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Stanley Cup Playoffs: Beauvillier, Islanders force Game 7 vs. Lightning

New York Islanders left wing Anthony Beauvillier lifted his team to Game 7 of a Stanley Cup Playoffs Semifinals series against the Tampa Bay Lightning with his overtime-winning score in Game 6 on Wednesday in Uniondale, N.Y. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
New York Islanders left wing Anthony Beauvillier lifted his team to Game 7 of a Stanley Cup Playoffs Semifinals series against the Tampa Bay Lightning with his overtime-winning score in Game 6 on Wednesday in Uniondale, N.Y. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

June 24 (UPI) -- Winger Anthony Beauvillier intercepted the puck and ripped a wrister into the net 68 seconds into overtime to lead the New York Islanders over the Tampa Bay Lightning and force a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Semifinals.

Beauvillier stole the pass from center Blake Coleman before he beat Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy to light the lamp in the 3-2 win Wednesday at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y.

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"It's exciting," Beauvillier told reporters. "As a kid, you try to imagine yourself going to a Game 7 and having a big game. I think we've earned the right to go back and play a Game 7.

"It's a big opportunity for us."

The Islanders started the series with a win in Tampa, Fla., but the Lightning answered with wins in Game 2 and Game 3. The Islanders tied the series with a Game 4 win, but the Lightning responded with a dominant 8-0 win in Game 5 on Monday in Tampa.

Game 7 of the series is Friday in Tampa.

Lightning center Brayden Point scored the first goal of the game with 3:58 remaining in the first period. Left wing Ondrej Palat and Point assisted center Anthony Cirelli to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead 12:36 into the second period.

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Center Mathew Barzal and defenseman Andy Greene assisted Jordan Eberle for the Islanders' first score about two minutes later.

Barzak and defenseman Adam Pelech assisted Scott Mayfield's game-tying goal midway through the final period. Pelech and Barzak exchanged the puck near the Lightning blue line at the start of the play. Mayfield received the final pass as he skated through the right circle.

The defenseman finished the play with a wrist shot into a tiny gap just over Vasilevskiy's left shoulder. Vasilevskiy and Islanders netminder Semyon Varlamov did not allow another score for the remainder of the third period.

The Islanders defense sent a pass deep into the Lightning's half of the ice about 58 seconds into extra time. The Lightning struggled to gain control of the puck until it found Coleman's stick. The Lightning center attempted to get the pass to his teammates on his right, but Beauvillier stuck his stick out and stole the feed.

He then pulled the puck back and slapped his winner past Vasilevskiy to extend the series.

"I just [told them] to stick to the process, stick to what we were doing," Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. "These are great moments. [We had] to manage the puck and do all the things we were doing for the first three periods."

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The Lightning host the Islanders in Game 7 at 8 p.m. EDT Friday at Amalie Arena.

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