Lightning vs. Penguins: Keys to Victory for Both Teams in NHL Playoff Series

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning arrive at the NHL's Eastern Conference Final without having been pushed to a Game 7 in any of their previous series.

Pittsburgh romped over the New York Rangers—making them look old and slow in the process—and then defeated the Washington Capitals in six games. Washington entered that series with the perceived edge defensively and in goal, but Kris Letang and Matt Murray helped turn the tide and win the day.

Tampa Bay had an easier time, casting aside the Detroit Red Wings and the New York Islanders in five games each. One of the storylines early in the series could involve the Penguins representing the first real test for the Lightening during this year's playoffs.

The Lightning won all three games during the regular season, outscoring the Penguins 15-9 during those three contests. Here's a look at what it will take for the Penguins or the Lightning to win this series and secure an entry in the Stanley Cup Final this spring.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Three Scoring Lines Must Produce

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have a strong group of forwards, boasting three successful lines who can score and push possession. Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin are all posting solid offensive numbers—while doing it on three different lines.

According to Corsica.hockey, lines centered by Crosby, Malkin and Nick Bonino are all over 50 percent in possession, and the Bonino line is ripping up the scoring charts. This single item could be the key to victory in the series against the Lightning—as the defense will be stretched to its limits because the Penguins have three distinct lines that can make a difference.

The Penguins won the Capitals series without strong performances from Crosby and Malkin. If those two impact players get hot against the Lightning, then Pittsburgh should win this series.

Pittsburgh Penguins: The Defense Needs to Play at Peak Levels

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The heart of this Penguins defense is Letang. An underrated player—many believe he is a pure offensive asset, but he is much more—Letang is playing over 29 minutes a game during the 2016 playoffs.

The Penguins also helped the cause in a big way during the season when they acquired veteran Trevor Daley from the Chicago Blackhawks. The veteran has been a godsend for a defensive group that lacks experience, and his 23 minutes a night are vital to this playoff run.

During the Capitals series, young Brian Dumoulin increased his role, playing over 22 minutes a night and chipping in offensively. Olli Maatta hasn't played much this spring (just 16 minutes a night), but he may see his role increase during the series against the Tampa Bay Lightning—he is among the most talented young defenders in the game.

The series could turn on defensive quality and depth, and going in, the Penguins look a little shy. You could have said the same thing entering the series against the Capitals.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Matt Murray Is a Rising Star

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The Penguins drafted Murray in the third round of the 2012 entry draft. For a player like Murray—or Tristan Jarry, another goalie drafted by Pittsburgh the following year—being drafted by the Penguins meant no clear path to the NHL starter's job. Since 2005, Marc-Andre Fleury has owned the Pittsburgh net and backstopped the franchise to the 2008-09 Stanley Cup.

Murray turned pro in 2014-15 and immediately impressed with an outstanding .941 save percentage in the AHL. The other goalie for the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins that year was Jeff Zatkoff, who trailed with a .910 save percentage. That kind of gap—especially for a rookie pro—is impressive, and Murray posted another strong performance in 2015-16's AHL action.

None of that back story could explain his emergence during the playoffs this spring. Murray has emerged as a difference-maker despite his inexperience. If he can keep it up, then the Penguins will win the series and could be favorites to win the Stanley Cup.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Overcoming Injuries

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In the first period of Game 1 on Friday night, Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Ben Bishop went down with what looked like a serious injury. Later in the same period, star forward Tyler Johnson suffered a potentially serious leg injury—although he did return later in the game.

For the Lightning, losing Bishop could be devastating. It is important for the Lightning to get quality goaltending from backup Andrei Vasilevskiy. Although he is young and lacks experience, Vasilevskiy is a quality young goaltender and played well in his first periods of the series.

Offensively, the support players behind Johnson's line must step up—and that may include young Jonathan Drouin, who has been a revelation this spring. Johnson did return to the game, but it is anyone's guess in regard to his effectiveness or ability to remain in the series.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Transitional Defense

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One of the key elements in the matchup between the Lightning and Penguins will take place during the seconds after the Penguins enter the offensive zone. The Lightning's success depends a great deal on transitioning from defense to offense quickly.

Pittsburgh is exceptional at clogging passing lanes and making breakouts difficult. The same basic play will occur dozens of times in each game, and the Tampa Bay defenders must gain possession and make quick, intelligent decisions.

The Lightning defense is a veteran group, led by Victor Hedman, Jason Garrison, Braydon Coburn and Matt Carle. Coach Jon Cooper often runs seven defenders in a game, giving his team more options and adding insurance against injury. The wisdom of that decision was driven home during Game 1 of the series.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Secondary Scoring

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The injury to Johnson in the first period of Game 1 meant that the top line for the Lightning was unavailable for part of the game—it also highlighted the challenges of a long playoff run. The line of Johnson, Alex Killorn and Nikita Kucherov has accounted for a lot of scoring this playoff season, and according to Corsica.hockey, the trio dominates in possession.

Men like Drouin, Ondrej Palat and defender Hedman must continue the production from the first two series. Although the defense and goaltending in Tampa Bay has been solid all spring, shutting down the Penguins over a long series is unlikely.

Aiding the Lightning offense is a strong group of puck-moving defenders who can both pass and carry the puck to daylight. The quick transition of the Lightning offense could be the key to the series and was on display early in Game 1.