Maple Leafs beat Lightning to take 2-1 series lead

TAMPA, Fla. – David Kampf scored the winner and Jack Campbell made 32 saves because the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Friday night time to take a 2-1 lead of their first-round playoff collection.

Morgan Rielly, Colin Blackwell and Ilya Mikheyev, twice into the empty internet, had the opposite targets for Toronto, which wrestled again home-ice benefit within the best-of-seven collection after the Lightning gained Recreation 2. Pierre Engvall had three assists.

Ondrej Palat, with a purpose and an help and Ross Colton replied for Tampa. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 31 pictures for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions.

Recreation 4 goes Sunday night time again at Amalie Area earlier than the collection returns to Toronto for Recreation 5 on Tuesday.

Recreation 6, if crucial, can be again in Tampa on Thursday.

The Leafs are actually 13-0-0 when Kampf scores in 2021-22, together with twice within the playoffs after he buried one other short-handed in Recreation 1.

After the groups mixed for a parade to the penalty field and 22 energy performs by means of the primary two contests, Toronto related on an early man benefit when Tampa winger Pat Maroon was whistled for delay of sport.

After a few attractiveness, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner each had pictures blocked in fast succession, however the puck discovered its technique to Rielly off Michael Bunting’s skate for him to fireside previous Vasilevskiy at 4:54, who got here up with a bounce-back efficiency in Recreation 2 after giving up 5 targets on 33 pictures within the opener.

The Leafs then killed off a Lightning energy play because of some massive stops from Campbell after which raced the opposite approach on a 3-on-1 break after the penalty expired, with Ilya Lyubushkin — who got here out of the field — delaying earlier than feeding Blackwell to bury it right into a wide-open internet at 9:44 for the primary playoff purpose of his profession.

Followers in Tampa, very like their Toronto counterparts in Video games 1 and a pair of, voiced sturdy displeasure on the officers later within the interval following one other Lightning penalty, with chants of “Ref you suck!” echoing across the sold-out constructing.

The Leafs, who want to win their first playoff collection since 2004, had a 5-on-3 energy play early within the second that the house aspect killed off, however Kampf made it 3-0 with an unassisted effort at 5:52 off a turnover within the impartial zone.

Colton bought the Lightning on the board at 11:03 on an influence play when he blasted a one-timer up excessive on Campbell. The Tampa ahead had a terrific likelihood to make it 3-2 slightly later within the interval, solely to hit the put up with the Toronto goaltender at his mercy.

Toronto, which beat Tampa 5-0 in Monday’s Recreation 1 earlier than the Lightning responded with a 5-3 triumph two nights later, had a terrific alternative to revive the three-goal lead 5 minutes into the third, however Vasilevskiy stopped Matthews on a break and the 60-goal man’s rebound effort.

Palat made it 3-2 moments later at 5:43 when he wristed a shot over Campbell’s shoulder.

Tampa bought its third energy play of the night time with 7:46 left in regulation when Jake Muzzin went off for hooking. Campbell robbed Steven Stamkos on a one-timer earlier than snagging a Victor Hedman snapshot from the slot.

The Leafs netminder, who rediscovered his sport late within the schedule, held the fort from there till Mikheyev scored the primary two playoff targets of his profession into an empty internet to safe the victory and a 2-1 lead within the collection.

Notes: Toronto ahead Jason Spezza and defenceman Justin Holl made their collection debuts after being scratched for Video games 1 and a pair of … Leafs winger Kyle Clifford was eligible to return to the lineup following a one-game suspension, however sat out together with fellow hard-nosed ahead Wayne Simmonds. The latter took two expensive and undisciplined penalties in Recreation 2 that resulted in two power-play targets in opposition to.

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Could 6, 2022.

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