Tampa Bay headed into this one knowing a home ice win would put them 1 game away from the Eastern Conference Final and in a commanding position. Washington needed to get a game on the board.
It was Tampa Bay who opened the scoring in this one 11.03 into the game as Bergenheim got his 5th goal of the playoffs so far. A defensive turnover led to Bergenheim and Moore baring down on net and a quick one-two play allowed Bergenheim to tuck it in low past Neuvirth.
This was after the Caps thought they had already taken the lead earlier on through Knuble but his backhand shot that had squeeed past Roloson was disallowed as they had too many men on the ice.
The 2nd period was only 59 seconds old when Knuble got another goal that stood this time and Washington were level. Ovechking skated in at speed on Roloson but fired his shot wide and as he retrieved it from the corner he threw it back on net where Knuble prodded it in past the sprawled netminder at the near post.
Washington then took the lead at 7.58. Chimera did some good work taking the puck around the net and switched quickly from backhand to forehand to get the puck out infront. It managed to deflect it's way back to Carlson's stick at the Stanley Cup Playoffs sign and he wristed a low hard shot through traffic and between the legs of Roloson.
LeCavalier had the game back level at 11.51 as he tipped in a St Louis centre from the boards through the legs of Neuvirth.
Ovechkin gave the Caps the lead again with 2.33 left on the period. With both Clark and Hall sitting in the penalty box, Mike Green's shot from the top of the circle was saved by Roloson but resulted with a scramble for the rebound and with the 3 Lightning players down in the crease trying to get the puck clear it squirted out for Ovechkin to pick it up between the circles and put it into the net high on the netminder.
Stamkos got Tampa Bay level 6.23 in the 3rd as he ripped a brilliant wrist shot high pastNeuvrth short side from the point. The Caps failed to clear the puck down the boards as Hedlund pinched in the block the chip out and keep the puck in the zone.
Just 24 seconds later Malone got the Lightning the lead as Thompson came down the wing and centred the puck across the crease on the backhand and Malone hustled Carlson infront, the puck hitting the defenceman's skate then the forwards and going into the net. There was no kicking motion as both players were just battling infront for position and the goal was good.
That was to be the end of the scoring as Tampa Bay take a 3-0 series lead with game 4 being played tonight as the teams go back to back. Despite outshooting the Lightning 27-15 through the first 2 periods and going into the 3rd a goal up Washington couldn't find the winning post. Their effort at the start of the game was excellet but they were never in that 3rd period as the Lightning just upped there game to the max. If it was for Neuvirth pulling off 4 or 5 great saves it could have been won by more and now Washington have a huge uphill task if they are to get through to the Conference Final.
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