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Lightning falls to Blackhawks, one loss from Stanley Cup heartbreak (w/video)

 
Lightning goalie Ben Bishop agonizes after Antoine Vermette gives Chicago a 2-1 lead in the third period. From left, Brenden Morrow, Jonathan Drouin and Jason Garrison take in the aftermath.
Lightning goalie Ben Bishop agonizes after Antoine Vermette gives Chicago a 2-1 lead in the third period. From left, Brenden Morrow, Jonathan Drouin and Jason Garrison take in the aftermath.
Published June 14, 2015

TAMPA

There's no questioning the resiliency of this Lightning team, which has always seemed to find a way to win on this remarkable playoff run. • But as Tampa Bay teeters on the edge of ending its season without the Stanley Cup after Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Blackhawks in Game 5 of the final at Amalie Arena, it begged the question of whether it has another comeback left in it. • "We have no choice," center Brian Boyle said. "We have to be better. There's no moral victories at this point. I don't care how we do it. We just have to do it." • The Lightning, trailing three games to two in the best-of-seven series, will need more than one goal to complete the feat, starting with Monday's Game 6. • The league's highest-scoring offense in the regular season is slumping at the worst time. Its three losses in the series have all been by a score of 2-1. Captain Steven Stamkos has gone seven games without a goal and was held to one shot Saturday. He got just two shifts in the final five minutes of the game. • "We've got to dig a little deeper and score some goals," Stamkos said. "Just not good enough to get looks right now. We've got to find a way to score goals. And it starts with me. I need to be better."

The Lightning was dealt another big blow when its second-leading scorer, Nikita Kucherov, left the game seven minutes into the first period after suffering an upper-body injury when he collided with the left Chicago goal post. With leading scorer Tyler Johnson also appearing to be banged up — the center has just one goal in his past eight games — the Lightning's most dangerous line, the "Triplets," has been decimated.

Coach Jon Cooper had no update on Kucherov, saying he thought the Russian wing was returning to the game.

"Other guys have to step up," Stamkos said.

Goalie Ben Bishop, dealing with an undisclosed injury, started and came through with another gutsy effort with 27 saves. After not starting in Wednesday's Game 4, Bishop gave Tampa Bay a chance to win. But in an extremely tight series, with every game decided by one goal, there is no margin for error.

And Bishop made a big mistake in the first period. He darted out of his net to try to play the puck while the Blackhawks were making a line change, but instead he collided with defense­man Victor Hedman. Patrick Sharp pounced on the loose puck and put it in the open net.

"A one-in-a-million play," Cooper said.

The Lightning bounced back with a strong second period, tying the score midway through the period on a goal by Valtteri Filppula. Defenseman Jason Garrison set it up with an excellent cross-zone pass.

The Lightning has been impressively resilient, never having lost three in a row all season. If it loses Monday — a loss that would be its third straight — the season is over.

Tampa Bay can draw from its experience of overcoming a 3-2 series deficit in the first round against Detroit to beat the Red Wings in seven games. Tampa Bay also found a way to beat the President's Trophy-winning (top regular-season team) Rangers in Game 7 in the Eastern Conference final.

But this might be the toughest task, having to beat the Blackhawks, winners of two Cups in the past five years, at the United Center on Monday, then take another Game 7 on Wednesday at Amalie Arena. Cooper could tell by the look in his team's eyes after the game that the ticked-off and determined group is ready for a fight.

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"We're still alive," Cooper said. "We're not out. I think there are happy days ahead."

Blackhawks 1 0 1 2
Lightning 0 1 0 1
Blackhawks 1 0 1 2
Lightning 0 1 0 1

First Period1, Chicago, Sharp 5 (Teravainen, Toews), 6:11. PenaltiesNone.

Second Period2, Tampa Bay, Filppula 4 (Garrison, Stralman), 10:53. PenaltiesPaquette, TB (hooking), :47; Saad, Chi (slashing), 11:25.

Third Period3, Chicago, Vermette 4 (Versteeg), 2:00. PenaltiesTampa Bay bench, served by Drouin (too many men), 19:51. Shots on GoalChicago 14-8-7—29. Tampa Bay 5-12-15—32. Power-play opportunitiesChicago 0 of 2; Tampa Bay 0 of 1. GoaliesChicago, Crawford 12-6-0 (32 shots-31 saves). Tampa Bay, Bishop 13-10-0 (29-27). A19,204 (19,204). T2:32. Referees—Wes McCauley, Kevin Pollock. LinesmenDerek Amell, Brian Murphy.