Anthony Beauvillier of Sorel-Tracy, Quebec scored his first career Stanley Cup Playoff overtime winner on Wednesday. The New York Islanders left winger scored an unassisted marker at 1:08 of the extra period as the Islanders defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in game six of the Stanley Cup semifinals to tie the series at three. With the win, there will now be a game seven of the best out of seven series in Tampa, Florida on Saturday night.
Beauvillier was one of two Canadians to score for the Islanders on Wednesday. The other was Jordan Eberle of Regina, Saskatchewan. Scott Mayfield also scored for New York. Meanwhile, Mathew Barzal of Coquitlam, British Columbia was the only Islanders player with a multi-point game as he had two assists. Barzal was fortunate to have the opportunity to play in the game. In the fifth game of the series on Monday, Barzal was given a game misconduct for cross-checking Jan Rutta of the Lightning in the face. Barzal was fined $5000 for the infraction, but not suspended.
Wednesday night belonged to Beauvillier. In the extra period, Lightning forward Blake Coleman delivered a high-risk pass attempt to Rutta in his own zone, which was intercepted by Beauvillier. According to Gary Galley of Rogers Sportsnet, many players on the Lightning were not anticipating the pass attempt, and thought Coleman would be carrying the puck out of his own zone.