TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Nikita Kucherov scored the go-ahead goal with less than a minute to play just 1:27 after Brandon Hagel had tied it, and the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied to beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on Thursday night.
Kucherov's second goal of the game with 55 seconds left was his sixth of the season.
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Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) steals the puck from Tampa Bay Lightning center Luke Glendening (11) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh (27) gets ahead of Vegas Golden Knights center Ivan Barbashev (49) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) checks Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) into the boards during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) celebrates with the bench after his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Vegas Golden Knights left wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning with defenseman Shea Theodore (27) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) goes down while chasing the puck with Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud (2) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) tries to work around Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (7) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) celebrates his goal against the Vegas Golden Knights with teammates, including defenseman Victor Hedman (77) and defenseman Janis Moser (90) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Vegas Golden Knights center Ivan Barbashev (49) celebrates after scoring past Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) makes a save on a shot by Tampa Bay Lightning center Jake Guentzel (59) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) celebrates with the bench after scoring against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Janis Moser had a goal and two assists for the Lightning, who remain unbeaten at 3-0-0. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves.
Brayden McNabb, Pavel Dorofeyev and Ivan Barbashev had goals for Vegas. Adin Hill turned aside 21 shots.
Jack Eichel, with two assists on Thursday, now has 10 points this season in five games and reached reached double-digit points faster than any other player in Vegas history. He is the 10th U.S.-born player to accomplish the feat.
After Barbashev put Vegas up 3-2 early in the second, Hagel pulled Tampa Bay even at 3 with 2:22 remaining in the third.
Kucherov tied it at 2 during a two-on-one with 12.8 seconds left in the first.
Golden Knights: The line of Eichel, Barbashev and Mark Stone has combined for eight goals, 19 assists and 27 points through five games.
Lightning: Jake Guentzel was the key free-agent signing with Steven Stamkos leaving for Nashville after 16 years with Tampa Bay. Guentzel has fit in nicely on the first line with Kucherov and Brayden Point, and has four assists.
Hill made three saves and the Vegas defenders blocked three shots to keep Tampa Bay from scoring during a 1:10 5-on-3 power play late in the second period.
Kucherov is the second Tampa Bay player to have six goals in the first three games of a season. Chris Kontos held the team record in the Lightning’s inaugural 1992-93 season.
Vegas plays Saturday night at Florida. Tampa Bay travels to Ottawa on Saturday night.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) steals the puck from Tampa Bay Lightning center Luke Glendening (11) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh (27) gets ahead of Vegas Golden Knights center Ivan Barbashev (49) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) checks Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) into the boards during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) celebrates with the bench after his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Vegas Golden Knights left wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning with defenseman Shea Theodore (27) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) goes down while chasing the puck with Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud (2) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) tries to work around Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (7) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) celebrates his goal against the Vegas Golden Knights with teammates, including defenseman Victor Hedman (77) and defenseman Janis Moser (90) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Vegas Golden Knights center Ivan Barbashev (49) celebrates after scoring past Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) makes a save on a shot by Tampa Bay Lightning center Jake Guentzel (59) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) celebrates with the bench after scoring against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
CLEVELAND (AP) — Jhonkensy Noel saved Cleveland's season. David Fry extended it.
With two huge swings, the Guardians hit back at the big, bad New York Yankees and tightened an AL Championship Series that was just about over.
Noel connected for a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning and Fry hit a two-run shot in the 10th as Cleveland rallied past New York 7-5 on Thursday to pull the Guardians to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.
Cleveland’s unexpected season that included 92 wins and the AL Central title was on the brink after Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer off All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase and Giancarlo Stanton followed with a solo drive in the eighth to give the Yankees a 4-3 lead.
Noel, a burly outfielder known as Big Christmas, delivered an October gift and Fry followed with his second momentous homer in these playoffs.
“That’s exactly who we are,” first-year Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “We never quit. We get punched in the teeth pretty hard there in the eighth, and our guys stepped up huge for the guy that carried us all year long. That was really fun to see."
The Guardians trailed 5-3, had no runners on base in the ninth and were moments from falling into a 3-0 deficit when Lane Thomas doubled against Luke Weaver, who had been perfect in eight save chances since taking over as the Yankees closer in September. Noel then delivered his towering homer.
As he rounded the bases, Progressive Field fans danced on their seats and in the aisles in a moment reminiscent of Rajai Davis’ tying homer off Aroldis Chapman in the eighth inning of 2016 World Series Game 7.
