The day after a disappointing home loss in Game 5 of their First Round series against Detroit, the Tampa Bay Lightning are drawing from previous playoff experience for encouragement.
Specifically, in 2011, the Lightning trailed Pittsburgh three-games-to-one in their best-of-seven opening-round series but rallied to win the next three, including an 8-2 rout of the Penguins in Pittsburgh in Game 5.
The Lightning would go on to advance to the Eastern Conference finals before falling in seven games to the Boston Bruins that season.
“2011, it feels like forever, but we were down 3-1 and had to go into (Pittsburgh) to take it to Game 6,” said Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, who was in his second year in the NHL that season.