The Tampa Bay Lightning can return to the Eastern Conference Finals for a third straight season with a victory against the visiting Florida Panthers in Game 4 of their second-round series in the Stanley Cup playoffs on Monday night.

The Lightning took a 3-0 series lead with a 5-1 win against the Panthers in Tampa on Sunday afternoon, the third straight game they limited Florida to one goal.

The Tampa Bay defense has been anchored by goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has not only held the Panthers to one goal in each of the first three games, but limited the Toronto Maple Leafs to a single score in a 2-1 win in Game 7 of their first-round series on May 14.

“He’s the backbone right now,” Tampa Bay forward Nicholas Paul said of Vasilevskiy. “He gives us the wind in the sail.”

Florida owned the best record in the NHL during the regular season (58-18-6, 122 points), but hasn’t managed to solve the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions.

“You can see why they’ve won two Stanley Cups,” Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau said of the Lightning. “They’re a good team.”

In addition to Vasilevskiy, the Panthers haven’t found an answer for Lightning veteran forwards Nikita Kucherov or Corey Perry.

Kucherov, who led the Lightning in scoring the past two postseasons, had a goal and three assists in Game 3 to give him two goals and five assists in the series. He also has a team-leading 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 10 playoff games this postseason.

Perry has a goal in each of the first three games of the series to give him 50 playoff goals in his 17-year NHL career.

Perry, who turned 37 last week, scored the first goal in Games 2 and 3, giving him 13 goals to start a playoff game in his NHL career, which is second among active players behind Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins (16).

Perry’s early goals have put the Panthers in difficult situations, Florida coach Andrew Brunette said.

“When you fall behind to these guys, it’s tough to come back,” Brunette said

Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos, who scored two goals on Sunday to give him points in all three games of the series, said the Lightning aren’t hesitant to roll with all four lines.

“Whatever guys are on the ice, we have full trust in that,” Stamkos said.

Huberdeau tied for second in the NHL with 115 points (30 goals, 85 assists) during the regular season, but has been limited to one goal and four assists in nine playoff games.

Sam Reinhart scored the lone goal on Sunday for the Panthers, but it was just his fourth point (three goals, one assist) in nine playoff games after totaling 33 goals and 49 assists during the regular season.

“It’s tough not to get frustrated,” Reinhart said. “I think there’s certain things we’re doing well, but just not enough bodies around the net to pick up those loose opportunities.”

Reinhart said it helps that the Panthers will have a short turnaround heading into Game 4.

“We’re back at it again (Monday),” Reinhart said. “You don’t want much time in these situations to think about it too much. You just want to go out there, play and put on a better performance.”

–Field Level Media

Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three assists to help the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the visiting Florida Panthers 5-1 in Game 3 of their second-round playoff series on Sunday and move within one win of advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals for a third straight season.

Steven Stamkos scored two goals for Tampa Bay, and Corey Perry and Erik Cernak also scored. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 34 saves for the Lightning, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions who will bring a 3-0 lead into Game 4 on Monday night in Tampa.

Vasilevskiy held the Toronto Maple Leafs to one goal in a 2-1 victory in Game 7 of their first-round series, and he has limited the Panthers to one goal in each of the first three games of this series.

Sam Reinhart scored Sunday, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves for Florida, which had the best record in the NHL during the regular season.

Oilers 4, Flames 1

Evander Kane collected a natural hat trick while Leon Draisaitl set an NHL record with four assists in a period as host Edmonton defeated Calgary to pull ahead in their Western Conference second-round playoff series.

Connor McDavid collected three assists and Zach Hyman scored once for the Oilers, who lead 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 will be Tuesday night in Edmonton. Oliver Kylington replied for the Flames, while goalie Jacob Markstrom stopped 30 of 34 shots before giving way to Dan Vladar for the third period.

Oilers goaltender Mike Smith stopped 32 shots and was working on a shutout but was pulled due to concussion protocol after Calgary’s Milan Lucic drove into him midway through the third period. Smith returned after missing four-plus minutes. Lucic received a major penalty and game misconduct.

Rangers 3, Hurricanes 1

Igor Shesterkin made 43 saves and New York held on to beat visiting Carolina in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference second-round series.

Mika Zibanejad scored a power-play goal in the first period and set up Chris Kreider’s 30th career playoff goal in the second period as the Rangers cut the Hurricanes’ series advantage to 2-1. Tyler Motte added an empty-net goal with 83 seconds remaining.

Nino Niederreiter scored in the second for Carolina, which is 0-4 on the road in this year’s postseason. Antti Raanta made 30 saves. Game 4 will be Tuesday, also in New York.

–Field Level Media

Evander Kane collected a natural hat trick while Leon Draisaitl set an NHL record with four assists in a period as the host Edmonton Oilers posted a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Sunday night to pull ahead in their Western Conference second-round playoff series.

Connor McDavid collected three assists and Zach Hyman scored once for the Oilers, who lead 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

Oilers goaltender Mike Smith stopped 32 shots and was working on a shutout but was pulled from the game due to concussion protocol after Calgary’s Milan Lucic drove into him midway through the third period. Smith returned after missing four-plus minutes. Mikko Koskinen wasn’t forced to make a save in Smith’s absence.

Lucic received a major penalty and game misconduct.

Oliver Kylington replied for the Flames, while goalie Jacob Markstrom stopped 30 of 34 shots before giving way to Dan Vladar for the third period. Vladar stopped seven shots.

Game 4 will be Tuesday night in Edmonton.

The Oilers carried play from the start, outshooting the Flames 21-7 in the first period, and were rewarded 52 seconds into the second period. Hyman found the mark from the bottom of the right circle for his third goal in as many outings and sixth goal of the playoffs.

Kane doubled the lead at 6:58 of the period when he finished the passing play on a rush, and he scored his second goal of the game 53 seconds later, a tap-in tally set up by McDavid after making a jaw-dropping play on the rush before feeding the pass across.

Kane completed the hat trick with 7:02 remaining in the period when he teamed again with McDavid on a two-on-one rush for his 10th goal of the playoffs.

Kane posted the third natural hat trick in Oilers history, joining Petr Klima (1991) and Wayne Gretzky (1983).

McDavid became the first player in history to record nine multi-point games in the first 10 games of a playoff run. He also is the sixth player to have a multi-point streak of six or more games.

McDavid is the fourth player in history to have 23 or more points in 10 games to start the playoffs, joining Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Rick Middleton.

Kylington’s first career playoff goal with 4:51 remaining in regulation spoiled the Oilers’ shutout bid.

–Field Level Media