Lightning will face Rangers in Eastern Conference final

TAMPA — The Lightning will face New York in the Eastern Conference final after the Rangers advanced thanks to Monday night’s 6-2 Game 7 win against Carolina.

The conference final series will open 8 p.m. Wednesday at Madison Square Garden and will be televised on ESPN.

This will be the first time the Lightning face the Rangers in the postseason since 2014-15, when Tampa Bay beat New York in the conference final in seven games. The Lightning then lost to the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Final in six.

That was also the last time the Rangers advanced this far. This is the Lightning’s sixth trip to the final four in the last eight seasons. They are eight wins from their third straight Stanley Cup.

The Rangers won all three regular-season meetings with the Lightning this year, though one game was decided in a shootout and another was a one-goal regulation win. The Lightning lost to the Rangers 4-0 on Jan. 2 in their only game at Madison Square Garden.

New York rallied in both of their series wins this postseason, coming back from 3-1 down to the Penguins in the first round and winning two elimination games against Carolina.

Eastern Conference final

Lightning vs. Rangers

Wednesday: at Rangers, 8, ESPN

Friday: at Rangers, 8, ESPN

Sunday: at Lightning, 3, ESPN

June 7: at Lightning, 8, ESPN

June 9: at Rangers, 8, TBD*

June 11: at Lightning, 8, TBD*

June 14: at Rangers, 8, TBD*

*if necessary

Radio: All games 970-AM

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