NHL playoffs: Lightning-Maple Leafs Game 4 live updates

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The Maple Leafs scored three goals in a 6:20 span of the third period and then netted the winner in overtime Monday at Amalie Arena, sending the Lightning to a 5-4 loss that pushed them to the brink of elimination.

With their second straight overtime victory, the Leafs took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven, opening-round series. They will have the first of three chances to clinch Thursday in Game 5 in Toronto.

The Maple Leafs’ Alexander Kerfoot tipped a Mark Giordano shot from the right point under Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy’s stick 4:14 into the extra period to complete Toronto’s comeback from a three-goal, third-period deficit.

Alex Killorn scored twice earlier in the game to help Tampa Bay build a 4-1 lead after two periods.

With Toronto’s William Nylander in the box for tripping Steven Stamkos in the offensive zone, Killorn, stationed at top of the crease, tapped a shot-pass from Nikita Kucherov from the right circle past goaltender Ilya Samsonov midway through the first period.

Mikhail Sergachev doubled Tampa Bay’s lead 8-1/2 minutes later, beating Samsonov with a wrist shot from the left circle after a cross-ice feed from Kucherov, who picked up his second primary assist on the play.

Lightning forward Brandon Hagel was awarded a penalty shot after Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly pulled him down from behind on a shorthanded breakaway at 7:45, but Samsonov made a left pad save.

Noel Acciari put the Maple Leafs on the board just under five minutes into the second period, tipping a Justin Holl shot from the right point up over Vasilevskiy’s glove.

Just over 6-1/2 minutes later, a Victor Hedman centering pass from above the left circle deflected off Stamkos’ skate into the net to restore the Lightning’s two-goal lead. Killorn scored his second goal with just over a minute left in the period, a wrist shot from the left circle after a drop pass from Hagel, making it 4-1.

Auston Matthews scored two goals 2:45 apart in the third period to bring the Maple Leafs within one.

He scored from the left hashmark after a circle-to-circle pass from Mitch Marner at 9:44. Less than three minutes later, Matthews circled behind the net into the low slot and tipped in a William Nylander shot-pass from above the right circle for a power-play goal.

Rielly, whose overtime goal was the difference Saturday in Game 3, then tied the game with a wrist shot from the center point with John Tavares and Stamkos in front of the net with 3:56 to play in regulation.

The Maple Leafs continued to push in overtime, outshooting the Lightning 6-1 before Kerfoot put the deciding goal behind Vasilevskiy.

Here’s how it happened:

OvertimeLightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) looks on as Toronto Maple Leafs center Alexander Kerfoot (15) celebrates a second-period goal by Toronto center Noel Acciari (52). [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]Follow all the action on and off the ice

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Auston Matthews shot from left circle stopped by Andrei Vasilevskiy

Jake McCabe shot from slot misses high

Victor Hedman stretch pass misses its intended target and results in an icing call

Steven Stamkos shot from slot stopped by Ilya Samsonov, who loses his mask after getting hit by teammate John Tavares

TJ Brodie wrist shot from right point misses wide but goes out of play, keeping faceoff in Lightning zone

Morgan Rielly pass knocked out of play by Alex Killorn, resulting in another faceoff in Tampa Bay zone

William Nylander gets loose in the slot and is pulled down by Mikhail Sergachev, giving the Maple Leafs a power play (17:32 left in period)

Mitch Marner shot from right circle saved by Vasilevskiy

Ryan O’Reilly stopped from in close

Lightning clear the puck

MAPLE LEAFS GOAL: Mark Giordano shot from the right point is tipped by Alexander Kerfoot under Vasilevskiy’s stick (4:14)

(Maple Leafs win game 5-4, lead series 3-1)

Third periodLightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77), center, and Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) battle as Tampa Bay defenseman Zach Bogosian (24) attempts to break them up during the second period. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]

Lightning will start period with 4-on-3 advantage for 1:17 after Jake McCabe was penalized for cross-checking Nick Perbix as the second period expired

Stamkos shot from left circle saved by Ilya Samsonov

Nikita Kucherov shot from right circle saved by Samsonov

Kucherov shot saved by Samsonov

Brayden Point wrist shot stopped by Samsonov

It’s now 5-on-4 for about 30 seconds

TJ Brodie shot saved by Andrei Vasilevskiy

Victor Hedman shot blocked by Brodie

Brandon Hagel shot misses wide

Hagel shot blocked by Auston Matthews

Hedman slap shot saved by Samsonov

Brodie wrist shot saved by sprawling Vasilevskiy

McCabe shot from left point saved by Vasilevskiy

Brodie shot from left point blocked by Raddysh

Cirelli shot from right circle misses wide

Zach Aston-Reese backhander from right circle stopped by Vasilevskiy

Hagel wrist shot from the slot saved by Samsonov

MAPLE LEAFS GOAL: Auston Matthews scores from the left hashmark after circle-to-circle pass from Mitch Marner. Lightning 4, Maple Leafs 2 (9:44)

