▶▶ If there are violations of image copyright issues, content, we wish you send mail or comment under the video, we will process immediately at the request of the copyright owner. And will delete them. |--| ▶▶♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥◄◄. In far too many discussions concerning the march of the Tampa Bay Lightning to a second consecutive Eastern Conference final appearance, the caveat “Yeah, but. ” seems to come up. As in, “Yeah, but who did they beat?”. It is, in fact, a subtle shot at coach Jon Cooper’s team, a backhanded suggestion that the Lightning has advanced this far because the opposition to this point has been perceived to be weak. Admittedly, maybe the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings aren’t considered to be among the top three or four most talented squads in the league. But that should not take away from the fact that Tampa Bay did its job by efficiently defeating whatever team was in its way, beating both teams in five games. Moreover, the Lightning accomplished the feat without its captain, Steven Stamkos, and its No. 2 defenceman, Anton Stralman. Given that these two key cogs have been out of the lineup dating back to the latter stages of the regular season, Cooper's club deserves credit for reaching the third round. The accomplishment shouldn't be downplayed by the critics. Think the Anaheim Ducks or Washington Capitals, the two teams favoured by many pre-season prognosticators to reach the Stanley Cup final, would want to change places with the Lightning right now. Count on it. At the same time, the Pittsburgh Penguins present a much more formidable foe, easily the most difficult roadblock for Tampa Bay to this point. The Penguins arguably are the deepest team in the playoffs, at least in terms of their cache of forwards. Any roster that can feature star forward after star forward — Sidney Crosby on one line, Evgeni Malkin on another and Phil Kessel as part of a third — is a goalie’s nightmare. As a result, perhaps the key factor in this series will be the health of Stamkos and Stralman..