It will be the eighth Game 7 for the Lightning, who are 5-2, and the 16th for the Capitals, who are 4-11.
Washington forced Game 7 with a
3-0 win Monday
.
RELATED: [Complete Lightning vs. Capitals series coverage]
"It's going to be great," said Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom, who had two assists in Game 6. "That's what we wanted, and we're ready to go down there. So far we've been playing pretty good down there, just the start last game. We can build some confidence after this win and go down there to win Game 7."
Four of the seven the Lightning have played in have been in the conference final, and they are 2-2 in those games. They defeated the New York Rangers in 2015 and the Philadelphia Flyers in 2004. They lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and the Boston Bruins in 2011.
Tampa Bay's three other Game 7 wins were in the Stanley Cup Final (2004, Calgary Flames), the first round (2015, Detroit Red Wings) and the conference quarterfinals (2011, Penguins).
The Lightning are 3-0 in Game 7 at home.
"We wish we would have wrapped it up tonight," Tampa Bay forward Ryan Callahan said. "But at the end of the day, Game 7s are a lot of fun. You enjoy it. This is why you battle for home-ice advantage throughout the regular season, so if you have a Game 7, you have it at home."
Six Lightning players have at least five career Game 7 wins: Anton Stralman (7-1), Ryan McDonagh (6-1), Dan Girardi (6-2), Chris Kunitz (6-3), Braydon Coburn (5-2) and Callahan (5-2). All have Game 7 wins against the Capitals with other teams.
The Capitals have lost their past two winner-take-all games, four of the past five and 10 of 13. They last played in a Game 7 in the second round last season and lost to the Penguins.
Washington, which is 1-3 when playing Game 7 on the road, has never played in one in the conference final. They are 4-6 in the conference quarterfinals/ first round and 0-5 in the conference semifinals/second round.
"I don't think there's [another] team I've ever had that I'd want to go into a Game 7 with," Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. "This team has done a lot of special things this year."
