TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Andrei Vasilevskiy had 49 saves and the Tampa Bay Lightning accomplished a four-game sweep of the Florida Panthers with a 2-0 victory Monday evening that despatched the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions again to the Eastern Conference ultimate for the sixth time in eight years.
Pat Maroon snapped a scoreless tie, batting Zach Bogosian’s shot down behind Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky earlier than the puck trickled into the online somewhat over six minutes into the third interval. Ondrej Palat added an empty-net aim with 22 seconds left.
READ MORE: Miami Beach’s Deauville Hotel, made well-known by the Beatles, poised for a comeback
Vasilevskiy received his sixth straight recreation, a streak that started with the Lightning going through a 3-2 collection deficit in the opening spherical. It was his sixth shutout in his final seven series-clinching wins.
The reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner restricted the high-scoring Panthers, who averaged a NHL-best 4.11 targets whereas compiling the league’s greatest document throughout the common season, to simply three targets in 4 video games.
The Lightning joined the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens as the one franchises to win no less than 10 consecutive playoff collection. Their bid to change into the primary staff in 40 years to seize three straight Stanley Cup titles will proceed in the East ultimate towards both the Carolina Hurricanes or New York Rangers.
The defending champs persevered Monday evening regardless of having targets by Alex Killorn and Nikita Kucherov waved off inside a 48-second span of the second interval — the primary after Florida coach Andrew Brunette challenged and a prolonged replay overview decided Palat lifted the puck out of play alongside the boards earlier than Mikhail Sergachev fired a shot that Killorn tipped previous Bobrovsky.
READ MORE: Property insurance coverage adjustments aimed toward stabilizing market
Less than a minute later, Tampa Bay appeared to take the lead once more solely to have replay verify Anthony Cirelli received a faceoff in the left circle with a hand go that Kucherov rifled by way of Bobrovsky.
The Panthers turned the primary Presidents’ Trophy winners to be swept by a defending Stanley Cup champion in the playoffs since Edmonton breezed previous Calgary on its method to one other title in 1988.
Vasilevskiy, who entered Monday evening having given up one aim in every of his earlier 4 video games, has allowed one aim whole in his final seven series-clinching wins.
NOTES: The Panthers outshot the Lightning 17-3 in the primary interval and 34-15 by way of the second. … Florida C Joe Thornton performed for the primary time this postseason. It was the 42-year-old, six-time All-Star’s 187th profession playoff recreation — second-most amongst lively NHL gamers. … C Brayden Point (decrease physique) remained sidelined for the Lightning. He hasn’t performed since being injured throughout the Lightning’s opening-round Game 7 victory over Toronto.
MORE NEWS: Coral Gables resident says metropolis’s automated license plate recognition cameras are a constitutional violation
(© Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This materials will not be printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)