Tampa Bay Lightning take 2-1 lead over New York Rangers
TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Lightning were relentless, answering every challenge from the New York Rangers before taking control of the Eastern Conference finals on Nikita Kucherov’s overtime goal.
Kucherov delivered his second winner of the playoffs 3 minutes and 33 seconds into the extra period Wednesday, giving his team a 6-5 victory and 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series that continues Friday at Amalie Arena.
The 21-year-old Russian, part of the high-scoring Triplets line that is leading Tampa Bay’s playoff run, also gave the Lightning a win in double overtime at Montreal in the second round.
Linemate Ondrej Palat had two goals and an assist, and former Spokane Chiefs star Tyler Johnson – the other triplet – had his playoff-leading 12th goal and an assist.
“They’ve impressed me for a long time, and now they’re impressing the world,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “It’s fun to watch.”
Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn each had one goal and an assist for Tampa Bay. The Lightning overcame an early 2-0 deficit and won despite also squandering a two-goal lead to the resilient Rangers.
The winner came about a minute after New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist made a terrific stop on J.T. Brown’s breakaway.
“In overtime, everybody’s thinking everybody be a scorer,” Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. “Hank had stopped a breakaway right before that, and sometimes things happen.”
New York tied it at 5 on Dan Boyle’s rebound with 1:56 left in regulation. Jesper Fast scored twice, and the Rangers also got power-play goals from Derick Brassard and Ryan McDonagh.
“It was deflating, but at the same time … we felt like we deserved the game,” Johnson said about losing the lead late in regulation.
“We worked hard and were happy with the way we played,” added Johnson, whose hat trick keyed the Lightning’s 6-2 road victory in Game 2. “Obviously didn’t want to give up as many goals, but things happen. They’re a great team. We knew if we just kept on playing, played our game, we were going to get a bounce. Luckily for us, we got that bounce before them.”
The Rangers came back after trailing 4-2, with Fast scoring his second goal late in the second period and McDonagh converting a power-play opportunity early in the third.
“We’ve got a pretty quick team and they have a quick team,” Cooper said. “I don’t know how it looks to everybody else and I don’t know how it looks on TV, but when you’re standing there, it’s just, pardon the pun, it’s lightning fast. It’s just amazing how the skill level and the speed and how these guys can play the way they do at that high pace.”