TAMPA, Fla. -- A couple of different things can happen in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals Friday night between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers at Amalie Arena.
The Lightning have a 2-1 series lead and can put a stranglehold on the Rangers with a win. But the Rangers, who lost the past two games, have not dropped three straight since November. In fact, they have won each of their past three postseason series when trailing 2-1 after three games.
Here's what to watch for:
Hank the Tank: For anyone to suggest that Rangers coach Alain Vigneault should consider a goaltending change is just ridiculous. Nothing against backup Cam Talbot, but Henrik Lundqvist is not coming out of the net anytime soon. Just because he has given up a total of 12 goals in back-to-back games doesn't mean the Lightning have him figured out completely.
After a 6-5 overtime loss in Game 3, Lundqvist questioned his play and said he was having trouble figuring out the Tampa Bay shooters. He was probably just caught up in a moment of defeat when he made those comments. After Friday's optional morning skate, Lightning players said they don't expect Lundqvist to give up another six goals. Even Tampa coach Jon Cooper says he believes Lundqvist will have his best game Friday.
"He has paved his way probably into the Hall of Fame at some point," Cooper said. "... What we've done to score goals all year, we have to keep doing that. For that to happen, we have to play a speed game. We have to make him go side to side. We have to make him go down, get up, all these things we talked about in how to beat a goaltender, especially of his caliber."
Cooper also doesn't believe Lundqvist is questioning himself against the Lightning.
"That would probably be a little bit of a ploy," Cooper said. "He knows he's good. He's probably a little taken aback that we scored a few on him. I expect him to come right back, and we're going to come right back at him. That's why he's as good as he is. But we're not going to let up. He probably won't either."
Overall, Lundqvist has earned a win in 14 of his past 21 regular-season and playoff appearances this season. He has given up two goals or fewer in 16 of 21 appearances. Since the 2012 postseason, Lundqvist is 19-12, with a 1.89 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage, including four shutouts, in 31 playoff games following a Rangers loss.
"Hank's done this a multitude of times where after a subpar performance he comes back and just shines in the moment. He's very focused right now, focused on the right things and he's going to go out and play really well tonight," Vigneault said.
So, it's safe to assume Lundqvist will bounce back. He called it a new day and a new challenge Friday morning. When asked if questioning himself is a ploy, as Cooper described it, Lundqvist shot back.
"Well, 12 goals in two games, of course you're going to question some things," he said. "But I have a lot of confidence in myself, in the way I play, and the support from the team and the way we play as a team. We all feel like we can beat this team. Just small corrections that need to be made here, and then we're right there."
Knock 'em around: At the start of the series, Cooper said he wanted his team to bring its physicality against the Rangers. The Lightning did not respond to that urging in Game 1 and it cost them. Since then, however, Tampa has picked up its game in that category, and captain Steven Stamkos is leading the way. He put a huge hit on Rangers winger Kevin Hayes early in Game 3 and it set the tone for the Lightning. They need more of the same moving forward.
"Game 1 was a no-touch game," Cooper admitted. "When we fall into that, it's not good for our play. To see we have guys that can play physical, especially with our speed and the way we jump on teams, when we add that extra dimension, it kind of lifts everybody up on the bench a little bit, especially when your captain and your leader is getting into it.
"We're just a better team when we play like that. So, yes, it is a conscious decision for us to play that way. Most definitely."
The Rangers certainly can handle playing that style of game, too.
A Tampa debut: With Tampa defenseman Matt Carle out of the lineup for Game 4 because of an undisclosed injury, it's likely Mark Barberio will make his 2015 playoff debut. The defenseman has been a healthy scratch the entire postseason, but Cooper told him to be ready to play. The coach added, however, that he hasn't decided if he will dress seven defensemen, similar to what he did in Games 2 and 3.
Barberio played in 52 regular-season games for Tampa in 2014-2015 and registered one goal and six assists for seven points. He also had a minus-4 rating. Carle was on the receiving end of an open-ice collision with Rangers center Derek Stepan early in Game 3. He exited the game and never returned. He remains day-to-day, according to Cooper.
Loose as a goose: The Rangers are pretty confident in their chances in Game 4. On the off day, they had a brief meeting, enjoyed a team meal and then went to the movies to see "Entourage."
"We had some good times as a team yesterday," Rangers center Derick Brassard said. "We really feel pretty good about ourselves winning this game tonight and going back in our building. We just have to forget about the last two games. We've played some good hockey all season long. Nothing has changed. We're not panicking. We're a confident group. We just have to go out there tonight and execute."
Wonder what advice Ari Gold would give the boys.
Special-teams impact: The Lightning has scored power-play goals in five of their past seven games, going 12-for-48. Since going 2-for-30 in the first-round series against the Detroit Red Wings, Tampa has scored 12 times on 32 power-play opportunities. The Lightning are 7-for-11 on the penalty kill this series, but that's one area Tampa would like to improve.
"We need to do a better job on the PK," Tampa veteran forward Brian Boyle said. "Giving up two [in Game 4], regardless of how it happens, and different things are going to happen on the PK, but you've just got to kill two minutes and try to get momentum back after that. For the most part, it's a small breakdown that turns into a big problem. Small mistakes can turn into bigger mistakes."
New York is 4-for-11 on the power play in the Eastern Conference finals against the Lightning. Including the regular season, the Rangers have not given up a power-play goal in 22 of their past 31 games. In the conference finals, New York is 7-for-12 on the PK.
PROJECTED LINES
Rangers
Rick Nash - Derick Brassard - Kevin Hayes
Chris Kreider - Derek Stepan - Jesper Fast
Carl Hagelin - Dominic Moore - Martin St. Louis
Tanner Glass - James Sheppard - J.T. Miller
Henrik Lundqvist
Lightning
Alex Killorn - Valtteri Filppula - Steven Stamkos
Ondrej Palat - Tyler Johnson - Nikita Kucherov
Brenden Morrow - Brian Boyle - J.T. Brown
Cedric Paquette - Ryan Callahan
Victor Hedman - Anton Stralman
Jason Garrison - Braydon Coburn
Mark Barberio - Andrej Sustr