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TAMPA, Fla. – Frustration began early Friday night, after the Blue Jackets scored two goals in the first period, making the locals anxious at Amalie Arena.
At the end of the second period, with a 3-0 lead over the Jackets and a 5-1 win over a match won, Tampa Bay Lightning fans' worries were incorporated into a waterfall of hopes.
Was it really happening? At the lightning? With the courtesy of the Blue Jackets, a team she triumphed over in all three games of the regular season series?
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It was a team that skated easily with the Atlantic Division and won the NHL Presidents' Trophy with 128 points actually laundered, three goals in 40 minutes, against a team that had to scratch and scratch just to win the last joker of the season. Eastern Conference. square?
Short answers: yes, yes, and you bet.
Already holding a superb 4-3 win in the first game on Wednesday, the Blue Jackets continued their breathtaking run to start the Stanley Cup Playoffs by shocking the Lightning, its fans and all who watched what was going on. had happened in the first two games of this series.
"It's really great for the confidence in the locker room and the guys who feel good," said Cam Atkinson before the game, referring to how the Blue Jackets dictated the game in the last two periods of the first day. from the Serie. "They go 3-0 in the first period (of match 1), I'm sure, you know, they thought they were going … that it would probably be an easier match."
Everyone thought it would be an easier game for Tampa Bay. Everyone thought it was going to be a kid game for the Lightning in this series.
"Except us in the locker room," said Atkinson, who scored the first of those two goals in the first period on Friday.
Since the Lightning took a 3-0 lead in the first period of the first game – many loyal Blue Jackets whispering "we're still going" – the Jackets have reversed what was expected.
"Here we are again" now has a whole new meaning, after the Blue Jackets have dominated the next five periods, scored seven unanswered goals and got the same lead in the 2-0 series that they won ago. a year against the Washington Capitals.
It worked with the Capitals, who won four straight victories to steal the series and then use it as a launching pad for their journey to the Stanley Cup. They became the second consecutive team to oust the playoff Jackets in the first round and then win the Cup, and the Blue Jackets have lived with this sting all season off.
They also had a regular season full of drama, just to come back here, and now they have a "do over" tight in their gloves.
They also have a team full of talent, heart and courage, as well as strong goalkeepers Sergei Bobrovsky (23 stops).
Matt Duchene led the charge this time, with four points on a goal and three assists. Artemi Panarin had one goal and one assist, Zach Werenski had his goal, his assist and his first professional fight – winning a "Gordie Howe hat trick" by separating with Brayden Point – and the Jackets also won with special teams ( 2 to 4 on power games).
Riley Nash also scored a goal, and it was a great goal to give the Blue Jackets three goals after Mikhail Sergachev scored Tampa Bay on the board five minutes into the third period.
@BrianHedger
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