After a rough Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final that saw the New York Rangers surrender six goals and score only two themselves, the club was hoping to boost their own offense while stifling the firepower of the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 3. Unfortunately for the Rangers, they were only able to accomplish one of those tasks in an exciting, back and forth 6-5 overtime loss to the Bolts last night in Game 3.
Eastern Conference Final – Game Three
The Rangers actually had the upper hand early in this one, as Cedric Paquette of the Lightning got sent to the box for roughing just 26 seconds in, giving New York a power play. They didn’t waste their opportunity, as Derick Brassard launched an absolute bomb through a screened Ben Bishop to give the Rangers an early 1-0 lead.
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist was on his game early in this one, after surrendering six against the Lightning for the third time this season in Game 2. A huge stop by Lundqvist off of Bolts forward Alex Killorn midway through the period led directly to the Rangers second goal, as Jesper Fast was sprung on a breakaway and went forehand-backhand on Bishop to double the Rangers lead.
However, just over a minute later the comeback was on, after some good work by superstar Tampa forward Steven Stamkos in his own zone lead to an odd-man break the other way, and Stamkos ultimately buried the rebound to cut the lead in half. At the intermission, the score was 2-1 Rangers, though the shots favored the Lightning 12-9.
The game stayed tight until the halfway point of the middle frame, when Tampa Bay exploded for three goals in just under seven minutes to blow the game wide open.
Ondrej Polat started things off with his first of two goals on the night at 10:32 of the second. Polat crossed into the Rangers zone and passed the puck to Tyler Johnson at the point, who worked a give-and-go with the 24-year-old Czech as he broke in front of the net, taking the pass and flipping it over Lundqvist’s blocker to tie up the game.
Polat would soon return the favor. A beautiful cross-crease pass to Johnson alone to Lundqvist’s right caught everyone by surprise, except for Johnson, who buried it in the open net to give the Lightning their first lead of the night, 3-2.
4:01 later, Killorn would break through Lundqvist, fighting off two Rangers in the slot to wrist it past the all-world netminder to double the lead for Tampa Bay 4-3, capping off a run of four straight goals and three goals on seven shots for the Lightning.
However, the Rangers weren’t done yet. Just 29 seconds after Killorn scored, Fast banged in his second of the night on a juicy rebound in the slot off a shot from Kevin Klein to cult the deficit in half. After the offensive surge by the Lightning, this goal was crucial for the Rangers, who headed into the second intermission down 4-3.
Towering Lightning defenseman Andrej Sustr took a tripping penalty early in the third, giving the Rangers an opening to tie up the game. They didn’t miss the opportunity, as some nice passing around the Lightning zone ultimately found the stick of New York captain Ryan McDonagh, who find daylight behind Bishop to make the game 4-4.
However the Lightning would take the lead back with just under six minutes to go, as Nikita Nesterov found Polat breaking down the right side. Polat cut in front of the net and fought off two Rangers defenders and Lundqvist before burying the puck to get his second of the night and make it 5-4 Tampa Bay.
New York wasn’t quite done fighting yet though, as the intensity of this back and forth contest continued. With 1:56 left in the game and time running out fast, Rangers defenseman Dan Boyle jumped on a loose puck in the slot and banged it past Bishop to again tie up the game. The rest of the period would run out without any scoring, and the teams headed into overtime knotted at 5, with the Lightning holding the edge in shots, 38-26.
The Lightning had a huge chance early in the extra frame, as J.T. Brown found himself all alone in front of Lundqvist, but the veteran Swede netminder flashed his left pad and kept it out.
But just a minute later, it was time for another potential overtime hero to emerge. Nikita Kucherov broke into the Rangers zone on a relatively harmless looking one-on-three. He cut into the high slot to get off a hard shot, which flew past Lundqvist’s blocker and into the net to give the Lightning the 6-5 victory, sending the faithful at Amalie Arena into hysterics.
With the win, the Lightning have also taken charge in the series, leading the Rangers two games to one. Game 4 goes Friday night in Tampa at 8:00 pm EST.
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