Lightning strike with 3 quick goals, hang on to win Game 2 of Stanley Cup Final
All three goals were shot in less than four minutes and Monday’s game marked the first time in seven games that Tampa scored the opening goal
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Tampa Bay Lightning aren’t going anywhere without a fight.
After struggling to break through in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday and eventually losing 4-1 to the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay tied the series on Monday night with two crucial power-play goals for a 3-2 victory.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dallas’ fate was essentially sealed when the team took three penalties in the first 13 minutes of the game -- opening the door wide for Tampa Bay’s lethal power play.
Just 25 seconds after Stars’ Joe Pavelski was whistled for tripping, Brayden Point scored on a perfect one-timer. When Jamie Oleksiak was called for holding, Ondrej Palat finished a perfect passing play and scored a goal Anton Khudobin never stood a chance at stopping.
“Our PK (penalty kill) has had to do a job every game,” forward Jason Dickinson said. “We take a lot of penalties in the playoffs.”
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Kevin Shattenkirk would score the Lightning's third goal less than a minute after Palat’s goal. All three goals were shot in less than four minutes and Monday’s game marked the first time in seven games that Tampa Bay scored the opening goal.
“It was a tough start I guess,” Nikita Kucherov said of Tampa Bay’s 4-1 OT loss to Dallas. “It’s the playoffs, you have to play, it doesn’t matter what happened.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tampa Bay Lightning' Kevin Shattenkirk (22) celebrates his goal with teammates during first-period NHL Stanley Cup finals hockey action against the Dallas Stars in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
The Lightning have shown their resilience this offseason but the Stars’ electric 5-on-5 play has presented quite the challenge. Joe Pavelski and Mattias Janmark scored to put Dallas on the board.
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The Lightning could see a bolt of energy if forward Steven Stamkos returns for Game 3 on Wednesday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contributed to this report.