Lightning survive, force game seven

Photo by: Chris O'Meara

AP

Photo

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Martin St. Louis (26) knocks the puck away from Pittsburgh Penguins center Jordan Staal (11) during the third period in Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series Monday, April 25, 2011 in Tampa, Fla.

Photo by: Chris O'Meara

AP

Photo

Pittsburgh Penguins center Maxime Talbot (25) is stopped by Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson (35) during the third period in Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series Monday, April 25, 2011 in Tampa, Fla.

Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla.

The Tampa Bay Lightning followed Dwayne Roloson’s lead to remain alive in the NHL playoffs.

The 41-year-old goaltender, who says the key to thriving in the postseason is to have a short-term memory, stopped 27 shots Monday night to outplay Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre Fleury and beat the Penguins 4-2 to force a Game 7 in their first-round Eastern Conference series.

The deciding game is Wednesday night in Pittsburgh, where fifth-seeded Tampa Bay has already won twice this postseason, including an 8-2 Game 5 blowout that began its comeback from a 3-1 deficit in the series.

“We just played two Game 7s because that is the position we are in,” Lightning coach Guy Boucher said after his team avoided elimination for the second time in three days. “That fifth game was a do or die for us, and the sixth was a do or die.”

Steve Downie put the Lightning ahead for good, scoring just over a minute after Pittsburgh’s Jordan Staal gave the fourth-seeded Penguins life with a goal that made it 2-2 early in the third. Teddy Purcell, Sean Bergenheim and Ryan Malone also scored against Fleury, who faltered for the second straight game.

“It’s a seven-game series. They’re a good team,” Pittsburgh’s James Neal said. “We’ve played them hard all series long. It comes down to one now. Lay it out on the line ... do what we can, and come out with the win.”

Pulled after yielding four goals on 14 shots in Game 5, Fleury couldn’t protect an early lead and struggled again when Pittsburgh looked like it had regained momentum.

The Pittsburgh goalie was spectacular in Game 1, delivering an acrobatic 32-save performance that produced his fifth career postseason shutout. He’s struggled in the Penguins’ three losses and allowed the Lightning to rally from two-goal deficits in two games Pittsburgh went on to win.

“We know we can play,” Fleury said. “I’m still positive and think we can do it.”

Downie’s go-ahead goal came moments after Roloson rejected point-blank shots by Maxime Talbot and Pascal Dupuis. The Tampa Bay goalie also was at his best in the second period, when the Lightning killed four penalties and Pittsburgh’s Chris Conner failed to score on a penalty shot that would have tied the score.

Malone beat Fleury, who had 17 saves, on a breakaway to make it 4-2 midway through the third.

“We stayed with our game plan and did what we had to do to win a hockey game,” said Roloson, who rebounded from giving up an overtime goal that ended Game 4 to stop 31 shots on Saturday and continue to outshine Fleury on Monday night. “We didn’t change anything.”

The Lightning goalie stopped two shots by Talbot and a rebound by Dupuis before Downie scored seconds later.

“Goalies have to be outstanding in the playoffs. ... That was a key moment. It was an uplift for the team,” Boucher said.

“That’s what Rollie does,” Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos said. “He steps up to the challenge.”

Stamkos, Simon Gagne and Pavel Kubina each scored two goals in the Lightning’s Game 5 win.