Rangers Beat Lightning to Take Commanding Series Lead

The Tampa Bay Lightning had not misplaced consecutive playoff game titles considering that 2019 compiling a streak of 17 straight bounce-again victories.

Then they performed the New York Rangers.

The Rangers stunned the Lightning the moment all over again on Friday evening, beating the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions by a score of 3-2 to acquire a commanding 2- guide in their Japanese Convention remaining series.

For the next straight activity, the Lightning just could not muster anything against a stingy Rangers club, scoring just two ambitions on a whole of 31 photographs that was inflated somewhat by a sturdy late-sport force.

The moment again, Igor Shesterkin was his regular unflappable self, shutting down any Lights offense for the bulk of the match ahead of regaining his composure to direct the Rangers to victory just after Nick Paul scored with two minutes remaining to pull Tampa in just a single.

The Rangers the moment again got crucial contributions from their top players, with Chris Kreider and Adam Fox putting up two helps apiece, Mika Zibanejad scoring his ninth objective of the playoffs, and the so-referred to as “Child Line” of Filip Chytil, Alexis Lafreniere, and Kappo Kakko performing miracles in the offensive zone to get Kakko his second profession playoff objective.

On Tampa’s end, Nikita Kucherov was 1 of the lone dazzling spots in a dropping effort, chipping in a intention and an help to give the Lightning each and every opportunity to even the collection.

Alas, it was not to be.

With the Rangers getting dispelled the narrative that the Lightning are unflappable immediately after a loss, all bets are off as the collection now shifts in excess of to Tampa Bay. House-ice gain has been so critical in these playoffs consequently significantly, particularly for the Rangers supplied their sterling report at Madison Square Yard, which suggests venturing on the street to do struggle with a visibly pissed off Lightning team will be the greatest obstacle Gerrard Gallant’s team has confronted to day.

In spite of most people today counting out the Rangers thanks to their penchant for staying out-shot and out-chanced in the fundamental quantities on a nightly foundation, this team has managed to do nothing but excel all postseason long.

The series may perhaps be far from around. But the Rangers have place their stamp on it early on.