How the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New York Rangers to advance to the Stanley Cup Final

Publish date: 2024-05-05

The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 6 to advance to their third straight Stanley Cup Final. Series schedule All times ET Game 1: Rangers 6, Lightning 2 Game 2: Rangers 3, Lightning 2 Game 3: Lightning 3, Rangers 2 Game 4: Lightning 4, Rangers 1 Game 5: Lightning 3, Rangers 1 Game 6: Lightning 2, Rangers 1 The Athletic may receive an affiliate commission if you open an account with Fubo TV or Hulu through links contained in this content.

The Athletic NHL Staff

June 12, 2022 at 2:08 PM EDTHow the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New York Rangers to advance to the Stanley Cup Final

Steven Stamkos gets his moment and lifts the Lightning back to Stanley Cup Final

Steven Stamkos gets his moment and lifts the Lightning back to Stanley Cup Final

On a team for the ages, he is the face.

Steven Stamkos is not only the Lightning’s captain, he’s their conscience. The entire group has been hardened by their scars over the years, and Stamkos has led in that category, too — both physical and mental. The injuries. The doubts. The pain.

The days he didn’t want to get out of bed.

All of those things make nights like these sweeter. The joy unbridled. The pride unparalleled. The Lightning are the Eastern Conference champions for the third straight year, an unprecedented, unthinkable feat during the salary-cap era. The back-to-back Stanley Cup champions are four wins away from immortality, from dynasty status, because of their collective determination, their sacrifice and their trust in one another.

And the fact they embody the character of their captain.

(Photo: Kim Klement / USA Today)

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Steven Stamkos gets his moment and lifts the Lightning back to Stanley Cup Final

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Andrei Vasilevskiy could be the equalizer vs. Avs

Andrei Vasilevskiy could be the equalizer vs. Avs

TAMPA, Fla. – Maybe the most shocking part of the Tampa Bay Lightning finishing off the New York Rangers on Saturday and becoming the first team in nearly 40 years to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for a third straight season is that Andrei Vasilevskiy gave up a goal.

That’s how perfect this superstar goalie has been in series-clinching victories during the Lightning’s incredible run the past three years.

But despite that one power-play goal that turned a one-goal Lightning lead into an extremely short-lived tie thanks to Steven Stamkos’ response 21 seconds later, Vasilevskiy kneeled on one knee and had his left hand on the Prince of Wales Trophy as he posed for what’s become the common team picture after a Lightning Eastern Conference crown.

(Photo: Kim Klement / USA Today)

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Andrei Vasilevskiy could be Lightning’s equalizer vs. Avalanche: ‘We’re gonna need him’

Rangers’ impressive run comes to an end vs. Lightning

Rangers’ impressive run comes to an end vs. Lightning

TAMPA, Fla. — The numbers will be picked over. One even-strength goal in four games. The first four-game losing streak of the entire season. Just 2-8 on the road in the playoffs. Zero points from Mika Zibanejad in the final three games. Ditto, Adam Fox.

The decisions will be picked over too. Kaapo Kakko, having at the very least a solid-to-good playoff, sitting in the press box with a bunch of hockey writers while the Rangers played the final period with 11 forwards — and really only played the entirety of Game 6 with 11 1/2 forwards, given how compromised Ryan Strome was all night.

But ultimately, this impressive Rangers run came down to three different goals in three different games. All in the final 6:32 of the third period, all to give the Lightning the lead, all adding up to a three-peat drive that continues on for the Lightning, while the Rangers, with all their flaws and the numbers and the decisions, are left to wonder what might have been.

(Photo: Kim Klement / USA Today)

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Rangers’ impressive run comes to an end vs. Lightning

Who was the guy in Game 6?

Who was the guy in Game 6?

