NHL playoffs: Lightning-Maple Leafs Game 3 live updates

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Morgan Rielly scored the winning goal with 45 seconds remaining in overtime, and the Maple Leafs shocked the Lightning 4-3 in Game 3 of their opening-round playoff series Saturday night at Amalie Arena.

With its second straight victory, Toronto took its first lead of the series, two games to one, heading into Game 4 Monday in Tampa.

The Lightning led 3-2 until the final minute of regulation, when Ryan O’Reilly scored a 6-on-5 goal to send the game to overtime.

With goaltender Ilya Samsonov pulled for an extra attacker, O’Reilly scored from the top of the crease on a rebound of a William Nylander shot from low in the left circle, sneaking a shot between Andrei Vasilevskiy’s pad and blocker on the short side.

In overtime, O’Reilly won a faceoff in the left circle and played the puck back to Rielly at the point. Rielly’s wrist shot went past Brayden Point, who was engaged with O’Reilly below the faceoff dot, and up over Vasilevskiy’s blocker for the winner.

PHOTOS: View a gallery of photos from tonight’s game here

Toronto’s Noel Acciari opened the scoring on a shot from between the circles on a 3-on-2 just 3:24 into the game. Tampa Bay’s Anthony Cirelli responded just over a minute-and-a-half later from the left circle after a nice backhand feed from Alex Killorn.

Auston Matthews restored the Maple Leafs’ lead on a redirection of a Mitch Marner shot at 11:10, but Brandon Hagel tied it up again in the final minute of the period on a shot from low in the right circle that went off goaltender Ilya Samsonov’s arm on the blocker side into the net.

Darren Raddysh gave the Lightning their first lead of the game with just over six minutes remaining in the second period. He circled behind the Maple Leafs net, absorbed a check from Jake McCabe into the end boards and scored from the inside of the left circle.

The Lightning thought they had another goal a few minutes later when a TJ Brodie clearing attempt from behind the Leafs net hit Point in the chest and deflected in on Samsonov. Point poked the puck into the net, but officials waved off the goal, saying Samsonov had covered the puck.

Five minutes into the third, Point left for the locker room holding his left side after colliding with Rielly and going hard into the end boards. He returned later in the period and finished with a team-high seven shots on goal.

Vasilevskiy stopped 23 of the 27 shots he faced. Samsonov finished with 36 saves on 39 shots.

Defenseman Victor Hedman, who missed most of the first two games of the series with an undisclosed injury, returned to the Lightning lineup.

Here’s how it happened:

Overtime

Brayden Point shot from right point saved by Ilya Samsonov

Darren Raddysh ices the puck

Morgan Rielly shot from left point blocked

Mikhail Sergahev shot from right circle goes off the side of the net

Steven Stamkos nearly has a chance at a tip from in front

Point backhander from low in the left circle saved by Samsonov

Samsonov stops Ross Colton at the top of the crease as the net is dislodged

Samsonov robs Nikita Kucherov backhander from the low slot after stretch pass from Sergachev

Mitch Marner wrist shot from right circle saved by Vasilevskiy

John Tavares fans on a shot, and Lightning skate the puck out of the zone

Darren Raddysh has a great chance from the right circle

Ian Cole snapshot from center point goes wide

Stamkos shot from low in right circle goes off Jake McCabe and trickles in on Samsonov, who covers the puck

Kucherov quick shot from left circle just misses wide

Vasilevskiy stops Nylander backhander from left circle

Hedman shot from low in left circle kicked aside by Samsonov

Anthony Cirelli wrist shot from left side whizzes past Samsonov’s glove

Pat Maroon ices the puck

Corey Perry ices the puck

Cirelli shot from right point wide of the net

Lightning offside

Sergachev shot from center point doesn’t get through

Raddysh blast from left circle blocked by Schenn

Schenn blocks another Raddysh shot

Justin Holl shot from right point hits the post

Schenn pass-shot from right point for Rielly in the slot saved by Vasilevskiy

MAPLE LEAFS GOAL! Morgan Rielly scores the winner on a wrist shot from the left point after a Toronto faceoff win in the left circle. MAPLE LEAFS 4, LIGHTNING 3 (19:15)

