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NHL playoff scores 2016: Tensions boil in pivotal Game 3 wins for Lightning and Blues

Round 2 is heating up.

By Patrick Iversen
Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The Penguins and Capitals aren't the only second-round series getting a little chippy.

Facing important Game 3s on Tuesday, the Blues, Stars, Islanders and Lightning got a little less gentle with their opponents in varying ways.

Oh, the Lightning and Islanders scored goals. Plenty of them. Offense wasn't an issue, with both teams exchanging leads throughout the game. The two clubs combined for 80 shots on goal. They also combined for 78 hits, many of them as violent as this one:

hit

That was Thomas Hickey laying out Jonathan Drouin, who left and didn't return until late in the third period. He was the embodiment of that whole "offense through physicality" thing in Game 3, assisting on Nikita Kucherov's game-tying goal in the waning seconds of the third.

While the Islanders and Lightning sidled up to the line of legality with some of their hits (Brian Boyle's hit is the exception, and we'll get to that), the Stars and Blues just walked right over it at times. That's no surprise, the Stars were frustrated they were on the wrong side of the biggest playoff beatdown of the year. But that negative energy fed into both teams ...

Both series head to Game 4, meaning there's plenty of time for these teams try to push the physicality even further.

Scores

Lightning 5, Islanders 4 (OT)

Predators 4, Sharks 1

Blues 6, Stars 1

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3 things we learned

1. The Stars' growing pains are excruciating

Dallas is still an elite team, even if it gave up six goals in the worst playoff defeat for any team in recent memory Tuesday. It was bad. No getting around that. But Dallas is a team with a bright future, playing with unbridled youth. If anything, the Stars' loss in Game 6 was a critical lesson in the value of composure and responsibility when things go wrong in the playoffs. They had neither and paid dearly for it. They might not turn around and win this series, but the loss may help mold them down the road.

In the meantime, this is the lasting image for the Stars this morning.

reaves2

2. Nashville can rock

OK, maybe we knew that on some level, but man do Predators fans bring it come playoff time. With their team down two games to none, backs against the wall, Bridgestone Arena was louder than any venue we've heard during the playoffs so far. And the Predators clearly fed on it, pressuring the Sharks at both ends with a vigor lacking in the first two games.

3. Colton Sissons is indestructible

SURPRISE! Here's a shocking and horrific GIF.

sissons1

Yep. That happened. We all were just as terrified as you are.

But guess what? HE KEPT PLAYING. Not only was his leg not shattered, but he was capable of using it to move and stuff. This is usually where I throw out a "wow, hockey players are tough" cliché, but I'm not sure that's appropriate because hockey players are usually humans and Sissons seems to be bionic.

Impact Moment

So, Brian Boyle's game-winning overtime goal isn't without some controversy. Here's the goal:

They oh-so-briefly touched on it in there, but Boyle took out an Islander before he entered the zone to score. There was some debate about whether his hit was to the head or not:

Tweets from Tony

Remember Tony, AKA @soloucity on Twitter, who fell in love with hockey during the Blues/Blackhawks Game 7? We're dedicating a section in our recaps to the gems of his Twitter account during the playoffs.

Why get tweets from Tony when HE'S AT THE GAME:

Stat of the Night

In This Stream

NHL playoffs Tuesday: Lightning stun Islanders with late comeback win in Game 3

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