Palat scores twice for Tampa to push Boston to brink

TORONTO — Former Norfolk Admiral Ondrej Palat is scoring, reigning MVP Nikita Kucherov is defending, and Tampa Bay has taken over its series against the Boston Bruins.

Palat scored two goals to give him four in the past three games, Kucherov was part of a strong defensive effort in the third period, and the Lightning beat the Bruins 3-1 Saturday to grab a commanding 3-1 lead in their secondround series.

From goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy on, Tampa Bay now stands one victory away from eliminating Boston and moving on to the Eastern Conference final for the second time in three years.

This matchup between the top two, seemingly even, teams in the Atlantic Division has been all Lightning since the Bruins won Game 1. Tampa has taken the past three, notably since Palat scored the Game 2 overtime winner.

Vasilevskiy made 29 saves and Norris Trophy finalist Victor Hedman scored a pinball, bouncing goal on Boston goaltender Jaroslav Halak, who has started every game since starter Tuukka Rask opted out of the playoffs in the middle of the first round. Halak, who was pulled last time out Wednesday, allowed three goals on 26 shots in Game 4.

Boston got a power-play goal from Jake DeBrusk in the third period to end the shutout but couldn’t come back from a 3-0 deficit. The Lightning didn’t allow a Bruins shot on goal in the final five-plus minutes.

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