NEWARK, N.J. (AP) A feisty Nikita Kucherov scored two goals, set up another and knocked New Jersey's top defenseman out of the game with a big hit, and the Tampa Bay Lightning moved within a game of making the Devils' first trip to the playoffs in six years a short one with a 3-1 victory on Wednesday night.

J.T. Miller also scored and had two assists, and Vezina Trophy finalist Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped three breakaways in making 27 saves as the Lightning bounced back from a loss in Game 3 to tale a 3-1 lead in the first-round series.

Tampa Bay can wrap up the best-of-seven series in Game 5 at home on Saturday.

Kyle Palmieri scored on a 5-on-3 advantage for the Devils, who are back in the playoffs for the first time since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2012. It was the only time they beat Vasilevskiy, whose 44 wins in the regular season shared the league lead with Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck. Cory Schneider made 34 saves for New Nersey in starting his second straight game.

This game might have been the roughest of the series, especially in the first period when the Lightning took a 2-1 lead in a session with a lot of scrums.

The play everyone is going to talk about and the NHL probably will look at is Kucherov's hit on Sami Vatanen late in the first. No penalty was called but the league's No. 3 scorer appeared to jump before hitting Vatanen in the shoulder and head area. Devils coach coach John Hynes screamed at the officials after the play.

Vatanen did not return.

The Lightning were leading 2-1 at that point and the score didn't change until Kucherov's empty net goal with 1:08 to play iced the game.

Kucherov broke a 1-all tie with 4:58 left in the period. Defenseman Brayden Coburn sent a pass from the left boards that hit off Devils' defenseman Damon Severson. Kucherov collected the loose puck right in front and put it high into the net for his third goal of the series.

The Lightning had tied it at 11:30 on a great rush. Steven Stamkos fed Kucherov entering the zone and he found Miller on the left side for a shot over Schneider's shoulder.

Cory Conacher appeared to give Tampa Bay the lead with 7:39 left in the period, but a review found the Lightning were offside.

For the first time in the series, the Devils scored first with Palmieri converting from the left circle with the Lightning playing two men short at 8:23 of the first.

Alex Killorn got the first penalty at 7:47 with a hook and 25 seconds later Cedric Paquette tripped Taylor Hall. Eleven seconds later, New Jersey had its second 5-on-3 goal in two games.

Vasilevskiy kept Tampa Bay in the game over the next few minutes, stopping a breakaway by Travis Zajac with Paquette still in the penalty box and a semi-breakaway by Blake Coleman with 9:05 left in the period. He also stopped Patrick Maroon on a second-period break.

NOTES: Lightning D Ryan McDonagh appeared in his 100th NHL playoff game. ... This is the first time Schneider has had consecutive starts since Jan. 22-23. ... There were no lineup changes for Game 4. ... Vatanen has been leading the Devils in time on ice in the series, averaging 23:23. ... Tampa Bay was 5 of 9 on the power play in the first three games. They were 0 for 5 in Game 4.

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Follow Tom Canavan on Twitter at https://twitter.com/APTCan

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More NHL hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Brian Boyle scored in the fifth round of the shootout to lift the New Jersey Devils to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.

Boyle beat Nashville goalie Juuse Saros with a quick wrist shot from the slot on the blocker side.

New Jersey's Taylor Hall and Nashville's Kyle Turris each scored in the fourth round of the tiebreaker after none of the first six shooters could solve the opposing goalie.

Sami Vatanen and Boyle had the goals in regulation for New Jersey, winners of two of three. The Devils moved past idle Columbus into the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Keith Kinkaid made 34 saves through overtime and denied four of Nashville's five attempts in the shootout.

Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Johansen had the goals for Nashville, which snapped its franchise-high 10-game winning streak. Saros finished with 25 saves.

With the Predators trailing 2-1 late, Johansen tied it with 1:06 remaining in the third when he put home the rebound of Ryan Ellis' shot from the right side.

Ekholm scored the game's first goal at 1:17 of the opening period.

