NHL ROUNDUP

Lightning 3, Devils 1

A feisty Nikita Kucherov scored two goals, set up another and knocked New Jersey’s top defenseman out of the game with a big hit, and Tampa Bay moved within a game of making the Devils’ first trip to the playoffs in six years a short one with a victory on Wednesday night. J.T. Miller also scored and had two assists, and Vezina Trophy finalist Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped three breakaways in making 27 saves as the Lightning bounced back from a loss in Game 3 to tale a 3-1 lead in the first-round series. Tampa Bay can wrap up the best-ofseven series in Game 5 at home on Saturday. Kyle Palmieri scored on a 5-on-3 advantage for the Devils, who are back in the playoffs for the first time since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2012. It was the only time they beat Vasilevskiy, whose 44 wins in the regular season shared the league lead with Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck. Cory Schneider made 34 saves for New Jersey in starting his second straight game. This game might have been the roughest of the series, especially in the first period when the Lightning took a 2-1 lead in a session with a lot of scrums. The play everyone is going to talk about and the NHL probably will look at is Kucherov’s hit on Sami Vatanen late in the first. No penalty was called but the league’s No. 3 scorer appeared to jump before hitting Vatanen in the shoulder and head area. Devils coach John Hynes screamed at the officials after the play. Vatanen did not return. The Lightning were leading 2-1 at that point and the score didn’t change until Kucherov’s empty net goal with 1:08 to play iced the game. Kucherov broke a 1-all tie with 4:58 left in the period. Defenseman Brayden Coburn sent a pass from the left boards that hit off Devils’ defenseman Damon Severson. Kucherov collected the loose puck right in front and put it high into the net for his third goal of the series.

The Lightning had tied it at 11:30 on a great rush. Steven Stamkos fed Kucherov entering the zone and he found Miller on the left side for a shot over Schneider’s shoulder.

Cory Conacher appeared to give Tampa Bay the lead with 7:39 left in the period, but a review found the Lightning were offside.

For the first time in the series, the Devils scored first with Palmieri converting from the left circle with the Lightning playing two men short at 8:23 of the first.

Late Tuesday Golden Knights 1, Kings 0

Brayden McNabb scored against his former team in the second period, lifting Vegas to a victory over Los Angeles that made the Golden Knights the first expansion team in NHL history to sweep its first playoff series. Marc-Andre Fleury turned in another stellar performance, stopping 31 shots as the Knights finished off their fourth one-goal victory of the series. It was his second shutout of the series. The Knights poured into the net to hug Fleury at the final horn. Vegas fans in the crowd chanted the goalie’s name in celebration. The Knights became the second team to win their first four playoff games, joining the 1970 Pittsburgh Penguins. Jonathan Quick made 20 saves for the Kings, who managed just three goals in this series and lacked offensive punch from center Anze Kopitar (one goal) and wings Brown and Tyler Toffoli (no goals). Quick had a 1.55 goals-against average.

Capitals 3, Blue Jackets 2 (2OT)

Lars Eller scored 9 minutes into the second overtime and Washington beat Columbus to tighten up the first-round playoff series.

The Capitals won at Nationwide Arena after Columbus won the first two games — both in overtime — in Washington. It was the Capitals’ turn to prevail in OT, this time on the Blue Jackets’ home ice, to pull to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

On the winner, Eller tapped a rebound past Sergei Bobrovsky for his first goal in the playoff series.

Tom Wilson and John Carlson also scored, and Braden Holtby stopped 33 shots for the Capitals.

Game 4 is tonight in Columbus.

Pierre-Luc Dubois and Artemi Panarin scored for Columbus, and Bobrovsky finished with 42 saves after getting 54 in the Game 2 on Sunday.