Lightning advance to Stanley Cup Final with Game 7 shutout victory over Rangers
The Tampa Bay Lightning booked a berth in the Stanley Cup Final with a 2-0 victory over the New York Rangers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final on Friday night.
Alex Killorn opened the scoring early in the third period and Ondrej Palat added an insurance marker as the Lightning advanced to the championship round for the first time since 2004.
The Rangers suffered their first Game 7 loss at Madison Square Garden in franchise history.
Tampa Bay awaits the winner of Saturday's Game 7 in the Western Conference Final between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Anaheim Ducks.
Star Performer: Tampa Bay goaltender Ben Bishop stopped all 22 shots he faced, continuing his unlikely run of stellar road performances in the 2015 playoffs.
It was Bishop's second Game 7 shutout of these playoffs. He led the Lightning to a 2-0 win in Game 7 against the Detroit Red Wings in the first round, stopping a combined 53 shots in both Game 7 victories.
Turning Point: Killorn broke a scoreless tie less than two minutes into the final frame with a seemingly harmless backhand shot that eluded Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist.
Top Highlight: Palat gave the Lightning a two-goal cushion midway through the third with a terrific wrist shot.
(Courtesy: NHL.com)
Goalie Comparison:
| Goalie | Shots | GA | Saves | SV % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop | 22 | 0 | 22 | 100 |
| Lundqvist | 25 | 2 | 23 | .920 |
Lundqvist made several show-stopping saves, robbing Tyler Johnson in the second period and displaying sharp reflexes with an impressive glove save in the first.
The loss ended his NHL-record streak of six consecutive Game 7 wins. Lundqvist remains tied with Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy for the most Game 7 victories all-time with six.
Bishop wasn't tested with as many quality chances, but his clean sheet was the difference.
Stat of the Night: Bishop became the first goaltender in NHL history to record shutouts in each of his first two career Game 7s, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Series at a Glance:
Game 1: Rangers 2, Lightning 1
Game 2: Lightning 6, Rangers 2
Game 3: Lightning 6, Rangers 5 (OT)
Game 4: Rangers 5, Lightning 1
Game 5: Lightning 2, Rangers 0
Game 6: Rangers 7, Lightning 3
Game 7: Lightning 2, Rangers 0