|
 Johnson, a 24-year-old NHL All-Star, scored twice in a
penalty-filled first period and added another in the second, while
towering netminder Ben Bishop stopped 34-of-36 shots to silence the
Madison Square Garden crowd.
The young Tampa Bay center scored the first three goals for the
Lightning, who carried a 3-2 lead into the third period.
Alex Killorn scored twice and Steven Stamkos added another to turn a
tight game into a rout in the final period as Tampa Bay bounced back
to level the best-of-seven series after a 2-1 loss in Game One.
It was Johnson's fourth multi-goal game of the playoffs and gave him
11 tallies this postseason.
"I'm just happy to be here. I'm living my dream," said the
5-foot-9-inch sparkplug Johnson.
Lightning coach Jon Cooper, critical of his team's effort in their
opening loss, saw a big difference.
"I think in Game One we participated in a hockey game and in Game
Two we came to win a hockey game," he said.
"Tyler Johnson, the bigger the game, the better he plays. He put our
team on his back and we all followed."
GETTING DIRTY
It was the first time this postseason that a New York game was
decided by more than a single goal.
"No doubt their top players had very strong games, and a couple of
our guys didn't have their best game tonight," Rangers coach Alain
Vigneault said.
Twelve penalties were called, including seven in the opening period,
and a game misconduct issued to New York's Tanner Glass in the
third.
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"Our will and determination were at a much higher level than in Game
One," Cooper said. "We were much more physical. Tonight, we were
getting dirty."
The resulting power plays provided non-stop action though not always
to the benefit of the team with the man advantage.
Johnson opened the scoring on a breakaway goal barely five minutes
into the game with the Rangers enjoying a 5-on-3 advantage.
New York tied it at 1-1 when Chris Kreider stuffed in a rebound for
a power play goal before Johnson struck again, beating goaltender
Henrik Lundqvist from the left face-off circle for another power
play goal.
Johnson made it 3-1 by flicking the puck into the net in traffic in
front of the goal eight minutes into the second period, and Derek
Stepan's goal six minutes later was as close as the Rangers would
come.
The series shifts to Tampa Bay for Game Three on Wednesday.
(Editing by Peter Rutherford/John O'Brien)
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