Lightning embracing opportunity in Game 7 against Capitals

TAMPA --The Tampa Bay Lightning were in a light mood Wednesday, hours before they will host the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final at Amalie Arena (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVAS, SN1) with a trip to face the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final on the line.
For the Lightning, the pressure isn't going to override the excitement. They're 5-2 all-time in Game 7s but have never lost one at home (3-0).

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"This is one of the best sporting events you can be part of is a Game 7, especially at this time of the year," Lightning center Steven Stamkos said. "Not too many people probably thought we were going to be here after going down 0-2 in the series. Those guys played desperate last game to force a Game 7 and here we are. It's something you embrace, something you dream of. We're one win away from getting to the finals. It's very exciting."
The Lightning also understand the enormity of the situation. They advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in 2015, losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games, and that has stayed with some of the veteran players.
"We've been so close, obviously very close one year and we've been to the conference final three out of the last four years," defenseman Victor Hedman said. "We've been close, but haven't reached our ultimate goal yet. For me and [Stamkos], being here almost a decade now, we want to win with this organization, we want to bring the Stanley Cup back to Tampa."

Stamkos has six points (four goals, two assists) in this series, all coming on the Lightning power play, but has none in the past two games and has no points in five NHL career Game 7s. Neither does right wing Nikita Kucherov in three career Game 7s. Hedman has one assist in five Game 7s.
If the Lightning are going to advance, they must play better than they did in Game 6, a 3-0 loss. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves on 33 shots, but the Lightning struggled to create scoring opportunities or possession until early in the third period.
"Not too many people get to be a part of this, and to be able to...like, you're writing history. That's, how we can embrace that," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "What I'm telling you is a lot of people would like to be in the position that our team is and Washington is right now. You kind of enjoy that, I think."