Maple Leafs go on power play after Zach Bogosian penalized for hooking Alexander Kerfoot (8:44 left in period)

Killorn skates the puck out of the zone, and Samsonov has to make a save on a Pierre-Edouard Bellemare from the left hashmark

Samsonov has to come way out of his net to break up a Cirelli shorthanded breakaway opportunity

MAPLE LEAFS GOAL: Matthews circles behind the net into the low slot and tips in a William Nylander shot-pass from above the right circle for a power-play goal. Lightning 4, Maple Leafs 3 (12:29)

Nylander sharp-angle shot catches Vasilevskiy up high, and he covers up

MAPLE LEAFS GOAL: Morgan Rielly ties the game with a wrist shot from the center point with John Tavares and Steven Stamkos in front of the net 3:56 to play. Lightning 4, Maple Leafs 4.

Alex Killorn shot from the right circle off the rush saved by Samsonov, who also stops a rebound attempt

Perbix shot misses wide

Nick Paul steals the puck from Mark Giordano and just misses the net with a backhand shot from in close

William Nylander dumps the puck in on Vasilevskiy

(Lightning and Maple Leafs tied 4-4 after regulation)

Second periodLightning left wing Tanner Jeannot (84), bottom, attempts to control the puck as Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov (35), Toronto left wing Matthew Knies (23), bottom right, and Tampa Bay left wing Pat Maroon (14) join the play in the first period. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]

Auston Matthews shot off the rush from left circle saved by Andrei Vasilevskiy

TJ Brodie shot from low in right circle covered by Vasilevskiy

Brodie whips shot from right point wide of net

Calle Jarnkrok shot from high slot misses wide

Mark Giordano shot wide of the net

Justin Holl wrist shot saved by Vasilevskiy

Sam Lafferty wrist shot saved by Vasilevskiy

Victor Hedman wrist shot saved by Ilya Samsonov

Corey Perry backhander from left wall saved by Samsonov

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare shot deflected wide

Matthews shot from slot goes wide

Ryan O’Reilly shot from right circle blocked

MAPLE LEAFS GOAL: Noel Acciari, in the slot, tips Justin Holl shot from right point that was headed wide of the net up over Andrei Vasilevskiy on the glove side. Lightning 2, Maple Leafs 1 (4:51)

Matthew Knies saves a goal, pulling back a shot that got behind Samsonov before the puck fully crossed the goal line

Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71), along with Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov (35), left, Toronto center John Tavares (91), center, and Leafs left wing Matthew Knies (23) watch as the puck dribbles along the goal line during the second period. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]

Hagel just misses connecting with Anthony Cirelli in front

Samsonov saves Alex Kollorn tip in front

Stamkos shot from right circle deflected high

John Tavares pass in front broken up by Vasilevskiy

Victor Hedman penalized for roughing John Tavares (11:21 left in period)

Killorn shorthanded breakaway stopped by Samsonov

Lightning kill the penalty

William Nylander shot from slot deflected by Ian Cole

LIGHTNING GOAL! Victor Hedman centering pass from above the left circle deflects off Steven Stamkos’ skate into the net. Lightning 3, Maple Leafs 1 (11:31)

Lightning go on the power play as John Tavares penalized for high-sticking Nick Perbix

Hedman shot from center point blocked by TJ Brodie

Hedman shot misses high

Maple Leafs clear the puck

Sergachev fans on a pass, and the puck leaves the zone

Brayden Point shot from the low slot blocked

Leafs clear the puck

Cirelli shot from high slot blocked

Maple Leafs kill the penalty

Kucherov shot from left circle blocked by Luke Schenn

Auston Matthews backhander from low in left circle misses wide

Mark Giordano snap shot from above left circle saved by Vasilevskiy

Vasilevskiy makes glove save on Marner wrist shot from center point that was headed wide

Samsonov makes blocker save on Point shot after backward, behind-the-legs pass from Raddysh

LIGHTNING GOAL! Alex Killorn scores on wrist shot from the left circle after a drop pass from Hagel. Lightning 4, Maple Leafs 1 (18:49)

Vasilevskiy makes save on McCabe

Sergachev and Brodie receiving roughing penalties, so teams will play 4-on-4

McCabe penalized for cross-checking Perbix

(Lightning lead 4-1 after two periods)

First periodLightning forward Steven Stamkos (91) takes the ice for pregame warmups. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]