Carrying the puck on the right side, Ekholm cut to the left and beat Kinkaid with a wrist shot high to the short side. It was the Swedish defenseman's 10th of the season, the first time he has reached double digits in his career.

Vatanen tied it at 7:13 of the first with a slap shot from the right point through traffic that beat Saros on the stick side. Vatanen has four points in his last four games.

New Jersey made it 2-1 at 11:24 of the second. Just one second after Nashville defenseman P.K. Subban's slashing penalty expired, Boyle redirected Damon Severson's slap shot from above the left circle past Saros for his 13th of the season. Boyle has a goal in two of his last three games.

In overtime, Saros stopped a point-blank chance by Michael Grabner at 1:12.

NOTES: Nashville D Roman Josi returned to the lineup after missing four games with an upper-body injury. ... Prior to the game, Josi and Boyle, a cancer survivor, took part in a ceremonial faceoff as part of the NHL's Hockey Fights Cancer initiative. ... Devils D Will Butcher had one assist, extending his point-scoring streak to three games. ... New Jersey is 25-0-2 when leading after two periods this season.

UP NEXT

Devils: At Vegas on Wednesday night.

Predators: Host Winnipeg on Tuesday night.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Austin Watson scored a short-handed goal late in the second period and the Nashville Predators beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 on Thursday night to extend their franchise-record winning streak to 10 games.

The Predators also matched Colorado for the longest winning streak in the NHL this season. The victory kept Nashville's edge at six points ahead of Winnipeg and Vegas for the Western Conference lead.

Pekka Rinne made 31 saves to improve to 18-1-1 over his last 20 games.

Craig Smith, Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson each scored. Filip Forsberg had two assists for Nashville, which honored David Poile before the game for becoming career wins leader among NHL general managers with his 1,320th victory last week.

Rickard Rakell scored twice in the third period for the Ducks, who snapped a three-game winning streak. Rakell's second goal at 16:35 pulled the Ducks within 3-2 before Arvidsson scored over goalie John Gibson's glove with 1:46 left.

The Predators swept the three-game season series against the Ducks, the same team they beat for the Western Conference championship last year.

The puck didn't drop until after a pre-game ceremony for Poile, who got the record March 1 in Nashville's 4-2 victory at Edmonton. That win pushed him past Glen Sather (1,319). NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was on hand for the festivities Thursday.

The Predators didn't miss a beat after the delay as Smith scored at 5:26 of the first period with a wrister that beat Gibson glove-side. Then Forsberg found Johansen at the edge of the crease with a pass, and Johansen redirected it for his 10th goal at 15:10.

The Ducks went on the power play late in the second period, and the Predators quickly turned that into a 3-0 lead. Colton Sissons skated up and took a shot, then Watson scored off the rebound with 1:18 left for his third short-handed goal this season - tied for second in the NHL.

Ducks center Ryan Kesler and Johansen fought on the ensuing faceoff.

Anaheim opened the third taking the first few shots. Arvidsson hit a post for Nashville, then the Ducks came back the other way with Rakell scoring on a pass from Corey Perry at 6:04 of the period. Rakell made it 3-2 with his 30th goal of the season.

Notes: Nashville improved to 30-2-3 when leading after two periods. ... Smith has 21 goals this season, three away from matching his career best. ... Ryan Hartman has four points (two goals, two assists) in six games since Nashville picked up him in a trade from Chicago. ... Forsberg has five points (two goals, three assists) in his last five regular-season games against Anaheim. ... Rakell has a five-game point streak (seven goals and two assists).

UP NEXT

Ducks: Visit Dallas on Friday night.

Predators: Host Devils on Saturday night.

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GANGNEUNG, South Korea (AP) Miro Heiskanen and Eeli Tolvanen are must-see entertainment at the Olympics, even for their Finnish teammates.

