The Stanley Cup Playoffs are starting to wind down as the Conference Finals start to reach the final few crucial games. On Sunday night, one team pulled within one win of reaching the Stanley Cup Final while Monday night marks another important Game 5 for the hockey world.
On Sunday, it was the Tampa Bay Lightning rallying to take a 3-2 series lead entering Game 6 on Tuesday night in Tampa.
The Pittsburgh Penguins jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a last-second first period goal by Brian Dumoulin and an early second period goal by Patric Hornqvist.
In a span of 70 seconds, the Lightning tied the game with just over five minutes remaining in the period. Alex Killorn rifled a high-rising shot over Marc-Andre Fleury to cut the lead to one and moments later Nikita Kucherov cashed in to tie the game.
The Penguins would carry a 3-2 lead to the locker room at intermission with a goal by Chris Kunitz with 50 seconds left in the period.
It took 16:44 of the third for the Lightning to tie things up again, as Kucherov successfully completely a wrap-around for the equalizer.
In overtime, Tyler Johnson was in the right place, able to provide a screen on a Jason Garrison shot. Garrison's shot hit the back of Johnson and beat Fleury to give the Lightning the series lead. For the second time in the series, a game that went to overtime was decided in less than a minute. Sidney Crosby ended Game 2 with a goal 40 seconds into overtime. Johnson's goal came 53 seconds into sudden death.
The Penguins were the hottest team in the NHL entering the playoffs and have carried that momentum into the Conference Finals. The defending Eastern Conference champions have overcome quite a bit in proving that they are a force to be reckoned with. The Lightning have played the entire playoffs without captain Steven Stamkos and have endured the entire series with the Penguins without goalie Ben Bishop.
In the Western Conference, Monday night's Game 5 will provide an edge to one of the two teams looking to make the trip to the Stanley Cup Final. The San Jose Sharks emerged victorious with a decisive victory in Game 3 before a huge response by the St. Louis Blues in Game 4 send the series back to St. Louis tied at two.
Jake Allen jumped in between the pipes for Brian Elliott, a move that worked wonders for the team's play in Game 4. The Blues came away with a 6-3 win and took a 4-0 lead into the third period on Saturday night.
Both teams in the West are looking for their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history and their first trip to the Stanley Cup Final in franchise history.
Game 5 starts on Monday night at 8 p.m. Game 6 of the Western Conference Final will be on Wednesday at 9 p.m. in San Jose. A deciding Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals, if necessary, would take place on Thursday and a Game 7 in the West, if necessary, would take place on Friday.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
