NEW YORK, NY — The Tampa Bay Lightning have to win at least one game in New York if they want to return to the Stanley Cup Finals. Thursday, the Lightning took another shot at picking up that victory over the New York Rangers.
The puck dropped a little after 8 p.m. and Tampa Bay got an early shot on goal that ricocheted off the pipes of the goal. But Tampa Bay was able to get just two shots on goal in the first 13 minutes of the game. New York didn't fare much better with just 4 shots on goal in the same amount of time.
After the first 20 minutes of the game, neither team was able to get on the scoreboard. New York had eight shots on goal in the first period while Tampa Bay managed just three. The first period was also played with no penalties for either team.
Tampa Bay squandered an early second-period power play against the Rangers. Then with a little more than 12 minutes left in the second period, New York went on a power play of their own but was also unable to get on the scoreboard during those two minutes.
GALLERY: Lightning take on Rangers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final
But Tampa Bay's defense and goalie failed shortly thereafter with Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren putting the proverbial biscuit in the basket to take a 1-0 lead.
Tampa Bay went on another power play shortly after that, but New York's penalty kill unit was easily able to hold off Tampa Bay. The Lightning struggled to even keep the puck in the zone during the power play with around seven minutes to go in the second period.
The Lightning wouldn't let New York end the period with a lead. With a little more than two minutes to go in the second period, the Lightning lit the lamp with a goal off the stick of Mikhail Sergachev.
Neither team could get on the scoreboard again in the second period and both teams entered the final period looking to finally put away the other for the game.
The third period got underway and teams exchanged shots through the first thirteen minutes. The game was so even, that with 6:46 left in the third period, the score was tied at one, and both teams had 23 shots on goal.
The teams continued to trade shots and hits until less than two minutes to go in the game.
Sergachev hit another slap shot against New York to put the Lightning up 2-1. The NHL later changed it to give the goal to Ondrej Palat. It's his second game-winning goal in the series thus far.
SERGACHEV CALLED GAME. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/ieqmAuh78O
— NHL (@NHL) June 10, 2022
The Rangers then pulled their goalie and Brandon Hagel roared down the ice to put the puck in for another goal, giving the Bolts a 3-1 advantage.
As the final seconds ticked off, New York looked discouraged and Tampa looked like it was ready to close it out. The Lightning will have that chance on Saturday when the series comes back to Amalie Arena for a pivotal Game 5.
