Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper held his cards close as long as possible, but Steven Stamkos is officially in the lineup for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Stamkos took warmups with his teammates before being announced as in the lineup for the first time since March 31.

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"Before we get going, don't ask about the lineup at all," Cooper said to open his pregame news conference, about one hour before warmups. 

"We're preparing to put the best lineup on the ice possible,” Cooper added. “If everyone plays tonight, they're cleared and ready to go."

The Lightning captain has yet to play in a playoff game this season after undergoing vascular surgery on his right arm in early April to remove a blood clot. The decision to play Stamkos means the 26-year-old is off of blood thinners, otherwise league rules would not permit him to dress.

"If Stamkos is in lineup, it's because we're putting our best foot forward,” Cooper said. “If he isn't, it's because he wasn't eligible to play."

 In 77 regular season games, Stamkos scored 36 goals and added 28 assists. He has 15 goals and 35 points in 48 career playoff games.

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The Penguins won Game 6 5-2 to send the series back to Pittsburgh. 

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was asked about Stamkos' impact prior to game 7, admitting he's a player his team needs to watch.

“I'm sure it would give them a boost, I mean, adding a player of his calibre,” Crosby said of a potential Stamkos return. “But I think regardless of what happens, I mean, it's really got to be about our game and what we need to do. But if he's in the lineup, it's something you have to be aware of 100 per cent. We'll see what happens.”