- Kevin Shattenkirk’s OT goal secured Game 4 for the Lighting, 5-4
- Tampa Bay is just one win away from winning their second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
- Dallas had a two-goal lead in the first period and led once more during the second frame.
Shattenkirk’ Game-Winner
With 6:34 since the start of the OT, the 31-year old defenceman decided to try his luck from the right face-off circle. Moments later, the puck was behind Stars’ goalie Anton Khudobin.
“It’s kind of every sort of emotion you can think of. I think more than anything, just how happy it makes you feel to help your team win a game,” the hero of the match said afterward.
Up until that point, we saw a very intense and interesting contest. Both sides had a lead, with the note that Dallas opened the event better being up 2-0.
John Klingberg and veteran star Joe Pavelski scored one goal apiece to hand Rick Bowness’s side a very nice edge, but that, unfortunately for them, didn’t last for too long. Klingberg hit the target at 7:17 since the start. Pavelski added the first of his two goals 1:32 before the end of the period, which was a pretty solid start of the Stars who lost two games in a row.
Brayden Point stepped up then, with two goals, in the span of a bit more than two and a half minutes. The board showed 33 seconds left until the pause, when he beat Khudobin for the first time, and 2:08 after the start of the second, he used a powerplay situation to level the score.
Corey Perry broke the tie at 8:26 of the same, but Yanni Gourde equalized once more, at 18:54.
The Lightning had the first lead of the game following Alex Kilorn’s goal 6:41 into the last frame. Yet Joe Pavelski prevented Tampa Bay from winning in the regulations with his second of the game, midway through the same.
Stars Unhappy With Officiating
When Shattenkirk’s goal took place, Dallas had Jamie Benn penalized for tripping. That decision raised many voices from the losing side, and all of them suggest that the referees made a bad judgment.
“Jamie breathes on him, and the guy falls over. Whether that’s the case or not, there’s a little battle going on there. Playoffs, it’s overtime, we expect 5 on 5. We expect to battle it out,” Pavelski commented on the controversial situation.
His team is not down 3-1 and with the backs against the wall. The situation is not pleasant, and they will need a miracle in order to change something, let alone win the Stanley Cup.
On the other side, the Lightning are fired-up as they sense that the end of the road is near.
“But I think right now our focus is on just recovering, preparing, watching video, seeing what we can do for the next one,” said Point.
Game 5 is in less than 24 hours, this Saturday night at 8 pm ET.
