GAME 3 FINAL: Lightning 3, Blue Jackets 2

The Blue Jackets dropped Game 3 of its Stanley Cup Playoffs series against Tampa Bay by a 3-2 score on Saturday night in Toronto. The result gives the Lightning a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Game in a Paragraph

Columbus found itself chasing the game for the first 40 minutes, falling into a 1-0 hole after a period and a 3-1 disadvantage after two. The Blue Jackets got one back early in the third but couldn't find the equalizer as the Lightning were able to close out the game from there.

CBJ Standouts

Quote of the Game

Nyquist: "It's gonna be a tight series all the way through. We just have to move past this one and get ready for the next game."

Quick Recap

Columbus got off to a strong start in the opening 10 minutes, earning three power plays in that time including a 5-on-3 that lasted 1:26. But the Blue Jackets couldn't take advantage despite some good looks, the best of which was a one-timer by Emil Bemstrom from low on the left that hit the post despite a yawning net behind Tampa goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.

The Blue Jackets would come to rue those missed opportunities when Alex Killorn scored with 4:12 left in the period to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead. Liam Foudy's attempt to send the puck into the offensive zone went off Zach Bogosian and to Anthony Cirelli, giving Tampa a 2-on-1, and Killorn took Cirelli's pass, skated up the ice and slipped a backhander past Joonas Korpisalo.

It was a 1-0 game after a period, but Columbus needed just 1:49 to tie things up with Nash's goal. A turnover by Erik Cernak at the Tampa Bay blue line led to Nyquist feeding Nash to set up a 3-on-1, and Nash skated the puck in up the left wing and beat Vasilevskiy clean over the glove to knot the score at 1.

Tampa Bay had an excellent chance to retake the lead just after the midway point of the second, but Korpisalo made what might have been his best save of the series. A shot off the back wall came bounding back toward his crease and Barclay Goodrow had a lot of net to shoot into, but Korpisalo struck out his left pad to full extension to deny the Tampa winger.

The Bolts would continue to push, earning a 16-4 shots on goal advantage in the second period, retake the lead at the 14:16 mark. Off a faceoff, Ryan McDonagh put a shot on net that Korpisalo fought off, but the rebound went right to Brayden Point to slam into the open cage to make it 2-1.

The Lightning then made it 3-1 with just 1:07 left in the period to complete a largely dominant frame. Another rush came off a neutral zone turnover, and this time Carter Verhaeghe set up the onrushing Victor Hedman in the slot for a shot past Korpisalo's blocker.

Columbus got the start to the third period it wanted when Robinson scored just 1:37 into the frame. Alex Wennberg controlled the puck south of the goal line and fed it back into the slot as Robinson zoomed off the bench, and while Robinson's original shot was blocked, he recollected the puck and fired past Vasilevskiy from the left side to make it 3-2.

But Tampa Bay put the clamps down from there, allowing Columbus only three shots on goal in the third period, and grinded out the rest of the game to finish off the victory.

Notable

Korpisalo made 31 saves as Tampa Bay outshot the Blue Jackets by a 34-17 margin. Columbus had just seven shots on goal the last 40 minutes. ... The Columbus power play finished 0-4 while Tampa Bay's was 0-1. ... Tampa Bay had a 35-19 edge in hits. ... Nash and Robinson are the 12th and 13th Blue Jackets to score in eight postseason games this year. … The game was just the second of the postseason in which Columbus did not hold a lead. ... Oliver Bjorkstrand's four-game goal-scoring streak against Tampa Bay came to a close. … The Blue Jackets had scored a first-period goal in four straight games.

Roster Report

Columbus made no changes to the lineup from Game 2. The scratches were forwards Josh Anderson (unfit to play), Cam Atkinson (unfit to play), Nathan Gerbe (unfit to play), Stefan Matteau and Kevin Stenlund, as well as defensemen Gabriel Carlsson, Adam Clendening, Scott Harrington, Markus Nutivaara and Andrew Peeke. In addition, goaltender Elvis Merzlikins was unfit to play and Veini Vehvilainen was scratched.

Up Next

The Blue Jackets and Lightning meet again for Game 4 on Monday afternoon at 3 p.m.