Tampa Bay Lightning eliminate Washington Capitals in Game 4 of semi-finals – NHL playoffs
What a huge disappointment! No one could have ever imagined that Tampa Bay Lightning would clean sweep Washington Capitals, that too in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
Tampa Bay eliminated the Capitals easily with their seventh consecutive playoff victory after taking control in the third period and winning game four 5-3 for a clean 4-0 sweep of the series. The sold out crowd at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa Bay, Florida
was on their feet and continuously chanted, “Sweep! Sweep! Sweep!” until they finally got what they demanded.
In their first playoff appearance in four years, the Lightning have now advanced to the Eastern Conference finals, a step away from the National Hockey League Stanley Cup finals.
This just goes to show that the regulation season and postseason are totally different in terms of playing and dedication. Washington have been ending the past two seasons as the number one team in the Eastern Conference but have not been able to get past
a single series. The playoffs demand much higher motivation and devotion which they have not been able to show.
The Lightning are not celebrating yet. They are all geared up and ready to take on any challenge in front of them in the next series. The fifth seed will have plenty of time to rest and focus on their game as the remaining teams still have plenty of games
to go until they finalise their positions.
“We're definitely happy, but we're not popping champagne or anything,” Lightning forward Ryan Malone said. “We know what our goal is and we have to keep going and stay even keel. We haven't done anything yet.”
Ryan Malone scored his third of the playoffs on a power play sponsored by the Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin who was booked for charging Adam Hall. Washington’s Marco Sturm got his first goal also from a power play with less than two minutes remaining to
level the match.
Sean Bergenheim was on fire during the second period when he scored twice which gave Tampa Bay the lift they needed. Dominic Moore assisted on both goals as Bergenheim extended the lead to 3-1 with eight minutes remaining. John Erskine added the final goal
of the period nearly a minute later as Washington closed the second last period with a 3-2 deficit.
Being a goal behind, Washington were not at all stressed and knew they could easily recover but Marc-Andre Bergeron and Martin St. Louis continued the shooting spree to wash away their hopes of bouncing back.
Bergeron took advantage of another power play opportunity and added his first of the postseason while St. Louis secured the match with a little over three minutes remaining. John Carlson scored his second in two games which brought the Capitals a little
closer but with just over two minutes remaining, elimination was inevitable.
“It's very frustrating. I don't think any of us saw this coming down, happening like it did. Probably the last thing that was in our mind, but you have to give them credit,” Capitals forward Mike Knuble said. “They played well, and they held their own when
they had to. And really, when they got their chances they capitalized. It was pretty amazing how well they could do it.”
The Capitals will now have the off-season to concentrate on making their game better. Playing the way they do in regulation season is something they should look to continue in the playoffs which so far they have not been able to do.
Boston have put Philadelphia on the verge of elimination with a 3-0 lead in the series and could be Tampa Bay’s next contenders for the Eastern Conference title.
Tags: