Tampa forces Game 7 against Flames

Posted 7:40AM on Sunday 6th June 2004 ( 20 years ago )

CALGARY, ALBERTA - The Tampa Bay Lightning were as good as guaranteed. Martin St. Louis, the one-time Calgary reject, knocked in a rebound in the opening seconds of the second overtime and the Lightning forced a decisive Game 7 in the Stanley Cup finals by beating the stunned Calgary Flames 3-2 Saturday night. Brad Richards scored two power-play goals in regulation - almost a sure sign the Lightning would win. Tampa Bay is 31-0-2 overall and 9-0 in the playoffs when Richards scores. Breaking an entire city's heart for at least two nights - and the hearts of millions more in hockey-loving Canada - the Lightning now go home for a game the Flames were determined not to play. Not with the possible once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win the Cup at home and a chance to become one of the most improbable champions in NHL history. The Lightning won it when Tim Taylor jumped on the puck at the blue line and shot it on net. The rebound went directly to St. Louis, who ended it 33 seconds into the second overtime. "I was just trying to get as much of the puck as I could," said St. Louis, who also set up Richards' first goal. "I saw (Taylor) shoot it and I was looking for a rebound ... it wasn't a good angle but I just wanted to put it on net." Lightning coach John Tortorella added to the already enormous pressure on the Flames to close it out at home, essentially guaranteeing a victory while revealing his team already was planning for Game 7 Monday in Tampa. The reverse psychology might have worked as the Lightning, who have won following each of the last seven losses, scored on their first two power plays and forced the Flames to play catch-up. "It's been a hell of a series, and it's fitting we have a Game 7," Tortorella said. Now, the Flames will try to avoid becoming only the second team in 33 years to squander a 3-2 series lead. The 2001 Devils are the only team since 1971 to do so, dropping their final two games to Ray Bourque's Colorado Avalanche. Bourque had gone 22 seasons without winning the Cup. Fittingly, Bourque called Taylor on Saturday to offer advice on how to overcome a 3-2 deficit. The Lightning's Dave Andreychuk has played 1,758 games without winning the Cup, a league record "They (the 2001 Avalanche) did it, so why couldn't we?" St. Louis said. "It meant a lot to hear from a Hall of Famer like him." Andreychuk said, "He was willing to give us a call and let us know what the situation is ... for him to want to participate in what we're doing, well, I can just see him on the other end of the line, still being a leader." The visiting team has won 13 of the last 16 finals overtime games, including each of the last two games in this series. Calgary won 3-2 on Oleg Saprykin's overtime goal in Game 5 Thursday in Tampa. The last seven multiple overtime playoff games have been won by the visiting team. Tampa Bay has alternated winning and losing for 13 consecutive games, a playoff record. After a scoreless and tentative first period, both teams opened up in the second period - easily the most entertaining and fast-paced of the series. Richards, who always seems to score when the Lightning most need it, twice put Tampa Bay in front with his 11th and 12th goals of the playoffs. But the Flames, desperate to avoid making the long trip back to Tampa for a win-or-else Game 7 on hostile ice, answered each time. Richards scored on a power play with 4:17 gone as his goal line pass intended for Andreychuk deflected off goalie Miikka Kiprusoff's glove and into the net, briefly silencing the clamorous, banner-waving "Sea of Red" Saddledome crowd. "Marty threw it down to me, so I just threw it there and let (Andreychuk) whack at it and I think it went off his arm and went in," Richards said. Chris Clark answered midway through the period off a pass from Ville Nieminen, who was suspended for Game 5, only to have the Flames' Chris Conroy go off for hooking 20 seconds later. Richards then scored his second power-play goal in just over six minutes, grabbing the puck from Marcus Nilson in the right circle as three Flames players pursued it and got off a shot that deflected off Kiprusoff's stick. Again, the resilient Flames answered. The Lightning's Dan Boyle tried to knock down Andrew Ference's dump-in, but the puck deflected off his hand to Oleg Saprykin, who found Nilson open at the side of the net. Saprykin scored the game-winning overtime goal in Game 5 that gave Calgary its 3-2 series lead. Calgary almost won it on a power play midway through the third, but Nikolai Khabibulin stuck out his right leg to stop Martin Gelinas' rebound attempt perilously close to the goal line. Multiple TV replays did not conclusively show the puck crossing the line. Gelinas scored the decisive goal in each of Calgary's first three series victories. "It's got to be conclusive," said Flames coach Darryl Sutter, who agreed with the call. The atmosphere in Calgary was supercharged all day, with car horns honking throughout the city and fans chanting "Go Flames Go!" as they paraded through downtown, almost all wearing a Flames jersey or T-shirt. Many streamed into town long before game time, eager to join the throng of 100,000-plus expected to jam 17th Avenue - the so-called Red Mile where fans have gathered during the playoffs - in anticipation of celebrating Calgary's first title since 1989 and Canada's first since Montreal in 1993. It was obvious the fans did not expect the series to extend beyond Saturday night: A Calgary Herald banner headline read, "Tonight's the Night." NOTES: Flames RW Shean Donovan, who injured a leg in Game 5, was scratched. ... Richards' two goals came on consecutive Lightning shots. ... Lightning C Vincent Lacavalier had nine goals in the first three rounds but has yet to score in the finals. ... Calgary finished 5-7 at home in the playoffs. The Flames were only the second team in 24 years with a chance to close out the finals at home in Game 6. ... The team scoring first has won every game in the series, and each of Calgary's last 15 games.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2004/6/157845