What a difference a year — and goalie Ben Bishop — has made.
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Bishop, all 6-7 of him, has filled the gaping hole in the Lightning’s crease admirably this season. He stood tall again Wednesday, stopping all 31 shots in a decisive 2-0 victory over the Red Wings. Tampa Bay is headed to the second round for the first time since 2011.
Bishop missed last year’s series against the Canadiens because of wrist surgery. Anders Lindback and rookie Kristers Gudlevskis were left to face the Montreal firing squad in his absence. The Canadiens launched 138 shots on net during the series, embarrassing the Lightning and their porous defense corps.
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Now, as they meet the Canadiens again in Round 2, the Bolts are seemingly better equipped with Bishop, who is playing in the postseason for the first time in his career. He allowed 13 goals on 166 shots against Detroit, and he did that behind a revamped defense that returns just three holdovers from last year’s series, giving the Lightning a new look for the rematch.
Lightning 2, Red Wings 0 (Tampa Bay wins series 4-3)
Takeaway: Braydon Coburn scored the eventual game-winning goal 3:58 into the third period. Coburn is one of several blue-line pieces acquired by the Lightning at the trade deadline. The unlikely hero had gone 28 postseason games without a goal.
Before Wednesday, the Red Wings had played in 24 Game 7s in franchise history but were shut out just once, a 4-0 loss to the Maple Leafs in the 1964 Stanley Cup Final.
Quotables: Red Wings coach Mike Babcock on not getting bounces: “They went to church, and we must have missed Mass.”
Lightning coach Jon Cooper on Coburn’s goal: “When that goal went in, I looked up and I said, ‘Oh, wow, what a hell of a trade.’”
Highlight: Anton Stralman’s empty-net goal was something of an accident. While attempting to clear the puck, Stralman banked it off the sideboards and it slid nearly 200 feet to the other end.
Next up: The Lightning advance to the second round, where they’ll play the Canadiens beginning Friday in Montreal (7 p.m. ET, NBCSN).
Three stars
Anton Stralman, D, Lightning: In addition to the empty-netter, Stralman chipped in six hits while leading Lightning defenseman with 22:38 time on ice.
Braydon Coburn, D, Lightning: If nothing else, Coburn justified the trade for him solely with the game-winning goal.
Ben Bishop, G, Lightning: Bishop boasts a 1.87 goals-against average and .922 playoff save percentage following his Game 7 performance.
Injury report
Marek Zidlicky, D, Red Wings: Zidlicky was a surprise scratch from Game 7 after suffering an apparent concussion Monday. Babcock first disclosed the injury to reporters after Wednesday’s morning skate and ruled Zidlicky out for the night.
Nathan Beaulieu, D, Canadiens: An upper-body injury will keep Beaulieu out of the first four games of the Canadiens’ series against the Lightning, general manager Marc Bergevin said Wednesday. Beaulieu missed the final three games of the first round with the injury.
Eric Fehr, F, Capitals: Though he’s been skating with the team, Fehr (upper-body injury) won’t be available to play Thursday in Game 1 of Washington’s second-round series against the Rangers. Coach Barry Trotz ruled Fehr out Wednesday and said it’s possible he could also miss Game 2. Fehr will travel with the team to New York.
Thursday’s games
(All times Eastern)
Capitals at Rangers, 7:30 p.m., NBCSN
Flames at Ducks, 10 p.m., NBCSN
