Mikhail Sergachev was the point producer for the Lightning defenseman in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final against the Islanders on Friday night, getting a goal and an assist in the 5-3 loss at Edmonton.
Sergachev, who has seven points (two goals, five assists) this postseason, got the Lightning on the board in the last five minutes of the first period.
Forward Yanni Gourde brought the puck deep into the zone just before the blue line, cradling it along the toe of his stick before faking a shot and shuffling it between two Islanders players to Sergachev, who scored to tie the score at 1.
Sergachev carried the puck toward the crease before backhanding shot to goalie Semyon Varlamov’s left side.
“It was a battle on the wall,” Sergachev said about the play. “(Gourde) picked up the puck and started skating toward me. … I jumped behind him, and he made a really nice pass, so all I had to do was shoot the puck in.”
In the second period, Sergachev prevented the Islanders from taking a 2-1 lead by blocking a shot from defenseman Scott Mayfield. He ended up blocking two shots on the night.
In the third period, Sergachev set up forward Ondrej Palat’s second goal for the Lightning on a power play.
Defenseman Victor Hedman found Gourde deep in the slot, and Gourde quickly shuffled the puck out up to Sergachev, who was skating at the top of the left faceoff circle.
Sergachev swiped the puck out to forward Nikita Kucherov on the right side. Kucherov took a shot at the crease, where Palat slipped the puck past Varlamov to bring the Lightning within 3-2.
Friday night was the second multipoint game Sergachev has recorded this postseason. His first was in Game 3 against the Bruins in the conference semifinals. He had a goal and two assists in a 7-1 win.
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Explore all your optionsContact Mari Faiello at mfaiello@tampabay.com. Follow @faiello_mari.