The Lightning have found their comfort again thanks to a fruitful stay in Tampa Bay. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion neutralized the New York Rangers on Tuesday to a 4-1 win that tied the game 2-2 in the East final.
Lightning soon flashed a red light. From the third minute, Patrick Maroon slammed into a loose puck and only had to deposit it into Igor Shesterkin’s net, losing balance after blocking Zach Bogosian’s hit.
The host doubled the lead in the second half of the middle period. Alone in the center zone, near the blue line between opposing defenders, Nikita Kucherov accepted Ondrej Palat’s pass before fighting back against Shesterkin, whom he blocked with a wrist shot.
It was a kind of elevator return from Palat, the hero of the third game in overtime, to Kucherov, who cleverly gave him the disc from the backhand without looking at him.
Palat again contested a goal early in the final 20. Installed at the mouth of the net, Steven Stamkos, who came from his teammate, recovered and sent the puck behind Shesterkin.
Andreï Vassilevski’s shutout disappeared at the very end of the third period when Artemi Panarin denied him his personal success. His wrist throw was the only obstacle to the Lightning goalkeeper, author of 34 saves. His rival Shesterkin intercepted 27 shots.
Named the game’s first star, Palat completed the equation in an empty cage with a few more seconds.
The two teams will return to New York for Game 5 on Thursday at Madison Square Garden, a location where the Rangers have won their last eight games.
The winner of the East final will face the Colorado Avalanche, crowned champions in the West on Monday after handing the deadly blow to the Oilers in Game 4 in Edmonton.
More details to come.
Radio Canada
Source: Radio-Canada
