Bruins vs Red Wings

For additional insight into the Eastern Conference First Round series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Detroit Red Wings NHL.com has enlisted the help of Claude Noël to break down the action. Noel will be checking in throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Noel was coach for the Winnipeg Jets from 2011-2014 and interim coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2009-10. He also coached many years in the minor leagues, including the American Hockey League. Noel, a forward during his playing days, had 138 points in 353 regular-season games in the AHL, and he played seven games in the NHL with Washington Capitals in 1979-80.

The Detroit Red Wings appeared to have the perfect formula in place against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference First Round series at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit on Thursday.

DETROIT -- With the Tampa Bay Lightning down 2-1 to the Detroit Red Wings in the Eastern Conference First Round, all eyes are on Steven Stamkos.

The Lightning center and captain had 43 goals during the regular season, but has been held to two assists in the first three games of the best-of-7 series.

"I just think, personally, I've got to be better, like all of us," Stamkos said after practice Wednesday. "Take a good look in the mirror … like all of us. We can be better."

Tampa Bay was shut out 3-0 in Game 3 on Tuesday, when Detroit goalie Petr Mrazek made 22 saves. Game 4 is Thursday at Joe Louis Arena (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports, FS-F, FS-D).

For additional insight into the Eastern Conference First Round series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Detroit Red Wings NHL.com has enlisted the help of Claude Noël to break down the action. Noel will be checking in throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Noel was coach for the Winnipeg Jets from 2011-2014 and interim coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2009-10. He also coached many years in the minor leagues, including the American Hockey League. Noel a forward during his playing days, had 138 points in 353 regular-season games in the AHL, and he played seven games in the NHL with Washington Capitals in 1979-80.

The ebbs and flows of every hockey game are inevitable, but the fine line between winning and losing usually comes down to which team is able to take advantage of that golden opportunity when it presents itself.

Claude Noel believes the Tampa Bay Lightning failed to capitalize on that moment when presented a 5-on-3 power play for 56 seconds early in the second period of an eventual 3-0 loss against the Detroit Red Wings in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference First Round series Tuesday. The win gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 with Game 4 set for Thursday at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit (7 p.m. ET; CBC, NBCSN, TVA Sports, FS-F, FS-D).

"I felt Detroit really carried the play and was really coming at Tampa Bay hard early in the second and the Lightning weren't able to generate any offense, but then they got the power play and then a 5-on-3 advantage," Noel said. "That to me was one of the turning points of the game or could have been. Tampa did get a shot off the crossbar (by Tyler Johnson), but beyond that had a couple of non-executed plays that resulted in not getting much done on the 5-on-3. I thought that could have been a turning point that they could take advantage."

DETROIT – No matter how well or badly the Detroit Red Wings were playing during the 2014-15 regular season, they typically outshot their opponents.

But that hasn't been the case during the first two games of their Eastern Conference First Round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, which is tied 1-1, going into Game 3 on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports, FS-F, FS-D) at Joe Louis Arena.

Tampa Bay has outshot Detroit by a combined 76-38, mostly on the strength of a 46-14 advantage in Game 1, when the Red Wings' Petr Mrazek made 44 saves in his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut and allowed Detroit to escape with a 3-2 win.

The Lightning had a 30-24 edge Saturday in their 5-1 win.

"In Game 2, I thought we played a better game than in Game 1. I thought we spent more time in their zone, created more chances but lost even though we played better," Red Wings right wing Gustav Nyquist said. "It's a best-of-5 series right now. We can't look back. We're done with those two games."

BRANDON, Fla. -- General manager Steve Yzerman is pleased to have the Tampa Bay Lightning back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a second straight season.

However, the 2009 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee isn't so excited the opponent for their Eastern Conference First Round series, which begins at Amalie Arena on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; CNBC, SN, TVA Sports 2, FS-D, FS-F), is the Detroit Red Wings.

Yzerman scored 762 goals and had 1,178 assists in 1,710 regular-season and playoff games in his 23 seasons in Detroit, where he won the Stanley Cup three times as a player and once as a member of the front office before departing for Tampa Bay in 2010.

"I'd prefer to play other teams, but obviously I have tremendous respect for the [Detroit] organization from the top to the bottom," Yzerman said. "They've been one of the elite franchises in professional sports for a long time and continue to be and will continue to be beyond this year. So I have great admiration for them."

BRANDON, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman wouldn't want to deal with another outcome like the four-game sweep the Montreal Canadiens handed them in the Eastern Conference First Round last season.

Hedman, however, said the experience was good for the Lightning, who this year play Game 1 of the first round against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; CNBC, SN, TVA Sports 2, FS-F, FS-D).

"Everyone knows what to expect now," Hedman said. "We've gotten that disappointment out of the way and got that experience out of the way. Everyone's excited to get back. We're hungry to win. I think every team in the [Stanley Cup Playoffs] is hungry. At the same time, we have to go in there and be prepared. It's going to be a tough challenge but we're healthy and ready to go."

DETROIT -- Steve Yzerman has been Tampa Bay Lightning general manager for five years and they have played the Detroit Red Wings in many games during that time.

But the Eastern Conference First Round will be the first time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs the Red Wings will play the team put together by the man who was the face of their franchise for so many years.

Game 1 is Thursday at Amalie Arena (7:30 p.m. ET; CNBC, SN, TVA Sports 2, FS-D, FS-F).

Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper bet on himself 12 years ago. He had the winning ticket.

"Was I nervous in the sense that I was giving up a law practice that I worked really hard to try [to] develop to go and become a hockey coach? Yes, that part made me nervous," Cooper said. "But did I ever feel like I couldn't do it? No, I never felt like I couldn't do it."

Cooper will be behind the bench Thursday at Amalie Arena for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Detroit Red Wings (7:30 p.m. ET; CNBC, TVA Sports, SN, FS-D, FS-F). The Lightning hope to start what could be a long, successful journey in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Cooper knows about long journeys and how they can lead to unexpected success.

BRANDON, Fla. -- The future of the Tampa Bay Lightning's goaltending situation after this season is unknown, but one thing is clear as they head into the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs: This is Ben Bishop's team, so it's his postseason to succeed or fail.

Although the 6-foot-7 Bishop has never played in an NHL playoff game, he's been among the best in the League over the past two regular seasons, winning 77 games with nine shutouts. And although his goals-against average and save percentage numbers slipped slightly, Bishop faced fewer shots on goal this season because of an improved Lightning defense.

"I think that's one thing people don't consider when they look at my numbers and see the save percentage numbers are a little lower," Bishop, 28, said. "But last year I was facing 35 shots a game, and this year I've had many games were I faced 20 shots or less. Give up two goals on 19 shots and the save percentage won't look as good, but all that matters to me is the win."

There are a few things teams need to have to win the Stanley Cup, from a deep offense to a mobile but stout defense and a goaltender who makes all the important saves.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have all those pieces in place, and that's why they will win the Stanley Cup.

Captain Steven Stamkos draws most of the attention when it comes to the Lightning, and with good reason. Along with being one of the purest goal scorers in the League, Stamkos has the ability to elevate the play of his linemates.

But what separates the Lightning from the pack is the depth of their offense. Their second line of Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov arguably is the best 5-on-5 line in the NHL. They've combined for more than 90 points on the ice together at even strength; that ranks them in the top two among all lines, and about 60 points better than the Lightning's next highest-scoring line. Johnson, Palat and Kucherov each has a plus/minus of plus-30 or better.