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Islanders, Lightning stay alive, avoid sweeps

Mathew Barzal scored 1:24 into the second overtime Saturday as the New York Islanders avoided elimination against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes lead the best-of-seven series three games to one. Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday night in Raleigh, North Carolina.

‘Live to see another day,’ Islanders forward Anders Lee said. ‘Fun to get in here and get back to work in a couple days.’

Barzal redirected Robert Bortuzzo’s shot from the blue line for his second goal of the game.

‘Great shot by Bobby (Bortuzzo),’ Barzal said. ‘Just find a lane and throw it in an area where there’s some bodies. Lucky bounce.’

Lightning 6, Panthers 3

Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos and Brandon Hagel each scored twice as the Lightning stayed alive in Game 4.

The win cut the Lightning’s deficit to 3-1. Game 5 is Monday night in Sunrise, Florida.

Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, Nick Paul scored and Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman each had three assists. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 22 shots as the Lightning broke a six-game postseason home losing streak.

Returning from a broken leg, Tampa Bay defenseman Mikhail Sergachev recorded an assist in his first game since Feb. 7.

‘When you get one of the best defensemen in the league back in your lineup, it gives you a little bit of a jump, and it did that tonight,’ Hagel said. ‘Kudos to him for playing tremendous.’

Bruins 3, Maple Leafs 1

Jeremy Swayman started back-to-back games for the first time in more than two months and made 25 saves to help the Boston Bruins take a commanding 3-1 series lead against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Swayman, who had been alternating starts with Linus Ullmark, won his third game of the series to improve to 6-0-0 against the Maple Leafs this season.

Brad Marchand had a goal and an assist and James van Riemsdyk also scored for the Bruins. It was the 56th playoff goal for Marchand, moving him past Cam Neely for the all-time team lead.

Mitch Marner scored and Ilya Samsonov made 14 saves through the first two periods for the Maple Leafs before Joseph Woll replaced him.

The Maple Leafs got William Nylander back from a three-game absence but forward Auston Matthews did not play in the third period because of illness.

Stars 3, Golden Knights 2 (OT)

Dallas’ Wyatt Johnston scored his second goal of the game at 16:23 of overtime as the Stars picked up their first victory of the series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Golden Knights lead the series 2-1 with Game 4 Monday night in Las Vegas.

Logan Thompson was brilliant, especially in the second period as he stopped breakaways and other odd-man rushes as the Golden Knights tied a game it had trailed 2-0. He robbed Roope Hintz in tight before Jack Eichel’s tying short-handed goal.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY