TAMPA, Fla. -- The Pittsburgh Penguins gained momentum in the Eastern Conference finals with a 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 3 on Wednesday night at Amalie Arena. The Penguins lead the best-of-seven series 2-1, and Game 4 is Friday at 8 p.m. ET in Tampa Bay.

How it happened: The Penguins line of Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel proved crucial in the Game 3 victory. In fact, that threesome has been key the entire postseason, but it was especially good Wednesday night. While the Lightning focused on Sidney Crosby's line, Pittsburgh’s third line was buzzing, especially Hagelin, whom GM Jim Rutherford acquired in a trade from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for David Perron and Adam Clendening on Jan. 16. Rutherford also acquired Kessel from the Toronto Maple Leafs and Bonino from the Vancouver Canucks during the summer. In Game 3, after a scoreless first period, shots in the second period were grossly lopsided. Pittsburgh outshot Tampa 21-6 in the second, and the Penguins were finally rewarded for their efforts when Hagelin drove home a rebound off a Kessel shot with 10 seconds remaining in the period for a 1-0 lead. In 14 postseason games, Hagelin has five goals and six assists for 11 points. That line combined for Pittsburgh’s second goal at 5:16 of the third period. This time, it was Bonino on a nifty pass from behind the Tampa net to Kessel, who drove it home for his seventh goal of the postseason. The Lightning’s Tyler Johnson scored 14 seconds later to cut Tampa’s deficit to one. But the Penguins replied assertively; Crosby and Chris Kunitz scored in the third en route to victory. Ondrej Palat scored for the Lightning with less than two minutes to go, but that was as close as it got.

What it means: The Lightning need to find an answer quick or this could be a shorter series than most predicted. Even though Tampa can’t point the finger at backup goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy as the problem, possibly getting Ben Bishop back for Game 4 could be the difference-maker for the Lightning.