Tampa Bay Lightning

TAMPA, Fla. — Much has been made about the Colorado Avalanche's goaltending situation over the last month. The noise quieted down when Darcy Kuemper pitched a shutout in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, but then he was pulled in Game 3.

Pavel Francouz took over after Kuemper allowed five goals in a 6-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and some wondered whether the Avs might be inclined to give a start to Francouz, the goalie who helped Colorado sweep the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final. Kuemper allowed 2.5 goals above expected in Game 3, so one can hardly fault Bednar for making an in-game switch.

But as far as making a change for Game 4, Bednar appears to be sticking with Kuemper, which is the right thing to do. It gives the Avs some stability and it reinforces the confidence the team has in Kuemper. He didn't outright say that he would be starting Kuemper, but he said it without really saying it.

"That’s one possibility," he said after the Avs practiced Tuesday at Amalie Arena.

Bednar has declined to confirm his goalies throughout the series, even though Kuemper has been in the starter's net in all three morning skates. It's a sharp contrast to Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper, who has enthusiastically supported goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and emphatically confirmed his presence in the net each game.

But it's easy to announce your goalie when he's largely considered one of, if not the best, in the world. Vasilevskiy, the 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy winner and the 2020 Vezina Trophy winner, is the backbone of the Lightning.

Kuemper and Francouz have been a tandem all season. While Kuemper is the clear-cut No. 1, Francouz is more of a 1-B than his counterpart in Tampa, 37-year-old Brian Elliott.

When Vasilevskiy gave up seven goals in Game 2, Cooper said he didn't even think about pulling him for Elliott. Meanwhile, Bednar didn't hesitate to go to the bullpen when Kuemper struggled in Game 3.

"I think it was probably more [coach Bednar] wanted to give us a little bit of a jump start by pulling him and putting Frankie in," Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson said. "But regardless of who plays, like you've seen all playoffs both guys have stepped up in the situations that they've been asked to and whoever's in the net, we're confident in. But I expect Darcy to bounce back like he always has for most situations."

The 31-year-old Kuemper was injured midway through the first game of the Western Conference Final and the Avalanche turned to Francouz, also 31, who backstopped Colorado to a sweep of the Edmonton Oilers. Though he had some shaky moments in that series, the Czech netminder had a very good season and performed admirably in seven postseason games.

He posted a .916 save percentage in 21 games (18 starts) in the regular season, and has a .906 save percentage in the postseason.

"Really versatile. All season long once he got healthy, he'd play stretches of games, he'd have big breaks in between games and come in in relief. He's continued that in the playoffs and been really steady, a calming influence on our team," Bednar said. "He's played really well when we put him in the net. Really happy with what he's been able to do, especially through the playoffs with ramped-up intensity. He keeps himself ready."

Nothing against Francouz, but changing goalies now would be a panic move on the part of Bednar. The Avs are up 2-1 in the series, so there is no need to worry right now.

The way Bednar stood by his goalie after the loss in Tampa on Monday night and calmly addressed the media on Tuesday, one wouldn't come away with the impression that he was looking to make a drastic change.

Francouz might have better numbers right now, but it's been in limited appearances. Kuemper is conditioned for this kind of workload.

"I think as a goalie that won't be the last time he gets pulled," Johnson said. "He's been pulled before, goalies get pulled all the time. They respond well, Darcy has been pulled in the regular season before and he responded great. Just like a player you're gonna make a mistake and it won't be the last mistake you ever make. It’s a game of mistakes and I think with Darcy he's responded every time he's been pulled."

We have seen extreme speed and high-level playmaking in this series. Vasilevskiy even allowed seven in Game 2. It's not time to change the goalie. At least, not yet.

Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar has won the 2021-22 Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman, beating out Nashville Predators veteran Roman Josi and Tampa Bay Lightning big man Victor Hedman for the honor.

It's CALE MAKAR.

