The drama of the Eastern Conference Final will reach its apex when the Lightning and Penguins face-off in Game 7 live from the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
With a trip to the Stanley Cup Final against the Western Conference champion Sharks hanging in the balance, the intensity level will be high Thursday night.
It has already been an up-and-down series to this point.
The Lightning took Game 1 (3-1), while the Penguins bounced back with victories in Game 2 (3-2, overtime) and Game 3 (4-2). Tampa Bay then took control of the series with wins in Games 4 (4-3) and 5 (4-3, overtime), before Pittsburgh etched out a 5-2 road win in Game 6 to force the do-or-die situation.
The Penguins are trying to get back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since winning it all in seven games in 2009. The Lightning are trying to do the same for the second straight year and to win it for the first time since 2004 after falling to the Blackhawks in six games last year.
With the puck set to drop on Game 7, here are seven keys to the game.
1) 7th Heaven
Game 7 has been good to the Lightning throughout history. Tampa Bay is entering its seventh Game 7 in franchise history and is 5-1 thus far, which includes a Game 7 victory in the Eastern Conference Final last year against the Rangers. New York entered the contest 7-0 all-time in Game 7s at Madison Square Garden, but poised Tampa Bay blanked it 2-0.
The Lightning also defeated the Penguins in Pittsburgh in the winner-take-all game back in 2011, but fell to the Bruins in a Conference Final that went the distance for its only Game 7 loss to date. Tampa Bay boasts plenty of battle-tested Game 7 performers, including defenseman Anton Stralman, who is 7-0 in such contests, forward Brian Boyle (6-0) and defenseman Matt Carle (5-0).
2) 7th Hell
While the Lightning have fared well on this stage, Game 7 hasn't been kind to the Penguins lately. Pittsburgh enters this contest 7-7 all-time in such affairs, owning a ghastly 2-7 record at home. Pittsburgh has lost three straight Game 7s, which includes its last one, a 2-1 loss in 2014 to the Rangers which secured the Penguins' blown 3-1 series lead.
3) O Captain! My Captain!
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had a quiet series against the Capitals, but he's been anything but silent in his first Eastern Conference Final since 2013. Crosby has three game-winning goals in this series -- including the overtime winner in Game 2 -- and has notched five points. The Penguins captain is now 6-9--15 through 17 playoff games. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (blood clot near collarbone) has been sidelined throughout the postseason.
4) Lightning Fast
Tampa Bay uses its speed to suffocate its opponents and thus far its top line is getting it done throughout the playoffs. Alex Killorn (5-8--13), Tyler Johnson (7-10--17) and Nikita Kucherov (11-8--19) have combined for 23 goals and 49 points in 16 playoff games for the Lightning. The trio has come up big for Tampa Bay in Stamkos' absence as the Lightning has 47 goals and the line has accounted for nearly half of them.
5) HBK Line
The Penguins have countered with a dynamic line of their own in the "HBK" line of Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel, which has combined for 17 goals and 45 points. Kessel has a team-leading nine goals along with nine assists, Bonino has three goals and a club-best 12 helpers and Hagelin is (5-7--12).
6) Shooting Gallery
The Penguins have had a strong edge in shots throughout the series, the most notable of which was a 41-21 edge in Game 2 and a 48-28 advantage in Game 3, both victories. Pittsburgh has also outscored Tampa Bay 19-17 in the series as it enters this do or die Game 7.
7) Battle Between The Pipes
The Penguins are set to stick with rookie Matt Murray, who took the starting reigns back from Marc-Andre Fleury for Game 6 and stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced. Murray, 21, is 10-4 in the playoffs with a 2.30 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage.
With Ben Bishop (lower-body) still sidelined after sustaining an injury in Game 1, Andrei Vasilevskiy, 21, mans the crease for Tampa Bay to start his sixth straight game. The Lightning goaltender is 3-3 this postseason with a 2.87 GAA and a .921 save percentage.