(Maple Leafs win 4-3, lead series 2-1)

Third period

Auston Matthews shot off the rush misses wide

Tanner Jeannot pass on 2-on-1 deflected wide by TJ Brodie

Mikhail Sergachev shot from left circle blocked

David Kampf shot from center point deflected wide after Pierre-Edouard Bellemare turnover

Lightning offside

William Nylander wide-open shot from the slot blocked by Victor Hedman

Lightning just miss connecting with Brandon Hagel on a breakaway

Auston Matthews shot blocked by Mikhail Sergachev

Brayden Point down on the ice after colliding with Morgan Rielly and going hard into the end boards. Nikita Kucherov immediately jumps on Rielly, and Point skates off the ice holding his left side. Stamkos and Auston Matthews fight, and Sergachev locks up with Luke Schenn (14:56 left to play)

Stamkos, Kucherov, Matthews and Ryan O’Reilly receive fighting majors. Kucherov and Rielly pick up roughing minors. Maple Leafs wind up with a power play when all is said and done.

Hedman skates the puck out of the zone

Lightning play keepaway for awhile and then send the puck down the ice

Brandon Hagel skates the remaining time off the power play

Darren Raddysh shot from right point tipped wide

Maple Leafs offsides

Brayden Point is back on the Lightning bench

Colton misses wide from in front after puck goes off his skate and up over his stick

Point is back on the ice

Samsonov stops Hagel spinaround shot from left circle

Nick Perbix shot deflected wide

Marner shot from the slot goes wide

Knies backhand shot just misses the net

Vasilevskiy stops Matthews backhander from the slot after puck takes crazy bounce off the boards into the middle of the ice

Leafs pull Samsonov from the net for an extra attacker (1:30 left)

Knies shot goes off Sergachev’s skate

MAPLE LEAFS GOAL: O’Reilly scores from the top of the crease on a rebound of a William Nylander shot from the left circle. Lightning 3, Maple Leafs 3 (19:00)

O’Reilly blocks a shot in the left circle as the period comes to a close

(Lightning and Maple Leafs tied 3-3 afte regulation)

Second period

Luke Schenn shot from center point swept aside by Andrei Vasilevskiy

Brandon Hagel shot from high slot hits the post

Tanner Jeannot breakaway off Victor Hedman stretch pass shut down by Ilya Samsonov

Jeannot sharp-angle shot saved by Samsonov after TJBrodie turnover in Toronto zone

Hedman shot from right side saved by Samsonov

Darren Raddysh shot from the center point stopped by Samsonov

Sam Lafferty wrist shot from above left circle goes wide

David Kampf shot from right point blocked by Steven Stamkos

Brandon Hagel forces William Nylander out of the offensive zone after a Lightning turnover

Auston Matthews shot wide of the net caught by Vasilevskiy

Hedman shot from high slot blocked by Morgan Rielly

Hedman blast from center point misses wide

Hedman shot wide of net

Maple Leafs finally get the puck out of their zone after sustained pressure from Lightning

Corey Perry shot from low slot hits outside of post

Maple Leafs ice the puck

Nick Paul shot deflected wide

William Nylander wrist shot from slot goes off Vasilevskiy’s leg pad

Nick Peribix shot saved by Samsonov

Ryan O’Reilly plays his own pass off the end boards, but Vasilevskiy stops him from the top of the crease

Samsonov deflects Mikhail Sergachev shot from left point up out of play

Zach Bogosian sharp-angle shot goes through the crease

Ian Cole hits Sam Laffety

Luke Schenn hits Pat Maroon

Sergachev wrist shot saved by Samsonov

Maple Leafs ice the puck

Nick Perbix one-timer from above the left circle saved by Samsonov with Anthony Cirelli battling in front

