BARRIO (The Canadian Press) – Alexander Kerfoot scored on a power play at 4:14 of overtime as the Toronto Maple Leafs roared back from a 4-1 deficit in the third period to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4 on Monday and take a commanding 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.

With Mikaeil Sergachev in the penalty box for tripping, Kerfoot tipped a Mark Giordano point shot for his first goal of the series and move the Leafs to within one victory of their first series victory since 2004.

Auston Matthews, with two goals, Morgan Rielly and Noel Acciari also scored for Toronto. Ilya Samsonov made 27 stops for the Leafs, who improved to 2-17 over their last 19 post-season contests when leading a series.

The teams have two days off before Game 5 of the best-of-seven matchup, which goes Thursday in Toronto. Game 6, if necessary, will be back in Tampa — which downed the Leafs in seven games in last spring’s first round — on Saturday.

Rielly, who scored in OT in Game 3 to give Toronto a 4-3 victory, and was booed every time he touched the puck after hitting Brayden Point into the boards on a clean, but awkward sequence Saturday, completed the comeback with 3:56 left in regulation when his shot beat Vasilevskiy.

The stunning turn of events sparked wild celebrations among pockets of Leafs fans inside Amalie Arena.

(Posted April 24, 2023)