Maple Leafs rally in third period to beat Lightning in Game 5

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) celebrates scoring the winning goal during the third period of game five of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Scotiabank Arena. Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Maple Leafs rally with three goals in third period to beat Lightning in Game 5

By Adam Stites | Last updated 5/10/22

The Toronto Maple Leafs rallied in the third period to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-3, in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead.

Tampa Bay led 2-0 after the first period, but Toronto got one back in the second period. The Maple Leafs then took the lead with a pair of goals early in the third period from Morgan Rielly and William Nylander. With just under 12 minutes left, the Lightning tied the game back up with a shorthanded goal from Ryan McDonagh.

The @TBLightning tie it right back up! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/e97U8enObA
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) May 11, 2022

The game-winning goal then came from the NHL's leading scorer, Auston Matthews, with just over six minutes left in the third period.

The @MapleLeafs' game-winning goal, courtesy of Auston Matthews (@AM34)‼️ #StanleyCup

NHL x @massmutual pic.twitter.com/aNagyGFDXl
— NHL (@NHL) May 11, 2022

Matthews, 24, finished the regular season with 60 goals, becoming the first United States-born player to reach that milestone in a single season and only the third player to reach it in the last quarter-century.

The Lightning and Maple Leafs have traded wins so far in the series with Toronto winning Games 1, 3, and 5. Puck drop for Game 6 is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.

More must-reads: