Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
The Tampa Bay Lightning are eight wins away from defending their Stanley Cup title.
Last year’s champs beat the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0 on Tuesday night, eliminating them in five games in the Central second round. Brayden Point and Ross Colton scored for the Lightning, silencing a raucous Canes crowd.
NHL on NBC Sports @NHLonNBCSports
The @TBLightning strike first! ⚡️#GoBolts pic.twitter.com/pmhUJQArD9
NHL on NBC Sports @NHLonNBCSports
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The @TBLightning extend their lead! #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/089q53eHvT
Andrei Vasilevskiy continued his excellent postseason in goal, saving all 29 shots he faced. He gave up just six goals in Tampa’s four wins in the series.
Carolina Hurricanes @Canes
This account is so sick of Andrei Vasilevskiy
Bryan Burns @BBurnsNHL
Andrei Vasilevskiy stops all 29 shots for his 3rd career playoff shutout, all 3 coming in clinching game scenarios, all in the last 3 series. #Bolts #TBLvsCAR
Brent Axe @BrentAxeMedia
#TampaCuse moves on to the #StanleyCup semifinals. Another gem from Vasilevskiy in this one. This team has a legit shot to repeat and is fun to watch.
The Hurricanes outshot the Lightning 29-25, outhit them 34-24 and had more power plays (3-2, though the Lightning had the only power-play goal).
But Tampa’s balance was evident yet again. They protected the puck (just 12 giveaways, compared to 23 for the Canes) and blocked 22 shots.
“Probably why we’ve had success the last couple of years is because we’ve had the ability to win different ways,” Lightning head coach Jon Cooper told reporters before Game 5. “If you want to get into a shootout, we have a group that can do it that way. But that’s not ideal. We really have this belief that it’s what you keep out of your net, not how much you put in the other net. We try and live by that.”
They’ve been living by that, and thriving by that, this postseason. Six of Tampa’s eight playoff wins have come in games they’ve given up two goals or less.
It’s a tough way for the Hurricanes’ season to end after an excellent regular season. They simply ran into the better team.
Sara Civ @SaraCivian
Canes fall 4-1 to the Lightning in the second round of the playoffs. Perhaps a disappointment considering the expectations, but hey, for a while you gave these people something to cheer about after the hardest year. They’re still cheering and I’m getting emotional, lol pic.twitter.com/GJ5px5tFfX
Up next for the Lightning will be the winner of the Boston Bruins vs. New York Islanders matchup. The Islanders are currently up in that series 3-2. The Lightning will have home-ice advantage in that series.