Lightning vs. Blue Jackets Game 5: Winners and Losers from Bolts Win

The Tampa Bay Lightning take care of business and finish off the Columbus Blue Jackets in OT to clinch series with a 5-4 win in Game 5.

To say that the playoff series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Columbus Blue Jackets has had its fair share of the theatrics would probably the biggest understatement up until this point in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The series was tremendously exciting from the moment the puck was dropped at the start of Game 1, which ended with a 5OT thriller. Game 5 concluded with as equally of an exciting moment in Brayden Point netting the game-winning and series-clinching goal in overtime. Here are the winners and losers from Game 5.

Winners: Lightning Fans 

It’s been no secret over the past year that there has been a dark cloud hanging over the Tampa Bay Lightning since their early first round departure in the 2019 playoffs. Coming into the bubble all eyes were watching if the Lightning would be getting a chance to avenge last year’s sweep to the Blue Jackets.

So fast forward to Game 5 and a chance for the Lightning to hammer the final nail in the coffin, getting off to a two-goal lead early on seemed ideal. But taking unnecessary penalties is what allowed the Blue Jackets back into the game. Ultimately the Lightning rose up to the occasion scoring goals within the span of six minutes to send the game into overtime. Bolts fans did not have to wait long until Nikita Kucherov found Brayden Point to net the game-winner and clinch the series for the Lightning.

With this win not only the fans, but the team as well can move on without any talk surrounding last year’s collapse. This is the kind of win that can very easily catapult a team towards not only a deep playoff run but potentially raising a Stanley Cup.

Losers: Joonas Korpisalo 

If you were to ask any casual hockey fan who Joonas Korpisalo is and what team he plays for you’d probably get a mixed bag of answers. Once you explained to them that he is in fact the goaltender for the Columbus Blue Jackets, you would in return, most likely receive questions asking about the more popular of the two goalies for Columbus, Elvis Merzlikins.

This was series was Joonas Korpisalo’s coming out party to some degree. After Game 1, one did not have to search far to hear about the incredible 85-save game Korpisalo put up in an incredible 5OT finish. The 25-year old goalie has shown incredible poise and talent throughout his first eight playoff games.

When the numbers don’t exactly show it, Korpisalo has made incredible saves here and there to not only give the Blue Jackets a chance but life through some of these grueling games. Korpisalo was nothing short of a headache for a team that did virtually everything to score against a goalie who virtually defeated the Lighting on his own in Game 2.

A case could’ve been made for early Conn Smythe consideration if the Blue Jackets would’ve been able to defeat Tampa for the second straight year. Unfortunately, it was not what Joonas Korpisalo lacked in ability, but more of what Columbus lacked in firepower.

Winners: Jon Cooper

If Lighting coach Jon Cooper wasn’t in the hot seat, then he was definitely on the verge of the conversation. After last year’s disastrous end, it was imperative that Cooper would have to get his club off to a good start to at least silence the critics to some degree. Let’s reminisce back to November where the Lightning looked like a team that was not even gonna sniff the playoffs this season.

Cooper rallied his team and they finished second in the Atlantic Division behind the President Trophy-winning Boston Bruins. In six of his seven seasons, Cooper has led the Bolts to the playoffs, while making one appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals. This track record is impressive for any coach, but with the amount of talent Cooper has on his bench, it is definitely not good enough.

With the series-clinching win, Cooper has quieted the critics and is possibly headed towards winning his first Stanley Cup. In the meantime, Cooper will have have to keep his team prepared and fresh as Tampa continues their quest towards notching 12 more wins.