Heiskanen and Tolvanen are the only 2017 first-round draft picks playing in the tournament, an opportunity to show what their very-near NHL futures might look like. Heiskanen, a puck-moving defenseman who was the third pick of the Dallas Stars, and Tolvanen, a scoring winger who was the 30th pick of the Nashville Predators, have substantial roles for Finland and are expected to play in the NHL next season, if not sooner.

''It's a great thing to get a chance to play with them before they go in the bigger league,'' captain Lasse Kukkonen said. ''I think it's going to be fun.''

Heiskanen and Tolvanen are 18-year-olds who joke around in the locker room and bring what coach Lauri Marjamaki called a ''freshness'' to the team full of European-based veterans. Tolvanen will play on the first line alongside Petri Kontiola and get first power-play time, and Heiskanen will be counted on to pump in some goals from the blue line.

That's not too much of an expectation. Two of the youngest players in the tournament, along with projected 2018 top pick Rasmus Dahlin of Sweden, Heiskanen and Tolvanen have drawn rave reviews for how they fit in with and against older players.

''It's amazing to see how well they play at a young age, but if you watch them on the ice you could never tell,'' Kukkonen said.

Heiskanen has 11 goals and eight assists in 25 games with HIFK in the Finnish Elite League, while Tolvanen has 17 goals and 17 assists in 47 games with Jokerit in the Kontinental Hockey League.

Playing against grown men seems to make them thrive. Heiskanen said older teammates ''are smarter, and it's maybe easier to play with those guys,'' and Tolvanen considers it a challenge.

''I've always been the youngest guy on the team,'' Tolvanen said. ''It's just more fun playing against older guys because you know they're stronger, maybe faster than you are, so you have to compete every day and you have to give your best every night.''

The Stars and defending Western Conference-champion Predators know they have something special in Heiskanen and Tolvanen. Rumors have swirled about Tolvanen joining the Predators this season, but he's concerned first about the Olympics and the rest of the KHL season.

''I don't think that's a thing I have to worry (about) right now,'' Tolvanen said. ''I just have to live in the moment and live day by day. I still have playoffs with Jokerit, so let's see after the playoffs what I'm going to do.''

Tolvanen said his game resembles that of St. Louis Blues sniper Vladimir Tarasenko and compared Heiskanen's to Norris Trophy-winning Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson. Those are lofty comparisons, but Finns who have played in the NHL like what they see so far.

''(Heiskanen) really plays like a seasoned veteran,'' former Calgary Flames goaltender Karri Ramo said. ''I play with Tolvanen and he's been excellent. ... His overall game's been improving all the time. He's going to be a big part of this team and a big part of Jokerit.''

Nashville already is overflowing with young forwards - Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson and Kevin Fiala - and looks primed for another deep playoff run. Any team looking to trade with the Predators ahead of the Feb. 26 deadline will undoubtedly ask about Tolvanen, but he and Heiskanen might be NHL-ready and able to help now.

''He's a great kid,'' Marjamaki said. ''Eeli's so talented (of a) guy and versatile player. I like his hockey sense, he's pretty good skating and (has a) unbelievable shot.''

Heiskanen, who is feeling good now after dealing with the effects of a concussion in the fall, figures making the jump to the NHL is possible next season as long as he trains hard this summer. Playing with him in pre-Olympic tournaments made quite the impression on Tolvanen, who is on board with Heiskanen taking his talents to the next level.

''He's an amazing player,'' Tolvanen said. ''He's really fun to play with because he can see you and he has the ability to score goals, so I think that's a D-man I want on my team.''

Dallas' Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn should like the sound of that.

For his part, Tolvanen also said he's ready to make the leap to the NHL after proving himself in the KHL, and Kukkonen is eager to witness what the two kids can do when they get to North America.

''The sky's the limit,'' Kukkonen said. ''We've seen both guys doing big things already, and they only keep getting better, so I think they're going to be top players in the world once they get a little bit older.''

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Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno

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More AP Olympics: https://wintergames.ap.org

GANGNEUNG, South Korea (AP) Miro Heiskanen and Eeli Tolvanen are must-see entertainment at the Olympics, even for their Finnish teammates.

