Last-minute goal lifts Tampa Bay
Lightning build 2-0 lead over Panthers in series
Ross Colton scored with 3.8 seconds remaining, giving the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning a 2-1 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Thursday night.
The stunning finish put the Lightning up 2-0 in the best-ofseven series that heads to Tampa for Game 3 on Sunday.
The game appeared headed for overtime before Colton scored from right in front of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky off a backhand pass from Nikita Kucherov, who chased down a loose puck behind the Florida net.
Tampa Bay’s power play once again was the catalyst, producing Corey Perry’s first-period goal after delivering three goals in the Lightning’s 4-1 victory in Game 1.
Florida’s power play, meanwhile, continued to sputter.
The Panthers entered the second game of the series 0-for 21 in man-advantage situations through seven postseason games. They were 0-for-4 Thursday night, with the team’s lone goal coming on a 30-foot shot from Eetu Luostarinen that trickled past Andrei Vasilevskiy with 1:53 remaining in the second period.
Notes: Panthers interim coach Andrew Brunette is a finalist for NHL coach of the year, as is New York Rangers coach Gerard Gallant and Calgary coach Darryl Sutter.