Tampa Bay Lightning lose 4-0, on brink of elimination.

Apr 25, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Darren Helm (43) shoots as Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Ben Bishop (30) makes a save during the third period in game five of the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Detroit Red Wings defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

72. Final. 0. 23. 4

The Tampa Bay Lightning lost the critical game five today against the Detroit Red Wings by a score of 4 to 0. Hate to say this, but it wasn’t even that close. Based on how the bulk of this game went, you would have thought that the Red Wings were the team that stole game four and with it, the momentum in this series. The Tampa Bay Lightning looked flat and disinterested most of the game. It was only when the third period started, that they appeared to realize they dug a 2 goal hole for themselves in the first two periods.

But it is the NHL playoffs. Every play, every moment, every pass, every hit, everything is so incredibly important. Everything is magnified and you need to play your game, send your message and get it done. No team is so talented that they can turn it on when they choose to and that is what it looked like Saturday evening at Amalie.

It wasn’t like that as the puck dropped. Coming off that incredible game four victory, the Lightning were skating with a purpose during the first five minutes. Then the mojo changed. Detroit began to beat Tampa to the loose pucks. They began to clamp down on defense, making it virtually impossible for the home team to bring in the puck to their zone unimpeded. Detroit began to take this game away.

As the first period was winding down, Ondrej Palat was called for a holding penalty at the 18:13 mark. On the ensuing power play, Riley Sheahan scored on a one timer from the right dot and the visitors opened the scoring with 23 seconds left in the period. Bad penalty, worse penalty kill and any shred of momentum that the Lightning may have had was just a memory.

Heading into the second period, a one goal deficit isn’t the end of the world. But the effort put forth by the Tampa Bay Lightning in this period was. They were thoroughly out played during the middle frame. In the 15 minute mark of the period, a prototypical Detroit rush saw Jonathan Ericsson from just to the left of goalie Petr Mrazek, make a tape to tape pass to a streaking Luke Glendening in the neutral zone. Luke took that pass in stride and entered the Lighting zone on a 3 on 2. As Victor Hedman continued to back off Glendening, the Detroit forward shot an excuse me shot off the right pad of Ben Bishop which landed on the stick of an unchecked, left alone Drew Miller who put the puck pass Bishop for a 2 to 0 lead for the Wings.

The third period is when we saw some life from the Lightning. I don’t know, maybe their game plan was a carbon copy of Thursday. Fall behind by two, wait until the third period, score two to tie and win it in overtime. I would have called Coach Jon Cooper a genius if they pulled that off again. It was not to be. Tampa definitely played better in the third, beating the Wings to the loose pucks and controlling play. But it was too little, way too late.

That is until about 5 minutes left. As the Bolts were making their push, Steven Stamkos and Jason Garrison were heading into the corner with Justin Abdelkader of Detroit. Right before Garrison leveled a hit on Abdelkader that shook everyone in the first two rows behind the glass, Stamkos had hooked Abdelkaser and was called for a penalty.

On the power play, Pavel Datsyuk scored on a screened shot to give Detroit the 3 to 0 lead and any hope of a miracle comeback was foiled. An empty netter provided the final 4 to 0 score.

So, it is on to Monday for game six. I realize the Lightning is on the brink of elimination. It does not matter one single whit. Not to me. I know the power play has been horrendous. I do not care at all. Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, just to name a couple have been non-existent in this series. I tell you none of this means anything. I have witnessed every single game the Lightning has played this year. I have seen all 6 pre-season games, all 82 regular season game and the 5 playoff games against Detroit. This team has given me and all of its fans so many wonderful moments.

Moments where we believed that this team was something special. That this team could make some noise this year in the playoffs, erasing last year’s bitter sweep at the hands of the hated Montreal Canadiens. I simply am not ready to stop believing. I trust that if you are reading this, you are with me on this. We need to win two games. Just two lousy games, I know our boys have it in them. BELIEVE.

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