Islanders rally to beat Lightning in OT, force Game 7

Associated Press
Wednesday, June 23, 2021 11:35 p.m. | Wednesday, June 23, 2021 11:35 p.m.

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The New York Islanders celebrate an overtime goal by Anthony Beauvillier after Game 6 of a semifinal series as Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy leaves the ice with teammates Wednesday, June 23, 2021, in Uniondale, N.Y. The Islanders won 3-2.

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Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy looks back for the puck after it bounced back out of the net on an overtime goal by New York Islanders left wing Anthony Beauvillier during Game 6 on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, in Uniondale, N.Y.

AP

New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period of Game 6 on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, in Uniondale, N.Y.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Anthony Beauvillier scored 1 minutes, 8 seconds into overtime, and the New York Islanders rallied to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-2, on Wednesday night to force a deciding Game 7 in their Stanley Cup semifinal series.

Jordan Eberle and Scott Mayfield scored for the Islanders, who rallied from two goals down in the second period. Semyon Varlamov finished with 22 saves.

Brayden Point scored for the ninth straight game, and Anthony Cirelli had a goal and an assist for the Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 25 shots.

Beauvillier got his stick on the puck to pick off a pass in the right circle, gathered it and quickly beat Vasilevskiy on the first shot on goal of the extra period.

With this possibly the final game at Nassau Coliseum as the Islanders plan to move into their new home at UBS Arena next season, fans showered the ice with beer cans and bottles in celebration.

Game 7 is Friday night in Tampa, Florida.

Mayfield tied at 2 with 8:44 left when he got a pass from Mathew Barzal, skated into the right circle and beat Vasilevskiy with a shot that went in off the crossbar.

Vasilevskiy had a nice glove save on Barzal two minutes into the second to preserve Tampa Bay’s 1-0 lead.

Cal Clutterbuck engaged in some pushing and shoving with Tyler Johnson and Blake Coleman, drawing a roughing penalty to put Tampa Bay on the power play 6 1/2 minutes into the second.

The advantage lasted a minute as Victor Hedman was called for tripping and then Mikhail Sergachev was whistled for interference 45 seconds apart. The Islanders managed just one shot during the 5-on-3, and one on the remaining advantage.

Cirelli made it 2-0 with 7:24 left in the second on a breakaway as he brought the puck up the left side and beat Varlamov between the legs for his fourth of the postseason.

The Islanders got on the scoreboard less than two minutes later as Barzal brought the puck up the middle of the ice and passed it off to Eberle, who skated in a put backhander past Vasilevskiy with 5:38 remaining.

Tempers flared at the second-period buzzer as Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos and Mayfield were involved in some pushing and shoving. Mayfield and Coleman received roughing penalties.

The Islanders outshot the Lightning 7-6 in a tightly played first period that saw Nikita Kucherov, the league playoffs leader with 27 points, leave the ice and head to the dressing room 2 1/2 minutes into the game.

Point got the Lightning on the scoreboard with a backhander from the left side off a rebound of a shot by Cirelli, taking Kucherov’s spot on the top line, for his league-best 14th of the playoffs. His streak is one shy of the NHL record set by Reggie Leach in 1976.