Dan Boyle tied the game with 1:56 remaining in regulation, but Nikita Kucherov scored at 3:33 of overtime to end a see-saw affair and give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 2-1 series lead against the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final.

* Kucherov (1-1—2) scored his third playoff game-winning goal and second in overtime. In the second round, he had the winner in each of the first two games at the Montreal Canadiens, including a goal at 2:06 of double-overtime in Game 1.

* Kucherov is the only player with multiple overtime goals in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Martin St. Louis is the only other player in Lightning history with multiple overtime goals in one playoff year; he scored them when Tampa Bay won its only Stanley Cup in 2004 (Game 5 of EQF vs. the New York Islanders and Game 6 of Stanley Cup Final at the Calgary Flames).

Marcus Kruger scored at 16:12 of triple overtime as the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 to even the Western Conference Final at one victory apiece.

* Game 2 required 116:12 of total elapsed time and was the longest game of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Chicago also played in the previous longest game of this postseason, April 21 in Game 4 of the Western Conference First Round vs. the Nashville Predators (3-2 3OT W). Brent Seabrook scored at 1:00 of the third overtime to end the game (101:00 of total elapsed time).

* According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Blackhawks won two games in a single postseason that required at least three overtime periods for the first time in franchise history. The last team to do so was the Ducks, who won two such games in 2003.

Tyler Johnson scored a shorthanded goal and a power-play goal in the first period and added an even-strength goal for his first career hat trick in the postseason, helping the Tampa Bay Lightning even its series against the New York Rangers at 1-1.

* According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Johnson (3-0—3) became the first player in Lightning franchise history to have a hat trick in the postseason.

* Johnson paces all scorers in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs with 11 goals and 16 points (11-5—16). Johnson’s third goal of the night also became his League-leading fourth game-winning goal of the postseason.

Stars have shined and unlikely overtime heroes have emerged through two rounds totaling 69 games, including three Game 7s, during the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning are the final four teams standing. They still have a chance to win the Stanley Cup, which means their players  have a chance to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the playoffs.

Here are the top five candidates for the Conn Smythe Trophy through two rounds:

Derek Stepan scored at 11:24 of overtime and Henrik Lundqvist made 35 saves to power the New York Rangers past the Washington Capitals and into the Eastern Conference Final for the second straight year and third time in the past four seasons.

* The Rangers improved to 9-5 all-time in Game 7s, including a 7-0 record at home (all since 1992). They are the only team in League history to play at least four Game 7s at home and win each of them.

* Kevin Hayes tied the score at 1-1 with his power-play goal at 6:22 of the second period. The Elias Sports Bureau says the Rangers overcame a deficit (of any margin) to win a Game 7 for the first time in franchise history.

* Since losing to the Capitals in seven games in the 2009 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, the Rangers have won six straight Game 7s. That matches the NHL record set by the Detroit Red Wings from 1949-64 and equaled by the Boston Bruins from 1983-94.

Nikita Kucherov (2-1—3) had three points to propel the Tampa Bay Lightning past the Montreal Canadiens and into the Eastern Conference Final for the third time in franchise history and the first since 2011.

* Kucherov opened the scoring, added an empty-netter and had an assist for his second three-point game and second multiple-goal game of the postseason.

* According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Kucherov became the second player in franchise history to have three points in a series-clinching victory. He joined Fredrik Modin, who posted 0-3—3 on April 16, 2004, in Game 5 of the EQF vs. the New York Islanders (3-2 OT W).

NEW YORK – The National Hockey League today announced that the start time of the potential Game 7 of the series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens, if necessary, has been set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 14, in Montreal.

In Canada, the game would be televised on CBC and TVA Sports. In the U.S., the game would be televised on NBCSN.

Matt Beleskey's tying goal at 0:59 of the third period set the stage for Corey Perry to score the overtime-winner at 2:26 of the extra frame to power the Ducks to the Western Conference Final.

* The Ducks advanced to the Western Conference Final for the fourth time in their history and for the first time since 2007.

* Perry, who briefly left the game in the later stages of the second period with a lower-body injury, scored his second game-winning goal of the postseason and his first career playoff overtime goal. Perry paces the League with 7-8—15 in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

NEW YORK – The National Hockey League today announced the start time and national television information for Game 6 of 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round series scheduled for Tuesday, May 12.

The start time for Game 6 of the series between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning has been set for 7:30 p.m. ET in Tampa Bay. The game will be seen on NBCSN, CBC and TVA Sports.

NEW YORK – The National Hockey League today announced the start time and national television information for Game 7 of 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round series between the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals scheduled for Wednesday, May 13.

· The start time for Game 7 of the series between the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals has been set for 7:30 p.m. ET in New York. The game will be seen on NBCSN, CBC and TVA Sports