Game 3: Palat’s goal secures 3-2 victory for Lightning, avoids defeat against Rangers

The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning showed that they were far from finished just as the New York Rangers appeared ready to drive the Lightning to the verge of defeat. Check out the best bookmakers for betting on Game 4!

Check out the top sportsbooks for betting on the Rangers/Lightning!

4.6/5

DraftKings Review

New Customers: Bet $5+ Get $300 in Bonus Bets Instantly

Bet now

GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/PR/WY). Void in NH/OR/ONT/PR. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino (KS). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in IL. 1 per new DraftKings Sportsbook customer. Must register new account to receive reward Token. Must select Token BEFORE placing min. $5 bet to receive $300 in Bonus Bets if your bet wins. Min. -500 odds req. Token and Bonus Bets are single-use and non-withdrawable. Bet must settle by and Token expires 5/3/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Bonus Bets expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: Promos | DraftKings Sportsbook . Ends 4/26/26 at 11:59 PM ET.

4.6/5

FanDuel Review

New Users – Bet $5 Get $250 If Your Bet Wins!

Bet now

Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit RG Help . Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit Helpline and Chat – CONNECTICUT COUNCIL (CT). “Hope is here. GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support. 21+ and present in MA. Connect with a PlayWell Advisor at PlayWell.org. Visit Home (MD). Call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) 21+ (18+ D.C., KY, WY) and present in select states (for KS, in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino). First online real money wager only. $5 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets which expire 7 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at FanDuel Sportsbook

4.5/5

BetMGM Review

Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win

Bet now

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET (Available in the US) 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. Promotional offers not available in Mississippi, New York, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.

Two late goals by Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos helped wipe out a 2-1 deficit for the Rangers in the Eastern Conference final, and Ondrej Palat completed the comeback with his 10th career playoff winning goal to cap off a thrilling 3-2 victory.

“We’ve been in spots like this,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “A big thing for us was, we felt we had a recipe, we just had to stay with it. I think there were times in the series where we’ve tried to manufacture things that weren’t there that put us on our heels, gave up opportunities. Whether it was a break, whatever it was, we weren’t in sync.”

Despite the Rangers’ best efforts, Tampa Bay is a squad that refuses to go down without a fight.

“I wouldn’t say we let it get away because they played really well,” head coach Gerard Gallant said. “But we could’ve stolen it tonight and been up 3-0.”

Deciding moment at second, third periods

In the second and third periods, both teams scored two goals while on the power play, and there were a total of 10 penalties. Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider’s goals gave the Rangers an instant 2-0 lead, but the Lightning took advantage of two Jacob Trouba penalties in the second and third periods to tie it up at 2-all.

Trouba was penalized three times, the last of which was for a trip on Alex Killorn late in the third period, ending a four-minute Rangers power play.

“I think we want to play five-on-five,” said Rangers defenseman Adam Fox, who contributes a key point on both the penalty and power play.

“We have a real good power play, but as you can see, so do they. I think we’re a skill-and-speed team and we play better when the game is flowing and we can play five-on-five. Obviously, lost a little momentum at the start of the third, just couldn’t get it back.”

All game, it was clear that Tampa Bay tried to swarm Igor Shesterkin. At 8:23 of the second period, Riley Nash of the Lightning was penalized for goalie interference. This gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead when Kreider scored on a rebound of Zibanejad’s one-time shot.

The power-play goal also brought Kreider’s total of man-advantage goals in the history of the franchise to 34, tying him with Rod Gilbert and Adam Graves for the most in a season (62).

After Ryan Strome, the second-line center, got hit in the lower back by Palat at the beginning of the second period, the Rangers only had 11 forwards for most of the rest of the game. Strome came back for one shift before going back to the locker room due to a lower-body injury.

“Each game has its own kind of thing, each period, each shift,” Kreider said. “I think the most important thing is just staying in the moment.”

Check out the top sportsbook Providers for betting on Hockey

1.

4.6/5

DraftKings Review

New Customers: Bet $5+ Get $300 in Bonus Bets Instantly

USA Players Welcome

Bet now

GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/PR/WY). Void in NH/OR/ONT/PR. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino (KS). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in IL. 1 per new DraftKings Sportsbook customer. Must register new account to receive reward Token. Must select Token BEFORE placing min. $5 bet to receive $300 in Bonus Bets if your bet wins. Min. -500 odds req. Token and Bonus Bets are single-use and non-withdrawable. Bet must settle by and Token expires 5/3/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Bonus Bets expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: Promos | DraftKings Sportsbook . Ends 4/26/26 at 11:59 PM ET.

2.

4.6/5

FanDuel Review

New Users – Bet $5 Get $250 If Your Bet Wins!

USA Players Welcome

Bet now

Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit RG Help . Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit Helpline and Chat – CONNECTICUT COUNCIL (CT). “Hope is here. GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support. 21+ and present in MA. Connect with a PlayWell Advisor at PlayWell.org. Visit Home (MD). Call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) 21+ (18+ D.C., KY, WY) and present in select states (for KS, in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino). First online real money wager only. $5 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets which expire 7 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at FanDuel Sportsbook

3.

4.5/5

BetMGM Review

Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win

USA Players Welcome

Bet now

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET (Available in the US) 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. Promotional offers not available in Mississippi, New York, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.

4.

4.3/5

Fanatics Review

Bet $5 Get $200 FanCash immediately

USA Players Welcome

Bet now

New customers in AZ, CO, CT, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, or WY. Must toggle on this promotion in your bet slip and wager $5+ cash on any market (min. odds -500) within 7 days of account opening to receive $200 in FanCash. Promotional FanCash expires 7 days from issuance (at 11:59pm ET). Terms, including FanCash terms apply-see Fanatics Sportsbook app.

5.

Barstool Review

USA Players Welcome

Best Alternative

Open DraftKings

Even though Tampa Bay finally looked like the champions that have scared the rest of the NHL for the last two years, the Rangers still kept up with them until the end of Game 3. During the regular season and at times in the playoffs, the Rangers had trouble holding on to leads. And this is the first time in this playoff run that the Rangers have been ahead in a series.