Downie, Roloson keep Lightning alive

Steve Downie scored to snap a third-period tie and former Islander Dwayne Roloson stopped 27 shots, helping the host Lightning defeat the Penguins, 4-2, Monday night to force a Game 7 in their first-round playoff series.

The deciding game is Wednesday night in Pittsburgh, where Tampa Bay already has won twice this postseason, including an 8-2 Game 5 blowout that began its comeback from a 3-1 deficit in the Eastern Conference series.

Downie put the Lightning ahead for good, scoring about a minute after Jordan Staal gave the Penguins life with a goal that made it 2-2 early in the third. Teddy Purcell, Sean Bergenheim and Ryan Malone also scored against Marc-Andre Fleury, who faltered for the second straight game.

No ban for Richards

Flyers captain Mike Richards sidestepped a punishing hit instead of delivering one Monday, and he will play in Game 7 Tuesday night at home against Buffalo.

The Sabres wanted the NHL to suspend Richards for plowing center Tim Connolly head first into the boards Sunday in Game 6. Connolly, who has a history of scary head injuries, left the game and is out for Game 7.

Richards was penalized for boarding. He also was whistled for a five-minute major for elbowing Patrick Kaleta in Game 4. Sabres goalie Ryan Miller called Richards "reckless."

"The guy who was complaining the most about how we were getting away with murder has delivered two of the dirtiest hits in the series," Miller said. "A blatant elbow to the face, that is something that the league said they were going to try and take away, and driving Tim Connolly head first into the boards.''

For Buffalo, it's exit Connolly, enter Derek Roy. The Sabres should have Roy in the lineup for the first time since Dec. 23. Roy, the team's leading scorer when he suffered a torn quadriceps in December, had been ruled out of the first round. But he'll be pressed into service with Connolly out.

-- AP