Bolts can close out Rangers on home ice

The Tampa Bay Lightning are just one win away from advancing to their third-straight Stanley Cup Final and will have a chance to punch their ticket on home ice when they battle the New York Rangers at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday night.
The Bolts are 6-1 at AMALIE Arena this postseason and have won six consecutive games at home, matching the longest playoff home win streak in franchise history. Overall, Tampa Bay is 24-14 all-time in potential series-clinching games, including a 17-12 mark under head coach Jon Cooper.

With a win tonight, the Lightning can become just the third different franchise in NHL history to win 11 or more playoff series in a row, joining the New York Islanders (19 from 1980-84) and the Montreal Canadiens (13 from 1976-80).
While the Bolts are so close to reaching the Final, they know the job is not done with this series. All attention in the dressing room is directed towards Game 6.
"By no means do we think it's just going to happen just by showing up here today," said Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh. "We have to wrap our heads around and realize that it could be down to the wire again and we've got to stick with our process."
McDonagh left Game 5 in the third period and spent a significant amount of time back in the Tampa Bay dressing room, but was able to return for the final moments of the game. When asked about his status for Game 6, McDonagh kept it short and sweet.
"Everything's good," said McDonagh.

One of the most important players on the Bolts roster, having McDonagh available on the back end provides a huge boost for the Lightning. However, there's still one more player they would like to see back in their lineup and that's Brayden Point.
Point was on the ice at morning skate once again on Saturday, but Cooper said the team won't know his status for Game 6 until later on today.
"If you see him in warm-ups, then it's probably a game-time decision," Cooper said. "If you don't see him in warm-ups, that pretty much tells you what's going on with him. We'll see how he's feeling after the skate."
Tampa Bay has won three straight games entering tonight's contest after falling behind 0-2 to start the series. After a long layoff following the Second Round, the Bolts played some uncharacteristic hockey in the first two games of the series. Now that they've got their feet under them, the Lightning look to have found a recipe and they'll hope they can execute their game plan against the Rangers one more time on Saturday night.
New York has been down 3-2 in both of their previous series in this year's postseason. Tonight, Tampa Bay can expect the biggest push yet from the Rangers, who have their backs against the wall once again. New York is going to play desperate and it will be up to the Bolts to match that desperation.
"Playing desperate helps us play better within our structure in our system," McDonagh said. "We need to continue to do the same here and realize, yeah, we pulled it out last game, but it was pretty tight there all the way down the whole game. It could've gone either way."
One advantage Tampa Bay will have on home ice is the last change. Anthony Cirelli has been a consistent shutdown center for the Lightning all postseason and will likely be used in that same capacity tonight.
A third-round pick by the Bolts in the 2015 NHL Draft, Cirelli has consistently been a top player for the Lightning over the past several seasons. Whether it's shutting down his opponent, getting in on the forecheck, or making plays offensively, Cirelli can be counted on by his teammates and coaching staff.
"You just watch him as that first forechecker, he's as good as I've seen," Cooper said. "He just anticipates. His stick position, his body position. He knows, if he's not getting the puck, he's not letting the man by him, but usually he comes out with both.
"He's like a fierce hound. He is just on it.
"When you kind of have that 'No Quit' in you and that relentless attitude, well, that helps, especially in all those situations when you're playing without the puck."

Nick Paul played against Cirelli back in their junior hockey days in the Ontario Hockey League. When Paul looks back on the challenge Cirelli presented back then, he sees a lot of those same traits years later.
"Even back when I played in the OHL, just his details and work ethic are unmatched," Paul said. "He does everything right, everything hard. Leaves everything on the ice every shift. He's stayed the same way and it's been successful for him.
"Draws, PK. You need a big goal, he'll step up and score it as well.
"He's a very hard-working, skilled, hard-nosed, tough player. It's no accident how he got to where he is now. That's how I remember him and that's how he still is."
The Bolts have done a good job playing disciplined hockey and staying out of the box over the past few games. If they can continue to do that while also managing the puck, they will give themselves a great chance at advancing.
Tampa Bay has performed extremely well at 5-on-5 during this series, particularly over their last three contests.
In Games 3, 4, and 5, the Lightning generated 73.7%, 70%, and 72.2% of the high-danger scoring chances at 5-on-5, respectively.
They've stayed patient, stuck to their system, eliminated turnovers, and played simple hockey by dumping the puck in once they cross the red line and getting in hard on the forecheck.
"I think that's been a big trademark of the guys, not chasing things, regardless of what the score was," said Cooper following Game 5. "Regardless of if you're behind in a game like we were tonight. Regardless of if the game's tied. You play it to the end and guys have done that.
"When the game is run by a clock, there's a finishing time. You've got to play within that.
"The game-winning goal could've come in the first minute or it could come in the last minute. It doesn't really matter when it comes. You've just got to get it."
Tampa Bay will look to play with that same patience and attitude tonight, but there has to be a balance. The Lightning have to be sure that they don't just sit back on their heels as the Rangers are undoubtedly going to push hard in a must-win game for their group.
"I expect their best game with the guy they have leading the charge behind the bench," said Cooper. "He's a hell of a coach. He'll have them going.

"The New York Rangers are a better team today than they were opening night of the playoffs.
"They've gotten better as a group. I would expect nothing less than an outstanding effort from them.
"In saying that, just because we're going home, it would be naive for us to think that now we're going back here and we're just going to win this game. Not a chance."
When those pushes come from the Rangers, the Bolts will have to defend hard and Andrei Vasilevskiy will certainly be called upon to make some key saves throughout the contest.
Vasilevskiy has been at his best in moments like this. When the lights shine the brightest, he elevates his game. In the last seven series-clinching wins, Vasilevskiy has faced a total of 200 shots and surrendered just one goal.
The 'Big Cat' has posted six series-clinching shutouts in his career, including a 49-save shutout against the Florida Panthers in Game 4 of the Second Round.
Tampa Bay will hope that they don't need that grand of a performance from Vasilevskiy tonight, but at the very least, the Lightning can have some comfortability knowing they have number 88 between the pipes.
"It's all about the team," said Vasilevskiy prior to the start of the Eastern Conference Final. "Our team will have to worry about ourselves. If we'll be playing the same way as we played in the first three games against Florida, we'll be fine."
With a golden opportunity in front of them on home ice, the Bolts are just 60 minutes away from reaching the final stage. There are players that will never get the chance to play in a Conference Final, let alone play for a chance to win the Stanley Cup.
"You can't let these opportunities slide," said McDonagh. "Your tomorrows are running out, even at this position. You want to continue to play.
"You've got to find a way to close them out one more time here."