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Lightning tops Rangers in OT, goes up 2-1 (w/video)

 
Lightning center Alex Killorn punctuates his second-period goal with a yell after tying the score at 4.
Lightning center Alex Killorn punctuates his second-period goal with a yell after tying the score at 4.
Published May 21, 2015

TAMPA — With his two "Triplets" linemates heading to the bench for a change early in overtime Wednesday, wing Nikita Kucherov cruised into the Rangers zone, facing a one-on-three.

"A younger player might have just dumped that in," wing Alex Killorn said.

But not Kucherov. Not that line.

Kucherov zipped to the middle and let the puck rip, his wrist shot beating goalie Henrik Lundqvist, lifting the Lightning to a 6-5 victory in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final and sending the Amalie Arena sellout crowd of 19,204 into mass jubilation.

"Right place, right time," Kucherov said. "An amazing feeling."

Amazing, indeed, are the Triplets — Kucherov, Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat — the hottest line in the league. They continue to carry Tampa Bay. They scored four of the six Lightning goals Wednesday and have scored 25 of Tampa Bay's 47 overall this postseason, a big reason it is up 2-1 in this best-of-seven series.

"They've impressed me for years," coach Jon Cooper said of the trio. "Now they're impressing the world."

Said captain Steven Stamkos: "They're unbelievable."

The Lightning showed its growth, battling back from a two-goal deficit, then not caving after blowing a two-goal lead and watching former Tampa Bay defenseman Dan Boyle force overtime with a goal with two minutes left in regulation.

"There was a time early in the infancy of this team, we would not come back from that," Cooper said. "But nobody is saying 'Oh, poor us.' It's, 'Let's go win this.' "

Said Palat: "We knew we were going to win this."

The Rangers, admittedly embarrassed in a 6-2 Game 2 loss Monday, came out flying, looking like a different team. But they still couldn't contain the Triplets, whom coach Alain Vigneault labeled as good a line as the Rangers have seen.

There was Palat, the engine of the line, playing 200 feet, finishing checks, scoring two goals. Cooper said he and Killorn — who had a goal and nine shots, and was plus 3 — were "giants among men."

"(Palat) is like a train," Kucherov said. "He hits everybody."

"He was playing possessed," Johnson said.

Johnson, the talk of the NHL, scored his league-leading 12th goal, tying the franchise record for a playoff year, set by Ruslan Fedotenko and Brad Richards in 2004.

Stamkos, who set the tone with an early crushing hit on Rangers wing Kevin Hayes, is heating up, with four goals in his past five games, making the Lightning even more dangerous.

But the Triplets stole the show, with Stamkos saying it's the best line he has seen in a long time.

"The amount of skill they have on that line is one thing," Stamkos said. "But it's the determination, the grit, the ability to play at both ends of the ice. They all have hockey IQ that's above average, and you see it out there."

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Especially on the winning goal. Cooper said there was a time earlier in the game when Kucherov had a similar play and tried to beat a defender one-on-one. He talked to the talented Russian.

"I said, 'You have a phenomenal shot; you can score from there,' " Cooper said.

Kucherov delivered a goal that looked a lot like his OT winner in Game 2 against Montreal in the East semifinals.

" 'Kuch' is one of those guys that when you think he literally has nothing, he just works up something and makes something out of it," Johnson said.

Said Kucherov: "I was just trying to hit the net. Any shot is a good shot."

Lightning 1 3 1 1 6
Rangers 2 1 2 0 5
Lightning 1 3 1 1 6
Rangers 2 1 2 0 5

First Period1, N.Y. Rangers, Brassard 6 (D.Boyle, Stepan), 1:02 (pp). 2, N.Y. Rangers, Fast 2 (Kreider, McDonagh), 9:55. 3, Tampa Bay, Stamkos 5 (Killorn), 11:07. PenaltiesPaquette, TB (roughing), :26; Moore, NYR (cross-checking), 3:07.

Second Period4, Tampa Bay, Palat 5 (Johnson, Stamkos), 10:32 (pp). 5, Tampa Bay, Johnson 12 (Palat, Hedman), 13:17. 6, Tampa Bay, Killorn 6 (Hedman), 17:18. 7, N.Y. Rangers, Fast 3 (Klein, Stepan), 17:47. PenaltiesTampa Bay bench, served by Stamkos (too many men), 2:18; Nesterov, TB (interference), 6:37; Brassard, NYR (hooking), 10:11; Yandle, NYR (holding), 12:01; Morrow, TB (tripping), 12:01.

Third Period8, N.Y. Rangers, McDonagh 3 (Hayes, Yandle), 2:28 (pp). 9, Tampa Bay, Palat 6 (Nesterov, Kucherov), 14:05. 10, N.Y. Rangers, D.Boyle 3 (Miller, Yandle), 18:04. PenaltiesSustr, TB (tripping), 1:32. First Overtime11, Tampa Bay, Kucherov 7 (Nesterov), 3:33. PenaltiesNone. Shots on GoalN.Y. Rangers 9-7-10-2—28. Tampa Bay 12-12-14-2—40. Power-play opportunitiesN.Y. Rangers 2 of 4; Tampa Bay 1 of 2. GoaliesN.Y. Rangers, Lundqvist 9-6-0 (40 shots-34 saves). Tampa Bay, Bishop 10-6-0 (28-23).