TB Fla]

Downtown will be buzzing with activity as team officials and the city come together to celebrate the Lightning making the Eastern Conference finals.

First, at Curtis Hixon Park on Friday, May 13th, starting at 7:30 AM, renowned sand sculpture artists Team Sandtastic will begin constructing a "Lightning-themed" sand sculpture that will be on display throughout the rest of the playoffs.

Then at 11:00 AM, Lightning CEO Tod Leiweket and former team captain Dave Andreychuk will join Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn for the hoisting of a commemorative banner on the side of the Tampa Municipal Office Building.

This will be followed by a free lunch for fans, provided by the Lightning, across the street in Lykes Gaslight Square with Thunderbug and the Lightning Girls.

And don't forget, for those of us who can't get to Boston for Games 1 and 2, there will be free watch parties at Shots restaurant and on the west plaza at the St. Pete Times Forum.