Well earned, Cale.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/sR96YbHyX8

— x - Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) June 21, 2022

Cale Makar (@Cmakar8) became the fifth defenseman in NHL history to win the Norris Trophy within his first three regular seasons, following Adam Fox, Erik Karlsson, Denis Potvin and Bobby Orr (2x). #NHLStats: https://t.co/TO15cjNV5J pic.twitter.com/L48PPXb7Ri

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) June 21, 2022

Norris Trophy voting and my ballot. pic.twitter.com/zgN9zsOBCR

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) June 21, 2022

Makar, who was also nominated for the award last season, is Colorado's first-ever Norris Trophy winner.

The 23-year-old led all defensemen with 28 goals and ranked second among defensemen with 86 points in 77 regular-season games. He also averaged 25:40 of ice time and a plus-48 plus/minus.

The Avalanche selected Makar fourth overall in the 2017 draft. After playing four seasons of college hockey at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, he made his NHL debut during the 2019-20 season.

The Canadian tallied 12 goals and 38 assists for 50 points in 57 games during his first season and won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's most outstanding rookie. He also finished ninth in Norris Trophy voting that year.

Makar was a finalist for the Norris award during the 2020-21 pandemic-shortened season after recording eight goals and 36 assists for 44 points in 44 games, but he finished second to New York Rangers star Adam Fox.

Considering he had a breakout 2021-22 campaign, it's no surprise he was the winner of this year's Norris Trophy.

DENVER — Jon Cooper talked about how important it is for a team to execute a game plan Saturday afternoon and his role once the game begins.

"The coaches' job is to put the game plan together. It's the players' job to go execute it, and they're the ones that are in the trenches," Cooper said ahead of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. "I always make the joke I just stand there, and I watch these players go perform. But you have to have a group that's going to do it, willing to commit to doing the things that need to be done."

His group didn't do it. But Jared Bednar's did.

"I don't know about the perfect plan, but it certainly was as close to perfect as a game you can get from your players," the Colorado Avalanche coach said.

After Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, some fans were expecting a seven-game series. The Colorado Avalanche blew a lead while the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions reminded everyone of their ability to make a push within the game.

But that ability was suddenly lost in Game 2 on Saturday night at Ball Arena. The Bolts had no answer for the Avs in a 7-0 rout, and they now leave Colorado down 2-0 in the series.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f6FZoJONgo

Tampa Bay was down 2-0 to the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final but went on to win four straight, so this is not unfamiliar territory. Even if the Lightning couldn't push back in one game, this team has consistently shown that it can turn the tide of a series quickly.

But this time it feels a little different. Colorado is a far superior team to the Rangers, and even Cooper himself was surprised at his group's sudden inability to capitalize on one of its longtime strengths.

"The game got away from us early, and we have shown a propensity to push back for years," he said. "Tonight, we didn't. If this becomes a common theme in this series, it will probably be a short one. I never doubt the guys in the room. Does it suck losing a game like that? For sure. We're not used to it. It doesn't really happen to us. But is it going to happen at times? Yeah, it is.

"You're just hoping it doesn't happen in the Stanley Cup Final."

The Avs showcased an overwhelming amount of speed and skill throughout the first two games. Their zone entries are so precise and the rush is so hard and so fast that the Lightning have no choice but to try to match their speed, and so far they haven't been able to.

This isn't how Tampa Bay wants to play. The Lightning wanted to slow the Avs, bottle them up in the neutral zone and push them to the outside. They wanted to force Colorado into playing low-event hockey.

Instead, it was an exceptionally high-event game, but all of the events were taking place in the Tampa Bay zone. The Bolts only managed 16 shots on goal. Darcy Kuemper turned them all aside.

"We're checking," Colorado forward Andrew Cogliano said. "Our back pressure, our reloads—it's usually third- and fourth-line guys that are key to that, they do that really well and it's part of their game, but our top two lines are, at times in the game, the best. [Valeri Nichushkin, Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog]—those guys are playing a 200-foot game right now that is really just tough to play against. It gives a chance for our D to stand up, create good gaps, and we get going the other way with the fast breaks."

The Lightning wanted their checking line of Alex Killorn, Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel to shut down the Colorado top line of Landeskog, MacKinnon and Nichushkin. Throughout the week, Bednar has reiterated that he will not shy away from that matchup.

