It’s down to one game

TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning made a promise to themselves for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Play to win, instead of not to lose.

“No matter what happens, we have to do what we do and do it in an aggressive manner and see where we are at the end of the day,” Lightning coach John Tortorella said Friday.

“That word desperation is always thrown around. I just think it’s a matter of someone with a little bit more willingness at certain times in a game, to put your team in a situation for a big play. That may be a big defensive play. It may be a big offensive play. … It’s a mental toughness and a willingness to be that guy.”

The Lightning lacked that urgency Thursday night in Philadelphia when the Flyers rallied for a 5-4 overtime victory that evened the series. Game 7 is tonight, and the Lightning vow not to make the same mistake.

The winner advances to the Stanley Cup finals to face the Calgary Flames.

“We’ve got to learn. The road to the Stanley Cup is not always smooth,” Lightning defenseman Darryl Sydor said.

“We took our lumps in Game 2, we took our lumps in Game 4, and we learned from it. And I think we’re going to learn from our situation in Game 6. It happened for a reason.”

The Lightning were less than two minutes from the Cup finals when the Flyers struck.

Keith Primeau’s goal made it 4-4 with 1:49 remaining in regulation, then Simon Gagne won it with 1:42 left in overtime.

“They were the more desperate team,” Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis said. “They played to win, and we played not to lose.”

“We really do believe that we have the team, if we want to go and do it, we feel we can get it done,” Sydor said. “They do, too. So it’s going to be a matter of who gets it done.”