NEW YORK -- The Tampa Bay Lightning talked a good game, and played a better one.
Confronted for two days with numbers that documented the Game 7 dominance of the New York Rangers and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, the Lightning were verbally defiant.
"He's a great goaltender," Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos said Friday morning. "He's never played the Tampa Bay Lightning in a Game 7 before."
Now he has, and now it's the Lightning and not Lundqvist's Rangers who will play for the Stanley Cup. The Lightning became the first visiting team ever to win a Game 7 at Madison Square Garden, beating the Rangers 2-0 on a pair of third-period goals.