Instead, it's the Colorado top line shutting everyone down. They did not allow a single shot attempt at five-on-five, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.

Nichushkin scored twice and nearly had a hat trick, but Andrei Vasilevskiy denied him. Cale Makar, a heavy Conn Smythe favorite, scored his first two goals of the Final, Andre Burakovsky had his second goal of the series and an assist before leaving with an injury in the second period, and Darren Helm and Josh Manson each scored as well. Rantanen had three assists, and Cogliano and Alex Newhook each had two.

Cooper decided to keep Vasilevskiy in the game, saying he gave the Bolts a better chance than 37-year-old backup Brian Elliott.

"Listen, this is the playoffs, and we're here to win hockey games. Vasy gives us the best chance to win a hockey game, and he's our guy," Cooper said. "He's going to be there in a couple nights. ... He's the best goalie in the world, and we win together, and we lose together. ... I don't think he would've come out. That's what a competitor he is, and that's why he's the best."

Vasilevskiy's teammates also knew they failed to give him a chance to succeed.

"He still made unbelievable saves," Lightning forward Nick Paul said. "We kind of left him out to dry there a couple times. Grade-A after Grade-A, he's not going to stop them all. He did a fantastic job tonight. We can't do that. He's our backbone, and for us to do that to him isn't fair."

The series now moves to Tampa, where the Lightning have lost only one game in the postseason and have won their last seven. But the Avs are carrying a perfect 7-0 road record into Amalie Arena.

The Avalanche are the first team in 46 years (1976 Montreal Canadiens) to take a 2-0 lead in the Cup Final against the defending champions. Three of the four previous teams to do it went on to win the series.

It's not time to count out the Lightning yet, but this is the toughest test yet for a team attempting to build a dynasty.

Saturday night was one to forget for the Tampa Bay Lightning, who were embarrassed by the Colorado Avalanche 7-0 in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final at Ball Arena in Denver.

It was an all-around disappointing effort from the Bolts, who were widely expected to bounce back from an underwhelming 4-3 overtime loss in Game 1 on Wednesday. Instead, they'll head back to Amalie Arena in an attempt to climb out of an 0-2 hole in the series.

Bolts netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy received the brunt of the criticism on Saturday night for allowing seven goals on 31 shots. However, the team in front of him played just as poorly, if not worse.

The team finished with just 17 shots on goal through three periods as the offense was near invisible. The defense, meanwhile, had an extremely difficult time containing the speedy, highly-skilled offense of the Avalanche, frequently allowing breakaways and scoring chances.

Valeri Nichushkin (two), Josh Manson, Andre Burakovsky, Darren Helm and Cale Makar (two) all finished with goals for the Avalanche.

Tampa Bay's performance on Saturday earned it some heavy criticism on social media, and rightfully so. Even legendary basketball sportscaster Dick Vitale weighed in on the game, asking if there was a mercy rule in hockey.

Is there a mercy rule in the NHL?

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) June 19, 2022

https://twitter.com/BenRossTweets/status/1538339094203277314

When’s the last time the Lightning have been embarrassed like this?

— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) June 19, 2022

This is quite the embarrassing effort from the Lightning. No other way around it. In Game 1 there were barely any odd-man rushes. This time around it looks like the Avs get a 3-on-1 or 3-on-2 every other shift.

— Evan Closky (@ECloskyWTSP) June 19, 2022

When was the last time the Lightning have been outplayed and embarrassed like this? #gobolts #goavsgo #stanleycup

— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) June 19, 2022

https://twitter.com/danger_knutson/status/1538337594102013952

Five? FIVE!? Vasilevskiy looks human and that's something I don't think I've seen before. #StanleyCup

— Whitney Harding (@WhitneyNBC4) June 19, 2022

Vasilevskiy getting no help in front of him. #GoAvsGo

— Cody Nagel (@CodyNagel247) June 19, 2022

Vasilevskiy turning into Vaseline because those goals are going in smooth. pic.twitter.com/CT6WccbtJd

— Gustyn (@RedfoxJerl) June 19, 2022

Lightning the first 3 rounds vs now pic.twitter.com/dkpAsTQmj5

— ʞɔᴉɹʇɐd⭐️ (@FeverTrick22) June 19, 2022

https://twitter.com/deanfense12/status/1538339594000904193

Someone better call the @TBLightning and remind them there's a game tonight. Not sure they remembered to show up against the @Avalanche.