Noel Acciari hits Perbix, who seems to be favoring his left shoulder

LIGHTNING GOAL! Darren Raddysh circles behind the net, absorbs a check from Jake McCabe into the end boards and scores from the inside of the left circle. Lightning 3, Maple Leafs 2 (13:34)

Lightning power play: Sam Lafferty penalized for roughing Ross Colton (4:50 left in period)

Maple Leafs clear the puck

TJ Brodie clearing attempt from behind the net hits Brayden Point in the chest and deflects in on Samsonov, who covers the puck. Point pokes it into the net, but officials wave off the goal (4:19 left)

Kucherov shot from right circle blocked

Kucherov shot misses the net

Leafs clear the puck

Point penalized for tripping Justin Holl, ending the Lightning power play (3:19 left)

4-on-4 is over, so Maple Leafs go on the power play

Brandon Hagel nearly has a shorthanded breakaway

Lightning twice clear the puck down the ice

Mark Giordano shot from right point knocked down in front

Lightning kill the penalty

TJ Brodie nearly loses the puck to Steven Stamkos in front of his own net

Vasilevskiy stops Matthew Knies backhand shot from in close

(Lightning leads 3-2 after two periods)

First period

William Nylander spinaround shot from the low slot saved by Andrei Vasilevskiy

Lightning ice the puck

Zach Bogosian shot misses high

Ian Cole shot from the left point wide of the net

MAPLE LEAFS: Noel Acciari scores between the circles on a 3-on-2 rush, beating Vasilevskiy low on the blocker side. Maple Leafs 1, Lightning 0 (3:24)

LIGHTNING GOAL! Anthony Cirelli scores from low in the left circle off a backhand feed from Alex Killorn to tie the score 1:36 after Noel Acciari’s goal. Lightning 1, Maple Leafs 1 (4:50)

Ross Colton shot blocked by Jake McCabe

Steven Stamkos shot blocked by Luke Schenn

Dareren Raddysh shot saved by Ilya Samsonov

Nikita Kucherov shot blocked by Schenn

Kucherov shot from high slot saved by Samsonov

Brayden Point shot rebound attempt saved by Samsonov

Vasilevskiy makes a blocker save on Nylander wrist shot

Vasilevskiy makes blocker stop on Auston Matthews shot from the center point

MAPLE LEAFS: Matthews, battling Darren Raddysh in front of the net, tips a Mitch Marner shot from the center point past Vasilevskiy. Maple Leafs 2, Lightning 1.

Lightning ice the puck

Steven Stamkos shot misses wide

Victor Hedman shot goes wide

Raddysh shot from the right point hits the post

Lightning power play: TJ Brodie penalized for cross-checking Killorn (6:03 left in period)

Steven Stamkos shot from left circle blocked by Justin Holl

Nikita Kucherov penalized for hooking Holl, ending the Lightning power play. We’ll have 4-on-4 for 1:36

Raddysh shot from right side stopped by Samsonov

Ryan O’Reilly shot saved by Vasilevskiy

Maple Leafs brief power play ends, and we’re back at even strength

Rielly shot from left point can’t get through traffic in front

Lightning power play: John Tavares penalized for hooking Hedman (2:42 left in period)

Brayden Point tip of Stamkos shot saved by Samsonov

Maple Leafs clear the puck

Kucherov blast from right circle saved by Samsonov, and Toronto clears the puck

Nick Paul tip of Ross Colton shot goes wide

Maple Leafs kill the penalty

LIGHTNING GOAL! Brandon Hagel shot goes off Samsonov’s arm on the blocker side and into the net, tying the game with 30.1 seconds left in the period. Lightning 2, Maple Leafs 2.

(Lightning and Maple Leafs are tied 2-2 after one period)

Here we go again …

So far, the series is playing out just as it did a year ago.

A one-sided opener, followed by a strong bounce-back performance from the Game 1 loser. If form holds, we’ll see alternating outcomes over Games 3-6, leading to a decisive seventh.

Meaning the Lightning will win again in seven, right?

