Brock Nelson's Late Goal Lifts Islanders Past Lightning to Avoid 3-0 Deficit

There will not be a sweep in the Eastern Conference Final this season.

The New York Islanders got their first win of the series against the Tampa Bay Lightning with a 5-3 victory in Game 3 to avoid the brink of elimination for another day.

After dropping the first two games by a combined score of 10-3, Friday provided a much-needed confidence boost for an Islanders team that scraped its way past the Philadelphia Flyers in seven games last round. 

Brock Nelson recorded the go-ahead goal in Game 3 with less than four minutes remaining, while netminder Semyon Varlamov bounced back with 34 saves. 

Bolts forward Alex Killorn was suspended for Game 3 after receiving a game misconduct for boarding New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson, leaving the Lightning without a 20-goal scorer from the regular season. Center Brayden Point also missed the contest after suffering an injury in Game 2.

Notable Performers 

Mikhail Sergachev, D, Tampa Bay Lightning: 1 Goal, 1 Assist

Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning: 1 Assist, 4 SOG

Adam Pelech, D, New York Islanders: 1 Goal, Plus-4, 19:47 TOI

Brock Nelson, C, New York Islanders: 1 Goal, 1 Assist

Isles Respond After Blowing Two-Goal Lead

New York couldn't have asked for a better start to the game. 

It wouldn't mind a bit stronger defense after that, however. 

Cal Clutterbuck opened the scoring 12:58 into the first period before Mikhail Sergachev evened things up four minutes later. 

Whether or not the Islanders needed another reminder of how dangerous the Tampa Bay offense is, one was coming. 

Adam Pelech and Anthony Beauvillier each scored two minutes apart to put New York up 3-1 entering the second period. It wouldn't be enough even with the Bolts missing Point, Killorn and Steven Stamkos. 

Ondrej Palat continued to stay hot with his seventh goal of the postseason just 2:32 into the final frame and on a Tampa Bay power play. Tyler Johnson would tie the game at three with less than eight minutes to play on a tipped shot from the point that came as close as a player can get to a high stick without enough evidence to prove it. 

Johnson had his stick parallel to the goal post, but the puck deflected down off his blade, keeping the play legal. 

This is where New York would have previously folded during the series. Not so on Friday. 

Instead it was Nelson—who Killorn was suspended for boarding and who Point tangled with before exiting with an injury—coming up with the go-ahead goal minutes later. 

The Isles forced a turnover at the Tampa Bay blue line, found Nelson all alone on the weak side of the ice and rifled a pass his was for a one-timer Andrei Vasilevskiy had no chance at stopping. 

Jean-Gabriel Pageau added an empty-netter shortly after to restore the two-goal lead and seal the win.

Tampa Bay Offense Stays Hot

If there were any bright spots for the Lightning in the loss it's undoubtedly how well the offense played despite the loss of Killorn and Point. 

This wasn't just puck luck or individual efforts, rather the Lightning showed just how well its roster is suited for the offensive scheme implemented by head coach Jon Cooper.

Look no further than the first Tampa Bay goal of Game 3 by Sergachev. 

The forward's backhand shot had Varlamov flailing, but it was the deke by center Yanni Gourde at the point that allowed the play to develop. Gourde's faked slap shot drew two New York defenders to the top of the face-off circles, allowing Sergachev to sneak right behind them into an empty slot. 

From there it took just a slick pass from Gourde through the defense to put the puck right on Sergachev's stick for the assist. 

The Bolts' playmaking showed up again on Palat's power play goal by pulling the entire Islanders defense to the right side of the ice, leaving a lane directly to the net where Palat was able to stuff the puck behind Varlamov. 

The difficulty in shutting down Tampa Bay over a full series has less to do with their top line scorers and more with the playmaking up and down the roster. 

New York learned that once again on Friday. 

What's Next

Game 4 is set for Sunday, September 13 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.