— Hockey Settles All Disputes (@HAXLEH) June 19, 2022

idk what’s worse

drakes new album or this tampa bay lightning disasterclass tonight LMFAOOOOO

— Liam (@YepLiam_) June 19, 2022

I was hoping for a better Stanley Cup Final, but man the Avs just are so damn good. No disrespect to the Lightning, they’re impressive as hell, but damn this might be over soon.

— Drew Durham (@TheNotoriousADD) June 19, 2022

Is there a mercy rule in the #StanleyCupFinal ? In my (non-expert) opinion the Lightning need to allow less goals going forward

— J Sam J (@JSamSAT) June 19, 2022

The Lightning are looking RATTLED in Denver! #avs

— Riley Sorbo (@riley_sorbo) June 19, 2022

The Lightning starting this game pic.twitter.com/yCli8xzXVI

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) June 19, 2022

https://twitter.com/thatsG_risKy/status/1538338999844196357

So the @TBLightning were surprised by the @Avalanche speed in game 1. 😂 😂 😂
They must REALLY be shocked now!
5-0 after 2. Vasilevskiy buried under an #Avalanche#GoAvsGo #FindAWay #WeWantTheCup #AvalancheWarning

— tmark (@spikeydarklord) June 19, 2022

The Lightning now need to blow into the Nintendo cartridge and put the Game Genie in. https://t.co/3SuxWNTVu4

— Mark Scheig (@markscheig) June 19, 2022

The only person that can save the Lightning pic.twitter.com/80MWQalUcm

— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) June 19, 2022

It was a brutal showing from the Lightning, but it's hard to already rule out the back-to-back defending champions, especially with the series set to shift to Tampa Bay.

The Bolts went down 0-2 to the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final and went on to defeat the Blueshirts in six games. The team's resiliency and veteran leadership will surely be a factor in Game 3, and Saturday night's shellacking should be all the fuel the team needs to reset.

Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final is set for 8 p.m. ET on Monday at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper told reporters that "the right team won tonight" after the host Colorado Avalanche earned a 4-3 overtime win over the Bolts in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday.

Colorado outshot Tampa Bay 38-23 and held a 3-1 first-period lead after Artturi Lehkonen's power-play goal at the 17:31 mark. However, Tampa Bay struck back with two second-period goals to tie the game at three.

Neither team scored in the third, but overtime lasted just 1:23 after Andre Burakovsky put home the game-winner.

Despite the tough loss, the head coach of the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champions took away some positives.

Jon Cooper said there were some positive signs in game. They weren’t themselves “by a country mile” and still had chance at end. Felt “we dipped our toes in the water” in first 10 minutes

— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) June 16, 2022

To their credit, the Lightning got up from the mat after a rough opening 20 minutes and looked far better from that point forward. That's something Tampa Bay can take away as it looks to bounce back in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday in Colorado.

The New York Rangers' third line had been one of its most impactful throughout its run to the Eastern Conference Final. So when Kaapo Kakko, the winger who had typically played on the right of Alexis Lafreniere and Filip Chytil was a healthy scratch for Game 6 against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night, many were understandably confused.

New York Rangers coach Gerard Gallant was asked by ESPN reporter Emily Kaplan during the broadcast if he would take the viewers through the decision to scratch the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2019.

"Nope," Gallant said.

He doubled down following the 2-1 loss and subsequent elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs.

"I'm not going to talk about it," he said. "Now is not the time."

