Lightning come back from early deficit against Rangers in OT win

TAMPA -- Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steve Stamkos believes that the true test of a team's NHL championship potential rests on its ability to win when it is not at its best.

"That's what you need in these playoffs -- you can't play unbelievable, perfect hockey every game," he said.

The Lightning passed the Stamkos test Wednesday when Nikita Kucherov scored at 3:33 of overtime to give Tampa Bay a 6-5 win against the New York Rangers and a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final.

"We did find a way – and that is a good characteristic to have," Stamkos said. "We've seen many times when this team seems down and out, whether it is in a series or a game, and we've found a way."

The Lightning rallied from a 2-0 deficit, claimed a 4-2 lead, allowed the Rangers to tie 4-4, regained the lead and then allowed Rangers defenseman Dan Boyle to tie the game 5-5 with 1:56 left in regulation.

"It was a pretty crazy night," said Stamkos, who scored Tampa Bay's first goal to get their comeback started.

The biggest news of the series is that the Lightning seem to have demystified what had been a stifling Rangers defensive game.

After giving up two or fewer goals in 10 of 11 games, the Rangers have now surrendered 12 goals in the past two games. The Lightning have discovered cracks in the Rangers' defensive foundation, or at least several feet of open ice.

"We don't want to trade chances – that's for sure," said Lightning forward Alex Killorn. "We know we can score. We've done that all year. But if we focus on defensive play, those offensive chances will come."

Rangers coach Alain Vigneault viewed the goal parade as a product of circumstance rather than a crumbling defensive structure.

"Games unfold differently," he said. "You've got the highest scoring team in the league going up against the third-highest scoring team. We've got a 2-1 lead. Obviously they are going to open things. They got some goals in the second and we had to open things up. We found a way to crawl our way back and pushed it overtime."

What the Rangers might have to be concerned about is that in a high-scoring game, two of their goals came from defensemen (Ryan McDonagh and Boyle) and two from a youngster (Jesper Fast).

The Lightning are getting strong production from their top two lines, while some of New York's high-profile players have been less visible. St. Louis hasn't scored in the playoffs and Rick Nash has no points in the series and one goal in his past 13 games.

All six Lightning goals came from their top six forwards. Ondrej Palat scored twice, while Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn, Stamkos and Kucherov had one goal each.

"You look at Palat tonight – he was playing possessed," Johnson said. "He was unbelievable all over the ice. He's a tough physical guy. It's hard to get the puck off him."

One negative for the Lightning out of Game 3 is that defenseman Matt Carle was injured in the first period on a collision with New York's Derek Stepan. He didn't return to the game and no information on his injury was provided by the team.

The mission in the postseason is always to prevent goals from happening. But Lightning coach Jon Cooper probably would like his team's chances if the series is played like we are back in the 1980s and goal scoring was celebrated.

"I prefer to play this way if we keep winning," Cooper said. "I think we've got a pretty quick team, and they have a quick team. I don't know how it looks to everybody else. I don't know how it looks on TV. But when you're standing there it is, pardon the pun, lightning fast."

PHOTOS: Passionate fans at the Stanley Cup playoffs