(REUTERS) — Vincent Lecavalier scored on a two-man advantage in overtime Tuesday night, ending four years of Tampa Bay Lightning frustration in the nation’s capital.
With Jaromir Jagr and Ken Klee in the penalty box, Lecavalier poked in a rebound 2:29 into the extra period as the Lightning beat the Washington Capitals 4-3. The victory reduced the Capitals’ first-round playoff series lead to 2-1 and snapped an 11-game Lightning losing streak at the MCI Center. Tampa Bay’s last road win over Washington came Nov. 4, 1998.
Game 4 is Wednesday night in Washington.
After a game in which the playoff-inexperienced Lightning again took too many needless penalties, it was the Capitals who were caught short. Jagr was called for roughing and Klee was caught elbowing Dave Andreychuk in the head in overtime.
After the winning goal, the first in 11 power-play chances in the series for the Lightning, the fans vented their frustration at the officials by littering the ice with bottles and other items.
Washington defenseman Brendan Witt sent the game into overtime with a late goal, and Dainius Zubrus scored twice for the Capitals after missing a first-period penalty shot.
Martin St. Louis, moved to a new line in some tinkering by coach John Tortorella, made two assists from the rear boards and scored a go-ahead goal in the third period for Tampa Bay.
Witt tied the game from the slot with 2:56 to play, taking a brave centering pass from Jagr. Jagr was sandwiched while making the pass, took an elbow from Pavel Kubina and lay bleeding on the ice for about a minute.
He didn’t miss a shift.
St. Louis had given Tampa Bay the lead with 8:47 remaining, taking Vaclav Prospal’s well-timed pass at the blue line to race in for an open look that beat Olaf Kolzig to the glove side.
The Lightning, as they did in the first two games, came out aggressively. This time they were able to convert their energy into their first lead of the series.
St. Louis, moved to Vincent Lecavalier’s line during Monday’s practice, won a faceoff in the Capitals’ end, chased the puck into the corner and centered to Lecavalier for a one-timer in the slot.
Zubrus had a chance to tie it with his short-handed penalty shot, awarded after he was hooked to the ice by Prospal on a breakaway. But Zubrus didn’t even force Nikolai Khabibulin to make a save. He shot high and wide, caught the rebound off the boards in his hand and tossed the puck in frustration.
Zubrus redeemed himself on a power play when Lightning defenseman Stan Neckar couldn’t control the puck in the left circle. Zubrus got behind Neckar, beat Cory Sarich to the puck and poked in the shot for Washington’s fourth man-advantage goal of the series.
St. Louis and Zubrus were again factors in an exchange of goals in the second period. St. Louis, again on the boards, made a backhand pass to Prospal, who slid the puck between Kolzig’s legs from a tight angle.
Zubrus countered by taking a threaded pass from Jagr and racing to the crease. His shot popped into the air in a clash of sticks and floated over Khabibulin.