The Pittsburgh Penguins took the lead in the NHL Eastern Conference final series and the race to the Stanley Cup final with a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in game three on Wednesday.
Penguins cruise in Tampa Bay for series lead
The Pittsburgh Penguins took the lead in the NHL Eastern Conference final series with a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Penguins got the job done thanks to a three-goal third period, after taking a 1-0 lead into the final intermission as they earned a 2-1 series lead.
Carl Hagelin and Phil Kessel wreaked havoc on the Lightning defence scoring a goal and assisting another each.
Hagelin opened the scoring with 10 seconds to spare in the second period to give the Penguins a crucial 1-0 lead on away ice, with a lovely assist from Kessel.
Hagelin then returned the favour five minutes, 16 seconds into the third when he laid on Kessel's seventh goal of the play-offs.
The Lightning pulled the deficit back to one through Tyler Johnson, but they were helpless to concede when facing a power play as Sidney Crosby got on the scoresheet 10:50 into the final period.
Chris Kunitz completed the scoring for the Penguins with under seven minutes to play as Pittsburgh took the initiative in the series, before Ondrej Palat scored a consolation for the Lightning.
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