Storylines aplenty leading into Game 1 between the Bolts and Rangers

Tonight, we're going to party like it's 2015.
Seven years later, we have another Eastern Conference Final featuring the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers with plenty of storylines all throughout this series.
You could start with the two Russian goaltenders in Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin.
There's Barclay Goodrow going against the team that he won back-to-back Stanley Cups with over the past two seasons.
Will the Bolts benefit from the rest, or will there be rust?
Does the Rangers' 3-0 record against the Lightning in the regular season matter?
It should be a great series between two of the NHL's top teams. Heading into Game 1, there's a lot of respect being shown from both sides.

"They've been there," said former Tampa Bay and current New York forward Barclay Goodrow. "They know what it takes. We want to be the best and in order to be the best, you've got to go through the best.
"They're defending Champs and have put another great season together and played well so far in these playoffs. We're all excited about it. We're excited about the challenge."

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper knows the challenge the Rangers present for his group and has been impressed with what New York has been able to do this season.
"I think the underlying thing is they defend," Cooper said. "They've got trust in their goalie and they defend. I don't think they get enough credit for that.
"When you get this far, there's not a whole lot of holes in your game. That's why both teams are here. These are two really good teams with some dynamic players on both ends with defenders, with goalies. It's got it all.
"To sit here and watch the Rangers grow through the year, they've done what they're supposed to do and they deserve to be here. It should be a good series."
The Lightning are led offensively by their star winger, Nikita Kucherov, who leads the team with 15 points in 11 games. His 11 assists lead Tampa Bay, while his four goals are tied for second-most on the team.
In four games against the Panthers last series, Kucherov scored two goals and added five assists for seven points.
"I've played with some Hall of Fame players, but this guy's special," said Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos when asked about Kucherov. "You just have to appreciate it while you're watching it right now because it's pretty remarkable what he's been able to do, especially at this time of the year."
On the other side, the Rangers are led by Swedish center Mika Zibanejad, who has scored seven goals and added 12 assists for 19 points in 14 games this postseason.
The one player on this Rangers roster that faced the Lightning in the 2015 Eastern Conference Final is forward Chris Kreider, who leads New York with eight goals during this year's playoffs. Kreider, however, isn't the only player in this series that was playing with the Rangers in 2015. Tampa Bay defenseman Ryan McDonagh was with New York and played in all seven games that series while leading his team with 21:22 average time on ice.
"Mac is one of the best humans that I've ever played with," said Kreider. "I learned so much from him about how to be a pro, how to conduct yourself on and off the ice. The number of things that he did for our group when he was here, it's a very, very long list.
"He was our example of what it was to be a Ranger and he's been instrumental for them in all the success that they've had.
"I don't know if you can call him an unsung hero because he does it so often. He does it every single shift. It's kind of obvious what he brings to the table at this point."
McDonagh has brought that same mentality to Tampa Bay and leads the Lightning with 33 blocked shots and a plus-five rating this postseason. No player in NHL history has recorded more blocked shots in the playoffs than McDonagh, who currently has 394. It's that selfless, team-first mentality that has helped the Bolts get to this Eastern Conference Final.
"McDonagh, there's a reason he's played in so many playoff games in his career, because he's like a star," Cooper explained. "Those plays you make when you don't have the puck are sometimes the biggest ones.
"Keeps himself in shape. He's a pro. Always look for guys that skating is their biggest attribute because they can play longer minutes. He doesn't labor around the ice.
"He's an extreme competitor, but I guess most of all, he's a gamer."

