Victor Hedman had a playoff career-best four points with a goal and three assists Wednesday night and the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 in Game 2 of the first-round playoff series.
The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.
Nikita Kucherov added a goal and two assists for the Lightning. Corey Perry, Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point also scored. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 31 shots for Tampa Bay.
Mitchell Marner had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs. Michael Bunting and Alexander Kerfoot also scored and Auston Matthews added two assists. Jack Campbell made 29 saves.
Tampa Bay scored a power-play goal at 19:57 of the first period. Hedman gathered a loose puck in front of the goal before patiently putting the puck past Campbell. Alex Killorn earned the assist. Kerfoot was off for holding.
Toronto had a 13-9 advantage in shots on goal after one period.
Vasilevskiy made a superb glove save on Timothy Liljegren at 1:26 of the second period.
Hedman’s stretch pass sent Perry into the clear and his shot found the five-hole at 2:21 of the second period.
Bunting scored at 7:47 of the second on a pass from Marner after forechecking by Matthews helped create a turnover in the corner.
Kucherov went top shelf to score from the slot on a power play at 9:57 of the second. Hedman and Steven Stamkos earned assists. Wayne Simmonds was off for roughing.
Tampa Bay led 23-21 in shots on goal after two periods.
Hagel scored his first career playoff goal at 1:33 of the third period, stuffing in his own rebound. It came at the end of a 3-on-2 rush with Nicholas Paul and Kucherov.
Point scored on a power play at 5:38 of the third. Simmonds was off for crosschecking.
Marner scored on a shot through traffic at 11:53 of the third. Kerfoot scored a shorthanded goal at 15:43 of the third.
Toronto’s Kyle Clifford served a one-game suspension after he received a major penalty and game misconduct for boarding in Game 1.
Zach Bogosian replaced Jan Rutta for Tampa Bay.
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