Lightning, fans head to Amalie Arena for first home playoff game of season

TORONTO, ON - MAY 4: Alexander Kerfoot #15 of the Toronto Maple Leafs draws a penalty for pulling down Brandon Hagel #38 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during Game Two of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 4, 2022

The Bolts are back home in Tampa and the team is looking to take control of the series against Toronto.

Game 3 will take place at Amalie Arena. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The series may be all tied up by the Lightning are hoping to change that by the end of the night.

The series started out rocky for the Bolts in Toronto with a 5-0 loss on Monday, but then the Lightning showed up during Wednesday night’s game to tiethe series. On Friday, they’re back on home ice for their first home game of the playoff season, riding high off Wednesday’s win and ready to pull ahead. 

Coach Jon Cooper and the team are feeling confident about their chances, especially being back on home ice. Another thing playing in the Bolts' favor, the Lightning have not lost back-to-back playoff games in three seasons. 

GAME 2 RECAP: Hedman, Lightning beat Maple Leafs 5-3 to even series

If fans don’t have a ticket to the game inside of Amalie Arena, they can still be part of the fun outside on Thunder Alley as the Lightning’s Plaza Parties are back. For a $5 donation to the Lightning Foundation Charities, fans can get a ticket and be part of the fun outside alongside hundreds of other fans, watching the game up on the big screen.

Fans will need to buy a ticket ahead of time to be part of the Lightning Plaza Party. Visit www.nhl.com/lightning/fans/plaza-parties.

Victor Hedman had a goal and three assists for his first four-point playoff game and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 on Wednesday night in Game 2 to even the first-round series.

Nikita Kucherov added a goal and two assists and Brayden Point, Corey Perry and Brandon Hagel also scored for two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves in a bounce-back performance after the Lightning dropped the opener 5-0.

Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist for Toronto, Michael Bunting and Alexander Kerfoot also scored and Jack Campbell made 29 saves. Auston Matthews had two assists.

Tampa Bay has gone 51-23-8 overall with a 13-8-3 record against the Atlantic Division. The Lightning have gone 18-7-3 in games decided by a goal.

Toronto is 54-21-7 overall with a 14-7-1 record against the Atlantic Division. The Maple Leafs have a +60 scoring differential, with 312 total goals scored and 252 allowed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report