Tampa Bay Lightning's Ondrej Palat plays hero again in Game 5 win over Colorado Avalanche

DENVER — If the Tampa Bay Lightning need a clutch goal in the third period during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Ondrej Palat is the one scoring it.

Palat tallied the game-winning goal at 13:38 of the third period on Friday night, allowing the Lightning to avoid elimination with a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals and sending the series back to Tampa.

«He keeps doing it,» said winger Pat Maroon. «He's a gamer. He plays the right way every night. He gets to those dirty areas and he gets rewarded. He's a star in this league. He's an elite player in this league. He shows up in big-time moments.»

The goal was his 11th of the playoffs. Palat has scored seven of those 11 goals in the third period of games. That included two game-winning goals against the New York Rangers, an empty-net goal that clinched the sweep against the Florida Panthers and his heroics to keep the Lightning's Stanley Cup three-peat chances alive in Denver.

With the score tied 2-2, the Lightning cycled the puck around the Avalanche zone. Palat waited with his stick held high in the slot for a pass. Defenseman Victor Hedman slid him the puck and Palat's shot hit Colorado goalie Darcy Kuemper and trickled past him for the 3-2 lead.

«I was just trying to get open and get lost a little bit. I saw Heddy and he sees me. So it was just an easy shot for me. I'm just trying to one-time [it] and lucky enough it went in,» said Palat.

The goal set off a celebration back in Czechia, where Palat's family had organized a watch party for Game 5.

«My parents just texted me that there was like 80 people there. It was 2 o'clock in the morning. So it's nice to have feel all the support from back home even when the game is pretty late,»