Gerard Gallant was asked about the decision to scratch Kaapo Kakko for tonight's game:

"I'm not gonna talk about it. Tonight's not the time." pic.twitter.com/hGAmWDYanJ

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) June 12, 2022

You could make the argument that he doesn't really owe the fans an explanation, though it wouldn't be a good one, because the people buying the tickets and tuning into games do deserve some reasoning. You could make the argument that Kakko's addition to the lineup would not have tilted the ice enough to make up for the embarrassing lack of offensive production.

Gallant may have informed his team of his decision and why he was making it before the game, but once Ryan Strome left the game with an injury that has been plaguing the forward since Game 5, it became an indefensible decision.

The loss ended what had previously been an exceptionally fun postseason run for a team built on a lot of young talent like Kakko. The Rangers looked destined for a Stanley Cup Final after taking a 2-0 lead in the series with two very convincing wins. But it all came to a screeching halt in Game 3 when the Lightning made adjustments and figured out how to expose New York's weaknesses. The Rangers never recovered.

"It's just denial," a tearful Mika Zibanejad said. "I'm empty right now. I don't know what to say."

The biggest problem was the Rangers' five-on-five play. Their exceptional power play helped propel them to the brink of the Stanley Cup Final, but when the calls didn't go their way, they were hamstrung by their inability to generate even-strength offense. The Blueshirts had no problem scoring at five-on-five in Games 1 and 2, but they scored only once in the last four games.

The issues were magnified in Game 6.

The Rangers were flat and lifeless from the start. Tampa Bay controlled 65.9 percent of the shot share and 73.7 percent of the expected goals throughout the game. It was scoreless through the first period, but the Bolts took a lead in the second. Frank Vatrano, a key trade-deadline acquisition for New York, tied the game in the third with a power-play goal, but Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored his second goal of the game just 21 seconds later.

Igor Shesterkin was masterful once again, but he could only do so much when the skaters in front of him were bleeding chances. The Vezina and Hart Trophy finalist saved 60.4 goals above expected in 73 games this season (including the regular season and the postseason), and because of him, the Rangers had as good of a chance as any.

But the Lightning made the adjustments necessary to shut down the top line. The lines were shuffled in Game 6, but Gallant still couldn't get Zibanejad's line away from the Tampa Bay checking line of Alex Killorn, Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel.

"As the series progressed, we got better and better, and I think tonight may have been our best game overall," Killorn said. "That's important in a Stanley Cup run. It's typically the team that improves the most throughout a run that typically ends up winning."

Gallant was outmaneuvered and outcoached by future Hall of Fame Jon Cooper. Gallant, who is typically regarded as a well-liked players' coach who tends to make a lot of decisions by feel, didn't appear to have that feel as the series went on.

The club is in a good spot moving forward, but there are some clear Xs and Os issues that they will need to right next season and Gallant isn't exactly known as a great X's and O's coach. The Rangers' struggles at five-on-five throughout the season must be resolved.

Now the Rangers have a summer of uncertainty, as some of those young players are due for new contracts, and the club is about to feel the salary-cap squeeze. Kakko himself is a restricted free agent. Maybe it's time they trade him and let him figure out his development with another organization.

There are also questions about the veteran group as the team hits the offseason. Strome might have played his final game in a Rangers jersey. The club can't afford to retain all of its deadline acquisitions, like Vatrano, Andrew Copp, Tyler Motte and Justin Braun. Jacob Trouba's $8 million contract, which runs through 2026, isn't looking quite as palatable right now.

The rebuild is not over. If this was a measuring stick series, then it's clear the Blueshirts are not stacking up with the last two Stanley Cup champions.

But if you want to take something positive from this series—and you should—it's that this long playoff run will be beneficial for the young core.

"You look back and we could've been done in five games in that first round. But we battled. It took everyone," defenseman Adam Fox said. "It's a nice young mix of guys in this room but also a good mix of older guys who help and lead the way for us. It was a great locker room. I think our battle when we were down in the series really showed that.

"Wish for a better ending, but definitely promising for our team."

NEW YORK — Maybe the Toronto Maple Leafs could have warned the New York Rangers. Or maybe even the Blueshirts' neighbors out on Long Island could have given them some advice considering the seven-game series they played against the Tampa Bay Lightning last season.

