Lightning seek to bring road success home in Game 5 against Capitals

TAMPA -- The Tampa Bay Lightning found success on the road against the Washington Capitals and tied the Eastern Conference Final 2-2. Now they have to figure out how to transfer their road production to home ice and win Game 5 at Amalie Arena on Saturday (7:15 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, TVAS).

The visiting team won the first four games of the best-of-7 series, but Lightning coach Jon Cooper said it was less about being on the road for the Lightning and more about changing their mindset.
"Was it anger? Was it a little bit embarrassment? Was it eye opening? Got to remember, there's another team out there, they're going after the same thing you are," Cooper said. "To me, it was just a mindset, our focus. I think Game 3 went a lot of miles to help us. Did we like the result of Game 4? Yes. Did we like our complete performance? Probably not. But we feel like we have a formula to win the series."
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Although the Lightning have captured momentum, they are working to improve in several areas. They have been outshot by the Capitals 145-99 and haven't had more than 23 shots on goal in three of the four games.
"The big issue for us is not shooting the puck enough," Cooper said. "I think Washington has done a good job, they'll throw pucks at the net and go get the rebound. We're looking a little bit more, let's get it, move it around, possession time, let's throw it behind the net. All of a sudden we're out of the zone. It kind of gets a little contagious, Let's make their goalie have to work."
Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, a Veniza Trophy finalist, has turned things around after giving up 10 goals with an .839 save percentage in the first two games. In Games 3 and 4, Vasilevskiy allowed four goals on 76 shots for a .947 save percentage.

The Tampa Bay penalty kill has stifled Washington's power play, holding the Capitals to 0-for-7 the past two games and 3-for-14 for the series.
"I mean, can't talk about the PK without the saves first and foremost," Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. "Guys are really committed to trying to make the right reads is really the biggest thing, when we can be aggressive, when we need to be patient, try to take away options."
The Lightning are 6-of-14 on the power play and have scored a power-play goal in nine straight games. Their success on special teams is one thing that has been consistent at home and on the road. Forward Alex Killorn, who scored the game-winning goal just after a third-period power play in Game 4, said he hopes the rest of their game will follow suit in Game 5.

"Well, when you're on the road, everyone talks about how you play a more simple game," Killorn said. "You kind of wait for things to happen or you don't force things because you don't want to make a mistake on the road typically. I think that's the way we have to handle tomorrow, kind of don't force any mistakes, play good, defensive hockey, let those plays come to us."