It’s a good thing for the Penguins that they will get the last laugh.
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Of course, the Lightning have experience coming back from a 3-1 deficit against Pittsburgh having rallied to win three-straight games, including two in Pittsburgh, during a 2011 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal victory over the Penguins.
Goals by Jonathan Drouin and Tyler Johnson in the second period pushed the lead to 4-0 as the Lightning had 30 shots on goal through 40 minutes, surpassing their entire individual game total from each of the first three games of the series. It would be unfair to blame Murray for the Lightning onslaught, but Fleury’s relief appearance does open the door to the possibility that he could replace Murray.
Game 5 will be back in Pittsburgh this Sunday night.
With Daley injured and Letang in the box, Pittsburgh had to lean on other defencemen on its penalty kill.
And that momentum from the first goal carried on, for the most part, through the first and second periods. He was assessed a double minor, giving the Bolts a four-minute man advantage. That needed to change if the Lightning had any chance to extend the series.
“It was good to get him back going the way he’s capable of”, veteran Lightning defenseman Matt Carle said. The Lightning, playing again without top goalie Ben Bishop or leading scorer Steven Stamkos, got strong play from Vasilevskiy in net. And Bones is a really smart player.
“We were calm”, added teammate Ondrej Palat. “We got embarrassed at home in Game 3, let’s make a stand. And you can’t ask for anything more than Callahan scoring the first shift”.
“I think (Marc-Andre Fleury) has been their franchise goalie for a number of years”, Cooper said Saturday. “I can’t do that. The best thing for me to do is skate away and that’s it”.
This was tough to watch.
Trevor Daley has been a workhorse for the Penguins during the playoffs. He ran hard into the end boards and fell awkwardly. “That’s only going to help us”.
Murray earned the respect of Penguins fans everywhere and is without question the goaltender of the future in Pittsburgh. The Blues have the effort, but for the past two games they haven’t been able to find any way to make that effort count. That 77% success rate is nearly unheard of.
Sullivan said Saturday that his decision about who starts Game 5 would come Sunday.
Forget the third period for a moment. They are riding on level ground now with the best-of-seven series even at two games apiece.
Now, back to that third.
But, the Lightning staved off an ensuing attack by the Penguins in the final minute, as they survived a barrage of shots from within their own zone. Just don’t get nervous, just play our game. I thought we deserved to win that game tonight.
“I haven’t really given it any thought at this point”, said Sullivan. “Now it’s our turn to send it back to them”. He was everywhere and everything in that third period. One more victory and Tampa Bay will become the first team to make consecutive trips to the championship round since the Penguins and Detroit Red Wings did it in 2008 and 2009.
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The Penguins removed Fleury in the final 90 seconds for an extra attacker in a bid to net the equalizer, but could not complete the comeback bid. – Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan ” Shame on anybody who left early”. Their high skill was on display, to be sure, but they won with more grit and fight than they showed in any of the first three games.
