The gap in playoff experience between the Tampa Bay Lightning‘s electric youth and the accomplished Chicago Blackhawks cannot be debated. But, the Bolts’ 20 games of postseason combat on their way to the 2015 Stanley Cup Final has sped up their maturation process and history tells us that this coach and group are fast learners.
After being wiped out by the Montreal Canadiens last season, they became the first team since 1988 to reach the Stanley Cup Final after being swept the preceding year.
Tampa Bay dispensed of three highly talented and playoff seasoned teams in the first three rounds. They are the first team to defeat three Original Six squads on the road to the Stanley Cup. Eliminating Detroit, Montreal and New York has prepared the Bolts for the ultimate challenge of facing the polished Blackhawks.
The Lightning’s “Young Guns” are no longer playoff fledglings. They’ve grinded through 24 NHL playoff games in the last two seasons, learning valuable lessons along the way.
“This is the biggest challenge yet,” said Steven Stamkos after practice at Amalie Arena on Monday. “You grow as a team throughout each round, you learn a lot about this group, the adversities we’ve had to overcome, the great players that we’ve played along the way and have overcome.”
“I think it just gives us confidence and realize that we are a young team, but going against experienced teams that we have to give ourselves a chance,” winger Ryan Callahan said. “Our inexperience is OK sometimes. We’re learning as we go here.”
The defeat at the hands of Montreal last year may have been the best thing to happen to this group. It was a classroom of sorts that taught and motivated the wide-eyed Bolts.
Conn Smythe Trophy candidate Tyler Johnson stated, “There was absolutely no space, no speed. I think that kind of taught us how to play. Using that against Montreal, then New York and just kind of doing that molded us into the team we are right now.”
Certainly winning two Game 7s in shutout fashion and besting arguably the two best goalies in the world (Carey Price and Henrik Lundqvist) was a huge learning experience, but more than that, it was a confidence booster that has the Lightning riding high and ready for Chicago.
Tampa Bay’s playoff experience, though limited, is the reason they will hoist the Stanley Cup.
(Feature Photo/Getty Images)
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