It was fitting that Davis, who now works for Major League Baseball, was on hand to see Noel's homer that now belongs beside his in Cleveland history.
“We’re a team that don’t quit,” Noel said through an interpreter. “We play 27 outs, so that’s kind of what happened today.”
Fry’s swing ended an instant fall classic.
Bo Naylor singled leading off the 10th against Clay Holmes and Brayan Rocchio sacrificed. Naylor took third on Steven Kwan's comebacker before Fry, who hit a Division Series-saving homer in Game 4 at Detroit, sent a 1-2 sinker into the left-field bleachers.
Fry watched the ball sail into the stands before heading toward first. He wa mobbed by teammates in the infield as fans tossed drinks in the air while trying to process the emotional rollercoaster they had endured.
Cleveland can tie the series with a win on Friday.
The Guardians still have a chance to end baseball's current longest World Series drought, stretching to 1948.
Judge homered in Game 2 but was batting just .143 (3 of 21) with eight strikeouts this October before coming to the plate against Clase, the AL’s saves leader and MLB’s most feared reliever.
After falling behind 1-2 in the count, Judge, who was on the field taking batting practice five hours before the game, sat back and drove a 99 mph cutter from Clase the opposite way to right, the ball just clearing the outfield wall.
New York’s players poured out of the dugout to celebrate as Judge, the likely AL MVP after hitting 58 homers in the regular season, circled the bases following his 15th postseason homer.
The Yankees, who had been held to three hits over the first seven innings, were still exchanging hugs and high-fives when Stanton crushed a 1-2 slider from Clase, sending it over the center-field wall.
Clase had been impeccable all season, allowing just five runs and recording 34 consecutive saves while dominating almost every time he took the mound. But he was tagged for a three-run homer in the ninth by Detroit’s Kerry Carpenter in the ALDS before Judge and Stanton got him within a span of eight pitches.
New York had two on with no outs in the ninth but scored just one run, on Gleyber Torres' sacrifice fly. Eli Morgan ended the inning by throwing a called third strike past Juan Soto.
Rookie Kyle Manzardo hit a two-run homer in the third for Cleveland.
The 30th postseason matchup between the Guardians and Yankees was another tightly contested matchup between two franchises who know each other well this time of year. This is their seventh meeting in the playoffs.
Cleveland finally got some length from a starter as Matthew Boyd went five innings, the most Vogt has permitted this postseason. The left-hander gave up two hits in the second before retiring 10 straight, seven on easy grounders.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: Reliever Ian Hamilton was lifted in the sixth inning after appearing to hurt himself while covering first base. The team said he had left calf tightness. ... Manager Aaron Boone said LHP Nestor Cortes came through a brief batting practice pitching session on Wednesday without any issues. Cortes is recovering from an elbow strain and hasn’t pitched in a game since Sept. 18. If New York advances, he could be added to the World Series roster.
UP NEXT
Guardians RHP Gavin Williams will start Game 4, his first appearance of the postseason. The hard-throwing Williams had a disappointing regular season (3-10, 4.86 ERA), which began with him on the injured list for several months with an elbow issue. He’ll face Yankees RHP Luis Gil, who went 15-7 during the regular season.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New York Yankees relief pitcher Ian Hamilton leaves during the sixth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )
New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt leaves the game during the fifth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Matthew Boyd throws against the New York Yankees during the fourth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Matthew Boyd throws against the New York Yankees during the fourth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge runs the bases after hitting a two-run home against the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez, right, steals second base as New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) reaches to tag him during the third inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez loses his helmet as he swings for a strike against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )
New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton breaks his bat hitting a ground out against the Cleveland Guardians during the third inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )
New York Yankees' Jose Trevino, left, is tagged out by Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Matthew Boyd during the second inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Matthew Boyd throws against the New York Yankees during the second inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge walks back to the dugout after striking out against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )
Cleveland Guardians' David Fry celebrates after hitting a game-winning two-run home run against the New York Yankees during the 10th inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland. The Guardians won 7-5. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Cleveland Guardians' Kyle Manzardo, right, watches his two-run home run along with New York Yankees catcher Jose Trevino during the third inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )
Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase reacts after giving up a home run against the New York Yankees during the eighth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton (27) celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )
Cleveland Guardians players wait for David Fry (6) to cross home plate after hitting a game-winning two-run home run against the New York Yankees during the 10th inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland. The Guardians won 7-5. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Cleveland Guardians' David Fry celebrates after hitting a game-winning two-run home run against the New York Yankees during the 10th inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland. The Guardians won 7-5. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
