Lightning Strikes At Home

2003 Playoffs

"He's got the heart of a 6-foot-6 guy. You know what the players think of a guy like that," teammate Brad Lukowich said. "He's invaluable. We don't look at him as a small guy. The way he plays, he has a big man's game."

It was the Lightning's third straight victory and the first time in the series that the home team won.

"Obviously we're on a little high right now," St. Louis said. "You've got to calm down quick, because Sunday is going to come very fast. This is as big a win as anything experienced here. But there's a bigger one coming. That's the most important one."

Washington, which won the first two games, has blown a two-game lead in the playoffs three times since 1992. Goaltender Olaf Kolzig is 1-4 in postseason games when the Capitals face elimination.

"It's very frustrating. But at the same time, we've got to stay positive. This group of guys can win games," Capitals right wing Dainius Zubrus said. "I have all the confidence in everybody here that we can win two more games and move on."

Game Six is Sunday in Washington.

Canucks Fight Back
The Vancouver Canucks found their offense in the nick of time with a 5-3 victory over St. Louis to cut the Blues' lead in the series to 3-2.

Vancouver's top line of Todd Bertuzzi, Brendan Morrison and Markus Naslund each scored second-period goals after combining for just one goal in the first four games.

"It's not like we were working not to score," Bertuzzi said. "We're trying to work our tails off to get the goals. We've been getting our chances and they just haven't been going in and as a goal scorer you understand if you're getting those chances they're bound to go in."

The Canucks will face elimination again in Game 6 on Sunday in St. Louis.