Lightning’s Top 5 Performers in Round 3 vs the Rangers

The Tampa Bay Lightning have made it to their third straight Stanley Cup Finals after defeating the New York Rangers 4-2. The Lightning will now face-off against the Colorado Avalanche getting underway Wednesday, June 15 to begin the final series of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

During this run, the Lightning have made history by winning the third most series in a row in playoff history, as well as winning the most series in a row since the salary cap era began in 2005 with eleven straight series wins. The Pittsburgh Penguins held the previous record with nine series wins.

The Lightning started off the Eastern Conference Finals poorly, going down 2-0 in the series as Andrei Vasilevskiy and the Lightning couldn’t contain the Rangers. The Lightning went on to win four straight games and in turn the series 4-2 with multiple players making a big difference as the series went along.

With the finals right about to get underway, we have compiled a list of five players, in no particular order, who performed the best during round three of the playoffs.

1. Andrei Vasilevskiy

Andrei Vasilevskiy had a bad start to the series but made up for it by playing out of his mind after the second game. The lowest save percentage Vasilevskiy had in the Lightning’s four wins was a .933sv %, and only allowed two goals at most a game. Without his stellar performance, this series would surely have gone to seven games, and the Lightning would have been facing elimination. Vasilevskiy’s performance this postseason has been nothing but remarkable.

2. Nikita Kucherov

There can’t be a top-five list that doesn’t include both Vasilevskiy and Nikita Kucherov. Kucherov had an amazing series, setting up the most important goals of the series and cementing the argument for him to win the Conn Smythe this season if the Lightning win the cup. With three goals, five assists, and eight points, as well as setting up the most important goal of the series scored by the next player on this list, Kucherov became one of, if not the most important player of the series.

4. Steven Stamkos

The captain strikes again as he plays not just a stellar game six, but also a great series. With a playoff season-high five goals, as well as two assists and seven points, Steven Stamkos had one of the best playoff series we’ve seen from him and continues one of the best playoff seasons of his career. With two goals in game six, Stamkos helped lead the Lightning to not only a game six win, but also the series win to help advance them to the Stanley Cup Final.

5. Victor Hedman

It was a tough choice between Victor Hedman, Mikhail Sergachev, and Anthony Cirelli, but Hedman seemed like the right choice. With no goals, four assists, and four points, Hedman played well offensively and better defensively. Every game fans were able to see the difference Hedman made on the ice, and how difficult it was when Hedman was out for concussion protocol for that little bit of time in game six. Fans hope to see the same kind of game from Hedman in the finals, where the defense will be more important than ever.