Backes, Steen help Blues power past Stars

BLUES CRUISE TO HOME-ICE VICTORY, TAKE SERIES LEAD
The Dallas Stars jumped to an early 1-0 lead but the St. Louis Blues scored six unanswered goals, powered by Vladimir Tarasenko (1-2-3), David Backes (2-0-2), Alexander Steen (2-0-2), to take a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference Second Round.
* Tarasenko had his second three-point game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs; he also did it in Game 4 of the Western Conference First Round against the Chicago Blackhawks with two goals and an assist.

* Backes, who played the hero in overtime of Game 2 at Dallas, had his second straight game-winning goal and third of the postseason (also Game 1 of first round against Chicago). Via Elias, two other Blues players have scored three game-winning goals in one playoff year: Brett Hull (1988 and 1990) and Scott Young (2001).
* Steen had his second multigoal game in the postseason. His other such performance was in Game 1 of the 2013 conference quarterfinals, when he scored two goals in a 2-1 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings.
* ICYMI: Twitter sensation Anthony Holmes (@soIoucity)

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TUESDAY'S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
Tampa Bay 5, NY ISLANDERS 4 (OT) - TBL leads 2-1
NASHVILLE 4, San Jose 1 - SJS leads 2-1
ST. LOUIS 6, Dallas 1 - STL leads 2-1
LIGHTNING STUN ISLANDERS TO WIN BACK-AND-FORTH GAME 3
Nikita Kucherov scored with 38.4 seconds remaining in the third period -- the fourth tying goal of the game and third by the Tampa Bay Lightning -- and Brian Boyle scored the winner at 2:48 of overtime to lift Tampa Bay to a 2-1 lead against the New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference Second Round.

* Via Elias, the Lightning scored a game-tying goal in the final minute of the third period in an eventual playoff win for the second time. They also achieved the feat in Game 3 of 2004 conference semifinals against the Montreal Canadiens when Vincent Lecavalier tied the game at 19:43 of the third period and Brad Richards scored 65 seconds into overtime.
* Boyle scored his first NHL overtime goal (regular-season and playoffs, 640 GP). His other playoff game-winning goals came with the New York Rangers in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* Kucherov, who leads the League with seven playoff goals, has collected 18 goals and 33 points in 36 playoff games, all with the Lightning. His 18 goals are tied with Tyler Johnson (38 GP) and Richards (45 GP) for third in Lightning playoff history.
* Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (1-2-3), who played a game-high 30:15, matched a franchise playoff record for points in a game by a defenseman. Eric Brewer also had 1-2-3 in Game 2 of the 2011 conference quarterfinals against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
WEBER MATCHES FRANCHISE RECORDS AS PREDATORS CUT SERIES DEFICIT
The San Jose Sharks opened the scoring but the Nashville Predators responded with four unanswered goals, including the winning goal by Shea Weber (1-1-2), to cut their deficit in the Western Conference Second Round to 2-1.
* Weber had his fifth multipoint playoff game and first since Game 2 of the 2011 conference quarterfinals against the Anaheim Ducks. In doing so he equaled Predators records for career playoff goals (13), assists (15) and points (28).

* The Predators improved to 4-0 in Game 3 after losing the first two games of a series. They never have faced a 3-0 series deficit in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* MUST SEE: Predators mascot Gnash

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THREE FINALISTS NAMED FOR NHL FOUNDATION PLAYER AWARD
The NHL announced that defenseman Mark Giordano of the Calgary Flames, forward Matt Martin of the New York Islanders and defenseman P.K. Subban of the Montreal Canadiens are the finalists for the 2015-16 NHL Foundation Player Award, which is presented to "an NHL player who applies the core values of hockey -- commitment, perseverance and teamwork -- to enrich the lives of people in his community."
Click here
for more information.
The NHL will reveal the finalists for the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award prior to the start of play Wednesday.
LOOSE PUCKS
The Lightning, who played past regulation for the first time this postseason, improved to 12-7 in playoff overtimes games (9-3 on the road). … Islanders forward Josh Bailey (2-0-2) scored twice in his return from a three-game absence because of an upper-body injury. … Predators forward Colin Wilson (1-0-1) has 13 of his 15 career postseason points in the past two playoff years (8-5-13 in 16 GP). … The NHL Department of Player Safety
suspended Penguins defenseman Kris Letang for one game
for interference against Washington Capitals forward Marcus Johansson. … The semifinals for the
EA SPORTS NHL 17 Cover Vote
pit San Jose's Joe Pavelski against the Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid and Dallas' Jamie Benn against St. Louis' Vladimir Tarasenko.
Voting
for this round is open until 3 p.m. ET on May 9. … Tennessee Titans quarterback

on the ice at Bridgestone Arena prior to Game 3. … The PGA U.S. Open Championship Trophy paid a visit to the NHL office during its tour of New York City.
PENGUINS HOST CAPITALS ON ANNIVERSARY OF 'DUELING HAT TRICKS'
The Penguins look to take a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Second Round when they welcome the Capitals to Consol Energy Center for Game 4 on Wednesday. The game falls exactly seven years after Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Washington's Alex Ovechkin
each had a hat trick
in Game 2 of the 2009 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, a 4-3 Capitals win.
GIONTA TO APPEAR ON NHL NETWORK
Buffalo Sabres captain Brian Gionta, who won a Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 2003 and has played in 112 playoff games (32-36-68), will be a guest on "NHL Tonight" on the NHL Network (7 p.m. ET).