If anyone on the ice deserved a break, it was James Neal.
And he finally got one.
Neal tallied his first goal of the playoffs at the 3:38 mark of the second overtime period, giving the Pittsburgh Penguins a well earned 3-2 victory over the Lightning in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The win extended the Penguins’ series lead over the Lightning to 3-1.
Neal’s goal was his second as a Penguin and his first since scoring on March 8 against Buffalo.
Dwayne Roloson, who had been strong throughout the contest, must take the blame for the final goal after allowing Neal to score from a relatively harmless shot on the outside boards. The puck deflected off of the tip of the netminder’s glove and into the net, setting off a euphoric celebration for Neal and the rest of the Penguins’ bench.
The Penguins now find themselves heading home to Pittsburgh a single win away from taking the series.