Ondrej Palat notched the game-winning goal with 1:50 remaining in regulation time to lift the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 3-1 win over the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final at Madison Square Garden.
Palat became the first player in NHL history to score multiple game-winning goals during the final two minutes of regulation in a playoff year when Mikhail Sergachev’s shot from the point deflected off his body and past Igor Shesterkin.
Ondrej Palat does it again! ⚡️
He scored the go-ahead goal with 1:50 remaining in regulation as the @TBLightning took a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference Final. #NHLStats: https://t.co/SdaCfvpKB2 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/i3wXC1Ijsj
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 10, 2022
After New York’s Ryan Lindgren opened the scoring 10:29 into the second period, Sergachev collected his first of the postseason to tie the game at the 17:34 mark.
Brandon Hagel added an empty-net insurance marker with 59 second seconds remaining to complete the scoring.
Victor Hedman drew the secondary helper on Palat’s winner while Nikita Kucherov had the lone assist on Hagel’s goal.
Andrei Vasilveskiy and Shesterskin each finished the game with 24 saves.
The Bolts have won three straight and lead the best-of-7 series 3-2. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions can advance to face the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Final with a win in Game 6 at Amalie Arena in Tampa on Saturday.
For more on Tampa Bay’s Game 5 win check out Raw Charge and Blueshirt Banter.