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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated Tampa Bay Lighting 7-3 to complete what is arguably the most unlikely playoff game in modern NHL history.
This was the 18th season of the NHL Blue Jackets and the franchise had not won a playoff series before beating Lightning, the Stanley Cup favorite, who tied a NHL regular season record with 62 wins, in the best of seven games. Quarterfinal conference.
The Lightning won the Presidents' Trophy as the first NHL team. This is the first time that a winner of the Presidents' Trophy is swept in the first round.
Since 1987, the bottom seed has gained 37.5% of the time in the opening round of the NHL. But few people have seen this anger come. The Lightning were the best offensive team in the league and the Blue Jackets ranked them best 19-8 in the series.
The Lightning were the NHL's best team this season and the Blue Jackets placed 28th on the power play. But the Blue Jackets have found a way to go 5 to 10 with the men's advantage.
At the same time, the Tampa Bay power play, leader in the standings, hasgoal against the Blue Jackets.
Seth Jones celebrates a Blue Jacket goal with his teammates in Game 4. (Photo: Aaron Doster, USA TODAY Sports)
The Lightning will be compared to the 1970-1971 Bruins (eliminated by the Montreal Canadiens with Ken Dryden in goals) or the Edmonton Oilers from 1981-1982 (eliminated by the Los Angeles Kings last season) Wayne Gretzky scored 92 goals and 212 points). But the Bruins and Oilers playoffs have both gone the distance.
This situation is similar to that of the Detroit Red Wings in 2002-03 swept by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, led by Jean-Sébastien Giguère. However, the Ducks were a No. 7 seed and the Red Wings were not the winners of the President's trophy. In addition, the Wings had won the Stanley Cup the previous season – which this group with the Lightning has not yet accomplished.
The Blue Jackets won this series for the following reasons: ruthless defeat, tight defensive play, improved power play and strong goalkeeper. Sergei Bobrovsky had a .940 save percentage in the fourth game and stopped 30 of 33 in the final.
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Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Tyler Johnson combined for only two goals in four games. This quartet scored 156 goals in the regular season. Goalkeeper Andrei Vasilevskiy was not at his best. Defender Victor Hedman was injured. The Lightning was not the same team we saw throughout the season.
In match 4, the Blue Jackets took charge of the match in the first match with Alexandre Texier and Pierre-Luc Dubois scoring early goals. The first four minutes were like a microcosm of the series. The Blue Jackets played with a braggart and the Lightning, a team that should have one, did not do it.
The Blue Jackets have never stopped pushing. Even when the Lightning came back to 3-3 at the end of the second period, the Blue Jackets took advantage 54 seconds later with the goal of Oliver Bjorkstrand. They resisted Lightning's thrust in the third period and potted three empty goals to seal it.
For the first time, the Blue Jackets will face the winner of the series between the Bruins and the Maple Leafs. After a historic regular season, the Lightning is the first team eliminated.
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