Lightning Strikes Late to Beat Canadiens, 4-3

Brad Richards and the Tampa Bay Lightning stole the thunder from the Montreal Canadiens and all but knocked them out of the playoffs.

Richards’ second goal of the game, at 1:05 into overtime, gave Tampa Bay a 4-3 victory Tuesday night over the Canadiens at Montreal and lifted the Lightning to a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

“It’s a scenario that you lie in bed and dream about when you’re a kid,” Richards said. “It’s unbelievable. An overtime goal in the playoffs is great anywhere, but to do it in Montreal, it’s just so much fun.”

With one more victory, the Lightning will reach the conference finals for the first time in its 12-year NHL history.

That could come as early as Thursday night with Game 4 in Montreal.

Vincent Lecavalier scored his fifth goal of the series with 16.5 seconds remaining in regulation to get the Lightning into overtime. It was there that Tampa Bay won its sixth consecutive playoff game.

Tampa Bay’s Nikolai Khabibulin made 28 saves and Cory Stillman scored a short-handed goal.

Calgary 3, Detroit 2 -- Jarome Iginla scored a power-play goal and Martin Gelinas had two assists at Calgary, Canada, giving the Flames a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.

Calgary, which won the series opener in Detroit, will play host to Game 4 on Thursday.

Stephane Yelle and Shean Donovan also scored for the Flames. Robert Lang and Jiri Fischer scored for the Red Wings.

Detroit outshot Calgary, 12-5, in the third period but couldn’t get the tying goal past goalie Miikka Kiprusoff.

The Red Wings played without veteran defenseman Chris Chelios, who was injured Saturday.