Well, except this year the results have been reversed, and it has been the Leafs playing from behind.

What might that mean for the rest of the series? Nothing, really.

But it’s a reminder that home ice is not always an advantage, a loss is just a loss no matter how bad it might seem at the time, and momentum is only as good as your next shift.

Which brings us to Game 3, along with a few questions.

• Can the Lightning rebound from their lopsided loss two nights ago in Toronto? Yes, absolutely. Counting the round-robin games in the 2020 playoff bubble, Tampa Bay is 20-2 in games after a loss over the past four postseasons, including a stretch of 17 straight such games between 2020-22.

• Can Andrei Vasilevskiy shake off the seven goals he allowed? Again, no question. No goaltender has been more effective at moving past a loss over the past three postseasons than the 2021 Conn Smythe winner. The fact that he chose to stay in net for the third period of Game 2 tells you everything you need to know about his mental makeup.

• Will the winner of tonight’s game gain control of the series? Possibly, but not likely. Remember that last season the teams traded wins right up until Game 7, when the Lightning became the first team in the series to win consecutive games.

• Will playing at Amalie give the Lightning an advantage? It could, but again, no guarantee there, either. It helps to play in a loud building filled with your fans, and you do get the last change. But being home also means more potential distractions, whether they are household matters or additional ticket requests from friends and family members.

The only real way to gain an advantage in a playoff series is to take care of business on the ice: show more urgency, stay disciplined, stick to your structure, be responsible with the puck, make the simple plays and commit to team defense in all three zones.

• So, what do we know?

We’re in for a series, likely a long one. So, settle in, enjoy, and don’t worry about the outcome of any one game, however bad it might be. Chances are, things will change in the next one.

Unless, of course, it’s an elimination game.

— FRANK PASTOR, Assistant Sports Editor

Who’s in/who’s out

A watch party for the dogs

She rolled into Thunder Alley in style, if not sleekness.

Gracie — no last name given — has attended countless Lightning playoff watch parties in her 6-year life. Saturday, adoptive brother Champ accompanied her for the first time, their parents in tow.

Actually, the parents were towing. Joe Dufault and Emily Pesquera, 20-year-old University of Tampa students, were among thousands who converged in the sprawling plaza on Amalie Arena’s west side to watch Game 3. Accompanying then were Gracie, 6, and Champ, 1, both rescue beagles.

Gracie took her customary spot in her “Zam-Bone-E,” a kids’ wagon with a rectangular cardboard frame painted blue. Accessories include two round headlights, purchased from a dollar store, that Pesquera activates when Tampa Bay scores a goal.

“This goes to pretty much every home playoff game with us when we do Thunder Alley,” Pesquera said. “So the beagles always come out to represent.”

By puck drop, roughly 3,000 — most seated in lawn chairs — were expected in the Alley area, where the game was shown on a big screen. Several were already waiting when the gates opened at 4 p.m., including newlyweds Alexis and Gilbert Feliciano, who reside in Wesley Chapel.

“We have dedication and we want to see our team win and beat traffic,” said Alexis, 26, who married Gilbert, 30, in Dade City on Feb. 11. “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. That’s what I was taught growing up.”

— JOEY KNIGHT, Times Staff Writer

Jeannot laughs off Leafs fan looking to fight him

Tanner Jeannot was fine mixing it up with Luke Schenn in Game 2 Thursday at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, but the Lightning forward is too smart to try and take on the Maple Leafs fans — even though one seemed to want a piece of him.

“It’s passionate fans, their team was playing well and they’re into the game. So you know, it is what it is,” Jeannot said Saturday morning.

Read Kristie Ackert’s full story here.

All signs point to Hedman return tonight

After missing most of the first two games of the first-round playoff series against the Maple Leafs, Victor Hedman officially is a game-time decision entering Game 3 tonight at Amalie Arena.

But all signs point to the Lightning’s top defenseman returning to the lineup with the series tied at one game apiece.

Read Eduardo A. Encina’s full story here.

Game night scene

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