When you have the Lightning on the ropes, you have to finish them off.

Instead, it's the Rangers on the ropes after a 3-1 loss to the Bolts in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. Tampa Bay is up 3-2 in the series and can eliminate New York on Saturday night when the series shifts back to Amalie Arena.

The turning point in the series came with just 42 seconds left in Game 3 when Nikita Kucherov set up Ondrej Palat for the game-winner. Thursday night, it once again appeared as though the teams were destined for overtime, but Palat prevented it again, deflecting a Mikhail Sergachev shot in traffic with only 1:50 left to play.

Ondrej Palat has been coming up CLUTCH for the @TBLightning in this series. 🤩

In Games 3 and 5, he's netted two game-winners in the last two minutes of regulation. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/SzIgLRqbif

— NHL (@NHL) June 10, 2022

Palat now has 11 game-winning goals in his postseason career, the most in franchise history. A 31-year-old former seventh-round draft pick, Palat has been overlooked at times on a team with so much talent, but he's part of that core group of players that have won two Cups. The depth might have dropped off as the Bolts ran into salary-cap issues last year, but the current iteration is looking just as strong as it goes for a three-peat.

That should tell you all you need to know about a Tampa Bay team that has won 10 straight Stanley Cup Playoff series and the last two Stanley Cup championships: No matter who they lose in the offseason and who they play during the season, they find ways to win.

"We’re here to win a series," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "We don’t care when we win it. We just want to win it. The next chance to win it now is Saturday night, and we’ll be ready."

Tampa Bay has effectively taken away all of the Rangers' strengths at five-on-five. The Lightning has pushed them to the outside and eliminated any east-to-west passes; they've neutralized the Rangers' top lin; and while the Kid Line of Filip Chytil, Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko played well once again, coach Gerard Gallant to limited their minutes and decided to keep his top two lines out on the ice for the majority of Game 5.

#NYR Kid Line only had four shifts in the second period

— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) June 10, 2022

"Just the way I coached the game," Gallant said. "Trying to match up a little bit. They played OK."

But the power play is New York's biggest strength and man-advantage opportunities are out of their hands. There was some questionable officiating and some missed calls, and the Rangers had only a single power play. They did generate chances on that one power-play opportunity, but they couldn't score.

Literally allowing headlocks in the defensive zone.

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) June 10, 2022

Gallant thought the Blueshirts deserved another call or two, but ultimately he did not criticize the officials.

"I did, I really did," he said. "In saying that, I thought they did an excellent game. They let the teams play enough. I thought we could've had a couple more, there's no doubt."

The Rangers challenged the Lightning in the first period, checking hard and skating hard and putting pressure on goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, but they didn't record a single high-danger chance scoring chance at five-on-five in the second period and they didn't record one until late in the third.

The 5-on-5 woes have plagued them all season, but on this particular night, they were forced to spend so much time defending that they couldn't generate any offense.

"It was a tight game that could have gone either way," New York defenseman Jacob Trouba said. "I think that’s what makes it more frustrating for us. It’s not like we’re getting the doors blown off."

This isn't exactly an unfamiliar position for the Rangers, who got to this point in the postseason by winning two Game 7s. They've kept themselves alive in the playoffs by winning five elimination games.

They're confident that their experience will be beneficial in Game 6.

"We've been down 3-2 every series so far. We have to have a level of desperation," Rangers forward Andrew Copp said. "I think the confidence of doing it before is bigger and better than having to do again. I think there's the belief in the room."

But the problem is that Tampa Bay has them right where they want them. The Rangers are up against a deep, experienced that knows how to step on the throats of their opponents. The Bolts know how to manage their emotions throughout a series and make adjustments on the fly.

They know when to rely on their world-beating goalie and how to produce in the waning seconds of games.

"You prepare for those moments by experience," Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. "You go into those situations, and everybody talks about, 'Hey, you're up a goal, or tied going into the third. How are you going to execute as a team?' We've learned over the years how to do that. It's not being comfortable, that's not the right word. It's so intense that you're not comfortable. You're just confident and you understand what goes on there.

