Lightning sit on verge of eliminating Bruins
TORONTO — Wellrounded winger Ondrej Palat is scoring, reigning MVP Nikita Kucherov is defending and the Tampa Bay Lightning have taken over their 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 is clicking like the Stanley Cup contender it was supposed to be now stands one victory away from eliminating Boston and moving on to the Eastern Conference final for the second time in three years.
“Right now the guys are feeling it,” coach Jon Cooper said. “Let’s hope it continues.”
This matchup between the top two, seemingly even, teams in the Atlantic Division has been all Lightning since the Bruins won Game 1. They’ve taken the past three, notably since Palat scored the Game 2 overtime winner.
“We’re playing with confidence,“Palat said. “We don’t cheat on the ice. We’re doing it the right way. We’re staying on the right side of the puck. We try to not turn the puck over, and I think all four lines are playing good hockey and it’s huge.”
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.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3 CANUCKS 0
In Edmonton, Alberta, Alex Tuch and Zach Whitehead scored in a span of less than 90 seconds as Vegas took a 2-1 series lead.
Mark Stone added a goal in the third, and Robin Lehner stopped 32 shots.
ISLANDERS 3, FLYERS 1
In Toronto, Leo Komarov and Matt Martin scored in the second period to overcome a 1-0 deficit and took a 2-1 series lead. Tyler Pitlick scored for the Flyers.