NHL

Slapshots

No need for magnificent 7

The Lightning did not want to play a Game 7.

Sure, before the season, if someone had told the Lightning it would get a crack at a Game 7 at home, it would have taken it. But as the overtimes piled up on top of one another Sunday afternoon, Game 7 was the last thing the Lightning wanted.

A heartbreaking loss Sunday might have been too much for the team to overcome just two days before what would have been a Game 7 Tuesday.

"I was getting concerned with that situation as far as our young players are concerned," coach John Tortorella said. "You get that far, and here's your opportunity to end it. It's in the back of your mind."

The Lightning was this close to ending the game on several occasions. Had Washington won, Lightning players might have replayed how close they were and agonized so much that it would have had nothing left in the emotional tank for what surely would've been a pressure-packed Game 7.

"We were concerned with how much effort was put into (Game 6)," Tortorella said. "You get to that Game 7 -- home, away, neutral site -- that's a tossup. So we were concerned about the effort being put in and with the young guys, would they be able to rebound?"

Fortunately for the Lightning, it won't have to answer that question.

No disrespect, but ...

Remember how Tortorella kept reminding everyone how the pressure in this series was on the Caps? And how he took every chance he could to remind anyone with a pen, camera or microphone of the Caps' shaky history of closing out series after taking an early lead?

Well, Tortorella said it simply was to take pressure off the Lightning, not to insult the Caps. Tortorella called Washington general manager George McPhee a "class guy" and complimented Caps coach Bruce Cassidy and his staff for working hard.

"I do not want to disrespect the Washington Captials organization by no means," Tortorella said. "But we needed to try to get some pressure off of us. Anything a coach can try to do to get pressure off your team, you're going to have to do. But I meant no disrespect to their players. That's the last thing I wanted to do."

Location, location, location

Dave Andreychuk was in the right place at the right time to score the goal that tied the game at 1 with 4:06 left in the third period. The Lightning left wing was to the right of the slot when Brad Richards' pass to Martin St. Louis bounced off the skate of Capitals defenseman Ken Klee and right to Andreychuk.

Andreychuk, 39, played 36:49.

"I was concerned about him in the second and third overtime. I kept asking him but he wanted to go," Tortorella said. "He's our leader. He's the role model for our younger kids, and we feed off him. It's another huge game. What can you say about him?"

Kubina made the call

He did not want it publicized before the series, but Lightning defenseman Pavel Kubina predicted Tampa Bay would win the series in six games.

"I had a feeling," said Kubina, who played a team-high 40:05. "I was thinking about the playoffs the last couple of weeks. I know they are a great team. It's tough to explain. I just knew we were going to win."

A bad no call

Referee Rob Shick was staring right at it, yet did not call anything when St. Louis, on a breakaway with 2:13 remaining in the first overtime, was tripped by Brendan Witt.

Considering St. Louis had an unobstructed path to Kolzig, an argument could be made that there should have been a penalty shot.

"I don't know," St. Louis said. "I felt he didn't hit the puck first. I felt he tripped me."

Tampa Bay was on a power play at the time. And with so much made of the five-on-three advantage the Lightning used to get the winner in overtime of Game 3, it is natural to wonder if that was on the official's mind.

Tortorella, probably wisely, withheld comment.

This and that

Lightning head medical trainer Tommy Mulligan said no players needed IVs during or after the game. ... Tampa Bay defenseman Jassen Cullimore played 38:21 wearing a face guard that protected the 84 stitches he received in Game 5. ... Capitals defenseman Sergei Gonchar played a game-high 51:54. ... The Lightning is 4-0 all-time in playoff overtime games. The Capitals are 14-17. ... This was the first game in the series in which the winning team did not score first. ... St. Louis became the first player since Pittsburgh's Kevin Stevens in 1991 against the Capitals to score three consecutive winners. ... Peter Bondra's power-play goal gave him a Washington-record 13 in the playoffs.