Schedule and 2003 Results
Regular Season Records: New Jersey 46-20-10-6=108pts, Tampa Bay 36-25-16-5=93pts
Game 1 on Thursday, 24 Apr: Tampa Bay loses at New Jersey, 3-goals-nil
Game 2 on Saturday, 26 Apr: Tampa Bay loses at New Jersey, 3-goals-2 (OT)
Game 3 on Monday, 28 Apr: New Jersey loses at Tampa Bay, 4-goals-3
Game 4 on Wednesday, 30 Apr: New Jersey wins at Tampa Bay, 3-goals-1
Game 5 on Friday, 02 May: Tampa Bay loses at New Jersey, 2-goals-1 (3OT)

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 5: The New Jersey Devils scored 11:12 into the third overtime period to top the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-goals-1 in New Jersey, thus winning MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 882. The New Jersey Devils now have an 18-11 best-of-7 NHL playoff series record, while that of the Tampa Bay Lightning falls to 1-2. The win order for the series 882 victors was WWLWW: Best-of-seven series 882 becomes the 12th in the NHL Quarterfinals, the 29th in the NHL (all rounds), the 31st in the NHL/NBA Quarterfinals, and the 73rd in best-of-7 NBA/NHL/MLB playoff series (all rounds) to follow this win order. In best-of-7 NHL playoff series from 1939 through 2002, the home team at 11:11 into the third overtime period had only a 2-10 game record; thus, the New Jersey Devils overcame long historical odds by winning on home ice so deeply into overtime, but the reward was a 4-games-1 series victory (the first victory in the 2003 NHL Quarterfinals).

After Game 4: The New Jersey Devils defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in Tampa 3-goals-1, thereby taking a 3-games-1 lead in best-of-7 playoff series 882. In best-of-7 NHL play from 1939 through 2002, teams opening a best-of-7 series WWLW @ HHVV had a 32-1 series record; the sole series loss occurred in best-of-7 series 604 (in the 1992 NHL Preliminary round, in which the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied to defeat the Washington Capitals; the 1992 Penguins thus set a favorable precedent for the 2003 Tampa Bay Lightning). When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-1, the New Jersey Devils have a 7-0 series record; the Tampa Bay Lightning are trailing 3-games-1 in a best-of-7 series for the first time.

After Game 3: With MLB/NBA/NHL series 882 having shifted to Tampa Bay for Games 3 and 4, the Tampa Bay Lightning did not disappoint their home crowd, winning Game 3 over the New Jersey Devils 4-goals-3. New Jersey now leads series 882 by a 2-games-1 margin. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-1, the New Jersey Devils have a 10-2 series record; when trailing 2-games-1, the Tampa Bay Lightning have a 1-0 series record (the win came in the preceding round for Tampa Bay).

After Game 2: The New Jersey Devils on home ice defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-goals-2 (in overtime) to take a 2-games-nil series 882 lead. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-nil, the New Jersey Devils have a 7-0 series record; when trailing 2-games-nil, the Tampa Bay Lightning have a 1-0 series record.

After Game 1: The New Jersey Devils scored three goals in the third period on home ice to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-goals-nil, thereby winning the first game of the MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 882. In the history of best-of-7 NHL playoff series from 1939 through the 2003 NHL Preliminary round, when the home team wins Game 1 by three goals, its series record is 41-15 (.732), and when the home team wins Game 1 by a 3-goals-nil score, its series record is 5-3. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the New Jersey Devils have a series record of 10-4 (including a six-series winning streak); when trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the Tampa Bay Lightning have a series record of 1-1.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2002-03 regular season, the New Jersey Devils finished 15 points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning. From 1939 through the 2003 NHL Preliminary round, when an NHL team led its best-of-7 playoff series opponent by 15 regular-season points, it has gone on to post a 17-5 (.773) best-of-7 series record in that series against that opponent. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 882 is the first best-of-7 series between New Jersey and Tampa Bay. The New Jersey Devils have a best-of-7 series record of 17-11 and a Game 1 record of 14-14 (all rounds), and have a series record of 5-1 and a Game 1 record of 1-5 (NHL Quarterfinals only). The Tampa Bay Lightning have a best-of-7 series record of 1-1 and a Game 1 record of 0-2 (all rounds), and are making their first appearance in the NHL Quarterfinals round.