Best Bolts Coverage

Best Bolts Coverage

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4th Line Leads The Way As Bolts Take 3-2 Series Lead

In the playoffs you need your stars to be at their best, but there are always some games that take some unlikely heroes. That was the story of game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Tampa Bay Lightning got off to ridiculously quick starts. That was their biggest weakness in the 2 prior games at Amalie Arena, but this time some energy guys got the crowd going. The 4th line scored in the opening minute of the 2 opening frames. In the 1st it was Cedric Paquette 19 seconds in, followed by Ryan Callahan 33 seconds into the 2nd period. The Lightning carried that boost throughout the entire game. The 3-2 victory now has Tampa Bay a single victory away from the Stanley Cup Finals and the Washington Capitals on the brink of elimination after taking a 2-0 series lead. 

The Lightning needed a better start than what they had in the 1st 2 games of this series and man, did they get one. The Bolts started the game with their 4th line and an unlikely hero came through. Cedric Paquette got it past Holtby for his 1st goal of the playoffs just 19 seconds after puck drop. The hot start continued. Washington was put even further back on their heels when Nikita Kucherov found Ondrej Palat to give the Lightning a 2-goal lead before we crossed the halfway mark of the opening period. 

The heroics of the 4th line were on display in the 1st minute of the 2nd as well. This time it was Ryan Callahan who got it behind Holtby after a scrum in front of the net. That brought the Lightning goal total, 3, within 1, of the Capitals shot total of 4 at that point in the game. Washington turned the momentum shortly after after Evgeny Kuznetsov deflected in a Matt Niskanen shot. Even with the Washington push back, Tampa Bay had an outstanding chance to put the lead back at 3. Kucherov had a wide open shot after a slick pass from Steven Stamkos, but the winger couldn’t get enough on it and it was easily stopped by Holtby. 

Washington obviously came back with more energy to start the final period of regulation. Their 1st great chance went to Nicklas Backstrom, but Andrei Vasilevskiy’s glove was ready to go and kept Washington from really tightening this one up. Both teams did a fantastic job of not making special teams a factor in this one. Halfway through the 3rd, Washington had the lone penalty of the game back in the 1st period. The Bolts had stayed out of the box entirely to keep the potent Capitals power play unit from making an appearance. The Capitals made a game of this in the closing moments. Alex Ovechkin scored with less than 2 minutes to go, but the Caps couldn’t get that elusive tying goal. 

Game 6 heads back up north on Monday. The Bolts will roll into Capital One Arena for the final time this series, regardless of the outcome. The puck is scheduled to drop at 8 pm. Pregame coverage will begin an hour prior up the dial on News Radio 970 WFLA. 

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST PERIOD

1. TBL - Paquette - (Callahan) - 0:19

2. TBL - Palat - (Kucherov) - 9:04

2ND PERIOD

1. TBL - Callahan - (Stralman, Kunitz) - 0:33

2. WSH - Kuznetsov - (Niskanen, Oshie) - 4:21

3RD PERIOD

1. WSH - Ovechkin - (Carlson, Eller) - 18:24

PENALTY SUMMARY

1ST PERIOD

1. WSH - Connolly - (Holding) - 11:49

2ND PERIOD

NONE 

3RD PERIOD

SHOTS ON GOAL

Tampa Bay - 22

Washington- 30


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