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Nikita Kucherov the hero Wednesday night found himself wide open in the slot early in Friday's Game 4. l He missed the net high and wide. l A few minutes later Tyler Johnson the NHL's leading playoff scorer had Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist beat but ripped a shot off the crossbar. Ping. l Alex Killorn had two breakaways in the first two periods. l Nada. l We didn't have the puck luck tonight Johnson said. l The Lightning lost to the Rangers 5 1 disappointing a sellout crowd of 19 204 at Amalie Arena and evening the best of seven Eastern Conference final series at two games each heading into Sunday's Game 5. But as ugly as the score looked Tampa Bay believed it deserved a better fate focusing on its 39 shots most thwarted in a brilliant bounce back performance by Lundqvist and a dominating second period. l I thought for 45 minutes we did everything but put the puck in the net coach Jon Cooper said. People are going to wake up in the morning and look at the box score and say 'Oh wow Tampa got waxed.' But if you were in the building you probably didn't see it that way.
It was a huge win for the Rangers who regained home ice advantage in the series as well as some confidence. Their best players finally showed up. Rick Nash scored his first two goals of the series and former Lightning captain Marty. St. Louis got his first of the playoffs. Lundqvist nicknamed the King who gave up six goals each in Games 2 and 3 was on the top of his game.
Not surprised said defenseman Anton Stralman a former Rangers teammate of Lundqvist. That's him.
New York was able to get to its longtime nemesis Lightning goalie Ben Bishop who has allowed five goals in consecutive starts for the first time since March 2011.
Not the way you want to play at home he said.
But Stralman said Bishop did his job.
I don't think we can put any goals on him tonight Stralman said. We gave up some really good chances.
Nash led the way for the Rangers scoring on a breakaway three minutes in for the game's first goal. But the Lightning controlled the second period outshooting the Rangers 19 6 with captain Steven Stamkos tying it at 1 midway through.
One of our better periods of the playoffs Bishop said.
The turning point was a tie breaking goal by the Rangers' Chris Kreider sparked by a weak pass behind the Lightning net by Brenden Morrow. Kreider left uncovered in front put in a rebound.
Less than two minutes later Rangers defenseman Keith Yandle's shot toward the corner hit Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman's right leg in front of the net and the puck went in past Bishop.
It's tough to have a period like we did in the second Cooper said. Nine times out of 10 you're coming out with the lead probably by multiple goals.
The Lightning penalty kill continued its funk allowing two power play goals in the third period.
The third period also got pretty nasty. The Rangers took some liberties with their sticks including a cheap shot by wing Kevin Hayes who slashed Johnson in the stomach.
Don't know what you're talking about Johnson said of the slash when asked after the game.
The frustrated Triplets line of Johnson Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov Tampa Bay's most effective line all season combined for three shots 14 penalty minutes and no points.
You look at it this way Johnson said. It's a best of three to get into the Stanley Cup (final). That's pretty cool.
First Period 1 N.Y. Rangers Nash 3 (Hayes Hagelin) 17 18. Penalties St. Louis NYR (interference) 8 01 Stralman TB (interference) 12 13.
Second Period 2 Tampa Bay Stamkos 6 (Killorn Filppula) 11 30. 3 N.Y. Rangers Kreider 7 (Klein Yandle) 15 16. 4 N.Y. Rangers Yandle 1 (Klein Nash) 17 04. Penalties Staal NYR (holding) 28 Kreider NYR (tripping) 7 44.
Third Period 5 N.Y. Rangers St. Louis 1 (Brassard D.Boyle) 5 08 (pp). 6 N.Y. Rangers Nash 4 (Hayes Yandle) 11 33 (pp). Penalties Nesterov TB (high sticking) 4 40 Morrow TB (hooking) 10 02 McDonagh NYR (roughing) 17 31 Stepan NYR (high sticking) 17 31 Hagelin NYR (roughing) 17 31 Johnson TB (roughing) 17 31 Kucherov TB misconduct 17 31 Palat TB (roughing) 17 31 Klein NYR (unsportsmanlike conduct) 19 24 Morrow TB (goaltender interference unsportsmanlike conduct) 19 24 Glass NYR minor misconduct (cross checking) 19 56 Paquette TB minor misconduct (interference) 19 56. Shots on Goal N.Y. Rangers 7 6 11 24. Tampa Bay 7 19 13 39. PP opps N.Y. Rangers 2 of 4 Tampa Bay 0 of 4. Goalies N.Y. Rangers Lundqvist 10 6 0 (39 shots 38 saves). Tampa Bay Bishop 10 7 0 (24 19).
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