NHL Stanley Cup Playoff results | Thursday
Lightning 2, Panthers 1 Tampa Bay leads series 2-0
SUNRISE, Fla. — Ross Colton scored with 3.8 seconds remaining, giving the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning a victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
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. Perry’s goal was the Lightning’s fourth in seven power-play chances to start the series.
Eetu Luostarinen scored for the Panthers on a 30-foot shot that trickled past Andrei Vasilevskiy with 1:53 remaining in the second period.
Vasilevskiy stopped 34 of 35 shots for Tampa Bay. Bobrovsky
finished with 25 saves. Blues 4, Avalanche 1 Series tied 1-1
DENVER — David Perron scored twice as St. Louis switched up its line combinations, Jordan Binnington made 30 saves and the Blues beat the Colorado Avalanche to tie their second-round series at a game apiece.
Jordan Kyrou added a goal and Brandon Saad sealed it with an empty-netter for the Blues as they rode another stellar performance from Binnington. The Blues goaltender stopped 51 shots during a 3-2 overtime loss in Game 1.
Binnington’s flashing his 2019 form, when as a rookie he led the Blues to a Stanley Cup title with a 16-10 mark and a 2.46 goalsagainst average.
Gabriel Landeskog scored on a power play early in the third for Colorado to make it 2-1. But Perron answered right back with his seventh goal of these playoffs.
Darcy Kuemper stopped 28 shots. Two of the goals he allowed were redirected off the stick of a defenseman.
Game 3 is Saturday in St. Louis.