Lightning beat Blue Jackets to take 2-1 series lead

Andrei Vasilevskiy made 16 saves and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 on Saturday night to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven playoff series.

Alex Killorn, Brayden Point and Victor Hedman scored, and the Lightning held off a 6-on-5 push by the Blue Jackets late.

Game 4 is Monday.

Columbus Blue Jackets center Pierre-Luc Dubois (18) hits Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Pat Maroon (14) along the boards during the third period of an NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup hockey playoff game in Toronto, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020. (Nathan DenetteThe Canadian Press via AP)

Riley Nash and Eric Robinson scored for the Blue Jackets, and Joonas Korpisalo made 31 stops after piling up 121 saves in the first two games of the series, including a five-overtime loss Tuesday night.

After the Blue Jackets came up empty on over a minute of a 5-one-3 advantage, Killhorn made it 1-0 for the Lightning with 4:12 left in the first period when he dragged the puck around diving Columbus defenseman David Savard and beat Korpisalo between the pads.

Nash got his first goal of the playoffs to tie it early in the second. He took a feed from Gus Nyquist just below the blue line and rifled a shot from the left circle over Vasilevskiy’s glove.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) celebrates his goal as Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (70) looks on during the second period of an NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup hockey playoff game in Toronto, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020. (Nathan DenetteThe Canadian Press via AP)

Point put the Lightning up again with 5:44 left in the second when he put back a shot that had bounced off Korpisalo. Hedman got his first goal of the playoffs and pushed the Tampa Bay lead to 3-1 with 1:07 left in the period.

Columbus got back within one early in the third period when rookie Robinson followed his own rebounded shot and beat Vasilevskiy.

The Lightning outshot Columbus 34-17, including 16-4 in the second period.

Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Pat Maroon (14) celebrates his teammates goal as Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (70) looks on during the second period of an NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup hockey playoff game in Toronto, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020. (Nathan DenetteThe Canadian Press via AP)

NOTES: Columbus forwards Cam Atkinson and Nathan Gerbe were listed as unfit to play. ... Entering the game, Tampa Bay led the NHL for shots per game (42.4) and shot attempt percentage (59.5%) in the 2020 playoffs. ... Point has seven points in six playoff games.

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Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) reacts after scoring against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period of an NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup hockey playoff game in Toronto, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020. (Nathan DenetteThe Canadian Press via AP)

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) celebrates his goal with teammates Barclay Goodrow (19) and Erik Cernak (81) as Columbus Blue Jackets center Alexander Wennberg (10) skates away during the second period of an NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup hockey playoff game in Toronto, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020. (Nathan DenetteThe Canadian Press via AP)

Columbus Blue Jackets center Gustav Nyquist (14) is sent to the ice by Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Ondrej Palat (18) during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, in Toronto. (Nathan DenetteThe Canadian Press via AP)

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) celebrates his goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period of an NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup hockey playoff game in Toronto, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020. (Nathan DenetteThe Canadian Press via AP)