Some series don’t have many storylines that stick out to the casual hockey fan. This is not one of those series. At the 2014 NHL Trade Deadline the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning traded Captains for the first time in NHL, with Ryan Callahan going to Tampa and Marty St.Louis going to New York. In the past off-season the New York Rangers signed former member of the 2004 Lightning Championship squad Dan Boyle and the Lightning signed former member of the 2014 Eastern Conference Championship squad Brian Boyle and Anton Stralman. Two injuries could’ve put a dent into this series and specifically that headline, are now looking cleared up with Dan Boyle saying he’s fine to go for Game 1 today after suffering a big hit from Brooks Orpik in the 2nd period of the Game 7 win and not returning to the game. Prior to Tampa’s Game 6 - the Canadiens, Ryan Callahan had to have an emergency appendectomy, he is currently day to day and could play in todays game 1.  St. Louis, Callahan, Boyle, Boyle and Stralman have all been very professional about the significance of the matchup. Both the Rangers and Lightning are very similar teams with two star goalies, and skaters that are very fast but also very good with the puck. As well the Rangers and Lightning have superstars that have yet to earn that title in these playoffs.

How both teams got to the Eastern Conference Finals:

The Rangers finished the Regular season as the best team in the NHL and ran into a beat up but still potentially lethal Penguins team if they caught fire, the Rangers smothered them and shut down Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, all series long except for Game 2 where Crosby dominated. In the clinching Game 5 - the Pens the Rangers lost a key player for the entire series - the Capitals and maybe the entire series - the Lightning, depending on how long it goes. The next round was the familiar opponent in the Washington Capitals who were a very unfamiliar opponent for the Rangers. The Capitals dominated the Rangers in the first 4 games, even if the Rangers won one of those games and the Rangers were in the same spot that they were a year ago in the 2nd round vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins, facing a 3-1 series deficit. In Game 5 the Capitals were 2 minutes away from moving onto the Eastern Conference Finals when Chris Kreider tied it up and Ryan McDonagh won it. The Rangers played well on Mother’s Day, Game 6, dominating but letting the Caps get a late surge that fell just short. The series was as close to over going into Game 7 as can be without actually being over. In Game 7 the Rangers were completely and utterly outplayed in the first period but stepped it up from there Alex Ovechkin put the Capitals on the board in the first. In the 2nd period Kevin Hayes tied it up and then in OT Derek Stepan played hero sending the Rangers to a matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Tampa Bay finished 3rd in the Eastern Conference in the Regular Season. In round 1 it took Tampa 7 games to finish off the veteran led Detroit Red Wings. The 2nd round would prove to be much easier for the Lightning getting out to a 3-0 lead on the Lightning scoring 10 goals in the process. The Canadiens woke up after that and won the next two games, trying to copy the Rangers and comeback in the series, but alas it wasn’t meant to be for the Canadiens who fell in Game 6 at Tampa Bay, with the help of Ben Bishop and Ondrej Palat.

Keys to the Series:

The Rangers power play is a key if they can get it going and score especially in big moments they are in good shape. The Rangers scored in OT in Game 7 after winning a faceoff, something which they have struggled with all postseason long. The Rangers key is to improve on the faceoff percentage.

The Lightning key is to put everything on net, tire Henrik Lundqvist out and outskate the Rangers, keep hitting them, they almost folded against a very physical Capitals team, so the Lighting should try to force them into submission with the hits.

How each team will win:

The Rangers will win if Rick Nash, wakes up and picks up the scoring pace. The Rangers will also win if the Rangers rebound well after Lightning goals, which will come. The Rangers need to score on the PP to win this series as well.

The Lightning will win, if they outskate the Rangers, beat them to the puck, win the physical battles, take advantage of Henrik Lundqvist mistakes and don’t let the Rangers back into games when the Lighting are leading. The Lightning will also win if they hit the Rangers into submission and immediately get out to a lead in the series and kill the Rangers confidence and momentum, like the Capitals had prior to letting them get back in the series.

Regular Season Matchups:

In the regular season the Tampa Bay Lightning dominated the Rangers sweeping the season series 3-0 and outscoring the Rangers 15-7 in the process.

What to expect:

The fans should expect a great series, and Marty St. Louis to wake up and the three former Lightning on Tampa to play really well in this series in particular.

Prediction: Rangers in 7.