Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily Picks: Rangers, Lightning meet in Game 7 – CBSSports.com
Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily Picks, where CBS hockey writers Chris Peters and Adam Gretz get you ready for every game every day of the postseason and share their predictions for each.
Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers, Game 7, 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN
Series tied 3-3
For the first time in 15 years, the NHL needs two Game 7s to determine which teams will meet in the Stanley Cup Final. It’s going to be two fantastic days of hockey and the fun starts Friday night with the New York Rangers hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden.
Both of these teams have already been in this situation this postseason.
Tampa Bay needed to win a Game 7 in the first round to beat the Detroit Red Wings, and Ben Bishop was sensational in that game stopping all 31 shots he faced in a 2-0 win.
The Rangers, meanwhile, needed to overcome a 3-1 series deficit in the second round for the second year in a row and beat the Washington Capitals in another Game 7 at home with a 2-1 overtime that was highlighted by another magnificent Henrik Lundqvist performance in an elimination game and a Derek Stepan overtime goal.
For the the Lightning, they are trying to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since the 2003-04 season. The Rangers are trying to become the first team since the 2008-2009 Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings to reach the Stanley Cup Final for a second year in a row.
History is very much on the Rangers’ side here, with both their overall record in Game 7s at home and Lundqvist’s dominance in those games. And anytime you have Lundqvist in a winner-take-all game you have to like your chances.
This game is likely to play out like every other game in Madison Square Garden this postseason: Low-scoring, close, coming down to one shot or play. Most of those games have gone the Rangers’ way, just as they have in most of their previous Game 7s over the years. But when a team plays so many of those games, with so many of them being decided by a single goal, eventually one of those games isn’t going to go their way. And maybe this is the night. I’ve also been wrong about pretty much every game in this series, so that will probably continue as well. Either way, it is going to be a fantastic night of hockey.
Pick: Lightning 2, Rangers 1 (overtime)
Three stars
1. Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning: Bishop has had some great games this postseason, and he has had some pretty miserable games this postseason. His most recent game, Tampa Bay’s Game 6 loss, was one of the miserable ones as he was benched after giving up five goals in what turned out to be a 7-3 loss to get us here. But when the Lightning have needed him this postseason in must-win games he has been able to play at a high level.
2. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers: Win or lose, you have to expect Lundqvist to be at his best in a game like this. If they win, he is probably going to be one of the biggest reasons. If they lose, it probably won’t be because of him.
3. Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning: He had his goal-scoring streak snapped in the Game 6 loss but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of chances. Stamkos has been incredible in this series for the Lightning, scoring four goals and recording seven points. He has 14 points in his past 12 games overall.
The New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning meet in Game 7. (USATSI)
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