TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Henrik Lundqvist stopped 38 shots to rebound from two subpar performances and help the New York Rangers shut down the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1 on Friday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Rick Nash had two goals and an assist, and former Lightning captain Martin St. Louis ended a playoff scoring drought with a third-period goal for New York. The Rangers evened the best-of-7 series 2-2 heading back to New York for Game 5 on Sunday night.
Lundqvist allowed 12 goals in losing Games 2 and 3, but redeemed himself by handling nearly everything the speedy and skilled Lightning threw at him.
Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos scored for the third straight game, briefly making it 1-1 before New York’s Chris Kreider and Keith Yandle struck within a 2-minute span for a 3-1 Rangers lead.
With the Lightning’s Nikita Nesterov in the penalty box for high-sticking St. Louis, the star of Tampa Bay’s 2004 Stanley Cup championship team delivered his first goal this postseason to make it 4-1 with just under 15 minutes remaining. Nash added another power-play goal at 11:33 of the third period.