Lightning captain Steven Stamkos had a career year this season at age 32, and with that performance keeping up so far in these playoffs, it was only fitting Stamkos would be the one to propel his team to its third straight Stanley Cup Final. Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin was stellar all night, but Stamkos found a way to beat him twice — including, crucially, the third-period game winner just 21 seconds after the Rangers had tied the score. You could make a case for Lightning coach Jon Cooper here, too, since Tampa Bay’s commitment to grinding out this win was evident from start to finish. But Stamkos, as the captain, is also a tone-setter there — and the fact that he scored both goals gives him the edge.

(Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck / USA Today)

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NHL playoffs results daily: Steven Stamkos sends Lightning to Stanley Cup Final

Lightning advance to Stanley Cup Final for third straight year, beat Rangers in Game 6

The defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning are returning to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year.

Tampa Bay beat the New York Rangers, 2-1, in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final Saturday night to advance. The Lightning will face the Colorado Avalanche, winners of the Western Conference, for the Stanley Cup.

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The Lightning respond QUICK

Tampa Bay leads 2-1

Rangers tie the game at 1-1

Lightning controlled over 85 percent of expected goal share

Tampa Bay is only one goal ahead, but through two periods they've clearly been the better team.

Tampa Bay leads at heading into the third

Lightning up 1-0 after two periods.

But didn't see Victor Hedman come back after leaving midway through period.

Steven Stamkos gives Lightning 1-0 lead

Steven Stamkos, 1-0. One hell of a shot.

40th career playoff goal.

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Lightning-Rangers starters

Check out the starters for Tampa Bay and New York below.

The calm before the storm

Both teams are on the ice and ready for puck drop.

Rangers Game 6 lines

Ryan Strome is back for the tail end of warmups.

If he can go, appears Kaapo Kakko will be the scratch.

Lightning Game 6 lines

Lightning president Steve Griggs reaches out to fan who was assaulted

A Rangers fan assaulted a Lightning fan following Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final and was later arrested and banned from all Madison Square Garden venues for life.

Tampa Bay president Steve Griggs has since reached out to check on the fan and send him some playoff swag.

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Brayden Point not expected to play tonight: Sources

Expert predictions for Game 6 of NHL Eastern Conference final

Expert predictions for Game 6 of NHL Eastern Conference final

The New York Rangers had the Tampa Bay Lightning on the brink less than a week ago holding a 2-0 lead midway through Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final. Since then, the Bolts have outscored the Rangers 10-2 including Thursday’s 3-1 win in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden. That loss snapped the Rangers’ eight-game winning streak in New York and now has them one game from elimination after dominating the first two games against Tampa Bay.

At times, the Rangers have looked like the better team in the series, but now the Lightning have found their groove.

The Lightning are big favorites (-185) in Game 6 at home and now -500 to advance to the Stanley Cup Final vs. the Colorado Avalanche. All of The Athletic’s experts expect the Lightning to close out the series on Saturday night at Amalie Arena.

(Photo: Brad Penner / USA Today)

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Lightning vs. Rangers picks, odds: Expert predictions for Game 6 of NHL Eastern Conference final

Chris Drury vs. Jeff Gorton: Who deserves recognition for the Rangers’ run?

Chris Drury vs. Jeff Gorton: Who deserves recognition for the Rangers’ run?

Who deserves credit for the New York Rangers’ playoff run?

It’s always tricky when management changes hands. Think to the New York Islanders when Lou Lamoriello took the reigns in May 2018 from Garth Snow, who was general manager since 2006. The Islanders made it to Round 2 in the first year of Lamoriello’s tenure, then to the Eastern Conference finals where they fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in both 2020 and 2021. Much of that core was built by Snow over the years, while Lamoriello made some tweaks and most importantly, brought in as head coach Barry Trotz. So, who gets the credit in that situation?

For the Rangers, Chris Drury has been with the organization since 2015, first as director of player development then as assistant general manager a year later (before a promotion to associate in 2021). But Jeff Gorton ran the ship from July 2015 until his dismissal in May 2021, when Gorton and then-president John Davidson were fired.

(Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck / USA Today)

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Chris Drury vs. Jeff Gorton: Who deserves recognition for the Rangers’ run?

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