Shattenkirk scores in overtime as Lightning up 3-1, on verge of Cup
Pavelski goals not enough for Stars
EDMONTON, Alberta, Sept 26, (AP): Kevin Shattenkirk scored in overtime on a questionable power play, Brayden Point had two goals and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Dallas Stars 5-4 Friday night to take a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final and move to the cusp of winning the title.
With Game 5 Saturday night, Tampa Bay is potentially 24 hours away from its second championship in franchise history. The Lightning won the Cup in 2004, but this core has so far been unable to get over the hump despite being one of the best teams in the NHL for much of the past decade.
They’re on the verge thanks to Shattenkirk’s goal 6:34 into OT. The veteran defenseman said he signed with the Lightning in the summer of 2019 after being bought out by the New York Rangers because he felt they had a similar chip on their shoulder after winning the Presidents’ Trophy and getting swept in the first round.
“I still feel like we have something to prove,” Shattenkirk said. “We have one more to go.”
It was another dominant performance by top players who looked like they wouldn’t be denied after getting this far. Point, the Lightning’s top center, scored consecutive goals at the end of the first period and start of the second, creating and sustaining the kind of momentum that has been so important in the playoffs.
The Lightning got the winning power play when Dallas captain Jamie Benn was called for tripping Tyler Johnson on a play where Benn’s skates never made contact with Johnson’s as the trailing referee called it.
“Tyler Johnson steps in front of Jamie, and it has no real effect on the play,” said Stars veteran Joe Pavelski, who scored twice. “Jamie breathes on him and the guy calls it.”
Victor Hedman, perhaps the Conn Smythe front-runner as playoff MVP showed why in the third period by saving a goal. With the puck slowly sliding in the crease toward the goal behind Andrei Vasilevskiy, Hedman swept it out of harm’s way.
Instead of the plucky Stars reclaiming the lead, Alex Killorn put the Lightning ahead a few shifts later with a play that was half hard-working power and half sublime skill. He won a puck battle behind the net, cruised to the right faceoff circle and fired a perfect shot into the top left corner.
There wasn’t much Stars goaltender Anton Khudobin could do on that one, and Vasilevskiy was the victim of two bad bounces that almost allowed Dallas to even the series. John Klingberg’s goal that opened the scoring came after his initial shot went off Tampa Bay’s Jan Rutta and through Hedman’s legs, and Pavelski’s second that tied it in the third pinballed in off the goalie and Shattenkirk.
Lightning teammates were thrilled for Shattenkirk to get the winner after being on the wrong end of the Stars’ fourth goal. On the winning power play, Shattenkirk told Hedman to get him the puck and he’d find a lane. The shot got through, setting off a raucous celebration as Lightning players hopped off the bench to swarm Shattenkirk.
SOCHI, Russia, Sept 26, (AP): Lewis Hamilton took a step closer to equaling the Formula One win record on Saturday by clinching pole position at the Russian Grand Prix, after narrowly avoiding early elimination when Sebastian Vettel crashed.
Hamilton charged to a track-record time of 1 minute, 31.304 seconds, beating the Red Bull of Max Verstappen by .563 for his fifth straight pole position. Hamilton can achieve his 91st career win in the race on Sunday, matching the record held by Michael Schumacher.
Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas, was beaten into third by Verstappen’s fast run at the end of the session and was .652 off Hamilton’s time.
The long run from the grid to the first significant turn means Bottas could yet threaten to overtake Hamilton at the start Sunday using the slipstream from his team-mate’s car.
“This year you’re seeing that our cars are more draggy and there’s more tow this year than we’ve seen in other years. So I generally expect one of these two (Verstappen and Bottas) to come flying by at some point,” Hamilton said. “I think I’m just going to focus on my race and run the fastest race I can.”
Bottas earned his first win at the 2017 race in Russia after starting third and overtaking the two Ferraris ahead of him at the start.
MOTOR RACING
Verstappen and Bottas both start the race on medium tires, which could give them an edge in terms of pit strategy over Hamilton, who is on soft tires, which wear much faster.
“I’m just going to have to nurse those tires for as far as I can. These guys, if they get by, they’re going to be pulling away,” Hamilton said.
Verstappen said he was delighted to start second.
“I wasn’t expecting that and of course it’s great for us. If we can get a good start tomorrow you never know what can happen,” he said.
Vettel lost control of his car over the kerb on the inside of the 90-degree, right-hand turn four and spun into the wall, before the Ferrari bounced back onto the track. Teammate Charles Leclerc was following closely behind and narrowly missed the wrecked car, driving over its discarded front wing.
“Oh my god, that was very, very close,” Leclerc told his team over the radio. Leclerc qualified 11th and Vettel 15th as Ferrari failed to reach the top10 shootout with either car for the third time in four races.
Vettel’s crash meant the red flag was waved while Hamilton was trying to set his first valid lap time to make the third session – after his first attempt was earlier ruled out for going off the track. After the track was cleared and the session restarted, Hamilton had to rush his out-lap and ran off the track before making it over the line in time for another flying lap with just a second to spare. “It was horrible,” Hamilton said. “Heart in the mouth.”
Hamilton was also asked to report to race stewards over another incident in which he went off the track in the first part of qualifying. Hamilton said he wasn’t sure what exactly the inquiry concerned.