The late-season clash in the Western Conference between the Colorado Avalanche and the Edmonton Oilers wrapped up yesterday, leaving the scope of the showdown with Tampa Bay and the New York Rangers as the more dramatic storyline. Colorado dominated Edmonton in four straight games, 4-0, and now stands on the cusp of the Stanley Cup final, watching potential rivals scrap among themselves while they prepare for the ultimate prize.
Across the Atlantic, a different atmosphere prevailed. New York’s encounter with Tampa Bay carried a heightened sense of tension. The two teams, known for high skill and disciplined structure, mirrored each other in several ways: a roster loaded with talented veterans and rising stars, playoff history that highlights midseason surprises, and coaches who favor a dynamic, fast-paced approach.
Game 4 carried heavy weight. If the Rangers could return to Madison Square Garden with a solid lead or at least a clean sheet of time to regroup, the Lightning would face a daunting path back with their backs against the wall. Conversely, a Tampa Bay win would knot the series and tilt momentum in their favor as the series shifted back to New York.
The opening period unfolded with Tampa driving the tempo from the outset. In the first two minutes, the Lightning created several quality chances against Andrei Vasilevsky’s opponent, while the Rangers still managed to push across the game’s first marker.
A standout sequence culminated when a controlled rush from the right side produced a score by Patrick Maroon after a persistent sequence that saw Zak Bogosyan outpace two defenders. Although the initial attempt by Bogosyan was aggressively saved by Igor Shesterkin, Maroon finished the rebound to make it 1-0 for Tampa Bay.
Despite the scoreboard, New York did not wilt. The Rangers pressed with pace in the opening frame, holding a narrow edge in shot attempts and possession, though Tampa Bay’s defensive structure, led by Vasilevsky, held firm and denied several close-range opportunities.
Questions about a goal that briefly appeared invalid underscored the tense mood. A moment of confusion and near celebration for the home team highlighted just how razor-thin the margins were in this contest.
The second period largely repeated the first. The visitors produced a flurry of attempts, yet the Rangers kept the pressure high and responded with disciplined, organized counterpunches. Tampa Bay controlled more shots on net, yet Shesterkin remained a stubborn barrier at times, and the period closed with the score still in favor of the visitors. A key moment arrived when Ondrej Palat delivered a precise cross-ice feed to Nikita Kucherov, who tucked the puck into the bottom corner to double the lead—2-0—for the Lightning as the clock moved past the midway point of the game.
In the third period, the balance of play shifted in Tampa Bay’s favor as they maintained the upper hand on plays and generated more sustained pressure. About 15 minutes before the final horn, Steven Stamkos redirected a shot off a well-placed pass into the Rangers net, extending the lead and tightening the visitors’ grip on the contest.
With the Rangers pressing to close the gap late, the coaches opted to pull the goalie, adding a sixth skater in the final minutes. A quick move by Artemi Panarin enabled him to create offense with two deft dekes, but the effort did not translate into a goal. Moments later, Ondrej Palat countered on the breakaway and scored into an empty net as the Rangers pushed numbers forward, sealing a 4-1 victory for the Lightning. The series moved to New York tied at two games apiece.
Russian records
The Lightning’s netminder, Andrei Vasilevsky, earned recognition as the standout player of the game after turning aside 34 of 35 shots faced. This performance underscored his reputation as a reliable postseason pillar for the squad.
Vasilevsky also figures prominently in playoff lore, having already tied a club record for longest home-winning streak in these playoffs. Across 15 playoff appearances, he has ten wins, a testament to his durability and leadership on the ice this spring.
Nikita Kucherov added another milestone, scoring in his third straight playoff game and continuing a remarkable run of consistent scoring across multiple series. His achievement placed him among a select group who have posted three-point games in a dozen or more playoff appearances, a list historically led by Wayne Gretzky. The comparison drew further attention when it was noted that Gretzky already held a long-standing record for three-point playoff games, highlighting Kucherov as a rare star capable of reaching such heights.
Another historic angle involved Kucherov and Gretzky, with the notion that Kucherov matched a standard set by legendary forwards Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux by reaching fifty points in three NHL playoff seasons. The connection between Kucherov and Gretzky drew a compliment from Scotty Bowman, a nine-time Stanley Cup winner, who observed that the talent level shared by Kucherov and Gretzky is uncommon in the modern game.
The fifth game of the series is scheduled to be played on June 10, with Madison Square Garden set to host the pivotal matchup at 03:00 Moscow time.