Rangers vs. Lightning Game 7 Preview: 3 things you need to know

The New York Rangers host the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.

The Rangers are looking to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive year, while the Lightning seek a spot in the championship series for the first time since winning the Cup in 2004.

Here are three things you need to know about the clinching game:

Illness pervading Lightning dressing room

There is a bug going through the Lightning room, and it's not the team's mascot.

Tampa Bay forward Alex Killorn revealed Wednesday that a few Lightning players have been dealing with an illness during the Eastern Conference Final.

Defenseman Braydon Coburn missed the final two periods of Tampa Bay's 2-0 win in Game 5 and head coach Jon Cooper indicated afterwards that his blue-liner was sick.

Cooper said he wanted to vomit after losing Game 1, but his figurative remark is now a very real concern entering Game 7.

Rangers perfect in Game 7s at home

The Rangers have never lost a Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.

New York has a perfect record all time in seven series-deciding contests at home, including four since 2012. The Rangers eliminated the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of their second-round series to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.

However, the road team has won four of the six games in this series, and the Lightning are 6-3 away from Amalie Arena since these playoffs began.

Mr. Game 7 seeks 7th straight

The number seven has dual significance for Henrik Lundqvist.

The Rangers goaltender has an NHL-record six consecutive Game 7 victories, and he can accomplish another milestone with a win on Friday night.

If the Rangers defeat the Lightning, he will move past Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy for the most Game 7 wins by a goaltender.

Lundqvist is 6-1 with an NHL-record 0.97 goals-against average and .966 save percentage in clinching games.