TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning scored twice in the third period to secure the win against the Florida Panthers, 2-0.
The Bolts swept the Panthers in four straight games of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Lightning now advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the third year in a row.
During the first period, the Florida Panthers started the game off on fire, attempting 17 goals all saved by Bolts goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. While the Lightning only had a total of three shots on the Panthers.
Two goals scored by Alex Killorn and then Nikita Kucherov were called back during the second period. It set the Bolts up to come back swinging during the third period to secure the win and advance to the next round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Bolts are another step closer to a hopeful three-peat in the NHL Playoffs, and doing so would make them only the fourth team to reach that accomplishment, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs (1947-49), the Montreal Canadiens (1956-60, 1976-79) and the New York Islands (1982-1982).
Tampa Bay will now play the winner of the New York Rangers-Carolina Hurricane matchup. The Hurricane currently leads the series two to one.
The confirmed time and date will be announced soon for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
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Original: The Tampa Bay Lightning are set to play Game 4 against the Florida Panthers on Monday at Amalie Arena.
After winning three straight games in a champions-esque display, the Bolts are now one win away from a clean sweep. Doing so would make it the only third time in franchise history Tampa has won four straight games against a playoff opponent.
Fans will keep their eyes on Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, who have scored a combined total of four goals and seven assists so far in the series against Florida, but it's important to remember that defense wins championships — and in that Lightning defense is goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.
The Russian native has limited the Panthers to one goal in the three games played so far in the series and has not given up more than one goal in the last four games for the Bolts.
"We have broken down at times and Vasy has been there to bail us out," Lightning Head Coach Jon Cooper said.
Another reason why the Bolts and fans can continue to rely on Vasillevskiy is that he has only given up a total of one goal in his last six series-clinching wins.
The Bolts goaltender may have to give credit to his defensive unit on the low amount of goals he's conceded as the Lightning have the most blocked shots this postseason.
The style of play and consistent dominance from Tampa Bay to earn them a three to zero lead in the series is not ignored by the Florida camp.
“They're [The Tampa Bay Lightning] Stanley Cup champions and the best team in hockey probably over the last 5 years, so they know what they're doing and they're willing themselves," said Andrew Brunette, Florida Panthers head coach. "They have more will and more desire than we do, and it shows probably if you watch the game shift after shift right now.”
Being three to zero down in the series is a problem the Panthers did not want to run into, and NHL history shows the odds are not in their favor.
Only four NHL teams have ever come back to win a series in the postseason when trailing three to zero.
For Tampa Bay, they are in a strong position to win Game 4, and although most Bolts fans do not want to see their hockey team have an off-game and lose against Florida on Monday, the Lightning can afford to lose a game and remain in a great position to move onto the Eastern Conference Finals.
A win for the Lightning will see them earn a third-consecutive trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, which will be the sixth time in the last nine seasons.
The winner between the two in-state rivals will play the winner of the New York Rangers and the Carolina Hurricane.
Puck drop is scheduled at 7 p.m. Monday at Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa.
10 Tampa Bay will provide a live blog of Game 4. Check here for score updates.
Game blog
3rd period
FINAL: Panthers 0 | Lightning 2
0:22 Ondrej Palat scores, assisted by Anthony Cirelli.
13:44 Pat Maroon scores, assisted by Zach Bogosian.
2nd period
The Bolts and Panthers head to the third period, scoreless.
9:28: Nikita Kucherov scores for the Bolts, but the goal is taken away. Still scoreless.
11:16 Alex Killorn scores, unassisted. But after further review, the goal was taken back. The game remains 0-0.
1st period
Neither the Panthers nor the Lightning was able to get the puck in the net during the first period. Vasilevskiy had a total of 17 saves, however, the Lightning only got three shots on goal.