Vasilevsky, “Lightning” won the “Panther” with a score of 2: 0 in the 4th game

TAMPA, FL – Andrei Vasilevsky made 49 saves, and Tampa Bay Lightning finished a four-game game against the Florida Panthers with a 2-0 victory Monday night that returned two-time Stanley Cup champions to the Eastern Conference finals for the sixth time in a year. .

Pat Marun scored a zero draw, repelling Zach Bahasyan’s shot behind Panther goalkeeper Syarhei Babrouski before the puck hit the net just over six minutes into the third period. 22 seconds before the end Ondrej Palat added a goal into the empty net.

Vasilevsky won his sixth game in a row, a series that began with Lightning facing a 3-2 series deficit in the first round. It was his sixth lockout in the last seven wins in the series.

The reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner limited the Panthers, who averaged 4.11 goals in the NHL, and set the league’s best record of the regular season, with just three goals in four games.

Lightning has joined the New York Islanders and the Montreal Canadiens as the only franchise to have won at least 10 playoff series in a row. Their attempt to become the first team in 40 years to win three consecutive Stanley Cup titles will continue in the Eastern Final against the Carolina Hurricanes or the New York Rangers.

Champions’ defenders held out Monday night, despite goals from Alex Killarn and Nikita Kucherov being rejected in the 48-second run of the second period, the first after Florida coach Andrew Brunett challenged, and a lengthy review of replays showed that Chamber took the puck out of the game. boards before Mikhail Sergachev fired a shot that Killarn threw past Bobrowski.

Less than a minute later, “Tampa Bay” came out ahead again only to repeat the replay that Anthony Sirelli won a throw-in in the left circle with a pass that Kucharov held through Bobrovsky.

The Panthers became the first winners of the Presidential Trophy, which was won in the playoffs by the Stanley Cup champions since Edmonton passed Calgary on their way to another title in 1988.

Vasilevsky, who entered on Monday night, conceding one goal in each of the previous four games, has conceded one goal in his last seven wins in the series.