Down but not yet out, the Lightning are keeping an upbeat tone ahead of Brent Hibbitts Jersey Monday'spenultimateGame 6.
What else can they do?
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With history against them andinjuries to starting goalie Ben Bishop and second-leading scorer Nikita Kucherov,the continuity on which Tampa Bay has thrivedinkeeping the Stanley Cup Final close against the battle-tested Blackhawks is in jeopardy.
Lightning coach Jon Cooper seemed optimistic about Kucherov's chances of the playing in Game 6, something that seemed unlikely after his nasty-looking injury on Saturday.
"He's in considerablybetter shape Jack Blomgren Jersey than he was (Saturday) night," Cooper told reporters Sunday, via the Tampa Tribune."To be honest, I thought there was a chance he was coming back last night, but it didn't work out. These two days will give him the rest he needs."
Cooper also said Bishop, who suffered a lower-body injury in Game 2, is expected to play.
Bishop started in a Game 3 win butsat out Game 4 in favor of rookie Andrei Vasilevskiy. On Saturday, he Graham Glasgow Jersey stopped 27 of 29 shots but committed a considerable mental mishap in the Ignas Brazdeikis Jersey first period that led to a Chicago goal the difference in the 2-1 lo s.
Bishop claimed Sunday he's feeling better and is"making progre s."
The Blackhawks,who need just one more win to capture its third Stanley Cup in six seasons, are9-0 in Game 6 with a chance to clinchunder coach JoelQuenneville including theirchampionships in 2010 and 2013.
But aptainStevenStamkos, who has yet to scorein the series,and his teammatesseemed calm andconfident Sunday, making the most ofthe unenviable position of Jimmy Kerr Jersey having to win two more games without a lo s. Seemingly, they like their chances.
Statistically, this has beenthe closest final in history.Each game to this pointhas seemingly beena 50-50 to s-up,with neither team having been afforded the luxury of a multi-goal lead at any point in the series.
It's the same sort of youthful Austin Davis Jersey ignorance that's benefited the Lightning to this point.
For better or worse, that's how they'll head into Game 6.
