Lightning Defeat Rangers 4-1 In Game 4 To Even Series 2-2

@jayRecher

Pat Maroon, Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos & Ondrej Palat each scored and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 34 saves as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New York Rangers 4-1 in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Final matchup at Amalie Arena on Tuesday night.

The series is now tied 2-2.

One of the big questions coming into the game was if the Lightning could carry over their strong play from Game 3.

They answered that question very early in Game 4.

After a strong move to the net from Zach Bogosian, Pat Maroon found the rebound and backhanded the puck into the net to put the Lightning ahead 1-0 just 2:38 into the game.

There weren't any other goals in the 1st, but Tampa Bay did a fantastic job keeping pressure on the New York defense & giving them very little offense.

Then at 13:07 of the 2nd, it was that man again.

Kucherov took a quick turnaround pass from Ondrej Palat to split the New York defensemen at their blue line and came in all alone on Shesterkin. The Lightning's star winger beat the Rangers netminder five-hole to put the home team up by two.

Stamkos made it 3-0 with a goal at 4:56 of the 3rd.

The Tampa Bay captain found a rebound of a Palat shot and quickly shoveled it past Shesterkin to extend the Lightning lead.

With the Rangers not having Ryan Strome due to injury and losing Filip Chytil to an upper-body injury in the 2nd period, New York was extremely thin down the middle & just could not muster up enough shots to make a difference in the game.

Artemi Panarin did score a power play goal with 3:33 left in the game, but by then, it was too little, too late.

Palat added an empty-net goal at at 19:51 to conclude the scoring & put a nice bow on a three-point night for the Lightning winger.

Shesterkin stopped 27 of the 30 shots he saw on the evening.

*****

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period

1. Tampa Bay - Maroon - (Bogosian, Bellemare) - 2:38

2nd Period

1. Tampa Bay - Kucherov - (Palat, Rutta) - 13:07

3rd Period

1. Tampa Bay - Stamkos - (Palat, Rutta) - 4:56
2. New York - PPG - Panarin - (Vatrano, Kreider) - 16:27
3. Tampa Bay - ENG - Palat - (Unassisted) - 19:51

*****

PENALTY SUMMARY

1st Period

1. New York - Reaves - (Tripping) - 6:26

2nd Period

1. New York - MAJOR - Vatrano - (Fighting) - 11:23
2. Tampa Bay - MAJOR - Hagel - (Fighting) - 11:23

3rd Period

1. New York - Kreider - (Tripping) - 1:06
2. New York - Reaves - (Slashing) - 6:37
3. Tampa Bay - Sergachev - (Slashing) - 6:37
4. Tampa Bay - Sergachev - (Cross Checking) - 6:37
5. New York - Kreider - (Interference) - 7:33
6. Tampa Bay - Killorn - (Holding) - 16:08

*****

What's Next For The Bolts : The Lightning are back in action on Thursday night as they travel to Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Rangers in Game 5 of this 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