Game 53: Lightning 3, Rangers 4 (OT)

Tonight was definitely a better effort from the team. Although we got a point going into OT, the loss is just one more point that we didn't get. With only a limited number of games left before the trade deadline, every point matters, the OT loss matters.

Stamkos continues his league lead in goals scoring his 36th on a breakaway late in the 1st. Garon played well early stopping 10 shots in the 1st period and kept the team in the game since the Lightning only had 4 shots on net.

The second period was more even in terms of shots with the Lightning having 10 and the Rangers 11. A terrible hooking call on Ryan Shannon puts the Rangers up on the PP at 4:22 and the Rangers tied up the game 11 seconds later.



More recap after the jump...
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Two quick goals less than a minute apart put the Rangers in a 2-1 for all of 21 seconds before Lecavalier scored to tie it up. Nate Thompson had a good chance at a goal that rang off the cross bar but didn't go in. Bruno Gervais gave the Lightning back their lead with a PP goal from a great pass from Stamkos on the Eminger tripping penalty. In between the two goals that the Rangers scored Prust went after Hedman for what he throught was a slew foot. Didn't look intentional but just kinda happened. Both get roughing minors.

In the third period Dominic Moore continues his slow campaign to have the league hate him more than Downie by cross checking Fedotenko:



No one wants to see this happen, not to any player, expecially not Feds. Rangers players are understandably not pleased.

Will the league look into this one tomorrow? Ponder that.



Midway through the period the Rangers tied it up with a fortuitous bounce off of Hedman to the Rangers that led to a high slap shot from Brian Boyle. Stamkos has a good chance with about 5 minutes left in the 3rd but Biron robs him at the side of the net:



The games heads to OT and Brad Richards scored the winning goal 2:37 into OT.

Final shots on goal was Rangers 31 and Lightning 17.