Tampa Bay Lightning long-time captain Steven Stamkos returns to the ice

Long-time captain Steven Stamkos made his first 2020 National Hockey League playoff debut 211 days after he last played in an NHL game, scored on his first shot of the Wednesday night game, and provided an extra jolt for his Tampa Bay Lightning team in the 5-2 win over the Dallas Stars to grab a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series played at Rogers Place Arena in Edmonton, Alberta,

After he scored in the first period for a 1-0 lead, the Tampa Bay bench broke into a spontaneous celebration perhaps unlike any goal during the playoffs. Making the most of his limited ice time, Stamkos shot the puck past Dallas goalie Anton Khudobin on an assist from defenseman Victor Hedman. Stamkos skated off gingerly at the end of his final shift in the opening period, and was not on the bench for the start of the second.

Still hurting from injuries that kept him off the ice for quite some time, Stamkos fit right in with his team by offering moral support sitting in the middle of the bench. He let his presence mean so much.

The Eastern Conference Lighting were far and away the better team in game three, beating the Western Conference champions to the boards, making hits, blocking shots, and just taking advantage of its better skills. Despite this, Dallas was aware it had to play a lot better when taking the ice Friday nightfor game four.

Tampa Bay struck fast and often. It was 2-0 when Nikita Kucherov scored, but later in the period the Stars cut the gap to 2-1 on a goal from Jason Dickinson. But in the second period, a 3-goal barrage put the game on ice for the Lighting. Dallas added a final goal in the third period, but defeat had already set in.

The third Tampa Bay goal came from Ondrej Palat on an assist from Brayden Point, who then found net to up the lead to 4-1 before the final score came on Hedman’s goal. Hedman also came away with a pair of assists, and Kucherov, Jan Rutta and Kevin Shattenkirk added one apiece. Lighting keeper Andrei Vasilevskiy made 21 saves. The other Dallas goal came from Miro Heiskanen, while assists went to Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski. Khudpbon came up with 24 saves and was replaced by Jake Oettinger, who made three saves in the third period.

Tampa Bay had more shots, 32-23, served nine penalties and spent 26 minutes in the penalty box. The Stars were called for 10 penalties and served 36 minutes in the penalty box.