2020 Stanley Cup Finals Game 3 Review
HEDMAN CONTINUES TO PILE UP THE POINTS AS LIGHTNING TAKE GAME 3 WITH 5-2 WIN
Playing his first game in more than 200 days, Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored at 6:58 of the first period to give the team a 2-0 lead and Victor Hedman collected 1-2—3 as Tampa Bay pulled ahead 2-1 in a Stanley Cup Final for the second time in franchise history (also 2015).
* Hedman, who has seven points in his last five games (3-4—7), ranks third on the team in scoring with 10-10—20 this postseason (22 GP). He briefly moved into a share of the League lead with his 10th goal of the postseason before teammate Brayden Point (1-1—2) claimed sole possession of the top spot with his 11th goal later in the period.
* Hedman joined Dallas’ Miro Heiskanen (6-18—24 in 24 GP) as the second blueliner to reach the 20-point mark this postseason. The 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs are the fifth in NHL history in which multiple defensemen each recorded 20-plus points and first since 1991, when Pittsburgh’s Larry Murphy and Boston’s Ray Bourque combined for the feat. The others: 1985, 1983 and 1978.
* Hedman recorded his third game-winning goal of the postseason – one shy of the most by a blueliner in a single playoff year: Slava Voynov (4 in 2013 w/ LAK), Brian Leetch (4 in 1994 w/ NYR), Al MacInnis (4 in 1989 w/ CGY) and Paul Coffey (4 in 1985 w/ EDM).
STAMKOS MAKES PRESENCE FELT IN RETURN TO LINEUP
Steven Stamkos, who concluded his regular season with a point in 15 consecutive games played from Jan. 14 to Feb. 25 (12-10—22), played his first game in 211 days.
* He became the second NHL player – and first in more than 80 years – to score a goal while skating in his first game of a postseason during the Stanley Cup Final. The other was Billy Taylor Sr. with the Maple Leafs in 1940 (Game 2 at NYR). Of note, Frank Nighbor (2-0—2) and Jack Darragh (1-0—1) each scored for the original Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of the 1920 Final after the team proceeded directly to the championship series.
LIGHTNING DEPTH PROVING KEY IN STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
Brayden Point and Ondrej Palat each collected 1-1—2 in Game 3 to help Tampa Bay move within two wins of securing its second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
* Point netted his League-leading 11th goal of the postseason and boosted his 2020 totals to 11-17—28 (20 GP). He needs two goals to match the franchise record for most in a playoff year – a mark set by teammate Tyler Johnson in 2015 (13 G in 26 GP).
* Palat tallied his 10th goal of the postseason to give Tampa Bay a 5-1 advantage late in the second period, joining Point and Victor Hedman as the third Lightning player with a double-digit goal total in 2020. They are the first team in 10 years to have at least three players each with 10 or more goals in the same postseason.
PREVIEW OF FRIDAY’S ACTION
The Stars and Lightning will contest Game 4 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final on Friday in the first half of a back-to-back set. With Game 5 set for Saturday, it will mark the second Final in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to feature games on consecutive days (also 2009: Games 1 and 2).