Tampa Bay Lightning Shutout Detroit In Game 7

0. 72. 2. 23. Final

The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Detroit Red Wings by a score of 2 to 0 to win Game 7. This was arguably the best game of the best first round series in the NHL playoffs.

For the first two periods, both teams battled for every loose puck, challenged shots and fought tooth and nail finishing checks and neither team found the back of the net. All the conventional wisdom said that the referees would swallow their whistles yet six penalties were called.

Not sure if the power plays were bad or the penalty killing teams for both the Red Wings and Lightning were that good, but no power play goals were scored. Had to expect an even game, through the first six games of this series, both teams had won three games and both teams had scored 15 goals.

Both goalies, Ben Bishop for Tampa and Petr Mrazek for Detroit were ready for the intensity and pressure of a Game 7. It was the first Game 7 for both and they made it look like they had played in 100 of them. Through two periods the game was scoreless. Bishop ultimately pitched a shutout and had 31 saves. Mrazek was no slouch, saving 16 of 17 shots.

Through the second period, the Red Wings held the lead in shots on goal over the young, playoff inexperienced Lightning, almost doubling them at 23 to 12. The Bolts seemed to be skating on their heels for the first two periods. This game actually seemed to be the reverse of game one in that Detroit was controlling play. They had more shots on net, they were the team that won the faceoffs, especially in the opposing zone. Still, the game was scoreless.

At the start of the third period, it felt that first goal would win the game. It actually felt that the first goal would be the only goal of the game. Less than a minute into the final period, Danny DeKeyser was called for a delay of game penalty. Could this be the break that the Lightning needed to strike first? With their anemic power play, it was not to be.

But one thing this failed power play opportunity did provide for Tampa is that they began to work the puck in Detroit’s zone. At 3:58 of the third period, Braydon Coburn floated a shot past a screened out Mrazek and the first goal of the game was scored. Tampa was up one to nil. Could this lone goal stand up tonight?

As close as this series had been, you knew the Red Wings were not going to go off quietly in the night. Despite the sellout crowd of 19,204 that was prepared to blow the roof off the building, the visitors hung in and put their foot on the gas to attempt to score the tying goal.

Back and forth these two teams went, Detroit working hard to muscle the puck into the Lightning zone as the Bolts defense poked and prodded to get the puck to the neutral zone.

In a rare offensive threat by Tampa, a little over halfway through the period, it appeared that the Lightning had the back breaking goal as Anton Stralman scored an apparent goal. In the roar that was Amalie Arena, a faint, unswallowed referee’s whistle was heard as offsetting penalties on Steven Stamkos and Riley Sheahan were called nullifying Stralman’s goal.

So, with the score still 1 to 0, the minutes slowly coming off the clock, with Detroit jabbing and working hard to get the equalizer, with Bishop doing his best Petr Mrazek imitation, stopping every Wings shot on net. Bishop played strong and hard as it is to believe somehow played bigger than his 6 foot 7 inch frame.

As the clock was winding down under two minutes, Mike Bacbcock predictably pulled Mrazek to get an extra skater in the last 90 seconds and no sooner had that happened that Anton Stralman, who gave Bishop a run for his money as best player on the ice tonight, banked the puck off the sideboard just to get it out of the Lightning zone.

As the puck came off the board, it appeared to be tipped off the stick of Jakub Kindl and slowly, beautifully slid the length of the ice into the empty net of Detroit. Hockey karma at its best, after the disallowed goal about six minutes earlier, Stralman got his goal. The Bolts went up 2 to 0 with a little over a minute to go. Game. Set. Match.

It was truly a shame that one of these teams had to lose. Not sure if it was the playoff experience of this veteran Detroit team or the youth and playoff inexperience of Tampa that made this series as close as it was. No matter, as this series was a real barn burner. It is what the NHL playoffs are all about.

For the Tampa Bay Lightning, it is on to Montreal for Game 1 of the second round of the playoffs. Game 1 is set for Friday night. Congratulations to the entire Tampa Bay Lightning organization. It is far from their collective team goal but it is the first very important step. One series down, three to go.

Next: Tampa Bay Lightning: Fans React to Game 7 Victory

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