Fred Goodall, The Associated Press
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TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning know what kind of effort it will take to finish off the New York Rangers.
The two-time defending champions are one win away from making it to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight time.
The Rangers, trailing 3-2 in the Eastern Final, were particularly resilient in the playoffs.
After overcoming a 3-2 deficit to eliminate the Penguins in the first round, New York bounced back from losing the first two games to Carolina in the second round, defeating the Hurricanes in seven games.
Game 6 of the current series is Saturday night at Amalie Arena.
The Lightning won Games 3 and 4 at home, after losing the first two on the road.
Since the club was outscored 9-4 in the first two games at Madison Square Garden, Tampa Bay has won three straight.
The Lightning could be the first team to win three titles in a row since the Islanders popped the champagne four years in a row, starting in 1980.
Game 7, if necessary, would take place Tuesday night in New York.
The Lightning, who have won 10 consecutive series since the beginning of those of 2020, take nothing for granted.
“We know that the fourth meeting is the most difficult to win. Our mindset has to stay the same, Lightning forward Pat Maroon said.
“We know what’s at stake. We’re not taking a break,” added teammate Nick Paul. “(New York) is a very good team. If you take time off, they’ll take matters into their own hands. We have to keep the pressure on.”
The Rangers are 5-0 in the playoffs when facing elimination.
“If we don’t do our best it will be a problem because I know the Rangers will do their best,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.
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