Lightning Strikes Back

2003 Playoffs

"You don't want to script it that way, but you find a way to get it done," Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella said. "It's another lesson, something we battled through. ... To come back in the third period, keep our patience and find a way, it's something you can draw on when you get in those situations again."

The Devils lost their captain Scott Stevens just 77 seconds in the game, when a shot by Tampa Bay's Pavel Kubina hit him in the left ear, opening a cut that required stitches.

I think losing Scotty definitely hurt us," Devils coach Pat Burns said. "I think morale-wise it hurt us a little bit to see the gladiator that he is come off the ice the way he did. I think that really shook the bench up a little bit."

Vinny Prospal, Martin St. Louis and Fredrik Modin scored first-period goals for Tampa Bay, but Devils answered with three second period goals by John Madden, Grant Marshall and Jeff Friesen.

"That could have taken the wind out of our sails," Tortorella said. "When it's 3-3, to get to that, it's a mind-set. We need to get back to how we played in the first. We were wailing. This (win) puts us back in the picture."

Ducks Fall To Stars
Jere Lehtinen scored both Dallas goals, and Marty Turco stopped 31 shots Monday night as the Stars defeated Anaheim 2-1 Monday night in their Western Conference semifinal series.

"I was fortunate to get the two goals, but it was most important to get the win," Lehtinen said.

It was Anaheim's first loss in the playoffs after six straight wins including a sweep of the Detroit Red Wings in the first round. The Ducks still hold a 2-1 edge over Dallas in the best-of-seven series.

"We did not play nearly as good as the first games," Dallas coach Dave Tippett said. "It's funny how this game goes sometime. That's exactly what we needed -- an ugly win. On the positive side, we got ourselves back in the series and can get some momentum from the win."

Game 4 is Wednesday night in Anaheim.