Period by period

Period one: An exchange of goals

Lightning coach John Tortorella directed some more line dancing.

Tampa Bay opened with Fredrik Modin and Ben Clymer bracketing Vinny Lecavalier. But it was the fourth line that produced the game's first goal.

A little more than midway through the period, Nikita Alexeev (on with Chris Dingman and Tim Taylor) took a pass from Dan Boyle on a two-on-one and blasted a slapper to the right of Martin Brodeur. Tampa Bay's lead didn't last long, though. A who-hooked-whom penalty on Modin 24 seconds later set up the Devils. And Scott Niedermayer finished after being left alone to John Grahame's left.

THE POSITIVE: Alexeev's first playoff goal gave Tampa Bay an early lead, and a solid penalty kill gave it confidence.

THE NEGATIVE: One penalty too many let New Jersey tie the score. The Devils have scored a power-play goal in four consecutive games. KEY PLAY: Modin clearly hooked Jamie Langenbrunner as the Devils headed up ice. Langenbrunner answered with a tug of his own, but the officials nabbed Modin.

KEY PLAYER: The score sheet says Boyle and Taylor assisted on Alexeev's goal, but Dingman sparked the play by rubbing out Niedermayer then making an outlet pass to Taylor.

Fredrik Modin beat Brian Rafalski, faked out Scott Stevens and outlasted Martin Brodeur. But he was taken down by the rule book.

Nearly 12 minutes in, Modin eluded Rafalski at the blue line and charged deep into the offensive zone. He bluffed a shot, sending Stevens to the ice to block a puck that never came.

He deftly drew the puck back and fired a shot that Brodeur stopped but could not control.

Modin whacked at the loose puck as defenders closed in, eventually banging it into the net off his skate.

It appeared he kicked the puck because Rafalski hit him from behind. But the video goal judge didn't see it that way, and the goal was overturned.

"I tried to stop it with my skate," Modin said. "But I got pulled down. You've just got to put it behind you and keep going."

THE POSITIVE: Tampa Bay had a few good chances on the counterattack as the Devils pressed for a lead.

THE NEGATIVE: New Jersey dominated puck possession and had a significant territorial advantage during the first half of the period.

KEY (RE)PLAY: The view the video goal judge saw.

KEY PLAYER: Modin had only one shot, but his involvement in key plays showed his instincts were on target.

Tampa Bay had been outscored 5-1 in the third period in the series, so not allowing a goal was a minor victory. Goaltender John Grahame deserves much of the credit.

With seven minutes left, Grahame stoned Jamie Langenbrunner as he circled out alone from behind the net to Grahame's left.

Two minutes later, Grahame raced out of his net to clear a dangerous lead pass.

The teams combined for only 13 shots, and neither had a power play. Both seemed to be playing with the mentality that the next goal would win the game. After 20 scoreless minutes, that perception became reality.

THE POSITIVE: Tampa Bay shut out the Devils in back-to-back periods for the first time since the first two periods of Game 1. THE NEGATIVE: Lightning center Vinny Lecavalier remained deep in the shadows. He was held without a shot and had only one through regulation. KEY PLAY: With slightly more than nine minutes left, Brian Gionta charged into the Lightning zone on a two-on-one. Janne Laukkanen intercepted his pass to end the threat and keep the score tied.

KEY PLAYER: Grahame rewarded coach John Tortorella for giving him the start. He made 18 consecutive saves, seven in the third, to help force overtime.

John Grahame made 46 saves Friday, including 25 in overtime. He seemed largely unbeatable. It turned out he was as long as he had his stick.

A scrum in front of the net swept his stick out of hand and Grant Marshall took advantage by banging in a rebound.

Tampa Bay, which looked years younger than New Jersey in the third overtime, had dominated play with its high energy.

But the Devils took advantage of their opportunity to set up in the offensive zone as Scott Niedermayer blasted a shot from the left point. Grahame made that save then another before Marshall scored through the five-hole.

THE POSITIVE: Lightning penalty killers delivered twice - once in the first overtime, and again bridging the first and second OTs.

THE NEGATIVE: Tampa Bay, which had the lion's share of scoring chances, never solved Martin Brodeur.

KEY PLAY: With about six minutes left in the second overtime, Vinny Lecavalier stretched low and hard to break up a crossing pass. Leading Devils playoff scorer Jamie Langenbrunner, the intended target, had a free look at Grahame.

KEY PLAYER: Brodeur stopped Nikita Alexeev's tricky backhand, a blast by an unguarded Martin St. Louis and Tim Taylor's redirect. His prone stab of St. Louis' shot in the third OT was the best one-armed performance since The Fugitive.

Today's lineup

Lightning