One of the starkest narratives heading into Game 2 of the 2022 Eastern Conference finals series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers was Jon Cooper's team's win streak when it's coming off a loss in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which dated back all the way to 2020. Well, the Rangers just put a stop to that streak with a 3-2 win Friday night at Madison Square Garden, which succeeded their 6-2 win over the Lightning in the series opener.
Rangers defenseman Adam Fox revealed after Game 2 that New York did not put as much stock on that streak as on the real task at hand for his team.
Via Arthur Staple of The Athletic:
“We’re not thinking about what streaks teams have or how they’ve done earlier right now,” Adam Fox said. “We’re just trying to bring it day in and day out, and the guys in the room believe in each other.”
Given how the Lightning dismantled the Florida Panthers — this season's winner of the Presidents' Trophy — Tampa Bay looked as though it was going to have an even easier time dealing with the Rangers in the East finals. But as two games so far in the series have shown, it was always going to be easier said than done for the Lightning, who have a virtual must-win game this coming Sunday at home in Game 3 against Fox and the Rangers.