"Our group understands."

The defending champs twice over understand that sometimes all you need to do is throw a puck through traffic and see what happens, much as Sergachev did twice on Thursday night. They didn't beat the Rangers with high-skill plays, but in this case, they didn't need to.

"You have to be able to dance the line. You have to be able to get your shot through with a little bit of substance on it," Cooper said. "You can’t throw a muffin in there and Sergy has that ability."

It's the Lightning: They can beat anyone in any way, and they'll make teams like the Rangers regret not finishing the job early.

The New York Rangers' dream season is quickly shifting into a nightmare.

After a surprisingly strong regular season, New York put together a magical postseason run to find itself in the Eastern Conference Final against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. The Rangers then took a 2-0 lead and it looked like the magic would continue, but it looks like they've ran out of luck.

New York is on the brink of elimination after losing to Tampa Bay 3-1 in Thursday's Game 5 at Madison Square Garden to fall behind 3-2 in the series.

The Rangers held a 1-0 lead in the second period before the Lightning tied it in the same frame. Tampa Bay winger Ondrej Palat scored with 1:50 remaining in the third period to give his team the lead for good. Brandon Hagel capped the scoring less than a minute later with an empty-netter.

New York was never expected to reach this point in the playoffs in the first place, and the team's inexperience has become glaring. After the game, fans online couldn't help but point out the predictability of the Rangers' collapse, with some believing it always was just a matter of time.

Taking Lighting to win the series when they went down 2-0 was free juice. This Rangers collapse was inevitable. They’re just not a better team than the Lightning. Avs vs Lightning was always the way

— StraightTalkSports (@StraightTalkSp1) June 10, 2022

Rangers play some infuriating hockey. Lightning are so much better it’s crazy

— Marc Luino (@GiraffeNeckMarc) June 10, 2022

Youth of the rangers completely botched this series lightning just three peated

— Michael Rosenbloom (@mdrosenbloom11) June 10, 2022

https://twitter.com/PSMcHenry11/status/1535090979778179072

Gut punch loss for the Rangers tonight. They really outplayed the Lightning in the 3rd. But unfortunately they couldn’t finish the opportunities. #NYR

— wtf (@WillyFrapps) June 10, 2022

https://twitter.com/maxwell_abrams/status/1535090352952164353

than trying to win it.. I had the feeling the whole game. I knew it.. You could see it

— Jay (@Hugesportsfan75) June 10, 2022

Going up 2 & losing 4 straight is NASTY business you’ve really outdone yourselves this time @NYRangers

— Giusseppe Stromboli (@notkingjames019) June 10, 2022

Rangers after taking a 2-0 lead pic.twitter.com/lXvsAD3JVW

— Bryce Lokus (@BryceLokus) June 10, 2022

Rangers had a 3-0 lead on a platter and now they're probably gonna lose in 6

I know we weren't even supposed to make it this far, but that hurts

— Knicks Memes (@KnicksMemes) June 10, 2022

The Rangers are a young team that is ahead of schedule. New York is built to be a title contender for years to come, but this year it is just overmatched against Tampa Bay.

It's hard to imagine that the Rangers will score the upset as the series moves back to Tampa Bay for Saturday's Game 6. The way both teams are playing, the Lightning have the clear edge. All signs point to New York waking up from its dream and facing the reality of preparing for next season.

The New York Rangers had the Tampa Bay Lightning on the ropes. They needed a better knockdown punch to keep the two-time defending champs down, though.

The Lightning beat the Rangers 3-2 Sunday in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, despite the Rangers taking a 2-0 midway through the second period behind goals from Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.

Nikita Kucherov pulled one back in the second period, while Steven Stamkos and Ondrej Palat found the net in the third to steal the win.