The only Lightning skater who has averaged more ice time than McDonagh through the team's first 11 playoff games is Victor Hedman, who is averaging 25:03 worth of time on ice per game.
The big, Swedish defenseman ranks second on Tampa Bay with 22 blocked shots this postseason. He ranks second on the team in points with 10 (2G, 8A) and leads all Lightning defensemen in goals, assists, points, power-play goals (2), power-play points (6) and shots (39).
"Obviously, Victor Hedman is one of the best defensemen in the world as well," Kreider said.
An integral piece of Tampa Bay's defensive core in 2015, Hedman is at the top of his game seven years later. Despite losing all three matchups against the Rangers in the regular season, Hedman knows this group has what it takes to win this series, but they're going to have to take down a great team in their biggest challenge yet this postseason.
"Obviously they had our number in the in the regular season, but this is a different time of the year," Hedman said. "When it's down to four teams, there's elite teams left. We're one of them and they are too. It's going to be a great series.
"Me and Stammer have been a part of this before, seven years ago, so it'll be a great time again to go up to New York. It's a good building to play in, so we're super excited."
The Rangers have a star of their own on the back end in Adam Fox, who won the Norris Trophy just last season.
Fox leads all defensemen this postseason in goals (5), assists (13) and points (18). He ranks second among all Rangers skaters in points and leads the team is assists. The Lightning will have to contain Fox, especially on the power play, if they want to be successful in this series.
"He's depended on a lot for that team's success," McDonagh said. "I think you can see he's handling it pretty well, obviously, with the way he's played and he's been a big help as far as getting the team to the Conference Final.
"I don't really know him too well personally, but he just seems to be playing to his game. You see him make an impact pretty much every night, getting on the score sheet, moving the puck, getting the puck in the hands of their skill guys and, if not, finishing the puck himself.
"Definitely a key player for them in this series and somebody we've got to be aware of when he's on the ice and hopefully try not to let him get to his game as much."
There's a lot of skill on both of these teams with forwards like Artemi Panarin, Ross Colton, Andrew Copp, Corey Perry, Ryan Strome, Stamkos - the list goes on and on.
Colton and Perry are tied for the team-lead with five goals each and they both spoke to the media on Wednesday morning.
Colton, a New Jersey native, is looking forward to playing in a building that he has spent plenty of time in over the years.
"Definitely have some friends and family coming to the building," Colton said. "Growing up, I loved the Devils, so always had some disdain for the Rangers.
"Feels like yesterday me and my brother were taking the train in to watch the Devils and Rangers in 2012.
"It's pretty cool. It's pretty special. Kind of just crazy to sit here today and to go out at MSG and play, so I'm definitely excited."

Colton has scored some big goals in the postseason for Tampa Bay. He had the Stanley Cup-clinching goal against the Montreal Canadiens last season. This year, he scored the big, game-winning goal in the final seconds of Game 2 against Florida.
"He's a guy that just wants to get better," said Perry. "Continuing to work on his game. You see him every day at practice. He's always out there working on something and it's paying off for him.
"To get the chance to play with him and get to know him, it's been good. He's a guy that can make plays. He's quick. He's physical and he's going to turn into a good player."
Colton's growth has been impressive and a lot of that has come from the veterans in Tampa Bay's locker room, like Perry.
"I think Corey asked for everyone's attention in a meeting and just said, being in the Finals against us the last two years, he goes, 'You guys don't realize how tough it is to play against when we're playing the right way. That's buying into the system of playing smart, keeping a guy high, and being tough to play against in the D-zone. The offense comes from that.'
"When he said that, it kind of went a long way from a guy that's been on the other end of it."
Colton's role with the Lightning continues to grow and it seems like his game is improving every day. Since January 1, 2022, only Stamkos (30) and Kucherov (28) have scored more goals than Colton (23).
"It's a little different, but same mindset," Colton explained when asked about his role this year. "Come to the rink every day. Try to get better.
"Learn from the older guys who have been through this. Feed off them and just do what I can to help the team win."
With a share of the team lead in goals, Colton has certainly helped the Bolts capture some wins this postseason. A trip to the Stanley Cup Final is on the line and Tampa Bay will hope he can continue his strong play in this series against the Rangers.
Coming off a long break, the Lightning will have to do their best to get back into playoff mode with their last game coming on May 23. New York's last game was just two days ago on May 30.
"We're ready," said Perry. "We're ready to get going.
"They're playing every other day. They have been. For them, it's just another game day. They've been doing the same thing, so we have to be ready to match that intensity.
"It's a new series. It's a new team, but at the same time, it's still playoffs.
"We have to find that urgency right away that we finished that series with Florida against.
"It's that will and that want that we need right away."
We'll see how that urgency looks from Tampa Bay when Game 1 gets started at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday night from Manhattan.