Lightning get the night off, but still clinch a playoff spot
PITTSBURGH — The Lightning’s path to the playoffs wasn’t as easy as in recent seasons. About a month ago, they were in the middle of a logjam in the Eastern Conference standings, needing to separate themselves from the pack.
They have gone on to play their best hockey of the season over the last month, instilling confidence that they might have another deep playoff run in them despite massive roster retooling from their Stanley Cup-winning teams.
And on Friday, with a night off in Pittsburgh, the Lightning officially secured a postseason berth.
By way of three teams chasing them all losing in regulation — send flowers to the Capitals, Flyers and Red Wings — the Lightning are headed to the playoffs.
The Lightning have gone 10-1-1 in their last 12 games, taking control of their playoff fate. Their 7-4 win in Montreal on Thursday night gave them a 6-0-1 record in their last seven road games after uneven play away from Amalie Arena this season.
“Our goal is to make the playoffs and on March 1, it was touch and go,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after Thursday’s win. “But now we’re in April and we’re feeling good about our situation. ... These guys, they’ve come to work, the urgency level has gone way up and they’re getting rewarded for it.”
They are the sixth team out of the Eastern Conference to earn a playoff spot. The Maple Leafs also secured a spot on Friday.
But the Lightning’s playoff seeding is far from solidified. Even though Tampa Bay has a strong hold on the first wild-card spot, it is just two points back of Toronto for the third-place position in the Atlantic Division.
The Lightning have six games remaining heading into Saturday afternoon’s game against the Penguins.
This is the 10th time in the last 11 seasons (including seven straight) in which the Lightning have made the playoffs, a run that includes six trips to the conference final, four Stanley Cup final runs and back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021.
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