The Tampa Bay Lightning scored a late power-play goal to give themselves a 4-1 lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins after two periods in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal.
Pittsburgh’s goal was the result of a mental error by Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson. After a dump-in, Roloson left his net to play the puck near the goal line, even though his defensemen had time to recover it for him. Then it skipped off his stick and went into the area where goalies are not allowed to handle the puck. Roloson had to quickly return to his net as the Penguins’ Arron Asham recovered the puck and took a shot. Roloson made the save, but Craig Adams scored on the rebound.
The goal triggered a surge by the Penguins, who looked to cut Tampa Bay’s lead to one. But the Lightning defense and Roloson recovered to keep Pittsburgh off the board. Then with just 14 seconds left in the period, after a cross-checking penalty on the Penguins’ Brooks Orpik, Tampa Bay started the power play with a set piece they’ve cashed in on repeatedly over the last few weeks. Martin St. Louis shot a puck along the goal line, looking for Vincent Lecavalier to tap it in. That wasn’t necessary, though, as the puck bounced off Marc-Andre Fleury’s pad and crossed the goal line before he could recover it.
The Lightning are one period away from tying the series and taking home-ice advantage with them to Tampa, but will have to hold off another Penguins charge in the third.