Can we get a KUUUUUUCH 👇 pic.twitter.com/D96eZHyx3d

— x - Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 5, 2022

Oh captain, my captain. Steven Stamkos (@RealStamkos91) ties the game. 😤 #StanleyCup

🇺🇸: @espn ➡️ https://t.co/OdvLu7Y8Eq
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet ➡️ https://t.co/fhHxZI4TOm pic.twitter.com/dEW2EOSWo0

— NHL (@NHL) June 5, 2022

PALAT CALLED GAME 😱

The @tblightning have come back to take Game 3! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/ygY0Bf9wlf

— NHL (@NHL) June 5, 2022

And Rangers fans were not pleased watching their team give away a chance to take a stranglehold on this series:

https://twitter.com/GregWilliams28/status/1533567015838810112

That one hurts, but can’t say Rangers deserved to win. You didn’t really expect the Rangers to sweep, but tough to win when you have some injuries and Trouba played the worst hockey game in the history of hockey. Had their chances. Lick your chops and win Game 4

— Joe Fortunato (@JoeFortunatoBSB) June 5, 2022

The Rangers didn’t even put the puck on net in those last few seconds. They never shoot enough. It’s infuriating.

— Randy Wilkins (@pamsson) June 5, 2022

That was an atrocious 3rd period for the Rangers

— Marc Luino (@GiraffeNeckMarc) June 5, 2022

Rangers with 2-0 series lead blow 2-0 game lead if you like your omens

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) June 5, 2022

Well, no need to panic for the Rangers, but you hate to lose any game where you had a two-goal lead in the second period. They just let the Lightning back into this series by letting them run roughshod over them in the third period.

— Samit Sarkar (@SamitSarkar) June 5, 2022

Disgraceful game by the @NYRangers from midway through the second and all the third. Deserved to loose.

— Mike Krancer (@MikeKrancer) June 5, 2022

Rangers played with fire the entire 3rd period and got burnt at the end. Just an absolute killer to take a penalty when given a double minor. Kucherov with a great pass to Palat. Brutal loss up 2-0 in game 3 but just need a split. Get it done Tuesday.

— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) June 5, 2022

The Rangers still hold a 2-1 advantage in the series, with Game 4 in Tampa Bay on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN). But with the chance to take a commanding 3-0 lead and move one game away from the franchise's first Stanley Cup Finals appearance since the 2013-14 campaign, the Rangers blew it.

Igor Shesterkin, who has been very good in these playoffs, did his part to back up what was a leaky defense on Sunday, stopping 48 of the 51 shots he faced. He dealt with 21 more shots than his counterpart, Andrei Vasilevskiy, who turned away 28 of New York's 30 attempts.

The Lightning are two-time defending champions for a reason. The Rangers learned that the hard way in Game 3, giving away a golden chance to all but bury Tampa.

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point, who has been out with a lower-body injury since May 14, will not play Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers on Sunday.

Joe Smith of The Athletic relayed the news from Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper.

Jon Cooper said Brayden Point won’t play in Game 3. Likely same lineup.

— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) June 4, 2022

Point has dominated in each of Tampa Bay's previous two runs to the Stanley Cup. He posted 14 goals and 19 assists in 23 games in 2020 before recording 14 goals and nine assists in 23 games in 2021.

Point had 28 goals and 30 assists in 66 regular-season games before adding two goals and two assists in the Lightning's seven-game first-round series win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

However, Point hasn't played since. ESPN provided more information May 18:

Point, a first-line center and staple on the Tampa Bay power play, did not play in the Lightning's Game 1 victory [against the Florida Panthers] on [May 17] after going hard into the boards in [the May 14] Game 7 vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs. He left that game with what was called a lower-body injury, briefly returned in the second period, but couldn't put any weight on his right leg and sat out the remainder of his team's victory."

Point skated with the team Friday for the third day in a row, though Cooper acknowledged he isn't necessarily expected back, per Tom Gulitti of NHL.com: "He's continuing to progress, but we're not sitting here saying, 'Oh, he's going to miraculously come out for Game 3.' No."

Cooper said something similar Wednesday.

"We're planning to play without him," he said, per Lightning beat writer Chris Krenn. "If he gets to play in this series, that's a bonus for everybody."

The Lightning could certainly use him after falling behind 2-0. New York has outscored the two-time defending champions 9-4.

Tampa Bay will host Game 3 at 3 p.m. ET.