The Tampa Bay Lightning will be representing the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals after coming away with a 2-0 victory in Game 7 over the New York Rangers.
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The Lightning overcame playing on the road after losing badly in Game 6. They had allowed the Rangers to score seven goals in their loss as goaltender Ben Bishop was benched.
He bounced back strongly though as he made 22 saves for a shutout while the Lightning’s defense bounced back. Bishop is the first goalie in NHL history to record a shutout in his first two Game 7 starts, according to ESPN Stats and Info.
The game remained scoreless until the third period, and center Alex Killorn scored the first goal for the Lightning approximately two minutes into the period.
Left wing Ondrej Palat extended the Lightning’s lead about with just under nine minutes left in the third period.
Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will go yet another year without winning a Stanley Cup, but he still put on a solid performance with 23 saves on 25 shots taken against him.
Lundqvist is 33 years old, so his window is closing as the Rangers will look to get over the hump next season. They have not won a Stanley Cup since 1994 though.
The Lightning will face either the Chicago Blackhawks or Anaheim Ducks in the Stanley Cup Finals. Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals will take place on Saturday.
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