TAMPA, Fla. -- The Washington Capitals are in their first conference final in 20 years and the Tampa Bay Lightning are in for the third time in four years.
Will experience be an edge over the motivation of waiting so long to get to this point in the postseason?
"We know what's coming," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said of the heightened attention and greater distractions that come with a deep playoff run. "It's a whole different feel, because we've been there. That's a good thing."
Tampa Bay has dispatched New Jersey and Boston in five games each, and Washington has had a more difficult path to this point, rallying from an 0-2 deficit to beat Columbus, then again needing six games to eliminate the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.