TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Given a second chance to clinch their first trip to the Stanley Cup finals, the Tampa Bay Lightning redeemed themselves.
Ruslan Fedotenko and Fredrik Modin scored and Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 21 shots as the Lightning rebounded from a disappointing loss in the Eastern Conference finals and beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 in Game 7 on Saturday night.
The victory sends Dave Andreychuk and the Lightning into the Cup finals against the Calgary Flames, who won the Western Conference title in six games over San Jose Sharks. Game 1 is Tuesday night in Tampa.
Andreychuk, in his 22nd season, has played more regular season games (1,597) than any other active player without appearing in the Cup finals. Two other teams he played on Toronto in 1993 and Colorado in 2000 lost Game 7 of the conference finals.
The Flyers were denied their first trip to the finals since 1997, but didn't go down without a fight after rallying to tie Game 6 late in regulation and win it in overtime. Keith Primeau and Simon Gagne saved Philadelphia's season on Thursday night, and goalie Robert Esche kept Game 7 from getting out of hand.
Fedotenko's deflection on the power play gave the Lightning a 1-0 lead late in the first period. Modin scored 4:57 into the second to make it 2-0 and whip a sellout crowd of 22,117 for Tampa Bay's first Game 7 into a frenzy.
Kim Johnsson's goal trimmed Philadelphia deficit to 2-1 midway through the second, and Esche stopped 17 shots in the period to keep the Flyers in the game.
Neither team managed to win two straight in the series.
wil.
Ruslan Fedotenko and Fredrik Modin scored and Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 21 shots as the Lightning rebounded from a disappointing loss in the Eastern Conference finals and beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 in Game 7 on Saturday night.
The victory sends Dave Andreychuk and the Lightning into the Cup finals against the Calgary Flames, who won the Western Conference title in six games over San Jose Sharks. Game 1 is Tuesday night in Tampa.
Andreychuk, in his 22nd season, has played more regular season games (1,597) than any other active player without appearing in the Cup finals. Two other teams he played on Toronto in 1993 and Colorado in 2000 lost Game 7 of the conference finals.
The Flyers were denied their first trip to the finals since 1997, but didn't go down without a fight after rallying to tie Game 6 late in regulation and win it in overtime. Keith Primeau and Simon Gagne saved Philadelphia's season on Thursday night, and goalie Robert Esche kept Game 7 from getting out of hand.
Fedotenko's deflection on the power play gave the Lightning a 1-0 lead late in the first period. Modin scored 4:57 into the second to make it 2-0 and whip a sellout crowd of 22,117 for Tampa Bay's first Game 7 into a frenzy.
Kim Johnsson's goal trimmed Philadelphia deficit to 2-1 midway through the second, and Esche stopped 17 shots in the period to keep the Flyers in the game.
Neither team managed to win two straight in the series.
wil.
Power Play KILLED us. Of course like Hitch said our best power play D men watched most of this series from home (Desjardins and Ragnarsson). I'm proud of them but really deflated after a game like that. This one stings.
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