Heiskanen and Tolvanen are the only 2017 first-round draft picks playing in the tournament, an opportunity to show what their very-near NHL futures might look like. Heiskanen, a puck-moving defenseman who was the third pick of the Dallas Stars, and Tolvanen, a scoring winger who was the 30th pick of the Nashville Predators, have substantial roles for Finland and are expected to play in the NHL next season, if not sooner.

''It's a great thing to get a chance to play with them before they go in the bigger league,'' captain Lasse Kukkonen said. ''I think it's going to be fun.''

Heiskanen and Tolvanen are 18-year-olds who joke around in the locker room and bring what coach Lauri Marjamaki called a ''freshness'' to the team full of European-based veterans. Tolvanen will play on the first line alongside Petri Kontiola and get first power-play time, and Heiskanen will be counted on to pump in some goals from the blue line.

That's not too much of an expectation. Two of the youngest players in the tournament, along with projected 2018 top pick Rasmus Dahlin of Sweden, Heiskanen and Tolvanen have drawn rave reviews for how they fit in with and against older players.

''It's amazing to see how well they play at a young age, but if you watch them on the ice you could never tell,'' Kukkonen said.

Heiskanen has 11 goals and eight assists in 25 games with HIFK in the Finnish Elite League, while Tolvanen has 17 goals and 17 assists in 47 games with Jokerit in the Kontinental Hockey League.

Playing against grown men seems to make them thrive. Heiskanen said older teammates ''are smarter, and it's maybe easier to play with those guys,'' and Tolvanen considers it a challenge.

''I've always been the youngest guy on the team,'' Tolvanen said. ''It's just more fun playing against older guys because you know they're stronger, maybe faster than you are, so you have to compete every day and you have to give your best every night.''

The Stars and defending Western Conference-champion Predators know they have something special in Heiskanen and Tolvanen. Rumors have swirled about Tolvanen joining the Predators this season, but he's concerned first about the Olympics and the rest of the KHL season.

''I don't think that's a thing I have to worry (about) right now,'' Tolvanen said. ''I just have to live in the moment and live day by day. I still have playoffs with Jokerit, so let's see after the playoffs what I'm going to do.''

Tolvanen said his game resembles that of St. Louis Blues sniper Vladimir Tarasenko and compared Heiskanen's to Norris Trophy-winning Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson. Those are lofty comparisons, but Finns who have played in the NHL like what they see so far.

''(Heiskanen) really plays like a seasoned veteran,'' former Calgary Flames goaltender Karri Ramo said. ''I play with Tolvanen and he's been excellent. ... His overall game's been improving all the time. He's going to be a big part of this team and a big part of Jokerit.''

Nashville already is overflowing with young forwards - Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson and Kevin Fiala - and looks primed for another deep playoff run. Any team looking to trade with the Predators ahead of the Feb. 26 deadline will undoubtedly ask about Tolvanen, but he and Heiskanen might be NHL-ready and able to help now.

''He's a great kid,'' Marjamaki said. ''Eeli's so talented (of a) guy and versatile player. I like his hockey sense, he's pretty good skating and (has a) unbelievable shot.''

Heiskanen, who is feeling good now after dealing with the effects of a concussion in the fall, figures making the jump to the NHL is possible next season as long as he trains hard this summer. Playing with him in pre-Olympic tournaments made quite the impression on Tolvanen, who is on board with Heiskanen taking his talents to the next level.

''He's an amazing player,'' Tolvanen said. ''He's really fun to play with because he can see you and he has the ability to score goals, so I think that's a D-man I want on my team.''

Dallas' Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn should like the sound of that.

For his part, Tolvanen also said he's ready to make the leap to the NHL after proving himself in the KHL, and Kukkonen is eager to witness what the two kids can do when they get to North America.

''The sky's the limit,'' Kukkonen said. ''We've seen both guys doing big things already, and they only keep getting better, so I think they're going to be top players in the world once they get a little bit older.''

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Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno

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More AP Olympics: https://wintergames.ap.org