DENVER — The Tampa Bay Lightning know their quest for a Stanley Cup three-peat is one loss to the Colorado Avalanche away from ending.
“There aren’t any tomorrows now. Like, that is it, and so there is no extra mulligans. We have got to drag this one out,” coach Jon Cooper mentioned forward of Recreation 5 of the Stanley Cup Closing on Friday in Denver.
The Lightning’s extra time loss in Recreation 4 gave the Avalanche their 3-1 sequence lead and the prospect to shut out the sequence on dwelling ice. Tampa Bay obtained the higher of play for many of that 3-2 loss, however Colorado took over the sport in extra time. The Lightning regarded fatigued and beat up, as a handful of gamers battle accidents.
Ahead Alex Killorn mentioned the crew attracts power from being within the NHL’s remaining playoff spherical.
“You do not know what number of instances, if ever, you are going to be on this state of affairs once more. So guys are banged up, guys are bruised and possibly after that is all mentioned and completed, mentally we are able to inform you how draining it was. However proper now, we have got to win one sport, in order that’s form of our perspective,” he mentioned.
Lightning heart Brayden Level missed Video games 3 and 4 in Tampa with a lower-body harm and remained out Friday evening. Middle Anthony Cirelli injured his arm in Recreation 4 however accomplished the sport. Defenseman Erik Cernak left Recreation 4 after blocking a shot along with his foot. Each had been accessible for Recreation 5.
The Lightning misplaced each video games in Denver to open the sequence. Recreation 1 led to extra time, however Recreation 2 was a 7-0 blowout loss. Cooper mentioned the altitude in Denver performed a job in that second defeat.
“We simply weren’t used to it. You form of get away with it early in Recreation 1. However suppose it in all probability stung us a bit in Recreation 2,” he mentioned.
The larger situation for Tampa Bay in Recreation 5 might be attending to their sport and never permitting the Avalanche to determine the tempo of play. Cooper mentioned that every one comes right down to the beginning of the sport. The Avalanche scored a number of targets within the first 10 minutes of each video games in Denver. The Lightning helped that alongside by taking some undisciplined penalties.
“Colorado, they have an incredible crowd. The power within the constructing is superior. They feed off that first 5 or 10 minutes, and you actually must be engaged in your sport. As a result of then they begin getting momentum and, sadly, they scored early in these video games. So form of put us on our heels made us chase the sport a bit bit,” Cooper mentioned. “To me, that is a pivotal a part of tonight, ensuring that we are the ones making an attempt to do some pushing right here as a substitute of them towards us. Not giving up these early targets, not giving up these, actually, energy performs that ought to bode effectively in our favor.”