Winner take all: Pens, Lightning in Game 7

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.

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

The Pittsburgh Penguins have the edge in playoff experience. Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher sees it differently, saying that the Lightning have played in more Game 7s this season.

Two, in fact — both in this series.

“For us, it’s been a Game 7,” Boucher said Tuesday. “We’ve been playing Game 7 hockey for the past two games, and we’re not about to change our attitude.”

The Lightning won each of the last two games while facing elimination, coming back from a 3-1 series deficit to tie the best-of-seven first-round series at three games apiece.

Game 7 is tonight in Pittsburgh, and this time — for the first time this postseason — the Penguins will know that a loss means the end of their season.

“We would have taken it in five or six, but we knew we were playing a good opponent,” Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma said. “We knew they would respond. We knew they are a hardworking group. We know what they’re good at. We fully expect to be entrenched in a battle with Tampa Bay.”

The Lightning haven’t even had to get into too much of a battle in winning the past two games at Consol Energy Center. In winning Games 2 and 5 there, Tampa Bay outscored the Penguins 13-3.

During a playoff season in which the road teams have won more often than those at home, will the venue matter?

It hasn’t over the history of the Penguins’ franchise. They are 2-5 in Game 7s at home — they’ve won all five they’ve had on the road — including losing 5-2 to Montreal in Game 7 of the second round last season, the final game ever played at the Civic Arena.

“We’ve won in this building, and that’s a good thing because we have that confidence coming in,” Lightning sniper Steven Stamkos said.

Only a handful of Tampa Bay players have experience playing in a Game 7. Pittsburgh has been in three over the past two postseasons, winning two en route to taking the Stanley Cup in 2009.

“None of us are even thinking about what happens if we lose right now,” Penguins defenseman Paul Martin said. “That shouldn’t even enter your head. We know we’re in our own building here and we know what’s made us successful thus far and what we’ve done to win games. I think we need to focus on staying positive and doing the right things, and the outcome will take care of itself.”

The Lightning are preaching a similar mantra.

Boucher was pleased with how his team did not allow what he considered to be a Pittsburgh scoring chance over the final 10 minutes of Game 6 on Monday.

“We’ve been facing elimination the last two games and we came out each game with the right frame of mind and the structure was really good,” Lightning captain Vincent Lecavalier said.

Tampa Bay also figures to continue to approach killing penalties the same way it has after the Penguins have scored only once in 30 power-play opportunities.

Pittsburgh’s power play ranked 25th in the NHL during the regular season — and it’s gotten worse.