Boston Bruins ready to eliminate Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the Conference Finals –NHL Playoffs
Boston Bruins is all set to eliminate Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the National Hockey League (NHL) Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals series on Wednesday, May 25th, to move on to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 21 years.
The series will once again return to the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa Bay, Florida, as Bruins, currently leading the series at 3-2, will have a chance at throwing out Lightning at their home ice to avoid a nerve wrecking Game 7.
Tampa Bay is back in a similar position as they were in earlier rounds, where they have to recover and win consecutive games. They overtook Pittsburgh Penguins with three straight victories to advance into the semifinals.
"I don't think anyone is blocking it out. We're all very excited, one win away", Boston's rookie centre, Tyler Seguin, said. "I think we want to play like it's Game 7. They're going to, so we want to do the same".
Tampa Bay, on the other hand, claim that they have played their cards well and are all geared up for their home game on Wednesday.
Lightning’s coach, Guy Boucher, decided to rest their main goalie, Dwayne Roloson, for two games which they ended up losing, but he will play him now in Game 6.
According to Boucher, this strategy worked well for the team earlier and he hopes it will work again in the two crucial games remaining in the series.
Roloson’s elimination game statistics’ record during his career shows that he is capable of pulling off the inevitable. Roloson is 6-0 during the play-off elimination games and he is looking forward to extending this record.
"He's had tremendous stretches with us, and I remember there was one time where it wasn't going so well", Boucher said. "We gave him two days off and he came back and he was outstanding after. ... This is a perfect situation. He's going to be the only rested
guy in the two teams".
Both, Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning, have a number of players who can step up and take the match into their grip, but so far no one has been able to do it.
Tampa Bay has their powerful trio, Martin St. Louis, Steven Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier, while Boston has Zdeno Chara, Tyler Seguin and Simon Gagne.
Both teams have impressive goalkeepers and one can always say that Roloson and Thomas are blamed to break the opposition’s offense with their brilliant goal tending.
There have been many power-play opportunities for both teams throughout the series but neither could take advantage of them.
Tampa Bay is 2-for-19 while Boston is 2-for-18. If either team had fully capitalised on their power-plays, the series would have ended a long time ago.
In the remaining two games, capitalising on power-plays should be the top priority for both teams, fighting for the Stanley Cup.
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