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Bruins … Leafs … doesn’t matter. Lightning’s got this

 
Boston's Brad Marchand and Toronto's Kasperi Kapanen mix it up during Monday night's Game 6 at the Air Canada Centre. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
Boston's Brad Marchand and Toronto's Kasperi Kapanen mix it up during Monday night's Game 6 at the Air Canada Centre. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
Published April 24, 2018

TAMPA — The Bruins and Maple Leafs play Game 7 Wednesday night in Boston.

Let them.

Let them beat each other's brains in for all the Lightning care. Let it go to overtime. Let it go to six overtimes. Lightning players and coaches will be watching and waiting, ready, coiled, poised.

Nikita Kucherov's slap shot is snoring. Andre Vasilevskiy's office is closed for business. Victor Hedman is watching TV Wednesday night, Leafs-Bruins.

"I just hope it's a good game," the Lightning star defenseman said.

The popular myth is that the Lightning wants no part of the Bruins, who took three of four from Tampa Bay during the regular season while finishing just a point out of first place.

Bring them on.

The Lightning is ready. Or as ready as Tampa Bay will ever be.

Let's remember that Boston, after a great, grand rush, slumped at the end of the season. Let's remember that the Lightning, even if it supposedly doesn't match up with Boston, shut down the Bruins the last time they met, 4-0. Let's remember that every day of the rest of the playoffs is a blessing disguised as a good lunch and long nap.

The Lightning can beat anyone and in any way. It just proved that while dispatching the New Jersey Devils. You know, those Devils who beat the Lightning three times in as many games during the season.

Then the bell rang. The Lightning heard it, loud and clear.

I have a feeling it will happen again, no matter who this team plays next round. Bruins or Leafs. It doesn't matter. Penguins or Capitals after that. It doesn't matter.

This team looks to be feeling it.

It's as deep as the Bruins. It's as fast as the Maple Leafs. It can outscore the Penguins. Nikita Kucherov can out-Ovechkin Ovechkin. It can outscore Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.

Why not the Lightning?

Since when are the 2017-18 Bruins the 1976-77 Canadiens? The emotion of the Leafs giving comfort to their stricken city, a beautiful thing, will only carry so far. Yes, you have to drive a stake through the heart of the two-time defending Cup champion Penguins. They won't be beaten until they've been beaten.

The Lightning can do it. Tampa Bay can win 16 days or nights of hockey. Or at least the 12 it will take to the reach the Cup final. It has to be in the back of Lightning players' minds. If I'm them, I want to play the Bruins. Settle all accounts. Beat the Bruins. Slay the Pittsburgh dragon. Check all the boxes.

This team can beat the Bruins, even with Brad Marchand's stick in its gut. This team can beat the mighty Leafs, even with Auston Matthews at high port. This team can bring global warming to Crosby and the Penguins.
It's just a feeling, one that's been growing. Maybe it was always there.

This team can do it. This team should be the favorite.

It will be until someone beats it.

The Lightning are waiting. True, you don't want to have to wait too long. In 2011, the upstart Lightning, under coach Guy Boucher, swept Washington in four games and waited 10 days to start the Eastern Conference final.

"That was too long," said Hedman, who was on that Lightning team.

The Lightning lost in seven games in the conference final — to the Bruins.
Do you want the rest, or do you want to head right into the next fight?

The Maple Leafs and Bruins have no choice. They play Wednesday night.

The Lightning awaits.

And the Lightning can win.

Contact Martin Fennelly at mfennelly@tampabay.com or (813) 731-8029.