Bolts want to avoid another trip to New Jersey with Game 5 win

Naturally, the Tampa Bay Lightning would like to close out their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series against the New Jersey Devils in Game 5 Saturday afternoon at AMALIE Arena.
The Lightning lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 following a 3-1 Game 4 victory in New Jersey. The Bolts are focused on taking care of business at home to advance to the next round and avoid a trip back to the Garden State.

But beyond finishing off the Devils when they have the opportunity, the Lightning would also like to get some rest, both mentally and physically, for the next playoff series. The playoffs are a grind, and the more chance you get to rest and relax during the postseason, the better your odds of a long playoff run.
Case in point: The 2003-04 Tampa Bay team needed just nine games total to get through the first two rounds of the playoffs and credited those relatively short series with providing them energy to get through two grueling seven-game series in the Eastern Conference Finals against Philadelphia and in the Stanley Cup Final versus Calgary.
"That's part of the whole thing is if you have a chance to win a series early, do it," Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. "Yeah, do you want to have to go back to Jersey and play more? No, you don't want to do that. It's the travel, the wear. But just to get that mental and physical rest and then sit around and hope all the other series go deep. But in all seriousness, it's all about just trying to get the rest. If you have this opportunity, you hope to take advantage of it."

So you'd prefer to take time off in the middle of the playoffs as opposed to jumping right into the next series, even if you're playing hot?
"Yeah, there's no question," Cooper answered. "These series take a lot out of you. You watch these first few games, it's a pretty physical affair. Just to have that opportunity to mend the body is one thing, but don't underestimate mending the mind. Because there's so much put into these games and there's so much focus and there's pressure levels and stress levels, just to be able to sit back and breathe a little bit is good."
The Lightning are expecting to get the Devils' best shot on Saturday. New Jersey is fighting just to prolong the series and get back to home ice for one more game. And with one more loss ending their season, the Devils should be plenty motivated for Game 5.
"We know that this is the toughest game to win, the fourth game," Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. "We have past experience. We know we want to finish it off at home and we know they want to get back home. It's going to be the toughest one, but we're ready."
Tampa Bay has never lost a playoff series when up 3-1. The Lightning own a 3-1 record in games where they're 3-1 in a series, the only loss coming in Game 5 of a 2015 Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup against Montreal, the Canadiens winning 2-1 on home ice. The Lightning closed out the series in Game 6.
The Lightning are 8-3 all-time in clinching games at home.
"(New Jersey's) going to put up a great fight," Bolts defenseman Dan Girardi said. "We need to be ready for their intensity at the start for sure. It's not a wait and see game. We have to make sure we dictate play the first five (minutes) and get our home crowd behind us and create some energy off that."
HEDMAN APOLOGIZES FOR HIT: With tempers reaching a boiling point late in the third period of Tampa Bay's 5-2 Game 3 loss in New Jersey, Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman used his stick to hit the Devils' Nico Hischier in a sensitive area. Hischier was doubled over in pain and was irate with Hedman, and the two were seen jawing back and forth after the incident. No penalty was called on the play.
On Friday, following Tampa Bay's practice at the Ice Sports Forum in preparation for Game 5, Hedman said he was wrong for his actions and had reached out to Hischier.
"I texted Nico right after the game and apologized," Hedman said. "That's one of those plays that don't belong on the ice. Obviously, frustration sets in. That was an immature play by my part, so I texted him right away after and apologized."
New Jersey fans were understandably upset with Hedman during Game 4 and booed the defenseman every time he touched the puck on Wednesday.
"The crowd did the right thing of booing me," Hedman admitted.
Switching gears, on Thursday, Hedman was announced as a finalist for the Norris Trophy along with Nashville's P.K. Subban and Los Angeles' Drew Doughty. Hedman is one of three finalists for the second-straight season after winding up third in last season's voting.
"It's a big honor, something that I really cherish," Hedman said. "It's going to be fun once again to go (to Las Vegas) and have a chance to win a big individual prize. Very honored, very flattered and very proud about it."
Hedman has a good chance to capture this year's trophy despite his offensive numbers coming up short of last year's totals. Hedman set a career high for goals (17) in 2017-18 and recorded 63 points, becoming the first Lightning defenseman to record back-to-back 60-plus point seasons.
Hedman set a franchise record for defenseman scoring in 2016-17 with 72 points.
"I think I had a higher standard throughout the 82 games this year," Hedman said, comparing his performance this season to last season. "Maybe I don't reach the same amount of points as I did last year, but I don't think that's what they go after. I think my all-around game was much better this year, playing a lot of minutes and playing in all situations and felt like I contributed in all three zones and played my game."
CALLAHAN GAME-TIME DECISION: Ryan Callahan could return to the Lightning lineup for Game 5.
Callahan has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury after leaving late in the second period of Game 2 and not returning. Callahan was a full participant at Friday's Lightning practice and skated during line rushes in his usual spot at fourth line right wing alongside Chris Kunitz and Cedric Paquette. Callahan alternated rushes with Cory Conacher, who has filled in during Callahan's absence.
Cooper said the team will wait until tomorrow to decide whether Callahan can play.
"He's progressing, so we'll re-evaluate him here today and see how he's doing, but he's definitely going to be a game-time decision," Cooper said.