The Lightning inched closer to the playoffs after defeating Edmonton 3-1 at AMALIE Arena Sunday evening, the Bolts responding after falling behind 1-0 just 14 seconds into the game with three-consecutive goals, including two from leading scorer Nikita Kucherov, his 35th and 36th of the season.
The Anaheim Ducks did the rest of the work for the Lightning after the Bolts' victory, knocking off New Jersey 4-2 at the Honda Center to ensure the Bolts, currently with 102 points, will finish ahead of the Devils in the final regular season standings.
Tampa Bay becomes the second NHL team to clinch a playoff berth, joining Nashville from the Western Conference, and the first Eastern Conference team to punch its ticket.
The Lightning have advanced to at least the Eastern Conference Final in two of the last three seasons but missed out on the postseason by just one point in 2016-17.
The Bolts return to action Tuesday to take on Atlantic Division foe Toronto at AMALIE Arena in their quest to lock up their third division championship all-time and first since the Stanley Cup 2003-04 season over the final 10 games of the regular season.
