TAMPA, Fla. — Those Panthers were definitely pesky. They pushed the Lightning, frustrating them with their physicality and head games. And they certainly have closed the gap in the battle for Sunshine State bragging rights.
But the Lightning finally showed the determination of a battle-tested defending Stanley Cup champion in Wednesday night’s Game 6.
They knew they couldn’t give the Panthers any more life. They couldn’t allow this first-round series to get back to Sunrise for a decisive Game 7.
So the Lightning played one of their most disciplined and determined games in weeks — definitely of these playoffs — and maintained their composure in a 4-0 victory.
The Lightning await the winner of the other Central Division playoff series between the Hurricanes and Predators. Carolina leads that series 3-2 going into Thursday’s Game 6 in Nashville.
Tampa Bay was searching for a full 60-minute effort in these playoffs, and they had their closest effort so far Wednesday night. The Panthers sensed Tampa Bay was on its game, but could do little to disrupt it.
With the Lightning holding a 1-0 lead 7:07 into the second period, Panthers forward Sam Bennett tried to put Lightning defenseman David Savard into a headlock, knocking his helmet off in the process.
With Bennett in the box for a roughing call, the Lightning power play got the biggest goal of the series from a familiar place.
Lightning captain Steven Stamkos took a pass from Victor Hedman at the left circle and launched the type of one-timer that Panthers rookie goaltender Spencer Knight definitely hadn’t seen.
Almost in relief, Stamkos pumped his first from one knee, putting the Lightning up 2-0, and sending the Amalie Arena crowd into an uproar. The Lightning power play was 8 for 22 in the series.
Brayden Point, who didn’t have a shot on goal in the Game 5 loss, scored on a remarkable move with 5:24 remaining in the third. Point sped down the ice, took a feed from Nikita Kucherov and juked Florida defenseman MacKenzie Weegar and skated across the crease. He waited out Knight until he was spread on the ground before tucking it inside the near post.
Alex Killorn provided the final goal late in the third.
The return of third-line forward Barclay Goodrow, out since the second-to-last game of the regular season, added the right amount of physicality to the Lightning lineup. Ask Owen Tippett, who was sent skates up into the Florida bench by Goodrow in the first period.
Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has had his ups and downs this series, stopped 29 shots and recorded his second career postseason shutout. His first came in the Lightning’s Stanley Cup-sealing Game 6 last season.
The Lightning’s fourth line provided a boost early, scoring on Pat Maroon’s backhanded tip in front of the net with 6:16 into the first period.
That goal was a result of center Tyler Johnson’s hustle. Johnson beat Florida defenseman Anton Stralman to the puck behind the Panthers net, then sent a centering pass in front of the net for Maroon, who scored his first goal in two months
Savard broke up a 2-on-1 breakaway, making a diving stop on Tippett’s cross-ice pass attempt with 8:03 remaining in the first.
Tampa Bay entered the night as the leader in minor penalties this postseason, and it’s fair to say the Panthers baited the Lightning into some costly penalties over the course of the series.
But in Game 6, the Lightning kept their cool — and stayed out of the penalty box — their first penalty not coming until 1:53 into the second period.
And Vasilevskiy held his own on that man advantage, withstanding four shot attempts over a 24-second span on the Panthers power play to keep the lead intact.
As he usually does, Vasilevskiy built a more formidable wall in front of the net as the game went on, fueling the Lightning with every stop while sending the crowd into a “Va-sy, Va-sy” chant.
