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Leafs erase threegoal thirdperiod deficit, stun Bolts 54 in OT for 31 series lead

Toronto Maple Leafs center Alexander Kerfoot (15) celebrates with his teammates after scoring the game-winning goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during overtime in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Monday, April 24, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Toronto Maple Leafs center Alexander Kerfoot (15) celebrates with his teammates after scoring the game-winning goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during overtime in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Monday, April 24, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Alexander Kerfoot scored on a power play at 414 of overtime as the Toronto Maple Leafs roared back from a 41 deficit in the third period to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 54.

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 Mikhail 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.

William Nylander had three assists, while Mitch Marner and Ryan O'Reilly each had two for Toronto, which famously botched a 4-1 lead in the third period of Game 7 against the Boston Bruins in 2013 before losing in OT.

Alex Killorn scored twice for Tampa, while Sergachev, with a goal and an assist, and Steven Stamkos provided the rest of the offence. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 32 shots. Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman each added two assists.

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.