Palat Scores With 41.6 Seconds Left To Lead Lightning To 3-2 Win In Game 3

@jayRecher

*****

Cue up the Sweet Caroline.

Ondrej Palat scored with 41.6 seconds left -- the Lightning's 51st & final shot of the night -- and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New York Rangers 3-2 in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Final matchup.

Palat's goal came after some great passing from Victor Hedman & Nikita Kucherov to put Tampa Bay ahead for the first time all game.

The Rangers still lead the series 2-1, but the Lightning played with the urgency & desperation of a team with their backs against the wall.

Neither team scored in the first, but the first power play of the game went to the Rangers after a high sticking call on Kucherov.

The only real chance came from Chris Kreider in front, but Vasilevskiy made the save. Kucherov actually had the greatest opportunity to score coming out of the penalty box, sprung on a breakaway on a stretch pass from Ryan McDonagh, but Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin was able to make the save.

That was the closest thing to a goal in the opening period, the 2nd was a different story.

It all started with a skirmish behind the net, that led to coincidental minors to New York's Ryan Lindgren (roughing) and Tampa Bay's Ross Colton (cross checking). On the ensuing 4-on-4, Rangers center Mika Zibanejad was whistled for interference, which gave the Lightning a 4-on-3 power play opportunity. Tampa Bay got some good decent looks but were unable to cash in.

At the tail end of the Bolts man-advantage, Corey Perry was called for slashing Shesterkin and he certainly made sure the referees saw the call, throwing his hands in the hair, losing his stick and falling to his back.

So there was some 3-on-3 action, followed by a little 4-on-4 and then eventually a 5-on-4 power play.

And that's where the Rangers finally opened up the score.

Zibanejad ripped a one timer past Vasilevskiy at 7:37 to give New York a 1-0 lead.

But wait, there's more.

Following a goaltender interference call on Riley Nash, Kreider scored on a rebound of a Zibanejad shot to put New York ahead 2-0 just over two minutes later.

Not to be outdone, the Lightning scored a power play goal of their own after Jacob Trouba was whistled for interference.

Hedman found Kucherov in the right circle and Tampa Bay's star winger fired a one-timer past a sliding Shesterkin to cut the New York lead to 2-1 at 10:50.

Tampa Bay kept pushing and pushing and then just 82 seconds into the 3rd, found the equalizer.

After a holding call to Trouba - one of three minors to the New York defenseman in the game - Steven Stamkos took a feed from Corey Perry and blasted one past Shesterkin to tie things up at two apiece.

Always Brad To See You : Firing off the Tesla coils before today's game with our guy Greg Wolf....former Lightning forward & Stanley Cup Champion Brad Richards! (VIDEO BELOW)

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SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period

NONE

2nd Period

1. New York - PPG - Zibanejad - (Fox, Panarin) - 7:37
2. New York - PPG - Kreider - (Zibanejad, Panarin) - 9:44
3. Tampa Bay - PPG - Kucherov - (Hedman, Stamkos) - 10:50

3rd Period

1. Tampa Bay - PPG - Stamkos - (Perry, Kucherov) - 1:22
2. Tampa Bay - Palat - (Kucherov, Hedman) - 19:18

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PENALTY SUMMARY

1st Period

1. Tampa Bay - Kucherov - (High Sticking) - 8:03

2nd Period

1. New York - Lindgren - (Roughing) - 4:50
2. Tampa Bay - Colton - (Cross Checking) - 4:50
3. New York - Zibanejad - (Interference) - 5:06
4. Tampa Bay - Perry - (Slashing) - 6:38
5. Tampa Bay - Nash - (Goaltender Interference) - 8:23
6. New York - Trouba - (Interference) - 10:09

3rd Period

1. New York - Trouba - (Holding) - 0:37
2. New York - Vatrano - (Goaltender Interference) - 6:27
3. Tampa Bay - DOUBLE MINOR - Kucherov - (High Sticking) - 10:56
4. New York - Trouba - (Tripping) - 12:29

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What's Next For The Bolts : The Lightning are back in action on Tuesday night as they host the New York Rangers at Amalie Arena for Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Final matchup. Puck drop is slated for 8:00pm with the pregame show starting at 7:00pm on NewsRadio WFLA & Lightning Power Play on the iHeartRadio app.

PHOTO : Getty Images