Alex Killorn wrist shot saved by Ilya Samsonov

Darren Raddysh shot blocked by Morgan Rielly

Mikhail Sergachev shot blocked by Auston Matthews

Nick Paul shot blocked by TJ Brodie

Mark Giordano shot saved by Andrei Vasilevskiy

Ross Colton hits Justin Holl

Steven Stamkos wrist shot from right circle goes over Samsonov’s shoulder

Corey Perry shot from above right circle blocked by Giordano

Victor Hedman pass in front deflected by Samsonov

Tanner Jeannot wrist shot from center point misses wide

Matthew Knies shot blocked by Nick Perbix

Mitch Marner shot from right point blocked by Brandon Hagel

Luke Schenn shot blocked by Hagel

Maple Leafs get a power play as Anthony Cirelli penalized for cross-checking Calle Jarnkrok

Maple Leafs stripped of the puck on the entry, and puck leaves the zone

Lightning awarded penalty shot after Morgan Rielly pulls down Brandon Hagel from behind on shorthanded breakaway, but Samsonov makes a left pad save (12:15 left in period)

Matthews one-timer from slot stopped by Vasilevskiy

Ryan O’Reilly shot blocked by Mikhai Sergachev, who needs help getting back to the bench and hobbles down the tunnel to the locker room

Lightning kill the penalty

Lightning power play: William Nylander penalized for tripping Steven Stamkos (10:36 left in period)

Mitch Marner shorthanded wrist shot saved by Vasilevskiy

Stamkos one-timer from left circle blocked

LIGHTNING GOAL! Alex Killorn scores a power-play goal from the left post after a shot-pass from Nikita Kucherov from the right circle. Lightning 1, Maple Leafs 0 (9:57)

Sergachev is back on the ice

Killorn has another chance from in front

Raddysh shot from the right point blocked

Jake McCabe shot from center point knocked down

Luke Schenn wrist shot from right point goes wide

Killorn shot from left circle blocked by Schenn

Stamkos slap shot from left point misses high

Nick Perbix shot from right point hits side of net

Brayden Point shot deflected wide

Kucherov wrist shot saved by Samsonov

Hagel shot from left circle goes wide

Samsonov robs Killorn from the low slot

Bogosian slap shot saved by Samsonov

David Kampf wrist shot saved by Vasilevskiy

LIGHTNING GOAL! Sergachev beats Samsonov with a wrist shot from the left circle. Lightning 2, Maple Leafs 0 (18:27)

Perbix with a hard hit on Knies into the side boards

(Lightning lead 2-0 after one period)

Will right process lead to the intended outcome?Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) reacts as the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrate their winning goal in overtime of Game 3. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]

Remember that 2-1 loss to the Bruins on March 25?

It was the Lightning’s fourth in a row and capped a stretch of 14 losses in 21 games.

But if you listened closely to the talk in the locker room afterward, you could sense that the players knew they were getting back to the top of their game after going toe-to-toe for 60 minutes with the top team in the NHL.

“If we bring the same attitude next game, I’m sure it’s going to be a different outcome,” defenseman Victor Hedman said. ” … Keep playing the same way, we’re going to get some good bounces with us. For us, it’s all about believing in the process.”

They saw those results over the next three games, wins over the Hurricanes, Capitals and Islanders.

Why is this relevant?

Because the Lightning were saying similar things after their overtime loss Saturday night in Game 3.

“We felt like it was a real step in the right direction after Game 2, and we are happy with the way we played,” Hedman said Sunday. “But at the same time, we can’t hang our hat on that. We’ve got to go out and execute and do the same thing next game and expect a different outcome.”

Though they squandered a late one-goal lead in the 4-3 loss, the Lightning played well enough to win. They kept to their structure. They moved their feet. They played with speed. They competed hard. They were physical.

They dominated zone time, outshooting the Leafs 39-27, including 15-8 in the second period and 8-5 in overtime.

They did everything they set out to do, other than win the game.

“We played an unbelievable game (Saturday), I thought,” Brandon Hagel said afterward.

“Process over outcome” has been the Lightning’s mantra for the past several seasons, and it has delivered two championships and three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final.

Just because they now trail in the series, they aren’t about to abandon the approach that helped them achieve so much success.

“For us … it’s about process,” Hedman said. “(Saturday) was a process game, and we bounced back from Game 2. It’s always the next game. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it’s all about the next game.”

Unfortunately, they have little remaining margin for error. If they don’t get a win tonight, they’ll have even less.

Is Game 4 a must-win for Lightning?Lightning defenseman Nick Perbix (48), goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) and center Brayden Point (21) look on as the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrate their winning goal in overtime of Game 3. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]

Despite feeling good about how they played against the Maple Leafs in Game 3 Saturday at Amalie Arena, the Lightning know they need a win tonight in Game 4.

It’s not only about taking advantage of home ice and evening the series, but also about ensuring they don’t return to Toronto on the brink of elimination Thursday in Game 5.

Read Eduardo A. Encina’s full story here.

Who’s in/who’s outGame night scene

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