The Lightning wanted to make a statement after losing a heartbreaker against the Islanders in Game 4 – and they did so with authority, notching a whopping 8-0 victory.
Steven Stamkos led the charge with two goals and one assist, while defensively Andrei Vasilevskiy turned in another standout performance with a shutout, turning aside 21 shots. Brayden Point extended his playoff goal streak to eight straight games, the second-longest such streak in NHL playoff history. Stamkos was complimentary of the aid he and his teammates received on the defensive side of the puck from their netminder. “He was outstanding, made some big saves early, settles us down, we get some goals and get some confidence,” Stamkos said.
Tampa Bay is now 13-0 after losing a game in the playoffs, an unmatched streak in the league. They reached their most recent win by putting up three goals in each of the first two periods, adding two more in the final frame. The last time the team lost two playoff games in a row was in 2019, coming in a sweep dealt out by the Blue Jackets.
New York will look to avoid elimination tonight after being outscored 10-0 in the past four periods of the series. They will have a home crowd to gain energy from, but they will need an equal level of skill if they hope to beat the red-hot Lightning.
