The Tampa Bay Lightning have done something impressive, advancing to the Eastern Conference Final for the third time in four seasons with a 3-1 series clinching win against the Boston Bruins on Sunday.
Tampa Bay is the eighth team in the past 20 years to clinch a berth in the Conference Final three times in a four-season span.
Tampa Bay will now face the the winner of the Pittsburgh Penguins-Washington Capitals second-round series.
“It’s good but it will be gratifying if we win two more series,” Lightning forward Ryan Callahan said (h/t NHL.com). “We’ve been here before so the shock and awe of really getting this far really isn’t there. We are happy with our first two series, but there is so much more work to do and we realize that.”
Tampa Bay will now focus on rest as they await their next round opponent.
“We won four in a row, I don’t think it has anything to do with our mindset other than we got over a hill, we needed to do to beat the Boston Bruins, who I can’t say enough that they’re an exceptional hockey team” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.
“But it just gives us rest. There’s some banged up bodies in there. That’s what happens when you go through playoff rounds. Anything you get the rest, not only the body but also the mind, it’s huge for us.”
