Bishop shuts out Red Wings as Lightning advance to 2nd round with Game 7 win
The Tampa Bay Lightning gained the only edge they needed in the decisive Game 7 and never let go.
Braydon Coburn scored early in the third period and Anton Stralman later added an empty-net insurance marker, while Ben Bishop made 31 saves to earn a 2-0 shutout victory, propelling the Lightning past the Detroit Red Wings and into the second round of the of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Lightning will now face the Montreal Canadiens in the next round.
Star Performer: With no breakout offensive performer on the night, star honors must be bestowed on Bishop, who withstood an early Detroit barrage (14 first period shots) and avoided a potential snafu on an attempt to play the puck well outside his net en route to his first career playoff shutout.
The 31 saves also marked a career-high in a playoff game.
Turning Point: In such a tight game, the ultimate turning point can't be anything other than the game-winning goal, scored on a bit of change-up by Coburn. The defenseman wound up for the one-time slap shot, and caught Petr Mrazek going the wrong way on a bit of a whiff.
Goalie Comparison: Over the course of a series in which both goaltenders were making their playoff debuts, he who ended up on the losing end posted the better overall numbers. But when it mattered most, Bishop was that much better, earning the shutout and a chance to keep piling up the playoff wins.
| GOALIE | SHOTS | GA | SAVES | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Bishop | 31 | 0 | 31 | 1.000 |
| Petr Mrazek | 16 | 1 | 15 | .938 |
Top Highlight: Of all of Bishop's saves, none was bigger than this one of the stick of Henrik Zetterberg, who was denied on a glorious chance to tie the game and of his first goal of the series.
(Courtesy: NHL.com)
Stat of the Night: The Lightning can now look ahead to a date with the Canadiens, and with the knowledge that they have been able to beat Vezina and Hart finalist Carey Price this season.
#Habs Carey Price in 2014-15 Vs #Ligthning: 0-4-1, 3.47 GAA, .906 Save % Vs Rest of NHL: 44-12-5, 1.85 GAA, .936 Save %
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) April 30, 2015
Series at a Glance:
Game 1: Red Wings 3, Lightning 2
Game 2: Lightning 5, Red Wings 1
Game 3: Red Wings 3, Lightning 0
Game 4: Lightning 3, Red Wings 2 (OT)
Game 5: Red Wings 4, Lightning 0
Game 6: Lightning 5, Red Wings 2
Game 7: Lightning 2, Red Wings 0