It seemed like the Tampa Bay Lightning were out of the series after trailing 2-0, and being down 2-0 at one point of Game 3 to the New York Rangers. It’s amazing what a comeback can do, as it’s a completely different Lightning team in the Eastern Conference Final. They made it clear in a decisive 4-1 victory in Game 4.
The game was barely underway when the first goal of the game arrived. Zach Bogosian jumped up on the rush and was able to get a shot on net. Pat Maroon floated the rebound past Igor Shesterkin to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead.
That was quite the play from *checks notes* Bogosian. Maroon with the score, 1-0 pic.twitter.com/U6W4B0r0Tz
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) June 8, 2022
After that, it was back-and-forth action for the rest of the period, although none of the chances would amount to a goal. The closest to another goal was this two-on-one with Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, but Stamkos opted to shoot it and Shesterkin made the easy glove save.
Phil Esposito wants Stamkos to "SHOOT IT!" on the odd man rush #GoBolts #NYRvsTBL #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/SaYA7WBiDD
— Bucs Rays Bolts (@BucsRaysBoltsYT) June 8, 2022
That scoring lull continued into the second, although this time the Rangers pressured more and more to get the tying goal. The intensity grew when Brandon Hagel gave Frank Vatrano a shove, and the two dropped the gloves.
There's some tempers flaring in the Eastern Conference Final #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/uT3xfvfmvh
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 8, 2022
That seemed to get the Tampa Bay bench fired up, as just a couple of minutes later, Ondrej Palat made a great pass to spring Kucherov, and he scored to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead.
Vintage Kucherov pic.twitter.com/WLbdUQl74C
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 8, 2022
A bad situation got even worse for the Rangers in the third period. Already without Ryan Strome, who was injured in Game 3, their center depth took an even bigger hit as Filip Chytil didn’t return for the third period after a collision into the boards courtesy of Victor Hedman.
Chytil's done for the game after this: pic.twitter.com/xIyGOvRn3X
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) June 8, 2022
It kept piling on for the Rangers. Early in the third period, the Lightning got some pressure in the zone, and Shesterkin put a rebound off of a Palat shot right on the stick of a wide open Stamkos, and he buried it to increase the Lightning lead to 3-0.
AYE AYE CAPTAIN pic.twitter.com/8nCWJo9SnM
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 8, 2022
The Rangers needed to get back in this game, and a late power play did just that. Artemi Panarin corralled a rebound and found an opening to score and give New York their first one of the night.
No Shutout Here
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 8, 2022
Panarin puts the Rangers on the board late in the third period #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/XWNz8CBgLI
That was all they could manage. Palat sealed the deal for the Lightning with an empty net goal, and Tampa Bay got the 4-1 win to tie the series 2-2.
Ondrej Palat seals the win with the empty-netter #NYRvsTBL
— Lightning Radio (@BoltsRadio) June 8, 2022
The series is tied 2-2 from the words of @DaveMishkin and @PhilEspo7
: https://t.co/JaUzaTshKr, @WFLANews or Lightning Radio Network pic.twitter.com/LyZtp8IFuI
That empty net goal for Palat capped off an impressive night for the winger, with three points on the night. Palat is now up to 13 points in 13 games. Andrei Vasilevskiy also had a great night, stopping 33 of the 34 shots he faced on the night.
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